Motivation for Advanced Level Esl Learning Essay

In recent years, TESOL has called for the study of the social and cognitive factors that affect adult English learners’ participation in formal language learning. Numerous research projects have investigated the motivational influences and factors of adult immigrant English. In particular, factors and motivations which led them to take an advanced ESL courses after already having adequate fluency in English to conduct their work and daily lives. Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, these studies have frequently uncovered that the ESL students opted to pursue advanced language training to, primarily, join the dominant language culture and community. Practical reasons, although very important to the learners, seem to be outweighed by the psychological drive to integrate into the culture. Social identity often proves to be the major factor in this process as student motivation often fostered by a self perceived difference between their current and desired identities as assimilated speakers of their new language. Fundamentally they saw language education as an essential transitional requisite for attainment of this preferred identity. Introduction The study of TESOL, which can trace its roots applied linguistics, occasionally failed to think about many non-linguistic aspects and situations of use which can influence learning. A large part of this knowledge, though, collected through education and psychology investigations could be applied to the groups of people and areas of interest being considered in TESOL. In places such as California second-language English users make up 63% of the target adult learners and almost a third in the country overall (Lasater and Elliott, 2004). The literature studied below begins by recapping major endeavors of psychology and education investigation so as to establish a baseline of student’s imperatives to learn. The study later focuses on motivation studies in linguistics related to ESL attainment and advancement. Part 2 Andragogy and Self-Motivation Andragogy  Review of the Literature Adult Learning from a Social Cognitive Perspective The foundation of adult learning theory was established in Lindeman (1926) who identified important distinctions between adult and child learning. These ideas were later developed by Knowles (1990) and constitute the hypothetical learning model dubbed andragogy. Andragogy, a mode of education starkly contrary pedagogy, which is characterized by children being instructed by adults in a directed and authoritarian environment. Knowles posited that because of significant psychological and physiological differences between youth and adult learners, the modes of educational motivation must be equally disparate. Knowles’s teachings are very well regarded in the education worldwide. Psychological metamorphosis in adult life, human factors brought to the learning situation, adult outside world demands, and life duties distinct from children’s, particularly a greater breadth of life encounters, varied incentives, and educational requirements all act in concert to create a distinctly different mode of motivation for adult learners. In particular, adult learning, per Knowles (1990), is predicated upon six vital components: 1. Justification for learning, that is, the rationale for desiring the education, before pursuing it. 2. Transformation of the adult concept of the self into that of an independent, self-directed human being. 3. Life experience that influences the adult body of accumulated knowledge, desires as well as being a component factor of self awareness. 4. Developmental willingness and practical feasibility relating to the synchronized pacing of learning experiences to their appropriate phases of emotional maturation. . Problem-centered approach of learning which can immediately be applied to real-life situations. 6. Self-motivation to learn by self-generated factors, as opposed to externally imposed requirements Kolb (1984) offered an expanded depiction of the process as a self-perpetuating process where actual events necessitate a review, analysis leading to later research and proper scientific revi ew. The learner’s assimilation into a different culture and society facilitates creation of educational desires with eventual engagement in a formalized educational environment as a key to attaining the desires. Learning occurs in myriad encounters/interactions with the student’s world in psychological process. In a social context, the actual knowledge gained is not so much seen as an acquisition but more as one of externalization. A way to get out of one’s self and into their new environment. Cognition of facts occurs which is a pro-active, relevant, and meaningful adult response to confusion created by previous discontinuity. A disjuncture can serve as â€Å"the point at which needs and wants and interests converge† . as well as an origin point for jumping into the learning process. By extending this idea to immigrant experiences, it seems as though basic everyday activity changes caused from immersion in a society which communicates in a foreign tongue, and made all the more real by the imperative to become functional in this society, can create disjuncture in their lives and compel them to pursue ESL education so as to not be overwhelmed. While many will pursue language education at once, others may find that language disjunctures happen later in their lives when greater proficiency beyond basic functional skills is required for a variety of reasons. Knowledge deficits plus a developed self-concept grounded within a cultural milieu can generate pressing need – a need to learn. Self-Motivation There are many different definitions for Motivation. In an educational context, one of the more comprehensive and useful definitions is from John Keller’s 1983 publication called Motivational Design of Instruction: â€Å"the choices people make as to what experiences or goals they will approach or avoid, and the degree of effort they will exert in that respect† (Keller, 1983). Motivation is mercurial in nature. Keller identified a perception of applicability of the learning presented as fundamental for maintaining long-term motivation. Relevance exceeds the subject’s education requirements to encompass perceptions of satisfaction desired through the process in fulfilling psychological imperative senses of achievement, belonging, power and freedom. Encountering disappointment during a learning situation can dissipate motivation and possible cause learned helplessness (Bandura, 1982; deCharms, 1984; Weiner, 1984) or dismotivation going beyond mere discouragement. Educational psychology accepts that motivation also varies because of varied contexts in which learning occurs. Studies have brought to light additional connections between the act of learning a language and the evolving perspective of learners in the L2 environment. Peirce (1995) introduced the idea that acquisition of proficiency in a dominant language allowed learnersr to â€Å"acquire a wider range of symbolic and material resources [and] increase the value of [the learners’] cultural capital†. Sfard & Prusak (2005) insinuated that the learning itself is closing the gap between learners’ actual and projected identities. Qualitative studies offer a model of language learning motivation which is dynamic, longitudinal process whereby learners’ cognitions and beliefs (Ushioda, 2001), and relevance of the curriculum to their interests (Syed, 2001) directly affect involvement in learning. Part 3 Language Learners vs Second Language Learners Linguists only recently have begun distinguishing foreign language students from second language students when studying their drive to pursue language education and have proposed â€Å"the dynamics involved in learning these two different types of language may be quite different† (Gardner, 2001). To date, the great majority of these studies are in foreign language (FL) classes. Gardener’s quote was actually taken from a volume containing 20 separate motivation studies, none of which contained ESL students. ESL students, for whom English was a gateway ability for study in different subjects or earning a university degree, were more compelled by exterior forces to learn than heritage and non-heritage EFL learners. A motivation survey of 580 adult immigrants at a local college based ESL program in Toronto rated the following motives highest: linguistic needs, basic skills, cultural awareness, social interaction, and resume writing (Paper, 1990). It found no significant difference in motives based age, duration of residence or level of education. The influence of integrative orientation in the data compelled the author to recommend including Canadian culture in the curriculum. Conscious intention of immigrating to the U. S. was another motivating factor for language learning in a separate exploration conducted on adult learners (Brilliant, Lvovich, and Markson, 1995). Student’s beliefs seem to fill a vital role in adult learning accomplishments, consistent with educational psychology, thus making them ideal subjects for motivation research. A particular study, Bernat (2003), examined the views of 20 unemployed Vietnamese learners in a vocational ESL course in Sydney, Australia. Their scores were high on two motivations: 85% of respondents expressed the integrative desire to develop their interpersonal relations with the Australians better and make friends among them, and all agreed that speaking English well would enhance their prospects for employment. Part 4 The Attitude Motivation Test Battery (AMTB)  This is a large battery of tests which measures a number of different aspects of language learning. The instrument was originally used to measure attitudes of students studying English and French in Canada. Scales included attitudes toward French Canadians, interest in foreign languages, attitudes toward European French people, attitudes toward learning French, integrative orientation, instrumental orientation, anxiety, parental encouragement, motivational intensity, and desire to learn French. The scale instrument has been modified more recently. The Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) is designed to measure different components of the socio-educational model of SLA. There are eleven sub-tests, nine with ten items each, and two with four items. The five main variables assessed in the AMTB are attitudes toward the learning situation, integrativeness, motivation, instrumentality and language anxiety.

Care for the physical and nutritional needs of babies and young children Essay

When planning meals for young children it is best to meet their nutritional needs. Each meal should be the right consistency for the child and include all of the major food groups. There are five food groups, bread, cereals and potatoes (starchy food), fruit and vegetables, milk cheese and yoghurt, meat, fish eggs, beans, lentils (protein) and foods high in fat and sugar. When planning a meal the fruit and vegetables should be served at each meal and should try and have five servings of either each day. Milk cheese and yoghurts should be served three times a day and bread and cereals either as a snack such as bread sticks or as an accompaniment to a meal. Meat, fish or a vegetarian option should be served three times a day. Foods which are high in fat and sugar can be included every day in addition to the other food groups but one a child is 2 years old you can gradually lower the fat in their diet. All of the five food groups combined will give the nutrients required for a healthy balanced diet. Young children should eat according to the appetites and not portion sizes. It is good to introduce new foods to children and encourage them to try these and let the parents know what meals the children have tried to encourage a large choice of different foods. You also need to be aware of any cultural diets that may need extra consideration. Tamara Wright CYPOP 2: Care for the physical and nutritional needs of babies and young children 6.2 Some children may suffer some allergies or intolerance to foods. A child with a server allergy to nuts may react even if someone else in the room has a bar with nuts in depending on the severity of the allergy. The child may react in various ways such as swelling of the skin or a rash or start to be unable to breath easily. All instructions received from carers regarding their children should be advised to all staff and in areas such as the kitchen a photo of the child with their allergy written in large should be displayed so everyone who may be serving the child food is aware. It is best that children under 1 year are not given cows milk to drink because their digestive system cannot cope with it. Also avoid with baby’s shark, swordfish and marlin because it contains high levels of mercury and this can affect the baby’s growing nervous system. Avoid raw shell fish to reduce the risk of developing food poison. Foods that are low-fat, low calorie and high in fibre foods are not suitable for babies as they needs small portions that contain lots of nutrients and calories. Nuts should not be given to children under 5 years as they can choke on them. If there is a history of a allergy of peanuts in the family then this should be checked by a doctor. As with any type of allergy it can lead to a severe reaction, or possibly an anaphylactic shock and will need to be treated at hospital or immediately with an Epi pen. Some children have a reaction to eggs whether they are cooked on uncooked. Eggs may contain bacteria if not cooked correctly this can lead to food poisoning.

