Creating Improvements through Incentives

Introduction While cash rewards programs are an essential factor in many companies’ employee retention strategies, they do not alone guarantee satisfied employees. In every organization, there are managers assigned to ensure that employees complete their assignments in an efficient manner.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Creating Improvements through Incentives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to achieve this obligation, the managers should have the capacity to motivate the employees. (Rosenbloom Hallman, 1991) However, it is a pity to note that most managers lack the ability to motivate their employees thus leading to underperformance as witnessed in EatNGas, Inc. By looking at the situation, it is obvious that the problem cannot be solved through financial incentives since the officials have already set a maximum amount that they can offer in any given year. By looking at the figure, it is obvi ous that this amount is not sufficient to keep the cashiers happy thus calling for the need to offer a different kind of incentive. (Worman, 2010) In order to deal with the problems in the stores with cases of inventory losses and theft, it would be necessary for the management to come up with ideal incentives to deal with this problem. One way of achieving this would be to create a program where the performance of individual cashiers is appraised at the end of every month and the best given an award titled Cashier of the Month. The cashier who is assigned this credit should also be given a signed certificate from the management along with a choice to pick a gift of about $15 from the company’s merchandise. On top of this, officials in EatNGas should also come up with quarterly rewards program where the best cashier is given a signed certificate and a savings bond of about $30. This would make the employees feel appreciated something that would in turn reduce inventory losses and theft. Additionally, the organization can use the Maslow theory goal set of self-esteem to deal with cashiers who might be having problems in this area. It is amazing to note that some people might result to theft to fill in their low self-esteem. (Motivating Employees, 2011) On top of individual incentives, the EatNGas, Inc, management should come up with corporation wide incentives to keep the cashiers happy. To begin with, the $500 allocated for corporate incentives should not be used to increase individual salaries since this would lead to jealousy and hence low job performance on the part of those employees who feel left out.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Instead, cashiers should be made aware of the existence of the incentive then let everyone be given a chance to compete for the money. Additionally, the management should come up with a reward program for perfec t attendance and use disciplinary action for unwarranted absenteeism. It would also be wise to set up policies meant to help employees to cope with their children’s sickness, school activities among others. (Teasley, 2008) Recommendations Given the situation at EatNGas Inc, the management led by Jerry and Jill Clayton should do the following to save the company: Form a reward program where they present the Cashier of the month with a signed certificate and a gift option of $15. This would reduce inventory losses. Form quarterly rewards where the best cashier is given a signed certificate and a savings bond of about $30. This would naturally discourage theft. Avoid a situation where they give pay rises to some employees and disregard others since this would lead to jealousy They should set up a reward program for perfect attendance and use disciplinary action for unwarranted absenteeism (Worman, 2010) Conclusion It is surprising to note that employees do not give much value to pay rise, benefits and working conditions as much as they value the possibility of advancements and appreciation at the workplace. This negates the popular belief that money is a prerequisite for motivated workers. However, employers should not use this fact as a tool for rewarding their employees in a poor or unfair manner. Instead, what the management should know is that all employees are different and they should therefore be treated according to their needs. References List Motivating Employees. (2011)Role of incentives. Web. Rosenbloom, S., Hallman, V. (1991). Employee Benefit Planning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Teasley, C. (2008) Tips for Motivating Employees. Web. Worman, D. (2010) 20 Ways to Motivate Your Employees Without Raising Their Pay. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Creating Improvements through Incentives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Creating Improvements through Incentives was written and submitted by user Jair H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Technology in the Industrial Revolution essays

Technology in the Industrial Revolution essays A new way of life was taking shape for the American people during the new industrial revolution. Transformations of all ways of life were in motion at a rapid pace. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad came dramatic changes to the cattle and mining industries. Cities were being redesigned and immigrant workers along with middle class workers struggled to compete against advanced technology. Family structures and the role of women were re-shaped as technological inventions exploded. As we explore this period of time in our country we see that technology advancements re defined almost every area of American life. Without the transcontinental railroads completion in 1869 much of the changes America experienced would not have happened. The railroad linked the east to the west, it gave companies in the east a chance to move their products westward in less time, at a much cheaper cost, and changed how the businesses operated. One example of this is with the invention of the refrigerated rail car by Jonas Wilder. It allowed the Chicago stockyards to ship dressed beef all over the country and changed their method of doing business which was previously to send the beef dried. George Pullman also encouraged the migration westward by providing comfort for travelers with his invention of the railroad sleeping car. It provided spacious accommodations, luxurious travel complete with exceptional food and first class service, and encouraged the middle class to travel in style. Another inventor who benefited from the railroad system was Cyrus McCormick. He designed a horse drawn mechanical reaper that c ut the grain to one side of the unit. His factory was located in Chicago where access to raw materials through the water ways was plentiful. The railroad allowed his company to be located in the place most beneficial to the production of the reaper while also distributing his invention to distant places. The railroad also gave ...

Reflect and Professional Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflect and Professional Development - Essay Example Byrne (2006) asserts that weaknesses can hamper feelings which contribute to the ultimate failure of personal leadership development. According to the module, the strengths will enhance self-awareness, knowledge and skills development thus facilitating inter-personal skills development and conflict resolution when interacting with others. The module has made me aware of the personal empowerment process that entails identification of a power oriented goal that increases the effectiveness of social interaction. Canals (2012), is of the opinion that an individual must understand the leadership knowledge and skills and have self-efficacy. Self-efficacy entails taking actions to accomplish the personal goals and developing competencies that are essential in dealing with peers in a team. However, I acknowledge that the process of personal leadership development is dynamic and entails numerous skills that are essential in communicating, motivating and controlling individual emotions. After studying the module, I appreciate the importance of building a self-appreciation, sense of capability and self confidence. Personal leadership and empowerment ensures that individuals have a sense of responsibility that is crucial in outlining the personal life goals and aspirations which finally contribute to personal life fulfillment and happiness (Chambers, 2007). This paper will reflect on my personal leadership competencies development and my learning experience throughout the module. Personal leadership addresses various psychological and moral development of an individual that impact on the skills and competencies of the person as a leader (Ciarrochi and Mayer, 2007). This can be technically referred as the inner development of a person that leads to the outer development of the person as an effective leader. Farcht (2007) asserts that the key components of personal leadership include technical knowledge and skills, proper attitudes towards peers and psychological self-master y. According to the module, there are three areas of personal leadership knowledge that are essential. The knowhow areas include time management, group and individual psychology. Some of the basic skills that foster individual leadership development include problem-solving skills, goal-setting skills and ability to manage the team processes (Greene and Burleson, 2003). On the other hand, the right attitudes towards personal leadership development include appreciation, caring, service to others and interdependence. According to the module, developing the above right attitudes will lead to distinctive capabilities that allow the leader to share a common vision and create self-awareness that is essential in dealing with self-esteem issues. The module made me acknowledge the need to avoid defensive tactics especially while discussing emotive matters which is essential in ensuring effective communication (De Janasz, Dowd and Schneider, 2008). I encountered several successes and difficult ies during the learning process and personal leadership competencies development. I was organised and hardworking in this module, but I was able to gain trust of my subordinates without much struggle. I was able to maintain self-discipline in time management. However, I encountered difficulties in understanding cultural diversity and handling disappointment with my peers. I initially encountered

Microsoft, Tesco, Google.com Market Segments Essay - 13

Microsoft, Tesco, Google.com Market Segments - Essay Example According to the study market segments in terms of promotion ergo become imperative. Market segmentation basically refers to specialising and specifically focusing on one kinds of consumers. Segments can be based on a variety of factors some of which include gender, geography, industry, age groups; or they can be a little bit more specific e.g. democrats in the USA or soccer fans etc. As the paper outlines by concentrating on one particular part of the market the producers are not just able to market their product better, they can even improvise and enhance their goods in a way which makes them the most appealing for their customers. Geoffery Yeo further defines market segments as, â€Å"Market segmentation is a technique widely used in he market research industry. It can be defined as ‘the process of splitting customers into different groups, or segments; within which customers with similar characteristics have similar needs†. How does one segment the market for food? E veryone needs food, however, if that was the only thing that crossed a producers mind then he would end up with a burden of a segment which consists of not just people from the UK, but the whole world. Focusing on what kind of food one is selling is extremely important, in our case we will be focusing on fast-food. Segments for this market will be created based on a number of factors: they can either be demographic or psychographic. Demographic factors take into account the age, sex, gender, income etc of the consumers, where as the psychographic factors look into what attracts and appeals to consumers the most. For a fast-food organisation to function properly in the UK it would have to focus primarily on psychographic factors.  

