Five Minds of a Manager free essay sample

In today’s ever changing global economy, managers need to be able to deal with the changes that are taking place such as technology business processes, job descriptions and skill sets. Companies are developing programs in order to keep up with the constant change. Managers are often the first to deal with the changes so they can produce programs to help employees deal with the transitions. Companies who have a plan in place regarding systems approach of organization can adjust easy to the changes and remain a viable business. In today’s changing times, managers are more in need than ever. Managers need to have many different traits in order to be a good manager. This paper will discuss what it is to be a good manager in today’s global economy. In order to be a good manager one needs to understand what a systems approach is and how it interacts with our economy. We will write a custom essay sample on Five Minds of a Manager or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The systems approach to management is a concept which views a company as an interconnected purposive system that consist of several business sections. (www. buzzle. com. The system can be broken down by three parts, the first part is input; which all the raw materials of an organization. The second part is called the process which refers to the actives related to management and the third is output which is the end result of the products. These systems need to intertwine with one another in order for a company to change their business processes and in order to stay competitive with our current times. Not only does the organization need to change; so do the people, jobs descriptions, and skill sets. Management needs to have a holistic approach when implementing the change. Organizations that implement a system approach correctly will be able to remain effective during the changing times. Employees’ moral will remain positive and work production will increase. In order for this to 3 happen, managers must be able to manage employees in an effective way along with overcoming obstacles that might come along the way. In the last few years the management role has been an important role in many organizations, but in the past, leadership was always the main focus. Leaders have realized they need the help of managers in order to run a successful organization. A management job may be seen as impossible job to do because of the constant changes that are being asked of the manager. For example maintain the order of the organization, meeting the quotas while keeping employees happy. Successful managers need to think their way through their daily tasks. Most managers use five different minds sets in order to be a good manager. Managers need to use the five different models in order for them to adapt with the changing global times. Each mind set has specific functions that will help managers maintain a healthy workplace for employees. It also allow managers to focus on the many tasks at hand and gives the manager time to think on how to get the job done correctly. In summary managing effectively encompasses five basic tasks each with its own mind-set. A reflective mind-set allows a manager to stop and think; step back and reflect on what is going on around the organization. Manager must have reflection because without it management would be mindless. Reflection often puts events into a perspective, allowing managers to see what worked and want didn’t work. When managers reflect back on the event, a manger can foresee changes needed in order to make the organization stronger. A manger that uses the reflective mind set gains an understanding of their personal leadership philosophy and style and 4 how they present themselves to others, their strengths and weaknesses, and their current leadership skills. Managers will also need to be able to have a strong analytical mind set which will enable mangers to make decisions and solve problems under difficult circumstances. When managers use good analysis, it will allow people to share an understanding of what is driving their efforts and it can also be used as a measurement for performance. An organization may test the manager to see if he has analytical skills. The manager may be asked to look for issue in an advertisement or put a series of events in the proper order. Senior managers look to managers to be able to have analytical skills because senior managers usually have less contact and need feedback that is provided to them by the managers. A downside in using an analytical mindset is that one either puts too much trust into the data or not enough trust because one has not had direct experience with the situation. Managers of a worldly mindset use practical real world experience to see the world in a detailed view of cause and effect. Worldliness is the key to effective management. Managers who use the worldly view will be able to manage the action that takes place on the edges. It also gives clear views between the sides with letting managers know why and how things are different. Mangers need to know that using this mindset is important in regards to systems thinking. Knowing what parts of system are essential and which are not, allows the management of an organization to focus on the important parts that need to be change with an organization. 5 The collaborative mindset engages managers to listen more than they talk and get out of their offices to interact with their employees. Collaborative mindset does not allow managers to manage people; it helps managers have relationships with people. Managers need to have the ability to work in partnership and collaborate with others. Doing something kind for employees with no expectation of anything in return helps managers focus on what you can do to benefit the other person, not vice versa. Your positive, genuine efforts will have a lasting impact. By doing all of the above it will raise overall performance in the organization. Finally the action mind set is used by managers in order for people to work and learn together by tackling real issues and reflecting on their actions. Managers acquire knowledge through actual actions and practice rather than through traditional instruction. Action learning is done in conjunction with others, in small groups. It enables each person to reflect on and review the action they have taken and the learning points arising. This should then guide future action and improve performance. An action learning approach has been recognized as a valuable tool for managers and has increased production in organizations. In summary it was hard for me to choose two points to talk about in the article â€Å"Five minds of a manager†. I believe in order to have effective performance; each mind-set needs to be used. When using the five mindsets, a manger will reflect, act, and reflect some more. Managers must realize that collaboration is necessary in order to have a successful organization and pleased workers. Sometimes mangers are not willing to change their current techniques when it comes to running their organization because they are committed to their own ways, but I believe a good manager needs to remain calm and lead by example. By using the five-mind 6 approaches, it will only benefit the manger. Managers will see the positive growth of their business and the motivation of their employees to succeed. Managers have one of the toughest jobs because they have to deal with employee’s ego and expectations. Managers need to be able to motivate their employees and stop them from going to other organizations. Managers must also make employees feel needed. This can all become exhausting for managers to do on a daily basis; this is why managers need to use the five mind-sets. It will help guide them during difficult times so they don’t become overwhelmed themselves.

Mother Teresa essays

Mother Teresa essays Mother Teresa was a wonderful woman and a great influence on the world today. She was born in 1910 in Macedonia with the name Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was born into a family of deeply religious Catholics. Agnes felt she got the calling to work for God at the young age of fourteen. She joined the Loreto order and went to Bengal, India, to start her studies. In 1937, Agnes took her final vows to become a nun and has done much great work in the world since. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born on August 27, 1910 to Nikola and Drana Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia. Drana and Nikola were Albanian and both were very deeply religious Roman Catholics. Nikola was a popular merchant and a partner to an Italian merchant. He owned several houses and was a member of the Skopje town council. Whenever Agnes father would return from a trip, he would always bring his children presents. Also, he promoted his daughters education, which was uncommon in that time period. Nikola also was involved in an underground organization that worked to gain independence for the Albanians from the Ottoman Turks, who ruled Macedonia around the time Agnes was born. Agnes grew up around much fighting. When she was born, there were Albanian protests against the Turkish government. When she was two, she witnessed the First Balkan War. In that war, the Ottomans were defeated, but Macedonia was divided among the conquerors: Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegero, and Serbia. The city of Skopje was distributed to Serbia. Albania received its independence in 1912, but Nikola continued his nationalist work. He joined a movement determined to incorporate Serbia into the Albanian nation. In 1914, when Agnes was only four years old, World War I began. In 1918, her father was killed. Some people believe that he was poisoned by enemies. Many people mourned his death because of his kindness and generosity. Drana Bojaxhiu and the family were left with little money and no means of...