The Best Colleague I Ever Worked with

I chose to speak on the topic The Best or Worst person I ever worked with. It required me to take a good look at my work history. So far, I have been fortunate to work with good people and for good management as a whole. One manager; however, stands out in my mind as superlative and worthy of the title â€Å"Best person I ever worked with. † His demeanor was calm, he enabled individuals to act autonomously, and he acknowledged hard work and achievements. For this presentation I will address this person as Bob, so he may remain anonymous.Bob’s position was director of materials and handling, and I worked for him as the departments purchasing manager. It’s been said that first impressions are lasting impressions. I remember meeting Bob during the second half of my interview. He was a tall, stocky gentleman around my father’s age with gray hair, and wore wire framed glasses. He was dressed casually in khaki pants, a striped shirt and a blue cardigan sweater. In one hand he held a manila folder, and in the other a large coffee mug. He sat down, introduced himself and asked me how I was doing today.While a social pleasantry he seemed genuine with his question. His persona was as relaxed as his attire. I had been laid off from the airline industry for five months and my benefits were running out. At this time I had a pending job offer, but figured it couldn’t hurt to go on one more interview. Keep in mind I was thoroughly burnt out on interviewing, and mostly certain I was going to accept that offer. Bob’s next question for me was if I was laid off. I replied â€Å"Yes. † He then shared with me that he too was from industry and that he came to this company after being laid off.The company I was interviewing with was a health related business and I honestly didn’t see myself working for them. When he shared this information about himself it allowed me broaden my thinking. We continued to talk about the company an d job position, my work experience and goals, even outside interests and family. Our conversation with each other came very natural. Bob then took me on a tour of the building and their department. We concluded our interview and I left feeling very positive about the whole experience.A couple days later the company called and made me an offer. I accepted, and it was the best decision I made in five months. Upon taking the job I would find that my first impression held true and that Bob’s calm demeanor transferred to managing the materials and handling department. No one in the department dreaded coming into work. He was always friendly and polite. We knew that we weren’t going to have unnecessary stress while completing our work. In fact, this manager was so well liked that staff from other departments would seek out his opinion and guidance.His calm demeanor allowed him to be rational and offer sound advice. Bob enabled me to operate autonomously. He never told me how to do my work and respected my opinion on matters that affected the department. In a one-on-one meeting he told me that he hired me because he knew I could do the job. It was up to me how to get it done. He wasn’t concerned with every step I took to accomplish it, so long as it was done right. Everyone in the department knew their responsibilities and held themselves accountable. Hard work did not go unnoticed.Bob acknowledged my efforts in the department. After 90 days with the company, which was family owned, he gave me a bonus. He felt I was working above and beyond normal contributions. He made sure that I was adequately compensated at my annual review time and happy with my work/life balance. Bob communicated the departments plan. He was committed towards achieving that plan by leading by example. And he was dedicated to the people performing the work. Because of this he was an asset to the company, and the best person I have worked with.

The Great Depression and American isolationism affect on FDR's desire Essay

The Great Depression and American isolationism affect on FDR's desire to take an active role in international affairs in the manner of TR and Wilson - Essay Example According to Michael Leigh, FDR never made any attempt to persuade US public regarding ending of isolation. He also says that FDR had enormous preoccupation with the public opinion. (http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19950501fareviewessay5045/paul-johnson/the-myth-of-american-isolationism-reinterpreting-the-past.html ). This view contradicts the famous fireside chats of FDR to some extent, because he was a humanitarian and the Nazi killings must have worried him. At the same time, he moulded the public opinion towards participation in the war. Initially, that is before the Pearl Harbour, Roosevelt did value the American public opinion which was combined with the caution of Great Depression and American belief in isolationism. "Domestic political problems in the summer of 1937 had made Roosevelt particularly reluctant to risk anything in foreign affairs. The Court fight and the failure to break a series of sit down strikes have seriously ended his middle class support," Datlek (1979, p.14 7). Isolationists thought that alliances could be unsettling, and destabilizing. In President Hoover's opinion they were 'provocative actions' that have 'hitherto always cracked up in war itself'. The horrors of the First World War, Versailles treaty, fear of getting drawn into another war, Great Depression, scare of losing uninhibited decision making were a few causes of isolationism. Isolation had many more reasons and excuses: "Belief that the depression had been caused by W.W.I Belief that Europe was unworthy of our support Pacifism-people who hated and abhorred war Belief that arms manufacturers, bankers had caused war Belief that W.W.I had been a tragic mistake for the U.S " http://www.sagehistory.net/roosevelts/wwii/1920WWII1940.htm FDR initially was more engrossed with the domestic problems and his refusal to peg the value of the US dollar wrecked the International Economic Conference of 1933, to be held in London, which was partially encouraged by Hoover. FDR, instead, maintained Good Neighbour Policy and Pan Americanism and in Buenos Aires Conference, he demonstrated that America was uninterested in domineering weaker nations and he continued economic nationalism and cooperation both. Still, there existed a certain stalemate between an internationalist president and an isolationist congress. He recognised USSR, increased foreign trade hoping to alleviate depression, and his Neutrality Act of 1937 famously hurt Spain and made US a 'silent accomplice of Hitler'. His Quarantine speech in Chicago was intentional; but Americans were too wrapped up in isolationism and events like Panay, plight of China, and even the armament need of Britain and France did not move the Congress, despite President's efforts, though h e eventually succeeded in persuading Congress to send armaments to Britain, which is called America's 'first line of defence'. did not end till the onset of Second World War and the fear of it had slowed down America. FDR had to face this inertia, even though he wanted

Describe and explain the main functions of prices in a modern Essay

Describe and explain the main functions of prices in a modern competitive market economy PLUS MORE QUESTIONS - Essay Example This is a signal to the supplier to expand their production in order to meet higher demand. Further, in case of excess supply, price factor also plays an important role to eliminate the excess supply. The signalling function of price can be discussed more briefly by using the following diagram. It can be seen from the Figure-1, as demand for good-Q increases, supplier of the goods can earn higher revenue and profit by selling it at higher price per unit. Thus, increase in market demand leads to expansion of market supply. Further, Figure-2 shows an increase in market supply causes fall in the relative price of good-Q and expansion of the market output along with the market demand curve. By utilising the signalling function of price, consumers are able to transmit expression of the preference or important information about changing needs and wants, to its customers. When market demand is high, price acts as the motivational factor to increase production, as supplier can earn higher profit by increasing their production. Similarly, when demand is low, it signals suppliers to contract their production. In market mechanism, suppliers actually control their production on the basis of price fluctuation (Mas-Colell et al. 2004). Price also plays an important role to ration the scarce resources. It helps to allocate the scarce resources in an effective way, when demand in the market over strips the supply. When there is shortage of product in market, the price rises. Thus, only those people, whose willingness to pay is effectively high, purchases the product. It helps to eliminate consumers having low willingness to pay. In this context, it can be cited that, auction plays a crucial part to allocate resources in an appropriate manner and clears the market. In economics, the term demand increase reflects increase in the ability and willingness on the buyers to buy a good or services at pre-existing

Interpersonal Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Interpersonal Communication - Essay Example Discourse analysis involves such aspects as small talk, talk-in-interaction and also computer-mediated communication. Small talk is a causal type of conversation which is used to break an awkward silence between two people (Goffman, 1981). Thus it is considered as a strategy in managing the interpersonal distance. This is vital as sometimes it is not ethical to be without saying anything. There are certain instances and situations in which small talk is considered appropriate. There are also some commonly used topics in small talk. Thus small talk facilitates the creation of a positive face among the people and it can have at the beginning or at the end of the conversation. Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is described as some form of communicative transaction that occurs between two or more computers which are in a network. Basically this term has been utilized to define interactions that take place through computer-mediated formats such as e-mails, chat rooms and instant messaging (Thurlow, Lengel & Tomica, 2004). However it also involves other forms of communication such as text messaging. Research on CMC concentrates mostly on social impact of computer-supported communication technologies. CMC is a concept that has been evolving over time with the advent of technology. Sometimes there is deviation from the conventional means such as the use of audio visual technologies in contrast to the totally text based forms of communication. Analysis Discourse Analysis (DA) is a method that has been used to analyze written, spoken or signed language in any significant semiotic activity. It is a qualitative approach that has been developed by psychologists (Heritage, 1997). The objectives are; 1. Analyze natural occurring of language, which is not invented before. Related activities are Corpus linguistics and text linguistics. 2. Define coherent sequences of speech acts or sequence of statements 3. Define syntax, lexicon, style, speech act and aspects of interaction 4. Define various types of disclosures in media, education science and business Discourse analysis is begins with research questions which are not formal sense. Aim theoretical positions when preparing questionnaire (Potter, 1997). This can be a text which is deconstructive but relate to identities. Topics can be identified including men's friendships, Family background inquiries, about marriage, and so on. It identifies the theoretical orientation to understand the analysis and also try to understand themes in what people want. With the help of utterance it can be abstracted about what is being said. But there will be inconsistency and sometimes an attempt to arise blame, regular interruption of people, and so on. 1. Report collected information that can be abstracted. 2. Critique own interpretations 3. Reconsider the research question and state what theory and practice in Psychology can be applied. In normal day-today usage it could be mentioned that the term text is used exclusively to define written language, whereas discourse is used to describe spoken language exclusively. However Linguists have in recent times use the term text to define all types of utterances. A few examples of text maybe a magazine article, a television interview or a cooking recipe. Text Linguistics is defined as "the formal account of the linguistic principles governing

John Cleese & Creativity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Cleese & Creativity - Essay Example Prostitution has its supporters and opponents. Supporters say that it should be legalized as a form of legitimate sexual work, while opponents argue that it must be continuously criminalized because it demeans women and is connected to other illegal activities. I want a different solution that is one-of-a-kind, in that, it helps existing and potential sex workers find another form of meaningful related work. To ponder on diverse solutions to ending prostitution that can satisfy proponents and opponents of prostitution, I followed Cleese’s five creativity factors a couple of days ago, wherein first, I chose a space for my pondering session. Cleese asserts that people â€Å"can’t become playful, and therefore creative, if [they’re] under [their] usual pressures,† so it is important to seal oneself off in a quiet place with no distractions. I went to a secluded portion of a nearby park when the weather was quite nice and I turned off my cellphone too. At the same time, I informed my friends and family who always send messages (online and offline) that I would go off the grid for three hours, so I would not respond to them. I would have wanted someone to go with me to expand the creativity circle, as Cleese suggested, but unfortunately, the people I wanted to invite were unavailable. The second factor of creativity is time. I gave my pondering session an hour and a half and up to two hours, as Cleese recommended. Cleese said that we need an â€Å"oasis of quiet† for a specific period of time to unleash our natural creativity. During this time, I did some brainstorming by writing down possible original solutions to prostitution without being hampered by ethical, legal, and other potential boundaries to my creativity. It did not matter if the solutions were unscrupulous or silly or impractical. I just wrote down everything that I can think of that can convince prostitutes/sex workers