Paper converters Ltd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Paper converters Ltd - Essay Example The relevant research should focus on the potential existence of cultural differences across the organization. These differences, if they are major, can set barriers to the growth of the organization. Current paper focuses on the post merger challenges of a British firm, Paper Converters Ltd. The firm was created after the merger of two firms that was based on different culture: a) in the first of these firms, Dyson Paper Ltd particular emphasis has been given on structure and control, b) in the second firm, Jones Sales Agents Ltd, team-working was rather valued. The implications of cultural differences for mergers are reviewed in this paper. ... report The report has been developed in order to provide to the leaders of Paper Converters Ltd a series of recommendations for managing effectively the post merger effects and for reduce risks in regard to their firm further expansion. At the same time, the report shows the value of culture for joint ventures both at national and international level. Background of company Paper Converters Ltd established in 1988, as a result of a merger between the following firms: Dyson Paper Ltd and Jones Sales Agents Ltd. From its established up to 1993, i.e. for about 5 years, the two firms had kept their independency, operating in their pre-merger offices: Dyson Paper Ltd in Corby and Jones Sales Agents Ltd in Stevenage. The need for increasing the level of their production led the two firms to integrate their operations. The firms’ leaders identified a building that could be used as the head office of Paper Converters Ltd. Shortly conflicts appeared in the workplace. Employees of each f irm had worked under different culture and could not understand or tolerate the behavior of their colleagues. The leaders of the two firms tried as possible to eliminate these conflicts but with no particular success. The culture-related challenges for Paper Converters Ltd were continued during the firm’s internationalization. Dyson and Jones, the leaders of the firm, thought that by expanding in a developing region, such as central Africa, would help their organization to increase its profitability. After entering Zambia the firm’s leaders had to face another problem: Zambian staff was reluctant to follow the organizational rules on a series of issues, such as ‘the authority of expenditure, the appointment of senior managers, the terms of approval of payments and so on’ (case study,

