Emotional Labour

RESEARCH PROPOSAL – EXAMPLE 1 Project Title Emotional Labour and Gender in the Hospitality Industry Research Context The idea that there is an ‘emotional’ aspect to work seems to have only gained academic credence in recent years. Hochschild (1983) originally introduced the concept of emotional labour in her study of flight attendants and bill collectors. Since then various researchers have subsequently expanded the topic to various different types of workers including teachers (Blackmore 1996), nurses (James 1992; O'Brien 1994), lawyers (Pierce 1996), police (Stenross ; Kelinman 1989) and caterers (Phornprapha ; Guerrier 1997).Emotional labour could be seen as the management or display of appropriate emotions while working, requiring ‘one to induce or suppress feeling in order to sustain the outward countenance that produces the proper state of mind in others. ’ (Hochschild 1983:7). A medium sized chain of English pubs has agreed to participate in th e study and will be referred to as the ‘Coaching Inn Company’ The company has grown rapidly, and developed a portfolio of approximately 170 individual units widely spread around England.Most of these outlets offer accommodation and food, often with a relatively low reliance on wet (alcohol) sales, reflecting the apparent trends of the pub-going market towards other revenue generators such as food and accommodation (Williams 1996). The company has a relatively ‘soft’ type of branding, with a number of individual outlets of differing character, each supporting a wide customer base. In the past it had been the policy of head office to give unit managers quite a free hand in the running of their property.However, there has been an increasing level of standardisation in some areas (with more standardised wine lists, menus, and accommodation offers, such as weekend breaks), and a central reservations system was increasingly used for accommodation. This approach t o branding, with the unit distinctiveness being valued by head office and seen as a marketing opportunity, provided an early hint about the organisation’s likely approach to emotional labour. Research AimThe project aims to explore the nature of emotional labour in service interaction in United Kingdom public houses, and explore the extent to which it is affected by the gender of individual staff members. Key research objectives 1. To identify the impacts caused by emotional labour among employees involved in pub service. 2. To discover and evaluate coping strategies utilised by service staff engaged in the performance of emotional labour in relation to those suggested by employers, trainers and in the literature. . To recommend measures that could be adopted by organisations and individuals to improve employees’ experience of emotional labour to the benefit of employers, employees and customers. Overview of the Literature Literature There are various different types o f emotional labour including ‘personalizing an impersonal relation’ (Hochschild 1983:109), refraining from reacting to abusive behaviour, and maintaining a perpetual, sincere smile’ (Macdonald ; Sirianni 1996:9).Hochschild (1983) introduced the term ‘feeling rules’ to explain emotional norms, although if Scherer’s (1996) definition of emotion, including not only feeling but also neurophysiological responses and motor expression, is to be adopted, the implied dominance of ‘feeling’ should be treated cautiously. Ashforth and Humphrey (1993:89) approach this issue by suggesting that ‘display rules’ is a more appropriate term, as emotional labour appears to be primarily concerned with ‘publicly expressed’ emotions.Both of these concepts appear to have value, although neither, taken individually, satisfactorily includes all the elements of emotion and emotional labour, and a combination of both seems more appr opriate. Display rules may seem more useful in the study of the subject, especially from a behaviourist point of view, but to fully understand their nature and impacts, actual feelings, cognition and physiological state should probably be examined as well. Various possible negative impacts of emotional labour on staff have been suggested including job stress (Adelmann 1995) employee burnout (Ledgerwood et al. 997), emotional exhaustion (Wharton 1993), and feeling ‘phony’ when portraying false emotion to customers (Hochschild 1983). It should be pointed out, however, that positive effects of emotional labour have also been suggested with staff often enduring some less pleasant aspects of service work for ‘the chance to interact with other people’ (Riley et al 1998) and gaining satisfaction from such work. Weatherly ; Tanisk (1993) examined various methods used by customer-contact workers to deal with role stress that seem relevant to emotional labour.These i nclude: 1. Actual avoidance of contact, perhaps by avoiding eye contact so as not to have to take an order or deal with a complaint. 2. Reacting to and/or educating the client – Hochschild (1983:127) recounts an incident when a flight attendant was asked by a customer why she wasn’t smiling; she tried to pass the role onto him, asking him to smile and telling him to ‘freeze, and hold that for fifteen hours. ’ 3. Engaging customers (e. g. asking them for help) in the service provision to distract them from making demands. . Mindlessness, relying on scripts and pre-programmed behaviour for fulfilling a role. 5. Over-acting, ascribing their actions to a role rather than themselves as individuals. Public Houses There has been relatively little academic research in the public house sector in recent years. This is of some concern given the considerable size of this part of the hospitality industry – it has been suggested that pubs represent the third most popular type of eating out establishment in the UK (Mintel Publications 1991).The public house environment seems likely to require a considerable amount of emotional labour when dealing with customers due to the consumption of alcohol that takes place. This is likely to lead to a level of ‘disinhibition’ (Smith 1985a:32) of customer behaviour that could cause problems for staff. The presence and relatively easy access to alcohol could also result in staff developing drinking problems which may affect their work performance generally and emotionally.Pub landlords seem especially susceptible to the demands of emotional labour as, it can be argued that ‘the publicans’ sociability and relational network is focused around the ‘regulars’ who form the dominant group of users’ (Smith 1985a). This suggests that the publican’s social life is dominated by work contacts, especially since most individuals live on the premises. This was partic ularly well demonstrated by Smith (1885b:295) when describing the publican of a ‘rough working-class pub’ who ‘was behind the bar less often than in front of it’ with his regular customers.Relatively little seems to have been written about other service employees in pubs, although these people are in the front-line of the service encounter, and as such, are likely to be able to offer valuable insights into emotional labour. Gender Gender issues have been addressed in much of the literature dealing with both emotional labour (e. g. Hochschild 1983; Pierce 1996) and pubs/alcohol (e. g. Hey 1986; Hunt ; Satterlee 1987; Gough ; Edwards 1998).Some (if rather dated) literature deals with gender differences in the pub trade. Hey (1986:43), for instance, suggested that the female bar staff member is expected to be a ‘sexually provocative, friendly, sympathetic, and ‘mature’, experienced woman’, while male bar staff ‘wear dark suits, bow ties, shake cocktail mixers and are monstrously efficient. ’ More recently, Folgero ; Fjeldstadt (1995) suggested that women employed in the service industry are likely to be subjected to sexual harassment by both colleagues and customers.Hey (1986:44) considered that women bar staff were expected to be ‘socially available’ and engage in ‘Pseudo-flirtation’ when a customer purchases a drink for them, although suggesting such expectations are limited to female staff appears to disagree with the researchers personal experience when working as a male bar person. Research Design This will be an empirical research. It is proposed to conduct a small number of case studies in a selection of public houses, preferably owned and operated by a single chain.A single case study may produce distorted results, as each pub is likely to have unique characteristics and pubs often have relatively small workforces from which to generate data. A detailed study of a l arge number of outlets also seems impractical given time and resource limitations. It is suggested that two pubs could be investigated over a two month period, depending on the type of access granted, allowing the researcher sufficient time to develop a reasonable familiarity with each, and generate sufficient and trustworthy data.It should be stressed, however, that this study aims to explore a relatively new area in considerable depth and will not seek to generalise any findings to the public house industry as the case study approach will be adopted in order to understand the phenomena to be studied rather than their ‘incidence’ (Yin 1989:55). Ethnographic techniques will be utilised with the researcher employing participant observation of the individual pubs to be studied.Fetterman (1998:1) described ethnography as ‘the art and science of describing a group or culture,’ relying largely on participant observation (observation by a field-worker who takes p art in the daily life of the society being studied) for data gathering, although numerous additional data collection techniques are available to the ethnographer for triangulation purposes. This is based on the idea that, by striving to find the locals’ point of view (Narayan 1993) the field-worker will be suitably equipped to understand why individuals within a social group do what they do, not simply recount observed phenomena.The participant observation will be conducted by working as a front-line bar person in each of the sampled pubs. Although this requires the co-operation of individual unit managers from the chain of public houses, major problems of access are not anticipated given the demand for experienced bar staff. This will enable the researcher to develop an in-depth understanding (Sandiford ; Ap 1998) of the outlets, their staff and the processes involved in the emotional labour conducted in the work environment.The participant observation will not be exclusivel y conducted in the work setting, as the social activities of staff are likely to provide a more holistic representation of the emotional demands and effects of pub work. Both informal and formal semi-structured interviews will be conducted with customers, service staff, line management and head office management to gain an insight into the views and experiences of different levels of employees throughout the company.Such interviews will also help audit the project’s findings at each stage of the analysis. Given the large number and different types of pubs in the United Kingdom, it is necessary to develop a view of the types of pub to be sampled. Primary consideration will be given to the size of pub, as, given the project’s objectives, it would be inappropriate to spend a long period of observation in a pub operated solely by a management couple with no, or very few, customer service staff.Giving an arbitrary minimum number of service staff at this stage also seems pre mature, although it is clear that the pubs to be studied should have a sufficient number of service staff, both full and part-time, to enable the researcher to address the research questions effectively. It would be desirable to target a mixture of geographical and demographic pub locations for the study, hopefully including one rural, and one urban setting which would provide different perspectives for the research and result in a variety of service phenomena for analysis.A flexible time plan has been developed, with the two months to review the literature more fully, conduct the pilot study and seek formal access to a pub company for the main study. The next 2 months will be used to collect the data, with on-going analysis, followed by 2 months for completing the analysis and the final report. Ethics Participant observation presents researchers with various ethical dilemmas, as to inform research subjects that they are being investigated can result in them behaving abnormally.Howe ver, it is felt that participating in the pubs to be studied for relatively long periods will help the researcher to integrate well into the work team even when known to be a researcher, and allow other members of staff to accept the researcher, thus minimising abnormal behaviour. Customers seem to present more of an ethical question, as it is not practical to explain to each one that they are being observed (Franklin 1985:9). In this project, however, staff and their reactions to the emotional demands of the job are the main foci of attention so it is felt that this is a relatively minor problem.Treatment of the Data The data will take various forms – the researcher will keep a daily personal journal containing field notes, personal observations and reflections on situations that arise; formal (and some informal) interviews will be recorded on audio tape whenever possible, and transcribed to avoid mistakes and mis-interpretations copies of these will be issued to interviewee s, when possible, for member checking, following a similar audit trail to that used by Sandiford (1997) especially related to the interpretation of data; relevant company documentation (e. g. raining manuals, policy statements, etc. ) will be examined, if permitted, to provide additional information related to emotional labour within the company. The data will undergo ethnographic analysis in order to develop a full picture of emotional labour. The researcher will follow the framework utilised in his MPhil research (Sandiford 1997) and outlined by Spradley (1980). Such a systematic approach to the analysis, through three major stages, will result in the reconstruction of audited cultural themes related to the phenomenon of emotional labour which will provide the basis for the resultant thesis.Planning See Gantt chart in Appendix A for a breakdown of the activities and the time required to complete them. Resources Required * Main researcher for 6 months, bar experience essential * Ty pist for 5 days to transcribe interviews * Access to academic library databases and Inter Library Loan * Digital voice recorder to record interviews (? 80) * Laptop to record daily logs while away from home (? 400) * Transport costs to and from Pubs, if pub not local (up to ? 200) * Accommodation if pub not local (? 1600) * Binding (? 100) Risk AnalysisRisk| Impact (I)| Prob (P)| I x P| Contingency| 4 week observation can’t be completed| 3| 1| 3| Organise stand-by pub, optionally delay completion of research| Data lost| 3| 1| 3| Ensure regular backups to secure source| Companies/Pubs won’t participate| 3| 2| 6| Establish possibilities early. Take advantage of 1:1 networking opportunities. Solicit help from members of ULMS| Technology fails| 2| 1| 2| Ensure backup solutions are available| Lack of co-operation with bar staff| 3| 1| 3| Ensure they understand the non-threatening nature of the study – not management driven.Provide support and understanding of their s ituation. | Quality Criteria Interview questions to be approved by supervisor and Head office contact before being used. Minimum of 6 weeks spent observing bar interactions Minimum of 6 interviews with customers Minimum of 8 bar staff interviews (at least 2 part-time and 2 full-time, and at least 3 males and 3 females) Minimum of 2 Bar manager interviews At least 1 interview with head office staff All interview transcripts to be approved by interviewee before being analysed All references to company to be made anonymous before publishing.Dissertation to be written using plain English, 12pt Roman, double spaced, Harvard Referencing, bound in maroon cloth covered boards with gold lettering. Monthly progress updates to supervisor and Head office contact. References Adelmann, P. K. (1995) ‘Emotional Labor as a Potential Source of Job Stress’, in, S. L. Sauter, L. R. Murphy (Eds. ) Organizational risk factors for job stress, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association , 371-381. Ashforth, B. E. ; Humphrey, R. H. (1993) ‘Emotional Labour in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity’, Academy of Management Review, 18, 1, 88-115. Blackmore, J. 1996) ‘Doing ‘Emotional Labour’ in the Education Market Place: Stories from the Field of Women in Management’, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 17, 3, 337-349. Fetterman, D. (1998) Ethnography Step bySstep (2nd Ed. ) London: Sage. Folgero, Ingebjorg S. ; Fjeldstadt, Ingrid H. (1995) ‘On Duty – Off Guard: Cultural Norms and Sexual Harassment in Service Organizations’, Organization Studies, 16, 2, 299-313Franklin 1985:9). Gough, B. ; Edwards, G. (1998) ‘The Beer Talking: Four Lads, a Carry Out and the Reproduction of Masculinities,’ The Sociological Review, 46, 409-435.Hammersley, M. ; Atkinson, P. (1983) Ethnography: Principles in Practice, London: Routledge. Hey, V. (1986) Patriarchy and Pub Culture, London: Tavisto ck. Hochschild, A. R. , (1983). The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. University of California Press, London. Hunt, Geoffrey ; Satterlee, Saundra (1987) Darts, Drink and the Pub: The Culture of Female Drinking,’ Sociological Review, 35, 3, Aug, 575-601 James, N. (1992) ‘Care = Organisation + Physical Labour + Emotional Labour’ Sociology of Health and Illness, 14: 4, Dec, 488-509. Ledgerwood, C. E. , Crotts, J. C. amp; Everett, A. M. (1998) ‘Antecedents of Employee Burnout in the Hotel Industry’, Progress in Tourism and Hospitality Research, 4, 31-44. Macdonald, C. L. ; Sirianni, C. (Eds. ) (1996) Working in the Service Society, Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Mintel Publications (1991) ‘Eating out,’ Leisure-Intelligence, 1, 1-28. Narayan, K. (1993), ‘How Native Is A Native Anthropologist? ’ American Anthropologist. Vol. 95, No. 3, pp. 671-686 O'Brien, M. (1994) ‘The Managed Heart Revisited: Heal th and Social Control’, Sociological-Review, 42: 3, Aug, 393-413 Phornprapha, S. & Guerrier, Y. 1997) ‘Restaurant Staff and their Supervisors: The Management of Emotions’, paper presented at The Fourth Recent Advances in Retailing and Services Science Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, 30 June-3 July. Pierce, J. (1996) ‘Rambo Litigators: Emotional Labour in a Male-Dominated Occupation’, in C. Cheng, (Ed. ) Masculinities in Organizations, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 1-28 Riley, M. , Lockwood. , A. , Powel-Perry, J. , & Baker, M. (1988) ‘Job Satisfaction, Organisation Commitment and Occupational Culture: A Case from the UK Pub Industry’, Progress in Tourism and Hospitality Research, 4. 59-168 Sandiford, P. J. & Ap, J. (1998) ‘The Role of Ethnographic Techniques in Tourism Planning. ’ Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 37, No. 1, August 1998, 3-11 Sandiford, P. J. (1997), Social and Cultural Impacts of Imported Labour at the New Chek Lap Kok Airport Development, Hong Kong, Unpublished M. Phil Thesis, The Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Scherer, K. R. (1996) ‘Emotion’, in M. Hewstone, W. Stroebe & G. M. Stephenson (Eds) Introduction to Social Psychology, 2nd. Ed. , Oxford: Blackwell Smith, M.A. (1985a) ‘The Publican: Role Conflict and Aspects of Social Control,’ Service Industries Journal, 5: 1 March, 23-36. Smith, M. A. (1985b) ‘A Participant Observer Study of a ‘Rough' Working-Class Pub,’ Leisure Studies, 4, 3, Sept, 293-306 Spradley, J. P. (1980) Participant Observation, Orlando: Rinehart and Winston Stenross, B. & Kleinman, S. (1989) ‘The Highs and Lows of Emotional Labor: Detectives’ Encounters with Criminals and Victims’, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 17, 4, January, 435-452 Weatherly, Kristopher A. & Tansik, David A. 1993) ‘Tactics Used by Customer-Contact Workers: Effects of Role Stress, Boundary Spanning and Control’, International Journal of Service Industry Management, 4, 3, 4-17 Wharton, A. S. (1993) ‘The Affective Consequences of Service Work: Managing Emotions on the Job,’ Work and Occupations, 20, 2, May, 205-232 Williams, C. E. (1996) ‘The British Pub: An Industry in Transition,’ Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 37, 6, 62-73. Yin, R. K. (1989) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, London: Sage. Appendix A – Project Plan