Retail Marketing Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Retail Marketing Master - Case Study Example It also is a multi-billion pound food retailer. Most of its shops sell both of these categories. Marks & Spencer also has a third product line related to home wares such as bed linen, but this is far smaller than the other two. For much of the 20th century M&S was regarded as the leading retailer in the United Kingdom, and an icon of British business. In 1997 it became the first British retailer to make a profit before tax of over 1 billion, though within a couple of years it plunged into a crisis from which it has not yet fully recovered. It is now less than one quarter of the size of the UK's largest and most profitable retailer, Tesco(http://www.marks-and-spencer.co.uk) Marks & Spencer unlike most of its rivals didn't instantly jump into the television advertising for its marketing and to draw customers. Marks & Spencer launched its first advertisement as late as in the mid 1990s. By selling British-made goods Marks & Spencer made their reputation. They entered into long term relationships with British manufacturers, and sold the goods under the "St Michael" brand (trademark registered in 1928), which was used for both clothes and food (Wall Street Journal,2006). Initially Marks & Spencer accepted the return of unwanted goods, with no time restriction, giving full cash refunds if the receipt was shown. Now it has changed that policy and has adopted a 90-day returns policy. This act made many loyal customers of Marks & Spencer to refrain from buying. The company's main prominence is of quality, but initially it also had a reputation for offering a good value for money. When this reputation began to waver, it encountered serious difficulties. It is a fact that M&S has historically been an iconic retailer of 'British Quality Goods.'(http://www.marks-and-spencer.co.uk) In 1988, Marks & Spencer acquired an American clothing company and a US food chain, naming Brooks Brothers and Kings Super Markets respectively. Marks & Spencer profits were maximized during 1997-98. But these profits were short term due to the rising cost of using British suppliers. Customer loyalty eroded quickly as rival retailers increasingly imported their goods from low-cost countries. In addition, it also lost its fame in the young generation who were reluctant to shop with it. These factors further plunged Marks & Spencer profits into a sudden slump, which took every one by surprise. The company's share price fell by more than two thirds, and its profits fell from more than a billion pounds in 1997 and 1998 to 145 million in the year ended 31 March 2001 (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). In 2001, with changes in their business focus such as the introduction of the "Per Una" clothing range designed by George Davies, accompanied by a redesign of their underlying business model, profits recovered somewhat and M&S recovered some of its market share but this these profits were also short lived(Karen Barth, 2001). Place: Marks & Spencer have adopted an indirect marketing channel i.e. it maintains distribution channel as follows Producer Retailer Consumer Marks & Spencer usually have its own retail stores Promotion: Advertisement:

Drama Play- A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Essay

Drama Play- A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen - Essay Example According to Nora, even though men refuse to sacrifice their integrity, â€Å"hundreds of thousands of women have.† (Ibsen, 1879) Nora had to leave the penniless Krogstad and marry Torvald in order to support her mother and two brothers. Torvald is condescending towards Nora and the dominant partner in their marriage. Nora hides a loan from him because she is aware that Torvald could never accept the fact that his wife had helped save his life. She also has to work secretly to pay off the loan. Nora’s deception and the attitudes of Torvald and society make Nora fall a victim to Krogstad’s blackmail. Nora finally decides to walk out of the marriage leaving her children. Nora fears that she may be corrupting the children and feels that leaving the children with the nanny is in their best interest. The main theme of the play is that when a society fails to function in a right way and when men dominate and oppress women, women are reduced to mere objects. The title of the play itself suggests this. Nora is nothing but a doll in her house. Another theme is that there can be no pretences in a marriage. Ibsen in order to make the play realistic wrote the dialogue in a simple, middle-class, everyday language instead of the elegant, haughty language of romantic plays. The dialogue is simple yet powerful and succeeds in revealing the human psyche. And the most important element of the play is that practically every object in the play be it the Christmas tree or Noras clothing are symbols that emphasize Ibsens theme. One symbol that keeps recurring throughout the play is the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree, which is used for decorative purpose during Christmas, symbolizes here the position of Nora in her house. The Christmas tree is present in the background of every scene and Ibsen succeeds in creating an undeniable association between the tree and Nora. Nora like the tree is only decorative, as was the case with

The Good and Bad of Audi Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Good and Bad of Audi - Case Study Example The founders then moved to Ingolstadt in Bavaria and formed the Auto Union in 1949, with loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid. In 1969 Audi Union merged with the world's largest motorcycle producer, NSU - the company was now known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG. Audi emerged as a separate brand. Then Volkswagen introduced Audi 1970 models to the United States. Nowadays Audi is a global developer and producer of high quality cars with production sites in Germany, Hungary, China, Belgium and India. In 2008, Audi sold a total of 1,003,000 cars, setting up a record for the thirteenth consecutive year. Audi is a premium member of the Volkswagen Group and it is interesting to note that technologies are first introduced into the mass market in Audi vehicles. Thereafter they conveyed to the more value oriented brands such as Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda. Audi is aware of the fact that consumers do not buy cars for rational reasons. Therefore, Audi moved ahead as a serious competitor in the global luxury segment in the early 1990s and now offers a wide variety of premium vehicles, the most famous of which is the Audi TT, launched in 1999. This car was designed for people with passion. There were other Audi models that appealed to the emotions, like the Audi A8, which was launched in 2003. In 2004 Audi launched the S4 convertible with a soft top and a 4.2 litre V8 engine for outstanding performance. The Audi A6 was also launched in 2004 and was extremely competitive in the executive segment. A more recent technology introduced by Audi is that of the Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) engines and the quick shifting dual-clutch gearbox (DSG). Currently, Audi is launching the most efficient standard sized sedan, the A4 2.0 TDT e with fuel consumption of 4.6 litres per 100 km and a carbon dioxide exhaust emission of 119 grams per hundred kilometers. This sedan features stop/start technology and a brake recovery energy system and comes with low resistance tires. QUALITY PROBLEMS In 2003 and 2004 the Volkswagen group ordered massive recalls involving various brands. One of these cases was a recall of 850,000 vehicles of VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat with 1.8 litre turbo engines, V5, V6 and V8

Week 6 DQ 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 6 DQ 1 - Assignment Example In individual communication, the initial sender of the message is most commonly a singular entity, with the recipients being either in plural or in a limited number. Communicating with an individual is rather direct since the use of non-verbal communication cues are evident, where the individual’s shift in position can easily be noted (Baack 64). Such responses are easy to monitor in the case that the communication is directed to an individual. This is even better enhanced when it comes to feedback and its analysis. On the other hand, group communication is limited in quality by the number of singular individuals involved since they are limited in terms of response analysis and real-time reaction to such feedback from the recipients of the message. Group communication is additionally limited by the group state of mind that is imposed on the group by the environment, and thus the message and feedback cannot be handled as efficiently as on an individual

Gendering Childhood Essay Example for Free

Gendering Childhood Essay Toy stores are places where the gender of different children is being shaped – be it femininity, masculinity or gender-neutrality – according to the current ideas of society and culture about gender. It is therefore evident that toy stores are actually catalysts to the ongoing ideas about a certain kind of gender. In terms of gender-neutral toys, toy stores can be seen as a channel for interaction or equality between the sexes, although this is only seen some of the toys intended for toddlers and teens, and the toys that are digital/computer-based such as educational toys and consoles. In most toy stores, there are clear divisions and may even be separated and placed on opposite ends of the store. There are also sections where it is not clear whether or not the intention is for either gender. The toy stores are also divided depending on the age of those who are going to buy them. Usually, the age is progressive as one goes deeper into the store from the most simple of dolls and balls for one-year olds to the complex digital, computerized toys that can span from the age of seven and up. Looking at the store itself, the general theme of a certain section can actually point to whether or not the section is intended for boys, girls or neither gender. It is seen in many ways including the color scheme of the section, the featured toys and, sometimes, even the salespersons manning the section. However, the toy stores aren’t explicit in their customers in terms of labeling a section either for boys or for girls. Most of the signs in the sections are only implicit in the themes that they take. Gender neutral sections are often filled with toys that are educational and electronic gadgets. Also, gender neutral sections often have neutral colors such as white and silver as opposed to the gendered colors of pink and blue. They are also often seen in the middle of the gendered section. In terms of packaging, some of the toys are explicit in their intended customers by showing either boys or girls playing with the toys they are selling printed on the boxes. Gender neutral toys are often printed with both a girl and a boy on the cover, cooperating or looking very intrigued as they play or tinker with the toys. Other gender-neutral toys have neither child involved but only a feature of the product without any action that denotes the culture’s (in this case, America’s) notion of femininity or masculinity. The colors are neutral – often just a white background – and does not feature any actions that could be seen as either soft (feminine) or hard (masculine). A gendered toy’s packaging, on the other hand, has an implicit message conveyed on the box. Action, competition, adrenaline, and the macho effect are often portrayed in the boxes of boys’ toys in the boys’ section. On the girls’ section, flowers, happy homes, cute and sexy themes seem to dominate the shelves; often, older themes of make-up and fashion are being made as toys, as if pushing for girls to be women at a younger age. Going further into the connection of age and gendered toys, there seems to be a pattern concerning gendering them with respect to age. This is not to say, however, that other toys that don’t fall into these two categories are not gender neutral. There are also toys, most belonging to sports, which are gender-neutral. Toddlers usually have gender neutral toys intended for two things. The first involves amusement in the form of dolls and other soft items that they can chew on, throw, fall on and hit without causing them any harm or danger. Some of these toys may be gendered but many of them are not. The second is to educate them. These educational toys are completely gender-neutral as toy-makers consider the minds of either sex of the children as capable of processing basic information that they should learn, such as knowing what a cow is and what sounds they make. And since toys are not exactly limited to children, some toys that can have adults as audiences as well, such as game consoles and sports-oriented toys, are gender-neutral and are only gendered when it comes to the accessories and other things that they append to these toys. Some examples include the game cartridges. Because of gendering of the majority of toys in the formative years of the child, the idea of femininity and masculinity are instilled in society in an ongoing cycle. The current society’s ideal of masculinity are seen instilled in children in the early stages, dictating and instilling ideas on how girls and boys should be and how they should grow up to be. This forces them to conform to society’s current ideas of them aside from possible biological and other external influences that dictate children from their earliest years. Although gender preference may change in the later years, the influence of toys given to children – even if it is â€Å"feminine† toys given to boys – is a factor in how these children grow up to be.