Causes of Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Causes of Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Understanding the cause of an individuals social, emotional and behavioural difficulties is essential before you can make a successful intervention. Critically assess this assertion in the light of an activity you have undertaken as part of this module. Introduction Delinquents, moral imbeciles and maladjusted children are just some of the labels historically attributed to individuals presenting the difficulties later termed as emotional and behavioural difficulties (Ministry of Education 1995). In this essay the importance of understanding the causes of an individuals social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) is explored in relation to whether this understanding is critical for the implementation of successful interventions. This essay primarily considers individuals within the UK educational system which covers children/young people between the ages of 4 and 16. In the study and education of individuals with SEBD there seems to be a lack of uniformity in how the label is interpreted and applied; the descriptors and definitions of SEBD will therefore be considered along with current trends in the number of school age individuals diagnosed as SEBD in order to give context to this area of discussion. Another key area of disparity is the theoretical perspective adopted when assessing and treating an individual with SEBD. The theoretical perspectives each present a different approach to aetiology and interventions, these will be considered in relation to importance of cause in the basis of each and how they lead to interventions. The key argument will then focus on the importance of understanding cause and examine evidence from published literature, research and policies to support this followed by discussion of why understanding cause may not be essential in order to implement successful interventions. The overall aim is to ascertain whether interventions are mainly based on consideration of the aetiology of behaviour and whether there is evidence to indicate their success. Indeed Harden (2003) concluded that there was insufficient evidence for strategy effectiveness in behavioural difficulties. The subject of cause and interventions was discussed with fellow professionals in a web based discussion (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori discussion group October 2010 November 2010) and reference will be made to the two fictional case studies which formed the basis of these virtual discussions. In the first a boy, Ronnie, no information was given on his background so the focus was on the observed disruptive behaviour in school and the teacher believing he has SEBD. In the second an 11 year old girl, Vicki, far more detail was given including her recent transfer to secondary school; above average reading skills, parents separated and with new partners, the possibility of epilepsy, refusal to do homework and getting into trouble at school. These discussions elicited a range of views on aetiology, the need for information possibly relating to cause and the nature of assessment and interventions. In general the contributing professionals showed a desire to have more information about each child and to interpret the impact of background factors on the difficulties being observed although there was little acknowledgement of why this information was needed (Farrugia, 2010). What is understood by social, emotional and behaviour difficulties (SEBD)? One of the overriding issues in the field of SEBD is the ambiguity in understanding and identification of individuals who may have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties with those who have less severe discipline problems (Evan, Harden, Thomas 2004). This introduces the first difficulty as the decision to classify an individual as having SEBD is with the person who identifies some aspect of behaviour as problematic and is reliant on that persons constructs. Government publications have provided several descriptions of which two are considered in this essay. In Circular 9/94 (DfE 1994) Emotional and Behavioural Difficulty (EBD) is described as being between: behaviour which challenges the teacher but is within normal, albeit unacceptable, bounds and that which is indicative of serious mental illness. The distinction between normal but stressed behaviour, emotional and behavioural difficulties arising from mental illness is important because each needs to be treated differently. (p.4) The definition focuses on the behavioural aspect rather than emotional and indicates it is a problem for the teachers thereby restricting the difficulties to educational settings. Interpretation of what may be considered unacceptable is therefore likely to result in inconsistent identification of the types of children teachers identify as having EBD (Soles, Bloom, Heath, Karagiannakis 2008). In The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice (2001), the definition was amended to incorporate social difficulties and so expanded to social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD), the code defines those with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) as: Children and young people who demonstrate features of emotional and behavioural difficulties, who are withdrawn or isolated, disruptive and disturbing, hyperactive and lack concentration; those with immature social skills; and those presenting challenging behaviours arising from other complex special needs ( Paragraph 7:60) This description describes a range of characteristics associated with this disorder and recognises that such behaviours can evolve from other special educational needs. This presents a broader spectrum of behaviours linked with emotional and social difficulties and remains open to the personal interpretation of those interacting with such children. The lack of clarity of the descriptors could be linked to the increasing number of children diagnosed as having SEBD being recorded in English schools. In 2008 149,040 children had a need of EBD on school action plus or statemented at primary, secondary and special state funded schools, this was an increase of 6.98% year on year (DCSF 2008), EBD represented the second highest need after moderate learning difficulties. This could be due to an actual increase in the number of children experiencing difficulties or to the wider interpretation of the definition leading to more children being recorded with this difficulty who might otherwise hav e remained at a school action stage. Whichever the reason, it is apparent that increasing number of children within the UK education system are being identified as having a need of SEBD and this in turn has led to increasing focus on interventions in particular for behavioural difficulties as seen in the recent white paper (DfE 2010). The descriptions given in Circular 9/94 (DfE 1994) and the SEN Code of Practice (2001) make no direct reference to aetiology or the necessity to acknowledge this although The SEN Code of Practise (2001) recognises that SEBD may have co-morbidity with other biological or medical conditions (7.52, 7.53, 7.58) and links with mental health (10.27) yet guidance for specific assessment and interventions is not detailed. This could be seen as indicative of the lack of unity on the understanding of causes and interventions for those with SEBD. Which theoretical perspective of cause of SEBD? In 1829 a 20 year poet wrote these lines: From childhoods hour I have not been As others were-I have not seen As others saw-I could not bring My passions from a common spring- From the same source I have not taken My sorrow-I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone- And all I lovd-I lovd alone (from Alone by Edgar Allen Poe 1829) The poet was Edgar Allen Poe. Poe was taken into foster care at the age of 3 following the death of his parents and at the age of 6 his foster family moved to London. Poe was said to be talented academically yet a difficult character (Poe Museum n.d.); the poem Alone suggests a troubled child who considers himself to be different. In todays educational climate he may well have been identified as a child with SEBD. Would an understanding of his early life have been important in development of successful interventions? From a behavioural perspective it could be suggested that only his observable difficult behaviour was of importance and thus treatable. The causes could not be speculated upon as they could not be scientifically measured. Bowlby, from a psychodynamic approach might have disagreed; Poes early childhood experiences, most notably the death of his parents and being taken into foster care, may have suppressed his inner desires and drives leading to internal conflicts. Bowlby might have been interested in the repression of Poes feelings following the death of his parents (Bowlby 1988). An ecosystemic perspective may have considered the effects of the changes of the family systems and the move to a different society in England as impacting on his interactions with the systems around him. In a same vein, the web based discussions of Ronnie and Vicki (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori discussion group October 2010 November 2010) led to similar questions. In the case of Vicki, fellow professionals mostly concurred on the adoption of an ecosystemic perspective for assessment based on the information given concerning the breakdown of the systems in her life; some believed that a psychodynamic approach to establish her unconscious processes and a biological perspective to examine the possible epilepsy should also be considered. However, the intervention strategies proposed were based on a humanistic approach rather than linked to the diagnostic perspectives. As noted earlier for the Ronnie discussion there appears little acknowledgement of why the information was needed and how information may link to interventions. In the case of Ronnie, discussions indicated that more information on areas such as his family background, his learning difficulties, incidences of observed be haviour at school and the relationships within his family would be valuable in order to make a more informed recommendation for intervention strategies. This desire for more information showed an amalgamation of perspectives including social learning, psychodynamic and behavioural. Most interesting is that fellow professionals adopted a behavioural approach to interventions in the absence of further information about Ronnie. It could be that this was within the realms of their experience of available strategies in education. The question of which theoretical understanding of cause is the correct one cannot be fully answered. Professionals in the field of educational research tend to support a particular perspective; there are differences of opinion between psychological, medical and sociological perspectives, this is further compounded by newer perspectives such as eco-systemic and humanist which have evolved from earlier theories. As Visser (2000) notes most do acknowledge that it is a mixture of perspectives which can provide insights into understanding and explaining that behaviour. (p.33). The trend for which cause can be seen in the changing descriptors given for SEBD as noted previously (DfE 1994 SEN Code of Practice 2001) and also in approaches to behavioural difficulties adopted by schools. The trend towards a behavioural psychology approach of operant conditioning and behaviour modification as a strategy for treating children with SEBD has been seen since 1975 (Cooper 1999). Children are seen a s making a choice not to behave and through use of behavioural approaches such as consequence and reward they can be taught to want to behave so a new behaviour is learnt (Greene 2008). From this perspective, aetiology is not a considered factor and emphasis is on implementing a system of rewards and consequences which aim to reduce unacceptable behaviour and encourage a re-learning of acceptable behaviour. The blanket approach of many behavioural policies, in part dictated to schools through government directives, suggest that policy makers and educationalists do not consider there is a need to understand causes of SEBD. Behaviour is assumed to be within the control of the child and the school is assumed to be able to influence and change the behaviour. Recent years have seen a change in approach with prominence given to systemic approaches taking into account the interaction of systems and environments surrounding the child as key factors impacting on their social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (Evans, Harden and Thomas 2004). From this perspective there is a need to understand cause in terms of the environments of the individual. This was evident in the web based discussion on Vicki (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori November 2010) where contributors were mostly united in adoption of an ecosystemic approach and attributed the cause of the difficulties to disruption in Vickis home and school life. Understanding the cause of the SEBD is essential before making a successful intervention. In the previous section a number of theoretical approaches to identifying cause were examined and it is concluded that there are difficulties in finding consensus on one approach and one understanding of cause. Despite the difference of opinions of the likely origins of the SEBD, there is widespread support of the need for understanding the cause. Visser (2005) is opposed to a prescriptive approach to dealing with behavioural difficulties and thus supports the case for recognising that each child with SEBD may have a different cause of SEBD although he previously acknowledged that there are still gaps in understanding of both causes and of approaches used in children with EBD (Visser 2002). Others in this field also advocate the benefits to teachers having understanding of pupils with SEBD; Cole, Visser and Daniels (1999) in a paper examining effective EBD practices in mainstream schools promote the need for school staff to understand the complex causation and the varied aetiology of EBD in order to be able to match apposite interventions. Another way of considering cause is to examine underlying difficulties which may be causing SEBD, not from a theoretical perspective but from a possible medical or other difficulty so the behaviour is not directly linked to a psychological or systemic root but rather from some other difficulty which leads to the behaviour emerging as a symptom. Cross (2004) believes that a relationship exists between communication difficulties and emotional and behavioural difficulties. Communication difficulties may arise from biological causes such as Pervasive Development Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or from environmental factors such as child abuse and neglect, or from learning difficulties. Cross maintains that whatever the origin, it is the communication difficulty which must be addressed as a priority as weak communication skills can have a negative impact on a childs ability to interact and socialise, this can aggravate emotional and behavioural difficulties. In this sen se the observed behavioural difficulties could be masking underlying communication difficulties which, if not treated, will not improve the behaviour. In the web discussion on Ronnie (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori discussion group October 2010) fellow professionals concurred that a link was likely between his possible learning difficulties and his behavioural difficulties and that this should form a key part of any interventions. In his book, Lost At School, Greene (2008) maintains that teachers cannot know what to do with challenging behaviour unless the reasons for it are understood, referring to these reasons as lagging skills; those skills which are lacking irrespective of diagnosis. Staff need to identify and understand the skill lacking as this is pivotal to implementing a successful intervention. Greene (2008) lists many lagging skills, including difficulties with maintaining focus, considering likely outcomes, managing emotional responses, which professionals may attribute to a range of disorders such as learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, cognitive difficulties, or anxiety. It is identification of the specific lagging skills which are of more importance than the actual diagnosis as the diagnostic label does not in itself indicate which skills are lacking. Emphasis should therefore be on identifying the specific aspects which are lacking; the lack of a skill alongside an environment whi ch demands these skills is the trigger to there being a problem (Greene 2008). This is in line with an ecological perspective as the behaviour is an outcome of the lagging skill conflicting with the environment. Support for the importance of understanding aetiology is also found in educational guidance; the School Discipline and Pupil Behaviour Policies (DCSF 2010) advises that it is essential to ensure correct assessment of possible reasons for children not behaving appropriately and acknowledges that behavioural difficulties may be caused by learning difficulties, environmental factors or other cognitive, social or emotional difficulties (paras 3.9.29 -3.9.33); yet a subsequent subheading is Pupils who can behave but choose not to (p.58). This takes the school back to the descriptors of SEBD and places interpretation back in a subjective framework where the school has to distinguish between the former and the latter. In much the same way as seen in the SEN Code of Practice (2001) there is a lack of clarity in how cause should be identified and how this knowledge should guide interventions. A recent report entitled Not Present and Not Correct (Evans, 2010) examined the efficacy of fixed term exclusions in curing behavioural problems. The report concluded this was not an effective strategy based on the number of fixed term exclusions having increased by 5.4% since 2003-4. Persistent disruptive behaviour was the reason for the majority of fixed term exclusions (23.3%) and permanent exclusions (29.6%) in 2008-9. These numbers have not shown significant change year on year indicating that current interventions are not effective. The report recommends that a trigger is needed to prompt a needs assessment where fixed-term exclusions are used continually. Yet, in the SEN Code of Practice (2001) this trigger should be happening for pupils who do not respond to standard behaviour management strategies or individualised behaviour management programme moving them to a School Action Plus stage. This could suggest that either appropriate referrals are not taking place or, if they ar e, the resulting interventions are not successful. If the latter is the case then it may indicate that either causes are not being considered or, if considered, are not leading to successful interventions. The American based Assertive Discipline approach to managing behaviour in schools is rooted in a behavioural perspective. A study by Jones and Smith (2004) concluded that the this approach was effective in improving minor mis-behaviour and led to overall benefits for teaching and learning in the school at the centre of the study; yet, a small but significant group did not benefit from the approach. This group may therefore have required further personalised assessment of the cause of their SEBD with individual strategies being put in place. This lends support to the necessity of understanding cause in those specific situations where the standard strategies employed in mainstream schools are not resolving social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. It also suggests that the importance of cause is not essential at initial stages of identification of behavioural difficulties, but may need to be understood if current intervention strategies are not achieving the desired outcome. A key factor in identifying the cause of the SEBD lies in the choice of the perspective adopted. As seen in the web based discussions for Vicki (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori November 2010) causes could be attributed to several aspects of the individuals life. Depending on the approach taken, the diagnosis and intervention will vary which means that successful intervention cannot be guaranteed. Overall, whilst there is much debate and research on causality and at the same time growing emphasis on the rise in behavioural difficulties in the classroom, classroom based research for children with SEBD tends not to link theory to identification, policy and effective interventions (Maras and Kutnick 1999). Understanding the cause of the SEBD is not essential before making a successful intervention. All perspectives consider cause to some extent although a behavioural approach is founded mainly on observed behaviour. There is little research advocating that identifying cause is not essential or important in terms of implementing interventions. The argument against the value of understanding cause is mainly one of whether knowing the cause can actually lead to a specific and effective intervention. Whilst Visser (2002) advocates the importance of understanding cause, it has proved difficult to find evidence which gives clear guidance for a link between cause and effective intervention strategies. In discussing the Individual, Medical or Deficit Model (IMD), Macleod and Munn (2004) suggest that the implication of causation should be rejected which is the reverse of the consideration of disabilities with a bio-medical root. This view is based on the belief that the biggest difficulty in identifying cause is the lack of agreement in what SEBD actually is, as seen in the earlier disc ussion on the interpretations of definitions. It could be argued that focus should be on strategies and not on cause as interpretations of the cause are too subjective. The web based discussions on Ronnie and Vicki, despite consisting of differing views for diagnosis and cause, saw a commonality in the recommendations for a multi agency approach. This is also seen in Diagram 8 model (Cole, Visser and Daniels1999) in which consultation with the Local Education Authority (LEA) and relevant agencies, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), is seen as an important factor in schools which are successful in the inclusion of children with SEBD. Whilst Visser (2005) has been cited earlier as an advocate of the need to understand aetiology, in a talk based on a term he encountered in his professional work, eternal verities, he looked at factors which may be universal in implementation of successful interventions for SEBD (Visser, 2002). Understanding cause of the SEBD was not a factor given which lends support to the view that, whilst understanding cause may be desirable and informative, there are more important factors necessary for suc cessful intervention. Only a third of secondary schools were deemed as effective in meeting the needs of pupils with SEBD (Ofsted 2004), which suggests that focus should be on identifying effective strategies. Research carried out by Evans, Harden, Thomas (2004) concluded that there was a limited evidence base of recommended strategies which were effective for children with EBD and they recommended a focus for more strategic commissioning of future primary research (p.8). In the case of Ronnie (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori discussion group October 2010), there was a quest to know more from those assessing the situation. Was it not enough that his behaviour was disruptive and so class room based behavioural strategies should be put in place to make Ronnie learn appropriate behaviour? The answer in this case seems to lie in the understanding of cause. If Ronnie had a learning difficulty, there was support for this being addressed first/or in conjunction with the behaviour interventions. If it then emerged that Ronnie was having problems at home, such as parental conflict or neglect, this may have required another form of intervention. In the case of Vicki (Vygotsky, Skinner and Montessori discussion group November 2010) there was more information on her background situation; this meant some probable causes could be explored which could then lead to a range of possible interventions. Having more information still led to a discussion on which perspect ive may be more applicable and in fact the interventions proposed were mostly similar to those for Ronnie. Although the participants suggestions for interventions for Ronnie tended to be school based whereas those discussed for Vicki were both within school and outside with a wider multi agency approach. Professionals such as teachers, educational psychologists, CAHMS practitioners and behaviour support specialists will all bring their own approaches to the SEBD table. It could be that attempts to understand the cause through a multi-agency strategy may lead to disjointed and confusing interventions at worst and a prolonged period of assessments and treatments at best, neither of which presents an ideal situation for a child (Rayner 1999). The range of interpretations, social constructs and perspectives makes a case for a scientific approach to developing interventions for children with SEBD. The aetiology is acknowledged but it is the present symptomatic patterns which are the key to successful interventions. Conclusion Is it essential to understand the cause of an individuals social, emotional and behavioural difficulties making a successful intervention? In seeking an answer to this question, much of the published research advocates the need to establish the cause of SEBD before implementing intervention thereby assuming the intervention will be more successful. The difficulty in this belief is twofold; firstly the definition of what constitutes social, emotional and behaviour difficulties and in particular at what point the severity requires specific interventions and secondly, which perspectives should be adopted to correctly identify the cause(s) and thus which interventions are most suitable. With the definition of SEBD including a wide range of characteristics, it seems most likely that there is also a wide range of causes and thus a wide range of interventions. Most evidence supports the desire to investigate and define the cause; this is also reflected in government and SEN policy and guidelines. Yet evidence to support the importance of this in securing successful intervention is sparse. Overall, whilst the need to understand the cause seems to be supported in research and advocated in government guidelines, the interventions put in place within educational settings are predominantly based on a behavioural approach where it is the observable behaviour which is addressed, measured and evaluated; this is where an anomaly exists. Over time, more responsibility and accountability has been awarded to schools and local authorities for children with SEN including SEBD. This in itself appears to have reduced the focus on understanding cause as schools have to manage this responsibility alongside government directives for improving behaviour in schools. With increasing emphasis on schools primary accountability being for student achievement in academic terms and the move to reduce the number of statements, there is likely to be less emphasis on aetiology in favour of interventions based on controlling children with SEBD certainly in mainstream education. The current governments support of academies may also magnify this as the removal of local authority involvement means that schools can decide whether there is economic value in seeking input from agencies that may have more concern with aetiology. It may be that there are other factors necessary in implementing successful strategies aside from understanding cause such as the necessity for a positive ethos within the school itself (Cole, Visser, Daniels 1999). It is concluded that understanding the cause of an individuals SEBD is part of the equation for successful intervention but unless the adults responsible acknowledge the cause and seek to promote appropriate and differentiated solutions which can be proven to be successful, then understanding on its own is not sufficient.

