Law Philosophers Assignment

Philosophers Assignment Aristotle was born in 384 B. C. E until 322 B. C. E. He was a Greek philosopher who lived in Stagira in north Greece. He was the son of Nichomachus, Aristotle studied medicine and then in 367 BCE he was then sent to Athens to study philosophy. He has stayed and studied at Plato’s academy until 347 BCE, he had a different idea then Plato. Aristotle believed â€Å"The ‘just’ therefore means that which is lawful and that which is equal or fair†(Morris, 1981) When Plato had died Aristotle was not the head of Plato’s Academy.Aristotle left Athens he went travelling maybe studying in Turkey, which used to be called Asia Minor. In 338 he returned back to Macedonian and had tutored Alexander the Great, later Alexander the Great had taken over Athens, Aristotle had returned to Athens to setup his own school called Lyceum. After Alexander the Great passed away Athens attacked Macedonian and Aristotle political situation became risky. He fled away and went to Eubroea where he has later passed away in 322 B. C. E. Aristotle believed in egalitarian society were he believed that everyone should share equally.He believed that if people are unequal they may be â€Å"allotted unequal shares† (Morris 1981). Thomas Aquinas was born in Lombardy, Italy in 1225 and later passed away in 1274 he lived only 49 years. He was born in his family’s castle in the kingdom of Naples, he had eight siblings and he was the youngest of them all. At the age of five he had been drawn into a school at Montecassino. He was later transferred to University of Naples. He came into contact with Aristotle, and became a Dominican over the disputes of his family and then he headed north to study.Briefly in Paris, and then he went onto a different school called Cologne were he was with Albert the Great, he later studied technology at the University of Paris; he became an expert in philosophy and in other works of Aristotle. He believed t hat â€Å"Law is chiefly ordained to the common good† and intention of lawmaker should be to â€Å"lead man to virtue† (Our Legal Heritage, 92) He did not assume that law makes people good, but rather â€Å" that man obeys a law due to him being good†(Philosophers of Law, Note) Noam Chomsky is born on December 7th, 928 in Philadelphia he was Jewish born philosopher who had earned his PhD in linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1955 he was a professor at MlT and had made great theories on human linguistic ability. Chomsky had a little brother named David; his family was a middle class family. Noam Chomsky grew up watching officers beat women in front of a textile pile. His mother Elise Chomsky was an active radical politic in the 1930’s his father William Chomsky who was a Russian Jewish Immigrant. Chomsky at the age of ten years old had written a newspaper editorial on the rise of fascism in Europe.He believes that law primarily serves tho se in power. Cooperation between the rich class and of citizens and lawmakers to make laws that maintain the statuesque and wealth and power of the rich. Aristotle would evaluate Canadian Law is he would like how we have the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms he would like section 15 subsection (1) in the Charter which is Equality Rights â€Å"every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law† Constitution Act, 1982).This agrees with Aristotle because he also said that everyone is equal and should be treated the same. Also he would agree on section 7 of the Charter Legal Rights â€Å"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security†(Constitution Act, 1982). Aristotle would agree with this because it shows that everyone has the equal rights for life and humanity. He would agree that taxing the wealthy would be good because it lessens the chance of them overruling.He believes that everyone s hould be treated equally, so in Canadian law the same cases can’t be treated the same way as other. He would believe that Canadian law would be a problem because he wants everyone to be treated the same. He would also disagree with welfare because it takes away our money that we earned by working hard for. He would also have a problem with one ruler getting elected because of false information being used to be a ruler of a country. Aristotle would believe that our laws our good and it could be bad at the same time.Thomas Aquinas would believe that the Canadian law would improve or expand on his theories of people. In section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms â€Å"the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society†(Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982). He would agree with this because it shows that man can be free but it is up to them i f they want to obey the law.It is basically stating Aquinas theory â€Å"that man obeys a law due to him being good† it is a guideline to say you are free but remember there are laws if you do something wrong. He would disagree with Canada’s legal system because he was a big believer in his faith, which was Christianity he would agree much on the ten commandments because they show one ruler and they say that you can’t do this or that so they are laws that over rule men. Which didn’t agree with his theory that men obey law and law doesn’t obey men.Noam Chomsky would evaluate Canadian Law as positive and negative thing because it shows that media is controlled by the government and also by the wealthy. Noam Chomsky believed that media only benefits the elite class. He believes that the rich should get richer and the poor get poorer. Under section 15 sub section 1 â€Å"equal benefit of the law without discrimination† basically Noam Chomsky wou ld agree with this because it shows that everyone should be treated the same but don’t discriminate if you are poor or rich.Chomsky believes that the media only benefits with the elite class but in Canadian Law he might disagree freedom of speech because the media is controlled by the rich and whatever the rich say goes it could be false information, but with freedom of speech you can go to people and spread the word. Everyone has the right to speak and also he might disagree with the Canadian government for spending money funding Iraq and other countries. Noam Chomsky a 20th and 21st century philosopher he is still alive so he can compare the difference between his theories and the Canadian Law.Citations Blair, A. , Ryan Elliott, K. , Manning, B. , & Mossuto, M. (2004). Canadian and international law. Canada: Oxford University Press. McGilvray James, A. (1994). Noam chomsky . Retrieved from http://www. biography. com/people/noam-chomsky-37616 McInerny, R. (Sept, 2009 30). Me taphysics research lab, csli, stanford university. Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/aquinas/ Waggone , B. (2000, June 09). University of california museum of paleontology. Retrieved from http://www. ucmp. berkeley. edu/history/aristotle. html

Western Lowland Gorillas

Western Lowland Gorillas October 23, 2009 Introduction: When I was around 14, I saw one of the best movies. The movie was Gorillas in The Mist, starting Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey. It was one of the most impressive movies of my life. My step-mother at the time notice how must I liked the movie and game me her very well torn copy of Gorillas in the Mist to read. I still have that book and since the first time I read it, I have been fascinated with these great apes. This is way I believe they deserve funding to help them off of the endangered species list. Western Lowland Gorillas: Biological Needs: However, in west Africa, where fruits tend to makes up the majority of the gorilla's diet compared to those that live in east Africa. Groups of gorillas living in west Africa normally split into temporary feeding subgroups but are less common in east Africa, as animals range far apart searching for the relatively scarce ripe fruit. There are some reports of sleeping subgroups however, they are rare. This may occur in the process of permanent splitting of a multi-male groups into two single male groups. Groups usually can range from 5 to 10 individuals, but some groups can accumulate as many as 20 to 32 animals. Csomos, 2008) Habitat: The habitat of the Western Lowland Gorilla is made up of primarily rainforests, swamp forest, thickets, forest edges, and clearings. Western Gorillas have been seen nesting in along the Savannah forest edge or in the Savannah itself. Although they visit the Savannah, it is not a permanent habitat for them. Western Gorillas inhabit areas that are typicall y lowland tropical forest at sea-level and up to 1,300 mm. (Beudels-Jamer, 2008) Food: Other Life Forms and Interrelations: Human Intrusions: Humans are the gorilla’s greatest threat. Human intrusions of the gorilla’s habitats have caused a decline of the species. The three main threats that humans pose, commercial hunting, logging of the forest (which has increased poaching) and Human illnesses like the Ebola virus. According to studies recent annual rate of decline in the gorillas was 4. 7 percent and mortality rates caused by the Ebola virus were as high as 80 percent. The gorillas DNA is 98 percent the same has humans. Any flu or virus a human can carry or transmit the gorillas can catch. Since they live away from humans, any virus or flu can be deadly to them. The gorilla’s immune system does not have the ability to defend against any virus or flu that has been transmitted from humans. (Cosmos, 2008) Current Safeguards and Protections: Additional Measures: Going Unchecked: The Congo basin has been recognized as a globally important factor in inter-continental weather patterns and for maintaining climate stability. The COMIFAC Convergence and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership have joined forces to protect the whole Congo Basin ecosystem. They will tack the carbon sequestration and storage, rainfall generation and the areas bio-diversity. The Western Lowland Gorillas ecological role must be taken into account. The Western Lowland Gorillas are keystone species in their forest habitats, so their protection is essential to long-term management of the Congo basin. (Cosmos, 2008) Conclusion: Reference Page: Beudels-Jamer, R. (2008) Western Lowland Gorilla. Retriever on September 25, 2009 from www. yog2009. org September 25, 2009 from www. animaldiversity. unnz. unnz. edu Western Lowland Gorilla Profile, (na) (nd) Retrieved on September 25, 2009 from www. animal. nationalgeographic. com