Childrens Rights Of Protection And Participation Young People Essay

Childrens Rights Of Protection And Participation Young People Essay This research paper focuses on the childrens rights and the participation that the children have in their implementation. It is every childs right to have a say on the things that affects its life. However, some children are either too young or too truant to make solid decisions. This research paper discusses on these rights and to what extent that the children can decide on their way of life. Child Rights on decision making Children have the same rights as adults. As a vulnerable group, children have particular rights that recognize their special need for protection and also that help them develop their full potential. Children are not helpless objects of charity or a property of their parents. They are recognized as human beings and the subjects of their own rights. A child is an individual, a family and community member with rights and appropriate responsibilities for his or her age and development stage. Children should enjoy the basic qualities of life as rights rather than privileges accorded to them (CRC, 2006) Every child whether a boy or girl irrespective of age is unique and has value importance as a person with a right for their human dignity to be respected. It has a right to have a say in all decisions and matters that concern him or her, to be listened to and his or her opinion taken seriously (CRIN, 2002). This will enhance understanding and mutual respect between children and adults. The participation of children protects them more effectively from abuse and exploitation. When we understand and respect childrens own experiences, we are able to create better protection mechanisms and the children themselves can act as active agents in their own protection. This helps to develop and build recognition of children as independent bearers of rights with a sense of identity and a positive implication for their self esteem (CRIN, 2002). Childrens rights are defined in a wide spectrum of economic, civil, political and social rights. These rights have been labeled as the right to protection and right to empowerment. Some of these rights are: Right to provision: Children have a right to be provided with a good standard of living, education and services, health care and a right to play. These include access to schooling, a balanced diet and a warm bed to sleep in. They also have a right to be protected from neglect, abuse, discrimination and exploitation (CRC, 2006) Children also have a right to participation. They have a right to their own programs and services and to take part in them. This includes decision making and involvement in libraries. Some rights allow children to grow up healthy and free. This include; Freedom of speech, Freedom of thought, Freedom from fear, Freedom of choice and to make decisions and Ownership over ones body. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) provides a framework for addressing not only rights to child protection care and adequate provision, but also for participation. A child who is capable of making his or her own views shall be assured by the parties of the state a right to express them freely (CRC, 2006) The views of the child are given weight according to the maturity and age of the child. A child can participate in the sense of taking part or being present or participate in the sense of knowing that ones actions are taken note of and may be acted upon. The extent to childrens participation will vary between and within societies (CRC, 2006) There has been a clash between the childrens protection and participation rights. Protection rights protect the children against exploitation and abuse for the best interest of the child while in participatory rights; children take part in decisions concerning their lives and a right to freedom of conscious and to hold an opinion. Adults and their childrens views may not always coincide. Many childrens wishes and views are ignored by the adults for the best interest of the child. For instance; (CRC) Every child is entitled to acquire a name and a nationality. All children registration should be upon birth. The childs name, birth date and parents names are recorded. When a child is given a name at birth, he or she is not given an opportunity to choose a name for himself or herself. The parents do this for the best interests of the child (CRC). The child may however, decide to change its name upon reaching the age of maturity. In this case the child is denied a right to participate in choosing its name at first but at later stages of development; the same child can participate in the same by changing to its desired name (CRC). A child has a right to be protected from all forms of punishment or discrimination regardless of their age, race, sex, religion, status, their expressed opinions, activities and beliefs of the family members. As much as a child has a right to religion, to express their opinion, or equality regardless of their age, these are sometimes restricted by their parents or legal guardians. For instance, a child is not at liberty to join a religion cult without the parents interference. It is not because the child is denied its freedom to worship but its for the best interest of the child (CRC). Children also have a right to get and share information and to express them. In exercising this right, they are supposed to be careful not to damage themselves or the freedoms, rights and reputations of others. They may share information through talking, writing or drawing. A childs wishes may be ignored if it is for the best of the child. For instance, a child may be denied the right to express dislike or hatred towards a particular person by hauling insults at the person. On the same, the child may be restricted on the manner of expression. For instance through shouting or screaming or demanding instead of asking politely (CRC). Children have a right of association. They have a right to meet and to join groups and organizations. Not all groups joined by children are acceptable by their parents or guardians; this brings a clash between the childrens right of association and prevention of joining them. Children are also restricted from joining into these groups if they stop other people from enjoying their rights. For instance a rioting group which will probably cause peace disturbance to others, or an outlawed group will not be acceptable that the children join (CRC). Children have a right to privacy. They are protected from attacks in their way of life, their name, families and homes. However, their way of life can be invaded by their parents or guardians if its for their best interests, for instance, when parents suspect that the child may be involved in drugs or other unlawful activities they may be forced to ransack the childs room or personal effects (CRC). Its a right for the children to access information. This they get through the radio, newspapers, television, internet and childrens books. They have a right to choose what kind of information they would like to access and in which manner. However, not all information is suitable or helpful to them (CRC). Most of the information provided by the mass media especially the radio, television and internet is unsuitable to children. It may contain violence, obscenity or strong language. Since these are harmful to the children they dont have a right over them and so their parents or guardians have to protect the children from such by deciding on what is good or bad for them. The parents also have to protect on what their children browse on the internet since they can access pornography or sites with violence which are harmful to the child (CRC). It is a childs right to live with its parents. The child can however be separated from the parents when the conditions are not favorable for the child. Such conditions may be neglect or abuse by the parents or separation by the parents hence the state has to decide on which parent has to live with the child. If the child has no parents the state decides on a home or an institution for the child to live. In this case the child may not have much of a say in the choice of who to live with. Sometimes children run away from their birth homes to live with their relatives or even live on the streets. This may be as a result of poverty or rebellion. The best interests of the child are considered first before the child is taken back to its parents home (CRC). Conclusion Children have a right to participate in decisions that shape their life and therefore should be given a chance to express their own opinion. However, this right is only exercised considering the maturity and the best interest of the child. Not all decisions that a child makes will be supported by their parents or guardians. For instance, a child cannot make a decision not to go school. For the best interests of the child the child will be forced to attend school.

DNA, Genes and chromosomes

DNA, Genes and chromosomes Introduction Assignment two will firstly explain about DNA, genes and chromosomes. It will then evaluate some pre- disposed genetic factors that affect normal human functioning and look a range of different diseases. It will then evaluate pre-disposed environmental factors that may also affect normal human functioning and discuss another range of diseases. Genetic information is contained in nucleic acids, which are the molecules that hold the information. All living cells and viruses contain information and there are two types of nucleic acid, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the self replicating genetic material in living cells and ribonucleic acid (RNA). The structure of DNA was worked out by Watson and Crick in the 1950s. Nucleic acids are made of units called nucleotides and an individual nucleotide is in three parts which combine by condensation reactions. These are phosphoric acid, pentose sugar, which in DNA is deoxyribose and in RNA ribose and there is an organic base comprising of five and divided into two groups. The DNA is a double stranded polymer of nucleotides (polynucleotide) comprising of many million nucleotide units. Its structure is in the form of double helix which is maintained by hydrogen bonding and it contains four organ bases, adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. A gene is the unit of heredity, comprising of a length of DNA that influences an organisms form and function. The protein produced when a gene is expressed produces a characteristic and each gene occupies its own position on the chromosome called the locus. Different forms of the same genes are called allele and there may be different alleles of the same gene with slightly different DNA structure. The chromosome is one long coiled DNA molecule which has genes dotted along its length. The genetic material of each cell is packaged together in the nucleus as chromosomes and each one of these contains very long DNA molecules. The human body has 46 chromosomes and in each body cell the chromosomes are in pairs, called homologous and a full set of chromosomes is called the karotype. Chromosomes make copies of each other so that when they divide, each daughter cell receives an exact copy of the genetic information. This is called replication and results in two DNA molecules. The Human Genome Project started in 1990 and it was a huge task to determine the order of bases in the human genome as well as identifying all the genes formed by the bases. Its other aims were to find the location of the genes on the 23 chromosomes and store the information on a data base. The purpose of collating the information was for scientists to know which sections of DNA, on which chromosomes are responsible for many inherited diseases. The main uses of genetic testing are in carrier screening, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, new born baby screening, and for prediction testing of onset disorders such as Huntington disease, onset cancers and Alzheimers disease. Using a sample of DNA it is possible to find out whether a person is carrying a faulty gene which causes a disease such as cystic fibrosis, or to identify genes that play a contributory role in diseases such as breast cancer. From results it is possible to eliminate all risk of the disease by correcting the faulty a llele. Sexual reproduction produces genetic variation amongst individuals in a population. Mitosis is when cell division takes place and it results in growth or repair of body tissues which is not to be confused with Meiosis which is the cell division that produces gametes (sex cells). In mitosis, one cell divides into two identical cells and in meiosis one cell divides into four daughter cells that a genetically unique. A species must change to its environment if it is to survive and the genotype of an organism gives it the potential to show a particular characteristic. Characteristics that are determined by a number of genes are called continuous variation such a height and characteristics that are clear cut are by a single gene are called discontinuous variation. The origins of variation are either non-inheritable or heritable. The environment has a huge role in determining phenotypic variation and factors in humans can include diet and exercise. Heritable variations are when an organism, for example, inherits genes which will determine its eventual size, although this can depend on nutritional influences. Monohybrid inheritance is when a characteristic controlled by a single gene is passed on from one generation to another. Examples of genetic diseases that are passed on in this way are Huntingtons disease and cystic fibrosis. The gene can be either dominant or recessive. Huntingdons disease is due to a mutation in a single gene that occurs on chromosome 4. Every cell nucleus has two copies on the gene and the codes for the protein are Huntingdin. People who develop the disease carry a mutation in one of copy of the Huntingdin gene. Huntingdin is concentrated in areas of the brain and that degeneration of the gene is called Huntingdons disease. Huntingdons disease is rare but another more common disease is cystic fibrosis which is caused by a recessive allele. To inherit the disease both parents have to be carriers of the defective alleles. In the UK one person in 2000 suffers from this condition and people that develop the disease produce a thick sticky mucus from the epithelial cells lining some passages in the body. The pancreatic duct can become blocked so food digestion can not complete and the bronchioles and alveoli of the lungs can become blocked. The normal allele of the cystic fibrosis gene makes an important protein called CFTR. Normally CFTR will transport chloride ions through the plasma membrane, however, the mutated allele causes production of a channel protein that does not transport the ions so the person who is homozygous suffers from cystic fibrosis. The full amount of alleles and their combination a person has is called their genotype and some of these are recessive and some dominant. The effect that these alleles have is called the phenotype. Different alleles of a gene do not have to be recessive or dominant and if two alleles both produce a protein that can function then the alleles can be codominant. An example of a disease that is codominance is Sickle cell anaemia, where a mutant allele of a normal haemoglobin gene causes one amino acid in the two beta polypeptide chains to be different. The shape of the molecule is altered and the red blood cells can be crescent or sickle shaped. These can be easily damaged and the number of working cells decreases the amount of oxygen going to the tissues. The heart works harder and the defective cells join together making the blood sticky. This can result in many side effects including kidney failure, heart attack and strokes. The spleen is over burdened and can stop its ability to remo ve bacteria from the blood so infections can be common. Another type of faulty cell division is called non disjunction where the daughter cell receives two copies of a chromosome and the other gets none. This can result in the condition called Downs syndrome where chromosome 21 is affected. The genetic condition is known as trisomy, where a person inherits an extra copy of one chromosome. People with the syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21 rather than two and this additional genetic material affects the balance of the body and results in characteristic physical and intellectual features. Many people have alleles of genes which can make them much more susceptible to certain diseases. The disease may only develop if the person become in contact with something in the environment such as a chemical. An example of this would be lung cancer as some smokers die from cancer in middle age, while others carry on well into old age without being affected. The expression of genes can also be affected by environmental factors such as diet, disease and temperature during development. Mutagenic agents can cause gene mutations in tissues which then grow abnormally. There much scientific disagreement about a persons intelligence as is it determined by genes or by the environment that they grow up in. Asthma is a condition that tends to run in families that are prone to allergies. Although there are many factors that cause and influence asthma there is no single gene that is involved, although scientists are searching for the gene involved which may lead to a cure. The condition affects the bronchioles that carry air in and out the lungs which become swollen or narrowed and excess mucus is produced. It is a chronic condition and symptoms are wheezing, shortness of breath and a tight feeling in the chest. There are environmental factors which increase the risk of the disease such as being brought up in a house that has a pet, exposure to cigarette smoke in the uterus or in early life, air pollution and being born at the time of year when pollen is at is highest. Coronary heart disease is a condition in which genetics and environmental factors determine which humans get the disease. The disease is caused by a blockage of the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart. In a healthy heart the walls are smooth and the blood flows easily, but the disease develops when material blocks the walls of the arteries causing narrowing of the vessels and possibly a complete blockage. This can lead to a wide range of cardiac problems including angina. The disease often occurs within the same family which can indicate that there maybe genetic link between people with the condition. It is difficult to establish if there is a direct correlation between family members due to genes or whether it is the environmental factors which they all are exposed to. Some of the main environmental factors that increase the risk of developing the disease are smoking, lack of exercise, obesity, unhealthy diet, mental stress, alcohol and coffee. It has been proved that genetic factors have an influence on cholesterol levels, but overall, it seems that a combination of genetics and the environment would best explain the family link to heart disease.