Leadership and Management Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership and Management Development - Essay Example It is done in order to amplify the inner skills and confidence of the employees towards the assigned tasks that may improve their level of performance. By doing so, the level of productivity and profitability of the organization might get enhanced to a significant extent that may augment its position and ranking in the market among others. However, in order to maintain the operation of the organization in an efficient way, the leader needs to maintain good interpersonal relationship with its employees. By communicating with them, in terms of various issues, the level of participation might get enhanced that may improve the performance of the organization as a whole. Thus, it might be clearly the better the qualities of a leader the better might be the performance of an organization (Ulrich, 1997, pp. 223-234). According to Northouse (2010), leadership is an art or skill that is attained by the individual through vigorous communication and interactions with a wide range of individual or employees. By doing so, varied types of ideas and suggestions are presented in front of wide range of individual, who might also participate in the decision-making process. As a result, the level of confidence and thinking power of the individual also gets enhanced to a significant extent as compared to others. Moreover, due to strategic thinking process, the creativity and innovativeness of the leader to present varied types of ideas related to improvement of the organizational performance and position in the market might get amplified (Northhouse, 2010, pp. 110-123). In addition to this, through coaching and development learning programs, the self assessment and team-building skills of the individual might get enhanced. Such type of skills might also amplify the problem solving nature of the individual that may reduce the conflicts and clashes among the employees. By doing so, the level

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Assignment - Essay Example Indians appreciate punctuality but most of them are not very strict about time. Office hours are from 10am-5pm. Tie and suit for men is preferred whereas more casual wears are acceptable in the fields of IT. Shalwar suit or long skirts or pants for women are considered agreeable. Politics, cricket, economic reforms and movies are the welcoming topics for conversation. Topics such as Religion, Political ties with Pakistan and economic disparity within India should be avoided. The Power distribution ranking of India is 77 compared to the world average 55. This indicates that the lower class citizens are satisfied with the unequal distribution of wealth. It is a male dominated society and the country is more prone to unexpected situations. The United States of America is an individualistic society with a greater will to work and be competitive. It is the strongest economy of the world and has an extremely high GDP of 20%. The U.S. economy also maintains a very high level of output per capita. It is also the largest trading nation in the world with major trades from Canada, China and Mexico. Power distance is of 40. People in the United States usually work a lot in the industrial and services sector. Not much importance is given to traditional jobs like agriculture or forestry. Americans work on the principle that by working hard one can become more financially strong. The work culture is employee centric. There are many laws governing the rights of employees. Work hours are from 9am-5pm. Many employees work overtime. While setting up appointments, time is considered to be of great value and Punctuality is given due importance. Dressing is usually casual. Generally English is spoken. Topics such as religion or racism should be avoided. Whereas, Sports, travel, food and music are the welcoming topics. China has the second largest economy in the world after the United States. It has a very high growth rate and is the largest exporter of goods,

Description of what is Typical grief noting all manifestations Essay

Description of what is Typical grief noting all manifestations - Essay Example Grief is a process of healing oneself to become a part of life after losing someone close. Bereaved comes out of it after a specific time period but it manifests in his behaviors and reactions. This paper discusses some of these manifestations. â€Å"Depersonalization is a term used to describe the experience when oneself or one’s body feels somehow strange or unreal .Derealization is the term used to describe the experience when external reality seems strange or unreal† (Davies, 2004,p.42). Lindemann (1944, as cited in Worden, 2009) explained physical sensation of a bereaved as a reaction of the loss. A sense of depersonalization is one of them. For example, a bereaved told that he walked down the street and felt everything is unreal including himself. Such reactions are taken for granted but hold an important place in grieving process (p.23). Disbelief or denial is a common manifestation of grief. It happens when bereaved is shocked by sudden or unexpected news of death or loss. According to Worden (2009), people tend to deny the fact and show mistrust by saying, it can’t happen or informer is mistaken. A widow told him that after the death of her husband, she kept waiting for someone to wake her up and tell her that she was dreaming. Another explained, despite of her husband’s long sickness, she was not quite ready for his death (p.34). Idealization is very common behavior; people idealize their lost or separated partners. Bereaved forgets about the negative characteristics or faults of deceased. Only good and loveable things are remembered without any reservation (HBM, n.d). Demonization refers to blaming enemies or evil powers for the loss. According to Worden (2009) anger, if handled in ineffective way can lead to the situation in which bereaved direct the loss towards some other person and blame him for death. They believe that the person