Motivation: Theory and Practice Essay

Motivation theories and practices remain as one of the most difficult subject to understand. In order to fully comprehend this topic, one must go through several disciplines and enormous research. This is especially crucial in the workplace. There is no methodology that is more efficient in increasing productivity than using motivation. Despite the importance of practicing motivation theories, it is still an area that very few have ventured in. One of the many reasons behind the reluctances of managers to carry out motivation theories is due to the complexity of understanding human behavior (Landy & Conte, 2007). Therefore, it is safe to say that most theories of motivation deal with the different aspects of human nature. This paper is going to look at 4 different motivational models. They are Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Aldefer’s ERG theory, Herzberg’s two factor theory as well as Adam’s equity theory. The similarities and differences of these models will also be discussed in this paper. This is the prerequisite knowledge for the next section of the paper that is application of these theories by managers in order to help reduce the problem of involuntary absenteeism in the workplace and employee disengagement. Motivational models  Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Nobody can make a dent bigger than Abraham Maslow who introduces the hierarchy of needs model in 1940s. There are 4 layers in this motivational model and it is often portrayed in the form of a pyramid (Pride, Hughes & Kapoor, 2004). He believes that certain human needs are dominated over others. Therefore, at the bottom of the pyramid is the most basic and important needs of a human being. This layer consists of fulfilling the physiological needs of an individual such as food, water and air (Pride, Hughes & Kapoor, 2004). Literally, these are aspects that are required to ensure the human survival. After the physiological needs have been cater to, the second layer of the pyramid is satisfying the safety needs. This can be triggered by war or economic downturn whereby a person seeks for personal security such as family and health as well as financial security like employment and property (Montana & Charnov, 2008). According to Maslow, the third hierarchy involves achieving a sense of love and belonging (Montana & Charnov, 2008). This plays true to human’s nature as a social animal. Friendship, family and intimacy play an important role in meeting emotional obligation. The next layer is getting respect from others and building self-esteem (Montana & Charnov, 2008). Lacking in these aspects will lead to helplessness and depression. Finally, at the top of pyramid is the layer of self-actualization (Pride, Hughes & Kapoor, 2004). This is the stage where somebody reaches their full potential in life. One of the major criticisms of this model is the need to fulfill a human’s needs according to a hierarchy, from the bottom to the top of the pyramid. However, in real life, a person can be demotivated as a result from various reasons and not following a certain order. Aldefer’s ERG theory Clayton Aldefer comes up with a revised version of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The ERG theory also describes the necessity to fulfill human needs according to an order. Each letter of this model represents the three levels of needs. They are existence, relatedness and growth (Hoffmann, 2007). The existence needs are aspects that are needed to maintain the physical well-being of a person (Pattanayak, 2005). After this has been fulfilled, a person will move on to finding the relatedness needs such as building satisfying relationship with others (Pattanayak, 2005). Finally, a person will seek out his or her needs for growth whereby the competence level is developed and full potential is realized (Hoffmann, 2007). One of the major differences between Aldefer’s ERG theory with Maslow’s motivational model is the amount of flexibility. Although it is mainly concentrating on an individual fulfilling his or her needs progressively, Aldefer also acknowledges that a person may regress to lower level needs as they are easier to reach a level of satisfaction. Besides that, this flexibility also allows ERG theory to justify and observe a wider range of behavior. Therefore, ERG theory understands that different people will have different needs and the order can be changed or even, pursued at the same time. Herzberg’s two factor theory Frederick Herzberg is the psychologist who founded the two factor theory. According two him, there are two factors that play an important role in the enhancement of motivation and satisfaction of an employee in the workplace. They are known as the hygiene and motivator factor (Tosi, Mero & Rizzo, 2000). Hygiene factors are aspects to avoid unpleasantness while working but do not guarantee satisfaction (Tosi, Mero & Rizzo, 2000). This includes good working condition, feelings of job security, quality relationship with supervisor and colleagues, company policy, salary and etcetera. Meanwhile, motivator factors will lead to personal growth as well as job satisfaction (Schermerhorn, 2011). These factors are important in order to motivate employees to work harder and increase productivity. Components such as gaining recognition, opportunity for promotion, given more responsibility and stimulating work, just to name a few, will motivate workers to improve their performances. Herzberg’s two factor theory is similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in terms of acknowledging the necessity to fulfill the requisites so that, motivation can occur. However, Herzberg argues that only the highest level of Maslow’s pyramid, self-actualization, can lead to motivation (Schermerhorn, 2011). The lower needs will only cause dissatisfaction if they are not fulfilled. Adam’s equity theory This motivational theory is named after John Stacey Adam. The equity theory states that there should be an equal balance between an employee’s output and input in order to create motivation, satisfaction and productivity (Miner, 2007). An employee’s input is what and how much they put into the work (Miner, 2007). This includes variants such as effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, flexibility, trust in superiors and personal sacrifice. Meanwhile, an employee’s output is what he or she gets back in return (Jones, Steffy & Bray, 1991). Determinants like financial rewards, recognition, a sense of achievement, praise and job security will be taken into consideration. There is a similarity between Adam’s equity theory with models that are proposed by Maslow and Herzberg. He agrees that subtle factors can affect the perception of an individual towards his or her work. However, the equity theory model is more fluid and thus, creates awareness as well as understanding to better handle wider situations from humans’ multi-faceted behavior (Jones, Steffy & Bray, 1991). Application of motivational theories by managers in the workplace Motivation plays a crucial role in any organizations in terms of increasing productivity. The effectiveness of a company is highly dependent on their employees’ desire to strive for success. On the other hand, demotivated workers can cause several problems. One of them is the involuntary absenteeism in the workplace. This is an indicator of low performance as workers are unable to complete their duty or obligation to their fullest. Another issue with demotivated workers is disengagement. Disengaged employees are not interested or have no passion in their jobs anymore. This feeling will reflect on their poor work performances. This section discusses the application of motivational theories that have been mentioned above by managers to solve the aforesaid problems in the workplace. There are many factors that can contribute to the demotivation of employees. Mainly, this is caused by the feeling of dissatisfaction with their work. One way managers can motivate their workers is through the creation of incentives such as gift cards, giving recognition and orchestrating friendly competitions (Landy & Conte, 2007). Based on Maslow’s motivational model, managers can offer different incentives to help employees to fulfill each need. Therefore, managers should also be aware that each employee is motivated in different ways and requires different incentive plans that cater to their needs (Landy & Conte, 2007). Besides that, employees do not move up the hierarchy at the same time and on the same pace. Apart from that, managers can try to motivate their employees by practicing Herzberg’s motivational theory. Adopting a more democratic approach can actually help to curb problems such as absenteeism and disengagement as employees have a positive view about their jobs (Lussier & Achua, 2009). One way is to give the workers a variety of tasks to perform. This will make the job seems more interesting and less mundane. Managers should also not be fraid to challenge their employees with more complex tasks. This can be stimulating and create a sense of accomplishment when employees are able to complete them. Besides that, managers can consider giving their workers more power when it comes to making decisions about their jobs. If a manager practices the ERG theory, he or she will come up with plans that concentrate on the various needs of the employees at one time in order to motivate them (Lussier & Achua, 2009). The frustration-regression step should also be taken into serious consideration (Landy & Conte, 2007). Therefore, an employee should not be blamed when he or she takes a step backward in their job performance because the environment does not allow him or her to have the opportunity to grow personally and advance to a higher status. It is important for managers to take care of this situation as soon as possible because frustrated employees who are not satisfied with their jobs will lead to demotivation after a prolong period of time. This is when employees have the tendency to be absent or disengage from their work. Finally, managers who like to apply Adam’s equity theory in order to motivate their employees should be aware that there must be a fair return to compensate for the work done by their employees (Lussier & Achua, 2009). However, this can be rather confusing as each employee has different notions on what constitutes a fair deal as it is often injected with personal values by the workers (Landy & Conte, 2007). For example, a single working mother may accept a lower salary to trade for shorter working hours so that, she can spend more time with her family will consider this to be fair. Besides that, an overly generous manager who pays excessively to his or her employees can also create an imbalance in the input and output scale. An overpaid employee has the tendency to decrease their productivity and feel demotivated. Conclusion This paper has looked at four different motivational theories. They are Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Aldefer’s ERG theory, Herzberg’s two factor theory and Adam’s equity theory. Besides that, a brief discussion on the imilarities and differences of these motivational models are also included in this paper. A thorough understanding in this area is crucial for managers in handling demotivated employees. Effective application of motivational theories will solve various problems such absenteeism and employee disengagement. Employees who are satisfied and motivated can increase the productivity of their companies. In a nutshell, managers who can create a motivated working environment by making use of the study in huma n nature will be able to reap the benefits.

Looking Backward Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Looking Backward - Essay Example The benefits of the evolution of this industrial system have been manifest. This has made other governments like Europe to emulate the same mode of a single system of control because of the economic underperformance experience in the decentralized industrial control system. The government has considered the efficiency, which streams from the application of scientific forms of production. Additionally, supply of products is linked to the demand of the various products produced. Logistics have been introduced to ensure that the bureaucratic structures put in place are beneficial. Bellamy also analyzes the aspect of equality of labor in the novel, ‘Looking Backward’. In this regard, shared labor has been construed to be the driver of social order and scientific socialism. According to Bellamy, human welfare and equality can be fostered by a society, which is efficiently managed (47). This is because the humanity aspect is indispensable in the search of equality at work. The social order has made people co-exist in every aspect to an extent that it is impossible for any person to alienate himself from the society for any course. Bellamy remarks, â€Å"†¦Our entire social order is so wholly based upon and deduced from [compulsory national service] that if it were conceivable that a man could escape it, he would be left with no possible way to provide for his existence. He would have excluded himself from the world, cut himself off from his kind, in a word, committed suicide†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bellamy, 59). Equality in social labor is mandatory fo r any person to be on equal footing with the rest of the community. Bellamy asserts that synergistic effort helps in the fostering of unity in the industrial setting rather than the fear of retribution (37). Citizenship is correlated with work. Through this work equality is achieved by all the citizens. The women are not