Muet vs Ielts

MUET VERSUS IELTS. In today’s global world, the importance of English cannot be denied and ignored since English is the most common language spoken everywhere. Although Malay language is our mother tongue, we still have to conquer this language if we want to compete with other international countries. With the help of developing technology, English has been playing a major role in many sectors including medicine, engineering, and education is the most important arena where English is needed.Particularly, as a developing country, Malaysia needs to make use of this world-wide spoken language in order to prove its international power. Consequently, English should be the medium of instruction at universities in Malaysia. The reason for why English should be the medium of instruction at universities in Malaysia is that it helps students find a high quality jobs for students and the common language is obviously English. Next and the most important, it enables students to communicate with the international world and at once we can compete with other emerging international countries.So, to align with national development, Malaysia has established Malaysian University English Test (MUET) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to help students nowadays to improve a lot in English language. Firstly, the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) is an examination which measure the ability to use and understand English as it is spoken, written and heard in university campuses. This test is set and run by the Malaysian Examinations Council.MUET is created for Malaysia public universities enrolment needs and comprising 4 components that are listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is categorized into six bands or levels and only recognized in Malaysia and Singapore. Each components of this exam has its own scores. The maximum scores for each component is 45 for Listening and Speaking,120 for Reading and 90 for Writing, with the total score of 300. The scores are then graded in 6 bands, with Band 6 the highest and Band 1 the lowest.Firstly for listening test, candidates will be required to listen to recorded texts twice and answer questions consisting of information transfer, short-answer questions, and three option multiple choice questions and 4-option multiple choice questions. For speaking test, candidates will be required to perform the individual presentation and group discussion. For the individual presentation, candidates will be given 2 minutes to prepare for the given task and 2 minutes to present. Candidates will also listen to the other candidates while they are making their presentations and take down notes for the group discussion.For the group discussion that consists of 4 students, candidates will be given 2 minutes to prepare points to support or oppose the other candidates’ views. After listening to everyone in the group, candidates will make a conclusion based on their topic. The group will be given 10 minutes for the group discussion. For reading test, candidates will be required to answer the questions that comprises 45 multiple choice questions based on the texts which may be taken from journals, newspapers or magazines sources. Lastly for writing test, candidates will be required to write 2 essays.This paper comprises two writing tasks that are interpretation of information based on specific stimuli provided and extended writing based on a given topic. Secondly, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an examination specially designed to assess a candidate’s competency in the English language for university studies. The IELTS examination is recognised by universities in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. IELTS also conforms to the highest to the highest international standards of language assessment.Its purpose is to find out what level band of English from 0-9. Usually people need to take the IELTS test if applying for a job or to study in a college or university in an English-speaking or the immigrants. There are two modules of the IELTS test which are academic and general. The academic module is for the future students and for the general module is or immigrants. Besides, the format for IELTS is same as MUET which include four tests which are reading, writing, speaking and listening. The listening test takes about 40 minutes.The 30 minutes early for listen to a tape and to answer questions on what you hear and then 10 minutes left to transfer answers to the answer sheet. Next, reading test takes one hour and the task is to read passages of text and answer questions according to what you have read. Then, the writing test that also takes one hour and divided into two sub part. The first 20 minutes for write a letter or report and other 40 minutes to write an essay. The last one is speaking test that takes up to 15 minutes and consists of three parts which are personal interview, cue card talk and discus sion.In additional, all the test is continue one after another but for the speaking test get a break or been held on a different day. In conclusion, IELTS is much better compare with MUET. This is because the benefits of taking IELTS are many. If we like to study in world class universities like The Oxford University, Cambridge University, University of Bridgeport, University of California Berkeley, San Francisco State University we must take IELTS. Once we are graduated from any of these universities, our career begins with a fantastic position heading toward a bright future.Moreover, we will get exposed to the best intellectual as well as socio-economic environment that would nurture outstanding personality in us. Thus, we can find a dramatic change in our intellectual, professional and financial spheres. Further, we can have access to employment abroad by writing the IELTS General Module. We can enjoy incredible lifestyle and financial security if we are employed in the United Ki ngdom, Australia or New Zealand and the most important we can gain access to on-going support from some of the world’s leading language assessment experts.Although IELTS is more tough compare to MUET but we still can work harder to success as English proverb says ‘it doesn’t kill you make you stronger’. For many years, English has been the common wold-wide language, and it will be in the future. For this reason, if you want to follow trends, new gadgets and technology, modernization of the developing world, you have to know English whatever age you are in. ?

How to Improve public Schools Essay

Since the 17th century, American public schools have provided its children with a wonderful opportunity of receiving a free education that ensures a general understanding of various subjects such as mathematics and literature giving generation after generation the foundation of knowledge. Public schools have made several positive leaps since its begging from teaching only males students to teaching all genders, as well as becoming desegregated in 1969. Public schools provide a peace of mind for parents who desire the best for their children because they provide state certified teachers, free transportation, extra-curricular and after school programs, and are accountable to the state (web). Most notably, public high schools prepare students for life after school and provides a foundation for further education; however, behind all the wonderful aspects of public schools there are certain disadvantages that can hinder the academic progress of a student. Parents as well as students should be aware of these disadvantages that include: underfunded schools may not have certain materials or may have to cut some programs and too much emphasis on standardized test that creates a lot of stress on students and hinders their learning environment. Considering such disadvantages, parents and students may wonder â€Å"how can we solve this dilemma?† Nationalizing public school funding and giving less class and standardized test in order to allow students to focus on learning the curriculum are both steps and proposals that have the potential to settle the troublesome disadvantages of public schools. Different schools in different regions and states receive a wide range of funding which creates a conflict where some schools are underfunded while other are prosperous. The schools that are underfunded may not acquire certain materials that are essential for the course which hurt the process of learning for many students. Some schools are so underfunded that they result to eliminating certain courses or programs. Nearly half of the funding for public schools in the United States are provided though local taxes, generating large differences in funding between wealthy and impoverished communities. There have been efforts make public school funding more equitable yet have only provoked controversy. Some people, such as Eric Hanushek, argue that although different schools receive different amount of funding, the amount of money spent is not â€Å"systematically related to student  achievement,† therefore the wide range of public school funding is not an issue. On the other hand, people such as reviewers Rob Greenwald, Larry Hedges, and Richard Laine believer that â€Å"school resources are systematically related to student achievement,† and therefore school funding is educationally important. Although public schools in the Unites States are funded from federal, state and local sources, the funds from local property taxes generates large funding differences. A logical proposal to solve this problem would to nationalize public school funding therefore every public school depending on its level ( elementary, middle/junior, high, academy, etc.) would receive the same amount of funding which would eliminate the differences of funding for different regions. Some parents may argue that their local property taxes are higher than others and so it should go towards the funding for their child’s public school funding; however, if school funding is nationalized and standardized then each school regardless the location would receive enough funding to secure an adequate education for all children. Also, funds from local property taxes could be used to better individual communities such as building parks or community buildings as well as providing better roads instead of funding public schools. Federal taxes may rise due to nationalizing public school funding however it is for a good cause which is providing all students of America with an equal opportunity to a great education; however this proposal will be difficult to enact because it requires to federal approval and may take time to become a law. Many petitions will have to be made along with thousands of signatures so there would be a lot of support required to enact nationalizing public school funding yet if accomplished it would set a strong foundation for knowledge throughout the nation. With the creation of the No Child Left Behind act endorsed by president Bush, there has been a increasing emphasis on standardized testing for public schools that has ultimately hindered the learning environment by narrowing the curriculum, teaching to the test, and reducing the love of learning which helps drive students out of school specifically high school students. In several classes, the curriculum is taught based on the maximum potential for students to pass standardized test. This has created a sort of teach to pass instead of teach to learn class routine amongst several teachers. Consequently, several students miss out on valuable information due to the  narrowed curriculum by eliminating lessons not needed to pass a certain standardized test. The pressure put of students nowadays ,especially in high schools, can be extremely overwhelming and be a driving factor for several dropouts. Of course students do not decided to dropout of school solely on the large emphasis on standardized testing yet it is difficult to argue that it does not put a lot of stress on students who are already struggling to pass. The alarming emphasis on high-stakes standardized testing has become apparent to students,parents, as well as legislation and so there have been events that occurred with the purpose to lessen the emphasis of testing. For example, the Senate Education Committee passed a bill that â€Å"eliminated the use of scores on standardized †¦test,† that would determine if tens of thousands of schools were to be considered failing or not. Although this is a remarkable step to lessening the power set by standardized test scores it does not solve the problem of the collateral damage in public schools caused by too much testing. Indeed, tests are important to determine if a student is learning and not simply sitting in class daydreaming of irrelevant things; furthermore, students should worry about test and strive to make good grades on them. The problem with testing is not its existence but its intensity and worthiness. In the average class, test scores are worth much more compared to class work and homework. This places a huge stress on students to past test therefore they focus only on test scores instead of learning the material and applying what they have learned to real life situations. Standardized test are important in determining the progress of individual students and schools and therefore should not be eliminated however states should set a minimum of high-stake standardized test. For example there should be a maximum of one end of instruction test for important subjects and extra test that are not directly relevant to the curriculum such as benchmark tests should be eliminated. The specifics of such a policy should be left to be determined by the states due to the difficulty to enforce it as a federal policy. To make a state law that put a minimum on standardized test would require some time, petitions, and convincing for certain people but the final accomplishment would bring less stress to students and promote a better learning environment. State school boards should also divide the percentage of value of homework, classwork, participation grades, as well as class test equally. This would allow  student to focus on the important of turning in homework, participating in class, and test equally as opposed to stressing when a test is coming for it could considerably harm their grade in the class. Lessening the emphasis of test both standardized and class test would allow students to focus on the material being taught as well as allow teachers to improve the curriculum to provide the best possible educational for their students. Students can greatly benefit from the previous feasible proposals if they were to be enforced. By passing a federal law that endorses a nationalized federal funding of public schools as opposed to leaving half of public school funding to local property taxes, all American public schools would receive an equal amount of funding to use for the arts, after school programs, academic technology, or school renovations that all promote a heather and more engaging learning environment for all students. Although the process to get a bill that would enforce a fully federal funding of all public school passed by congress would take time and a lot of effort, it would provide equality for all public schools regardless of reputation or location giving students an equal opportunity. Placing a minimum on the amount of standardized test required by public schools within each state as well as making the value of class tests towards a students overall grade equal to homework and classwork would lessen the stress brought on my too much emphasis on testing which would allow students to focus on their eduction instead of simply passing the test. Such a policy would require several petitions and time to figure out what tests are more essential and which test could be eliminated; however, it would greatly reduce the stress of school making it more pleasing and allow teachers to provide the best possible education to their students. These policies can help improve the American public school system by allowing each student to take advantage of a learning based eduction that provides the knowledge needed to succeed and make a positive impact on our ever changing world.

