Oral Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Oral Presentation - Essay Example Employers and other important officials are now giving priority to oral presentations and communication while recruiting fresh graduates. Although, a certain weight age is given to the written examination as well, more is judged from the person's speaking skills and the way of presenting him/herself. This has happened due to the growing number of researches that have told the gentlemen the successful formula of a successful individual. The biggest example of the employer's importance to verbal communication is the interview that is conducted twice of thrice along with the group discussion sessions that take place in many organizations in order to gauge the capabilities of these individuals while communicating with others. Therefore, as students, it becomes really important to get ready for these assessments of the future endeavors. In this enigmatic and ever-changing world, the qualities that one looks for in a person change rapidly. Over the past years, fluent communication has become more important, the pace has increased and so has the communication style. In the olden times, while the bureaucratic organizations still flourished, most of the communication was barred with formal written communication styles with much less importance given to individuality and self-expression. As times are changing, organizations are becoming more creative, so are the communication styles changing. Communication has become more creative and individualistic. In today's era, one of the most important qualities that is sought from the individuals is the ability to express oneself in their own special way. Is a person is not able to express themselves and their ideas to the concerned personnel; they lose their chance of success. The employers are giving more attention to a person's speaking abilities because it has been noticed that during a normal week of work, an employee would write less and speak more, present his or her ideas to the management, make contracts with other companies, conducting employee evaluations sessions and other sessions pertaining to office work; in short, a lot of talking. They also have to become part of formal and informal groups inside and outside the organizations where they have to prove their credibility in front of an audience without a pen or paper; a lot of communication with the help of speaking. Therefore, it is important that a person develops these habits at the right stage in time in order to excel in the later stages of life. It is also becoming more evident that as one moves up the organization, their speaking skills are given higher priority than their written skills. The reason for this is quite easy; as you move up the organization you assume the role of handling a larger number of employees under you. As the number of employees increase, more communication takes place verbally and one assumes the role of a leader of a large group of people. In such a situation, speaking rather than writing is more important as it communicates to the heart with the right kind of emotion which cannot be portrayed in the right sense through a piece of writing only (Leo, 2001). This brings us to the importance of fostering the culture of oral presentation to the university level

Pathways to College Essay Example for Free

Pathways to College Essay Pathâ€Å"Less than 17% of African-American and Latino students will finish high school and graduate from college. † (Landy, 2013) Less than 70% of students in Milwaukee graduate from high school. (Pathways PowerPoint, 2013) Only a little over 25% of the people in Wisconsin hold a four-year college degree. (O’Connell, 2014) This educational disparity leads to economic disparity which affects the entire state, not just the urban areas with a higher achievement gap since most jobs with an annual salary over $30,000 will require a four-year degree. (Winters, 2014) There is a program called Pathways to College that is working hard to change these shocking statistics. We are here tonight to show you that Pathways to College is a cause worthy of your and your organization’s time, talent, and treasure. The problem is that not enough people know about Pathways to College. We would like to take a few minutes of your time to introduce you to this exceptional program. According to Pathways director Kelly Ramirez, Pathways to College was the vision of past WLC president Tim Kriewall and the program accepted its first students in 2007. Although located on the WLC campus, Pathways to College is a non-profit organization independent from WLC. With the mission â€Å"to create a belief that college is an option for everyone (Pathways pamphlet),† the program assists lower-income college prospects who are â€Å"first-generation† students (neither of their parents have graduated from college) and have the potential to succeed in college. In this program, students develop academically, socially, and spiritually for college. The program also assists them in finding the financial resources to attend college. The ultimate goal is to increase â€Å"the number of lower income and minority students pursuing and completing a post high school education. † (Pathways pamphlet) The Pathways to College program consists of four components. First is Pathways Prospects in which families visit the WLC campus to become familiar with a college environment and prepare for the Pathways program. (Pathways pamphlet) Next is the precollege component, which is the center of the program. Students in grades 6-12 participate in the after school prep center at least once a week and also once a month on Saturday mornings. They study, receive tutoring and mentoring, attend life skills workshops, and participate in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and literacy programs. In addition, the program sponsors a summer academy for grades 6-11 which focuses on academics, sports, and fine arts such as art, dance, drama, and music. (Pathways pamphlet) Director Ramirez said that in addition, high school seniors are able to broaden their educational horizons every summer on an international trip. (This year they are going to Puerto Rico!) Freshman, sophomores, and juniors take a Civil Rights tour in the Southern states, visit colleges in California, and colleges on the East Coast on alternating years. For the first time in the coming 2014-2015 school year, Pathways to College will be privileged to implement the final component, the college program, as the first graduating class of Pathways begins college next fall! Ramirez said the directors of the program will continue to encourage and mentor these college students. They will keep tabs on the students’ grades and attendance. In addition, financial support, workshops over school breaks, and internship as well as job and career assistance will also be offered. (Pathways PowerPoint, 2013) Finally there is the parental program. Parents also attend workshops throughout the school year. These regular meetings offer help with life skills and support for guiding their child toward college. (Pathways pamphlet) It takes a special student to be accepted into the Pathways program. Ramirez informed us that at present there are 17 Pathways partner schools. Teachers at these schools identify students that they feel meet the program qualifications of a low-income, first-generation student with a minimum â€Å"C† grade average and minimum behavior problems at school. Once accepted into the program, students must sign the Pathways to College Covenant. Here they promise attend at least 80% of the activities offered, exhibit Christ-like behavior at all times, keep up schoolwork and grades, and keep an open communication with their parents and with the Pathways program. Parents must also sign the covenant and agree to attend at least 80% of the parent programs, support and encourage their son or daughter in his/her academic career, and do everything to promote a loving Christian household. As long as these commitments are maintained, the child is welcomed and encouraged to stay in the program. (Pathways to College Covenant) Besides the above commitments, there is no monetary cost to the parents or the students who are selected for the program. This is not to say that the program itself comes without a price tag, however. Pathways director Kelly Ramirez said that the annual budget for Pathways is a half million dollars. This budget is totally dependent on grants, private donors, foundation contributions, and fund raisers. She also said that even though the directors have pulled the $500,000 budget together for this year, this just covers the basic program for its 240 students. A larger staff and a more reliable long-range financial picture are needed to lighten present workloads, add a kindergarten-4th grade component, and expand this program to its maximum capacity of 700 students. We feel this is a great program, which we ourselves promote and support. We don’t want you to just take our word for it, however. We’d like you to hear from families that have already benefited from the Pathways to College program. (YouTube testimonial) (Attention Era, 2013) Better yet, come see for yourself. If you can come early to class some Monday afternoon, stop by and visit with some of the volunteers and students in the program. Drop in and talk with Director Kelly Ramirez or Executive Director Milton Cockroft in their offices in the administration building. Now you are aware of the Pathways to College program. You have seen for yourself the great work that Pathways to College is doing with these young people. That’s all well and good, but you figure, â€Å"Well, this is all far removed from me and my family and my business. I know there’s a sales pitch coming, but it really has nothing to do with me. † It has everything to do with you, your family, and the community. Successful college graduates of this program will produce dedicated, responsible, skilled workers with whom you will be working and that will be working for the companies that you own or manage. This can only mean success for you and your business! In addition, these young people won’t need help from the government and other agencies but will have great potential for a productive future. First of all there will be decreased need for WIA funding. (â€Å"U. S. Department,† 2014) As young people with STEM training at Pathways, they have excellent prospects for good paying jobs since â€Å"47% of Bachelor’s degrees in STEM occupations earn more than PhDs in non-STEM occupations. † (â€Å"The case for,† 2013) Over a lifetime, a college graduate will earn $1,000,000 more than someone who only earned a high school degree. (Pathways PowerPoint, 2013) As you can see from the following chart (Youth Indicators, 2011), it does take education to get out of poverty. Every graduate will be one more person to contribute his/her talents and skills to society. Every graduate will help and encourage the next generation of friends and family to also go to college, which will have a positive ripple effect on the community. (Some Pathways parents themselves have already been inspired to enroll in college!! ) Best of all, you will know that you had enough love and foresight to take a part in enriching the lives of these deserving young people and the lives of those they touch. Now you are convinced that Pathways is certainly a great program and worthy of your support. However, you are thinking, â€Å"Jeepers, I’m going to college. I have a family to support. You’re barking up the wrong tree, ladies. I don’t have any extra money! † Don’t you? Let’s put Pathway’s half million dollar budget into perspective. Ramirez says that it costs about $3000 a year for each child that goes through the program. If we in this room would adopt a child and split that amount up among us, and then divide that by the weeks in a year, it would cost each of us no more per week than the price we’d pay for a latte at Starbucks! If you own or manage a business there are other things you can do. Visit your company’s HR department to see what type of donation your company could make. Perhaps you could have your company or PTA make Pathways the beneficiary of its next fund raiser. There are other things Pathways can use that are just as valuable as money/treasure. Pathways can use your time and talents. If you are great at math or grammar, for example, think about tutoring a struggling student. Maybe you don’t have time to come in to tutor once a week. As a sales manager, you could lead a once-a-year workshop instructing students how to write a resume. As the assistant manager of a bank, you could offer your financial expertise by teaching a workshop on money management. As a cook and cafeteria manager you could give a nutrition workshop. These are just a few suggestions to get you started. You have seen for yourself the great work Pathways is doing for these young people! You know that the program is worthy of support in the form of your time, talents, and treasure. You are aware of Pathways to College. Please spread the word and help us make others aware! References Attention Era. (2013, March 10). Pathways to College-the story [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www. youtube. com/results? search_query=Pathways%20to%20Collegesm=12. The case for STEM education as a national priority: good jobs and American competitiveness. (2013, June). Retrieved from http://www. stemedcoalition. org/wp-content/uploads/2013/ 10/Fact-Sheet-STEM-Education-Good-Jobs-and-AmericanCompetiveness-June-2013. pdf Landy, B. (June 13, 2013). Graph: U. S. college graduation rates are rising, but the rest of the world is catching up [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://tcf. org/blog/detail/graph-u. s. college-graduation-rates-are-rising-but-the-rest-of-the-world-is O’Connell, M. (2014, February 11). The role of education in the state of the economy. Paper presented at the Wisconsin ACT Organization 2014 Annual Conference, Middleton, WI. Pathways to College. (n. d. ). [Information pamphlet] Pathways to College. (n. d. ). Pathways to College covenant [Organization contract] Pathways to College. (2013). What path are you on? [PowerPoint] Ramirez, K. (2014, February 19 and March 3). Interview by C. Ristow and R. Flagg. What are Needs of Pathways to College? U. S. department of labor employment and training administration notice of availability of funds  and solicitation for grant applications for Youth Build. (2014, February 18). Retrieved from http://www. doleta. gov/grants/pdf/YouthBuild SGA-DFA-PY-13-04. pdf Winters, D. (2014, February 11). The brutal facts about the changing labor market and the need for an educated workforce. Paper presented at the Wisconsin ACT Organization 2014 Annual Conference, Middleton, WI. Youth indicators 2011 America’s youth: Transitions to adulthood youth indicators 2011America’s youth. (2011, December 26). Retrieved from http://nces. ed. gov/pubs2012/ 2012026/figures/figure_32a. asp.