Whoole Foods in South Korea Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Whoole Foods in South Korea - Research Paper Example Based on the research, five dimensions universal to all cultures around the world were established. These include: Power-Distance; collectivism-individualism; femininity vs. masculinity; and uncertainty avoidance and long-term vs. short-term orientation (Yoo, Donthu and Lenartowicz 194). Collectivism vs. individualism: South Korea and the United States exhibit these two extreme cultural dimensions. While the U.S. culture is more of individualism, South Korea is more of collectivism. South Koreans are more contented with groups. This demonstrates that the country is a collectivist society unlike the U.S, which is highly individualistic. Being a collectivist society, South Korea can be referred to as a high-context culture according to the framework of Edward T. Hall (Rubio-Sanchez 14). Power distance: South Korea is a high power distance society. It is a hierarchical society in which the society is stratified into hierarchical order with everyone has his or her position in the organiz ation or the society. Subordinate staff in organizations usually relies on their bosses for instructions on what to do. Masculinity / Femininity: South Korea tends to be a feminine society in which the main focus is on working in order to survive. South Koreans value equality in the workplace and managers embrace consensus. Solutions to conflicts are usually arrived at through compromise and negotiation. In South Korea, a successful manager is one who is supportive and includes his or her subordinates in decision-making. Focus is usually on people’s welfare rather than status. Incentives like free time and flexibility are highly appreciated in feminine cultures. Uncertainty Avoidance: This cultural dimension concerns predictions about the future. Countries with high uncertainty avoidance tend to have rigid perception about other behaviors and ideas that are opposed to their own. South Korea has a high uncertainty avoidance culture. The society is characterized with low risk t aking ability. The society is characterized by emotional needs for rules and people have innate drive to work hard and keep busy. Punctuality and precision form fundamental norms of organizations. Individuals are highly motivated by some sense of job security. Long-term vs. Short-term orientation: South Korea has one of the highest scores in long-term orientation of the society. Long-term orientation is connected with the teachings of Confucius, which focuses of a virtuous society that focuses on the future rather than the short-term benefits (Yim 38). South Koreans are directed by good moral codes and virtues. Organizations in south Korea focus on constant growth of their share of the market and have higher proportion of own capital unlike companies from the United States and other short-term oriented societies, which focus on short-term gains or profit. South Koreans prefer to engage in business with people whom they have connections with. The U.S has been present in the country f or a long time and this might help in establishing the Whole food business. Cultural and language barrier is one of the things that would hinder successful establishment of the company in South Korea. In order to overcome this, it is appropriate to use managers and local employees with knowledge on both English and Korean language. Successful business negotiation will demand the knowledge about the country’s business etiquettes. Developing business contacts and bringing cards printed in both English and Korean language will ensure successful negotiation. Observing business etiquettes remain crucial for winning a deal and one must observe that South Koreans negotiate on a collective

Corporate Restructuring of RBS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Restructuring of RBS - Essay Example Many organizations these days are practicing corporate restructuring to make the optimal use of their resource. Some organizations have found that corporate restructuring is necessary for enhancing the business profitability, while other businesses have not been very successful in restructuring. This has resulted in debates over whether the corporate restructuring is really beneficial or whether it is only a myth. This paper is going to look at the both sides of corporate restructuring and will conclude with the final word on the impact of Corporate Restructuring on the financial position of an organization. The major objective behind any restructuring program is to achieve the organizational efficiency. Corporate Restructuring schemes are designed keeping in mind the enhancement in productivity of the workers, cost control elements and any other objectives that are going to maximize the shareholder’s wealth. Conventionally it was thought that corporate restructuring improves the performance of a company’s shares on the stock market. This hypothesis was rejected by a recent study. It was revealed that announcements relating to Corporate Restructuring of an organization did not yield abnormal returns for the stockholders. Hence, Corporate Restructuring does not change market sentiments about the organization immediately. The change in financial performance only occurs if it is found that the corporate restructuring has enhanced the organization’s use of resources and there has been an increase in the profitability of the firm. (Bowman & Singh, 1993) Another study done on the group of hospitals revealed that Corporate Restructuring is not positively correlated with increase in financial position and performance of an organization. Other factors such as size of the organization, number of employees and target market are more likely to be the main difference between financially strong and a financially weak organization. The results of this stu dy may lack reliability because it was cross-sectional research containing data of only one year. In the long-run Corporate Restructuring forces might be more efficient and have an impact on profitability of the organization. But to be on the safe side we can say that Corporate Restructuring is not correlated with the profitability of the organization in the short-run at least. (Clement, A'unno, & Poyzer, 1993) The paper is going to examine the impact of Corporate Restructuring on the market of an organization. The results of the studies indicated that the smaller and more centrally concentrated organizations are better in strategic decision making. In the period of 1990s, many organizations with diffused investment subsidiaries and stakes lacked any attention from the investors and hence there was a lot of focus on downsizing strategies during that period. The study also focused that blockholder investment is necessary for the stability of organization and firms with blockholder in vestment are efficiently configured. Hence, it is better for the organizations to downsize and try to maintain blockholder organizational structure in order to safeguard against uncertainty. Many organizations are downsizing because over-diversification is doing more harm than good and investors have realized that the correct way of making money is by investing large sums in a single organization to achieve growth. (Bethel & Liebieskind, 1993) A

Internet fame Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Internet fame - Essay Example Although I personally never experienced a breach of privacy or leakage of important information, I’ve known friends who had thus suffered. A friend of mine had the most embarrassing experience, as her pajama party photographs got leaked into the public domain. She posted the pictures in her Facebook profile, setting access to only those who are her friends. But perhaps as a result of someone hacking into her profile and downloading these pictures, they got out into the public domain of the Internet. A big fan of social networking sites like Facebook, my friend is yet to overcome the embarrassment caused by the leak. She is now very hesitant to post or share any sensitive information in these sites and is regretful that she trusted them in the past. It makes sense for her to exercise caution from now on, for these leaks could prove very costly. In this instance she only has to bear through minor social embarrassment. But there are leaks that could prove more damaging, as in hav ing one’s credit card details hacked or professional accounts becoming accessible to miscreants. If this were to happen, she could face severe monetary loss or a dent to her professional reputation. Hence, she has to take all precautions in the future to avoid these

Reading Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Reading Responses - Essay Example He spent his life by shining the boots of the wealthy businesspersons and at evenings if he would have money to spare then he would spend is time watching the cheap plays at the Old Bowery theatre. At night, he would spend his time sleeping wrapped in newspapers and if he would still have money after watching the theater then he would spend his night at Newsboy Lodging House spending 6 cents and he would buy himself a hearty meal at the cafà ©. The novel is based on how ragged dick has a sudden windfall and he obtains a lot of money. The novel teaches the readers a lot of virtue through the life of Ragged dick. It teaches the importance of education, the importance of being generous, honest and to not inculcate any filthy habit of smoking or drinking. The two questions instilled in my mind were What were the differences between Dick’s and Frank’s perception? And What are the different themes that are enumerated in the novel Ragged Dick? The entire novel is based on the dichotomy present between Frank and Dick’s character. While Frank is actually a genteel boy from the countryside who is completely captured and entrapped with the superficial appearances of the people and the different places. Frank is initially disgusted and he looks down upon the appearance of Dick. Frank is just fascinated with the beauty around him and he cannot see the reality inside it. Dick becomes the mouthpiece of Alger who teaches Didactics to the readers of the novel. The different themes that has been discussed in the novel is that Dick’s search for identity. The search for identity begins with the transition and growth of dick from childhood to adulthood. Another theme that has been dealt in the novel is the theme of success. The theme that enacts the importance of being wealthy and it also marks the fulfillment of the American Dream. It also highlights the importance of the social

Respnse paper after I observe dental hygienist work in a dental office Essay

Respnse paper after I observe dental hygienist work in a dental office - Essay Example In the process, he nearly held each breath, being certain of the spots on which to fix the needle through and at which correct angle, as if at this critical stage, the worker would not afford any degree of hesitation between the acts of injecting and of coordinating the jaw thereafter. The dental hygienist occurred to exhibit intense focus while he still managed to utter firm but gentle words of command to draw in the patient’s full trust and attention toward the procedures conducted. As I observed, this step is important in order to establish confidence for the patient and the hygienist took control of pre-conditioning the subject under treatment so that positive initial impression is built up before the actual dentist got in charge of the main course of action. Likewise, the patient seemed to have essentially gained insight of the rest of the dental work to be carried out for her welfare and at the time she could have associated the dentist’s quality of practice to th at of the dental hygienist who dealt with her firsthand.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay Example for Free