Malcolm X Essay -- Americanism, discrimination

A Dream Or A Nightmare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" No, I’m not an American. I’m one of the 22 million people who are victims of Americanism, one if the victims of democracy, nothing but disguised hypocrisy. So, I’m not standing here speaking to you as an American, or a patriot, or flag-saluter, or a flag waver. No, not I. I am speaking to you as a victim of the American system. And I see America through the eyes of a victim. I don’t see any American dream. I see an American nightmare!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  --Malcolm X   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I can see why Malcolm would refer to the American dream as a nightmare. We all have to understand that Malcolm and Martin Luther King came from very different class levels. Malcolm came from a lower class of African Americans. Malcolm was a criminal who spent time in jail and he was from a poor neighbor hood. Malcolm was educated by the environment that surrounded him. Malcolm often preached to the blacks to about self respect, and dignity. I think Malcolm know and understood this more than King because of Malcolm’s upbringing. Malcolm gave very derogatory speeches. Malcolm was an intelligent speaker. In Malcolm’s speeches you can see and hear the anger that the white people have caused the African American people. I’m sure that Malcolm was not the only African American person who had the same view points or felt the same way. It’s just that Malcolm had the nerve to speak up for what he believed. At this time, black people were fighting for equal rights. Every person handles stress differently. Malcolm was voicing his opinion based upon the times and his personal experiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this article, I read a part of another speech from Malcolm that made statements against the white people. I think Malcolm had every right to make these comments about white Americans. Malcolm got the reputation that he was a racist. I believe that he and all the other black people had every right to be racist. White American people were being racist for not allowing the African Americans to have equal rights. So, why was it a big deal when Malcolm made racial slurs against the white Americans? It was ok for white America... ...cle was involved with her class. It makes the learning process fun and exciting for the students. The teachers make all the difference in the world. A student can learn memorize anything that a teacher lectures on. But the information is only stored temporally. If you make it fun and exciting the student not only learns but the memory lasts a life time. A Class Learns To Teach Itself   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that most adult classes are easier to teach because, as the article pointed out, adults have a goal for being in a class and they have other responsibilities. They don’t have the time to be goofing off. Adults are more willing to learn and don’t have to be reminded to pay attention. They have a purpose to being in class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The teacher in this article was surprised that the class took a turn and was teaching itself. The man who lost his daughter not only respected the writing’s he was reading but also able to use his life experiences to compare and learn more about what was going on in class. I think students learn more when they can understand the material and compare it to real life experiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

What is The German Question? Essay -- Germany German Essays

What is â€Å"The German Question†? What is â€Å"The German Question†? This is a question that has been posed by many analysts over the years, each having their own views on what fulfills this question. However, each agrees that it is a question of high complexity. According to Constantin Frantz, â€Å"The German Question is the most obscure, most involved and most comprehensive problem in the whole of modern history†. What makes Germanys’ question so difficult to pinpoint is the fact that for all of its existence, until 1871 and again in 1990, it has struggled to unify a nation into a single state. As history shows, the German nation has struggled to create its own nation-state. Unlike France and Britain, Germany was a nation before it was a state. That is, its people had a strong sense of nationalism and common identity as a social entity but they were lacking a strong state, or a form of political organization that claims the exclusive right to govern a specific piece of territory. As Dahrendor f states; â€Å"We want to find out what it is in German society that may account for Germany’s persistent failure to give a home to democracy in its liberal sense†. But can we really analyze the problem in this way? It has not always been the same â€Å"persistent failure† hindering Germany from giving a home for democracy, but rather the problems faced by Germany throughout history. To truly understand the German situation and its multiple struggles for unification, it is important to know the history of the present day Germany. This history is a very unique one, one very different from other European nations such as France and Britain. Therefore one can draw sharp contrasts between the process of national unification in Germany as compared to France or Britain. However, once established; â€Å"Compared with its historical precursors in England and France, industrialization in Germany occurred late, quickly, and thoroughly†. Early German history can be traced back to the House of the Hohenzollern. A family of German rulers, originating as a family of counts in Swabia in the 11th or 12th century. The Hohenzollerns ruled Prussia and eventually united and ruled Germany until the end of World War I. Their strong, rigidly disciplined armies gave Prussia a reputation for military excellence. During the 16th and 17th centuries, territorial rulers and city counci ls in Germany expanded their ... ...have provided some insight on answering these two very important aspects of â€Å"The German Question†. â€Å"When is Germany? Roughly speaking, in the last hundred years. Where is Germany? In all territories that belonged to Germany during this span of time.† I believe this is truly the most important aspect of the German Question given the countries’ constant struggle for unification. Now that Germany is finally reunited it is on a straight track to the great country it should be. Bibliography Conradt, David P. The German Polity, Longman Publishing. New York, 2001. Dahrendorf, Ralf. Society and Democracy in Germany, Norton & Company. Lamborn & Lepgold, World Politics into the Twenty-First Century. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. 2003 Microsoft Encarta Premium Online; Germany. Encyclopedia Source. History of Germany. 2004. Niewyk, Donald. Lecture Notes; Inside Nazi Germany. 2004 Rosinus, Franz. Interview; Topics; German government, Helmut Kohl, political parties. 2004. Sax, Benjamin. Inside Hitler’s Germany. Heath and Company, Lexington Massachusetts. 1992. Walbruck, Harry A. Deutschland; Ein neuer Anfang. National Textbook Company, Lincolnwood, Illinois 1992.

My Ideal Classroom Essay

Essay on my ideal classroom set up for elementary school children. My ideal classroom is not entirely, but almost based on fun. My main objective is to have kids come into my class room and feeling that Ms. English’s classroom is a whole lot of fun. Not only do I want my classroom to be fun, but I also want it to be a special place for all of my children. My ideal classroom would have all of the services for all of my children to learn, grow, and thrive. At the same time, I want my classroom to be simple and not too busy. I feel a busy classroom tends to make children feel overwhelmed and more easily distracted. As far as seating arrangements go I would have to be with my class for at least a full week to figure out the configurations of the classroom. I would most likely situate the children in a group format so that they can socialize and interact with each other. I would form this group configuration based on my observations on who works well together and where the distractions originate from etc. My desk would be situated where I could see all of my students. If I were to get a Kindergarten classroom I would probably situate the seats in a group setting or large tables. If I had a third grade classroom I would definitely have a big group meeting mat where everyone can gather around during class meetings. I would also make sure to have comfortable chairs and a big couch for children to grab books and read. I want my students to have a comfortable place where they can read and relax. This furniture would be situated right next to my library area. I would have a huge library for my students. The bigger the library, the more books and you can never have enough books in a classroom. I would also have a computer center in my classroom. I feel that children need many tools in order to learn and grow. Even though a computer is a machine, I feel that it is a vital part of the classroom. I would hope to have at least two computers for my students to work on. Some children do not have access to computers at home and I think that they are a huge tool for a child’s success. They also bring in technology in the classroom which is important. Next to the computer station I would love to have a science center where children can work directly with their hands. I want a â€Å"hands-on† center where children can try new things and learn about animals and plants etc. I think it would be fun for my students to learn and at the same time just â€Å"fool† around with all the neat science â€Å"stuff. † A â€Å"quiet† area is another part of my ideal classroom. I think a quiet area would be very beneficial for my students. I would try and enclose a couple of desks off in a corner with bookshelves for any children who need some alone or work time. My classroom would also have many visuals. I want every part of my classroom to be learning aides. The children should learn from what I put on the walls. I would have many signs up for the different centers and put up the alphabet (in Murray format of course), drawings, pictures, colors, numbers, shapes, basically everything to cater to the grade level that I teach. I would also make sure that I cater to any of the special needs students that I probably will have. This write up of my ideal classroom is obviously not perfect; however, I feel that it is an adequate sketch of how I would visualize my own classroom. I think being in the actual environment, and getting to know your students, along with learning from experience on what works and what doesn’t is what will help me set up my classroom. Daily Routine 8:30-9:00-Morning Meeting/Opening Circle 9:00-10:30-Reading/Language Lessons 10:30-11:00-Reading 11:00-12:00-Math Lessons 12:00-1:00-Lunch 1:00-1:30-Social Studies/Science 1:30-2:15-Movement/Physical Activity/Special 2:30-3:00-Reading/Class activity/Dismissal.

