What Makes CarMax Great? Essay

                  Organizational culture forms part of the influencing factor towards the success of an organization. Within every organization, there are practices, which are considered the norm, and dictates how operations in an organization are carried out. Organization culture also depends on the type of leadership within an organization. CarMax organization culture has contributed greatly to its performance, which has seen it become famous in all of its locations to the extent of being ranked among the top companies in Fortune 500 magazine. Its culture revolves various artefacts such as language, physical structure, values, ceremonies and rituals. The success of the company is realized from benefits of organizational culture, which include increased sales, productivity, customers’ loyalty and efficient service delivery. Therefore, positive organizational culture should be promoted within organizations. Abstract                Organizational culture is as a set of attitudes, norms, beliefs and practices that are shared by employees as well as the management in any organization or company (McShane, & Von, 2014). The culture generally includes various factors such as how customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders are treated when making decisions within an organization in addition to speed, level and process of decision-making (Ovidiu-Iliuta, 2014). Moreover, the culture encompasses the level of control and formality that is applied when carrying out operations and rewards giving to good performances within an organization.                CarMax IncOrganizational culture plays an important role within organizations whereby it helps in outlining the behaviors that are appropriate for employees and other operation practices. An organization that has clearly defined it culture ensures that the members of the organization know what the company or organization expects from them and stakeholders expect from the company (McShane, & Von, 2014). Organizational culture simply helps in defining an organization and its employees and giving it identity. The sense of identity is also communicated to the customers of the company, the employees of the company, the suppliers as well as the general public that constantly interact with the company.                All stakeholders, both external and internal, know who a company or an organization is through the culture that is communicated to them by the company or organization (Ledimo, 2013). Furthermore, it is to be noted that organizational culture helps in giving employees the sense of identity and provides the overall goals and objectives of the organization. Organizational culture is what holds the company or organization together through hard times and easy times (CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014).                CarMax is one of the largest retailers of used cars in the United States and is one of the Fortune 500 Companies. The first location of the company was opened up in the year 1993, and since then, it has experienced increased growth (CarMax Business Services, LLC, 2014). The CarMax Company had 128 locations by January 2014, clearly an indication that the company has grown over the years. The growth in the company can greatly be attributed to the organizational culture and values among other factors, which have propelled the company to the current position. Artifacts Language                CarMax Company is a retailer based in the United States. The language that is generally used for business in the United States is the English language (Ovidiu-Iliuta, 2014). As part of the language used at CarMax, the slogan used which helps in giving identity to the company is â€Å"The way car buying should be.† The employees work as team, which is evidenced by high interpersonal relationships among them. The interpersonal relationship is also extended to customers where employees’ high communication skills are maintained across all departments. Rituals/ceremonies                   Apart from the language that is used within the company for business and interactions between the associates and even with customers and other stakeholders, ceremonies are part of the organizational culture within the company. It is the culture of CarMax that whenever employees perform well, they are reward for their efforts. The rewards do not only just come in form of presents and other rewards; instead, the company always organize for steak cookouts for the employees. The steak cookouts are conducted regularly every time there are employees to be reward for great performance within the company. This provides an opportunity for the employees to interact with one another and share their ideas for the improvement of their performance and success of the company.                   Furthermore, it is also part of the organizational culture to ensure that the associates within the company have fun in addition to the customers. The company organizes for regular pizza parties and steak outs for its employees and encourages an atmosphere that is friendly driven by the focus of the company on integrity towards the customers and the employees of the company (McShane, & Von, 2014). Employees are rewarded with benefits such as holidays, time away, and paid vacations. Furthermore, the company offers rewards such as purchase of cars and accessories at discounted prices, discounts on childcare, appliances, fitness memberships, cell phones, travel, and furniture among others that help the employees save money. Consequently, The company employees show high respects for their customers and address them calmly. This has seen the company develop loyalty and build emotional connections with its employees, which contributes to its success.                   When hiring, CarMax normally conducts telephone interviews before face-to-face interviews. It is also the culture at CarMax when recruiting to conduct panel interviews as well as behavioural interviews for new employees. To set itself apart from other companies, CarMax also offers testing to interviewees before they can be employed. This ensures only the most qualified are employed. The hiring process is quote intensive ensuring that employees with the relevant skills are employed. This has been one of the contributing factors towards the success of the company because there is no compromise on the quality of staffs employed. Physical structures                   CarMax operates in what are known as superstores whereby a typical store is about 59,000 square feet (5,500  m2), and it carries about 300 to 400 vehicles. Furthermore, CarMax has a home office that appears like a glass box that has been modernized and is slipped in a forest (ADD Inc, 2014). The office located in such a way that there is access to daylight. It also has energy-efficient systems that regulate and control the energy consumption within the structures. The home office is designed in such a way that it appears beautiful in its natural surroundings.                     The structures are constructed using a campus plan which helps in minimizing the impact of its size whereby four-storey parking has been used. The inside of the building is constructed in such a way that it has strategically located points of interaction for the associates and customers. This helps in building a culture of collaboration and collegiality within the company. The headquarters of the company is a five-story office building that is made up of 243,000 square feet for offices, in addition to 19,000-square-foot used as a fitness facility.                  The building is located in a 3,500-acre piece of land in West Creek Business Park in the county of Goochland. The building is surrounded with trees and has a pedestrian connector that simply joins the office building and a parking deck that can host 1000 cars (ADD Inc, 2014). As part of the physical structure, CarMax uses yellow, navy blue and white colour as part of its identity. The company logo is made up of the colours mentioned; giving it unique looks that distinguishes it from other companies. The staffs of the company also put on uniforms, mostly t-shirts, that bear the logo of the company and the colours of the company. This also helps in uniting the employees by giving the identity of being equal. Values                   The main fundamental principle that guides the culture at CarMax is integrity, which is normally reflected in the way the company serves the customers, deliver its products to consumers as well as how employees within the company treat each other. Shared values are considered to be the foundation on which the operations of the company are built on CarMax Business Services. Through the various values that are shared within the company, the company seeks to ensure equal treatment of its investors, customers, and associates in terms of ethical practices and trustworthiness (Great Place to Work, 2014). The employees are involved in decision-making in addition to respect of customers and being honest as major ethical practice.                The values that are shared within the company include diversity, customer focus, communication, teamwork, associate development, and improvement. It is the culture of the company to conduct its operations in a customer-focused way, which is aimed at providing customers with great experience. On the value of respect, the company promotes individual knowledge among the associates and values the contribution that they make towards the company. Teamwork is also another value that is encouraged within the company. The employees and the management of the company normally work together for the interest of the company and also for the interest of the customers of the company. Communication is highly encouraged according to a survey conducted by Greatrated.com (2014).                The survey observed that 93% of the employees agree that there is great communication within the company. Sharing of information, soliciting for feedback and exchange of ideas within the company is also another organizational culture that is highly encouraged (CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). Diversity is also another value that is practiced and encouraged as part of the organizational culture at CarMax Company. The uniqueness of the associates and employees is well integrated into the company and work is done to ensure that everyone in the company feels respected and valued despite the diversity in terms of beliefs, race, and gender among other aspects of diversity (Great Place to Work, 2014).                   Diversity within the company is promoted through various ways from the associates, the customers and even the community. For the Associates of the company, CarMax ensures that it hires, promotes and trains only the qualified associates who possess diverse attributes. Furthermore, the associates are treated with lots of respect, their contributions are respected and valued by the company and are always provided with benefits that help in supporting their diversity within the workforce. In addition to that, the associates are provided with an inclusive and collaborative environment that helps in encouraging the ideas and inputs of the associates.                  