LINDA TRIPP: I’m you. . . I’m just like you. Really Linda? I don’t think so! :: Essays Papers

LINDA TRIPP: "I’m you. . . I’m just like you." Really Linda? I don’t think so! Linda Tripp, due to her key role in the Impeachment Scandal has become one of the most controversial figures in current politics. Is she a villain or is she a hero? Looking at Tripp’s actions before, during, and after the Impeachment Scandal the question arises; were these actions legitimate or were they improper? An important factor in answering this question is the audience’s reaction to Tripp’s behavior along with an analyzation and critique of her actions. "Psychological criticism" is the method that will be used to evaluate Linda Tripp. This "attempts to analyze the effects of the rhetorician’s character, intelligence, and sincerity as perceived by the audience." (Campbell, Critiques of Contemporary Rhetoric. 1972, pg. 29) One must look at how Tripp portrays her image to the audience, how Tripp attempts to put herself in a favorable light, how Tripp blames her opponents, how Tripp creates an impression of sincerity, how Tripp identifies herself with the "experiences, values and attitudes of his [her] audience" (Campbell, Critiques of Contemporary Rhetoric. 1972, pg. 30) and the way in which Tripp discounts personal biases and interests. Based on these questions and the opinions of the audience one can judge Tripp’s role in the Impeachment Scandal. Tripp portrays her image to the public by identifying herself as the normal, average, American citizen. When speaking with the press on July 29, 1998 Tripp repeats the statement, "I am you" in four slightly different forms. Tripp speaks about how she ended up in her current predicament and her response is, "I’m you." This is immediately followed by, "I’m just like you. . . I never asked to be placed in this position. Because I am just like you." At the end of her statement she says, "I am no different than you" (Text of Linda Tripp’s Remarks, July 29, 1998, Washington Post, pg. 1&3) This technique removes Tripp for the spotlight for a moment. It asks the audience to relate her to the "girl next door" or in her case just your, "everyday single mom trying to do the right thing." The taping of the phone conversations amongst her Lewinsky can easily be explained by Tripp. "I [even] thought of it as my patriotic duty." (NBC, Today Show, "Linda Tripp Speaks About her Motives in Recording Monica Lewinsky’s Phone Conversations" February 12, 1999) LINDA TRIPP: "I’m you. . . I’m just like you." Really Linda? I don’t think so! :: Essays Papers LINDA TRIPP: "I’m you. . . I’m just like you." Really Linda? I don’t think so! Linda Tripp, due to her key role in the Impeachment Scandal has become one of the most controversial figures in current politics. Is she a villain or is she a hero? Looking at Tripp’s actions before, during, and after the Impeachment Scandal the question arises; were these actions legitimate or were they improper? An important factor in answering this question is the audience’s reaction to Tripp’s behavior along with an analyzation and critique of her actions. "Psychological criticism" is the method that will be used to evaluate Linda Tripp. This "attempts to analyze the effects of the rhetorician’s character, intelligence, and sincerity as perceived by the audience." (Campbell, Critiques of Contemporary Rhetoric. 1972, pg. 29) One must look at how Tripp portrays her image to the audience, how Tripp attempts to put herself in a favorable light, how Tripp blames her opponents, how Tripp creates an impression of sincerity, how Tripp identifies herself with the "experiences, values and attitudes of his [her] audience" (Campbell, Critiques of Contemporary Rhetoric. 1972, pg. 30) and the way in which Tripp discounts personal biases and interests. Based on these questions and the opinions of the audience one can judge Tripp’s role in the Impeachment Scandal. Tripp portrays her image to the public by identifying herself as the normal, average, American citizen. When speaking with the press on July 29, 1998 Tripp repeats the statement, "I am you" in four slightly different forms. Tripp speaks about how she ended up in her current predicament and her response is, "I’m you." This is immediately followed by, "I’m just like you. . . I never asked to be placed in this position. Because I am just like you." At the end of her statement she says, "I am no different than you" (Text of Linda Tripp’s Remarks, July 29, 1998, Washington Post, pg. 1&3) This technique removes Tripp for the spotlight for a moment. It asks the audience to relate her to the "girl next door" or in her case just your, "everyday single mom trying to do the right thing." The taping of the phone conversations amongst her Lewinsky can easily be explained by Tripp. "I [even] thought of it as my patriotic duty." (NBC, Today Show, "Linda Tripp Speaks About her Motives in Recording Monica Lewinsky’s Phone Conversations" February 12, 1999)