Financial problem in a country or organization of your choice Essay

Discuss the causes of a financial problem in a country or organization of your choice and suggest some solutions. Specify the problem and the City/Country and relate to a particular study. Zimbabwe is an agricultural based economy previously known as the ‘bread-basket’ of Southern Africa. In the past decade, the country experienced a drastic economic disintegration due to wide range of factors including: unconstitutional land redistribution, health, decline in foreign investment and hyperinflation. The Zimbabwean economy is strongly intertwined with politics; therefore the political instability subsequently offset the economy. In 2000, the government embarked on ‘the land reform programme’ which removed white commercial farmers from arable lands so that it could be redistributed among black farmers. The experienced farmers were replaced by mostly black subsistence ones, with no farming knowledge, equipment and capital and therefore could not produce at a com mercial scale. There was no agricultural export, meaning there was a loss of foreign currency being injected into the economy on a regular basis. This marked the beginning of economic downfall. Richardson (2004:307). The failure of the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the economy led to the economic crisis. This meant that the government could not generate enough revenue to sustain its infrastructures such as the health sector. Health conditions are directly related to the poor economy. Sick workers were not able to work as much or as productively as healthy ones. Labour markets were less efficient and the market was not able to produce as much. Consequently, the economy produced far less per-worker than a similar healthy economy. This was evident in Zimbabwe by the low participation rate that at just over 35 %, as opposed to 51.08 % in the U.S. or 51.97 % in Japan. Richardson (2004:289). Another contributing factor was that foreign investors also fled, due to insecurities and the government policies dictating that 51% ownership of their businesses should be locally owned. Foreign direct investment fell to zero by 2001, and the  World Bank’s risk premium on investment in Zimbabwe shot up from 4 % to 20 % that year as well. Hill (2003: 109). Furthermore, the Zimbabwean economy was brought down by the illegal sanctions (an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with it. Merriam-Webster dictionary 2012:198) imposed by the American and European superpowers. This meant that no trade was to be done with Zimbabwe. There was a sudden death of foreign currency and investment influx to the country. The U.S. and Britain have partially withheld financial support for Zimbabwe and there would be no access to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because they could not pay their debt and the prevailing hyperinflationary conditions. Hill (2003: 102). The causes of Zimbabwe’s financial problem can be mitigated by first achieving a ‘political breakthrough’ that will depoliticize the economy. Then, land should be re-redistributed among experienced commercial farmers and train the less experienced ones to ensure a more sustainable output. There must also be a liberalisation of foreign investment regulations to attract the foreign investors. In conclusion, these suggested solutions will help to rebuild the economy and restore Zimbabwe as the bread basket of Southern Africa. References: Richardson, C,J. 2004. The Collapse of Zimbabwe in the Wake of the 2000–2003 Land Reforms. New York: Edwin Mellen Hill, G. 2003. The Battle for Zimbabwe. Cape Town: Zebra