The Impact of American Civil War Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Impact of American Civil War - Term Paper Example The authority of National Government was owned by Lincoln as he was the elected President by the Republicans. Lincoln did not bear any harsh values for Southerners; in fact he wanted U.S.A to stay as one nation with one regulatory body. He once said on his second inaugural address:â€Å"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.†Every war or a fight leave its impacts on a nation and the greatest impact Civil War made was the condemnation of slavery in Southern America and growth of industrial sector in North America. Southern America was rich in cotton and was considered as the â€Å"King of Cotton† at that time. South was the biggest cotton ex porter across the world, therefore was confident on their economical stability. Southerners in cotton business possessed 55% of enslaved people and were greatly threatened on the idea of freeing the slaves. However, North was growing fast with industrial development. The war against slavery infused the spirit of nationalism and equality within America and especially Republicans with 25 states supported Lincoln’s ideology whereas, 11 stood against it. It is true that America after its independence was still a weak nation. (Todd, 2001) People of America fought revolutionary war for freedom with an aim that all human beings should be treated equally but soon after America was declared as an independent nation, Southern Americans forgot the point they got freedom for. Southerners themselves adopted the strategy of keeping slaves and discriminated people according to their color, cast or creed. Civil war emerged when Lincoln officially stood hard against the concept of slavery and while the civil war was going on, (Schwartz, 2008) Lincoln authored the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which was legally declared in 1865 by making Thirteenth Amendment in legal structure of laws which says: â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, nor any place subject to their jurisdiction† IMPACTS: It is not deniable that Civil War proved to be the bitterest war in the American History in which America lost 600,000 lives and 400,000 people were severely wounded, but the impact it made on the civilians was far more better and improved their ideology for ever after. Lincoln was unfortunate that he did not get any chance to watch the positive outcomes but his efforts are still respected and traced. (Nevins, 1960) The civil war brought United States of America together in many ways: Slavery was the major bone of differences between the two regions but it was ended after Civil War and it helped people from both regions to think together as one body. It ended the idea of seceding states on every next issues and it is since Civil War that America

Teflon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Teflon - Essay Example Years after its discovery, it is commercially produced and sold in 1946 while the acquisition of DuPont of Kinetic Chemicals paved way for the usage of PTFE in consumer goods (DuPont 2008). The manufacture of Teflon is modified in order to suit the specific application where it will be utilized. Some of the processes remain proprietor secrets for manufacturers in order to safeguard their competitive advantage. Scientifically, there are two ways of making Teflon. One is through suspension polymerization while the other is through dispersion (Teflon 2008). The starting point for each of the two methods is the synthesis of tetrafluoroethelyne which is undertaken by combining its three components namely fluorspar, hydrofluoric acid, and chloroform in chemical reaction chambers. The main difference between the polymerization processes is by the amount and the strength of force used. In suspension polymerization, the next step will be the addition of water and a reaction agent inhibitor which will cause the TFE to polymerize. On the other hand, the dispersion process introduces TFE into the water-filled chamber together with the initiating chemical. The suspension process requires vigorous shaking while in the dispersion, the reaction is facilitated through gentle agitation only. Thus, tinier beads are formed in the second method making it suitable for metal and fabric coatings (Teflon 2008). The outlined manufacturing process creates a white solid substance with a density of 2.2 grams per square centimeter. Teflon is also known as the solid with the lowest coefficient of friction next to diamond carbon at 0.1 or less which gives it its most notable characteristic of being very slippery and non-stick. Teflon also has very high corrosion resistance making it non-reactive to substances like ozone, chlorine, ammonia, and others. Because of this, Teflon is also non-wetting and adhesion is less likely. Even at extreme temperatures, Teflon maintains its form because of the strong bond of the chemicals comprising it (Polytetrafluoroethylene 2008). Use of fluoropolymers The unique properties of PTFE makes it suitable for various applications in numerous fields namely cookware and medical devices. Manufacturers in these industries have long relied on the characteristics mentioned above in designing more efficient products which can be used by customers in their everyday lives. Aside from these fields, PTFE is also present in more devices and instruments which are indispensible to a typical consumer. Since Dupont holds the copyright for Teflon, cookwares with this brand of non-stick coating source their PTFE from the company. In their manufacturing plant, PTFE is applied directly in the metal surfaces pots and pans. In a normal process, two coatings are sufficient however, some manufacturers sometimes give up to three coatings to achieve the desired output (DuPont 2008). Teflon has become an essential in kitchens because of its ability to make cookware non-stick and easier to clean. The product also gains popularity because of the growing health consciousness globally. As Teflon is non-stick, it enables consumers to fry eggs or sausages without using oil or butter

Aircraft Accident Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aircraft Accident - Case Study Example Finally the crew succeeded in emergency landing at Sioux City, but unfortunately the starboard wingtip touched down just prior to the landing gear, pulling the aircraft sideways. And the aircraft broke up and turned into a huge fireball. Out of 296 people onboard, 111 died and 185 survived. Problem Statement: The aircraft became uncontrollable mainly because of the fracture of the fan disk. Besides the human failure of the maintenance team in detecting such a serious crack, there are quite a few pertinent issues related mainly to the design of engine fan rotor assembly and the hydraulic flight control system. In addition, after the crash-landing, the rescue team and the fire-fighting team committed some mistakes, which might have resulted in loss of some more lives. The key issues here are; Approach and Analysis: Investigating this disaster was lot easier because all the four cockpit crew members, who were handing the machinery to somehow make a safe landing, were alive to tell the story. The disaster was investigated by; Results: Oversight and a casual approach often results in serious consequences is proved once again by the investigating team in this case as well. Though manufacturing defect is the major cause but the involvement of human beings during the processes of certification and maintenance could not help in detecting and prevention. Investigators found out that; It was routinely undergoing through ... The pieces of engine fan disk too were found out in the fields The survivors account also proved quite useful for the investigating team Results: Oversight and a casual approach often results in serious consequences is proved once again by the investigating team in this case as well. Though manufacturing defect is the major cause but the involvement of human beings during the processes of certification and maintenance could not help in detecting and prevention. Investigators found out that; Two large fractures in the fan disks, said to be the signs of overstress The fatigue had also resulted in a small cavity on the surface of the disk, said to be the result of a manufacturing defect. It was routinely undergoing through the drills of maintenance and in fact passed through the crack detecting fluorescent penetration inspections, but the cracks could not be detected, pointing towards human blunder. Discussion: The process of certification proves to be very crucial for the manufacturer, the customer as well as other stakeholders. Values and ethics must be imbibed in the work culture of the certification team, so that they do not take things for granted. As the safety and security standards keep on changing, it is of vital importance that the manufacturing unit must be able to upgrade their certification standards on a regular basis. The department entrusted with the task of certification has to be trained accordingly. Training and development of the maintenance engineers is of vital importance, because they are the ones who are in a position of detecting manufacturing defects and avert major disasters. More important than the training is to work as a team, because at times, some defects could be found by

Mercy, Witness, and Imelda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mercy, Witness, and Imelda - Essay Example While in â€Å"Mercy† the mother and the old woman in the essay considers the death of the patient as a jewel to them, the family members of the patients in â€Å"Witness," and â€Å"Imelda" are epitomes of human compassion and love. This paper seeks to explore how doctors and family members deal with the consequences of their decisions that may or may not be based on love. One can understand that the doctor in all the three essays is moved by compassion and love towards the patients as well as their family members; there is no doubt that this has added more charm to his personal and medical profession. In both â€Å"Mercy† and â€Å"Witness† the doctor displays immense amount of compassion and love towards the patients whereas in â€Å"Imelda" the professor undergoes considerable transformation after Imelda is dead. In â€Å"Mercy†, the doctor observes that there is no uncertainty for the flies when it comes to death whereas humans lack such fraternity and everyone is left alone to suffer. The doctor in the essay is totally compassionate towards the 42 year old patient who suffers from a cancer of the pancreas in the abdomen. The doctor desperately promises that he will not let the patient suffer and will get him out of the pain. However, the doctor at this juncture knows for certain that â€Å"there is no way to kill the pain w ithout killing the man who owns it† (Selzer 71). Finally, at the instigation of the women, he decides to put an end to the life of the patient by pressing on the larynx (windpipe) of the patient. However, he is moved by his medical ethics and compassion towards the patient that he realises soon that he is not supposed to do the cruel deed. Similarly, in â€Å"Witness† one can experience the compassionate attitude of the doctor towards the patient and his loving father. The doctor is extremely moved by the six year old patient who suffers from tumour. He knows that â€Å"the baby

