Saturday, August 31, 2019

Design Lab Chemistry Surface Area

Design Lab #17: Reaction Rate – Calcium Carbonate & Hydrochloric acid Design D: Introduction: In this experiment calcium carbonate will be put into a flask and mixed with hydrochloric acid to produce calcium chloride, water and carbon dioxide. The formula for this reaction is: CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) > CaCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l) Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to determine how the surface area of CaCO3(s) affects the rate of reaction by measuring the volume of CO2(g) produced with time.Background: When solid reactants are mixed with liquid reactants only the particles on the surface of the solid will have direct contact, or collide, to the other liquid   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  reactant particles. When there is more surface area there will be more solid   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  particles exposed to collide with other liquid particles. When there are small   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pieces of the solid re actant, the rate would be faster than if it were larger   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pieces with the same mass. There will be more collisions per unit of time,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  which means reaction will precede faster. Variables: Independent (Changed) ) Surface area of CaCO3 Dependent (Measured) 1) Volume of gaseous product formed (CO2(g)) Controlled (Constant) 1) Mass of CaCO3 2) Temperature of reaction 3) Concentration of HCl 4) Volume of HCl 5) Time intervals for recording volume Apparatus: 100 mL Conical flaskSingle-holed rubber stopper 90 g of CaCO3 chips90 g of CaCO3 powder 90 g of CaCO3 tablets100 mL gas syringe 100 mL graduated cylinderDigital Stopwatch 450 ml 1. 0 M HCl Stand & Clamp Electronic balance Safety Procedures: 1) Wear safety goggles for protection. 2) Handle HCl acid with care. If splashes on skin wash immediately 3) Always point gas syringe downwards.Procedure: 1) Set up equipment for experiment. Set up the gas s yringe with the clamp and connecting pipe connecting to the flask. Have the rubber stopper and stopwatch nearby at your station. 2) Place a on electronic balance. 3) Place the CaCO3 tablet on and weigh 10 g precisely on electronic balance. Record mass. 4) When taking mass make sure the tablet, chips and powder all have the same mass; 10g 5) Measure 50 mL of acid with a graduated cylinder. Pour into conical flask. 6) For the first reaction use the CaCO3 tablets. Start stopwatch immediately after CaCO3 tablets are added into flask.Simultaneously cover flask with stopper. 7) Insure that the connecting pipe from the flask to the syringe is connected properly. 8) At 10 seconds record the volume of gas in the syringe. 9) Record the volume of gas inside syringe every 10 seconds until you have 3 consistent readings. 10) Repeats steps 2 through 8 for two more trials to have 3 values for every type of CaCO3. 11) Repeats steps 2 through 7 for the CaCO3 chips 12) Repeats steps 2 through 7 for t he CaCO3 powder. Method: 2. Cut magnesium ribbon into 15 20mm strips  ±0. 5mm 3. Fill measuring cylinder with 100ml  ±0. 1ml water. Invert inside an ce-cream container. Fill container with water. 4. Take the 5 mol dm-3 acid and pipette 5ml  ±0. 1ml of acid into each 3 test tubes. Insert delivery tube into measuring cylinder under water and prepare bung above the boiling tube. 5. Pour one test-tube into the boiling tube. Place one piece of 2cm  ±0. 5cm magnesium into the tube, affix bung to the tube and begin the stopwatch 6. After 5 seconds, record the amount of water displaced on the measuring cylinder. This will be in millilitres  ±0. 1ml. Repeat this at 10 seconds. 7. Continue recording at 5-second intervals until 3 consistent readings are gained. . Repeat steps 4 through 7 with the other two prepared test tubes to give 3 readings per concentration 9. Repeat steps 3 through 8 with the remaining four prepared concentrations of acid Stat stopwatch Place the marble chips a nd powdered marble into separate test tubes. Add 10cm of the dilute hydrochloric acid to each of the test tubes and observe the rate at which carbon dioxide is produced Gas Syringe Method Equipment Conical Flask, Bung, Connecting Pipe, Gas Syringe, Hydrochloric Acid,   Magnesium Ribbon, Clamp, Stand. For this method we set up the equipment as follows;The first to do is to gather together all equipment, then once that is   done get the conical flask and put the bung into the top of it. Then   connect the pipe from the bung to the gas syringe, making sure that it   is air tight. Then once everything is set up get the stop clock ready,   measure out the 50ml of hydrochloric acid and pour it into the conical   flask and again the same as the burette method simultaneously put the   magnesium into the conical flask, put the bung into the top of the   flask and start the timer. We took down measurements in 5 second   intervals. The gas syringe has a volume of 100ml?.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Multicultural education Essay