Diversity is also promoted among the customers whereby it is the culture of the company to welcome all its customers in all the stores if the company (McShane, & Von, 2014). Customers are also treated with utmost respect with an aim of providing them with exceptional experience. As part of the culture within the organization, all customers of the company are offered competitive and ethical offers that meet the needs of the customers. The community is also not left out on the issue of diversity at CarMax Company.                   It is the organizational culture of the company to make positive contributions towards the communities, which it operates, and its employees live in (Na, & Morris, 2014). This is done through the promotion of leadership in the youths, promoting education and wellness in the communities. CarMax supports diverse organizations and programs within the communities through internships, grants, volunteer activities and offering of sponsorships to the needy in the communities. Another organizational culture that is practiced at CarMax is that of associate development.                   Everyone from the junior employees to the top management is provided with opportunities for professional growth and development. The development of the associates and employees is done through coaching, sponsored trainings as well as mentoring of the employees. This has helped to improve the skills and work-performance of employees over the years. This can also be considered to be a contributing factor towards the tremendous growth experienced by the company in terms of its expansion and performance over the years.                  According to the survey by Greaterated.com (2014), it is observed that about 86% of the associates and employees at CarMax agree that they are offered great opportunities that help them to develop professionally and become better people. The positive culture within CarMax is generally attributed to the leadership with which about 94% of the employees according to a survey by agree that the bosses are great to work with. It is to be noted that the values that are practiced at CarMax start from the top management within the company whereby the leadership of the company is considered to be down-to earth and focused on the associates of the company (CarMax Business Services, LLC, 2014). The type of leadership that is found within an organization is an important factor that influences the type of organizational culture that is found within an organization.                Furthermore, it is also to be noted that CarMax offers its employees what is known as flexible time-away (CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). This is a policy whereby employees are allowed to have some few weeks away from work before they resume their duties (Greaterated.com, 2014). This is a culture that to some extent is not good considering that the employees are not offered time for vacations. This culture should instead be changed to that of offering vacations, which will provide the associates with enough time to relax and build their lives.                  The company’s culture has contributed to its increased that has seen it being ranked position 54 among the Fortune 500 Companies list (Fortune 500 Magazine, 2014). An average employee within the company normally gets time away whenever they are in need of time to rest. Employees work in shifts whereby there are those that take the morning shift while others take the evening shift, but on rotational basis. Shared assumptions               Consequently, organizational culture is made up of shared assumptions within an organization. Employees normally share assumptions, which translate into being part of the organizational culture. In the sae of CarMax, the employees share the assumption that they own the company. This is based on the reason that the employees are constantly involved in the decision making process within the company. The employees are made to feel comfortable by allowing them to take part on decision making especially on matters dealing with the sales of the company and how they can increase their performance. Furthermore, the other assumption that is shared about the company is that all the customers get satisfied with the products that the company offers to them at all times. Organizational Culture and Performance of the Company                  Organizational culture and behaviour has been identified as one of the contributing factors towards the success of an organization. When there is positive organizational culture in a company, there are high chances that the company will be able to succeed (Niamh Ring, 2014). In the case of CarMax, the organizational culture that is practiced has been a contributing factor towards its growth over the years in the United Sates market. The organizational culture at CarMax can be said to have positive impact on the performance of the company in terms of employee turnover and customer attraction.                  The revenues of the company have been on the increase over the years, which mean that the organizational culture of treating customers with respect, and valuing their diversity has been of great help (Janićijević, 2013). It is also to e noted that the company has been able to retain most of its employees over the years (Reuters.com, 2014). This can be attributed to the positive organizational culture of empowering employees, valuing their contributions in the company and helping them improve professionally through trainings, coaching and mentoring (Niamh Ring, Jun 20, 2014). The impact of the organizational culture that is practiced at CarMax Inc can be seen through the number of stores that the company has been able to open up over the years. As of the year 2014 January, CarMax had about 128 superstores across the United States.                  A strong organizational culture is beneficial to a company, the employees as well as the customers of the company (Bà ¼schgens, Bausch, & Balkin, 2013). When a company has a strong and positive organizational culture, the productivity of the company is likely to improve as well as the performance of the employees (Reuters.com, 2014). Employees become motivated to work for the company therefore resulting in increased productivity. An average employees works for eight hours a day for a five-day long week. This ensures that employees are not overworked and have free time for recreational. This strong and positive organizational culture has helped to provide customers with high quality products CarMax (Narrative Science, 2014). When customers are provided with high quality products, satisfaction is guaranteed, which means that the company will continue to make sales from the customers as well as expand its operations to other markets, as observed in the case of CarMax.               The organization culture practiced by CarMax has impacted positively to its economic growth. The company has maintained high number of customers across America thus commanding a significant market shares in the industry of used cars. It has also given the company competitive advantage over other companies selling second handcars. This has been evidenced by its ever-growing sales and market share over years. Hence, the company should maintain its culture and try to improve its customer service by concentrating on customer loyalty, which make sure that customers are emotionally connected with all its products. The strategy will see it dominate in the market just like Apple, Philips and Nike that are widely known for their brand loyalty. Conclusion                   Every company has its own organizational culture that is practiced by the employees and determines how a company operates. Considering that organizational culture has great impacts on the success of an organization, companies should build and encourage positive organizational cultures that benefits all the stakeholders. CarMax attributes its success to the positive organizational culture that it has been able to build and maintain over the years. Therefore, the overall conclusion from the case analysis of CarMax with regard to organizational culture is that companies need to have positive organizational cultures that generate benefits. References ADD Inc (2014), CarMax Home Office http://www.addinc.com/portfolio/project-page.aspx?projID=105&PortID=2 on 10th September 2014. Bà ¼schgens, T., Bausch, A., & Balkin, D. B. (2013). Organizational Culture and Innovation: A Meta-Analytic Review Organizational Culture and Innovation: A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal Of Product Innovation Management, 30(4), 763-781. doi:10.1111/jpim.12021 CarMax Business Services, LLC (2014) About CarMax; Our culture and values, viewed from http://www.carmax.com/enUS/company-info/culture.html on 10th September 2014. CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis. (2014). CarMax, Inc. SWOTS Analysis, 1-9. Great Place to Work ® (2014), What Makes CarMax Great, viewed from http://us.greatrated.com/carmax on 10th September 2014. Greaterated.com (2014), 2014 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For List, viewed from http://us.greatrated.com/2014-fortune-100-best-companies-to-work-for-list on 10th September 2014. Janićijević, N. (2013). The mutual impact of organizational culture and structure. Ekonomski Anali / Economic Annals, 58(198), 35-60. doi:10.2298/EKA1398035J Ledimo, O. (2013). Managing Organizational Culture Through an Assessment of Employees’ Current and Preferred Culture. Proceedings Of The European Conference On Management, Leadership & Governance, 161-168. McShane, S. L., & Von, G. M. A. Y. (2014). Organizational behaviour. McGraw-Hill Higher Education Na, F., & Morris, T. (2014). Organizational ambidexterity strategy and firm performance: the moderating role of organizational capital. Academy Of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings, 1138-1143. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2014.22 Narrative Science (2014). Earnings expected to increase for CarMax, viewed from http://www.forbes.com/sites/narrativescience/2014/04/02/earnings-expected-to-increase-for-carmax/ on 10th September 2014. Niamh Ring (Jun 20, 2014), CarMax Soars as Earnings, Revenues Top Analyst Estimates, viewed from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-20/carmax-soars-as-earnings-revenues-top-analyst-estimates.html on 10th September 2014. Ovidiu-Iliuta, D. (2014). The link between organizational culture and performance management practices: a case of it companies from romania. Annals Of The University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 23(1), 1156-1163. Reuters.com (2014) Carmax Inc (KMX), viewed from http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=KMX on 10th September 2014. Source document