Invisible Man: Plot Summary :: Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man opens with a prologue describing the main character in time after the begining of the body of the book. In the prologue, Ellison tells of the main characters invisibility. It is not a physical invisiblity, but rther he is not recognised, and therefore persieved, by the world at large. This is coupled with the fact that he is constantly trying to be someone else, other than himself, creates for his a complete loss of identity, and he becomes a man without a soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins with the main character being forced to partisipate in an archaic and animalistic free-for-all in order for him to be allowed to give his speach that will determine wheather he will be accepted to the 'college'. He is accepted and goes through two of his years at the college uneventfully. He is ejected from the school during his junior year when the trustee who ws in his care while visiting the school fell ill and is taken to a local bar to get some alchohol. He is given seven letter of what he suposes to be recomendation to give to people in New York. He moves to Harlem and delivers the letters. He finds out that these letters were not recomenation but rather advisments against hiring him. The seventh reciever of a letter gives him a job in a paint factory. He does not derform well there and evetually causes he own dismissal by ignoring hes work and getting knoked out by an explosion that is his fault. He joins a black power group called The Brotherhood and is sent out to spread the word of the group. He meets a man named Clfton, his first real freind, and clifon is shot by a police officer. He speaks at Clifton's funeral and the Brotherhood does not like what he says. he befriens a middle aged white woman whao flirs with him a good bit. one night while with her is is asked to come to Harlem and come a riot that is occering. Invisible Man: Plot Summary :: Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man opens with a prologue describing the main character in time after the begining of the body of the book. In the prologue, Ellison tells of the main characters invisibility. It is not a physical invisiblity, but rther he is not recognised, and therefore persieved, by the world at large. This is coupled with the fact that he is constantly trying to be someone else, other than himself, creates for his a complete loss of identity, and he becomes a man without a soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins with the main character being forced to partisipate in an archaic and animalistic free-for-all in order for him to be allowed to give his speach that will determine wheather he will be accepted to the 'college'. He is accepted and goes through two of his years at the college uneventfully. He is ejected from the school during his junior year when the trustee who ws in his care while visiting the school fell ill and is taken to a local bar to get some alchohol. He is given seven letter of what he suposes to be recomendation to give to people in New York. He moves to Harlem and delivers the letters. He finds out that these letters were not recomenation but rather advisments against hiring him. The seventh reciever of a letter gives him a job in a paint factory. He does not derform well there and evetually causes he own dismissal by ignoring hes work and getting knoked out by an explosion that is his fault. He joins a black power group called The Brotherhood and is sent out to spread the word of the group. He meets a man named Clfton, his first real freind, and clifon is shot by a police officer. He speaks at Clifton's funeral and the Brotherhood does not like what he says. he befriens a middle aged white woman whao flirs with him a good bit. one night while with her is is asked to come to Harlem and come a riot that is occering.

IKEA Global Sourcing Essay

1. How should Marianne Barner respond to the invitation for IKEA to have a representative appear on the upcoming broadcast of the German video program? a. Marianne Barner, business manager for IKEA’s carpets, should respond with a firm â€Å"no† to the invitation. Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006) stated that the German video program would only bring detriment to the company, rather than relief or support for the issue at hand. In comparison to the Swedish program, which did not target a specific company, this German-produced program planned to take a confrontational and aggressive approach targeted directly at IKEA and one of its suppliers (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Moreover, Germany currently brings in the most sales for IKEA with $10.4 and 29.7% (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Since Marianne Barner’s goal was to stop the issue, accepting this invitation would only bring fuel to the fire. 2. What actions should she take regarding the IKEA supply contract with Rangan Exports? a. Marianne Barner knew that IKEA must take on this issue and sign up to an industry-wide response to growing concerns about child labor in the Indian Carpet industry (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). It would be in IKEA’s best interest to force Rangan Exports to comply with the addendum which explicitly forbade the use of child labor on pain of termination (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Rangan Exports is one of IKEA’s major suppliers, so cutting them off would cost them millions of dollars and hurt sales. Because IKEA began addressing this issue in 1994, there should be policies set in place for termination of suppliers that decide they don’t want to comply with said addendum. Marianne’s ideal solution would entail IKEA figuring out a way to keep its contract with Rangan Exports while making sure children were no longer working at the looms. 3. What long-term strategy would you suggest she take regarding IKEA’s continued operation in India? Should the company stay or should it exit? (Be prepared to describe the impact of such a decision and how you would manage it.) a. Marianne Barner knew that the long-term strategies for IKEA would need to make differences in the lives of the children and taking a very proactive stand (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Many others within the company felt that this proactive stance would put IKEA at a significant cost disadvantage to its competitors (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Getting involved with Rugmark or Save the Children would be the  great long-term strategies for Barner and IKEA. Also, continuing to stay active and semi-micro-managing its manufacturing plants in India would provide IKEA with results and knowledge. Visiting the plants often, unannounced, might scare away some manufacturers, but that is the cost that must be paid if IKEA wants to avoid child labor issues. The company should stay and source from India because the people need jobs and money. Additionally, since India is the biggest purchasing source for carpets and rugs, exiting from the country would result in major losses (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). 4. For those recommending that IKEA continue to source carpets in India, would you suggest that she: a. Continue IKEA’s own monitoring and control processes or sign-up to Rugmark? i. Although maintaining a monitoring and control process is imperative for IKEA, the sign-up to Rugmark would results in more sales. Rugmark, a recently initiated industry response to the child labor problem in the Indian carpet industry, certifies whether a carpet was made with or without the use of child labor (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). IKEA was invited to sign up with Rugmark as a way of dealing with its ongoing potential problem for child labor problems on products from India (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). This would be the better solution because this creates a level of transparency for the consumers and IKEA. Seeing the Rugmark label on a carpet or rug would communicate that IKEA was not dealing with child labor anymore and that these products wouldn’t conflict with their consumers’ morals and beliefs. Thus, the consumers would become aware and make more purchases based upon this new visible label. b. Continue to focus only on eliminating the use of child labor in IKEA’s supply chain or engage in broader action to address the root causes of child labor as Save the Children is urging? i. Eliminating the use of child labor in IKEA’s supply chain is necessary for the company’s success, but only focusing on this matter will be wasteful of time and money. There are many other issues that arise whilst focusing on the issue of child labor. Engaging in a broader action addressing the root causes of child labor and teaming with Save the Children would expand IKEA’s public interests and fix more issues. Doing what’s best for the children will include the issue of child labor, so broadening its actions will also broaden its efforts and results. However, Barner realized that the more she learned about the issue, the more complex  the situation became (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Therefore, engaging in efforts to do what’s ultimately best for the child would simplify the issues. Barner also stated that the Swedish Save the Children’s expert taught IKEA much about the issue and emphasized that they must do what’s in the best interests of the child (Barlett, Dessain, & Sjà ¶man (2006). Since the Save the Children is such a large organization, getting to the root of the problems IKEA face on a daily basis will be slightly easier than doing it on its own. References Barlett, C., Dessain, V. & Sjà ¶man, A. (2006). Ikea’s global sourcing challenge: Indian rugs and child labor. Harvard Business School. Retrieved from https://learn.unt.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-338330-dt-content-rid-1517326_1/courses/MDSE_4660_001_11235W2/IKEA%27s%20Global%20Sourcing%20Challenge%20-%20Indian%20Rugs%20and%20Child%20Labor.pdf