Bangladesh Brochure

Bangladesh is situated either side of the tropic of cancer. India shares its border with Bangladesh. The three main river flows through Bangladesh are the meghna, the Brahmaputra and the Ganges. The north of Bangladesh is the Himalaya Mountains, the highest mountains in the world. To the south is the Bay of Bengal. The Land & People Landforms: Flood Plains Population: 126 Million Delta Population Density: 800 per square kilometer The Land is Under 15 meters above sea levels 230 of rivers in Bangladesh What are Tropical Cyclones? Tropical storm, typhoon or hurricane is a type of low pressure system which generally forms in the tropics. While they can be highly destructive, tropical cyclones are an important part of the atmosphere circulation system which moves heat from the equatorial region toward the higher latitude. Keyword: Latitude: The distance of a place north or south from the equator (Places that are near to the equator or much warmer than places that are near the north and south poles. ) How Are Tropical Cyclones Formed 1. Formative – clouds start forming over the ocean between 5 and 15 degrees latitude from the equator. 2. Immature – if the conditions are favorable, clouds collect and move with the winds that start rotating clockwise around a low pressure area. Winds start to increase in strength. 3. Mature – the cyclone reaches its peak of intensity and destructive power. 4. Decaying – the power of the cyclone decreases when it moves over land or pole ward over colder waters. In this decaying stage the winds often decrease rapidly and the cyclone eye and cloud patterns disappear. Long Term & Short Term Solutions These are solution to prevent flooding in Bangladesh, short term meaning for a flood which comes once or twice but long term is when it remains therefore 10-15 years. The solution which has been listed below will have a key of stars, the solution with the most stars is expensive whereas with not many stars meaning not so much expensive. The other key is on my opinion whether they are good for presentation of floods in Bangladesh or not or whether they are alright, the key would be 3 different smiley faces. 1. Building Embankments along the River Channel – Plan 1-Embankments This would prevent the water from overflowing of the water while the water discharge is taking place. It would have to 7 meter high. These have o be placed along the river not just in the village. Advantage – preventing mosquitoes carrying malaria and flood Disadvantage – to expensive and restricting fisherman Plan 2-Aid from fishing. 2. Providing emergency in each village and train Villagers in basic health care – The would include particular drug, dressing, water purification tablets, few villagers will be trained and reducing the risk of Plan3-Shelters diseases spreading and provide help for injured people. Advantage – Not many people gaining disease Disadvantage – not preventing the flood 3. Building flood protection shelters in village – Large building able to hold 1000 people on silts. Also shelter for animals. The shelters have been swept away in the past. Plan 4-Emergeny Stores Advantage – people life saved Disadvantage – not preventing flooding, belongings not saved, risk f still being flooded 4. Provide emergency stores of farm replacement – This will include new seeds, new seedlings and supplies of fertilizers. Advantage – Farmers back to work quicker Plan 5-Proof Sheds Disadvantage – not preventing flooding, loose out on the other crops Low income in the beginning 5. Build flood proof grain storage sheds – Sheds built on stilts, preserve the building with food and water Advantage – ensure that villagers had food and clean water Plan 6-Tube Wells Disadvantage – have to fill the shed every time after flood, not preventing the flood 6. Sink new tube wells – Build wells which will protect water supply during flood Advantage – safe drinking water and prevent diseases Plan 7- Warning System Disadvantage – Bangladesh still be flooded. 7. Emergency warning system – Trained operators will be provided, to predict the discharge this will tell whether it will be a flood. Advantage – allowing time for evacuation Disadvantages – parts of Bangladesh still flooded and people still cant do much to save there own lives

The Problems of identity †political, geographical, personal, sexual in Modern Novels †Essay