Article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article review - Essay Example Possible outcomes of the trend Stevens, Kitterlin and Tanner (14) found out that students in hospitality prefer learning by doing. As such, academic institutions offering hospitality programs would use such findings to align their curricula in line with the preferred mode of learning among the students so as to remain competitive and relevant in the market. They could provide equipment and teaching aids that propagate practical learning. Theoretical component of learning could be minimized and practical learning be incorporated more including practical internships. Students could seek to enroll in institutions geared towards practical teaching with the aim of excelling academically. Similarly, relevant authorities could seek to streamline the education system with regard to hospitality and formulate rules and regulations promoting practical skills more. Effect of the trend on the industry Aligning the teaching mode to the kinesthetic learning style of the students in hospitality woul d ensure that institutions offering hospitality programs produce practically equipped students ready for the market. These students would have gained much knowledge while learning because the mode of delivery would have been aligned with their understanding environment. More so, this adaptation would see more students enroll for hospitality programs and increase the number of successful completion of the courses being offered. The increase in supply of students could see the cost of hospitality courses decrease. This could trickle down to provide abundant supply of human resource in hospitality. On the other hand, there could be an increase in institutions offering hospitality courses to take advantage of the increased demand due to an increase in interest among prospective students. This could cause rogue institutions coming up which could eventually result in poorly equipped students. Furthermore, the influx in hospitality labor could eventually cause lack of interest in the cours e as with high supply of labor, the lower the compensation package the market would be willing to offer. Stevens, Kitterlin and Tanner (14) also note that kinesthetic learners tend to rush and pay less attention to detail. Therefore, in as much as institutions would adopt mechanisms to propagate practical learning, measures should be put in place to ensure that the quality of education does not get compromised. My position I agree with the findings of this research study. As a student, I have a preferred way of learning which if provided, then, learning becomes interesting and understanding increases. Instructors who provide such an environment have gained acceptance among their students which eventually causes improved academic performance. Practical approach, particularly in hospitality programs provides an opportunity to interact with real-life practice and therefore enhance learning. A lot of theoretical studies make little sense to students without practical application. Even w ith this knowledge, gender sensitive studies should be conducted in other institutions to solidify the findings of this study. Learning experience With the vision of furthering my studies in hospitality, I would consider institutions that offer adequate practical activities in its hospitality programs if I am to excel academically. Stevens, Kitterl

Knowledge Management is not Achievable in Large Complex Organizations Essay

Knowledge Management is not Achievable in Large Complex Organizations - Essay Example As the report stresses KM is an important issue for international management, yet there is a considerable confusion as to what constitutes organizational knowledge, whether it can be systematically managed and how. Matters related to incorporation of an organizational and technological mechanism so as to facilitate knowledge management in complex organizations need to be resolved. Experts are also of the opinion that Knowledge Management does not belong to one particular area. From the discussion it is clear people from different disciplines are working on it. A number of people have realized the value of measuring intellectual assets, thereby recognizing the importance of knowledge management as a competitive asset. As a result, many companies have considerably invested in knowledge projects, which range from setting up an intranet using team oriented software, mentoring, chalking out personal development plans to information sharing. Some researchers has claimed that at times, the problems for implementation of knowledge management lies in ways in which the processes and systems for knowledge creation are being developed separately without considering the organization’s social systems. Rather than being a process problem, communication and learning issues are more likely due to poor knowledge creation from a new system. The adoption of this tool would be important in protecting intellectual assets and cultural barriers.

Colombia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Colombia - Essay Example Colombia is already the 21st largest market for the export activities for the U.S. And now since the approval of U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement by the President of United States Of America, Barack Obama, it is most certain that the existing trading opportunities will increase even more significantly. This agreement ensures that the U.S. interests will be protected while upholding the rule of law in Colombia. Colombia is a very risk adverse country, thus while it will feel no threat to its legal structure and culture, it will help reduce the trade barriers, creating a more stable environment that will lead to cheaper and easier export of products and services for the U.S. traders. According to the statistics stated by export.gov, the U.S. international Trade Commission is forecasting an increase of U.S. GDP by nearly $2.5 billion and U.S. merchandise exports by almost $1.1 billion, because of the probable elimination of tariffs and related encumbrances in Colombia. According to an estimate almost 80% of the export of consumer and industrial products will become duty free and the remaining tariffs will be distributed over a period of 10 years. Especially after the estimated cost of duties of $70 million, from 2008 to 2010, these reductions of charges will significantly lower our costs of trading thus guaranteeing that our products will be distributed on a more cost effective basis and in this way we can focus on a larger distribution plan for our chocolate products in Colombia’s market base. Colombia has signed agreements with EU in 2008 along with many other countries, some of which include Canada, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala. So after the implementation of its agreement, the exporters of EU are expected to enjoy a benefit of 4.1% average tariff over the U.S. exporters, but if the U.S. Colombia TPA is brought into action at the same time it will give us an advantage of 1.7% tariff over the EU. So it’s clear that as soon as the se policies are implemented, we will have an advantage over other potential global competitors in the form of cost effectiveness, this way we will be able to focus on our distribution and marketing plans rather than fretting over our unavoidable costs relating to our export. Custom procedures have also been simplified except the fact that the imports are kept in holding for sometime before released, consequentially we will have to make sure that our products are able to survive without refrigerators for a few days Colombia has a population of 45 million. Its largest cities are Bogota D.C. Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla and Cartagena. So we will be focusing on them initially. It has two legislative houses: Senate and the House of Representatives. The president, who is elected only for a single term of four years, is both the chief of state and the head of government. So while we are there we will have to follow the policies accordingly so as to not jeopardize our relations with the gov ernment. The main language of the country is Spanish. Many business people have the understanding of English language but as it is not that widely understood or spoken so we will have to make sure that the labels of our chocolate products read in Spanish. 95% of the population is Roman Catholic but freedom of religion is guaranteed. The people are highly ambitious and status oriented. But the culture as a whole is yet collectivist rather than individualistic. People are very loyal to their own communities or groups and highly competitive towards other social classes. And the more they are tied to highly stabilized and influential corporative groups, as a reward to their performance, the more favors and benefits they can derive from the community. Socially,

Balanced Scorecard in Performance Management Research Paper

Balanced Scorecard in Performance Management - Research Paper Example The concept of balanced scorecard was initiated by Kalpan and Norton at the beginning of 1990. The balanced scorecard is a strategic management tool used by organizations for the purpose of measuring their performance. While measuring the performance level it considers factors such as employee knowledge, customer satisfaction, and innovation of the company (Cambridge Dictionaries Online, n.d.). It provides ways to the organizations for balancing strategic priorities and other associated factors such as customers, finances, processes and people. The balanced scorecard also ensures that the performance standards at both individual and organizational level remain balanced (Houldsworth & Jirasinghe, 2006, p.143). It not only offers a framework for performance measurement but also enables planners to discover what must be accomplished and measured. A number of companies have therefore incorporated balanced scorecard into their system of operation, so as to facilitate effective and well-or ganized performance measurement system. These organizations with the help of performance management have been able to align their strategies & visions with the business objectives. In the context of the study, Boston Scientific Corporation has been chosen to assess how balanced scorecard can be utilized for optimal organizational performance. Hence before getting into a further discussion, a brief introduction of the organization has been presented in the next half of the project. Boston Scientific Corporation: A Brief Overview Boston Scientific Corporation manufactures and markets medical devices. The company was founded in the year 1979 and has its present base of operations in Natick, Massachusetts (Boston scientific, n.d.). Boston Scientific Corporation or BSC was founded by John Abele.  