Effects of conflict on productivity Essay

List of Figures and Tables Page Study population – Table 3.1 8 Response rate -Table 4.1 9 Causes of Conflict – Table 4.2 9 Causes of Conflict – Pie Chart 4.1 10 Effects of Conflict – Table 4.3 10 Effects of Conflict – Pie Chart – 4.2 11 (vi) Chapter One INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction Lucgeor Enterprises was registered in 1998 as a general merchant business but specialized in supplyof printed and general stationery amongst others. Since its registration , Lucgeor has never looked back and have dominated the supply of stationery to most of the businesses in Mombasa and surrounding towns. The company has 43 members of staff who have the necessary skills and commitment to the ideals of the organization in all respect. The management of Lucgeor Enterprises are people of long standing experience in the Printing and stationery business. They have instilled good team work and participatory management of the organization which has seen the organization take a lead in the stationery supply business. The company aims to gain a huge market share through various approaches including cost leadership , service differentiation and focused attention aimed at persuading their customers and potential clents i of their quality service provision and pocket friendly prices. The company makes good use of ICT to reach its clients thus saving on time and costs. Lucgeor Enterprises which is based at Bondeni area along Abdel Nasser Street, has for the last twoand half years been going through some conflicts between and amongst its staff. The conflicts have in away slowed or derailed the smooth operations of the company and more importantly affected its service delivery to key clients who have had to wait for hours or days for goods to be delivered. This tr end is unlike in the past when service provision took precedence over all else. 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT The company has had strained relations amongst its workforce lately which hampers its service deliv ery activities. The complaints registered with management regarding poor service delivery to customer s  are becoming the norm rather than the exception. If the trend is not arrested in good time, the impact of the conflicts within the organization may end up destroying the company and with it the livelihood of a good number of employees and even the owners. 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY (i) To establish the causes of conflict at Lucgeor Enterprises (ii) Effects of conflicts at Lucgeor Enterprises and (iii) To seek for appropriate solutions to the conflicts. 1.4 Research Questions (I) What are the causes of conflict at Lucgeor Enterprises? (ii) What are the effects of conflict at Lucgeor Enterprises and? (iii) Which are the most appropriate solutions to the conflicts? 1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY (i) To the Researcher The study would give the researcher a first hand experience on what causes conflicts, conflict situ ations, effects of conflicts on organizational productivity, teams and team work and hopefully enable the researcher to find best conflict management approaches which could help organizations in conflict t o overcome such conflict situations in their organizations in the best way possible . 1 recommendations given as anecdotes to the conflict situations in the organization thus unlocking the potentials of the business to serve its customers effectively by managing the conflicts sensitively . (iii) To other Researchers The study would give future researchers ready information for reference  purposes and to enable them fill the gaps that may be noted and hopefully improve the conflict prevention , containment , avoid ance and management activities in organizations thus enhancing positive industrial relations in organizations, besides increasing the body of knowledge available for consultation and experimentation. (iv) To Mount Kenya University Future researchers would utilize the findings of this study for reference purposes and the foundation upon which they may further their research on conflicts, based on available findings , conclusions and recommendations thus filling the gaps that may be noted and hopefully improve the conflict prevent , containment , avoidance and management activities in organizations thus enhancing positive indus relations in organizations. 1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY Effects of Conflict on Organizational productivity study, was an attempt to understand the effects of conflict amongst employees of an organization on their productivity and the overall productivity of the organization in achieving its objectives.. The study was conducted amongst the employees of Lucgeor Enterprises at their place of work at Bondeni area and it took approximately 6 months. 1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY (a) Lack of Time The researcher due to time constraints was faced with serious juggling between the research work ti me  and the daily work related responsibilities, all of which required a piece of his time. Fortunatelythe researcher was able to work through and ensured that none was given a raw deal and the project completed in time. (b) Limited Information The researcher due to the nature of organizational policies and communication strategy, received l mited i information on the basis that the providers i.e the staff, never fully trusted the intentions of the researcher. But to authenticate the information provided, the researcher went the extra mile to independently v erify the same with the top management who were more than willing to clarify provided information and eve tied the loose ends thus affording the researcher a clear picture of the inf rmation required for the o research work. (c) Reluctance by employees to respond The researcher faced the prospects of failure by the staff to respond to interviews, answer questio nnaires. The employees reluctance to respond, our investigations found were due to fear of victimization by management for divulging company information to outsiders whose intentions were not clear to them. To circumvent this, the researcher consulted the management who gave unequivocal assurance to the staff that they will not be victimized since the researcher was a student whose details they had authenticated and was simply doing research as part of their course work. the assurance saved theday and enabled them to respond positively given the requirements of the project. 2 Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION Conflict is a common denominator to all social life. It is an inevitable part of our lives becauseit is related to situations of scarce resources, division of functions, power relations and role differeniation. t Because of its pervasive and ambagious nature, conflicts have led scholars and administrators to qu estion whether they understand its meaning and relevance and how best to cope with conflict should one arise. The normative conception of conflict, strongly influenced by a preoccupation with stability and equilibrium in organizational design, links conflict to violence, destruction, inefficiency and irrationality This form of intellectual myopia was especially invidious in suggesting that administrators have th e responsibility of avoiding, controlling or eliminating conflicts. Descriptive approaches challenge the whole basis and rationale of these assumptions. They permit usto depart from an outmoded paradigm by suggesting that any social interaction in which the parties (however they may be structured or defined) compete for scarce resources or values have the potenti l for a conflict. Using the term in broad sense , we suggest that conflict refers to all kinds of antagonis tic  interactions. More specifically, it can be defined as a situation in which two or more partie have s  incompatible objectives and in which their perceptions and behaviour are commensurate with the incompatibility. This definition is purposely broad. It suggests that conflict is a social phenomenon that is found in personal, group or organizational interactions. Conflict therefore has several dimensions. Fink 5 distinguishes between (I) Antagonistic- psychological relations and (ii) Antagonistic behaviour Likewise Pondy 6 observes that conflict is made up of (I)Antecedent conditions (ii) Affective conditions (iii) Cognitive conditions and (iv) Behavioural conditions We therefore advance a conception which emphasizes its three, interrelated dimensions, namely (1)Conflict situation (the basic incompatibility) (2) Conflict attitudes (Range of psychological factors) and (3) Conflict behaviour (set of related behaviour) Conflict refers to more than just overt behaviour. Concentrating only upon its behavioural manifestation is an extremely limiting exercise. The three dimensional conceptions of conflict emphasizes the ne d to e consider the situation in which parties (Individuals, groups or organizations ) come to possess incompatible goals, their structure of interaction and the nature of their goals. We have to consid er  emotional (e.g distrust) and Cognitive ( e.g Stereotyping) orientations that accompany a conflict situation as well as a range of action undertaken by any party in a situation of conflict. 2.2 Theoritical Review / Conceptual Framework Stephen Robbins makes a strong case for the need for a more realistic approach to conflict with his â€Å"Interactionist Approach†. He states that there are three basic managerial attitudes toward conflicwhich t  he identifies as traditional behavioural and interactionist. The traditionalist, following our so cial  teaching believes that all conflicts are destructive and management’s role is to get them out of th e  organization. The traditionalist, therefore, believes conflict should be eliminated. Thebehaviouralist seeks to rationalize the existence of conflict and accurately perceives conflict as inevitable inomplex c  organizations or relationships. Thus the behaviouralist â€Å"accepts† it . The Interactionist views conlict as f  absolutely necessary, encourages opposition, defines management of conflict to include stimulationas well as resolution and considers the management of conflict as a major responsibility of all administrators. 3 The interactionist view is accepted and encourages conflict. Avoiding a disagreement doesn’t make t go i away. We need to be aware of conflict and make decisions about what we are going to do about it. Conflicts only become negative when it is not approached and resolved. Lack of communication amongst group members can lead to avoidance of conflict. When that happens, the group can lose its effectiveness. group members and leaders need to to be able to resolve conflict successfully. Likeany other leadership skills, conflict management can be learnt. Conflict Management Conflict is inevitable in any interpersonal relationship or among members of any group. Whereas we meet various types of conflicts in our lives, we are at a lose as to what to do when one arises. Ma ny  people tend to leave conflict situations e.g if one breaks out in a group. Why do we shy away from dealing with conflict? . It is because we were raised to believe t hat conflict is something to beavoided, an experience of failure. However conflict does not have to lead to failure, or even to the termin ation of  relationship. we all come to see and experience the world in a different way, and we all have different ideas about what is best for â€Å"my group† or â€Å"our group†. Recognizing this fact can help free us from the negative conclusion that conflict is a signal of failure. Styles of Conflict Management (a) Competing – An individual pursues his or her own concerns at the expense of the other person. This is a power oriented mode. Competing may even mean standing up for your rights, defending a positio n which you believe correct, or simply trying to win. (b) Accommodating – The opposite of competing When accommodating, an individual neglects his or her own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person. there is an element of self sacrifice this in mode. Accommodating might take the form of selfless generosity or charity, obeying another person’s order when one would prefer not to, or yielding to another person’s point of view. (c) Avoiding- The individual does not immediately pursue his or her own concerns or those of the other person. He or she does not address the conflict Avoiding may take form of diplomatic sidestepping of the issue, postponing an issue until a better time or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation. (d) Compromising – The objective is to find some expedient, mutually acceptable solution which partially  satisfies b parties. . Falls in the middle of Competing and accommodating. oth (e) Collaborating- The opposite of avoiding . Collaborating involves attempt to work with the other person to find some solution which fully satisfies the concerns of both persons. Initiation The most effective way to confront conflict situation is to state the tangible effect a conflict ha on you. s (f) Active Listening – Negotiators must be capable of hearing the other person’spoint of view . . while listening, do not think about how to reply in order to persuade . . argument – provoking replies should be avoided. . Active listening involves paraphrasing or restating what the other says. Idea or . Content should be considered as well as feelings. (g) Problem solving . Clarify the problem – After the above steps, each party should have a clear idea about what is the tangible issue. . Talk about what is needed or wanted ( be clear on facts and information). . Generate a list of possible solutions. CONFLICT CAUSES Nations, organizations and groups are made up of individual human beings. Each person has through experience developed a set of values and evolved a set of behavioural rules. These values and rulesare sufficiently alike in a given society to allow justice, morals and ethics to exist and create gener l a agreement about what is right and what is wrong. But the value-rule set for each individual is a unique set not fully shared by other humans..These differences in value-rule sets are most likely the basi c causes of conflict. 4 Another major cause of conflict is the motivation of the separate individuals. Each person is motiv ated  by a unique degree of satisfaction in a set of needs. It is quite likely that in a given situation the individual concerned will be aiming their personal efforts at slightly different objectives. Such objectives may be similar enough to permit cooperative effort but sufficiently different to createsome conflict. A common example is the â€Å"hot line â€Å" employed by many commanders as a means of staying in touch with the troops. This opportunity to short circuit supervisory channels often antagonizes intermediate managers, who may learn of a problem only when the commander confronts them with it.. Then, too, it may be possible for all to be motivated to behave toward the same goal accomplishment but to feel that the goal, when attained, will not be great enough for all to share adequately in the reward. Conflict may then occur as each person strives to attain their place in the sun. EFFECTS OF CONFLICTS Conflicts have both positive and negative effects. It can be positive when it encourages creativity, new looks at old conditions, the clarification of points of view, and the development of human capabilities to handle interpersonal differences. All of us have experienced a surge of creativity when we perm the it ideas of others to trigger our imagination, as for example in a brainstorming session. Conflicts can be negative when it creates resistance to change, establishes turmoil in organization or  interpersonal relations fosters distrust, builds a feeling of defeat or widens the chasm of misunderstanding. . Unfortunately the term â€Å"conflict† has only the connotation of â€Å"bad† for many people, so much that they think principally in terms of suppression, giving little or no attention to its more positive side. THE PERSON AND THE ORGANIZATION Conflicts occur when the needs and goals of the individual are not in harmony with the objectives a nd goals of the organization. Chris Argyris, in his discussion of man versus the organization, indic ates the high likelihood of the traditional goals and structures of organizations may be in conflict with the needs and goals of the personalities in the organization. This may be reflected in the efficient and omni potent bureaucracy that places emphasis on hierarchy, specialization of work, established norms of conduct ,  and explicit rules, often forgetting or overlooking the individual and his unique qualities. Traditionally, personal values tend to be hostile toward organizations, big government, big business, bureaucracy, and the military. Again, conflict can arise when interdependency exists. Employees become dependent on the organization to give their lives direction and meaning. Such dependency allows them to escape the burdens of personal responsibility. whereas we praise individualism in workers, the organization often require that s the individual be treated impersonally. Efficiency requirements in organizations also acts as a sou of rce conflict because they regularly demand that the goals and needs of the organization be given higher priority than the rights of individual. We therefore yield to the proposition that conflict between organizations and personal values is normal and a fact of life. Managing the inherent conflict between individual needs and organizational need demands a high degree of self awareness on the part of the manager. What am I willing to do in balancing of these needs? How much can I accommodate of the needs of other human beings in the organization and still serve the greater good of the company? One major influence on the manager’s actions or decisions will be his basic concept or philosophy about the nature of man. Douglas McGregor presents a famous dissertation on this subject in the considera tion  of Theory â€Å"X† and â€Å"Y†. Argyris offers a number of managerial consideration as well us Abraham Maslow propositions of various assumptions for managers to adopt for an enlightened approach to the individual-organization conflict situation. Research has led to conclusions that potential indivi dualorganization conflicts are heightened as management acts to reduce or  constrain the individual opportunity to decide. Organizations tend to make final decisions without input of the employees wi th the expectation that no mistakes would be made, no errors. This fosters conflict as the expectation may s be overwhelming. Unless the organization is supportive to the individual’s problem -solving efforts, such conflict continues and worsens 5 his ideas. Another source of individual versus organizational conflict is generated by the â€Å"new man† versus the â€Å"old man†. The innovator is always in a less supportive environment than the entrenched old hand. 1. Chris Argyris, Personality and Organization (New York: Harper Torchbooks,1957), Chapters III andVII. 2. Douglas McGregor, The Human Side of Enterprise (New York: McGraw- Hill, 1960) 3. Argyris, pp.232-37 4. Abraham Maslow, Eupsychian Management (Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, 1965), pp. 17-33 5. Harry Levinson, The Exceptional Executive: A psychological Conception (Cambridge, Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 1968), pp. 204-7. 