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The Impact of Sunk Opportunity and Accounting Costs - Assignment Example This means that for there to be an opportunity cost, there ought to be more than one form of option of financial based decision that needs to be made. Again, for there to be opportunity cost, there ought to be the weighing of the number of options available before selecting the best fitting or most profitable of the choices (Adams, 1997). Based on the outline given about opportunity cost above, there is a scenario that was experienced within my department that can be given to fit the meaning and implication of opportunity cost. There was a time that the company acquired new equipment and machinery to be used for heavy duty logistics purposes. The machinery was considered advanced and exotic to what had already been used within the company over the years. It was therefore important that the human resource department in which I belonged to at the time take steps towards getting people to operate and run the new machinery. At the time, there were known experts in a neighboring country who had adequate knowledge and experience in the use of the machinery. The first option for the company was therefore to import these skilled workers and employ them to be regular staff of the company. Among other things, the cost for doing this was to include the travel expense on these people, an international salary quotation that was to be given to them, expatriate benefits, and residential allowances. The other alternative was to train some of the existing employees to take up this role. The training was to last for 6 month s. The cost involved here however included time spent on not using the machinery immediately while these people were receiving training, the fee for the training program, and extra allowance for increased responsibility. Because there were costs involved in each of these cases, it was classified as an opportunity cost. Upon careful consideration, the company settled to go for option one, which was to

Community Health Promotion Tool Essay Example for Free

Community Health Promotion Tool Essay Kimberly Thomas: Good Evening, I am Kimberly Thomas. I’m interviewing Hypertension what is a disorder that affects cardiovascular system. Let’s talk about the population and treatment for hypertension. There are a lot of medications for hypertension. What is hypertension? Where do you start for treatment? Hypertension: Hypertension is high blood pressure. Well, there are several medication treatments for hypertension. Most doctor start patients with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), which is a diuretic. Diuretics are basically known as a water pill, which helps remove excess sodium and water from the body. Second most common medicine for hypertension is beta blockers. Beta blockers help the heart to beat a slower pace with less force. Again, there are several other medication treatments for hypertension, and your primary care physicians will discuss what options are best for you. Kimberly Thomas: Ok, thank you. Who are at risk of hypertension? Hypertension: There are some cultures that are more at risk than others. However, certain conditions and habits can put anyone at risk for high blood pressure. According to Hypertension (n.d.), â€Å"Its more common in African American adults than in Caucasian or Hispanic American adults.† African Americans tend to get high blood pressure early in life. Also, Puerto Rican adults have higher rates of hypertension than any other Hispanic group. Kimberly Thomas: Why do you think African Americans and Puerto Ricans are more at risk than any other culture? Hypertension: There are several factors why these two cultures are more at risk than other cultures. According to Hypertension (n.d.), â€Å"The main factor is the choice of food both cultures eat. Both cultures diet include too much salt.† Kimberly Thomas: Heredity is a factor correct? Can the individual manage some of the risk factors? Hypertension: Yes to both of your questions. There are a few things you can do to manage your high blood pressure. If you’re overweight, it’s highly recommend that you start exercising. Eat healthy food low in saturated fat, Trans fat, cholesterol and salt. Limit your alcohol intake, and stop smoking. Always, take medicine the way your doctor tells you. Kimberly Thomas: I absolutely agree with that. Kimberly Thomas: What about impact it has on cost? Hypertension: According to Hypertension (n.d.), â€Å"In 2010, high blood pressure was projected to cost the United States $93.5 billion in health care services, medications, and missed days of work.† Kimberly Thomas: How does hypertension impact the society? Hypertension: The number 1 cause of death in the United States throughout most of the 20th century. Unfortunately, whether the hypertension is treated or untreated, only 34% of Americans with hypertension have their blood pressure controlled to 140/90. An estimated 30 to 35 million Americans have uncontrolled hypertension, and are therefore at unduly increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Kimberly Thomas: I completely agree with you. I think the number one problem we still have today is that there are many people out there who are not being adequately treated. People who are denial of their problem, is unfortunate because there is help for them. Kimberly Thomas: Well, that’s all for today and Thank you for your time. References: Hypertension. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hypertension/faqs.htm http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/basics/definition/con-20019580