The Problems of identity – political, geographical, personal, sexual in Modern Novels – Essay Free Online Research Papers Modern literature has, inevitably, one of its strongest foundations in the problem of identity. Another inhuman World War, increasingly claustrophobic cities, alienating industrial developments all take their toll on a human race that, heir to Freud and Bergson, has just begun to view itself as a group of individuals. Suddenly different and alone, in contrast with everybody else, but most of all with the crushing society which doesn’t allow such differences to prosper and thrive – this is the condition of the modern man. Many find in art a sanctuary, an outlet for individual ‘EXPRESSION (†¦) thru the smog of Blakean-satanic war mills and noise of electric sighs and spears which is twentieth century mass communication.’ Literature, for them, becomes a way for the ‘individual hand’ to create something unique, extraordinary, which would raise it above the invisible hand of cold utilitarian power. A good example of ‘them’ are the poets of the Beat Generation – where ‘beat means beatific short for beatific vision, you know, the highest vision you can get.’ Not all who confront themselves with the problem of identity do so with such optimism, however. Not all authors, proud of their strong individuality, seek to reconcile it with the rest of the world. There are others who find it hard to reconcile even with themselves. These end up creating conflicted characters, and setting them on a path of self-discovery, in the hope that this will help them along their own. In this sense, Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange could be described as a formative novel. Alex is an adolescent searching for himself. Initially, he doesn’t think this necessary; he’s a lad who ‘enjoys leadership and life,’ unbound by regulations (a-lex: in Latin, without law, so untamed, barbaric) and untroubled by ethical doubt. In this sense we may call him innocent. The question of Alex’s innocence is an interesting one. Is it something which Alex loses or gains by the end of the book? On one hand, he acquires a purity which he has never had during his boyhood. But on the other hand, the process of ‘growing up’ is one that is traditionally associated with the loss, rather than with the gain, of innocence. I believe this is true for Alex also: his true innocence has nothing to do with morals, and is lost forever together with his youth. Here innocence is a synonym for unconditioned youthful instinct. And instinct, being the most natural part of ourselves, is the truest form of identity. Identity is all about choice, about feeling a desire instinctively and making conscious choices in order to fulfil that desire. But Alex’s growing up isn’t a matter of choice. There’s no active decision, no ‘what’s it gonna be then, eh?’ – it’s just something which seems to happen naturally, we are not told why or how. Does that mean that conformity is something inevitable? Quite possibly; certainly civilized society encourages it. Maybe this is because Hobbes was right in defining the natural state of things as that of ‘such a war that is of every man against every man,’ and the abolition of identity and choice is indeed a necessary condition for the survival of the species. After all, Alex’s ‘viciousness is embarked on in full awareness;’ he is an ‘inimicus generis humans’ by choice: in the end, ‘moral evil is always a matter of human free will.’ But an existence without the possibility to exert free will wouldn’t be life, merely – it has already been said survival. Is ‘merely survival’ even desirable? Survival isn’t life; it lacks life’s soul. And to deny the soul degrades man into a â€Å"clockwork orange† – a structure seemingly organic but actually automatically directed. (†¦) The freedom of the will is thus to be placed above the freedom from robbery, rape, maiming and death. (†¦) all misdeeds, however ghastly, are to be judged more leniently than a deed that impairs the freedom of a human soul to commit just such misdeeds: â€Å"when a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.† This is why we have no choice but to empathize with Alex, and feel sorry for him when he suffers, and care about him even though we are shocked by the monstrosity of his actions. Burgess says of his controversial creature that ‘there is a duty of loving – not liking – this character, because he is a human being.’ He is more human than his torturers, who are cold-bloodedly willing to sacrifice someone else’s freedom for the sake of peace and quiet. Or rather, for an appearance of peace and quiet: the thugs employed by the government to keep order are no different from the thugs who wish to disrupt it – in fact, there’s a fair amount of intermingling between the two, with an old friend and an old enemy of Alex both ending up as under-trained and over-violent police officers. Also the ‘good’ Alex, the puppet of the government, is all appearance, no more than an empty shell; for surely ‘no one would call a man just who d id not enjoy acting justly.’ So if we had to take sides, we would be sure to take Alex’s, because he is true to himself. And we do have to take sides. Alex is forever forcing us to participate in what he thinks and feels, not only by his manner of addressing us but indeed by the fact that he is addressing us at all: he is ‘Our Humble Narrator,’ ‘our little Alex,’ and we are his ‘brothers.’ This very deliberate choice of narrative mode creates right from the start a bond between the character and his readers, who are expected to be on his side no matter what he does. This bond is taken further by the active part we are asked to play in order to decipher the ‘Joyceanly queer’ way Alex chooses to speak us. ‘Nadsat’ is the slang of teens, the linguistic revolt (alexia, in Latin: without language, so wild and instinctive) of kids who adopt Slav propaganda terminology more because it bothers adults than for any particular political reason. Aft er having found the first page incomprehensible, we start paying attention to repetitions, to the relationship between words, and we soon come to understand Alex. This enhanced attention makes us more vulnerable to what he is telling us. So before we know it, we end up admitting that an individual murderer might be better than the soulless sheep he distinguishes himself from; accepting that having a wicked soul might be better than having none at all. Wilde would say that, whatever one’s soul is like, ‘the aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s own nature perfectly – that is what each of us are here for.’ This definition of ‘self-development’ from The Picture of Dorian Gray has, indeed, more in common with the Alex of the beginning, the one ever indulging in perverse pleasures, rather than with the grown-up man of the ending. The former Alex is truly an aesthete: he is an cultured young man who idolizes Beethoven; he loves blood only when it doesn’t stain his clothes ‘in the height of nadsat fashion;’ and he is, in spite of everything, very charming and attractive – just as Wilde’s despicable Dorian was charming and attractive. ‘The more things become computerized and predictable, the more does crime acquire glamour as the last refuge of individuality’ – and the younger Alex embodies this. But which of the two Alexes is the true one, remains an open question: Alex, the hero and narrator, is the one character who matters; (†¦) his fate contains a message. There is disagreement on what the message is. On the other hand, there is not much divergence of opinion on what the message of Ginsberg’s Howl is. His poetry is one of public and open revolt, and therefore has a straightforward approach. Burgess lacks this because he is struggling in private, trying to come to terms with the attack suffered by his wife at the hands of three G. I. deserters, an ordeal which haunted his life. Clockwork represents for Burgess ‘an act of catharsis and an act of charity.’ He gives Alex a complex personality, burdens him with passions, and eventually feelings and a conscience, because he’s desperate to understand and forgive. He was no doubt also made desperate by his own attempt to make the people behind these actions, through Alex, almost human. On one hand, there was in him the necessity to comprehend in order to move on; on the other, the guilt felt for trying so hard to comprehend something so terrible. It is in this sense that the conflict of identity exists not onl y within the character, but also within the author. With Ginsberg, the conflict is not internal at all. His angry ‘howl’ is not directed at himself (on the contrary, he accepts and embraces every aspect of his being with rare conviction), but at the rest of the world. Ginsberg’s identity is not torn apart inside, but from the reality outside, in which he feels he has no place. It is the reality of a shattered America, although obviously not in a literal sense: the America of Ginsberg is powerful, blooming with industry – which is precisely what disturbs Ginsberg. He feels his country is going astray. Trying to redirect America is the Beats’ mission in life. Ginsberg in particular feels his vatic role very strongly – you can ‘call him a guru if you like, for guru is merely Timespeak for â€Å"teacher.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ His own guru, or ‘lonely old courage teacher,’ is Whitman. Ginsberg chooses him as his spiritual mentor because he identifies with his outspoken homosexuality and profound patriotism. Ginsberg is positively enamoured of his country, and for this reason it pains him to see the state it is in. He thinks wishfully of the America prophesized by Whitman, a mythical nation of heroes, and wants to understand where that great plan has gone wrong. All he can see is a sexless soulless America (†¦). Not the wild beautiful America of the comrades of Walt Whitman, not the historic America of William Blake and Henry David Thoreau where the spiritual independence of each individual was America, a universe, more huge awesome than all the abstract bureaucracies and authoritative officialdoms of the world combined. The way he sees it, the American dream has utterly failed: people don’t live as ‘comrades,’ and even wars aren’t heroic anymore – there was honour in the fight for freedom of the Civil War, but there is none in building atom bombs. ‘Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb’ is Ginsberg’s very clear position on that. He states it, as usual, in a language calculated to shock. It expresses his exasperation, and hopes to shake the drowsy consciousness of his fellow Americans, who passively accept the serialization, and sterilization imposed from above: in such a well-mannered, orderly society there’s space only for alienation. This is a concept taken straight for Communist theory (‘America I used to be a communist when I was a kid I’m not sorry’ ), the standard first refuge for discontented youth. This idea of alienation, intertwined with that of industrial labour, runs also through Clockwork, especially through the novel within the novel. F. Alexander’s work denounces the depersonalization that turns human beings into ‘clockwork oranges,’ soulless things which only look like human beings. Ginsberg’s intent is the same. The image of Moloch, the ‘sphinx of cement and aluminium’ which reduces people to larvae by eating ‘up their brains and imaginations’, is constantly evocated in the second part of Howl. Ginsberg modernizes the biblical horror whom the idolatrous Israelites offered children to, turning him into the terrible buildings to which the innocence of his America is continually sacrificed: factories, banks, prisons, office blocks, skyscrapers, lunatic asylums represent all that Ginsberg stands against. The constant references to grey, enclosed spaces contrast the vast open spaces roamed by the free men of Walt Whitma n’s nation. The intellectual elite dismissed Ginsberg and the movement as a bunch of ‘know-nothing bohemians.’ But Ginsberg felt he knew a great deal about a lot of things. He considered himself ‘a sort of self-appointed shaman – intense, voluble, irascible, and he was obviously convinced of the holiness of his mission as a poet.’ That of holiness is another recurring theme. It pervades the ‘Footnote to Howl’ like a ray of hope. I don’t believe that Ginsberg’s Howl is a howl of defeat. Later in the book, small but grand, hope rises again several times, always in the shape of flowers. The most significant example among them is I think that of the sunflower – and Ginsberg must think so too, since he chooses that sunflower as his ‘scepter.’ At first, the elegy for the ‘poor dead flower’ seems final; there’s a feeling that nothing can be done (‘when did you look at your skin and/decide you were an impotent dirty old locomo-/tive? the ghost of a locomotive?’ ), and a sense of anguish. But then, Ginsberg changes his tone, one can almost hear his voice trembling with emotion as he assures his new dead friend that it was ‘never no locomotive,’ and he starts his touching sermon ‘to my soul, and Jack’s soul/too, and anyone who’ll listen.’ He recognizes no sign of defeat in the ‘dead grey shadow’ of the sunflower, which held onto its ‘battered crown’ until the very end, when it exhaled with dignity, like a true king. The hope Ginsberg is giving his audience is that ‘we’re all beautiful golden sunflowers inside,’ that we too can make something special out of our time here, and die peacefully at the end of it, knowing that we didn’t give in to the system. I believe this sentiment runs through Clockwork as well, if somewhat less explicitly: the fundamental importance of being always true to oneself becomes apparent to the reader who witnessed Alex having that self taken away from him. Change, we discover through the eyes of Burgess’ young hero, is a vital part of the self, but only if it comes from within – coming from the outside, it is nothing more than an attack to the ‘integrity of the soul.’ BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Sources A. Burgess, A Clockwork Orange (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 2001) A. Ginsberg, Howl (San Francisco: City Lights, 1956) Secondary Sources BOOKS A. Ginsberg, Journals Mid-Fifties: 1954-1958; edited b G. Ball (New York: Harper Perennial, 1995) A. Ginsberg, Deliberate Prose: Selected Essays 1952-1995; edited by B. Morgan. (Perennial, 2000) The Bible, King James Version. M. K. Booker, The Dystopian Impulse in Modern Literature: Fiction as Social Criticism (Greenwood, Westport, Connecticut, 1994) B. Cook, The Beat Generation (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1971) A. Crowcroft, The Psychotic: Understanding Madness (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1971) P. E. Devine, The Ethics of Homicide (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1978) R. D. Erlich, Clockwork Worlds: Mechanized Environments in SF (Greenwood, Westport, Connecticut, 1983) R. K. Martin, The Homosexual Tradition in American Poetry (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1979) D. Moshman, Adolescent Psychological Development: Rationality, Morality, and Identity (London: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005) P. Portugà ©s, The Visionary Poetics of Allen Ginsberg (Santa Barbara: Ross-Erikson Publishers, 1978) J. Stout, The Flight from Authority: Religion, Morality, and the Quest for Autonomy (London: University of Notre Dame Press, 1998) EDITIONS N. Page (ed.), Oscar Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press, 1998) ARTICLES, CHAPTERS, AND SECTIONS Aristotle, ‘Nicomachean Ethics’, in Perry, J. M. Bratman (eds.), Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), pp. 564-579 M. Cooke, ‘An Evil Heart: Moral Evil and Moral Identity’, in M. P. Lara (ed.), Rethinking Evil (Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 2001), pp. 113-130 R. Plank, ‘The Place of Evil in Science Fiction’, in Extrapolation, Vol. 14, No. 2 (May 1973), pp. 100-111. WEB PAGES T. Hobbes, ‘Of the Natural Condition of Mankind Concerning their Felicity and Misery’, in T. Hobbes, Leviathan (constitution.org/th/leviatha.tx), accessed 13 November 2005. N. Cassady, in The Blacklisted Journalist, ‘The Beat Papers of Al Aronowitz, Chapter 3: Dean Moriarty (Annotated by Jack Kerouac)’ (bigmagic.com/pages/blackj/column23.html), accessed 11th January 2006. Research Papers on The Problems of identity – political, geographical, personal, sexual in Modern Novels - EssayBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementBringing Democracy to Africa19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHip-Hop is ArtCapital PunishmentMind TravelHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