From its early beginnings in the 1960s, multicultural education has since been in a constant state of evolution both in theory and in practice (Gorski & Covert 1996). In the last four decades, it has undergone repeated transformation, focusing and conceptualization as challenges emerge one after the other from a rapidly changing population demographics and a significant growth in diverse multicultural groups. The result is a multitude of conceptualizations reflecting different foci but which basically share the same ideals rooted upon the need for transformation or change. Gorski (2000) defines multicultural education as a â€Å"progressive approach for transforming education that holistically critiques and addresses current shortcomings, failings, and discriminatory practices in education†. These shared ideals that include social justice, equity in educational opportunities, and the dedication to help students reach their full potential as learners and as socially conscious and active individuals provide the basis for understanding multicultural education. It is a process of action, through which adults achieve clarity about their condition in this society and ways to change it (Phillips, 1988). Multicultural education acknowledges that schools, among all other institutions, play a pivotal role in building the foundation and acting as major influencing factor for the transformation of society and the elimination of oppression and injustice. The realities of the times clearly speak for the growing importance and relevance of multicultural education. Cultural diversity in schools is indeed one considerable challenge but like any other, it can be a most welcome opportunity. History has shown us that nations are enriched by the ethnic, cultural, and language diversity among its citizens (Banks, 2001). Schools play a significant part in finding ways to harness and redirect cultural diversity into creating unity and progress in schools and ultimately to society in general. References: Banks, J. A. (April 2001). Diversity within unity: Essential principles for teaching and learning in a multicultural society. New Horizons for Learning. Retrieved on May 28, 2009 from http://www. newhorizons. org/strategies/multicultural/banks. htm Gorski, P. & Covert, B. (1996; 2000). Defining multicultural education. Retrieved on May 28, 2009 from http://www. edchange. org/multicultural/define_old. html Phillips, C. B. (1988). Nurturing diversity for today’s children and tomorrow’s leaders. Young Children: 43(2).

Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Wife of Bath Essay

â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale explore many aspects of patriarchy – and sometimes reveal surprising attitudes within the tale and prologue.† Discuss. Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Wife of Bath is a text which is interwoven with references to Patriarchy and unanticipated attitudes towards the social backdrop in which it was created. Written in a period where males dominated the hierarchy, Chaucer through the Wife portrays the reversal of traditional roles, and a sense of rebellion and feministic instincts which at the time appeared extraordinary: â€Å"His poetic sensibility, combined with an immense understanding about men and women, enabled him to survey the life about him with such imaginative insight and power.† (Bennet 74) Throughout the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer speaks with remarkable authority on a huge range of subjects. This is perhaps made possible by the assortment of characters from all areas of society which travel on the pilgrimage. Alisoun’s character is perhaps best encapsulated in the manner of her entrance to the Tales. Clothed in the finest garments, her â€Å"hosen weven of fyn scarlet need†, well-travelled and â€Å"carteyn so wroth†, the Wife: â€Å"Strides into the Canterbury Tales on a large horse, spurs jangling, and ready to assert herself in a company made up almost entirely of men†¦ She is a medieval housewife who is not just going to star in a story, she is going to tell it.† (Reading the Wife’s Prologue and Tale) A far cry from the meek and submissive maidens so often portrayed in classic literature and fables prior to this; the Wife is independent, liberated and outspoken. The Wifes’ relationship to the men in her life is often one of total domination and manipulation. She enjoys â€Å"maistyre† over her male counterparts: Unne the mught they the statut holde In which that they were bounden un to me Ye woot wel what I mean of this, pardee! As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke How piteously a- nyght I made hem swynke. The Wife governs many aspects of her husbands’ lives, and rules with special sovereignty in the bedroom. Her sexual powers are and obvious source of seduction and control over her lovers. Very much a humanistic text, the Canterbury Tales constantly remind the reader of the complexity of the human character. One example of this could be the Knight, the embodiment of â€Å"chivalrye, Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisye† in the hierarchy of society at the time. At first he appears to fit the specification perfectly. The however subtle passing motion which slightly removes the Knight from this brave and righteous tradition is left with us when he is described as â€Å"meke as a mayde†. Chaucer understood the depth of personality in each individual, and that a stereotype is never applicable. His characters almost always only very nearly fit the stereotype, and leave us scope to remain unconvinced about the rest. This refusal to comply with what many would describe as the one dimensional and traditional Fairytale characters allows for the issues of patriarchy to be discusses liberally. Interestingly, even at points of text which reflect a relaxed and conversational tone, the Wife constantly feels the requirement to reemphasise and argue her point with references to astrology and biblical references. These biblical references however are often contorted to suit the Wife’s requirement in the argument. For example the term from Genesis 1:22,28 â€Å"Go forth and multiply† is used as an excuse for the remarriage of the wife. This control and knowledge of the Church’s text represent a disregard to Patriarchal structures at many levels. The male governed Church, with its male oriented texts and belief systems for the Wife especially represent the oppression of men. For Alisoun the structures of literature, religion and authority are connected in that they represent male dominance. The Wife of Bath however cannot be totally classified as a pro feminist character. At many levels her dishonest, manipulative nature reinforces the common negative conceptions of anti- feminism at the time. Hansen (cited in Beidler) claims that this anti-feminist discourse mentioned above is less of a product of archness towards patriarchal literature. â€Å"Instead she is trapped in a ‘prison house’ of anti-feminist discourse. She is unable to see that her tactics simply reinforce all the stereotypical Medival ideas about women as cruel, emotional, and sexually voracious. Chaucer therefore is seen as reinforcing antifeminist views rather than undermining them.† Alisoun provides a vessal through which thousands of years of antifeminist literature are regurgitated with a revised purpose and tone of archness. One example of this method comes in Alisoun’s first words to the group, a repeat of earlier rhetoric (Awkroyd): Expeience, though no autoritee, Were in this world, is right ynogh for me To speak of woe that is in marriage. Peter Awkroyd (2005) believes that Chaucer â€Å"uses much of the antifeminist literature of the period but, by placing it in the Wife’s capacious mouth, he lends it a new and ironic lease of life.† The Wife’s five marriages on the outset portray a sense of calculated systematic marrying for the advancement of wealth and power. However, it could be argued that Alison was more than simply a ruthless professional. There are arguments that the fourth, and especially the fifth husband Jenkin, captured her love and stood in more than equal stead with their spouse: â€Å"That al myn herte I yaf unto his hold/ He was, I trowe, a twenty winter oold, and I was fourty.† Although the true love described by Chaucer at first appears conformal to the description of traditional literature, as often the case in the Tales, there is a cause for disease. In this case the context in which the romance begins, the burial ceremony of husband number four, Alisoun covets the younger page boy and her future husband. In Jankin, Alisoun finds a man to which she is willing to submit. Cruel, abusive, manipulative this husband domineers the relationship, physically, emotionally and sexually. At this stage the once immovable opposition to patriarchy admits that he partner â€Å"so well koude he me glose†. Furthermore the Wife admits that it is this form of denial and subornation in a relationship which causes women to crave what they cannot have: â€Å"wait what†¦crave† The dictatorship of Jenkin is further developed by Minnis, who claims Jenkin: â€Å"read aloud to her (translating from his anthology of antifeminist texts – It could be said then that she has learned at home, from her husband – how acquiescent and submissive can one get?† (Minnis 249) The Wife of Bath’s Tale and Prologue, as a text which attempts to examine Patriarchy, the attitudes portrayed are purposely less definable. Often categorised as either a feminist or anti- feminist text, The Wife of Bath is a complex mixture between the two. Chaucer, as always does not provide specific or obvious attitudes to these hierarchies and relationships. Instead, like his characters he provides us with an insightful cross- section of the Patriarchal society in which he existed. Reference List Awkroyd, Peter. ‘The Tales of Canterbury.’ Chaucer. London: Vintage, 2005. 150 – 53. Beidler, Peter G. Geoffrey Chaucer: The Wife of Bath. New York: Bedford Books, 1996. Bennet, H.S. ‘Chaucer.’ Oxford History of English Literature: Chaucer and the Fifteenth Century. Ed. F.P Wilson and Bonamy Dobrà ©e. London: Oxford, 1947. 74 – 75. Minnis, Alastair. ‘Chapter 4 Gender as Fallibility.’ Fallible Authors: Chaucer’s Pardonerand Wife of Bath. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. 249. ‘Reading the Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale.’ York Notes Advanced: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale. London: Longman, 1998. 3 – 10.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Interrogation process, techniques and approaches Essay