Reflective Practice And Risk Social Work Essay

Reflective Practice And Risk Social Work Essay A good risk decision requires both good risk assessment and good risk management (Carson and Bain, 2008: 156). The intention of this assignment is to critically evaluate this statement with reference to my own practice experience. With the focus of this piece of practice being on children, this assignment will predominantly explore risk from the perspective of children. The assignment will start with a brief outline of the practice experience that will be referred to and will explore the social, cultural and political concepts that shape practice in relation to risk. The concepts of risk, risk assessment and risk management will be examined along with what makes them good. The assignment will then explore how Brearleys (1982) risk assessment was used before looking at theoretical frameworks of reflection. The practice experience that I will be referring to throughout this piece of work is the assessment process in preparation for a Full Assessment Report that had been requested from the Childrens Reporter Administration due to concerns for the safety of a child. During a domestic incident between Mr and Mrs Hassan, their son Raj (aged 12) was struck on the side of the face by Mr Hassan. As a result of bail conditions Mr Hassam was not allowed within a certain distance of the family home and he was not present during the first half of the assessment process. However halfway through the assessment process Mr Hassam was charged and convicted a Schedule 1 offender, with bail conditions no longer in place Mr Hassam returned to the family home. Towards the end of the twentieth century risk became a major concern within western society; Beck (1992) argues that we live in a risk society that has an emphasis on uncertainty and blame, and there is no longer a focus on succeeding in doing something good but where we are preventing the worst. Parton (1996) would agree with Beck and believes that globalisation has separated society and in turn created more uncertainty within social and economic life. As a result of the blaming culture professionals are finding themselves avoiding taking risks and feeling that they have to defend their practice and risk decisions (McLaughlin, 2007 and Barry, 2007). The media and public blame practitioners, particularly when there is a child death, and state that they put children at unnecessary high risk as they fail to intervene quickly enough. Examples of high profile child death inquiry cases include Jasmine Beckford (1985), Caleb Ness (2003) and Baby P (2008). Baby P is an excellent example of how the media and public blame practitioners and received high media attention. Media coverage of how risk assessments and risk managements have failed along with demands for minimising risks and organisational and professional accountability has constrained the role of a social worker and The 21st Century Review of Social Work (2006) acknowledges this (Barry, 2007). It implies that social work professionals were lacking in confidence when it came to taking risks in what has become a risk adverse society. One of the main areas highlighted in the report was the need for a new organisational culture and approach to risk assessment and risk management wh ich would promote merit (Scottish Executive, 2006). Official policies and guidance have been developed in recent years with the aim of improving practices and knowledge where high risks can be identified (DOH, 1991 cited in Parton, 1996). This is evident in documents that influenced my practice and I referred to them before making risk decisions, some examples include; Getting it Right for Every Child: Proposal for Action (Scottish Executive, 2005), Every Child Matters: Change for Children (HM Government, 2004) and Its everyones job to make sure Im alright: Report of the Child Protection Audit and Review (Scottish Executive, 2002). The word risk is a complex and comprehensive concept and there is no clear definition when it comes to defining what would be a low, medium or high risk (Stalker, 2003 and Barry, 2007). Many of the problems that arise during risk taking is a result of there being no exact definition of risk (Titterton, 2005). This in turn creates difficulties when defining definitions of risk, risk assessment and risk management. The Oxford English Dictionary (2002) describes the noun risk as a situation that could lead to a bad outcome or the likelihood of something unpleasant happening, and the verb risk as being exposed to danger or loss or act in a way that something bad could happen. All dictionary definitions will give the word risk negative meanings. Alaszewski and Manthorpe (1991) would agree with the negative dictionary definitions of risk and define it as, the possibility that a given course of action will not achieve its desired outcome but instead some undesired and undesirable situation will develop. Similarly Blackburn (2000) views risk as being a loss or cost as a result of uncertainty (cited in Carson and Bain, 2008). Carson and Bain (2008) and Titterton (2005) disagree with negative meanings of the word risk; they argue that such definitions are not good enough as they pose more difficulties when taking risks with peoples lives. They both argue that risk needs to be explained as looking at the potential benefits and also the potential harms. Alberg (1996) provides a useful definition of risk as, the possibility of beneficial and harmful outcomes and the likelihood of their occurrence in a stated timescale (cited in Titterton, 2005:25). Risk assessment is the stage in risk decision making where information on the elements of risk is collated and assessed, they are usually made to inform risk management. Risk assessment is concerned with collecting information on the two key risk elements; these are known as the outcomes (also known as the consequences, harm or damage) and their likelihood (also known as chance or exposure) and to assess a risk we must consider both (Carson and Bain, 2008, Titterton, 2005). The two basic assessment tools used to assess risk are; clinical which involves professional judgement and information from research on risk factors, and actuarial is based upon statistical calculations of risk and is used in the insurance industry (Barry, 2007 and Davies, 2008). Although not exclusively, actuarial data tends to be used during risk assessments and clinical during risk management (Carson and Bain, 2008). In order to undertake a good risk assessment we should include all the outcomes that could occur as a result of the risk decision and which could happen in the period that the risk is being assessed. If an outcome would happen regardless of a risk assessment being made then it did not happen as a result of a risk decision. The risk decision must have made the outcome more likely or serious; both the seriousness of the outcomes and their likelihood must be considered (Carson and Bain, 2008). When assessing the likelihood of a situation it should be based upon the best knowledge available and whether the decision would have been the same had a responsible body (i.e. SSSC) had considered it (Carson and Bain, 2008). A good risk assessment has a purpose and this is to explore the potential benefits over the possible harms. If the value of the likely benefits outweighs the value of the likely harms then we will be able to justify taking a risk decision (Titterton, 2005). We need to be able to justify taking a risk before we can learn whether harm will result. If harm does result then it is not bad risk assessment, similarly if a risk decision leads to successful outcomes we cannot say it is good risk assessment. A risk decision needs to be judged on the risk decision processes and procedures, not by the outcomes (Carson and Bain, 2008). It could be argued that there are no benefits of taking a risk and this would be deemed as bad risk assessment and must be challenged (Carson and Bain, 2008). After a risk assessment has been carried out a decision needs to be made on how to manage the situation. Risk management is discovering and controlling the dimensions of the proposed risk into a plan to manage the risks; it is involved with implementing, monitoring, influencing, controlling and reviewing the risk decision (Carson and Bain, 2008). Risk dimensions are features of risk that could be influenced by the practitioner, for example the available resources to manage the risk and uncertainty (Carson and Bain, 2008). Risk management also means making the most of the potential benefits and including service users in managing risk decisions (Stalker, 2003). In order to have good risk management we must be able to make effective use of all the dimensions of the risk assessment. This includes the time during and the amount of time of a risk decision being made and the time available to intervene if necessary. We need to be able to identify people and their skills as a resource and use their qualities, knowledge and ability to recognise problems and opportunities should they arise. We should identify and consider both positive and negative opportunities that arise at different stages as we go along a risk path. Before making a risk decision we must explore the quality and quantity of available knowledge and its significance. Knowledge is a form of power and this creates degrees of control, this includes recognising our professional, ethical and legal limits to intervene and control a risk. Good risk management is being able to use all of these resources however there is a barrier, they all cost money. Risk management is political as it is about resources, we require adequate resources for a good risk management plan and lack of resources will have an impact on this (Carson and Bain, 2008). Risk decisions are complex and may be based on unreliable or uncertain knowledge. If harm could not occur then it would not be a risk, if harms do occur then decision making and risk management will need to be examined and a risk decision that was justifiable before the event must remain justifiable after the event. The practitioner will also need to show that any decisions they did make were in line with best current practice on risk assessment and risk management. Many risk decisions will be good irrespective of poor risk management. (Carson and Bain, 2008 and Davies, 2008). Risk management is often overshadowed by risk assessment, despite the fact that it can only identify a risk and not lessen it (Stalker, 2003 and Titterton, 2005). It is important to give risk management more credit as it can prevent bad risk assessment. If a poor risk assessment is made then it can result in harm, inquiries and court proceedings. As risk management comes after the risk assessment has been made it can in turn prevent a poor risk assessment from causing harm (Carson and Bain, 2008). Also risk management concerns the implementation of the risk decision and can therefore protect against the consequences of poor risk assessment. In order to make a good risk decision we therefore require good risk assessment and good risk management (Carson and Bain, 2008). Titterton (2005) argues that risk assessment and risk management should be interconnected within the same risk framework. Brearleys (1982) definition of risk focuses on the negative outcomes of risk (i.e. damage and harm) however despite its restrictions it is argued that it is relevant as he has provided a framework that provides a good starting point for understanding and assessing risk, and that helps assist workers to recognise risk factors when faced with risky situations (Watson and West, 2006 and Kemshall and Pritchard, 1996). Brearleys risk assessment framework is interactive and uses concepts of the systems approach, task centred approach to the actuarial assessment of risk. His framework identifies two types of hazards which he refers to as general predictive hazards (background hazards) and situational hazards (current hazards); a hazard is the possibility of loss or damage that will result in danger. These hazards need to be weighed up with the strengths in order to identify if a risk decision has to be made (Kemshall and Pritchard, 1996). I incorporated Brearleys (1982) framework with the assessment triangle (DOH, 2000 and Aldgate and Rose, 2006) during my risk assessment and I identified that identified that there were no general predictive factors for Raj, he was not known to social work prior to this assault and there was no evidence to suggest that there had been any issues in the past. The situational hazards for Raj were; he had been assaulted by Mr Hassam, his behaviour changed and he became withdrawn and angry, poverty and poor housing. His strengths were; he was resilient, he attended and enjoyed school, he openly spoke out about how he felt. The danger for Raj was that he was at risk of further physical and/or emotional abuse for being open and honest with me after his father had warned him not to speak to any professionals. During my risk assessment I had to consider how capable Mr Hassam was of further assaulting Raj and how likely it was to happen. I thought about the severity of the outcomes, for example if I thought there was a chance that the outcome would be death then the likelihood would be lower than if I thought the outcome could be assault. I therefore considered the outcome of my assessment to be that Mr Hassam could assault Raj again and although the outcome could be very serious but I felt that the likelihood of it happening was very low as Mr Hassam had never been violent towards his son before and showed true signs of remorse for his actions. However just because it was extremely unlikely that Mr Hassam would assault Raj again did not mean that I could consider it a low risk. An unlikely event does not become any more likely merely as it could have serious outcomes (Carson and Bain, 2008). During my assessment I referred to The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 as I had a duty to safeguard an d promote the welfare of Raj and his welfare is paramount (SCLC, 1995), and also to the values of the SSSC (2005), particularly codes 4.1 and 4.2. When considering the risk period to work within and how we are basing our assessment we should examine research based upon that period. During my risk assessment I looked at research on domestic violence and child abuse and several studies show that there is a high association between domestic violence and child abuse (physical and emotional); Morely and Mullender (1994) found that between 40-60% of children are physically assaulted by the perpetrator and Epsein and Keep (1994) found that 38% of children who called Childline had been assaulted by the perpetrator. To make the use of the highest knowledge available I also consulted with my practice teacher and PTL and considered their recommendations before making my decision. My risk decision was that it was safe for Raj to remain in the family home with his father, as the potential benefits (e.g. prior to the assault Raj and his father had a good relationship) outweighed the likely harms. I was able to work in partnership with Mr and Mrs Hassan and the school and they were all resources that assisted me with identifying opportunities for Raj. On reflection I felt confident that I had used the resources available to me well, particularly research and knowledge and I could justify my risk decision if harm was to occur and would be able to explain how I came to my risk decision. Reflective practice involves being able to think holistically and in turn this includes exploring facts and feelings, the knowledge and understanding of the situation and being able to look at perspectives subjectively and objectively (Wilson et al, 2008). Schà ¶n (1983), Kolb (1984) and Boud et al (1985) have given reflective practice currency in recent years by developing ideas and using and applying them to reflecting on experience and improving action and practice (Brown and Rutter, 2008). I based my reflective accounts in practice on Kolbs (1984) model of experiential learning. Kolbs model explores having concrete practice experience which we then reflect and observe on, construct new ideas on and then experiment with. His model emphasises the importance of using observation and testing our reflection on what we see and experience and being able to build upon how we experience the real world (Adams et al, 2002). Kolbs model has helped me understand that learning is individual a nd I have to make the connections to existing knowledge, theories and legislation when reflecting on what I have learned. A number of self evaluation questionnaires derived from Kolbs learning cycle with the aim of helping people identify their learning styles. I used Honey and Mumfords (1992) learning style questionnaire to discover that I am a reflective learner; I will watch and reflect, gather relevant data and examine all the possible options available before making a decison. Using my learning style as a reflector and incorporating Kolbs model of learning I was able to confidently make a risk decision for Raj. I used the supervision process to discuss my learning style and how this assisted me when I put plans of action in place with the Hassam family and how I went through the cycle of experience, reflection, conceptualisation and experimentation (Parker, 2006). To conclude this piece of work has proved that in order to have a good risk decision then we must have a good risk assessment along with good risk management and my own practice experience was integrated throughout as an illustrative. Todays risk society has a lack of confidence in professionals and this has an impact when they need to make risk decisions, although after using risk and reflective frameworks along with supervision I was confident to be able to make my risk decision and justify it. With the right policies, procedures and support professionals will be able to make good risk decisions and feel confident when doing so.