Critical Response of an image Essay Example for Free

Critical Response of an image Essay Advertisement is a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event or publicizing. It is also bringing into awareness a new product or idea. Advertising generally tries to sell the things that consumers want even if they should not wish for them. Advertising things that consumers do not need for is not effective use of the advertiser’s money. A majority of what advertisers sell consists of customer items like food, clothing, cars and services†¦ things that people desire to have. On the other hand it is believed by some advertising experts that the greatest influence in advertising happens in choosing a brand at the point of sale. Advertising appeals to consumers through common images; the logo used is well-designed and there is a clear separation of art from commerce. Advertisers use these iconic images to appeal to consumers since they symbolize or stand directly for something. The image for MacDonald’s symbolizes its quality. Therefore, advertisers use these images to communicate much more than words, since they seem to convey the message without too much effort. According to McDonald’s website, their mission statement is â€Å"to be our customers favorite place and way to eat. The worldwide operations have been aligned around a global strategy called the Plan to win centering on the five basics of an exceptional customer experience – People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion. It’s committed to improving the operations and enhancing the customers experience. For decades, Macdonald’s has maintained a broad advertising campaign. In addition to the media, the company makes considerable use of signage and billboards, sporting events and coolers of drinks with their logo for all kinds of events In the case of McDonald’s advertising the texts used are effective. They have contributed in attracting targeted clients to the company. The wordings are extremely pleasing and successful at getting the consumers to buy the products. The phrase ‘I’m Lovin’ it’ which is used in one of the advertisements, indicates a piece of advertising that is particularly striking. According to Cross â€Å"propagandas is simply a means of persuasion†, which they have applied that to their place because it is evidently an artistic expression, yet is trying to sell something to the consumers. The company’s effectively is truthful since the business brings in new customers and creates new products. The company released a burger that is low fat, and which targeted adults in response to the consumers’ desire for healthier options. The company has learned from its previous mistakes, like going after the wrong target market of adults instead of young adults. This however, resulted to a turn around strategy, which later led to increase in sale and profits. McDonald’s has managed to implement strategies that satisfy the changing need of the customer. The company, being an international restaurant within the quick service restaurant, requires a very high level of promotional campaigns to remain competitive. This has been so, since some of the most memorable commercials in fast food industry have emerged from this particular company. Effective speaking has contributed to its world-wide expansion and in its listing on the public stock markets. With the expansion of McDonald’s to a worldwide market, the company has become a symbol of globalization. At the same time, it has acted as the spread of the American system of living. Its prominence has also resulted to regular topics of public debates on obesity, business ethics and consumer responsibility. The company also introduced a cafà © style in accompaniment to the restaurant. To accommodate the recent trend of high quality coffee and recognition of coffee shops in general. A number of locations are connected to convenience stores and gas stations, this level of achievement is an indication of effective advertising or else truthful rhetoric. The corporation also earns revenue as an investor in properties, as an operator and franchiser of restaurants. The company’s business model is slightly different from other fast- food chains. In addition, franchising fees and marketing fees are calculated as a proportion of sales. Many researchers, including some writers believe there is a connection between advertisement and harmful behaviors. Some suggest that advertisements affect children negatively especially young women. Lutz argues that the manner in which advertisers modify the meaning of words is able to have a harmful effect on languages and how it is used. The author believes that the relationship amid humans and any form of culture can be complicated. However there is no denial that there is a relationship between behavior and advertising. On the other hand, it is not convincing on the directness and similarity about the relationship between media and advertising. Lutz continues to argue that advertisers use language to imply a great thing about products and services without promising anything at all. With extensive skill, advertisers can create an advertisement that makes us to believe that a particular product is better than it is without having to lie about it. (Lutz, 448) According to Machesney, adverting must build a brand while speaking with one voice. They develop economies in the creative process, while maximizing its local effectiveness and it increases the company’s speed of implementation. It is the key to determining success of the organization. The ability to identify the key of an ad that contributes to its success leads to maximization of the economy of scale. (Machesney, 265) Critics argue that commercialization of all fields of society, increases in consumption and wastes resources; privatization of public space and the negative influence on the lifestyle is due to overrated advertising. Advertising to some extent has contributed tremendously to destroying non-material possessions. Public service adverting is an adverting technique used in promoting goods and services. It is crucial in forming, educating and motivating the public about non commercial issues like conserving energy, deforestation and political ideology. It is an influential and educational tool that is capable of motivating and reaching larger audiences. Adverting justifies its existence when used in the public interest. It is too much a powerful tool to be used for commercial purposes only. Infomercials are televisions commercials with a longer format; they are very useful in creating an impulse purchase, so that the moment the consumer observes the presentation, it is followed by immediate purchase of the product through the advertised toll free number. Infomercials describe, display and frequently demonstrate products and their features. They commonly have testimonials from industry professionals and consumers. According to Williamson, press advertising is an influential means of advertising. It describes advertising in printed medium such as newspapers, journals or magazines. This involves everything from media with a broad readership base. It allows private companies or individuals to purchase a small targeted advertisement at a low fee to advertise their products and services. (Williamson, 255) Celebrity branding is another powerful form of advertising that mainly focuses on using a celebrity popularity to gain recognition for the product. Celebrities are frequently involved in advertising campaigns like televisions or print adverts to advertise general or specific program. This can lead to great success if it is endorsed by various companies, and practiced prudently. Online advertising is the most recent and productive form of advertising. It reaches a massive audience at the same time being affordable, as compared to other mediums. This is achieved by the use of World Wide Web to express the purpose of delivering marketing messages to draw customers.