Implementing Curriculum Changes in the Classroom

Implementing Curriculum Changes in the Classroom Introduction Much research on curriculum development has been done in different fields of education. It has uncovered both successes and failures. Research on educational innovations reveals many problems which result in non-implementation of planned innovations. These include the problems of inadequate knowledge of implementation, and lack of awareness of the limitations of teachers and school administration, etc. (Pink 1989; Fullan 1992; Fullan and Hargreaves 1991). Recently, the literature in the field of ELT has reported innovations in the implementation of new teacher roles, new practices, new materials, etc. Most principles for innovation are derived from English-speaking countries and transferred throughout the world. For instance, the learner-centred, communicative approach which originated in British ELT has been recommended almost everywhere. Although some reports mention the success of such innovations, others have concluded that many problematic implementation issues emerge from a dir ect transfer, after it has been put into use worldwide, such as in China (Burnaby and Son 1989; Anderson 1993; Hui 1997), Indonesia (Tomlinson 1990), Greece (Karavas-Doukas 1995), Hong-Kong (Carless 1998), and Libya (Orafi 2008), etc. However, the knowledge and understanding of what is involved in effecting innovation in many projects has been investigated mostly by their change agents. Many ELT innovation projects reported in the professional literature are designed and examined by their authors as leading change agents, not by end users, i.e. teachers (e.g. Gray 1990; Jarvis 1992; Tomlinson 1990; Barmada 1994; Guariento 1997; Markee 1997, etc.). In those projects, the authors/reporters design, introduce, and monitor the process of implementation. To finding out how best to teach the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing as well as grammar and vocabulary. The development of so many methods has been a response, according to Richards and Rodgers (2001:7-9), to the changes in the kind of proficiency (e.g. oral vs. written) that learners are thought to need. In the 1970s, in particular, there was a major shift to learners need for communicating in a second language away from a focus on grammar and translation. This shift was crucial, especially for foreign language learners who leave school unable to use their foreign language in actual communication. So, FL countries adopted this shift to communication to satisfy their students needs for fluency. As English became a lingua franca by the 1990s it was seen as necessary to teach it for communication as it became the mostly taught foreign language worldwide (Gebhard, 2006; Carrick, 2007). The teaching of English as a second (ESL) or as a foreign language (EFL) started to become important after World War II. A great demand for English courses by immigrants, refugees, and foreign students took place in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia (Richards, 2001:23). When English was introduced in schools, it was first introduced at the secondary level in 1950s. But, since the application of the Communicative Approach/Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in national curricula after the publication of Wilkinss book Notional Syllabuses (1976) educationalists/researchers in many countries have observed that students can not communicate as well as expected after leaving secondary school, with eight years of English, as they start their university study (e.g. Al-Mutawa, 1994; Tang, 2002). According to Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1998:I) English language has enjoyed a considerable role in the fields of business, industry, technology, politics, education, medicine and many other professional fields. According to Saleh, more attention is required from EFL teachers to students EFL teachers on teaching them how to communicate in the target language effectively. This requires that the traditional methods, the classroom learning activities and the learning environment have to be changed to correspond with the latest developments and changes in views on ELT represented by the communicative approach (2002:1). Because of the above reasons, English language syllabus of Libyan secondary schools has been changed lately as a response to these developments. The new English programme in Libyan secondary education aims to enable students to: i) achieve a reasonable proficiency in listening and speaking English at a sensible speed, reading simple texts with comprehension and writing about a simple subject or incident; ii) develop their interest in learning English so that they can learn effectively by themselves; and iii) improve their knowledge and have access to foreign culture (UNESCO 2002 reported in Al-Buseifi 2003:4). It has been investigated that some classroom teachers who teach EFL at secondary schools in Libya are traditional and not in harmony with the principles and objectives of the communicative approach upon which the new curriculum has been based. Teachers are faced with some difficulties in implementing the new curriculum. Therefore, some problems have been appeared, for example; teachers use their native language extensively and use only very little English during the lesson. Teachers talk a lot whereas students talk very little. Teachers need to be well trained. Class-time and size are not suitable. Appropriate materials and group-work activities are needed. This study aims to investigate some EFL teachers in Libyan secondary schools to determine the extent of their effectiveness in achieving the desirable objectives of the new curriculum. It specifically investigates and describes the following: How far does the new curriculum filter down into EFL classrooms in Libyan secondary schools? What are the methods that Libyan secondary school teachers use in teaching English as a foreign language? How do Libyan teachers implement the new curriculum (CLT) in teaching EFL? What difficulties may face Libyan teachers in implementing the CLT approach? To what extent are Libyan teachers qualified in communicative language teaching? Since the language curriculum of Libyan secondary schools has been changed lately and has been based on the communicative approach. The EFL teachers who teach this new curriculum should be based on the principles and objectives of the communicative approach. In fact, most Libyan EFL teachers got used to apply the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) with its traditional views and objectives, so they may encounter some difficulties when changing their method especially if they have not been previously trained. This topic is important to investigate because I have noted that it is still a controversial issue between researchers and teachers. The main emphasis is to know whether teachers are using the new curriculum in order to enhance the students basic knowledge of English and competence to use English for communication. In other words, it is to investigate EFL teachers at Libyan secondary schools to find out whether they have changed their method in parallel with the change in the curric ulum and how it is implemented. In order to achieve more understanding about these issues, this study attempts to discuss the curriculum innovation in Libya with reference to communicative language teaching which is implemented in the new curriculum. More attention is given to teachers, they are regarded as having the main role in any innovation. This study is divided into five chapters. In the first chapter, there will be the introduction, the research hypothesis, the research question, the purpose and the significance of the research. Chapter two will be focused on the literature review which include; definition of innovation, its theory and its aim. Background of the context, EFL in Libya, CLT, its development, and its principles. Some factors related to the adoption of the new curriculum (CLT), e g; teachers role, teacher student interaction, student-student interaction, teacher training, methods of teaching, materials and testing criteria. Third chapter will be the methodology. The methods of collecting data will be discussed, there will be a review of how data will be collected, who are the participants, how many, where, how, when, all these questions will be answered in this chapter. Chapter four will be about the results. The results will be discussed in chapter five. Conclusion and recommendations will be discussed i n chapter six. This study will provide an opportunity to enrich theory and practice of CLT in a non-native English speaking setting. It deals with an important issue in the field of teaching as a foreign language which is related to the teaching methods that is used by teachers. To achieve this purpose this research has been carried out. Literature Review Curriculum Innovation It has been widely noted over many years that the low degree of success of educational innovations is mainly caused by the failure of the innovators who were unable to make use of the extensive theoretical literature on innovation (Havelock and Huberman 1977; Barmada 1994). They also did not adopt the appropriate innovation strategies (ibid.). Both White (1987) and Barmada (1994) identify two areas of expertise in which all innovators should be equipped: an understanding of innovation issues and expertise in the management of innovation. The Meaning Of Curricular Innovation It has been defined by Markee as following: â€Å"Curricular innovation is a managed process of development whose principal products are teaching and/or testing materials, methodological skills, and pedagogical values that are perceived as new by potential adopters† (1997: 46). According to Hall and Hewings, teachers roles are seen as implementers, and sometimes regarded as adopters, students are clients, and materials designers are suppliers (2001: 119). Curriculum Innovation Versus Theory: Vrooms expectancy theory (1964 in Morrison 1998) from business explains the instant effectiveness of the use of rewards and sanctions. Expectancy theory is based on the assumption that people will involve themselves in change if they expect it to bring about personal benefits (Morrison 1998:132). It is argued that the more benefits people perceive, the greater willingness they will have to be involved in the projects of change (ibid.). These perceived benefits, such as financial benefits, job security, and promotion opportunities, etc. are assumed to be an effective motivator to improve job performance. However, any change often requires additional