The Struggle Towards a Democratic Nation Essay -- essays papers

The Struggle Towards a Democratic Nation Education Position Paper The Struggle Towards a Democratic Nation Imperialism of one sort or another has been occurring for centuries around the world. In the U.S. a specific form of imperialism is in full effect but is less noticeable than the normative physical imperialism. Linguistic imperialism occurs when a dominant group imposes their language on another, and within the United States this imperialism has been occurring through English. English is the language set up by the American society to be the dominant official language. America is supposed to be the melting pot of different languages and cultures but there is a specific connection between English speakers and dominance over non-English speakers. From this relationship a hierarchy develops in which those who are the representative English speaker in America (Caucasian), are more privileged and more recognized in society than non-English speakers normally of color. Bilingual Education brings this topic to light because it is a governmental supported idea that basically forces non-Englis h speakers to learn English. As children grow out of bilingual education they seem to have two choices; move away from their own culture and assimilate, or retain their culture but don‘t be recognized by society. Of course these choices aren’t always so clear-cut and often the results are varied, but a conflict remains. This topic is explored in Americo Parede’s novel George Washington Gomez, when the question is raised, is it possible for a non-white non-English speaking person to become educated in America without losing their ethnic identity. The main character in this book Gualinto explores what it means to be Mexican-American and what that term means to him after being educated. Also my own experiences of the effects of linguistic imperialism and bilingual education in the California school system have lent to this paper. Ultimately all this information asks the question: Does the dominant white power structure and bilingual education in the U.S. allow non-E nglish speakers, normally of color, to retain their cultural identity? The migration of the English to America and the eventual formation of the colonies led to the construction of whiteness as an ideology of privilege and dominance. Literature from this period shows how whiteness became the represen... ...tural identity. The English language and linguistic imperialism attribute to this situation. While bilingual education is a way to assimilate non-English speakers into American culture, English and its place in the white dominant society, creates a possibility of forgetting ones culture or even self hatred. Like Gualinto many students find that the only real way to become upwardly mobile is to completely forget their heritage and become utterly American even if that means becoming â€Å"whitewashed†. Educators and enlightened minds alike will need to observe data and strive diligently toward a nation not dominated by white elitists but by open-minded educated people intent on the basic tenement of U.S. Democracy: Equality. Bibliography: Works Cited Babb, Valerie. Whiteness Visible. New York: New York University Press, 1998 7 April 2002 Mclaren, Peter, and Carlos J. Ovando. The Politics of Multiculturalism and Bilingual Education. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2000. Paredes, Americo. George Washington Gomez. Houston: Arte Publico, 1990. United States. Dept. of Justice. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Law Enforcement and Border Management. 1999. 1 April 2002.

Uses and Abuses of Censorship :: social issues

Uses and Abuses of Censorship The uses and abuses of censorship in developed and developing countries have been under discussion for quite a long time. Although societies claim for freedom of thought and expression, which are indispensable to live peacefully, censorship is sometimes necessary, due to the fact tha its abuse may badly influence the behaviour of a society and may also result in anarchism. There are different kinds of censorship. The most common ones are: governmental, press and television censorship. The first one is connected with the respect and consideration people should live with. If the citizens of a country do not have the chance of giving voice to their discontent, they feel furstrated and inhibited. Freedom of expression is extremely important inthis case. People must have the opportunity of saying what the think in order to improve the conditions of living, without governmental censorship. Unfortunately, this freedom is sometimes exercised in a wrong way obliging the Government to use its power to censor demonstrators, because they behave violently and irrationally. It is clear, then, that it is highly positive that people have freedom of expression, but on the other hand, that freedom must be used in logical and civilized terms, to improve life in society, otherwise its bad use may lead to a social chaos. Press censorship is quite common nowadays. The press plays an important part in modern societies. Although there are some exceptions, some journalists and reporters are nowadays mor reliable than most of the politicians. Independent press has the freedom of publishing true facts about everyday governmental activities and decisions. In some cases, if the press did not investigate political and government affairs, people would never know some decisions, which most of the times, are in favour of leaders and against grass roots. It is said that the press is the fourth estate by the influence it has on the society, consequently, it should never be censored by the Governmet. Unfortunately, sometimes this freedom is used by journalists with political tendencies, so Government should have the power to investigate secret arrangements between the opposite political parties and some corrupt journalists. Another common case of censorship is the one shown by the Government, which in past times used to censor some television programmes. There are a lot of examples of programmes which were prohibited by governmental organizations. This was the clearest exemplification of censorship in past times.

Compare and Contrast Roman and Han Empires Essay

The Roman and Han empires were both very powerful, in their own rights. Although their culture and beliefs were very different, their ideology and governments were, at points, very similar. Both empires experienced a rise, plateau, and fall, which eventually changed their entire empires. One thing that was a key aspect in both societies was religion. While the Han empire brought Confucianism as a main element in daily life, the Roman’s had several different religions that each played a key role. The Han empire trained bureaucrats formally in the teachings of Confucian philosophy. The Roman emperors were sometimes, after death, referred to as demigods. At the same time this was going on in the Roman empire, Jews and Christians were being persecuted. While the Romans had polytheism, Christianity and Judaism, the Han empire had Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The Chinese did better to make their religion more an aspect of everyday life and law, while the Romans did not care as much. The fragmentation in religious beliefs in Rome lead to hostility among the people. In both empires the lack of stable economy and government caused the empire to be weak and so susceptible to attack and invasion. Rome was already faltering from within, with tax collection becoming corrupt and the economy slowing down, when the Germanic tribes came and invaded. What was left in the east became the Byzantine Empire. In China, the weak centralized government was very unpopular due to over taxation. The Huns then invaded, and the Chinese could not fend them off. Unlike the Roman empire though, the Chinese bounced back a few hundred years later, in the 600s with the Sui and Tang dynasties. In both the Han and Roman empires, the people themselves had something directly to do with the decline of their societies. If a country is not stable and happy from within, it will not stand a chance to any outside invaders. While the element of religion in the Han dynasty brought the people together, it was not strong enough to hold the people together, while religions themselves caused people in the Roman empire to be against one another.