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay I. Key Problem What Steven Ells began with a small taqueria in Denver, Colorado in 1993, one may not have foreseen this venture to become the fastest growing restaurant chain in the last decade. By 2006, Ells’ idea made its initial public offering with 535 restaurants throughout the world. Things were going tremendously well for CMG until late afternoon on October 18, 2012 when Ells finished receiving the company’s third quarter results. While data indicated an overall satisfactory outcome, it was the competition from Yum Brands’ Taco Bell and their recent launch of the Cantina Bell menu that would result in what seemed to be the onset of a major problem. Taco Bell had now become a major competitor to Chipotle since the launch of their new Cantina Bell menu allowing them to enter into the fast-casual segment in offering similar ingredients and items as Chipotle had. At the same time CMG paid a significant amount more for their products forcing them to charge a higher price on their menu items. Taco Bell, however, now offered similar items for half the price. The bottom line: competition was the root of this problem. The fact that Chipotle menu prices were higher as compared to that of Taco Bell’s new menu would lead to consumers or normally loyal customers to give the Cantina Bell menu a try. After the launch of the Cantina Bell menu in the summer of 2012, CMG stock significantly declined just after third quarter results were announced. To add insult to injury, Jeff Einhorn, a hedge fund leader, presented at the Value Investors Conference in New York City proclaiming that CMG was an attractive stock for short-sellers because of the considerable competition from Taco Bell. He further stated, â€Å"23% of Chipotle customers had already tried Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu†¦and two-thirds of those customers indicated they would return. What’s more, the customers most likely to return to Taco Bell were also those most likely to eat at Chipotle, a dynamic that indicates to me that Chipotle is most at risk of losing its frequent customers.† This message led to CMG’s stock falling by more than 4% within hours of the conclusion of the presentation. The announcement of projected increases in food costs on the part of CMG also contributed to the competition between them and Taco Bell. While Chipotle stood by its belief that it is â€Å"Food with Integrity† because of better ingredients, the Cantina Bell menu produced something similar while lowering the cost a customer would have to pay for a meal, therefore, causing further competition between the two. II. Relevant Theory By looking at the items offered on the Cantina Bell menu versus those on Chipotle’s menu, I determined that they both have a competitive advantage. Chipotle is a premium product offered at a higher price where it reaches a broader market share that is willing to pay more money. On the other hand, Taco Bell’s main strategic course is cost leadership which enables them to reach a broader market share with a lower price for the desired item. As shown on Example 1 the Competitive Advantage and Economic Value Created are somewhat different between the two companies. Since Chipotle offers a better quality of ingredients, consumers are willing to pay a higher price. As a result, creating a higher Value (V) for a burrito is at the same time creating a greater economic value (Value-Cost.) Meanwhile the economic value created by Taco Bell is smaller since the value of their product is less and consumer’s maximum willingness to pay will be lower. Example 1 Since Yum Brands launching of the new Cantina Bell menu, this new organic ingredient-driven list of selections has been a pretty obvious attempt to compete with fast casual giant Chipotle. This is what has become the major concern for Chipotle where competition is becoming fierce and for practically half the price the Cantina Bell menu is a definite value. However, you do get what you pay for and the overall quality and taste of Chipotle still has a slightly greater edge over Taco Bell. The value someone will be willing to pay for a Taco Bell burrito will be less than the value Chipotle has created with their better quality ingredients, hence creating a greater economic value. III. Assessment of Alternatives How could Chipotle effectively approach their key problem which is Taco Bell’s new Cantina Bell menu? What seems to be the main concern for Chipotle is that Taco Bell is trying to provide a similar product for half the price. Some of the alternatives available to Chipotle to are: †¢ Buy low cost goods to reduce prices using Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) †¢ Another option could be to offer a smaller burrito for a smaller price, or to include less amounts of meat as Taco Bell does †¢ Continue doing what they do best and differentiate themselves Should Chipotle buy low cost goods to reduce prices using Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), it would allow them to offer menu items at a lower cost to the consumer providing greater competition between them and Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu. However, in doing so would contradict their philosophy of providing the best quality ingredients in their food. In doing so, it will change CMG’s strategy from being a premium product and higher price to a cost leadership strategy and at the same time reducing the value of its product. Another option could be to offer a smaller burrito for a smaller price, or to include less amounts of meat as Taco Bell does in its Cantina Bell menu. This would also allow for cost effectiveness on both the consumer and Chipotle’s side, however, it would go against CMG’s mission statement of being â€Å"Food with Integrity†, lower its value and become a cost leadership strategy as opposed to being a premium product and higher price. A third alternative is for CMG to continue to compete effectively by doing what they already are doing which is differentiation based on quality and sustainability. This approach supports its philosophical message of better food for the consumer and community as well as being environmentally conscious. This allows CMG to maintain its values and remain within their strategy segment. On the contrary, this alternative force Chipotle to increase their menu prices while reducing its consumer surplus. IV. Suggested Course of Action After carefully analyzing the different alternatives, the best course of action is to continue to compete effectively on differentiation based on quality and sustainability given the mounting competitive and sourcing challenges. Even thought Taco Bell’s new menu seems like a significant threat they are far from creating the same value and reputation Chipotle has created since it opened its first restaurant in 1993. Not only does Chipotle provide the freshest and best ingredients with a bold flavor, they are setting themselves apart from any other restaurant chain and main competitor since they continuously are working toward better practices. They continue to push to sustainable sourcing like getting their meat form non Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) while at the same time contributing to the promotion of good animal health and fighting against animal abuse. In addition, CMG buys products from local farms, builds restaurants to be eco friendly and LEED certified (leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) while trying to keep the cost and price of other items down. As their value statement proclaims, â€Å"Food with Integrity† is a mission of serving good quality food with inputs sourced using sustainable farming practices. Even thought new threats like Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu are presenting a challenge there will always be competition. CMG upholds strong beliefs to do what is best for the environment and for its communities in order to provide the best products to its consumers. This is precisely why they have grown so fast from the opening of their first taqueria, to the capital infusion from McDonald’s, to its initial Public offering (IPO.) They have been the fastest growing chain in the last decade and just like any fast growing business, regardless of their success, they will reach a slower growth as they approach maturity. There will still be opportunity for expansion. Chipotle is certainly heading toward a different direction than their competitors making them stand out and become a lot harder to imitate. This alternative is truly the only logical option for Chipotle as it continues to enforce its philosophy of providing â€Å"Food with Integrity.† There will always be competition between companies and products, however, if Chipotle chooses another route for combating this rivalry with Taco Bell, it would not allow itself to differentiate from them. V. Key Takeaways Before reading this case, I knew nothing about Chipotle but after reading it I am quite impressed by the approach CMG has taken choosing to go a different route most companies are afraid of doing because of higher cost prices. I was equally impressed they choose organic products, to buy from local farms, being against massive animal feeding as well as animal cruelty and that they are eco friendly and are looking to make all their restaurants like this. Of course, I should also mention that one knows one will be eating the best ingredients and most fresh available foods. I am confident as the values of this company are brought to the attention of more of the public, Chipotle will reach a bigger market share as the public demand will rise. I would also predict other companies and restaurants will follow similar suit. As mentioned earlier, there will always be competition in business, but a firm must find their differentiation advantage. As individuals become more educated and understand the factor facing the environment people will be willing to make a change and help make a difference.