6Argyris, p. 234 7. Fredrick W. Hertzberg, â€Å"The Wise Old Turk† Harvard Business Review, September- October 1974, pp. 70-80. Sources of conflict For managers to effectively manage conflicts, they need to understand their source. Basic sourcesof conflict are, semantic , role , values. Semantic sources are those stemming from some failure in communication. Traditionally, semantic has to do with the meaning of words, but here that is just one phase of its role. We use semantics to point out major source of conflict as the failure of two individuals to share fully the meaning of a communicative attempt. The cause of the failure may be technical problems in the communication process (static, filters, barriers etc)., or they may be ac tual  differences in perception and understanding. The result being an absence of agreement thus conflict . Role sources are those that rise out of the varying perceptions of people about the expected behaviours of themselves and others. Many of these come from the status and position levels in organizations. Others come from the structures and processes devised by management to organize work, channel effort ,and coordinate activity. Value sources have their foundations in the individuals value sets of people. These value sets readily contribute to differences between people because they are different. Theycause each of us at times to respond or behave in an unexpected manner because we are behaving as dictated by a value set not fully shared by our associates, hence a sense on their part of a difference between us. What is effective in one value conflict situation may not be in the next. The separation as statedabove is for the knowledgeable researcher and other resource persons. But our daily conflict is a combinatio of n elements from more than one source. We can not therefore say that the three sources are distinct. E ach affects the others to some degree. Individual reaction to conflict Since conflict may be positive or negative, there may be a range of reactions to conflict. Such rea ctions may range from high expectations and pleasure to absolute rejection. Broadly, an individual in conflict situation has only two options i.e sign up or ship out. Massie and Douglas identify certain situation of dilemma in the conflict situation which they call â€Å"Zone of indifference† 8. Joseph L. Massie and John Douglas, Managing: A Contemporary Introduction (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, 1973), p.219. MEANS TO RESOLVE OR REDUCE CONFLICT Basic to other considerations in resolving conflicts is that the parties to the conflict need to tr st each u  other and must be capable and willing to locate the source of the conflict. Conflict situations pre sent  different options to the concerned parties. We can decide to do nothing about the conflict. But what will be the result of non action?. If one remains in conflict situation then sooner rather than later the tension will increase and one of the parties will strive to win over the other o to drive him or her out. Or even r worse, the losing party may become more aggressive or hostile and counter attack the element frustr ting a The result of non action may be dysfunctional as the decision to do nothing may not be the best in certain situations while it may be good in some. One method often applied in conflict situations is the use of super ordinate goals. For example, the entire work force, taken as a whole, is something of a super ordinate goal uniting conflicting groups bene ath that umbrella. |The manager gets the group to see how conflict affects productivity, thus reducing, the smaller groups stake in the overall organizations success. The approach is similar to the common enemy approach, wherein the groups in competition find unity viewing an outside group as a common enemy. . This unity can hide or lessen conflict in groups. A unique method to resolve conflict is to increase interaction between conflicting groups by physically exchanging persons between conflicting groups. For example, if the gizmo unit is having difficulty dealing with the gadget unit, a temporary shifting of people between these groups could help the conflicting elements learn the other’s problems and frame of reference. the result could be better communications, greater understanding and less future conflict. The quickest resolution is a confrontation meeting. The manager should however, be warned that confrontation requires complete preparedness on his part. He must have the facts of the conflict siuation t  and confidence in his self-control and his ability to use diplomacy, tact and problem solving. But then, he must appreciate the fact that confrontation may worsen not better the situation. Basic to this efforts to resolve or reduce the conflict is the idea of avoiding win-lose situations. Sports and other recreational activities often acquire their flavor by win-lose  situations, but the same may not be good for an organizational conflict situation. There are situations where the manager may seek to repress confl ict. This is true where the differences between the two conflicting elements are not relevant to the organizational task. Such conflict is bad to the organization. These differences are petty and self serving, thereby causing activity in which the participants try to win to preserve the sanctity of the original stand. A significant aid to the manager in such conflicts is an understanding of the human process of perception, process of handling stimuli in accordance with our values, rules, wishes, an d fears. With this understanding , the manager may explain to the conflicting parties how they are misreading the situational data. thus may find ways to suppress the conflict. 9. Dubin Robert. Human Relations in Administration Fourth Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, 1974. 10. Hersey, Paul, and Kenneth H. Blanchard, Management of Organizational behaviour, Second Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, 1974. 2.3 Critique of Existing Literature relevant to the study Based on past studies and review of major issues, it has been established that conflict has a grea t  impact on organizational effectiveness. Many studies have captured the basic foundations of the co nflict  and therefore have provided the organizations with the data and information on best approaches to apply in conflict situations. However, the many alternative approaches may not fit every organization and thus some may require unique combinations that may be difficult and hence require high levels of understanding by the management to handle and probably prescribe best solutions to. 7 Chapter Three METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design The research design in the case of Lucgeor Enterprises was the collection of data through intervie ws, questionnaires , observations and surveys. Then the relevant data was sieved and refined to conform with the requirements of the study. 3.2 Population Lucgeor Enterprises has an employee population of 43 persons both permanent and casual. Because the population was small , the researcher took the whole population for the purpose of data collection. Table 3.1 Study population Department No of Respondents Administration 5 Finance 4 Marketing 6 Procurement & Stores 11 Production 17 Total 43 3.3 Sampling Frame Due to the small no of employees , the whole population was considered and thus given equal treatme nt. 3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique No. samples were taken as the whole population was taken for consideration. No technique was thus utilized as the whole population was considered. 3.5 Instruments The instruments that the researcher applied in the process were, questionnaires and interviews to corroborate some of the information provided. Use of questionnaires were relevant and convenient because the respondents were all literate and thus were able to fill the forms independently. 3.6 Data Collection Procedure The researcher prepared 43 pieces of questionnaires which he diligently distributed to all employee of s Lucgeor Enterprises. the respondents were requested to fill the questionnaires within two weeks an d return the same to the researcher. 3.7 Data Processing and Analysis Data gathered from the respondents through the questionnaires were cleaned, then selected into vari us o categories by coding . They were then analysed by use of quantitative and qualitative techniques . the information generated from the analysis were thus presented in the form of tables, pie charts, andbar graphs. 8 Chapter Four RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 Introduction Data was presented in the form of tables, pie charts and graphs, which made the interpretation 4.2 Presentation The researcher presented the data in various forms which captured all the areas of interest to the study as follows. 4.3 Response rate. The researcher administered 43 questionnaires of which the return rate was 41 thus constituting an average of 95%. The response was such that the researcher was able to gather fully the necessary daa t for the study. Table 4.1 Response rate. No of questionnaires adminstered No. of questionnaires returned 43 41 Percentage 95% 4.4 Causes of Conflict at Lucgeor Enterprises The researcher administered 43 questionnaires of which the return rate was 41 thus constituting an average of 95%. The response was such that the researcher was able to gather fully the necessary daa t for the study. Table 4.2 Causes of Conflict Causes of conflict No. of respondents Percentage Poor Management 12 29% Poor Remuneration 16 39% 5 12% 8 20% Lack of training and skills Incompetence amongst staff 9 Pie Chart 4.1 Causes of Conflict No. of Respondents Poor Management Poor Remuneration Lack of Training Incompetency among employees Analysis From table 4.2 and chart 4.1 , the causes of conflicts at Lucgeor Enterprises were as follows. Poor Management Poor Remuneration 29% 39% 12% 20% Lack of training and skills Incompetence amongst staff The above information shows that the one issue which the employees feel as the main cause of conflict with management is poor remuneration. The second item that they prioritize as a major conflict are is a the management of the organization. While the other conflict prone issue is lack of training and skills. The employees feel that the people put in charge of departments are not properly trained and thus lack the requisite skills to manage the departments. This thus results in incompetency of the employees to perform their tasks effectively. Effects of Conflict Table 4.3 Effects of Conflict Effects of conflict No. of respondents Percentage Poor Performance 23 56% Lack of Motivation 11 27% 3 7% 4 10% Negative Stereotyping Distorted Perceptions 10 Pie Chart 4.2 Effects of Conflict No. of Respondents Poor Performance Lack of Motivation Negative Stereotyping Distorted Perceptions Analysis From the above information, the main effect of conflict in organizations  according to the responses are, Poor performance, Lack of motivation, Distorted perceptions and Negative stereotyping in that order. Discussion From the above responses, there is a clear pattern regarding the cause and effect relationships amogst n the various factors at play. It is worth noting that the cardinal goal of any organization is the achievement of efficient operational performance and productivity within the standard working hours. When an organization can not achieve the projected production levels within the set time lines, it is a cause to worry. An analysis of the causes and effects gave us results as stated below. The main causes of conflict as stated above is the research were Poor remuneration, Poor management, Lack of training and skills and Incompetence amongst staff in that order. While the effects of conflicts in organizations are, Poor performance, Lack of motivation, Distorted perceptions and Negative stereotyping. 11 Chapter Five Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1 Introduction Workplace conflict is a major concern for most companies. It is inevitable in any situation where human beings operate. People have different values , beliefs and ways of life which they probably hold dear or believe to be the best as opposed to what other people have or believe in. Away has to be found to balance the various interests and align the same with the organizational goals. Proper systems of managing conflicts enables organizations to achieve the best out of such conflicts as well as meet the objectives and goals of the organization. 5.2 Summary If managed poorly or avoided altogether, conflict can be extremely costly to an organization. If managed well, conflict presents an opportunity to uncover value and promote a healthy workplace. Many organizations are  finding that their conflict management systems have been good financial investments, producing a healthy return. In addition, they are recognizing the value of many less tangible benefits (e.g. improved morale, lower turnover, increased efficiencies, and improved public relations). A rigorous four-phased process of (i) Assessment (ii) Design (iii) Implementation and, (iv) Operation and evaluation helps organization design effective conflict management systems to reap the maximum benefits of conflict management. The above four phased approach to conflict management, encourages the Conflict Management System (CMS) team to genuinely seek to understand and incorporate the needs and interests of all affected constituencies and create an environment in which benefits of the CMS system can be effectively communicated, implemented and adminstered. 5.3 Conclusions Productivity losses add up quickly when workplace conflict is not pro-actively and successfully managed. Over a number of days, months and years, multiplied by the number of employees affected, the real money value lost can be staggering. It is evident that there are tremendous advantages to pre-emptively deal with conflict in the workplace before it escalates beyond an organization’s ability to resolve, or , worse , even contain it. A well designed CMS can have a significant positive impact on the quality of life if its employees, as well as its bottom line. Specifically, addressing the cost of conflict in the workplace can have a transformative impact on the overall health and well-being of an organization. 5.4 Recommendations The management of an organization needs to focus on the best methods of handling conflicts and their resolution. This may involve (I)Management Training The training may have several components which may include (a) The introductory part The training should highlight the various causes , effects and outcomes of conflict situations. This will help to lower the frequency of destructive conflicts and reduce the impacts on the organizational operations. Such training would afford the trainees the necessary greater sense of self-awareness in dealing effectively with all types of conflict situations. Implementing a well -thought out training program to address the harmful effects of conflict is like performing preventive medicine. 12 the other components of the training would include (b) Conflict Awareness training  © Communication Training (d) Negotiation Training (e) Manager Awareness (f) Neutral third -party Interventions B) Increasing Staff Salaries In order to motivate employees, the management should consider raising the salaries of employees as away of motivating them to perform effectively. C) Improving the Management of the Company A deliberate effort and resources should be employed towards management development . The Management development should be tailored towards enhancing the managerial skills and interpersonal skills of management staff thus ensuring proper management of the organization. Again the management should be encouraged to adhere to the rules and regulations, procedures and laws governing industri al relations thus having good working relations with staff. D) Staff Participation and Team working To avoid negative stereotyping and disjointed communication, the management needs to focus on improving the participation of staff in decision making in the company besides ensuring that proper communication between employees themselves and between employees and management is cordial thus eliminating negative feeling and other forms of unwanted practices amongst staff, which may strain their working relationships. 13 Reference Dubin Robert. Human Relations in Administration Fourth Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, 1974. Hersey, Paul, and Kenneth H. Blanchard, Management of Organizational behaviour, Second Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, 1974. Douglas McGregor, The Human Side of Enterprise (New York: McGraw- Hill, 1960) Abraham Maslow, Eupsychian Management (Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, 1965), pp. 17-33 Harry Levinson, The Exceptional Executive: A psychological Conception (Cambridge, Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 1968), pp. 204-7. Chris Argyris, Personality and Organization (New York: Harper Torchbooks,1957), Chapters III andVII. Argyris, pp.232-37 Argyris, p. 234 Fredrick W. Hertzberg, â€Å"The Wise Old Turk† Harvard Business Review, September- October 1974, pp. 70-80. Joseph L. Massie and John Douglas, Managing: A Contemporary Introduction (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, 1973), p.219. 14 Appendices Questionnaire Foreward I am a student of Mount Kenya University, taking an undergraduate degree programme in the field of Human Resources Management. As part of the requirement for the fulfilment of the course work, I am required to carry out a research study on the effects of Conflict in the workplace. I have chosen y our organization, as the most potential one because of its size, convenience and reputation for the purpose of the study. I have prepared comprehensive questions regarding the subject matter to enable me gather information and  gain the much needed insight. The information given will be treated with utmost confidentiality and purely for the academic purpose. Kindly give the most appropriate responses by ticking one of the options provided Name Department Position / Rank 1. What are the main causes of conflict within the organization? Poor Management Poor Remuneration Lack of training and skills Incompetence amongst staff 2 . What effect does conflict have on employees’ productivity? Poor Performance Lack of Motivation Distorted Perceptions Negative Stereotyping 3 . What is the most effective Conflict Management method? Avoidance Collaboration Open confrontation Hiding feelings 15 4 . What kind of conflict management strategies does your organization use in resolving conflict in the organization? Avoidance Collaboration Open confrontation Hiding feelings 5. What are some of the costs associated with conflict in your organization? Lost Man-hours due to conflict Absentieesm Lost business due to delays in executing jobs Labour inefficiency 6 . Does the organization have conflict awareness training programme for its management? Yes. No. If the answer to the above question is yes, please give the dates and how many times in the recent past 7 . What kind of conflict awareness training does the organization offer to its management? Communication Negotiation Neutral Third party Coaching 16