time, energy, and finance, etc. If the adopters do not think the advantages of an innovation will outweigh its costs, it may not be easy to persuade them to accept it. From management theory point of view, and according to (Everard and Morris 1990), by addressing the â€Å"interrelated sensing systems†, we can understand how educati onal managers effect change. They are; policy making, development, controlling, liaising and doing (Markee 1997:49-51). Teachers do not see themselves having part in curriculum innovation, although the definition given above indicates that teachers have a primary role in innovation. This phenomena has been indicated by many researchers that â€Å"curricular innovation entails a mix of professional, academic, and administrative change† (e. g; Bowers 1983, 1987; Crocker 1984; Lee and VanPatten 1990; Straker-Cooke 1987; White 1988). â€Å"Managers must therefore enhance an organizations capacity to innovate through organization development† (Markee 1997: 51). It seems that teachers have many tasks particularly that related to their classrooms. Thus, all participants in language teaching should given part in innovation to be managed (ibid.). The New Curriculum (Clt) In Efl Countries: Attempts to introduce communicative language teaching (CLT) into EFL contexts on EFL countries own initiatives and through international aid projects have encouraged many innovations in L2 education. In general, such innovations have had a low degree of success (Brindley Hood, 1990), and implementing CLT worldwide has often faced difficulty (Anderson, 1993; Chick, 1996; Ellis, 1994, 1996; Gonzalez, 1985; Kirkpatrick, 1984; Sano, Takahashi, Yoneyama, 1984; Shamin, 1996; Ting, 1987; Valdes Jhones, 1991). Difficult as many EFL countries are still striving to introduce CLT hoping that it will improve their English teaching. Some researchers have strongly advocated the adoption of CLT in EFL countries and recognized the difficulties these countries face in adopting CLT (Li, 1984; Prabhu, 1987). Burnaby and Sun (1989) report that teachers in China found it difficult to use CLT. These difficulties include the context of the wider curriculum, traditional methods, class sizes and schedules, resources and equipment, the low status of teachers who teach communicative rather than analytical skills, and English teachers deficiencies in oral English and sociolinguistic and strategic competence. Andersons (1993) study of CLT in China reported such hurdles as a lack of properly trained teachers, a lack of appropriate texts and materials, students not being acclimatized to CLT, and difficulties in evaluating students taught by way of CLT. Sano et al. (1994) point out that the Japanese students they studied generally did not feel a pushing need to use English, so that the goal of communicative competence seemed too distant for them. All these difficulties seem to apply to Libyan context too. Karavas-Doukas (1995) gives a report in which the curriculum developers in Greece tried to implement the communicative approach to English teaching/learning using textbooks containing communicative components. However, Karavas-Doukas indicated that teachers lack of understanding of the methodological principles underlying the new materials was one of the impeding factors that finally let to the non-implementation of this innovation. The Greek teachers had changed to new materials, but they tended to implement the intended communicative activities as controlled grammar practice exercises and did not create the opportunities of real communication in their classroom. They did not realize the new role of teachers and students associated with the CLT approach, so they still acted as knowledge-transmitters, rather than facilitators (ibid.). Much research has been conducted discussing the communication problems encountered by Arab learners in most of the Arab countries; particularly in Libya. This fact has been clearly explained by many researchers, e. g. Abdul Haq (1982), Harrison, Prator and Tucker (1975), Abbad (1988), Wahba (1998), Saleh (2002) and Orafi (2008). The students in Jordan, for example, learn English in their home country where the native language is Arabic. The only way to learn English in Jordan is through formal instruction, i.e. in the classroom where language teachers are native speakers of Arabic. There are general screams about the extended degeneration of the standards of English proficiency of students among school teachers, university instructors and all who are involved with English language teaching. The results of the studies conducted in Jordan lead to the conclusion that the goals set by the Ministry of Education are desirous and have not yet been reached (Rababah, 2005:181). In Yamen, the situation is almost the same as in the other Arab countries. Abbad (1988) acknowledges the weakness of Yameni learners of English, and adds that â€Å"in spite of the low proficiency level in English of most applicants, they are accepted into the department.† This is what happens in most of the Arab university. English language departments accept high school graduates without understanding their proficiency level and whether or not they will be able to administrate a program of English studies. Therefore, Arab learners of English find it difficult to communicate freely in the target language. This may be due to the learning environment which some umpire to be inappropriate for learning a foreign language. This is obvious in Jordan where the formal language of communication is Arabic (Rababah, 2005:182). What happen with other countries can be applied on Libyan context, because the situation is almost the same. According to Saleh (2002) and Orafi (2008), although the new curriculum is introduced in Libya since 2000, the students in Libya still cannot communicate in English or express themselves. They cannot speak English freely inside and outside schools as well. Therefore, they cannot use English in real life situation. ELT In Libya: In the 1980s the focus of English language teaching in Libya was on grammar and reading comprehension. Lessons were characterized by oral drills, memorization of vocabulary, and reading aloud. Arabic was widely used in English lessons by teachers and students. During the late 1980s, as a result of political tensions between Libya and the West, the teaching of English was banned from schools and universities across the country. In the 1990s, this status changed to the positive and new curriculum was introduced in 2000 (Orafi, 2008: 244). The new curriculum recommends that †³English be used as much as possible by the teacher and students in the classroom, as the aim is for the students to communicate effectively and fluently with each other and to make talking in English a regular activity†³ (ibid:245). It was argued that learners learn a language through the process of communicating in it, and that communication that is meaningful to the learner provides a better opportunity for learning. New classroom techniques and activities were needed, new roles for teachers and learners in the classroom. Instead of making use of activities that demanded accurate repetition and memorization of sentences and grammatical patterns, activities that required learners to negotiate meaning and to interact meaningfully were required. The purpose of education is seen as based on careers, examination passing and recall. Understanding, applying ideas, creativity, questioning is all devalued. The idea of school education as a way to unlock potential seems missing and the students appear to appreciate that (Orafi 2008). The teachers role is largely that of transmitting information in an efficient and effective manner to their students. The teachers have little insight in the role of their subjects in the development of students. They are ruled by the demands of society, with its dependence on examination success for gaining access to over crowed and want more time for students to be able to think. However, they have little clear idea of the nature and role of understanding and the idea of seeing their subject in terms of wider life is largely absent (Al-Buseifi, 2003). Although improving the educational system is a priority for the education authorities in Libya, the educational programmes still suffer from shortages in facilities such as computers, laboratories, and information networks, a lack of qualified teachers, and the use of traditional methods of teaching (Khalifa, 2002). This could be due to the fact that the central focus is on increasing the quantity of schools and institutes rather than improving the quality of teaching and learning outcomes. The Situation In Libyan Secondary Schools According to Orafi (2008), ‘the main problem at present of education in Libya is the quality of education. The need to build so much in order to educate so many in a short time creates the classical dilemma of quality of education versus quantity education. In fact, this problem is not the problem of Libyan education only but is a problem common to many developing countries. Classrooms in Libyan secondary schools are regarded crowed. Most of classes are consisted of at least thirty students. Every student has his own seat from the beginning of the year to the end of it. It is difficult for teachers to go freely through the class. Also it is not easy to work in groups, and to deal with all the students. This problem has been discussed by Richards (1996:146) who states that; †¦the majority of large class teachers created, within their large class, a smaller class of students in the front only. They seemed happy to teach this ‘smaller class of students in the front and ignored the students at the back†¦ There is frequently not enough equipment and facilities at some schools (e.g. computers and laboratories). Classes are often large with an inadequate supply of teachers. ‘The examination system emphasises the rote recall of information and holds great power over the learners at key times of the year (Orafi 2008:243). English Textbooks In Libyan Secondary Schools (3rd Year) The textbook comprises of; subject book, skills book and work book. The materials are organized into two semesters; 12 units per semester, with 22 lessons in each unit. The lessons are divided between the three student books as follows: subject book; 10 lessons per unit, skills book; 9 lessons per unit, and work book; 3 lessons per unit. Subject Book; the main purpose of this book is presenting information and related vocabulary. The main purpose of the reading and listening texts in the Subject Book is to impart knowledge about the subject concerned and present associated vocabulary. The