What Is Critical Reflection Education Essay

What Is Critical Reflection Education Essay In the report first of all to study what is critical reflection, define what is reflection, through to compulsion or voluntarism, employer or individual responsibility, personal and values research the reflection of the role and value. Research how to realize the critical reflection, define what are CPD and PDP. People in certain work environment how to accurately use critical reflection, make critical reflection and CPD, PDP together, through the leadership skills, communication skills and problem solving skills, critical reflection and other aspects of the in-depth analysis. The last, write down my own personal development plan, through the strengths, weakness, opportunity and threats analyze my future development. From the report draw a conclusion. 2.0 Introduction Critical reflection has great value in the areas of personal and professional development. Continuing professional development is a means by which one can maintain a competitive edge in their professional lives (Bourgeois 2011). This should be accompanied by personal development which will include the improvement of ones skill set in order to add value to ones own life as well as their professional life. Reflection involves analyzing our knowledge and experiences critically. Reflective practice is the practical application of the results of reflection. It entails the individual identifying the patterns of thought that have been applied to our previous actions and how they will affect our growth and development going forward (Guralnik 2009). The difference between the two lies in the aim of reflective practice to improve the manner in which you work rather than just understanding it, which is what reflection aims to do. The purpose of reflection and reflective practice is self-understanding and improvement. An individual reflects upon their thoughts and subsequent actions in the workplace with an aim to improve upon them (Welich 2007). By taking part in this process, an individual is then able to understand their own shortcomings and improve them by applying new strategies. These are valuable to both an individual and the organization in which he/she is based. When an individual is able to improve their own actions through reflective practice, it benefits both themselves and their organization (Mintzberg 2009). Self-improvement of individual workers leads them to be more productive and efficient in the work place. This in turn leads to a more productive work place, especially if all the employees within an organization are encouraged to use reflective practice (Baidu 2010). 3.0 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Continuing professional development can be seen as a direct result of critical reflection. Once one reflects critically on their professional capabilities and goals, then they are able to start the process of CPD. It is important to understand several concepts involved with CPD. There are four stages in the CPD cycle: reflection on practice, planning, action, and evaluation. These four stages take place in a cyclic manner (Slack 2001). Reflection on practice involves an individuals identification of what he or she needs to learn or be able to do in the professional environment. An individual critically reflects on his/her own professional practice (Pyme Administrate Hoy 2010). This will include what is being done right and what requires improvement. Depending on the individuals profession, this may include certain techniques and procedures that have come up within their area of expertise. Planning involves the specific actions that are taken by the individual to learn the things which he or she has identified in the reflection on practice stage. After the specific areas of focus have been identified, then the individual comes up with the best way for him/her to learn. This may be through personal endeavors or by seeking professional assistance e.g. through seminars (.Jummal 1999) At this point, the areas of improvement have been identified and the necessary knowledge acquired. The next stage is action. This involves the implementation of the new knowledge in a professional setting. An individual acquires knowledge that will help improve their professional lives and the application of this knowledge in the work place is important to CPD (Lewis and Green 1998). If what was learned is not applied, then the two aforementioned stages will have been for nothing. The fourth stage is evaluation. This is a reflection on what has been learned as well as its application. The individual can now evaluate what benefits, if any the learned and applied knowledge is benefitting his/her professional practice. They are then able to gauge the success of the effort that they have put towards CPD. The cyclic nature of CPD means that after a while, it will be necessary to begin the process again by reflecting on current practice (Porter 2000). This may overlap with the fourth stage of evaluation. 3.1 CPD paradoxes and dilemmas There are several paradoxes that have been identified in CPD. Have explored these paradoxical concepts through their review of the work as follows: 3.1.1 Compulsion or Voluntarism This applies to whether the pursuit of CPD is voluntary or by compulsion. The reason for CPD is an important factor that contributes towards ones dedication to it (Garner and Boulton 2011). 3.1.2 Employer or Individual Responsibility There is both an individual responsibility as well as one for the employer when it comes to CPD. The employer needs to create an environment that is conducive to CPD (Scales 2011). The individuals responsibility in this case is to pursue CPD within the tenets provided by the employer. Without dedication from both the employer and the individual, CPD cannot successfully occur. 3.1.3 Teaching or Learning When an individual is taught something, they need to be able not only to learn it in theory, but also to apply it in practice. There needs to be a connection between the experiences on the ground and what is taught to the learner, which may not always happen (Megginson and Whitaker 2003) . 3.1.4 Life Purpose or Life Experience Life experience in CPD requires the individual to reflect on the path that has led them to the present position. Life purpose involves reflection on the purpose of ones life, both professionally and personally to intensify the effects of CPD (Pickering 2011). 3.1.5 Personal Development or Organizational Learning An organization is incapable of learning. Only the people working within that organization are able to learn and improve (Headley 2010). CPD must therefore begin with personal development of individuals that will later lend itself to organizational improvement. 3.1.6 Values Driven or Pragmatic Development Within an organization, development can either be driven by pragmatic concerns or those of the values held by the organization. Those developments based on the organizations values are consistent and can hold true over time. On the other hand, those driven by immediate pragmatic concerns such as profit tend to change from time to time and employees might find them hard to adhere to (Mauborgne 2009). They may even at times be contrary to the individuals CPD and the organizations values. 3.1.7 Journey or Exploration CPD can either be based on preset achievements or goals or can seek improvement without necessarily setting out the final goal. The type applied depends on an individuals preference, time constraints, and the flexibility of the organization in which he/she is based. 4.0 Learning Theories There are several theories related to the manner in which individuals learn. It is important for an individual to understand these theories and relate them to his/her own way of learning (Williamson2011) . Understanding ones learning style preferences is important to personal and professional development because it will assist in the planning stage of the CPD, as well as PDP. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs: According to Maslows hierarchy of needs, there is a certain order in which ones needs must be met. These needs are arranged in a pyramid, with the most necessary needs at the bottom of the pyramid and the least necessary needs at the top. CPD and PDP are related to the final two needs described in Maslows hierarchy. More specifically, CPD can be likened to a pursuit of ones responsibilities in the workplace while PDP can be associated with personal growth and fulfillment. In keeping with Maslows hierarchy, it is therefore important to pay attention to the needs that come before esteem and self-actualization in order to be able to pursue PDP and CPD. Dunn and Dunns learning Styles: According to Dunn and Dunn, there are certain stimuli that should be used to stimulate learners (Slack 2011). A further classification provided by Dunn and Dunn divide these stimuli into five segments i.e. environmental, emotional, sociological, psychological, and physiological (Dunn and Dunn 2003). The rate of learning and retention is influenced by more than just an individuals level of intelligence. When the vark styles are taken into consideration, then it is clear that some teaching methods are better suited for specific learners. Visual learners find teaching methods that include visual aids favorable to learning. Auditory learners prefer to listen (Administrate Hoy 2010). Reader or writer learners like to refer to books and take down notes. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They rely mostly on their sense of touch. There are instances where a learners preferred mode consists of two or more of those described above. Experiential Learning: Experiential learning can either involve learning through experience or applying what one has learned instantly to a pertinent setting. According to Kolb and Fry (1976), learning involves a cycle that includes experience, observation and experience, forming abstract concepts, and testing new situations. The cycle can begin at any one of these four points. Just because experience is mentioned first does not mean that it is always the first step in the cycle. 5.0 Personal Development Plan (PDP) Through reflection and reflective practice, it is then possible to come up with a personal development plan. A personal development plan is not necessarily completely independent of CPD. One may view some areas of PDP such as pursuing education to be in line with certain goals within PDP. Learning is a continuous life event (Mathews and Seott 2002). There is not a single time in the course of ones lifetime that one can stop learning. This is especially due to the fact that human beings learn through life experiences. The starting point in examining my own learning cycle would begin with experience and knowledge up to the present. This includes educational background and professional experience (Porter 2011). There are certain experiences that have great value in teaching of new skills, or perhaps pointing out flaws in my own preferred process. 5.1 My Own Personal Development Plan (PDP) It is important for an individual to have a PDP that reflects their own knowledge, experiences, and aspirations. There are two major things involved in my PDP. These include personal skill development and professional advancement. These two are interrelated because in pursuing personal skill development through learning and education (Willianmson 2010), I will at the same time increase my chances for professional advancement. My PDP will reflect the interrelated nature of PDP and CPD, and as such involve milestones in the PDP that will contribute towards CPD and professional advancement. The future includes continuous learning. This will be facilitated through seeking educational opportunities such as seminars (Crawford 2008). It will also involve a personal dedication to continuous learning through constant reading of relevant informative websites and blogs. A great advantage of this avenue is that it is up to date with many websites and blogs being updated at least once a week if not more (Anna 2000). Blogs and websites also provide a more relaxed and interactive learning atmosphere than seminars and other formal learning environments. 5.2 My Future Plan In the future, I want to be a hotel manager in China. Using the SWOT analysis method, developing my knowledge and skills, I will be able to apply this newly acquired expertise in my professional life (Secord 2010). In keeping with Maslows hierarchy, pursuing self-actualization needs will by extension also help me meet my esteem needs at the professional level. PDP takes precedence over CPD because personal development. Strengths: As a hotel manager, my biggest advantage is good at communicating with others. Hotel service industry is the biggest characteristic of regular and customer communication, understanding of customer ideas, better service to customers. As a hotel manager, and customer communication is important, but it is more important to know how to communicate with staff. Concerned about the staffs daily life, on the staff of the outstanding performance to give praise, when employees have errors, should not blindly criticize, but education and help employees. In the usual to allow employees to feel they are valued. Through the staff and guests communication, better management of the hotel. Weakness: Doing all the things before, I will first think of all possible scenarios, and to make corresponding arrangement. Hotel service industries, this weakness causes my usual workload is too big, spending too much time, effort and employees in a little thing. Often this is not conducive to the normal operation of the hotel. Opportunity: In China, tourism industry is very developed, in recent years, the tourism industry is on a new level, and the development of tourism industry will promote the development of hotel industry. But I have practical experience, to Chinas hotel industry has some understanding, for newly graduated students, I have to quickly adapt to the hotel service work. A lot of the hotel catering and housekeeping departments just hire some nonprofessional staff training after work, a lack of professional personnel. I as a hotel management graduate students, to the hotel service industry has deep understanding, can quickly into the work. Threats: Although the hotel management in China is a new type of occupation, but as China Tourism and hotel service industry development, more and more technical talents, but the hotel management job is really limited, for me it is a great threat to. So Im supposed to work at the same time many self-promotion, pay attention to the development of personal skills, at the same time the accumulation of experience and knowledge, in the remain invincible in the work. 6.0 Conclusion Reflective practice is the starting point of both PDP and CPD. Through critically analyzing ones knowledge and experiences, it is then possible to come up with a valid plan that will lead to self-improvement (Bourgeois 2010). It is important to note that PDP and CPD are not mutually exclusive. Both involve critical reflection on past experience and coming up with a plan for improvement (Sarasvathy 2012). At times, pursuing ones personal development goals such as seeking education can advance CPD in an individuals career. It is therefore important to pay close attention to both PDP and CPD.