A Play Based Curriculum | Analysis of Parent Attitudes

A Play Based Curriculum | Analysis of Parent Attitudes Abstract Parents select the type of school and curriculum they want for their children. There are numerous factors influencing parents choice of school, but practicality, location, affordability, and previous experience with the school are some of their most important considerations. Knowledge and understanding of the different components of the early childhood curricula is a necessity, but such is still dependent on many factors influencing parents choice. We know from the literature (Brain Klein, 1994; Reay Lucey, 2000) that parents enrolling their children in an early childhood education program that implements a play-based curriculum may have done so only because the school has met their expectations in some way, and not because they are aware of the benefits of the play-based program. Nevertheless, what we dont know is if parents would only understand and appreciate the curriculum, would they have made another choice, would they be more involved and have realistic expectations of their childs learning opportunities? This study explores the beliefs and attitudes of parents regarding the play-based curriculum. Using qualitative methods, I aim to gather information in narrative form on parents beliefs and attitudes regarding play-based curriculum The analysis of the data will be based on the narrative responses of the parents, and focus on commonalities, differences, and emergent themes. Introduction I just want my child to have fun! is a comment I hear regularly from parents touring my preschool. But the magic of fun somehow disappears as children reach the age of three or four, and when they start to prepare for real school. Standards, standardized tests, honors, grades etc., soon become parents greatest concerns. Somewhere along the line, the fun comment is replaced with questions pertaining to kindergarten readiness and requests for worksheets, homework and some sort of grade. As a preschool owner/educator, I remember so vividly the day I decided to leave an incredible 13-year career as a public school teacher in one of Ohios wealthiest school districts to own and run my own preschool. This was not an easy decision, because I love teaching; leaving the classroom was one of the hardest professional decisions I have ever made. However, the standards and standardized testing that were dictating our curriculum practices were in complete conflict with my beliefs. Fortunately, I had options and decided to stay in education by moving to younger ages, which at the time, seemed exempt from the overt pressure of standardized testing. I envisioned a facility that embraced play as the primary learning philosophy one that valued child interests and focus groups, one that integrated multicultural facets. I could not be more pleased with my decision to walk away from an amazing retirement, decent salary, and summers off with my own children to offer my ideals to other young learners. Little did I realize that the same nightmares that plagued me previously would continue to haunt me at my preschool. Although research on play and cognitive development provide a lot of support for the play-based curriculum for our young children, the recent state and national emphasis on proficiency test performance has reinforced the concept of minimal play time, even in the primary setting. Many preschools and elementary schools have reduced or even eliminated play from their schedules ( Bodrova Leong, 2003; Brandon, 2002; Johnson, 1998; Murline, 2000; Vail 2003). Play, even the small segments, are being replaced with academic readiness practices, particularly literacy and reading to match the content of standardized testing (Brandon, 2002; Fromberg, 1990; Johnson, 1998; Steinhauer, 2005; Vail, 2003). The constant struggle for accountability, as well as top-down standards and coercive pressure to raise scores on an endless series of standardized test- (Kohn, 2004, p.572), in addition to the battle of improving education, all seem to be dictating current educational trends. Even if a program embraces the importance of play, the outer forces that continue to press for academics is constantly threatening the foundation from which our young children build their educational future. We strip them of their best innate confidence in directing their own learning, hurry them along, and often wear them out. (Almon, 2003, p.20). This push for a more academic foundation in the early years may find us losing sight of the real purpose of learning. If we continue down this path of creating a test-prep curriculum in which our emphasis is on how the child scores on a reading test rather than on allowing children to read for pleasure and information after leaving school, we might generate quite the opposite effect and negatively impact cognitive development. Nevertheless, the global challenge that the Information Age has imposed on us has likewise prompted education officials to redefine school achievement. The governments move to establish educational standards through the (No Child Left Behind Act) NCLB was based on the decline of education standards since the start of the 70s (Peterson, 2003). At present, most schools implement standard-based curricula, formal evaluation methods, and numerical grading system in response to the call for a wider educational transformation. Suffice to mention, the U.S. ranks only 19th in the Literacy Index established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2007). Such data support the current trend in education, and imply the need of preschool educators to respond accordingly. In this consideration, it is worthwhile to weigh what we know about the significance of play-based curriculum as it contradicts with what officials in Higher Education promote, the standar d-based curriculum. With the help of parents who themselves have witnessed the relevance of play-based curriculum to the current education system and to the broader aspects of their childrens lives, this study shall gain novel findings on how parents understand the play-based curriculum. Knowing how parents understand play-based curriculum is important, it will provide insight into what information parents draw upon in making early educational decisions for their children. . Since parents are the ones who decide where to enroll their children, it would be best to learn how they feel towards play-based curriculum. To secure a well-informed research finding, during this study I will focus on interviews, observations and documents/documentation, with parents whose children are currently enrolled in a play-based curriculum. I plan to interview five parents; conducting three interviews: a Life History interview , a Current Context interview that includes a summary of their present situation, and a Follow up interview. In addition to the three interviews, observations will be conducted and artifacts will be collected to enhance the data collection. I currently own and operate a preschool situated in a Northeastern Ohio suburb. The demographics surrounding my school consist of upper middle class, educated, two-parent households. In the recent past, we were operating with 248 Caucasian families but have noticed a cultural trend changing our schools population: we now house six native Asian families, eight native Indian families, three African-American families, and two biracial families out of a total of 257 families. This trend, I believe, is due to a new 30-acre hospital facility opening across the street. This study will take place in a similar preschool. The commercial brand preschool (pseudonym) has similar demographics and utilizes a play-based curriculum. As I tour families, I am always assured that parents want the best for their children. The decision to leave a young child to a non-family member is difficult but common, and it is what brought me to this point in my life: a 43 year-old mother of two daughters, ages 10 and 13, pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with an early childhood focus. A very attractive, well-dressed woman in her mid-thirties, entered my school foyer holding an expensive handbag, and armed with a list of questions, began her quest for the perfect childcare provider. This well-spoken mom has a two-year-old son and an infant daughter. She, an attorney and her husband, a resident doctor, just moved to our community from Washington, DC. My tour involves a short introduction of myself and my background, as well as the schools. I always include a short description of our philosophy, which includes play, a tour of the facility, an introduction to all teachers, and, finally, a meeting in my office where we address all questions on their list. Such a list typically includes: safety and security, ratios, sick policy, discipline policy, sanitation procedures, lunch and snack, tuition, etc. In this instance, curriculum was never mentioned, even after I spoke of our play-based philosophy, our Flex Learning Program, etc. Such things did not seem important to thi s mom. She asked about teacher turnover, how many infants were currently enrolled, how many teachers were in the classroom, and if her baby would be rocked to sleep. She asked if her young toddler would visit the gym, which is located in the older building; if he would go outside every day; and if he could participate in karate and soccer. Literature supporting everything discussed during the tour, including curriculum issues, was handed to her, as well as a business card with the web address for any additional information. This is very much a typical tour. The mother called later to announce that her decision was complete and her children would be starting the next Monday. That was two years ago. Her children still attend my school full time, now ages three and five. Both kids are in the West facility that houses older children: older Preschool, Pre K, Jr-K, K, and after school classrooms/program. Her children are thriving academically and socially. Yet, two years later, her concern shifted to academic readiness. She made an appointment with me to review the Ohio Pre K standards which she received from her neighbor. Our hour-and-half hour meeting consisted of examples of just how these standards are being implemented, met, and mastered without the use of paper/pencil, drill, skill worksheets, and assessment tools. Although our philosophy has not changed, nor has her desire for her children to have fun, the fear of success in school has crept into this moms thinking. Walking through her sons and daughte rs classrooms daily and observing kids building blocks, doing dramatic play, using sand and water, and working at art stations, reassures her that the kids are indeed having fun, but what are they learning? How can she be sure they will be prepared for school? This has me posing several opposing questions. What are parents beliefs  and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curriculum, and has their beliefs and attitudes changed since entering the play-based program? What evidence can I offer parents that play-based curriculum is an appropriate curriculum for primary school readiness? How do I advocate for preschoolers as a time in life to cherish play as a basis for holistic development and learning? It is my desire, as a strong advocate of play for small children, to better understand where parents are coming from, how they are informed, and what they draw upon to make their final conclusions. Therefore, in my study, I will inquire from parents their beliefs and attitude about play-based curriculum in the hope of better understanding where parents are coming from. This information will better inform teachers in their parent education practices as well as parents in their search for a preschool. About Early Childhood Education Programs Early childhood education programs provide foundational learning experiences to very young children in preparation for formal schooling. Early childhood education programs strive to provide children with the basic skills in literacy and numeracy, which are crucial for all levels of education, while, at the same time, providing the social, emotional, and cultural interaction that children need for maturity and social development. There is a wide variation in child care programs in the United States ranging from basic care-based, and sometimes simply custodial-based care to nationally accredited early childhood programs such as those promoted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). A number of early childhood education models are in place: Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, Waldorf, Play-Based, and Academics-Based, each having a different philosophy and educational objective, but all striving to contribute to the readiness of children for formal instruction (Si nger, Singer, Plaskon, Schweder, 2003). Theoretical Frameworks Earlier theories on child development do not directly specify play as an essential aspect of cognitive development yet constructivist theories recognize it as an important factor affecting childrens interest and social development. In addition, neuroscience contributes to the view that physical and age-related play enhances brain, physical, and overall development (Frost 1998). The social constructivist theory is the force that determines this study. It claims that individuals perceptions of the reality around them shape their thoughts and behavior (Berger Luckman, 1966) and that the construction of meaning is a process forged in the crucible of everyday interactionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦meanings are negotiated, exchanged, and modified through everyday interactions with others (Rosenholtz, 1989, p. 3). It also says that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing and reflecting upon those experiences. Constructivism posits that children develop their own concepts of things based on prior knowledge and experience. Guided by people, prior knowledge or experience, they perceive, analyze, and eventually make up their own ideas regarding the world. Therefore, prior skills used at play may be applied relevantly to other situations, such as problem solving, analysis, or decision-making. This makes play an important part of childrens life, as it serves as the introduction to higher skills and more difficult challenges of life. In particular, Lev Vygotsky (cited in Palmer, 2004), a well-known constructivist supports the importance of play in the childs development. In his last lecture, Play and the Psychological Development of the Child, Vygotsky emphasized the importance of play during the childs early years. According to him, play is part of a childs Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the difference between what a child can do and what s/he cannot. During play, the child behaves beyond his age, and discovers new ways of doing things such as different shapes and heights of blocks. As the child does this, s/he explores the depths of ZPD, which consequences to a better learning ability. In the same way, neuroscience provides support for childs play. Frost (1998) documents that brain development is further improved as children engage in age-appropriate play. Conversely, he illustrates that deprivation of play could result in aberrant behavior (8). It can be gathered that in Vgotskys social constructivist theory, parents form an understanding when it comes to identifying the fit academic environment for their child based on their expectations Research Methodology: Focus and Questions Based on the goals of this study, the employment of methodology through the acquisition of narrative inquiry and the case study design are appropriate. Narrative case study will be used for this research project as it will allow me, the researcher, to witness and report a descriptive setting in order to share experiences Case Study This study adopts the case study design with the view that individual cases provide more in-depth information. Case studies focus on the individual, his/her experiences, and immediate reality, which is needed to derive meaning and understanding of the issue or concept under examination. Moreover, it provides real examples from real people who are unencumbered by the use of predetermined measures or surveys, and whose responses will only result in numbers and statistics (Bogdan Biklen, 2007). In this study, individuals, the parents (either mother or father in one family) should have a child or children who are enrolled in a school that implements play-based curriculum. These individuals will be interviewed and asked to share their stories based on open-ended questions that correspond to the over-arching research questions. In doing so, the individuals experiences and beliefs will be discussed in order to arrive at a better understanding of the research topic, which regards parents be liefs and attitudes of a play-based curriculum. It is expected that other factors such as race, religion, and socioeconomic status would influence the experiences and thoughts of parents. Thus, the parents selected for the study will come from different backgrounds. In addition to the three planned interviews, observations including parent/ teacher conferences, PTO meetings, various parent celebrations such as A Day in the Life of PreSchooler, Muffins With Mom, (Root)Beer and Pretzels with Dad, Parents Night Out, Parents Information Evening etc will be observed. Artifacts such as Parent Handbook, Schools literature including the schools mission statement, student rights, student portfolio information will be submitted to supplement Narrative Inquiry For the purpose of this study I will also be drawing on narrative inquiry (Clandinin Connelly, 2000) to investigate five parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play -based early childhood curriculum within a privately owned early childhood facility. Coming from the social constructivist perspective, I believe that experiences are significant. Clandinin Connelly also suggest experience is significant in their three dimensional framework for studying how the participants past, present and future contexts influence their beliefs and attitudes towards a play -based early childhood curriculum. Focusing on narrative inquiry will help me to underdtand how parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood curriculum have been established. This unique approach is attractive because it provides the opportunity for the parents voices to be heard. In understanding their beliefs and attitudes of a play-based early childhood curriculum, narrative inquiry will allow me to explor e how their beliefs and attitudes affect their decsion to enroll or not in enroll in a facility that promotes a play-based curriuculum and how these beliefs and attitudes have evolved, through the stories that they share. This study will use the narrative in-depth interview as a qualitative data collection method, which can elicit far richer information than a survey. Further, interviews offer the researcher a means to clarify responses and validate participant responses. Cohen et al. (2000) posited that individual behaviors can only be understood by understanding individuals interpretations of the world around them. Therefore, meaningful social action needs to be interpreted from the point of view of the actors or the people who are in that particular situation. It can be said that parents who have already enrolled their child in a play-based preschool would naturally feel more strongly about it than parents who have not sent their child to a play-based preschool (Bryman, 2004). This qualitative case study will examine preschool parents beliefs and attitudes using a narrative inquiry data-collection strategy in order to showcase the experiences and perceptions of parents towards play-based curricula in early childhood programs. Case study and narrative inquiry seek to understand the particular details in a historically and socially bounded context (Clandinin Connelly, 2000). Main Research Questions The main research question for this study is what are parents beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curriculum? Supporting Research Questions I have identified several supporting research questions to reflect upon throughout Clandinin and Connelly (2000) three-dimensional interviewing process. In looking forward/backward I am interested in understanding how individuals life histories inform their current beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculums. In looking inward/outward I am interested in understanding what outside factors influence their current beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculums.. What are their beliefs on play? What are parents beliefs regarding developmentally appropriate practices? What are parents perceptions of early learning? What evidence can I offer parents that play-based curriculum is an appropriate curriculum for primary school readiness? How do I advocate for preschoolers as a time in life to cherish play as a basis for holistic development and learning? Children have different needs and the preschool program should be able to address those needs. From my experience, I have found that parents often choose preschools that are child-friendly; that is, they have passed safety standards, provide enough learning materials, employ qualified and caring teachers, and maintain an attractive facility. Rarely do parents ask about the schools curriculum or its academic offerings. In my experience, parents expect preschools to teach children basics like shapes, colors, alphabet, numbers, and reading. Most preschools integrate these basic skills into their learning programs, but each preschool differs in how the said skills are presented to the children for teaching purposes. Exploring parents beliefs and attitudes would help identify the relevance of play-based curriculum, whether it has helped facilitate their childrens readiness and ability to learn and develop skills needed for the real school or for everyday living. Moreover, their responses will serve as valuable insights to educators in general, including those who are not implementing play. Considering its focus, play-based curricula may be largely misperceived as not providing enough attention to skills and learning. Also, the current standard-based education being implemented, may consider play unimportant, thus curtail time for it or totally disregard it. Such would be deterrent to children whose basic needs include play and fun. In this view, the questions that I would like to expound on include: What are parents beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculum? What factors led to the development of these beliefs and attitudes? How do/did play-based curriculum affect their childrens learning and development? and How do parents beliefs and attitudes regarding play impact the implementation of play-based curriculum and standard-based curriculum/formal instruction? Purpose of the Study I believe it is important for all parents to have a thorough understanding of the curriculum that their child will be experiencing, whether in preschool or in any other educational setting. Preschools enjoy a certain amount of flexibility in how they teach young children. Different teaching models are available, and some schools integrate two models (i.e, Montessori and Reggio Emilia). When parents know and understand the curriculum of their childs preschool, they are more likely to become involved in the schools activities. They then know how to reinforce their childs learning at home, and tend to collaborate more with teachers (Sission, 2009). My quest to understand the beliefs and attitudes of five parents towards a play-based curriculum has multiple purposes. First, is to provide readers and the early childhood education sector with information concerning parental beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculum; second, to learn how, according to parents views has play-based curriculum affected their childrens learning and development; and third, to discern whether they believe it serves as an effective tool for early childhood education. Statement of the Problem Early childhood researchers have reported that young children learn best through activities that support the development of the whole child (Elkind 2001). David Elkind (2001), in a piece reminiscent of Piagets constructivist views, entitled Young Einstein: Much Too Early, argued that young children learn best through direct interaction with their environment. Before a certain age, they simply are not capable of the level of reasoning necessary for formal instruction. However, national concern with accountability, competition, testing and back-to-basics, puts an over-emphasis on academics and single-subject teaching (Elkind, 2007; Ornstein, 2002; Perrone, 2000). In response to these concerns, early childhood programs may focus the curriculum on the teaching of academic skills (Morrison, 2004). These factors have led to narrowly-defined curricula, which deny young children valuable life experiences found in play. Although a growing concern on math and language ability in the higher yea r levels has prompted the implementation of standard-based curriculum, it is not enough to impose such kind of system in the preschool level. In the first place, children are a lot different from adults in their ways to learn. Unlike adults, children, especially small ones, need play (Ginsburg, 2007); they need to be interested in what they do in order to continue with it. Therefore, the need for play in the preschool should not be disregarded. Nevertheless, the significance of play in instruction should be supported by research and by parents belief in the curriculum. Therefore, a study of the parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood curriculum may provide information useful to teachers and administrators when planning strategies for implementing a successful preschool program. Rationale With the demand for effectiveness, test achievement scores, and accountability, many preschool programs have adopted and reinforced formal instruction, and have used play as a recreational period rather than a learning medium. In an Oregon state-wide survey sent to all kindergarten teachers and principals with first-grade teachers, Hitz and Wright (1998) found that sixty-four percent of kindergarten teachers, sixty-one percent of principals, and seventy-two percent of first-grade teachers reported that formal academic instruction was more prevalent in kindergarten than it was 10 to 20 years ago. In this scenario, creative expression may be considered not as important as cognitive development. Creativity may be viewed as irrelevant to the development of thinking and problem solving. Conversely, it is possible that teachers and administrators have adopted academic instruction and other formal practices, even though most of them considered such developmentally inappropriate. This last s cenario implies the loss or lack of academic freedom among educators, thus contradicting democratic principles. Early childhood educators have shown concern with the type of instruction used in their education programs. Practices used in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes reflected an environmentalist-behaviorist view, even though teachers reported having other views. From a study of teacher practice, Hatch and Freeman (1988) found that two-thirds of early childhood teachers were implementing programs in conflict with their philosophies concerning childrens learning. Early childhood experts have long asserted that programs for young children should provide for the development of social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and creative skills, but the abovementioned findings do not reflect this anymore. In short, there is a gap between researchers recommendations and teachers practices (Bredekamp, 1997; Logue, Eheart, Leavitt, 1996). Parents are the deciding authority when it comes to the type of education that their children should receive. Their beliefs and attitudes towards a curriculum and later their decisions are typically influenced by their own beliefs, experiences, and attitudes. As a consequence, their views affect the implementation of programs for young children. This study does not confirm that parents views regarding curriculum implementation are sufficient to implement a favorable program. Nevertheless, it considers their views because they form part of childrens learning environment. It is important to gain their views about play-based education because aside from the teacher, they are the ones who have access to information regarding their childrens development and ability whether in school or outside it. Motivation As an experienced primary educator, and a current preschool owner and educator, I am interested in parents beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curriculum and whether their decision to enroll their child in a play-based curriculum is borne out of their understanding of the program or other factors. I personally believe in the play-based curriculum and would like to determine if this attitude is shared by the parents. If they do not, I would like to know the basis for their dislike of the curriculum. Parents of my students are informed of our play-based curriculum at enrollment. Despite this, however, some still confront me with disbelief about the curriculum. As an educator and business owner, this study would lead me to a better understanding of parents beliefs and attitudes about play as a vehicle for learning Understanding how parents understand play-based curriculum is significant and will add to the literature in many ways. In exploring how parents underst and play-based curriculum this study will contribute to current literature available offering new ideas Contributions to the Research Childrens play has come under renewed attack. Inspired by my own experiences as a preschool owner I hope to contribute through this narrative case study various lived stories of parents and how their beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood curriculum have evolved. Since parents are the customers of early childhood programs, is it important to understand their beliefs and attitudes. While there is plenty of research supporting play-based curriculums in the early childhood classroom, it is mostly from the educators and childs view point, literature is lacking in this area as it pertains to the parents, their own beliefs and attitudes. While not meant to portray generalized information the rich descriptive stories of these five parents will represent the larger community. Outlook In chapter two of this research proposal, Literature Review, I describe the context in which preschool programs, play-based curriculum, and parental choices have been studied in the past, and the implications of research findings to current practice. . The literature review is organized from the general to the specific, which means that a general overview of preschool programs is provided, followed by a discussion of the play-based curriculum, and concluding with parents choice. In chapter three, Methodology, I further describe the use of case study and the narrative inquiry approach to justify the use of such methods and design as proposed for this study. The chapter also provides the description of the research setting, the research sample, the data gathering procedure, data analysis, the timeline, and validity and reliability concerns, as well as the anticipated limitations of the study. The main research question as well as the supporting questions will be outlined in detail as well within the chapter three. Chapter four, Findings, will draw on common themes that exist within the participants stories that describe their beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curricul