final two lessons in the Subject Book present one or more pieces of writing. Skills Book; the main purpose of the Skills Book is presentation and practice in the four skills. Workbook; its purpose is written consolidation of grammar points from the Skills Book. Students are often referred back to the Skills Book to find examples or to check their answers. Occasionally, vocabulary items are also practiced in the Workbook, and there are sometimes pair work and role-play activities (Phillips et al 2002). Implementing innovation as organizational development: The concept of innovation as organizational development is well described in Markees two-in-one innovation: primary innovation and secondary innovation (1997). Markee relates the dimension of organizational development to ‘secondary innovations in contrast to ‘primary innovations, i.e. changes in teaching (and/or testing materials), methodological skills, and pedagogical vales (ibid: 53). In the dimension of primary innovations, innovation intending to introduce new materials, new teaching procedure, new teaching roles or technology, etc. will also involve changes in skills and values. Markee argues that primary innovations cannot be achieved without the implementation of secondary innovations. Markee exemplifies the notion of two-in-one innovations in a project conducted in an American university. This project not only introduced the task-based syllabus into classroom, but also implemented administrative and academic innovations for organizational development. For instan ce, by means of the development of communication channels (e.g. staff meetings, seminars, and orientations, etc.), participants at all levels obtained a complete understanding of the innovation. By means of the development of the teaching programs, teachers were well trained and became better informed. The outcomes showed that the administrative and academic development not only facilitated the implementation of the new syllabus, but also brought about organizational development. Development of the institutional change capacity is largely neglected due to ‘lack of awareness of the limitations of teacher and school administration or knowledge about how to implement the project (Pink 1989 in Fullan 1992). Through the process of organizational development, the implementers, including the management and teachers, focus on the processes and contents of change, learning to develop the capacity to implement change as organizational development. Only when the management and teachers a re assisted to build up their change capacity, is there an opportunity for ‘change as organizational development (Morrison 1998). 5. The curriculum innovation and the role of the teacher Rodgers in Richards (2001:104-105) discussing implementation of a communicative syllabus in Malaysia points out that: While the curriculum innovation has been failed in some places, it has been succeeded in others (i.e. Malaysia). In Malaysia the situation is different and the new curriculum has been managed to achieve its goal, because in Malaysia all the concern parts are shared in innovation (Richards 2001: 104-105). It is clear that these parts should be included in any decision for innovation. In Libya no one of these has taken part in the innovation, except the decision makers (Orafi 2008 :245). In England according to Woods and Jeffrey (2002:25) teachers have seen their role reduced to a list of â€Å"competencies and performativities†. This has produced teacher uncertainly as their role as professional has been reduced to that of a technician. In Libya, the teacher is often seen in similar terms, teachers in Libya do not usually influence curriculum change; it is the responsibility of the government to do so. Teachers must merely understand the requirement of students, know the syllab us, and be able to use appropriate teaching methods. Another important responsibility of the teacher is to help students to process new material in meaningful ways in order to encourage its storage in long-term memory in such a way that it is understood and is related to previous knowledge. However, the aim is that the learner makes sense of life and can use and apply knowledge in meaningful ways (Hussein, 2006). Orafi (2008) investigated teachers practices and beliefs in relation to curriculum innovations in English language teaching in Libya. The study was conducted with five Libyan secondary school teachers using classroom observation and interviews. He concluded that there was a mismatch between the teachers practice in the classroom and the principles of the curriculum because of the influence of their beliefs. 6. Methods of teaching EFL in Libyan secondary schools English is taught with the sole aim of passing exams and moving to the next stage. The learning process is largely viewed as mechanical habit formation. That is, the teaching process is dominated by teacher questions, the selection of students to respond, and the demonstration of examples on the board for students to imitate and repeat chorally. Some Libyan teachers still doubt the value of communicative activities because they believe that vocabulary and grammar rules must be the starting point in learning any foreign language, unlike when acquiring a first language. They think that students should be provided with large amounts of vocabulary and grammar rules to be memorized, and then they can start thinking of introducing various activities to practice the language (Al-Buseifi, 2003). These beliefs reflect their practice in class, where traditional methods of teaching such as the grammar translation method and the audio-lingual method are dominant (Orafi, 2008). Because the new cu rriculum is based on the CLT, I should turn to give sight on the CLT approach: 7. Communicative Language Teaching Communicative Language Teaching has had a major influence on language curriculum development. First, curriculum development has become much more complex. Whereas twenty or thirty years ago, the point of departure for curriculum development tended to be restricted to the identification of the learners current level of proficiency, with the development of communicative language teaching and the insight that curricula should reflect learners communicative needs and learning preferences. (Nunan 1996:20) Communication between student and student influences many ways. It can enhance or hinder learning. Students learn from communication through discussion or by talking about tasks. Communication can take place between a teacher and students. Therefore, appropriate communication skills are required, by keeping in mind the sensitivity to students, their level of understanding and judgement (Dillon and Maguire in Sussan 2005:105). What Is Communicative Language Teaching? CLT has been defined by Canale and Swain (1980:33) who point that: With respect to teaching methodology, it is crucial that classroom activities reflect, in the most optimally direct manner, those communication activities that the learner is most likely to engage in†¦ Furthermore, communication activities must be as meaningful as possible and be characterized (at increasing levels of difficulty) by aspects of genuine communication such as its basis in social interaction, the relative creativity and unpredictability of utterances, its purposefulness and goal-orientation, and its authenticity. Communicative language teaching (CLT) is typically seen as an approach to language teaching (Richards and Rodgers2001). It is based on the theory that the main purpose of language use is communication. With the aim of developing learners communicative competence (Hymes 1971). In other words, its goal is to make use of real-life situations that requires communication. What Is Communicative Competence? Communicative competence is defined as the capability to discuss and command apposite social behaviours, and it needs the active commitment of the learner in the construction of the target language (Canale and Swain 1980; Celce-Murcia et al 1995; Hymes 1972). Four dimensions of communicative competence are recognized; the knowledge of grammar and vocabulary (Linguistic competence); the capability to say the apposite thing in a confident social situation (sociolinguistic competence); the capability to begin, insert, add to, and extent a conversation, and the capability to do this in a regular and logical manner (discourse competence); the capability to communicate effectively and recover difficulties caused by communication collapse (strategic competence) (Richards and Rodgers 2001:160). Terms usually used to point to aspects of CLT contain ‘process oriented, ‘task-based, ‘group work and discussion and ‘learner-centred teaching. Communicative Language Teaching points to both processes and goals in classroom learning (Savignon, 2002:162). Berns (1990:104) states that in CLT; Language teaching is based on a view of language as communication, that is, language is seen as a social tool which speakers use to make meaning; speakers communicate about something to someone for some purpose, either orally or in writing. Obviously we can notice that CLT can be seen as a way of teaching in which the application of communicative activities and the foreign language attempts to advance students competence of knowing and sharing different knowledge. It centres on the aspect that learning is assisted in a purposeful, real situation where activities are achieved with the teachers directions. The definitions also hint that in order to carry out CLT successfully particularly in the EFL context; we are as EFL teachers need to improve our communicative competence, and need to have knowledge about the culture of the foreign language in order to teach the students. Our English proficiency, beliefs, attitudes will affect the implementation of CLT. Background Of CLT Communicative language teaching came into existence in the 1970s as a result of Hymes (1972), the work of the Council of Europe (Halliday 1975, the writings of Wilkins 1972, 1976, and Van EK Alexander (1980). Wilkinss document (1975) where he defined notions i.e. concepts such as time and place, and communicative functions such as requesting or apologizing, which was developed into the book National Syllabuses (Wilkins, 1976), influenced the development of CLT (see Mitchell, 1994; Richards and Rodgers, 2001; Howatt and Widdowson, 2004). CLTs roots can ultimately be traced back to Chomskys criticism of structural linguistic theory (1966). Chomskys ideas about linguistic competence, the innate knowledge of the linguistic system of the language, called Audio Lingual Method (ALM) into question based on the idea that lea