Project Management Essay

A. The Five Project Management Process Groups The five project management process groups begins with ‘The scoping process group’ which can also be referred to as the initiating process. The process includes all processes that relate to one question ‘What is the task?’ and ‘What do you need to do?’. Thus, NASA’s vision is to constantly develop flight technologies and from this NASA embarked on on the Autonomous Rotorcraft Project. The project entails developing an unmanned helicopter that ideally operates with the decision making skill of a piloted aircraft. The scoping process means that project management team can establish what is need to achieve the clients needs, in this project they include; -manoeuvre around obstacles without human supervision  -accomplish top level mission goals -conduct vehicle health management activities, which is diagnosing and fixing problems on the machine automatically – to be able to re plan the mission if unforeseen obstacles occur. Secondly is the process of project planning process relates to the question ‘How will you do it?’. The complexity of this process is unrealised as it requires technologies that are yet to be discovered. For example, just to travel from point A -B the autonomous helicopter will need to sense, classify and identify surrounding landmarks and then reconcile those landmarks with stored maps. It will then have to localise itself with those specific landmarks, rapidly compute a path that would keep it away from various oncoming obstacles and closely follow its chosen path. These ideas remain difficult in the project planning stage as there is a lack of available autonomous technologies and resources. Not only do NASA want to create an Autonomous Rotorcraft it also seeks to advance unmanned vehicle operations for future projects( Whalley, 2003). After the project planning process, comes the project launching process. This process includes all processes related to recruiting and organising the team and establishing operational rules. It also largely includes getting the project started. The project manager allowed the team members to incorporate changes and agree on their own responsibilities as it allows them to carry out their tasks in a more efficient manner. To ensure this was the case was to schedule regular demonstrations of the teams accomplishments, ensuring a specific amount of work was completed before it was presented. The monitoring process, includes all processes related to the ongoing work of the project. An example of this is the ARP project website that was created to keep information of the project so upper management and stakeholders are aware of the projects progression. The last process group is the closing process, this specially entails the notion of ‘How well did the project go?’ After the completion of the project, the project manager learned that the needs needed to be met of each team member and communicate individual responsibilities effectively. Whilst there was not too many on going challenges the project manager learned that the time spent scheduling flights took long than expected, it will be taken into consideration for the future to minimise any delays. B. Classify the project Risk: Is an integral part of this project. It usually includes; risk identification, risk assessment, risk mitigation and risk monitoring. Risk regarding project management is a future event which happens with probability and induces change. The autonomous rotorcraft is subject to risk, these can most commonly include delays which can create a loss for the project, and therefore subjecting the project to cost increases. Business Value: The notion of business value supports the companies strategic goals and meets user information requirements. Thus it needs to be a good investment for NASA. Consequently the autonomous rotorcraft is an investment for the organisation as it allows future developments to be based of this project for other differing autonomous vehicles. Duration: The duration of the project began in 2002 and was up for ARP teams nominations for 2005 project of the year. It has been flying autonomously since March 2004 and has been flight tested weekly for 30-60 minutes per flight. The system in the current Rotorcraft has been flown in the same configurations since November 2005. Complexity: The complexity of this project is very difficult as mentioned earlier, this is because the rotorcraft is unmanned and needs to make various decisions through its Linux based software. Technology: The technology used in the Autonomous Rotorcraft is complex and due to this faced many hardships and obstacles. The technology is complex. NASA’s mission was to extend its technology and expertise regarding automated systems. Specifically the project management team would create a flying laboratory consisting of technologies such as advanced flight controls, a reactive planner and an all digital camera system with tracking and passive ranging capabilities. The Autonomous rotorcraft is a Yamaha RMAX helicopter, which was selected as the project UAV platform. It was originally developed for remote control seeding and spraying and therefore was notably sturdy and reliable. Due to this numerous modifications were made to the rotorcraft to support autonomous operations. These include the additional avionics which in turn carries out navigation and flight computer control, an experimentation computer, a GPS receiver and radio communications (Freed, 2006). Cost: The cost for this project has not been disclosed, although budget was kept. C. How did the project fit against the nine Project management Knowledge areas Integration Management focuses on the larger tasks that must be done for the project to work. Thus it is the practise of ensuring that every part of the project is coordinated. The project manager must be very competent at this to ensure that the project runs smoothly. The Autonomous Rotorcraft project manager planned well, as they took many things into consideration regarding this. As mentioned earlier, the project manager used techniques to establish motivation for team members. The main technique was scheduling regular meetings and demonstrating the teams current accomplishments. From these meetings the project manager could then provide additional recourses for the project in areas that need supplemental information. Thus the project was executed successfully and a high level of integration management was achieved. The second knowledge area of Scope Management is the details and processes of the project. It is important to have a detailed plan before beginning the project. This meaning a clear goal. Which is very clear; ‘To develop an unmanned helicopter’. Whilst it is beneficial to understand the scope of the project it is also important to understand that changes may occur during the project, which fall under this specific knowledge area. Due to the favourable outcome of the project, scope management was achieved, as challenges and communication were met effectively. Similarly to this is time management, the ARP met all scheduling goals and completed each phase with no scheduling delays. Thus it is understood that, the project had sufficient resources and a good time management plan. Cost management is just as valuable as time management. This knowledge area includes cost estimating and budgeting. Once the cost for the ARP project was estimated, the project manager must control the cost and make changes to the budget as needed. The cost of the project would have been fluctuating as the accuracy changes as the project would have progressed. Furthermore, quality management is an important knowledge area as the ARP would have had to have been measured against a similar predetermined acceptable measure. The project manager would of created a quality management plan early on in the project, as this effects other areas such as scope, time cost and most importantly risk. Human resource management is responsible for the project organisation, the selection of team members on the ARP (assigning staff) and project organisation. Whilst the project manager assesses the performance of the team, so does human resource management from a different perspective – this also includes the project manner. Along with this comes communication management, which is very important in the ARP. This includes the ARP project website, that was created to keep NASA computer information and communications technology program for upper management and stake holders to be aware of the projects progression. The team also provided project updaters to potential customers, which include; The Department of Homeland Security, the National Technology transfer centre and other NASA researchers. . This type of communication management offers dual benefits as it is marketing the rotorcraft and maintaining a strong customer base for future projects. As well as this, all the material communicated was accessible to the team via the website, these included; flight plans, authorised documents, scheduling and media. Another project management area is Risk management, this involves how risks are managed on the project. The project manager must identify these challenges and plan how the team will respond to them in a positive manner. These risks included, coordinating the ARP project team, as it consisted of people from a plethora of different backgrounds and thus the project manager ensured communication stayed strong. Another challenge that the team was faced with as scheduling flight tests, this took more time than originally anticipated and therefore ran risk of delays, to combat this more time was put foreword to ensure that there was no future delays. Lastly is procurement management, this is a set of processes that links to the supply chain sector of the ARP project. It is when goods or services need to be obtained from an outside organisations. The project manager plans these purchases of products that cannot be provided from their own company. This is important as it links directly with quality management, this is because it is difficult to ensure quality is delivered from an outside supplier at an appropriate cost that meets budget. Conclusion It must be reiterated that The Autonomous Rotorcraft Project was executed successfully. There are many areas that need to be covered by the project team in order for this to be a smooth operation. Whilst there are some areas that are of more importance to others, it is ideal to have a team that can respond to all positive and negative situations that the project may encounter. The ARP project, fitted well against all nine Project Management areas, thus NASA expressed a high level of satisfaction with the project.

The Art Of Mazatlan

The Art Of Mazatlan Simon's Final Paper Outline: Main theme: Simon is caught between Chinese and American culture, as he is often expected to follow Chinese cultural beliefs while American culture is sometimes more appealing. It also affects one's self perception to switch from one set of beliefs and rules to another, as between his family and friends. Ultimately, Asian-American culture fits best.I. Intro A. Moving to America at age of 10 B. America was intimidating because of outgoing culture C. Language barriers also made adapting difficult D. At the same time, America is exciting and offers many possibilities E. Gradually adapting to American culture, yet still must follow Chinese culture with family F. Difficult to form clear self image growing up, since there are two Simons: one with his family, one with his friends and schoolmates G. Many situation present conflicts where his cultural beliefs collide H. Ultimately, he wishes his family and friends would both agree to understand his "Asian American "‚  beliefs II.English: Diagram indicating Asian American settlem...Body Paragraph 1: A. First, I recall several instances with my family where my Americanized attitude created a conflict, either with them or within myself. For example, ...B. One weekend, Simon's friends all want to drive to a famous Maryland steak house in Annapolis. Simon wants to go, but when he tells his parents, his dad tells him it is foolish to go spend $30 when a perfectly good meal is at home for free. Simon says he wants to hang out with his friends, and that the food is supposed to be really good. He is angered by his dad's inability to understand the American concept of eating out a lot. Chinese culture views this as a waste of money. After asking his dad multiple times, he agrees to let Simon go because he knows it...