Lord Of The Flies - Primitive :: essays research papers

"He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger†¦ He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling†¦ The face of red and white and black swung through the air†¦" In the novel Lord of the Flies, an account of primitive religion is evident in the behavior of the hunting party. Initially, we will explore chant and uniform action and it’s spiritual effects on the human mind and soul. Secondly, it will be discussed how primitive peoples gain satisfaction from conducting the act of sacrifice. Moreover, this research will go into depth about the transformation into a higher being and development of a new identity through ritualistic actions. Finally, primitive society’s emphasis on fear-provoking, irrational behavior in comparison to modern society’s insistence on rationality will be addressed. In a primitive society, chanting is designed to provide a group with benefits such as the acquiring of material possessions, health, and monopoly over one’s personal circumstances or those of another person. This ritual is performed until one feels satisfied, and/or has been led into spiritual contact with another realm. Another purpose of the chant is for one to feel a powerful being emerge within one’s soul, resulting in a god-like sensation for a short amount of time. In the novel, one can perceive that the hunting party’s vigorous chant ("Kill the beast! Spill her blood!") is one of their final retrogressions into savagery. Its repetitious, invigorating verse elates them, and when the procession finally ends, they behave in a trance-like, mystified demeanor. They begin speaking immediately in excited tones, feeling amazed at the feat they had accomplished. It is written that "the boys chattered and danced", obviously enthralled with their victory. It would be wise to conclude that the boys have derived a sense of power through performing the chant, and they are satisfied with their newfound strength and uniformity. For Jack, chanting is another means of manipulating others. Like one of its benefits to primitive cultures, the chant awards him ultimate control over his entire group. The ritual of the sacrifice is a fundamental element of primitive culture. Primarily, blood sacrifice of an animal is the usual means of atonement for a primitive group. Other reasons behind this sacred ritual were to bow down to power, or to declare one’s adoration of a god or deity. The ideas behind the gift sacrifice, which existed in the early formation of religion, were thanksgiving and redemption.