The Morally Good and Bad in Othello Essays -- Othello essays

The Morally Good and Bad in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s drama Othello is one concentrated contest between the forces of the morally good and the morally bad. Let us analyze this contest in detail in this essay.    Standing out like a dark silhouette on a white background is the sinister character and master of deception in the drama – the general’s ancient. Morton W. Bloomfield and Robert C. Elliott   in Great Plays: Sophocles to Brecht highlight the dominant evil force in the play, Iago:    For critics, the chief problem in the play is the character of Iago. The debate usually centers around whether he had sufficient motives for his cruel actions or whether, on the other hand, he is an example of â€Å"motiveless malignity.† The question cannot be resolved here, nor is it necessary to try to resolve it. Iago, whether because of his disappointment at not having been given Cassio’s position, or because of his belief that Othello had cuckolded him, or because of his love of evil for its own sake, is nevertheless a man who has rejected all ties of morality and idealism. (39)    Totaling the lies which the ancient tells to everyone about him would require considerable effort and time. In Shakespeare’s Four Giants Blanche Coles comments on the lack of veracity in Iago’s speech:    The story that Iago tells Roderigo about the promotion of Cassio over him is not true, although it has been accepted by many discriminating scholars. Careless reading alone can account for this misapprehension, careless reading which for the moment dulls their alertness to one of the most essential requirements of Shakespearean character analysis. That requirement is that the reader must never accept, or must always be re... ...is final passion. From the stern general who had, as his first line, the cold â€Å"’Tis better as it is† (1.2.6), he has traversed a pilgrimage of known and feeling sorrow. And, it must be repeated, it will depend upon the beholder whether one judges or rejoices in the transfiguration of loving not wisely but too well. (66)       WORKS CITED    Bloomfield, Morton W. and Robert C. Elliott, ed. Great Plays: Sophocles to Brecht. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965.    Coles, Blanche. Shakespeare’s Four Giants. Rindge, New Hampshire: Richard Smith Publisher, 1957.    Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.   

Mun Ga Resolution

RESOLUTION 1-1 Topic: Approaches to Prevent the Acquisition of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) by Terrorist and Extremist Organizations Sponsor: Angola Bearing in mind that a Weapon of Mass Destruction is any nuclear, chemical, or biological weapon that can cause indiscriminate death or injury on a large scale, Taking note of the terrorist group AL-Qaeda along with some North Caucasus terrorist groups that have consistently stated that they seek nuclear weapons and have tried to acquire themFurther reminds that Osama bin Laden has stated that the acquisition of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction is a â€Å"religious duty†, Noting with deep concern the secrecy of the possession of a nuclear weapon and the effects that follow due to the difficulty to locate the weapon, Viewing with appreciation the Treaty of Pelindaba (signed in 1996 and came to effect in 2009) which establishes a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa,Deeply Disturbed by the attack of Hiroshima and Nagasaki conducted by the United States in WWII and the effects of the nuclear bombings that caused large amounts of destruction and injury, Applauds the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate's (WMDD) measures to prevent threats from becoming an attack, Taking into account the access of nuclear weapons in the U. S. , UK, France, Russia, China, Pakistan, India, and North Korea, The Republic of Angola, 1. Calls upon the creation of a committee that focuses on terrorist groups and their use and retention of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and the ame of the committee as, The Research Committee of the Abolishment of Terrorism/Extremist Groups and Their Use of WMDs (RCAT); 2. Requests the RCAT conduct the following research of: a) the availability of WMDs to terrorist and extremist groups; b) what WMD certain terrorist groups are holding or trying to gain possession of, such as stated in preambulatory clause #2 and on line 3 & 4; c) Focusing on where these groups are learning h ow to make and/or getting these weapons from as well as where they store them; 3.Requests funds from countries who oppose and whom are affected by terrorist and extremist groups; 4. Further requests that troops, from the countries who are providing funds, be brought into countries who have agreed to such aid, with large amounts of terrorist/extremist threats for a period of 6 months while the committee is in research, in hope for protection and security for those who are affected and giving information to the RCAT to further gain participation from witnesses who know of these groups to suppress the groups' progress; . Calls for all countries to properly maintain their WMDs and the supplies to create them, in order to keep these supplies from exposure, in fear of the creation and possession of WMDs by terrorist/extremist groups also in fear of a potential attack; 6.Suggests that WMDs and supplies are maintained in a facility that is guarded by trained government officials and take re commendations from other nations, who are experienced in storing them, and use their recommendations to determine the site, building, and measures to keep them safely secured and from getting into the hands of terrorists and extremists groups; 7. Asks for full support from countries being affected by terrorism and