soft drink industry essays

soft drink industry essays When there is industry there is competition. The bigger the player, the harder they can play. The big players always try to consume many of the small competitors. When they do this they can expand their market share. A perfect example of this is the soft drink industry; Pepsi and Coke have always been archrivals. They are always trying to gain market share, by absorbing many smaller beverage companies to appeal to the public. This paper will discuss the history between these two industry giants and how they financially stand at this point, plus how supply and demand effects this industry. Coca Cola was invented by an Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton in 1886. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, named the product after two ingredients, coca leaves and Kola Nuts. By 1895 the product was available in all 50 states. By 1916 the Company was sold twice, had over 1000 bottlers, and was publicly traded (Dow Jones, Coke). During World War II, the president of Coke Woodruff said, "every soldier will have access to a 5 cent bottle of coke"(Dow Jones, Coke). The company received government aid to build 64 overseas bottling plants during that time. This is how Coke began its ties with many foreign markets. Caleb Bradham, a Pharmacist from North Carolina, invented Pepsi. He Called it Pepsi Cola because, he claimed it cured Dyspepsia or more commonly known as indigestion. He registered the trademark in 1903. Pepsi tried to follow the same root as Coke by signing up bottlers, by 1923 Pepsi was on its last leg until Loft Candy Company bought it in 1931. It increased its bottle size but kept its 5-cent price. In 1939 it introduced its first radio jingle (Dow Jones, Pepsi). Pepsi had a rough start compared to Coke, and always tried to rise out of the shadow of this industry giant. "According to Coca-Cola Company, the two most famous expressions in the world are ok and Coca-Cola" (Dow Jones, Coke). The world's largest soft drink Company, Coke has...

Top 5 Less Crowded Sites to Look For Retail Jobs

Top 5 Less Crowded Sites to Look For Retail Jobs You’re looking for a job in retail and it seems that all the usual job search sites are teeming with applicants. You want to find somewhere less crowded and more focused where you can search and apply in peace for your very specific skill set. Try searching off the beaten path for your next retail job- you’ll find employers who aren’t getting absolutely inundated with responses, and you might just find your next job! 1.  All Retail JobsThis site is free, lists from over 12,000 retail employers and recruiters, and lists both management and hourly job openings. You can save search specifications and set up email notifications that match your profile.2. Work In RetailThis site can also send you real-time job recommendations as they are posted. It’s free and focuses on retail- with job postings at any level.3. Retail Careers NowThis site is free, lets you set up an account/alerts, upload your resume, and do market and salary research. Good for both browsing and searching, it highlights â€Å"featured† jobs and employers.4. Retail CrossingThis free site boasts that it’s the â€Å"largest collection of retail jobs on earth.† It displays how many new jobs were posted by week and how many total jobs are currently available to search, and lets you preview your search by job type. You can also upload your resume and get some good general retail career information by browsing through.5. Retail Jobs WebAnother free site, much like the others, this one  very easily lets you search not only by position type but also by industry, or state, or full-time/part-time. You can even search by company, if you already have one in mind.

Overall Reaction to Crash Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Overall Reaction to Crash - Movie Review Example From this discussion it is clear that  the movie shows how circumstances in life affect the thinking and actions of an individual. The reporter likes the fact that is depicted in the movie that more often it is the circumstances that makes an individual good or bad. Two characters that he likes the most and that prove the above statement are that of John and Tommy. John due to the various circumstances in his life has developed a negative and hatred attitude towards black people. It is depicted in the way he treats Camille and Shaniqua in two different circumstances.This study discusses that  the two moments that I feel the most significant are the moment between Camille and John inside the truck and the one where little Lara tries to protect her father (Daniel) from being shot by Farhad. The first one is significant because it shows how under an emergency people try to forget their differences and come together to fight for a common cause. Here, both John and Camille have differ ences with each other and in spite John risks his life to save Camille’s life. The emotional connect between the two and the way she looks at him while she is taken away is very significant. The transformation in John’s character can be seen in the scene. In the other moment, young Lara’s character shows love and selflessness. This act of Lara brings in a transformation in Frahad.  This one moment changes his attitude towards life.

International Human resources management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Human resources management - Essay Example II. LITERATURE REVIEW i. Provides what other researchers have discussed about the factors taken into considerations before setting wage such as setting the wage high in order to motivate and attract good labor force. ii. Labor market conditions or the bargaining power of employees or existing laws of labor unions can influence wage payment. iii. The empirical research carried out provided the theoretical prediction that the bargaining wage tends to be lower in places where there are high rate of unemployment. III. FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SETTING THE WAGES a) British expatriate managers and engineers i. Availability of expatriate managers and engineers capable of fulfilling the obligations and responsibilities of the job ii. Determining the level of job demand for prospective employees or unemployment level in a certain country iii. Employment setting and organizational needs. b) Local manager’s engineers and manufacturing staff i. The wage compensation laws prevailing in a give n area and the attractiveness of the community ii. The cost of living and benefits that the company would realize iii. Performing job evaluation IV. CONCLUSION i. Provides the summary of the factors that IHRM should take into considerations before setting wage payment International Human Resources Management Introduction The International human resource directors and other top management teams of multinational companies have nowadays realized that globalization is the most critical problems many multinational enterprises are facing today. They also acknowledge that it has become difficult to determine the internalization strategies and factors that they will employ in setting wages for their employees. The IHRM director of a British Multi-National Food Processing Company, which is now planning to open new sites in Australia, Russia and India need to evaluate effective factors for setting wage payment for their employees. Many companies get stuck in the job evaluation process because of the complexity nature of job evaluation process. Many grading and wage payment structures for varied employment aspects have evolved over time and this can be hard for IHRM director to justify why one job is graded or paid higher than the other job. It is vital to employ unique methods for job evaluation, identify effective factors for setting wage payment of expatriate managers, engineers, manager’s engenders and manufacturing staffs. Therefore, before determining wage payment of employees, it is crucial to determine the organizational needs by carrying out job evaluation, job relevant skills, work experience for applicants and understand the economic conditions of the region in which the company will function. Literature Review Many multinational companies evaluate varied factors before making a decision of what to pay the new recruited employees. Thus, varied literatures have attempted to reveal the way many companies carry out labor evaluation process or employ varied factors when setting the wages for their employees. When setting the level of monetary compensation of employees, one need to take into consideration varied factors. Snell and Bohlander (2010, p. 121) argue that one of the first factors that should be taken into considerations when setting wage is setting the wage high in order to motivate and attract good labor force. The wage should be equitable meaning that it should accurately reflect the value of the labor performance. Sparrow, Brewster and Harris 2004, p.49)

Critically evaluate the argument that diversity management is good for Essay

Critically evaluate the argument that diversity management is good for organizations, but damaging for employees - Essay Example In forming this culture it is vital for the management to involve diversity initiatives in the business activities of the company. The top management should also promote diversity in the workplace as goal of the company. Diversity is about portraying a culture that recognizes personal needs and contributions. However diversity by nature is perceived to bring complexity in the workplace. This negatively affects the employees due the various cultures. According to Klarsfeld (2010, 126) Employees are bound to feel at ease when working with people from the same cultural background. Diversity management in the organization is good as it promotes maximum production compared to those organizations which do not employ diversity. Diversity as a practice starts and ends with the individual. Today diversity involves the all business practices driven towards creating trust and improving workplace. In order to maintain properly managed diversity in the organization it involves knowing workers ind ividually not as part of a particular culture. Organizations with multicultural diversity tend to portray high levels of engagement and the organization is able to outperform others. The outer-performance is in terms of stock price, turnover rate, stock price, revenue growth, net income and financial growth. According to Mor Barak (2010, 250), one of the important assumptions of diversity management is the strength of relationship between business assets. These include the business systems, practices, goals and the people involved. The compatibility of this interdependent relations as well as its well functioning affects the business operation. The effects are experienced in organizations image, profitability and stability which occur both in short-term or long-term. As suggested by Thomas (2006, 244), in diversity management, the organization needs to have an equal focus on all areas of management. Diversity in management has various benefits to the organization. They include: Easy entry to a changing market situation: Diversification in an organization implies incorporation of different practices. This means that the organization is less likely to have difficulties in adapting to changes. Working under diverse conditions enables the management to be able to handle various situations without fear. Diversity also means exploring various areas of the market therefore the management is aware of the market making its entrance easier. In diversity, employees are handled equally and this gives them the motivation to contribute the organizations development. High quality customer service: Diversification in an organization promotes enhanced customer services. The presence of individuals from different cultural background ensures that the organization can serve different customers and satisfy their needs. In diversity management since workers are used to working and relating with diverse cultural backgrounds, it becomes possible for them to handle different customers . Large-scale business transformation: transformation ensures business operation is more agile, rapid and lean. Diversity management ensures business operations are well transformed. It also ensure accountability in business transformation in large-scale. The diversity in the organization promotes modernization of business operations in business trans