Themes of Language and Racial Identity in Native Speaker, By Chang-Rae

Chang-Rae Lee’s Native Speaker expresses prominent themes of language and racial identity. Chang-Rae Lee focuses on the struggles that Asian Americans have to face and endure in American society. He illustrates and shows readers throughout the novel of what it really means to be native of America; that true nativity of a person does not simply entail the fact that they are from a certain place, but rather, the fluency of a language verifies one’s defense of where they are native. What is meant by possessing nativity of America would be one’s citizenship and legality of the country. Native Speaker suggests that if one looks different or has the slightest indication that one should have an accent, they will be viewed not as a native of America, but instead as an alien, outsider, and the like. Therefore, Asian Americans and other immigrants feel the need to mask their true identity and imitate the native language as an attempt to fit into the mold that makes up what people would define how a native of America is like. Throughout the novel, Henry Park attempts to mask his Korean accent in hopes to blend in as an American native. Chang-Rae Lee suggests that a person who appears to have an accent is automatically marked as someone who is not native to America. Language directly reveals where a person is native of and people can immediately identify one as an alien, immigrant, or simply, one who is not American. Asian Americans as well as other immigrants feel the need to try and hide their cultural identity in order to be deemed as a native of America in the eyes of others. Since one’s language gives away the place where one is native to, immigrants feel the need to attempt to mask their accents in hopes that they sound fluent ... ...silenced in this country, in order to have voice and be visible in society, one must strive to be a white American. They feel the need to embody and assimilate to whiteness because the white race has a voice and is seen, rather than silenced and unseen, in society. They are privileged with the freedom of not having to cope with the notion of being marked, silent, and unseen in society. This creates pressures for Asian Americans and immigrants to suppress their own cultural identities and assimilate to whiteness in an attempt to potentially be able to prosper and make a life for them in America. Asian Americans feel as though being who they truly are and express their unique cultural identities will alienate themselves even more than they already are. Chang-Rae Lee Works Cited. Lee, Chang-Rae. Native Speaker. NewYork: Riverhead Trade, 1996. Print.

Savanna Theory Versus Aquatic Ape Theory of Human Evolution :: Anthropology Essays Paleontology Papers

Savanna Theory Versus Aquatic Ape Theory of Human Evolution The evolution of man is constantly in question. While we are reasonably sure that modern humans and primates are both related to the same common ancestor, there is constant debate over what initially caused the two species to split into early hominids and apes. According to some, our longest and most popular theory on the division of man and ape is profoundly wrong. However, those same individuals usually offer an equally controversial theory as a substitute, one that is almost impossible to scientifically test or prove. Both the Savanna Theory and the Aquatic Ape Theory offer solutions to how and why humans evolved into bipedal toolmakers. But with enough questioning, each loses its accountability to rhetorical science. It was commonly believed that early hominids left the jungle to live on the open plains of Africa. Called the Savannah Theory, it was strongly promoted by Professor Raymond Dart, after he gained recognition for discovering the Taung skull in 1925. The Taung skull was the first admitted link between man and ape, and Prof. Dart based his theory on the modern location of the discovered fossils. However, a report in 2000 by Marc Verhaegen claims that a savanna evolution is extremely improbable. Based on biological and physiological data, he tries to disprove the savanna theory and suggests that our evolution would more likely occur in a humid and wet setting than the dry heat of the grasslands. Humans have almost nothing in common with any surviving mammals of the savanna. Most mammals of hot, dry climates do not rely heavily on water for survival. They have a high tolerance to heat, and their body temperatures can fluctuate more than 6oC between day and night. They can bear a dehydration of 20%, whereas 10% or more would be fatal to humans. What little they do drink or consume naturally through food, is conserved because they do not sweat. Hair and fur keeps the sun off their direct skin, while humans would have to sweat 10-15 liters of water to physically cool down. (Verhaegen) Even structurally, humans and African land mammals don’t have much in common.

Samsung Distribution Channel

Samsung marketing strategy in china Nowadays, China’s communication industry is developing rapidly, and China has become the biggest mobile phone market all over the world. There are many international renowned mobile phone manufactures and local producers in this market and these companies are competing fiercely in China’s mobile phone industry. It is known that, in 1999, when the domestic mobile phone brands entered the mobile phone market, few people had expected that the domestic mobile phone brands would survive in this market. However, with the passage of time, the local brands made great development and their total market share surpassed that of the international mobile phone giants including Nokia and Motorola. In 2001, the market share of domestic mobile phone was 15%; in 2002, the rate was more than 30%; and in 2003, the market share rose to more than 50%, which was a historical breakthrough for the domestic brands. However, since 2004, the condition of China-made mobile phones has become negative. As the competition in this market gets fiercer, foreign mobile phone manufactures are consistently developing new brands and improving their distribution channels, and the domestic brands have lost the once-owned channel advantages. Because of some problems of domestic mobile phone industry, the market share rate has dropped dramatically, and most of the domestic mobile phone companies have suffered great losses. What was worse, some domestic mobile phone enterprises such as PANDA, EASTCOM, and SHOUXIN were so badly defeated that they were out of the Chinese mobile phone market. In this market with fierce competition, Samsung–a Korean mobile phone brand has developed quickly in recent years and continuously won the first place in market share. As one of the world’s top three major mobile phone manufacturers and the Korea phone leader, Samsung mobile phone’s product concept is â€Å"fashion-leading technology†. Its brand development strategy is to create the best products in the world. Samsung has created many number ones, such as the world’s first mobile phone that has a rotating screen–SGH-V200, the world’s first MP3 phone, the world’s first TV phone, watch phone and the world’s first CDMA/GSM dual-mode mobile phone. Samsung mobile phone is taking the high-end product strategy, which is different from Nokia and Motorola. In the high-end electronics market, Samsung is always the first to launch a variety of superior products and it always makes high profits by virtue of time advantage. In China in the year 2008, Samsung introduced 20 models of mobile phones, of which the appearance, the function and the quality are designed with advanced concepts, innovative technologies and world-class standard. Samsung mobile phones are always popular in China and the other countries all over the world. The success of the Samsung mobile phone enterprise in China lies in its unique industry background and professional strengths, and the company also benefits from research and development and the marketing strategies which are compatible with the environment. Marketing strategy is the marketing logic whereby the company hopes to achieve its marketing objectives, which includes special strategies for target markets, positioning, the marketing mix and marketing expenditure levels. Once the overall competitive marketing strategy is set, the company is ready to begin planning the details of the Marketing Mix, one of the major concepts in modern marketing. The Marketing Mix consists of many variables that the company should do to increase its product demand. These variables are known as the 4Ps: product, price, promotion and place (distribution). The reasonable Marketing Mix could help the company to establish strong positioning in the target markets. Based on the understanding of the importance of 4Ps Marketing Mix and its impact on China’s mobile phone industry, this paper is divided into five chapters. Chapter one is the introduction. It briefly introduces the research background and its academic and practical implications. Chapter two is the thorough analysis of current domestic mobile phone market. After the introduction to China’s mobile phone development history, this chapter mainly analyzes the internal and external environment of China’s mobile phone industry by virtue of the SWOT Analysis Method. Though the analysis, it is known that domestic mobile phones have some advantages, such as the cost advantage, localization advantage and fast market reaction advantage. The weaknesses of the domestic mobile phones are that the core technologies are weak, mobile phone qualities are not guaranteed, there is serious product homogenization and most of the domestic mobile phone enterprises are on a small scale. It is certain that the local mobile phone industry has many opportunities for its development, which include the sound economic conditions, the support from the government, the coming of 3G era and the coming of phone replacement rush. However, domestic mobile phone companies do face some threats, such as the threats from copycat mobile phones and the international mobile phone’s fierce competition. Chapter three is the introduction to Samsung mobile phone and the analysis of its successful marketing strategies in China. In this chapter, it is known that Samsung’s successful marketing strategies could mainly be expressed by the variables in its Marketing Mix. In product, Samsung is always focusing on producing high quality products to build strong brand image and enhance the brand value, offering perfect after sale services to own good reputation, launching continuous product innovation to maintain brand image and brand vitality and supplying distinctive and fashionable designs to maintain brand differences. In price, Samsung has effectively assessed the value and the quality of its digital electronic products, the importance of the product’s unique, stylish design and knows that the consumers are willing to pay high price for such products, and therefore it adopted the skim pricing strategy. In channel strategies, Samsung has always insisted on national agents, and it has prudently selected the national agents to do its distribution. In terms of the promotion strategies, Samsung always focuses on unifying advertising agencies and launching a series of effective advertising campaigns. Two of its excellent promotion strategies are launching a variety of sports sponsorship, focusing on Olympic TOP Program and making use of entertainment activities to enhance fashion marketing, which proved to be qui te effective. Chapter four concluded some implications to the local mobile phone industry. It is suggested that, in terms of the product, the domestic manufactures should master and develop core technologies, enrich the product line and produce more high-end products. Besides, the mobi