FedEx Turnover Rate and Human Resource Strategies

FedEx Turnover Rate and Human Resource Strategies In a recent literature, Bohlander and Snell (2009, PP.93) argued that Employee turnover (rate) or turnover (rate) refers simply to the movement of employees out of an organisation. Actually, it described how long employees tend to stay or the rate of traffic through the revolving door. Low turnover (rate) is helpful to the organisations, which indicated organisations retain employees by different HR programmes (Phillips and Connell, 2003, PP.2). As a common problem, high or low turnover (rate) can be caused by following reasons. 2.2 HR Programs in FedEx 2.2.1 Peer Recruiter Reichert (2010) has written and demonstrated that, in the whole country (U.S.), there are 25 National Recruitment Centers which are developed by FedEx to provide its mangers a much qualified employees during the interview process. Under the direction of regional personnel offices, these centers play the function of screening all applicants. A program called Peer Recruiter was introduced at each of these centers, helping to conduct a professional recruit and to screen applicants. The name of Peer Pecruiter has indicated that the peer recruiters will have a relative working recruit experience when doing an interview for applicants. In this way, the program can not only help select proper recruits, but also provide a chance for applicants to learn more about the expectation of the FedEx and their positions. The retention of FedEx is related with employee relations and recruitment. FedEx really cares about employee and FedEx begins its retention efforts through centralizing the recruitment performance. There are many recruitment centers of FedEx around the world and it develop centers for the managers that with a better qualitied applicant to interview. The recruite program can play the role to help screen applicants and professional recruiters process. 2.2.2 People Service Profits A successful recruitment is certainly important for a company, but the problem is how to retain those applicants. In the opinion of Smith (2009) who is the CEO of FedEx, he said that FedEx has the simple managerial concepts and effective translation them into action. He called them as People-First Philosophy. This philosophy understood by FedEx from these concepts can be defined as People Service Profits which is Purple Promise,- a simple corporate philosophy . FedEx emphasizes that people comes the first, because they believe people make good business sense and the abilities of people are the basic for everything good of FedEx. Therefore, the secret of FedExs success and employees loyalty can be explained as its Employee Friendly HR Practices. (FedEx Express, 2002) 2.3 Programs help to reduce the turnover (rate) 2.3.1 The Recognition and Reward Programs (Motivating Employees) FedEx believes that career advancement is not the only way to increase the growth, and the recognition and reward programs can also work well to reinforce desired behaviour, such as customer focus and quality. Besides, as effective approaches, those programs also keep their employees motivated and to deliver high-quality service. FedEx is willing to acknowledge the efforts of their employees. Because the important function of acknowledgment can motivate and satisfy workforce, as well as stimulate new ideas and cultivate better performance and team spirit. (Global HR, 2008) The Bravo Zulu Program is one of the recognition and reward programs with this goal, recognizing the performance of its employees when they surpass their normal job responsibilities. There are wide recognition approaches, including nonfinancial Bravo Zulu appreciation letters, cash appreciation or noncash awards presented by management, etc. (Shetty, 2011) Shetty (2011) stated that The Suggestion Awards Program is another recognition and reward program in FedEx. Just as the name of the program has implies, employees are encouraged to put forwards ideas to improve companys operations. Of course, those ideas should be about productivity improvement, revenues increasing, lowering cost or promotion of safer working conditions, etc. In FedExs reward process, one of the nice things is that the customer, who has voice in selecting outstanding service, is involved in the process. If the full-time employees have fulfilled service to their customers with full hearts at any time, they will win The Golden Falcon Award. The basis for these awards nominations are consisted of unsolicited internal and external customer letters citing outstanding performance. Every month, the winners of these awards will be announced by company video programs and publications and will receive shares of stock as well as an award. The Five Star Award is FedExs highest award which is given to individuals with outstanding performances. These performances always can materially contribute to profitability, corporation enhancement, and teamwork. Officers, managing directors, managers or senior managers, and non-managerial employees are eligible for the award. (Reichert, 2010 Trimble, 1993) 2.3.2 The Communication Programs The Communication Programs Concepts Open Door Procedure A process for dealing with employee questions or complaints regarding corporate policy Guaranteed Fair Treatment Procedure An employee appeal process for having an issue or complaint heard Survey Feedback Action A key employees relations and satisfaction program Table 3: The Employee Communication Programs The candid communication with the employees has contributed a lot to the successful relationship and retention in FedEx. Smith (2009) emphasized on the thinking of finding the resolution of a problem. He pointed out that enormous times will be spent in dealing with the internal employee response program by FedEx. The most important point in this program is an Open Door Procedure. In the open situation, employees will be encouraged to freely say out and find out solutions to the controversial, disagreeable or contrary problems existing in the current policy. (Reichert, 2010) In Reichert (2010) study, he stated that a relevant fair and open solution to the complaint of the FedExs employees is the Guaranteed Fair Treatment Procedure which involves three basic steps. The first comes to the management review which will have the result within seven days, employees should submit a writer complaint letter to the members of management to describe the issue. Then, the members of management check all the information related to the issue, grasp the facts, make a fair decision and hold an individual meeting or telephone conference to discuss the decision. Finally, the management review will open the decision by writing it in paper, letting the complainant and personnel office know the result. (Reichert, 2010) The second step comes to the officer review. A vice president or a senior vice president of a division is the major conductor. After the result of the first step has came out, the complainants will have seven days to submit a written complaint letter to the officer review, if they disagree about the decision made by the first step. (Reichert, 2010) The last step is the executive review. The complainants can submit their complaints to the Employee Relation Department within seven days. Then the department will investigate, prepare and establish a GFTP case file to the Appeals Board. The Appeals Board reviews all information related to the issues again and makes a decision of supporting or overturning. The Appeals Board will respond to the complainant by written and copy a same one to personnel. As a result, the complainant and company will be bind on the final decision made by Appeals Board. (Reichert, 2010) The Survey Feedback Action (SFA) Program which evaluates the employees relations and satisfaction. From the beginning of the manual survey to online survey, the pattern has been changing. However, there is an important thing which has not changed. Employees participated in this survey, through gathering the results to develop and implement managers corrective action. With the continuous improvement of employee satisfaction, FedEx retains the employees, as a result, the turnover rate will lower. (Trimble, 1993) 2.4 Advantages of the HR programs for employees and FedEx 2.4.1 Advantages of the HR programs for employees Tangible evidence can be found in FedEx, the employees have the chance to know what they will obtain. FedEx strictly insists on a promotion procedure within its policy and career advancement policy. Every employee can be informed the opportunities by the On-Line Computer Job Posting System(Job Change Applicant Tracking System), the notices will be posted throughout the company if the position is open, making everyone see the position demand. The open position is generally taken up by the employee who works inside the company. Unless there are truly no qualified applicants inside, the company will begin to search outside. Therefore, employees have sufficient opportunities to advance in FedEx. Besides, Tuition Refund Program is another popular career advancement tool for employees. With the program, employees who go for further study or training will be reimbursed by company. Many students are employed by the company in the main hub and other locations. (Reichert, 2010) According to the IBS Center for Management Research website (2003), FedEx believes that the employee retention and relation have much to do with the employees development, communication and motivation. Keeping looking for approaches to improve their employee training, FedEx carried out an Interactive Video Instruction (IVI) in 1986. The new information training and test preparation are applying to IVI which contains job knowledge tests for employees twice a year. The most important advantage of this program is that employees can use their spare time to learn and train themselves. Each employee can formulate his or her own learning pace and the training can be repeated as many times as their need. FedEx notes that IVI makes 60% of the training time to be reduced and information to be standardized. The employee compensation is organized to stimulate new ideas, acknowledge individual effort, promote teamwork and encourage outstanding performance. The compensation programs are the blend of benefit plans, pay programs, and quality of the work programs. FedEx Express gives these types of programs with regard to both full time and part time employees, that enable the arrangement of employee can be flexible and support them to have more time with their familises. The most important element attributing to the success is the action. As Smith (2009) said, many local part time jobs are employed by the company as local full time jobs. However, the employees who are senior and from the outside local region will oppress them and hinder the chances for the part timers to advance. A program is set up by FedEx to solve the problem and keep high value employees. Under the program, the part timers will gain credit for local service. 2.4.2 Advantages of the HR programs for FedEx FedEx should implement the People Service Profits Philosophy. The question like what your expectation on me, and what do you expect me to do? always comes first. FedEx uses the Extensive Orientation Program to explain its values to employees and tries to spend sufficient time to answer that question. For FedEx, Smith (2009) thought there are three important things: carrying cargo, letting employees to know its plans and making sure employees to learn that besides earning salary. There must be some ulterior reasons or some higher-level goals of working. It is necessary for employees to set up their goals and receive rewards for their job well done. In addition, employees can also influence the contents which they have done and methods with which they done. (Trimble, 1993) There are two programs used by FedEx to help its employees fit their jobs. The first is Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Process Program which gives a opportunity of the non-managerial employees to seek managerial positions which can help them to learn more about the management job. Besides, the Job Change Applicant Tracking System (JCATS) is also applied to help post job in FedEx, by which employees can know what jobs are open in time. (Shetty, 2011) In 2010, New York Times claimed that the Fortune magazine has recognized the FedEx Corporation as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For of America. It is the only shipping company that list on the top 100 in Fortune and it has been maintain the position for 10 times in the past 11years. From the analysis, some positive trends emerge, which can be regarded as an interactive functions that are the HR department is doing good things with the purpose of keeping their employees happy, and in turn the satisfied employees are doing better to make profits for FedEx in PSP philosophy. The HRM creates great atmosphere, which brings a competitive advantage and a numerous qualify people into FedEx to make their good contribution to the company. FedExs HRM performance is beyond all of competitors. It is known as a company with very friendly employment system. In addition, 3% of FedExs total expense is put in training programs, which is six times more than other companies, such as Executive Education Programs and so on. Because of those training programs, FedEx can keep its turnover rate at a lower levle than its opponents. (Trimble, 1993) The FedEx survey or action or feedback program is a survey of employee attitudes to act as the GFTP and other communication tools. In order to improve its department ability, management applies the survey to decide their next actions. However, the survey is anonymous for maintaining the fairness of attitudes. In the past 13 years, every group and work unit in FedEx can see the survey in public and management never receive any individual responses. The reason is that all managers must meet, discuss and settle the problems that the employees have been put forwards, in less than six weeks. The manager whose feedback score is low should take the corrective actions to develop and improve themselves to be better. FedEx believes that people may actively involve themselves into the matters of company if they feel their influence to act on the real things.

Germany :: essays research papers

Germany is located in Central Europe. It borders the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. It is between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. It is slightly smaller than Montana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Germany’s economy was the world’s third most powerful in 1997. The German economy benefited from robust exports, particularly to other members of the EU and the US, as well as strengthening equipment investments. But anemic private consumption and contraction in the construction industry limited the expansion. Unemployment continued to set post-war monthly records through the end of 1997 and averaged 4.3 million for the year. In preparation for the first of January 1999, the start of the European Monetary Union, the government has made major efforts in 1996-97 to reduce the fiscal deficit. This effort has been complicated by growing unemployment, an erosion of the tax base, and the continuing transfer of roughly $100 billion a year to eastern Germany to refurbish this ex-communist area. In recent years business and political leaders have become increasingly concerned about Germany’s decline in attractiveness as an investment target. They cite increasing preference by German companies to locate new manufacturing facilities in foreign countries rather than in Germany, to be closer to the markets, and to avoid Germany’s high tax rates, high wage cost, rigid labor structures, and extensive regulations. For similar reasons foreign investment in Germany has been lagging for years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Germany is one of the world’s leading industrial nations. Western Germany is among the world’s largest and technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, and electronics. Eastern Germany’s industries are metal fabrication, chemicals, brown coal, shipbuilding, machine building, textiles, and petroleum refining. Industry employs around 41 percent of the German work force. Germany’s biggest industry is vehicles because of luxury cars such as the BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche, but you can’t forget the VW Beetle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  German exports value at 521.1 billion dollars. Manufacturing, such as machines and machine tools, chemicals, motor vehicles, and iron and steel products, totals over 88 percent of all exports. Agricultural products account for 5 percent, raw materials for a little over 2 percent, and fuels as 1 percent. Other non-mentioned products total about 3 and a half percent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  German imports value at 455.7 billion dollars. manufactured items are also the most imported at a little over 74 percent of all imports. Agricultural products equal around 10 percent, fuels are over 6 percent, and raw materials are almost 6 percent. Other non-mentioned materials are under 4 percent of the total imports.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The labor force is roughly 38.7 million people. As said earlier industry employs around 41 percent, agriculture employs 3 percent, and services employ