SOCIAL SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

SOCIAL SCIENCE - Essay Example Traditionally, there were models like biomedical model, which did not consider the human side of a patient. Jewson (1976, p. 235) analysis that in the biomedical model the â€Å"patient† was â€Å"designated a passive and uncritical role in the consultative relationship and his main function† was to â€Å"endure and wait.† According to Doyal (1983, p.31) in the traditional models â€Å"the disease had become more important than the person who harboured it.† However, there has been a shift to models that consider other factors such as social, psychological and environmental in shaping the context of a disease and illness. An example is the bio-psychosocial which has sought to understand medical conditions through the analysis of a variety of factors. The model acknowledges that in a disease context, there are many factors such as behavior and attitude towards the illness, social as well as psychological factors (Engel, 2012). The narratives from the patient s are today extensively applied to explore the patient experiences with illness (Charon 2001; Kleinman 1988). In this case, the awareness of the binary relationship between disease and illness has revolutionarised the medical practice. This is the difference between the biomedical constructs of the pathophysiological processes and individual’s subjective experience of the patient explored in other models that consider disease as a result of myriad factors (Kleinman 1988). The exploration of patient narrative is relevant in the case of diabetes because patients and physicians have different perceptions, concerns and goals (Anderson 1986; Freeman & Loewe 2000). In this assignment, a patient’s story on her experience with diabetes will be explored with an aim to construct the cultural, social and psychological meaning and locate the facts in contemporary theoretical perspectives. The real names

Am I A Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Am I A Leader - Essay Example I learned of the essential theories to become a leader from the academe and from contemporary experiences. It is one’s personal contention that that there are persons born and destined to become leaders. In my case, I realized it is a process encompassing developmental stages in one’s life span. As babies, parents provide assistance in personal care and needs. Through one’s personal development, children get to stand and walk on their own. We learn to exercise our sense of autonomy. There were times when there was the persistent conviction to negate our parents just to do what we want. In this stage of life, leadership of a growing child was clearly exemplified. It is a type of leadership involving the primary care giver and the child. Leadership is thereby recognized as the process of influence in other people to achieve a certain goal. At this stage, the only goal that one has is the gratification of needs, realized through either good or bad behavior. It seems that even as a child, one learned to influence and become a leader in simple ways. The first time we pursued academic endeavors, the start of the leadership process focus on enrichment. Through school plays, group activity, participating in discussions, and joining school organizations, leadership enrichment is reflected. We came to have peers that influence us or we get the chance to influence them. Leadership is clearly expressed and felt when friends and acquaintances ask one’s opinion regarding outfits, assignments, perception, and even fun activities and endeavors. Colleagues begin to value one’s opinions with regards to group perception. I became more competitive in the latter part of academic life. I joined different organizations and performed responsibilities concurrent with higher accountabilities expected of my position. I came to enjoy different social interactions from both genders. One became more focused on achieving higher grades because of the belief that as a profound influence to others. It manifests some form of power and authority. I envisioned to be more responsible, committed, and become a role model. That was the stage of my life that I felt that I truly became a leader. Qualities of a Good Leader But what are the qualities of a good leader? Did I have that power to lead? According to Warren Bennis (1990), managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing. Leaders are persons with character who strives for excellence. Leaders do not command a group to achieve excellence; rather, they are engaged in achieving excellence. One sees what is desired and goes after it. One attracts followers because of the will power, determination, energy, drive, and willpower. Of course, to be a leader, trust is the most essential thing. Trust builds good relationships between the leader and the follower. Since a leader influence a group of people, one must be inspiring and must show the confidence in ac hieving identified goals and endeavors. A good leader is acknowledged to treat others fairly; should display empathy and sensitivity to other people’s values, beliefs, and emotions. In a leader’s journey to reach identified goals, insurmountable amounts of stress are expected to be overcome. The leader must have enough courage to surpass challenges and be creative in dealing with trying situations. Until now, I am thinking of qualities that I exhibited

SOCIAL SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

SOCIAL SCIENCE - Essay Example Traditionally, there were models like biomedical model, which did not consider the human side of a patient. Jewson (1976, p. 235) analysis that in the biomedical model the â€Å"patient† was â€Å"designated a passive and uncritical role in the consultative relationship and his main function† was to â€Å"endure and wait.† According to Doyal (1983, p.31) in the traditional models â€Å"the disease had become more important than the person who harboured it.† However, there has been a shift to models that consider other factors such as social, psychological and environmental in shaping the context of a disease and illness. An example is the bio-psychosocial which has sought to understand medical conditions through the analysis of a variety of factors. The model acknowledges that in a disease context, there are many factors such as behavior and attitude towards the illness, social as well as psychological factors (Engel, 2012). The narratives from the patient s are today extensively applied to explore the patient experiences with illness (Charon 2001; Kleinman 1988). In this case, the awareness of the binary relationship between disease and illness has revolutionarised the medical practice. This is the difference between the biomedical constructs of the pathophysiological processes and individual’s subjective experience of the patient explored in other models that consider disease as a result of myriad factors (Kleinman 1988). The exploration of patient narrative is relevant in the case of diabetes because patients and physicians have different perceptions, concerns and goals (Anderson 1986; Freeman & Loewe 2000). In this assignment, a patient’s story on her experience with diabetes will be explored with an aim to construct the cultural, social and psychological meaning and locate the facts in contemporary theoretical perspectives. The real names

Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Global Warming - Essay Example The threat here is that the polar ice caps would soon be melting because of global warming, which would increase the level of oceans to side. People living on coastal lines would have to evacuate their homes and move to other places, causing overcrowding and security concerns (Michaels & Balling, 2009). The rise in ocean levels can cause floods, destroying crops and creating drought in countries. Citizens of the developed countries are aware of this growing problem because there have been many documentaries about global warming and researches done in the developed world, where environmentalists and scientists have explained the consequences of global warming to the people. The people living in developing countries are responsible for making sure that the human activities which trigger global warming, are prevented from happening and people act more responsibly (Black & Weisel, 2010). There are also more responsible because they have more resources to make people aware, as compared to the underdeveloped countries. The United States and other countries are responsible in a way, that they should create awareness in underdeveloped countries, and create programs to make people responsible for their actions and the way they treat the environment. However, not all responsibility lies in the hands of the developed countries, underdeveloped nations feel the climate change and the impact of globalization too. The government should be responsible for preventing activities which harm the environment.