Free Essays on My Philosophy

Who am I? My Philosophy of life over the past couple of months of learning â€Å"philosophy,† by its definition, is extremely vague and confusing. It can be related to anything to do with thought, perception, and even basic human existence. However, over the notes, readings and class discussion I have been part of through these months, I learned that philosophy is just simply the study of knowledge. It is also described as the love of wisdom. Consequently, in further defining philosophy, perhaps it is easier to simply state what it may or may not involve rather than trying to find a concrete and firm definition. Philosophy includes the studies of logic, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. Logic deals with the principles and systems of reasoning. We deduce and interpret information by this method. Ethics involves the principles of morals and the judgment of â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† conduct. In a world where people are murdering, stealing and harming each other, it’s hard to find the good in people now a days. The people who are doing these things need help. That’s where people with good morals can step in hopefully and change the way they think. I think that people are created initially good and then go create their own nature, which is what Plato thought. He believed that when you are born, you are born with a â€Å"clean slate.† I can agree with this by what I have learned In church with my religion, and I think that anyone that believes in God can believe this. Now some of us have it better than other, which can really hurt our chances to do well in this world. If you where born in a bad neighborhood with a lot of violence and drugs, then hung out all with a bad crowd, chances are you will become a bad person. That why these kids need to be put in the right direction. Aristotle said that everyone lived to be happy, that is something that I totally agree with. Even though different things make different people ha... Free Essays on My Philosophy Free Essays on My Philosophy Who am I? My Philosophy of life over the past couple of months of learning â€Å"philosophy,† by its definition, is extremely vague and confusing. It can be related to anything to do with thought, perception, and even basic human existence. However, over the notes, readings and class discussion I have been part of through these months, I learned that philosophy is just simply the study of knowledge. It is also described as the love of wisdom. Consequently, in further defining philosophy, perhaps it is easier to simply state what it may or may not involve rather than trying to find a concrete and firm definition. Philosophy includes the studies of logic, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. Logic deals with the principles and systems of reasoning. We deduce and interpret information by this method. Ethics involves the principles of morals and the judgment of â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† conduct. In a world where people are murdering, stealing and harming each other, it’s hard to find the good in people now a days. The people who are doing these things need help. That’s where people with good morals can step in hopefully and change the way they think. I think that people are created initially good and then go create their own nature, which is what Plato thought. He believed that when you are born, you are born with a â€Å"clean slate.† I can agree with this by what I have learned In church with my religion, and I think that anyone that believes in God can believe this. Now some of us have it better than other, which can really hurt our chances to do well in this world. If you where born in a bad neighborhood with a lot of violence and drugs, then hung out all with a bad crowd, chances are you will become a bad person. That why these kids need to be put in the right direction. Aristotle said that everyone lived to be happy, that is something that I totally agree with. Even though different things make different people ha...

buy custom What Consumers Get from Bottled Water essay

buy custom What Consumers Get from Bottled Water essay The bottled water industry has grown exponentially over the years and multinational brands like Aquafina (Pepsi), Evian, Dasani (coke), Pure Life (Nestle) and Fiji Water are making billions of dollars of profits annually. These companies cater to a very large and growing market of consumers around the world (Karslen et al. 191). Western Europe is the biggest market for bottled water which is responsible for the 50 per cent of the total global sales of bottled water each year (Napier and Kodner 800). US accounts for the second highest percentage of consumption of bottled water (Jukes 20). This is an ironic fact as tap water which fulfils the same purpose is available to people for consumption in a far more convenient fashion and for far less money. The consumers are driven towards consumption of bottled water because of their concerns for health and safety (Dana 380). Private brand labels of bottled water have convinced consumers using findings of studies that tap water is impure and holds the potential to harm health. They promise clean, pure and fresh water to consumers with an exchange of a high retail price. The question that arises is whether consumers are getting the value for money (Napier and Kodner 800). Studies conducted recently have shown evidence that bottled water falls short of the expectations of the consumers and is far riskier to consume than tap water (Badr et al. 210). As shocking as this statement sounds, there exists solid evidence of the fact that consumers are being exploited and ripped off with the water sold in bottles that not only has impurities but also is the source of environmental destruction through the hands of the consumers. Bottled water companies have created a culture of consumerism that has established deep roots of fears associated with tap water. The consumers are convinced that tap water is harmful to their health. Owing to the culture of consumerism and perceptions of buyers, what is expensive has more value for money and despite of the decrease in the disposable incomes of buyers, they are not ready to settle low for their health (Napier and Kodner 801). Bottled water companies have achieved this status of supremacy in the global market through extensive social marketing initiatives aimed at public awareness of the harms of tap water, following by mind and heart opening advertisement campaigns, the focus of which has been long tied with public health and safety concerns (Dana 382). Their drive, however, has been throughout for profit maximization, like any other form of private business. To ensure the safety and purity in water, extensive financial investments in water testing and purification a re required. Companies transfer this cost onto consumers by charging high prices for their brands with the promise of clean and pure water (Napier and Kodner 802). However, consumers may not always get what they have paid highly and dearly for. Where tap water supply, under the control of the municipal government, is processed through water purification plants and is checked by Federal Testing Authority for its constituents, the testing and purification of bottled wate is not transparent as private companies do not disclose their plant addresses let alone quality assurance reports (Jukes 22). The evidence they provide to convince consumers of the quality and value-added benefits of bottled water come in the form of advertising and promotional campaigns that allows them to stay profitable (Karlsen et al. 190). This raises concerns for their accountability and responsibly towards providing consumers with pure and clean water as promised. According to Food and Water Watch, bottled water sold by private companies provides only 59 per cent purified water, while the remaining constituent is spring or mineral water that is neither tested nor purified prior to packaging (Badr et al., 211). In order to increase profit margins, compa nies try to reduce production costs as much as possible. It has been found that the main costs for bottled water companies come from packaging and delivery, where they save tremendous amounts of costs by cutting down entirely on purification and testing processes. The marketing communications delivered to consumers is used instead to attract consumers to purchase the bottled water, which is home to hidden impurities, and pay thousand times more for it than they do for tap water. Tap water too is not isolated from contamination. It too contains traces of iron and bacteria contaminations and in under-developed and developing countries. People, especially in rural areas, get slightly contaminated and impure water delivered to their home. This is because of the lack of funding to install better and more water purification and testing plants. Tap water constituents, however, are fairly monitored and regularly tested and purified to provide quality water supply to the public in the US (Jukes 23). When it comes to bottled water, the contaminants are far more in quantity and in magnitude of affect on the health of the consumers. Other than bacteria contaminants, according to the tests of branded bottled water conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council in the US, bottled water was fund to hold arsenic and carcinogenic contaminants (Jukes 21). Also, FDA has reported regularly for the last fifteen years of the evidence of DEHP phthalates in bottled water, which is a plastic ingredient (Badr et al., 215). On another note, consumers purchase bottled water from retail stores who buy in large stocks from the distributors. There is no way of knowing how long the bottles have occupied the shelves. The longer the bottle stays on the shelf, the more harmful it becomes, with impurities exponentially growing inside (Dana 383). This is something that is never noticed by consumers, as they take bottled water, like any other packaged product that holds the promises of quality and has a use and expiry date. The expiry dates on bottled water do not necessarily hold true. The perceived value held by consumers of bottled water is so great that it suppresses any concerns that they may have for the quality of the water. Where bacteria contaminations causes diseases like typhoid, jaundice, and digestive problems, contaminations of metallic elements caauses severe hormonal imbalances paving way for obesity, male infertility. These results come from the direct testing of the bottled water (Jukes 22). However, if consumers are to get affected with diseases that have resulted from the regular drinking of bottled water, they may never know that the water they drank caused their medical condition, as water is hardly every blamed unless evidence is actually seen either floating in the water itself or proven by medical experts. Not only is what is inside the bottles of water is harmful for the consumers but the packaging that holds the water till it is consumed is too home to a whirlpool of environmental and health hazards. The plastic used in the bottles of water contains petroleum which not only affects the quality of water in the bottles and in turn the health of the consumers, it makes the bottles severally damaging to the environment (Napier and Kodner 802). The brands are delivered in plastic bottles that are recyclable. However, not all consumes feel the need to recycle and a large number of them throw the bottles way. These do not necessarily get back to the plants to get reused and transformed into reusable forms. Instead, the thrown-away bottles add to pollution in the form of large pile of dumps that not only produce harmful gases and odors, but also consume unnecessary space on land that could otherwise be used for a constructive and useful purpose for the benefit of the society (Karlsen et al. 191). The trashed bottles, upon piling up with other forms of dumped items, only create unpleasant sights which is undesirable for all. And the consumers of products are the ones responsible for producing and increasing the level of population in their environment. Therefore, consumers not only cause severe and fatal damage to their health, but also harm the natural sanctity of their environment and atmosphere, making the planet a much congested and unpleasant place to live. Consumers live by the notion of seeing is believing. Where apparent signs of impurities are negligible and the level of purity water is nothing short of impressive upon a glance, consumers only are assured of the promise of the bottled water brand. And even after consumption, if no signs of bad or weird taste are witnessed, the consumers develop brand associations and get loyal to it and go for repeat purchases. This is why the bottled water industry has grown so rapidly over a short period of time. It is only if, the consumers conduct tests themselves, or their doctors inform them of the harm they bring to themselves every day through drinking bottled water, can they be convinced of the potential time bomb that bottled water holds within itself, not only for the consumers health but also for the atmosphere and the environment that people live in. in this way, not only do the consumers of bottled water are affected, but also the trees, animals and the people who consume tap water, ar e severally affected. It is only time that people reverse their invalid perceptions of bottled water and bring their attention back to tap water which is far less harmful and more quality assured. Buy custom What Consumers Get from Bottled Water essay