Work Culture Preferences

My work culture preference results indicate I prefer high powered, well resourced, and ethical jobs. My preferred high powered attributes of a job would consist of high salaries, career advancement, and learning new skills. My preferred attributes of a well resourced job would include a being a safe work environment and comfortable atmosphere. My preferred attributes of an ethical job would include being fair, making a difference in people’s lives, and have a social and environmental responsibility. Being aware of my culture preferences will make me a better employee in helping to achieve my organization’s goals. In my previous paper I stated that career compenticies were following instructions, organizing, and delivering results. My results from these surveys are essential in assisting my to evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats know as a strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats (SWOT) Analysis as well as developing operational and strategic plans. I can use these results to help develop teams within my organization that will help to create and implement the necessary changes or goals for the organization that promotes growth, stability and renewal opportunities based off a SWOT Analysis. The results from a SWOT analysis are essential to growing a business. I want a high powered position, I am organized, I believe in fairness and ethics, and I can deliver results. My career plan competencies and work culture preference results indicate that I would add value to the SWOT Analysis process by helping develop an organization’s goals and plans with the results. To be successful in an organization, I need to use my talent to my advantage which could include a higher position and bigger salary. Work Culture Preferences Work culture preferences are an important part of a competency assessment because it gives the user suggestions as to where they will achieve the highest level of potential in a work setting. Knowing your ideal work culture can help in developing strategic and operational plans to achieve your organizational goals by illustrating how you perform as a manager. So, for instance, if the skeleton of a manager is represented best by the four functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Then the flesh surrounding the skeleton of the manager would be the work culture preferences. The results of my work culture assessment are indexed in three categories. The first of these categories is supportive. My assessment shows that I have a considerate management style with no conflicting demands. Focus is placed on the employees and goals & expectations are represented as being clearly defined. The focus is on the welfare and personal development of the employee with lots of recognition and celebrations of success. Secondly, my well resourced category shows that a comfortable, well-designed and safe work place is of importance to me. This category also states that all the necessary resources to provide a higher standard of work would be made available to the members of my teams. Finally, the high powered category lists there will be the likelihood of rapid promotions, high salaries and other benefits for team members although, the job will be demanding. One specific study often used in business is called a SWOT analysis. The word SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The two competencies necessary to conduct a SWOT analysis are: internal represented by the strengths and weaknesses and external represented by opportunities and threats. My competencies relate to the internal and external competencies in many ways. My strengths indicate that I’m supportive and considerate. That’s an important factor to consumers in today’s market because it shows that I’m able to relate to their wants and needs. The opportunity for team members to learn new skills and work in different environments is encourage in an effort to strengthen the management team. According to this competency assessment what could appear as my weakness and/or threat wasn’t easily identifiable. However, I could assume that an organization with no focus, sloppy performance and unrealistic goals wouldn’t be the most desirable position to me. Why, because that management style is the exact opposite of what I’d bring to the table.