Free

Freezing point depression lab Essay

Feminist Theories in Social Work

Feminist Theories in Social Work This research considers the application of feminist thought in social work practise.   Specific areas of consideration include the gap from social workers’ personal acceptance of feminist constructs and their use of such constructs in daily practise, the effects of perpetuation of hegemonic gender roles by social workers, and domestic violence victims perceptions of the effectiveness of social work based on the perspectives of their social workers as considered above.   This research further describes a focus group of college social work students who are also domestic violence victims. It records their perceptions of social workers’ worldviewsand the impact of such on service.   Conclusions include that there is asignificant gap between the understanding or acceptance of feministconstructs amongst social workers and its application in daily fieldpractise, that social workers are often likely to perpetuate hegemonicgender roles, and because of such perpetuation view domestic violencesituations as individual occurrences rather than part of a greatersocietal pattern of oppression, and that domestic violence survivorsfeel best served when work with them uses a feminist theoreticalframework. INTRODUCTION Feminism and social work have been associated for many years; however,although many social workers personally espouse working from a feministperspective, the systems of social work still favour work from atraditional or patriarchal perspective.   This research, therefore,seeks to first consider findings from previous study regarding thisphenomenon and the theoretical frameworks for both social work andfeminist thought.   In this light of information gleaned from thesefindings, it became apparent that hegemonic gender roles, a commontopic of feminist research, play a relevant part in work with survivorsof domestic violence.   Specifically, domestic violence survivors areoften directed, either explicitly or implicitly, that their situationis personal and should be considered and dealt with from a personal andpathological perspective rather than applying the tenets of feministthought that view such situations as manifestations of structural andpower problems in our greater society .This study then seeks to document whether this gap between social worktheory supportive of feminist worldviews and social work application ofpractise exists, and if so, how prevalent a gap it is.   This isaccomplished through use of a focus group of college students, all ofwhom have taken at least one course in social work theory and arethemselves domestic violence survivors who have been served, towhatever level of quality, by social workers.   Discussions within thefocus group involved ideas of gender roles and social worker advocacyof hegemonic gender roles, whether explicit or implicit.   The focusgroup then built on this foundation to consider group participants’experiences with social workers and whether they presented anindividual / pathological perspective of domestic violence, or whetherthey presented a perspective that consider the wider influence ofsociety and its systems.   This was further related to the effect ofsuch perceptions on the understanding of and service to groupparticipants at the time of intervention. LITERATURE REVIEW Feminism has emerged in the past thirty years as a viableworldview.   Dietz (2000), quoting Bunch (1980), defined feminism asâ€Å"transformational politics that aims at the dismantling of allpermanent power hierarchies in which one category of humans dominatesor controls another category of humans† (372).   â€Å"In the feminist andempowerment traditions, the personal is political, and individualchange and social change are seen as interdependent† (Deitz 2000,372).   Feminism contends it is not adequate to simply include women inthe world’s political and power systems, as these were designed by andfor men and therefore favour a highly masculinised mechanism forresponding to issues and require women working within these systems todo the same (Scott 1988, Moylan 2003).   Simply including women is notenough; society must give women’s experiences equal time andconsideration, eventually recasting the very meanings of the topics itconsiders (Scott 1988) .   Rather, feminism argues women must be engagedin both the system development and decision-making processes that shapeour society (Moylan 2003).   Consequently, one area where feminism has particularly challengedtraditional views is in the area of gender roles.   For example,Dominelli and McLeod (1989) examine the way in which social problemsare defined, recognising gender as particularly important inunderstanding client groups, and stress egalitarian relationshipsbetween therapists and clients.   Gender is also an importantconsideration of social work due to the patriarchal society that stilldominates most of our world.   This power framework rests on a basis ofhegemonic masculinity (Cohn and Enloe 2003).   Connell (1995) createdthe term ‘hegemonic masculinity’ to describe the valued definition ofmanhood in a society.   He argues that whilst there are multiplepossible masculinities in a culture, only one or a few are most valuedor considered ideal (Conn ell 1995).   This gender definition isconstructed both in relation to femininity and to other, subordinatedmasculinities, and is used to justify both men’s domination of women,and the hegemonically masculine man’s power over other men (Cohn andWeber 1999).Whilst women are increasingly being included in world systems, thesystems themselves still were designed for and operate by and for men.  Therefore, women who participate within the system must do so from maleparadigm, even if it is sometimes at odds with their own preferencesfor how to go about dealing with a situation (Cohn and Enloe 2003).Feminism historically is a â€Å"critique of male supremacy, the belief thatgender order was socially constructed and could not be changed† (Cott1989,205).   Masculinity is often defined as what is not feminine, andfemininity as what is not masculine, although understanding thedynamics of one requires considering both the workings of the other andthe relationship and overlap between the two (Cohn and Enloe 2003).  Masculine definitions are often based on strength, domination andviolence, whilst feminine on weakness, nurturing, compassion andpassitivity (Rabrenovic and Roskos 2001).   The result is pressure onmen adhering to a hegemonic definition of masculinity to view forms ofaddressing conflict other than a physical or masculine response asfeminine and a threat to their manhood (Moylan 2003).   The popular concept of gender holds that masculinity and femininityare unchanging expressions based on the chromosomal male and femalebodies (Butler 1990).   â€Å"Gender is assumed to be ‘hard-wired,’ at leastin part† (Hawkesworth 1997).   Masculine actions and desires for men andfeminine actions and desires for women alone are normal, thesemasculine and feminine traits are not a matter of choice, and allindividuals can be classified as one or the other (Hawkesworth 1997).  However, whilst our society men are considered strong and dominant, andwomen passive and nurturing, â€Å"the meanings of male and female bodiesdiffer from one culture to another, and change (even in our ownculture) over time† (Connell 1993, 75).   For example, there have beenâ€Å"periods in Western history when the modern convention that mensuppress displays of emotion did not apply at all, when men wereeffusive to their male friends and demonstrative about their feelings†(Connell 1993, 75).   â€Å"Masculinities and feminities are constructed oraccomplished in social processes such as child rearing, emotional andsexual relationships, work and politics† (Connell 1993, 75).Feminism, however, contends gender is a constructed by each culture,and as a social practice involves the incorporation of specificsymbols, which support or distort human potential (Hawkesworth 1997).  Ã‚  Gender is created through â€Å"discursively constrained performative acts,†and the repetition of these acts over time cr eates gender for theindividual in society (Butler 1990, x).   People learn to â€Å"act† likewomen or men are supposed to; women are taught to behave in a femininemanner, men are taught to act in a masculine manner.   This is oftenreinforced by authority figures, such as social workers.   Barnes (2003)cites a number of studies which find social workers often assume theâ€Å"disciplinary gaze† of notions of â€Å"what and how to be woman,†perpetuating traditional gender roles (149).  Ã‚   â€Å"Armed with rigid codesof gender appropriate behaviors, social workers often sought toregulate and mediate women’s interactions with the social, economic,and political world† (Barns 2003, 149).Feminism and social work share a number of similarities.   Both believeâ€Å"in the inherent worth and dignity of all persons, the value of processover product, the appreciation of unity-diversity, the importance ofconsidering the person-in- environment, and a commitment to personalempowerment and active participation in society as a means to bringabout meaningful social change† (Baretti 2001, 266-267).   Similarly,both feminism and social work address multiple approaches to handlingsituations, challenging the institutionalized oppression common in manypower structures and supporting â€Å"the reconceptualization andredistribution of that power† (Baretti 2001, 267).It follows that one impact of feminism on social work practise is theconsideration of issues from a societal rather than personalperspective.   For example, this might include viewing a domesticviolence situation not from the perspective that the family isdysfunctional, but from the perspective of the society that created thefamily.   The psychology-based focus of clinical social work â€Å"oftenleads to individualizing social problems, rather than to viewing themas the result of relations of power, primarily oppression and abuse†(Deitz 2000, 369).   As such, individuals experiencing such difficultiesare â€Å"taught† that their particular experiences are inappropriate,rather than addressing the systems that created the difficulties in thefirst place (Deitz 2000, 369).   Dominelli and McLeod (1989) re-evaluate social work practice from afeminist perspective, considering the functions of social work such astherapy, community interaction, and policy making not from apathological standpoint but from one of defined roles endorsed bysocietal conditions.   As such, they contend that working from afeminist perspective allows the social worker to address the causes ofsocial issues, rather than the symptoms played out in individual’slives (Dominelli and McLeod 1989).One area of difference in social work practise between those operatingfrom a feminist framework and a traditional framework is the concept ofdistance.   Traditionally, the â€Å"patriarchal bias against relationalityand connection† is intended to lead to â€Å"connection without harm, lovewithout power abuse, touching without sexual abuse in psychotherapy†(Deitz 2000, 377).   Unfortunately, in practise it often results inâ€Å"power over† relationships where those receiving services feel â€Å"lessthan† those providing them.   â€Å"Healing happens when someone feels seen,heard, held, and empowered, not when one is interpreted, held at adistance, and pathologized† (Deitz 2000, 377). Deitz (2000) finds thatsocial workers often institutionalize a â€Å"power over† stance fromprofessional training and discourse that constructs the identities ofclients as somehow disordered, dysfunctional or impaired.   â€Å"Whetherbetween parents and children; physicians and patients; social workersand consumers of services; Whites and Blacks; or heterosexuals andlesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered persons, power overrelationships give the dominant partners or group the right to definethe mean ings of subordinates’ experiences (including their resistance)and thus their opportunities for self-affirmation† (Deitz 2000,373).This creates professional relationships that ignore theenvironmental, historical, and social contexts of the problem, discountpeople’s strengths and resilience in assessment and intervention, andlead â€Å"to the objectification of people as diagnoses, rather than toempowerment† (Deitz 2000, 370).   â€Å"The keys to empowerment in feministmicro practice are reconnection and transformation through politicalactivity; survivors of oppression and abuse experience reconnectionthrough relationships based on mutuality, collaboration, andtrustworthiness† (Deitz 2000, 376).Theories from social work, psychology, and particularly developmentalpsychology describe empowerment as primarily a process, with thepersonal transformation of the individual becoming empowered at itsfoundation (Carr 2003, 8).   Barriers to empowerment and problems ofdisenfranchisement caused by powerlessness are primarily political,rather than psychological.   Powerlessness is defined as the inabilityto effectively manage one’s emotions, knowledge, skills, or resources;it is â€Å"derived from the absence of external supports and the existenceof ontological â€Å"power blocks† that become incorporated into a person’sdevelopment† (Carr 2003, 13).   As such, many survivors also work toreconnect to others in their communities, often seeking politicalactivity that â€Å"emphasizes the empowerment of others, such as byorganizing Take Back the Night marches or speak-outs, volunteering forcrisis hot lines, seeking legislative changes, or becoming socialworkers or human service professionals† (Deitz 2000, 376).For example, feminist work with abuse survivors â€Å"emphasizes therelationship between abuse and oppressive social relations (Deitz 2000,374).   On the other hand, the dominant clinical socia l work approach tooppression and abuse relocates the problem of oppression in victims.Psychological theories are typically employed, which â€Å"locates pathologyin individuals, rather than in oppressive relationships and systems,and considers the long-term effects of oppression to be symptoms ofindividual pathology† (Deitz 2000, 374).   Unfortunately, whilst manysocial workers have been exposed to or even personally supportoperating from a feminist framework, the systems in which they workprevent them from actively utilising feminist insight in their dailypractise.   RESEARCH PLAN This research seeks to study the prevalence and impact of traditionaland feminist practitioner constructs from the perspective of thoseserved.   Specifically, a focus group study will be conducted with agroup of college students, all of whom are currently studying socialwork and therefore have some concept regarding social work practice,feminist and traditional worldviews.   In addition, all students in thefocus group will have experienced domestic violence and have beenprovided the services of a social worker in some form during theirteenage years.Three areas of discussion will be undertaken by the group.   These willbe provided to individual group participants in writing several daysbefore the group in order for students to have time to consider whatthey would like to share regarding their opinions and own experiences.  The first group activity will involve creating definitions ofâ€Å"masculine† and â€Å"feminine† from the perspective of a typical socialwork er based on the students’ teenage experiences.   Students will thenbe asked to discuss where, if at all, they personally feel they andtheir family members who were involved in the domestic violencesituation(s) â€Å"fit† regarding these preconceived definitions.   It isanticipated some students will have been uncomfortable with societalconstraints they or their family experienced as teenagers.   As all arestudying social work, they are also anticipated to make moreconnections between societal power issues, hegemonic gender roles, andtheir influence on domestic violence than a focus group without suchbackground.   The third area of discussion will centre on how thestudents’ perceptions of their social worker(s) understanding of genderroles influenced their and their families reception of adequateservice. The researcher will both tape record and take notes on the groupdiscussions.   Data gathered from the group will then be compiled andanalysed.   