Analysis of the movie Alphaville in comparison to today's society Essay

Analysis of the movie Alphaville in comparison to today's society - Essay Example In this film, Lemmy Caution invades the scientific city of Alphaville with a range of objectives, which partly includes the assassination of the professor von Braun (Godard). The professor creates a world that outlaws emotions and punishes by killing people found to have succumbed to these â€Å"illogical† qualities. Gradually, the entire world of Alphaville is withdrawn from natural human qualities by replacing emotions with scientific concepts. The result is a world that gravitates towards self-destruction, and which becomes a threat to other societies that do not subscribe to its own laws. This film is a reminder of some of the perils of scientific developments. The past decades have seen rapid developments in the world of technology as scientists seek all possible ways to increase efficiency and effectiveness in all discourses of human concern. Generally, the development of a system that relies on scientific knowledge might be assumed a positive, even laudable step. Howeve r, such developments acquire negative qualities whenever they invade into the natural discourses that are controlled by the natural qualities of humanity. Technically, the society of Alphaville as controlled by the computer program challenges the basic tenets that support human emotion and compassion. In some sense, human beings and machinery are made into a uniform continuum that must exist in perfect harmony according to the strict boundaries provided by the professor. It might be important to consider the effects of increased reliance on scientific concepts of developments on the society. Past and recent analyses of social trends have revealed a worrying increase in the cases of family disintegration and divorce in the world. The trends shows that the most developed parts of the world are more affected by the collapse of the family unit as compared to the developing parts of the world. For instance, statistics indicate that the family unit in the United States has always been und er the constant menace of collapse (Wells and McFadden 59). This reality could be explained in form of the pressure that derives from the world of logic and science. Scientific progress, as shown in Alphaville has the potential of disrupting the harmonious survival of humanity. As such, it becomes important to exercise caution when embracing systems that are significantly reliant on the laws of science. By their very nature, the laws of science are limited and narrow. They cannot comprehend the complexity of human nature. In order for these laws to govern human existence, they must fight against systems that cannot be reduced into clear theories. Matters of love, care and compassion cannot be quantified. Value judgments have metaphysical qualities in nature. They cannot lend themselves to explanations founded on the laws of logic. Due to this fact, it becomes necessary to investigate the place of science within the basic survival of humanity. Essentially, it is impossible for scienc e to destroy the governing laws of human compassion, emotions, and feelings without destroying the entire humanity. One of the issues that are discussed within the concept of science is its role in the process of human development. Some social researchers have identified a growing gap between the world of science and nature. Science dehumanizes humanity by promoting the laws of logic above those of emotions. Warfare, human abuses, and other catastrophic occurrences have been blamed on the laws of

Human Resource Information System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resource Information System - Assignment Example In this regard, P&G may consider using the self service portal which, acts as an access point to an organization’s HRM information (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 296). This would involve the use of computers, and intranet via the internet from all its 80 branches. This approach would help P&G to achieve a specific competitive position through knowledge and skills applied on HR technology (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 291). P&G could also utilize a shared-service center. This would help the company to focus on value creation by offering excellent services to customers while ensuring cost reduction through increased efficiency and constant improvement (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 291). Additionally, human resource outsourcing could also be helpful in that, it can help the P&G 80 branches to contract with internal venders of the countries they are operating to perform HR services and activities. This can help P&G both financially and strategically. Question 2 Even with so many count ries and governmental organizations involved, P&G can still achieve sufficient standardization through HRIS to gain increased savings. However, this should involve a proper articulation and adherence to compliance regulations with government mandates (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 312). ... Question 3 Internal customers would view the move from decentralized to centralized shared services as a good move because this will enable the provision of excellent services with greater efficiency, value generation and improved services. Additionally, moving from decentralized to centralized shared services makes customers managers in business units such as operations and marketing. Besides, such measures allow internal customers to assess the value of consolidated unit to facilitate continuous improvement by shared services centers managers (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 300). Question 4 Changes experienced as a result of moving from decentralized to centralized shared services can be measured from internal customer perspective. One of the ways to measure these changes involves reduction in the overall financial cost in relation to HR administrative processes (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 300). Since centralization of shared services aims at improvement of quality and customer satis faction, such improvements can be assessed in terms of changes experienced in this towards this effect. Additionally, since centralized shared services ensures cost reduction in employees improved performance, therefore, employee’s retention and training costs can be another method to measure of the changes (Kavanagh, Thite and Johnson 301). It is also apparent that employee’s royalty is also ensured through productivity and morale. Therefore, this can also be one of the ways to measure the change realized as a result of moving from decentralized to centralized shared services. Question 5 P&G can utilise various measures for the administrative