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation in Education

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation in Education As life goes on, I am starting to learn more and more about what motivates me step forward and can be successful in education; I recognize that when I plan or want to do something, I have a motivation for that specific thing. In other words, when I do something, I have a reason why I should do that thing. According to the book â€Å"Drive† by Daniel H. Pink, it makes me thought-provoking about motivation 2. 0 and motivation 3. 0. So the question comes in my mind is what is the difference between motivation 2. 0 and motivation 3. , and which motivational system is more effective either for education. Motivation 2. 0, what we know as extrinsic motivation assumes that human beings are best motivated by rewards and punishments (carrots and sticks). On the other hand, motivation 3. 0 what we know as intrinsic motivation suggests that humans are primarily motivated to learn, create and better the world (learning and creating). In educa tion, I prefer that motivation 3. 0 is more effective than motivation 2. 0 because motivation 3. 0 leads to success and good behavior and motivation 2. leads to decreasing of students’ progress. The first thing, motivation 3. 0 is more effective than motivation 2. 0 because motivation 3. 0 leads to success. Students are most likely to show the beneficial effects of motivation when they are intrinsically motivated to engage in classroom activities. Intrinsically motivated students tackle assigned tasks willingly and are eager to learn classroom material, more likely to process information in effective ways by engaging in meaningful learning, and more likely to achieve at high levels.In contrast, extrinsically motivated students may have to be enticed or prodded, may process information only superficially, and are often interested in performing only easy tasks and meeting minimal classroom requirements. To understand how these two motivations work, I want to give out a specific example. I have two friends, Sang and Anne. The first person, Sang he does not enjoy accounting and is taking the class just because earning an A or B in the class will help him earn a scholarship at Business Department.The second person, Anne she has always liked accounting. The class will help her earn a scholarship, but in addiction, Anne really wants to become a good accountant. She sees its usefulness for her future profession as an accountant. Through this example, we can see the first person exhibits motivation 2. 0. Students who belong to motivation 2. 0 may want the good grades, money, or recognition that particular activities and accomplishments bring. In contrast, the second person exhibits motivation 3. 0. Students who belong to motivation 3. may engage in an activity because it gives them pleasure, helps them develop a skill they think is important, or seems to be the ethically and morally right thing to do. According to the book â€Å"Drive†, in chapter 3 Pink describes â€Å"They're working hard and persisting through difficulties because of their internal desire to control their lives, learn about their world, and accomplish something that endures† (77). In some cases, motivation 2. 0 can get students on the road to successful classroom learning and productive behavior. Yet motivation 3. 0 leads students over the long run.It will encourage them to make sense of and apply what they are studying and will increase the odds that they will continue to learn. Moreover, motivation 3. 0 is more effective than motivation 2. 0 because motivation 3. 0 leads student to good behavior. When student comes to motivation 3. 0, this basically means that student is motivated to do a particular task of the pleasure or satisfaction that they get in performing the task itself. In other words, intrinsically motivated student comes from within an individual rather than from extrinsic rewards such as money, grades, or class rank.A student who tends to be intrinsically motivated could be motivated by internal factors such as recognition, responsibility, growth and advancement. If a student is to be motivated by intrinsic rewards, then this means that what the student really wants is a job that interests him, a challenging work environment, and  the responsibility to perform the task in order  to motivate him. For example, an intrinsically motivated student will perform a task given to him willingly, either because he might find the task challenging or else interesting and satisfied with completing it.This is due to the fact the external rewards hardly motivate these students. In chapter 3 of the book, Pink points out about type I behavior â€Å"Type I behavior is self-directed. It is devoted to becoming better and better at something that matters. And it connects that quest for excellence to a larger purpose† (78-79). This explains that motivation 3. 0 leads student to good behavior and tends to be very much effective in the long run as the students perform the tasks willingly because it interests them, rather than trying to escape from it once the task is done. Furthermore, motivation 3. increases effort and persistence in activities and affects cognitive processes. As we discovered in chapter 4 about autonomy, Pink explains â€Å"According to a cluster of recent behavioral science studies, autonomous motivation promotes greater conceptual understanding, better grades, enhanced persistence at school and in sporting activities, higher productivity, less burnout, and greater levels of psychological well-being† (88-89). Motivation 3. 0 increases the amount of effort and energy that students expend in activities directly related to their needs and goals.Intrinsically motivated students are more likely to continue a task until they’ve completed it, even if they are occasionally interrupted or frustrated in the process. In general, motivation 3. 0 increases students’ time on task, an important factor affecting their learning and achievement. Besides that, motivation 3. 0 affects what and how students mentally process information. For one thing, intrinsically motivated students are more likely to pay attention because they are sitting in class, doing the task for the long run purpose and larger achievement. So attention is critical for getting information into working memory.Intrinsically motivated students also try to understand and elaborate on material to learn it meaningfully rather than simply go through the motions of learning in a superficial, rote manner. One special thing is intrinsically students have higher self-esteem. Through the description type I behavior promotes greater physical and mental well-being in chapter 3, Pink states â€Å"According to a raft of studies from SDT researchers, people oriented toward autonomy and intrinsic motivation have higher self-esteem, better interpersonal relationships, and greater general well-being than those who are extrinsically motivated† (78). Thereby circumventing the intrinsic barrier.This can understand that the more students are motivated to achieve academic success, the more proud they will be of an A and the more upset they will be by an F or perhaps even a B. The more students want to be accepted and respected by their peers, the more meaningful the approval of the â€Å"in-group† will be and the more painful the ridicule of classmates will seem. As a last result, motivation 3. 0 is more effective than motivation 2. 0 because motivation 2. 0 leads to decreasing of students’ progress. Motivation 2. 0 what stands for extrinsic motivation comes when the students are thus motivated by means of external rewards.External rewards basically consist of money and grades. Motivation 2. 0 leads students are involved in performing a particular task is because of the external rewards that gives them satisfaction and pleasure, and not because they are interested in it. In ot her means, motivation 2. 0 drives students to do things especially for tangible rewards or pressure, rather than for the desire of it. Extrinsic motivators basically focus the students on rewards rather than actions. For example, students will perform tasks though they are not quite interested in it, thus because of the rewards involved with it.Some students will not want to do the work willingly, but rather they are motivated to do so by external rewards. According to Drive, in chapter 3 Pink argues â€Å"When people use rewards to motivate, that’s when they’re most demotivating† (70). When students are not interesting in doing tasks and learning and they are just focus on the rewards that they can receive, instead of trying to improve skills and get stronger performance that may affect on their long lives, this explains why motivation 2. 0 leads to decreasing of students’ progress. Therefore, if we can apply motivation 3. to students, we can reduce the emphasis on external rewards such as grades, class rank, and â€Å"pay for performance† (giving student money for good grades) and instead try to design tasks that allow students choice, challenge and purpose. Most students will be happy to work on their tasks in which they can determine things such as the product they will produce, or with whom they will work, especially if the task requires creative and critical thought, and if they see a real-life application to what they are doing. However, we need to recognize that most schools are still operating on motivation 2. . That is a problem between how we prepare students for work and how work actually operates. Moreover, the basic problem with Motivation 2. 0 is â€Å"if-then† rewards. In the summary of chapter 2, Pink explains why â€Å"if-then† reward is not good that â€Å"Traditional â€Å"if-then† rewards can give us less of what we want: They can extinguish intrinsic motivation, diminish performance , crush creativity, and crowd out good behavior† (220). Actually, â€Å"if-then† rewards often give less of what we are hoping to achieve and generally crush the stuff we want, like high performance, creativity, and good behavior.Anyway, motivation 2. 0 with external rewards is one of causes leads to decreasing of students’ progress because it motivates student only short term. This is because the extrinsically motivated students will do their task only as long as they receive their rewards and thereafter will stop performing the tasks, once the rewards are no longer there. Through the book â€Å"Drive† by Daniel H. Pink, I have a look at both motivation 2. 0 and motivation 3. 0; I could say that motivation 3. 0 is far stronger than motivation 2. 0 when it comes to motivate students in the long run.For me, I consider I need to apply the three elements of Motivation 3. 0 according to Pink to move forward in education. First, I need to gain autonomy which is my desire to be self-directed. Second, mastery in which is my desire to get better and better at something that matters. And third, purpose in which is my desire to be part of something larger than myself. Even though the system right now makes this very difficult to do, but I will not ignore standards, I believe I can and will find ways to engage myself in self-directed and meaningful work.

Field research is Primary research Essay

I will write short, concise notes. A mix of both types of recording is needed, given the type of primary data wanted at the end of the questioning.  On our fieldtrip we will go to a small area called Ballyhackamore as it is very close to our school and has a very wide range of shops. There are also a lot of people that shop here every week. These people are of a very varied age range and also an even proportion of males and females. We have decided to use field and desk research.  Field research is Primary research.  This means that we go out and collect the information ourselves, so we do not have to sift through many pages of useless information, trying to find out one small piece of information that we could use.  However we will also use desk research. This is where we look at information other people have gathered and use it to our advantage. This includes looking through newspapers, surfing the Internet or going to a library and examining records or books and the Companies Office if they are a limited company. This is going to be used to find out what businesses are in the area and what sort of profit they are making per annum. Market Research – Market research is the process of gaining information about customers, competitors and market trends through collecting primary and secondary data. I will use market research to find the answer to my questionnaire i.e. what sort of business the local people in the Ballyhackamore area thought was missing and what they would like to see in the area. This is Primary research. It is also called Field Research. This will be our Questionnaire. There is also Secondary Research. This involves looking at status from different years about topics and drawing conclusions from it. I could look at maps of Ballyhackamore to make sure I don’t create a business where it is not needed, or indeed duplicate a similar business, unless I feel the demand is there for a second one.  Bank – I am using the bank for the purpose of collecting information about anything financial, from loans to pay for property, mortgage on property and starting the best bank account to suit my circumstances. They will act like a Financial Advisor. I will check Interest Rates and get the best deal. Estate Agents – The estate agents job will be to show me the best available premises to start my business. I will look around many different estate agents until I can find the property and price that suits my business. I will also keep checking in the local press.  Internet – the Internet will be used to show me available properties in the area but also to find out about the competition from rival companies in the area. It will also be used as advertising once the business has been set up. I could use E-Mail to send people information on the business. This may be unsuccessful because people will probably think it is Junk Mail and delete it. Therefore I will not depend on this as my only source of advertising. Newspaper – this will be used while searching for the property but also as advertising after the business has been opened. It will also be used to advertise jobs in the business.  Invest NI -I will talk to Invest NI (the new name for LEDU) about the possibility of both capital and revenue to help until the initial set up phase of my business. Also in the medium to long term I will hope to keep my relationship with Invest NI and be eligible for future grants. Shell Livewire – Shell Livewire is another company, the same as Invest NI that helps businesses to begin and grow. They give grants to entrepreneurs to help them in their quest for a successful business.  After completing all my questionnaires I will now put all my information into a database. I am using a database because I can perform searches on the information I have gathered to try and find exactly what I need to know. I can find different age groups, different sexes and even if the people are married or not. I will be using the database a lot until I discover which business I am going to open. I will then analyse my database and from that, hopefully find out what the public want in the area.    On a search of properties in East Belfast I found there were no available properties in Ballyhackamore that would suit setting up a business. However I did find a lot of buildings in East Belfast that could be possible sites for setting up a business.  I found a sound property on Castlereagh Street.  I also found a property on the Cregagh Road. It is in a good location because this is near Ballyhackamore, however it is an upstairs premises so this could limit the type of people who could visit my business e.g. people in wheelchairs. New legislation coming in the next few years regarding access for the disabled means that an upstairs coffee shop without a lift to the first floor would not be viable.  I have also found a suitable building in Kings Square. This is very close to Ballyhackamore and has a small shopping community itself. This would be a brilliant place for a coffee shop or trendy coffee bar. However on further examination of the area I discovered a coffee shop above a light shop in the Square, but again, access to the first floor could be a problem in the future.