OPTUS on Facebook

OPTUS on Facebook Introduction Communication is extremely vital in information dissemination and thus many companies rely heavily on it for clientele outreach (Fielding, 2006). The quest for efficiency, therefore, becomes a major concern for many businesses when choosing the right forms of communication in order to maximize effectiveness and wider market reach.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on OPTUS on Facebook specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This dictates the need for market understanding and clientele destinations so that the chosen communication media can easily reach the targeted clientele at the right time (Nielsen, 2008). This implies that there has to be a lot of care in media selection for maximum output. In return, this will ensure that the set objectives are achieved within a given time frame. Needless to say, an effective communication platform is an integral requirement for business growth and profitability. While market expansion entails maintaining long term relationship with current clients and acquiring new ones, there is need to select the most effective communication models and the right communication channels for message deliveries and propagating the ideals of a business (Capelin, 2004). In most cases, one way communication is preferred but with the advent of new technology amidst a supportive business environment, it has become unavoidable necessity for feedback information regarding on-way statics and thus there is possibility that organizations can get information regarding the number of recipients of their one-way sent communication. Therefore, this improves a company’s influential judgment on choosing the right medium of communication. With diversity in information systems, different forms of communication that present suitability in several forms are readily available in the contemporary business world (Capelin, 2004). This therefore forces any communication type to put into con sideration the form that has to be relayed to respective stakeholders. The contact media also plays vital role in determining communication type to be employed in message relaying. For instance, in order to relay information through a visual communication system, it is required that the information form be either pictorial or in video form. Likewise, Fielding (2006) argues that using audio communication systems would require the use of audio messages and in the same way, published media will automatically require written messages or pictorial compositions. Electronic media can sometimes combine all of these information forms and relay them using one medium. However, suitability and reliability of the medium chosen will depend on area of coverage and the number of loyal subscribers to that medium of communication.Advertising Looking for report on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The higher the n umber of subscription in a communication medium and the larger the area of coverage, the favorable the medium itself for use as an agent of message dispatch. Since Optus is a multinational company that is based in Australia but still under expansive plans, there is urgent need to employ different and most appropriate channels of communication which will attract new customers and still retain the existing ones (Smith, 2009). With roughly more than ten products and services and while dominating the Australian market share in its category, Optus Solutions Ltd will seek to trap new markets outside the country and beyond the Australian continent in order to increase its capital base. The already successive expansive attempt into the Asian markets is yet another opportunity for the company. Optus is seeking to cross borders to capture new markets and maintain its dominance in the Information and Communication Technology industry. Purpose of the report The purpose of this report was to exa mine if the choice by Optus Solutions Ltd to use facebook as a medium of communication between the company and potential clients in its attempt to make further expansions was the best choice in achieving its objectives. Furthermore, the report was supposed to offer recommendations on the choice of media of communication for the company alongside other communication strategies that Optus should employ for optimum reach to its clients. Additionally, recommendations were to focus on effective communication strategies for the Optus Company even as it endeavors to expand. Scope While examining if facebook was the right and most effective media for use by Optus solutions Ltd in communication aimed at marketing, it was important to consider its use for new products and services advertisements and the future expansions and awareness rate of the facebook media. On the same note, it was also important to consider the efficiency of the media chosen by this company for its expansion purposes. M ethod Much of the information used in this report was largely collected from various sources. These included consultations, totally sovereign review of the company information from its own website, business oriented websites as well as facebook information available on this company in regard to expansion and communication in regard to attracting new customers and keeping existing ones. Additional information was also obtained from direct online survey of potential customers outside Australian region. This catered for additional information regarding knowledge of the company and its products. This information was gathered and documented for use in the report to determine if the company was using the right channels and media of communication to reach existing and potential new customers to the company.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on OPTUS on Facebook specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Online interviews were carried ou t to establish if all people living in the Australian continent were really aware of the company, its products and services before it embarked on its expansive plans. Same procedure was followed as above and all the information collected tabulated to analyse the awareness of the people regarding the company. Limitations In carrying out the online interviews, some respondents were unwilling to spare time for the interview citing reasons such as ‘wastage of their special time’ in response. Others could not present truthful information and thus some biasness in the information collected about the company. Locating the exact information about the company and its choice of forms of communication to reach its targeted population was extremely hard and thusmyriad of assumptions were inevitable in the writing of this report. Lots of information regarding the daily operations of this company is either kept highly confidential or the company does not provide the details of its da ily running and this was a great limitation in determining the exact statistical information needed for analysis. Assumptions It has been greatly assumed that the information available on websites and facebook regarding Optus Solutions Ltd is all accurate and thus largely used in the analysis and evaluation of communication strategies of the company. This information will enable the determination of the effective types of communication employed by Optus in reaching its targeted audiences. It has also been greatly assumed that all the information collected online from sources in the Australian peninsula is nothing but accurate information and thus has also been extensively used in the analysis and evaluation of the company as regards communication strategies and expansive plans. Thirdly, it has been also assumed that the products shown on the Optus website page of products and services are entirely the only products and services the company has to offer to customers in the Australian regions and beyond its borders. These products will be singly evaluated in the given regions; that is in Australia, Philippines and the Indian markets for determination of the ability of the company to venture into new markets in respect to effective communication (Capelin, 2004). Since every company uses a strategic medium in its effective communication to targeted audiences, it has been heavily assumed too that Optus Solutions Ltd is extensively using facebook as the strategic medium in its expansion efforts. This information available on facebook regarding the company and its products will entirely be used to promote the company in display and advertising of its products and services and present an effective communication tool by the company.Advertising Looking for report on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Background Optus is one of the largest telecommunication providers in the Australian region, fully owned by a Singaporean company called Singapore Telecommunications. Its Optus brand is its major brand under which it trades but has also other subsidiary brands that it owns which operate under different names and these include, Boost Mobile, and Virgin M. Australia, which operate in the telephone industry, Alphawest in the ICT industry and in others in the network industry like Uecomm. Initially this company was fully owned by the government and was known under a different operating brand name which was Aussat Pty. It underwent a rebranding thus changing its name to Cable and Wireless Optus Pty that lasted for a period before another rebranding to its present brand name Optus. With successful rebranding, this company has undergone multiple transitions and in the process gained and lost potential clients in the process of rebranding since some clients are not information conscious. Th e company owns a large portion of the fixed telephony services in the region with commercial POTS that represent its ability to serve the local and international regions, that is, it is able to reach the local and distant regions. It also owns commercial voice over internet protocol, voice over DSL and intelligent network applications. In the mobile telephony industry, it covers the largest share in the market by owning a GSM and GPRS service that covers almost all the Australian population- approximately ninety seven percent of the total population. It also has a great 3G and HSPA service industry that covers approximately more than ninety seven point three percent of the total population of Australia. It again owns the satellite telephony industry that covers the whole of the country. Besides the telephony industry, the company owns other services in the internet provision industry which include Residential Dial-Up services that expand in all the states, residential Broadband inte rnet services which are run through a cable system and DSL that span in all the states except the northern regions. It also has satellite internet services that it runs through its geostationary satellites, a secure gateway services that are specially offered to the national government and commercial internet access. In addition there is also cable television known as Optus television provided in the largest cities of the country. It also has data transmission services and other services offered through leased lines. Its terrestrial infrastructure spans over the largest cities of Australia, its satellite infrastructure spanning through the regions of geostationary satellites, the international earth points of geostationary satellites and the national earth stations in major cities in Australia. The company has a customer access base network of major cities including Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Wollongong and Adelaide to name just but a few. Other accessible regions include regions w here the company is able to provide coaxial cables. In other words the company has the ability to reach the whole market of Australia since accessibility is possible everywhere within the country for the diverse products and services it offers (Smith, 2009). The company announced its international expansion plans in the year two thousand and three and a year later, it was able to launch a short messaging service that could reach more than ninety countries worldwide. This was its clear move towards internationalization but then no clear communication strategy was shown in regard to the expansion and how the markets had been acquired. Today the company looks forward to making further expansions in the mobile telephony industry into other countries of the world including the Asian region and the African peninsula. Findings According to data and information available on facebook, the following tabulated report was drawn. This took into consideration all the products and services that th e company offers and their status on facebook as a media of effective communication for purposes of retaining and acquisition of new customers in its expansion endeavor. Although most products could not be found on facebook, the results had to constitute each and every product of the mother company since effective promotional strategies through effective communication has to happen in every department and thus each product undergoes the same effect. Optus products and services as shown on facebook pages Product present on facebook likes dislikes Company yes 52,284 Not shown Mobility No N/A N/A Network yes 0 0 Enterprise communication No N/A N/A Satellite yes 3 0 Security yes not shown not shown Global yes 50 0 Discussion Australia by itself alone is a country with a population of more than twenty two million people and out of these, more than ten million people- reflecting more than forty five percent, have signed up for facebook accounts. This is a translation o f approximately half the Australians on facebook but as evident from the above results, it is extremely clear that Optus popularity on facebook is extremely low. Being a multinational company that operates in the whole of Australia and being one of the largest telephony providers in the region, the company has only managed to gallon a whopping total of only 52,284 likes from its existing and or potential customers (Jones, 2010). This represents a shockingly low popularity level for a company brand like Optus. This implies that its communication strategies are not fruitful or the facebook communication strategy in not highly effective. This is also indicated by the presence of one of its services, that is, networking as a service also has shockingly low number of likes; an indication of unpopularity. The satellite service has as well received a tremendously low popularity on facebook; another clear indication of extremely low popularity. Products which include, Mobility, Enterprise c ommunications, Global and ‘Telepresence’ were conspicuously absent on facebook implying nonstrategic efficiency in communication (Fielding, 2006). Optus company brand on facebook page consisted of graphical image with persuasive writings on it, encouraging new and old customers to participate in liking the company and finding the key master company for a chance to win a trip. This is a marketing strategy which reflects likings from hopeful winners and thus, not people who really like the company. Basing on this, the company was trying to woo potential clients and thus the likes also represent people who even do not know Optus or have never used any one of its services. Although this strategy works in marketing for its expansive endeavors, actual reflection of potential customers in the internationalization efforts is not clear. The other products and services on the facebook page did not have any graphical or pictorial compositions but only word messages. This shows tha t the company did not use effective communication types like visual on the given media to communicate to its existing customers and attract new ones. Nielsen (2008) points out that effective communication embodies the use of all the four types of communication whereby visual communication has the greatest intensity followed by verbal or audio communication. Not denying the fact that the company uses these in its routine communication practices, they are scantly available on facebook and thus an implication of failure of communication. Failure of other products’ presence on facebook is a direct indication of failure of utilization of highly potential media in effective communication to various stakeholders- another landmine of poor communication skills (Capelin, 2004). Facebook is the most famous tool in social media and with more than eight hundred million subscribers and more than ten million Australians. This is an indication of enormous potential in facebook in communicati on since old and potential clients are found here. Recommendations and implementations Optus as a company with diverse products and services need to utilize effective communication skills to keep and acquire new clients (Nielsen 2008). The emergency of facebook as a social media provided the greatest potentials for extensive communication between individuals and companies. This thus should have been one of the best tools the company should use to make effective and transparent communication between stakeholders. The use of wall posts and other visual and responsive media on facebook should have been a priority. Traditional forms of communication which include radio and television should increase the familiarity of in the home environment (Gibson, 2008). Thus employment of visual and pictorial compositions on facebook and the launch of other products and services’ facebook profiles will greatly help in increasing the popularity of facebook. This should take place with immediat e effect with awareness campaigns in order for all stakeholders to be aware of any changes in product progresses. This would be the utilization of effective communication skill in presentation of relevant information to all stakeholders. Conclusion From the discussion above, it is clearly evident that Optus as a company had not utilized facebook as a media of communication for effective communication to various stakeholders. Australia by itself alone is a country with a population of more than twenty two million people. Out of the total population, about 45 percent are currently using facebook as their preferred social site as well as means to reach out for friends and other acquaintances. This implies that the company could greatly benefit from utilizing facebook as one of the channels of communication. Furthermore, Optus has a very strong presence on the physical environment with a familiarity percentage ranging close to 90 percent. On the other hand, it commands a tiny 3 percent on face book. The fact that the Australian population using population is relatively large implies that the company has been losing huge profits due to the unreached clientele base. This is a reflection of failed utilization of potential communication media in carrying out effective communication and hence marketing of the company. Other products and services such as satellite service have equally received tremendously low popularity on facebook. Needless to say, this may be yet another clear indication of extremely low popularity of the company especially on the bulk of the population. Others which include, Mobility, Enterprise communications, Global and ‘Telepresence’ just to mention a few were conspicuously absent from facebook (Jones, 2010). If such services are not firmly in place and worst of all, not recognized by the target, then it implies that the given company is by far and large, employing nonstrategic efficiency in communication. Failure of other productsâ €™ occurrence on facebook is a straight indication of failure of exploitation of highly potential media in effective communication to a range of stakeholders- an additional landmine of poor communication skills. Facebook is the most well-known tool in social media and with more than eight hundred million subscribers and slightly above ten million Australians. Indeed, it is a clear indication that facebook as a social utility presents numerous and potential opportunities to the business world such that proper utilization of the facility can indeed boost returns and profitability of a business entity. References Capelin, J. 2004. Communication by design: Marketing professional services. Atlanta: Greenway Communications. Fielding, M. 2006. Effective Communication in Organizations, Cape Town: Lansdowne Ltd Gibson, B. 2008. Case study report, Melbourne: Monash University. Web. Available from  https://www.monash.edu/rlo Jones, S. 2010, Optus Facebook Page. Web. Available from  ht tps://www.facebook.com/optus Nielsen, J. 2008. Effective Communication Skills, New York: Xlibris Corp. Smith, S. 2009. Telepresence managed. Web. Web.