In a ddition, students from the focus group will be given theoption to write a response to the group activity, if they so desire.  These will be further included in the group data. METHODOLOGY Data collection involved four means.   Prior to the group starting,each participant was given a questionnaire (see Appendix 3) to gatherbasic demographic information.   The questionnaire also asked for abrief summary of their abusive situation.   Regarding data collection ofthe group proceedings, as described above the focus group session wastape-recorded and the researcher took notes to supplement the recordingof group discussion.   The recorded sessions were then transcribed intoprint form, with research notes added in at the chronologicallyappropriate points of the transcription to provide a more completewritten overview of the focus group discussion.   In addition, groupparticipants had an option to write a response the group to be includedin the group data.   Four participants wrote responses, which wereconsidered with the group data following analysis of the focus groupdiscussion.   Participants were provided with the three areas of groupdiscussion several days pr ior to the actual focus group meeting.   Theywere not given any directions or guidance regarding the optionalwritten responses to the group activity.Data analysis first involved dividing and coding group data.   Responsesto the first topic of discussion were divided into three categories:  those representing a traditional worldview, those representing afeminist worldview, and those that did not clearly represent eitherworldview.   From these groupings, overall findings regarding theworldviews typically experienced by the group participants weresummarised.   This was then further compared with the definitions oftraditional gender roles identified by the group.Data from the second topic of discussion were also broken down intothose representing a traditional worldview, those representing afeminist worldview, and those that did not clearly represent eitherworldview.   It was important to then note participant perceptions andemotional responses to these codings, and in which worldview groupingthey and their families were reported to feel best served andempowered.   Data from the specific discussion regarding service were then similarlyanalysed, and combined with previous findings to present a picture ofthe impact of traditional versus feminist worldviews on social workpractise, emphasising work with teenage domestic violence survivors andtheir understanding of gender roles in society.   It was anticipated at the conclusion of such research, a view could beasserted as to whether feminist perspective has a significant impact onthe practise of social work as it is currently undertaken and whetherthis impact, if any, leads to improved service.As the focus group involved a relatively small number of participants(nine total) and data from their interactions were primarilyqualitative in nature, it was decided not to perform any complexstatistical analysis on focus group data.   It was felt that such typesof analysis would neither reveal findings that co uld be consideredstatistically significant nor provide a more accurate understanding ofthe issues under consideration than a more qualitative analyticalapproach.   In consideration of space and relevance portions of thediscussion were used to support conclusions in the findings andanalysis sections of this dissertation, whilst an overall summary ofthe most relevant portions of the discussion are included in Appendix2. IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT Nine students meeting the criteria laid out in the research planagreed to participate in the focus group.   They were primarilyorganised by one group participant, who had discovered other domesticviolence survivors through classroom discussions and throughparticipation in a survivors’ group in the local community.   All ninestudents were currently studying social work or had taken at least onesocial work course as part of a related course of study, such aseducation or criminal justice.   There were six women and three men,ranging in age from nineteen to twenty-seven.   Racially, seven wereCaucasian, one was Black, and one was Asian.   All present as comingfrom upper working class to middle class backgrounds.   All hadexperienced domestic violence as teenagers, making their experiencesfairly recent and therefore providing a relatively current depiction ofsocial work practise.   Five students (three women, two men) had beenremoved from their biological parents at s ome point during theirteenage years.   All had been involved in interventions into the familyby a social worker representing either a government organisation, or inthe case of one woman, a local church.   Some of the participants previously knew each other and were somewhataware of each other’s experiences, which should be considered in groupanalysis.   Five regularly participated in a survivors’ support group inthe community.   One man and one woman were cousins.   In addition, twoof the men had known each other as teenagers from intervention throughthe school system.Jennifer, a twenty-four year-old Caucasian woman, was chosen to be themoderator, as she had been the one who had assisted the researcher byarranging for most of the participants to become involved in thestudy.   The group then moved almost immediately into discussion of thetopics provided.   The group had been provided a whiteboard for its use,which Jennifer implemented to organise individua l comments and ideas.  It is surmised that the easy manner with which the group undertook thediscussion was based on the fact that they were all students andtherefore used to having study groups, group discussions, and the like,and that all of them had at least publicly shared their experiencespreviously, either as part of a classroom discussion or survivors’group, or both, and were therefore more comfortable in engaging in suchdiscussion than might be typical for a focus group dealing with suchexperiences. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS The first finding of this research is that the majority of socialworkers in service or domestic violence survivors to not consistentlyemploy feminist constructs in practise, despite the likelihood ofhaving been exposed to such constructs.   This manifested itself inthree significant ways.   First, families were overwhelming dealt withas individuals with problems.   That is, the abuser was described asmaking poor choices or having some type of pathological issues that ledto his or her decision to abuse (in one participant’s family, bothparents were abusive).   As such, the abuser was described from apsychoanalytical standpoint by the social worker(s), and his or herbehaviour labelled as individually deviant.   The survivors of the domestic violence situations, particularly themothers, as the majority of abusers from the groups’ experiences weremale family members or boyfriends of the mother, were also reported tobe consistently dealt with from an individual per spective.   In thissense, their behaviour was also reported to be categorised by thesocial workers involved as unhealthy, pathological, and coming fromsome sort of unresolved personal issues, such as low self-esteem.   Inthe case of only one participant did the social workers involved ineither intervention or therapy consistently relate the domesticviolence situation to broader issues of oppression, societal powerstructures and the related hegemonic gender roles, or patriarchal normsof society.   It is of note that this participant received service froma progressive women-helping-women organisation, rather than atraditional government-organised social work programme.  Group participants also repeatedly described their family situationsas unhealthy, and they certainly were, but from the perspective thatboth the abuser and abused were reacting or displaying emotioninappropriately, rather than that the motivation or norming behind thebehaviour was at fault.   For example, Tre nt described his mother asdrawn to violent, alcoholic men.   â€Å"She always seemed to go for theseguys that didn’t know how to express anything except by breaking stuff,yelling, hitting, you know.†Ã‚   His further descriptions of his mothers’boyfriends indicated an assumption that if these men had been raisedwith or taught proper means of dealing with their frustrations andemotions, the abuse to him and his mother would have been lessened oreliminated.   This idea was supported by at least one social worker, whosuggested counselling for Trent, his mother, and the then boyfriend asone possible way of addressing the abusive situation.Several participants did bring feminist theory and thought into groupdiscussion, pointing out, for example, that dominance or aggression bymen in any form was unhealthy, and questioning why it was only seen asunhealthy by most of the social workers they had encountered, and byothers they knew in the community, when physical viol ence was actuallyinvolved.   There was a related discussion, albeit brief, about the unwillingnessof neighbours, relatives, and others in the community, such as membersof the same church, to intervene in the domestic violence situation.  Participants indicated their perception that whilst this was often dueto a fear of getting involved or knowing how to help the situation,there were repeated occurrences in everyone’s experience where anunwillingness to intervene derived from others’ implications that theman of the house had some right to choose the way in which thehousehold operated, or that he had a right to discipline his wife /girlfriend and children as he saw fit.   Wendy reports hearing an auntstate â€Å"Well, its his family, their kids, she wants to stay with him,†and dismiss the ongoing violence as therefore an acceptable familylifestyle, or at least one in which none of the rest of the familyshould be expected to intervene.   Participants then a cknowledged thisand several other systemic situations that perpetuated their abuse,such as reluctance of authority figures to continue questioning wheninitially told nothing was wrong, and unwillingness of police tointervene repeatedly.   Similarly, regarding gender roles, discussion indicated a belief bymost participants that their social workers believed a traditionalstereotype of what was appropriate behaviour for a man and a woman, andthat these behaviours were different.   There were reports of acceptanceof physical response as an appropriate masculine reaction, but thelevel of physical response not being considered appropriate.   Maleparticipants were encouraged to talk about their experiences, butreport never being given permission to express fear, or an emotionalresponse such as crying.   One male participant reported starting to cryas part of a group experience, and being discouraged rather thanencouraged to continue, whilst female members of the group were allowedt o and even supported in such emotional expression.   There were similarreports of various hegemonically feminine expressions, such as crying,fear, and nurturing behaviours, being supported and encouraged bysocial workers for male family members but not female, as well as anacceptance or assumption of weakness on the part of adult females whochose to remain in an abusive situation.The discussion then moved to the effect of traditional and feministperspective on social work service.   Participants overwhelminglyreported feeling better served when social workers sought to empowerthem and their families.   This did usually involve practise of methodsderived from a feminist view, such as the use of reflective journalingand support groups, as well as encouragement from the social workers tothe mother that she could, indeed, survive and prosper outside thedomestic violence situation, that she did have the inner reserves toaddress the situation and move to a healthier lifestyle, and t hatsocietal pressure to be with a man, either as a romantic partner or asa father / father-figure for children was not necessary for asuccessful life.   Participants also report feeling personally empoweredby such encouragement, and therefore able to support their mothers inattempts to leave relationships.From their own study in social work theory, focus group participantswere able to briefly discuss the ramifications of the patriarchalsocietal power structure on a woman’s decision to stay in a violentsituation.   One issue brought up included the perception that societywill view a woman as a failure and undesirable if she does not have aromantic relationship with a man in her life.   A number of womenparticipants in the group reported feeling similar pressure to maintaina romantic relationship with a man in their life, regardless of theirother commitments or interests, and an expectation that they would notbe successful women if they did not ultimately get married and havechildren.   When questioned by other participants, the three maleparticipants reported not feeling such pressures.   Another issue raisedwas the mothers’ perception that they needed a father figure tosuccessfully raise children, particularly boys.   This was perpetuatedin the life experiences of group participants even though the menoccupying these roles were viewed by the male participants asdestructive, rather than constructive, influences.   Issues of supportin disciplining children and managing household operations were alsoindicated, as was the financial support provided by the batterer.   Thegroup indicated all these issues were societal, rather than individual,and lack of addressing of them affected the effectiveness of the socialservices they had received.Overall, the participants were generally positive about at least onesocial worker with whom they had a relationship during their teenageyears.   Participants typically felt feeling most encouraged and bestserved by those social workers who did not present themselves as beingdistant or above the participants and their families, and who did notoverly emphasise their family’s issues from a perspective of individualdysfunction.   These findings indicated that a feminist interactiveconstruct, which avoids â€Å"power over† methods and practise is perceivedto be most effective by domestic violence survivors. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended from findings of this study that social workersare first provided greater exposure to and training in feminist methodsand theory as it relates to their practical, day-to-day practise.   Forexample, all participants reported some positive experiences inresponse to reflective methods such as reflective journaling andsurvivor support groups.   Considerations of ways to more greatlyinclude such methods in typical practise are therefore indicated.   Of greater concern are the systems in which social workers operate.  Whilst most of the social workers in these focus group participants’experiences had some familiarity with feminist theory or methods, asindicated by their emphasis on empowerment or use of specificstrategies, there is something within the government-sponsored socialservices structure that prohibits practise truly based on feministtenets.   A sharp contrast was provided by the young woman served at aprogressive, private service, where feminis t theory was the obviousframework on which service was based.   She was by far the most positiveabout her experiences and workers, and reported insights, understandingand empowerment to change not consistently reported by other focusgroup participants.It therefore recommended that more research be pursued as to whatfactors constrain social workers from functioning from a more feministframework.   Issues such as time (many social workers have far morepeople to see and serve than they would like to have, or often feelthey can serve effectively), lack of material resources such asappropriate space, lack of effective training, or discouragement insuch regards from supervisors or others in power.   Specificallyidentifying relevant factors could then form a framework forprogressing with change in social work practise within a typicalgovernment service organisation.It is further recommended that individual social workers consider whatconstraints they persona