Reader Response Theory Essay

Literary criticism is not an abstract, intellectual exercise; it is a natural human response to literature. Literary criticism is nothing more than discourse—spoken or written—about literature. Reader-response criticism attempts to describe what happens in the reader’s mind while interpreting a work of fiction. This type of literary criticism recognizes that like writing, reading is a creative process. Reader-response critics believe that no text provides self-contained meaning; literary texts do not have meaning independently from readers’ interpretations. According to this school, a text is not complete until it is read and interpreted. The easiest way to explain reader-response criticism is to relate it to the common experience of re-reading a favorite book after many years. A book one read as a child might seem shockingly different when re-read as an adolescent or as an adult. The character once remembered favorably might seem less admirable while another character becomes more sympathetic. The book has not changed. However, our life experiences between the first reading and any subsequent re-reading can affect the way we respond to a story. Reader-response criticism explores how different individuals see the same text differently. It emphasizes how religious, cultural, and social values affect the way we read and respond to a work of fiction. Of course, no two individuals will necessarily read a text in exactly the same way nor will they agree on its meaning. Rather than declare one interpretation correct and the other mistaken, reader-response criticism recognizes that different insights are inevitable. Instead of trying to ignore or reconcile the contradictions, it explores them. Reader-response criticism also overlaps with gender criticism in exploring how men and women read the same text with different assumptions. While reader-response criticism rejects the notion that there can be a single correct reading for a literary text, it doesn’t consider all readings permissible. Each text creates limits to its possible interpretations. We cannot suddenly change the setting, the way a story’s plot unfolds, or redefine its characters. Keeping a reader’s journal is a great way to keep track of the fiction you read and your emotional responses to the stories. You can use the journal to explore ideas for essays, note important quotations, and list words to look up in the dictionary. Use your reader’s journal while studying Sun, Stone, and Shadows to provide a convenient way of documenting your own response to the stories you read in the anthology. Excerpted from The Longman Anthology of Short Fiction by Dana Gioia and R. S. Gwynn, eds.

Week 8 Discussion INTL 5400 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 8 Discussion INTL 5400 - Case Study Example Therefore, this study will provide a sharp insight on the world problems as well as possible solutions that can be employed to address those problems. The world has been facing numerous problems for many years some of the major factors that contribute to those problems include; Institutional failures (Harvey). Whereby, financial institutions such as banking systems have been so reluctant at establishing necessary policies aimed at regulating the flow of credit in an economy (Harvey). In above connection, policy failures by Breton wood institutions such as International monetary fund and World Bank have contributed significantly to global problems (Harvey). This is because those institutions tend to place strict rules that inhibit growth and expansion of capitalistic economy such the US (Harvey). Environmental factors such as global warming as a result of human activities have significantly contributed to the global problems (Brown, pp1-4). This has further led to a problem of food insecurity especially among African countries (Brown, pp1-4). Among the countries that have been adversely affected by food insecurity problems include; Sudan, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Democratic republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan to name just but a few (Brown, pp1-4).Those countries have even exposed other countries into the risk of terrorism attacks, drugs trafficking, spread of diseases as the number of refugees tend to escalate (Brown, pp1-4). In above connection, Debt crisis has been another significant cause of global problems (Harvey). Whereby, capitalistic economies spend a lot of revenues in financing their huge foreign debts rather than using this revenue to finance their economic growth (Harvey). In above connection, unemployment has been reported to be significant global problem that has contributed to global failure as people who are willing

Studying Abroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Studying Abroad - Essay Example In contrast to other numerous countries, we are uninformed when it comes to the world that exists beyond our borders (Hess 21). Students who study abroad return home with less biased and informed perspectives regarding other people and their cultures. I also conducted a survey in this classroom, where I found that zero of us had ever studied abroad, despite the fact that we have five foreign students studying here that are natives. I totally understand this logic since I never studied abroad myself. Many of us also have a preconceived notion regarding what going abroad for studies entails, and often ignore the opportunity of doing so as they do not seem realistic. The reasons given for not studying abroad include; high costs, delayed graduation dates, going alone, a fear of flying or simply lack interest (DuFon & Eton 22). These logical issues can all be resolved. Additionally, studying abroad at Lynn University will help to expand my worldview, give me an opportunity to break my old academic routine, and will help me learn more about myself. While going abroad for studies seems expensive, it would help us to look at it as a vacation price that includes transportation, books, transport, passports, side trips, airfare and tuition (Loflin 41). Studying at Lynn University will cost approximately $2,800 and one would be here for the summer. When you calculate plans during the summer in the United States, they are much lower than they are here. Additionally, Lynn University offers scholarships, using tens of thousands of dollars every year.

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Personal Statement Example Until now, I can still recall the exact time I fell in love with numbers and its analysis. I was in middle school, and an excellent teacher had been showing us how to tackle numerical problems. Imagine my delight with the adeptness I possess in following problem-solving techniques; after that memorable moment, I am hooked for life. The obsession I had helped me go through high school and college experience. As I passed entrance exam in secondary level with flying colors, I had been bombarded with different mathematical concepts, from geometry, trigonometry, algebra and calculus. Yet, another event marked my interest towards a specific course. When I took the class in Computer Science, we were introduced to C++ and FoxPro, deviating my interest towards analytical systems involved in computer processes. At 12th grade level, I had the honor of passing the course, with a Certificate to prove it. My interest in analytical mathematics led me to computer science programming, and the fascina tion had come to stay. In pursuance with numerical passion, it became the basis for my course selection Babes-Bolyai University, an excellent university in Cluj-Napoca. I took a program involving the combination of mathematics analysis and computer programming, Mathematics and Computer Science course, where I pored over a variety of concepts: Numerical analysis, Differential equations and Dynamic systems, Affine geometry, and Numerical solving of equations, Object oriented programming, Applications for mobile, Analysis and administration of complex computers systems, and Evolved programming methods. It may sound intimidating for others, but in my case, it had been like enjoying a favorite pastime. To top it all, I could get to share my enthusiasm with younger minds; I volunteered as tutor to students from grade 5-12. Giving my students a part of my analytical fixations with numbers is indeed a pleasurable episode for all of us. As much as I love my country, it seems that I am destin ed to go on a global scale. As I approached my fourth year in university, I was able to visit my relatives in Portland, Oregon for the summer. Unbeknown to me, I would meet the guy for me, Dan, who had been based in Seattle, Washington. We got on well together, as we both share an abundant love for life and adventure. Even though I went back to finish my course, we maintained constant contact. However, our love for each other had been adamant, and Dan proposed when he came to see me during my winter break--we got hitched summer that year. Forced to halt my studies in Romania, I relocated to follow my husband in Seattle, Washington. My need for mathematical challenges hunted me, and after thorough search for an outstanding university, I know what I am meant to do. I have to apply for degree on Applied Computational Mathematical Sciences in your top-rate institution, University of Washington. Only you have the competency to nurture my creative talent with numbers. Career Goals A few m onths after my marriage, I got pregnant, delaying my academic aspirations for a while, but was able to proceed years after. Unfortunately, my first attempt in the University of Washington had been denied. Thus, I channeled my energy towards another course in Bellevue College on Relational Database Developer, and this summer, I will have my certificate for the 45 units that I might accomplish. I am optimistic that this time, I will be given the chance