This is International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

This is International Management - Essay Example Emergence of economies like India and China that offer skilled labor at comparatively cheaper rates has led to business organizations relocating business units like back office operations to these nations where they can get the desired quality level at cheap rates. In addition to this firms have also been using international expansion to reach out to new and potential markets. The restriction of trade barriers has also made investments in overseas destinations easier for firms. Examples of firms pursuing international strategies include Lenovo Computers, Wal-Mart and others that have successfully entered into new markets and established a formidable foothold in those markets. International expansion strategy is recommended in circumstances where domestic markets for an organization starts getting saturated and the company has enough internal resources and expertise to manage business in an international level by being able to sustain its core competence areas in new foreign markets. It should also have sufficient financial resources to sustain the business in foreign locations. Favorable government regulations and a congenial political, economic, sociological environment are also essential pre requisites for a firm to enter into a foreign market (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2007, p.24-38). Regionalization Contrary to globalization regionalization involves an entirely different perspective in which firms restrict themselves to specific regions and confine their businesses to those regions and devote their focus solely towards a particular region.

Youth transnationalism backpacking and tourism in Thailand Essay

Youth transnationalism backpacking and tourism in Thailand - Essay Example The reality is that record numbers of tourists are choosing to travel internationally, many for extended periods of time. While the traditional short stay vacation of one week in a resort style of facility will likely remain, there has been a tremendous surge in the number of individuals, particularly young people, who choose to take several months off from their existence in their home country to travel around and explore new cultures foreign to their own. Commonly referred to as ‘backpackers’, these travellers are more interested in the local culture and people of the countries they choose to visit, and are less interested in the fancy resorts and holiday destinations that have long been considered the backbone of the tourist industry (Allon, 2004). Backpackers today greatly contribute to the local customs of their country of choice, as they tend to blend into the community life, in many cases choosing to work for a few months, and generally contribute to overall youth tourism market exploding internationally. Perhaps few regions of the world are as notorious for backpacking journeys than the nations of Southeast Asia. The region, having been opened up for tourism in recent decades, is ripe with culture and tradition that attracts young people from around the globe who want to leave behind the Western lifestyle for a time and experience something new. Owing to its openness to foreigners and its relatively carefree lifestyles, Thailand is perhaps the best country to study for this phenomenon. Over the years, the tourism market for backpackers in Thailand has evolved into its own sector of the overall hospitality industry in the country. Backpackers are present in nearly every region of the country, many choosing to say for multiple months, and they have almost become integrated into the overall landscape of the country as well. This study will examine the recent youth tourism movement in Thailand by focusing specifically on backpackers. Current tr ends and factors driving the growth of the backpacker movement will be analyzed, along with an exploration of various strategic opportunities to further develop the backpacker and working holiday option for the tourism industry in Thailand moving forward. 1.2 Trends in the Global Backpacker Phenomenon The trend of backpacking around the world has gained such momentum, that many tourist agencies are launching campaigns specifically targeting this particular demographic. Research indicates that backpackers tend to spend more money during other traditional types of tourists, largely due to the fact that they stay longer in one region (Hampton, 2013). Backpackers do tend to be more adventurous than other types of travellers, so regions of the world that have a great deal to offer these particular individuals are the ones that typically go after their business. Australia is perhaps the best example of this. New South Wales, in fact, specifically targets backpackers on their website and t hroughout various industry trade shows around the globe. In doing so, they hope to highlight the numerous cultural and adventure type activities that should attract and lure the average backpacker to spend a considerable amount of time in the area (Allon, 2004). New South Wales, and many other areas around the globe, see considerable advantages in attracting backpackers to their location. While many of these factors will be discussed in Chapter Two, it bears mentioning that the average backpacker does need to be marketed to in a slightly different manner than other types of travellers. To begin, the trend that has been realized recently is that backpackers tend to lean towards budget accommodation. Because of the longevity of their