Cultural Diversity in Organizations Essay

â€Å"Diversity† has arrived as a descriptive word for the American lifestyle in the modern world. With increasing immigration of people from many countries, many races, and many cultural backgrounds to the United States, the country has become a nest of diversity. Several factors shape the fact that the workforce is becoming increasingly culturally diverse: women represent an increasing percentage in organizations; the difference in age is becoming more evident on all levels; due to continuously changing demands organizations are employing more and more people with diverse professional and specialist backgrounds; there is a growing number of immigrants having different customs, religions and cultures and finally, the ongoing globalization is causing an influx of a large number of expatriates, who comes from various countries in the world, also contributing with different values and cultures. This increasing cultural diversity is both an opportunity and a challenge. Diversity brings with it a wide range of creativity and fresh thinking into the system. Diversity is here, in the population, in the workforce and in the marketplace. Racism, discrimination in the workplace, social stratification, and conflicts in social lifestyles are all negative byproducts of diversity. Thus cultural diversity in America is a highly debated issue because of the numerous problems arising due to it. One of the most serious and explosive issues in the United States today is meeting the business goals within an environment of multicultural diversity. When companies fail to create a culture of diversity and inclusion effectively, the costs can be high – costs arising due to ‘diversity training† and settlement of discrimination lawsuits. Many well-known companies have spent millions of dollars on â€Å"diversity training,† after settling discrimination lawsuits totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Moreover, diversity also raises issues of interpersonal relations and communications among employees. This fact is underlined by increasing discrimination and class action lawsuits. Diversity impacts every person, every project, and every transaction in today’s business world. Some companies approach it in terms of the noticeable differences among people. What many fail to realize is that diversity is really about personal interaction and emotions, and creating a corporate culture that welcomes all kinds of differences. Managing Diversity: Managing diversity is all about approaching the issue proactively as a business opportunity. There needs to be a culture of diversity within the organization. One of the major obstacles in managing diversity is that many companies view diversity as a problem that needs to be solved. They just take a reactive approach. Supposing there is a lawsuit brought under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, they just take an initiative that would solve the problem in the short run. Though this approach seems to be successful, in the long run, there is likely to be no impact on the corporate culture in a positive way. Such reactive approaches can negatively impact the workforce morale as they don’t appear to be a genuine commitment to diversity. The path to diversity is not always an easy one. One of the most common obstacles is resentment from white male managers who see diversity as threatening to them. â€Å"Since diversity is typically framed to be about white women and people of color, the focus is rarely on examining what it means to be white and male,† say Bill Proudman and Michael Welp, Partners at White Men as Full Diversity Partners LLC, a consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon. â€Å"White men, and sometimes others, thus conclude that diversity is not about them† (Goffney, 2005) Another obstacle that can arise in a multicultural business environment is resistance to change. When new diversity programs are introduced, it is essential that the employees view it as a genuine effort. Hence, these diversity programs should be tailored to meet the needs of the company’s workforce and integrated into the daily environment. Any diversity initiative should be tied to the company’s bottom line. Even though top management may make the commitment to diversity, if the initiative is not tied explicitly to the company’s bottom line, it does not become a priority for middle managers. The diversity initiative should be integrated into the tools and processes they use to manage employees, including orientation, training and education, and interpersonal communication. If not, existing employees will not accept the diversity initiative and new employees are likely to get disillusioned with a taste of it. Top management must ensure that the commitment to diversity has buy-in at all levels of the organization by making diversity an integral part of company success. Yet another obstacle to managing diversity is that the diversity initiatives might be restricted to training alone and is left as an ‘HR issue†. This narrow focus results relegation of diversity to a single department and companies thus miss out on opportunities to improve and integrate the diversity initiative into other areas of the company. Any corporate initiative should be feedback based, dynamic and flexible. Else, there is the danger that the initiative will remain static. Too often diversity initiatives begin and end with the first efforts undertaken. Diversity and inclusion are part of company culture, and like the culture, diversity must continue to evolve (Adams and Ruch, 2006). Managing all these obstacles require the ability to value a diverse world. This means there should be individual assessment of beliefs about work values. People from differing backgrounds having different experiences bring to work the biases and â€Å"veils† as well as the strengths that arise out of cultural differences. To work effectively with persons from diverse backgrounds, it is necessary to understand others– people from other racial, ethnic and cultural heritages, and people whose values, beliefs and experience are different. This involves learning to recognize when new competencies are needed, knowing how to develop the requisite new competencies, and implementing the competencies effectively. Companies need to assess their state of diversity: What is the state of diversity in our company? Are we making the most of diversity? Do we speak with one voice with respect to diversity? Companies that ask these questions on a continual basis, set strategic goals, measure their progress and evolve their programs in sync with their overall organizational change will be the ones to leverage the full potential of diversity (Adams and Ruch, 2006). Individual Reactions to Diversity: Diversity may be viewed positively or negatively depending on the individual reaction to diversity. In a culturally diverse workplace, there is likely to be prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. This is because of self-fulfilling prophecies. The perceiver develops false belief about a person from a different cultural background. He then treats the person in a manner consistent with that false belief. Ultimately, the person responds to the treatment in such a way to confirm the originally false belief. Other negative reactions of individuals to diversity may include: tension among staff, distrust of anything new, gossip and rumor, open hostility or bullying, absenteeism, tarnishing of the agency’s reputation, low staff retention rates, lack of response to customers and falling standards of service quality (NSW, 2006). In the positive sense, diversity that brings with it community language skills and cultural competencies can be seen as valuable assets to an agency (MSASS, 2006). Customer service improves when employees are able to tackle customers from a range of backgrounds. When employees are encouraged to learn from one another, their skills and knowledge are also enhanced. Diversity can reduce skill shortages at specific times. In a business, diversity gives the advantage of utilizing the language, international expertise and cultural knowledge of staff to identify successful export opportunities. When employees are encouraged to work in their areas of strength and capability, they are happier, more productive and more likely to stay with the agency. Productive diversity is based on the concept that there are potential economic benefits to be gained from valuing different experience, perspectives, skills and the cross-transfer and integration of these into the agency and local economy. Productive diversity makes good business sense in an environment where local diversity and global interconnectedness play a critical economic role (Muhr, 2006). Diversity effects on groups and teams: In the context of working in groups or teams, diversity seems to cause contrasting goals, miscommunication or inter-group anxiety, thereby prohibiting teamwork creativity. Miscommunication and the lack of a common language make it difficult for team members to engage in an exchange of ideas and questions, an exchange, which is essential for effective teamwork (Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998). If individuals carry out negative stereotyping of outgroups it can prevent them from trusting and engaging with others and can threaten communication patterns within organizations. This is mainly due to a lack of common context and language usage. Anxiety in the team occurs when people identify themselves as placed among people belonging to different diversity categories. Thus, diversity will in this situation make it difficult for the individuals to identify with the team, since there is no unified perception of what values the team represents (Muhr, 2006). In a diverse work team, the values and perceptions of different diversity categories may be contrasting or even mutually exclusive, which is likely to bring about incongruence in goals. Incongruence in goals can limit communication, which is fundamental to the creation of interpersonal relationships and trust. Furthermore, goal incongruence may also prevent individuals from sharing and combining knowledge all together, if they are not able to reach agreement on common goals for pursuing such knowledge processes (Muhr, 2006). On the positive side, it has been shown that diversity in fact improves creativity by promoting variations, thinking out of the box and avoiding ‘groupthink’. Several analyses have shown that teams made up of people with different cultural and educational backgrounds, different personalities, different professional backgrounds and different skills are potentially more creative and innovative than relatively homogeneous teams. This is because diversity creates variations – variations in perceptions, values, ideas, opinions, and methods, which are highly essential for developing a stimulating creative environment (Mohr, 2006). Conclusion: In the global economy today, most companies operate globally. Diversity of thought, culture, geography, race, and gender enables companies to deliver the best solutions to their customers and markets. Diversity pays off both internally and externally. A company that embraces diversity can offer a challenging and creative work environment, and as a result, can attract and retain top talent with diverse backgrounds. There is also a connection between diversity and increased productivity. Diversity also fosters organizational creativity. But despite these benefits of diversity, work teams will not truly benefit from diversity unless sufficient communication, trust and openness are nurtured in the organizational climate. The powerful advantage of embracing diversity in organizations is best brought out by the words of Ted Childs, IBM’s vice president of global workforce diversity. In a recent issue of Fast Company magazine, in a feature article was entitled: â€Å"Difference is Power†, Ted Childs suggests that, â€Å"No matter who you are, you’re going to have to work with people who are different from you. You’re going to have to sell to people who are different from you, and buy from people who are different from you, and manage people who are different from you. This is how [companies] do business. If it’s (diversity) not your destination, you should get off the plane now† (Meisner, 2006). Bibliography: Adams, Brandon and Ruch, Will (2006). Diversity as a core business strategy. http://www. versantsolutions. com/knowledgecenter/EB_DiversityAsACoreBusinessStrategy2. pdf NSW (2006). What is Diversity? http://www. eeo. nsw. gov. au/diversity/whatis. htm Muhr, Louise Sara (2006). Openness to Diversity –Turning conflict into teamwork creativity. Paper submitted for the 10th International Workshop on Teamworking. http://www. mau. se/upload/IMER/Forskning/Diverse/Muhr%5B1%5D. pdf Nahapiet, J. , & Ghoshal, S. 1998. Social Capital, Intellectual Capital and the Organizational Advantage. Academy of Management Review, 23(2). MSASS (2006). Valuing a diverse World. http://msass. case. edu/downloads/academic/diverse. pdf Goffney, Phyllia (2005). Champions of Diversity. Essence. May 2005. http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_1_36/ai_n13660850 Meisner, Lora (2006). The American Quilt – Workplace Diversity. http://career. thingamajob. com/general-career. aspx/The-American-Quilt-Workplace-Diversity. aspx