Assessment of The World is Flat and A Whole New Mind Essay -- Friedman

Assessment of The World is Flat and A Whole New Mind The widespread adoption of new technologies serves as the driver behind societal alteration. With few exceptions, changes in the framework of society from politics to the individual have been wrought by economic changes; that is, the onward march of societal progression can be traced to changes in the market. Thomas L. Friedman in The World is Flat argues that the recent â€Å"shrinking† of the world in terms of communications has weakened the traditional stronghold America has held over white-collar professions. A similar point (to a degree) is argued by Daniel H. Pink in A Whole New Mind, specifically that the weakening discussed by Friedman will give rise to a demand for a more creative, synergetic, whole-picture type of thought to which Americans are well capable of fulfilling. Ultimately, both works call for a shift of focus to a different set of skills and talent that Americans will need to not only survive, but thrive in the newly forming globalized or flat world. Ultimately, The World is Flat describes the effects technology, specifically the newabundance of cheap global telecommunications and the rapidly expanding and diversifying ways individuals and companies can take advantage of this cheap commodity, will have on the world as it moves into the 21stcentury. This newly created ability to effectively communicate globally in a cheap and high quality manner, Friedman argues, arose from the ashes of the dot-com bubble, and it has monumental effects for China, India, and other developing nations, to the potential detriment of Europe, Japan, and the United States. Since the United States et al can no longer compete with India and China or the ever more sophisticated sof... ...ld to a wide-range of differing groups of unique individuals; in a sense, I can grasp the bigger picture of these three skills. That being said, in order to take advantage of the flat-world platform, I will have to expand my knowledge of technology to make use of the ten flatteners. Flat or Conceptual, either way, our new globalized world spells change for the white-collared worker of the millennium. Our interconnectivity and the availability of cheap labor provide a medium to which new skills must be learned and improved upon if success is to be found. Works Cited Friedman, Thomas L. The World is Flat. New York, New York. Farrar, Straus, Giroux. 2006. National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide. 2005. Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, New York. Penguin Group USA. 2005.

External marketing environment factors Essay

Marketing assignment on: External marketing environment factors Q1. Identify & Discuss which external marketing environment factors more impact on Ford. Ans1. Ford Motor Company refers to an American multinational enterprise which deals in the manufacturing of the automobiles. Ford has been known for manufacturing cars on a large scale. Ford refers to the second largest manufacturer in case of the automobile sector. Based upon the annual sales figure, Ford has been termed at the fifth largest amongst all across the globe. In order to study the external environment of the same, the five major fact ors such as Political, Economic, Social, Technology & Legal aspects should be kept in mind. One of the external marketing environment factors which would impact more on Ford would be the Technological Factors. In order to attain competitive advantage as compared to the other automobile manufacturers, use of the upgraded technology would play one of the most crucial roles. These days technology is being changing in a blink of an eye. Therefore, Ford must do proper research in order to see what all changes have been made in the same. In case of the automobile industry, innovation would also play a major role. Innovating the existing automobiles would give the old cars an entire new look. Use of internet would also help the organization in order to communicate with the internal as well as the external customers. Internet would also help in order to protect the privacy of the organization. Q2. Product Strategy A) Evaluate products Strategy which can adopt to Ford industry. In order to sustain amongst the competition, Ford industry should keep in mind the following product strategies. This would help in order to redesign or re consider the entire product line of Ford. ? In order to reduce the level of pollution, Ford should try to make eco friendly cars which would help in order to emit less amount of smoke. ? The car so developed should be made out of approximately 85% of recyclables. Eco friendly bio based seats should be incorporated in the same. ? Ford should make commitment with it’s customers that in order to have a broader sustainability all across the globe they shall follow the principle â€Å"reduce, recycle & reuse†. ? Use of renewable along with recyclable material should be used. This would help the organization to go green & help save the planet from the pollutants. ? Use of flexible fuel vehicles, Hybrid technology & Electric Vehicles should be used. This would help in order to reduce the level of emissions in the atmosphere. B) Analyze what kind of impact of Ford on the performances. By adopting the various product strategies mentioned above, Ford would have the following performances over the same. ? With the use of various recyclable materials, the level of emissions would decline. ? People would prefer Ford as compared to any other automobile manufacturer. ? Use of flexible fuel vehicles, Hybrid technology & Electric Vehicles should be used. This would help in order to reduce the level of emissions in the atmosphere. ? Productivity as well as the efficiency or performance of the cars would also be increased. Q3. Strategy Marketing Planning A) Do you think large companies need strategy marketing planning? Yes. Why? Yes, large companies require strategic marketing planning. A strategic market plan refers to a type of plan which would help any organization or a sector regarding the various types of objectives to be taken into consideration in the years to come. One of the major reasons as to why large companies need a strategic marketing plan is that it has been regarded as a well structured guide book which consist of all the relevant points of a marketing plan. The strategic marketing plan would take into consideration a detailed budget, source of media to be used, potential target audience, and channel of distribution to be chosen. The strategic marketing plan would help the organization in order to have an in depth knowledge regarding the automobile industry. This would help Ford in order to have detailed information regarding the marketing strategies to be used & measure its performance as well. This would also help in order to examine or re-examine the objectives to be used at Ford. A well structured strategic marketing plan would help Ford in order to create a difference amongst successful strategies as compared to the failed ones. The strategic marketing plan would also help in order to define the marketing objectives, plans, procedures, goals, vision, target audience in the most cost effective & efficient manner. Hence, it must be noted that Ford should use a well structured & a formal strategic marketing plan which would help the organization in order to have well defined objectives, goals, vision, mission, etc regarding the same. This would help in order to assess the current status of the organization with respect to product, promotional, pricing & distribution strategies. B) Analyze strategy marketing plan on Ford and discuss why Ford’s strategy marketing plan is not working and give solutions for it. By analyzing the current marketing plan on Ford, it can be concluded that the current market share of the same has been declined. It could be stated that the current domestic market share of Ford has been declined by an approximate figure of 5% since 2001. The stock for Ford has also closed at a price of $8. 01in Jan. In order to stabilize its market position, Ford should launch various models of car catering to the small segments. This would help in order grasp demand from the other segments as well. This would also help in order to scant the demand in the years to come. The organization should try to adopt various pricing strategies such as bei8ng cost effective, low cost model which should be priced approximately in the range of $9,000 – $13,000. This would help in order to target the young potential buyers as well. In order to get into them, revitalization of the product line with a new marketing strategy along with the product design should be done. This would help in order to boost up the level of sales & stabilize its position in the market.