The Interrogation process, techniques and approaches - Essay Example American criminal history is replete with instances when innocent people have been handed down sentences while the real culprits move scot free. Even today, it is roughly believed that there are between 65 and 300 false confessions per year in the United States. This study seeks to study the various impacts of interrogation and the procedures, which are followed in interrogation .Through the study of decided cases on the subject it is felt that existing laws need to be reviewed and revamped to provide more effective and speedier justice trials to the victims and punishment for the offenders. With the changing times it has become necessary to modernize the crime fighting mechanism in the country to eschew traditional forms and embrace modern technology including the production of complete documented electronic recordings of suspects and enforcement of a stricter code of conduct for the investigators by adopting more subtler, yet effective means of establishing truth in criminal cases. This also envisages a stricter Code of Conduct for the investigators into adopting more subtler, yet effective means of establishing truth in criminal cases based heavily upon scientific data and expert opinions, rather than browbeating suspects into confessions, whether proved true or false. This would ensure that the legal infrastructure need not have to enter into fresh controversies in imparting justice as and when it becomes imperative to do so in the carriage of justice and fair play in legal dealings. The interrogation system is important because it is an opportunity to test whether the suspects are lying or utter false statements. When such lies or false statements are made, the police are in a position to reinforce the fact that the suspects are involved in the crime and could therefore, challenged the statements delivered, or disallow the claims and alibis

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Strategic Management and Executives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Management and Executives - Essay Example that the most crucial factor that determines the success of any company is â€Å"the qualities of strategic decisions that top managers make in attempting to achieve this strategic fit† (Stead & Starik, 2004, p. 122). Some business owners, however, do not make the decisions solely by themselves; they hire professional consultants to aid them in making strategic decisions. A process is often referred to as the flow of information via a given interrelated stages of analysis with the aim of achieving a specific aim. In regarding strategic management as a process, one is required to focus on the historical and current flow of information, as well as forecast data on not only operations, but also the environment of business. Considering strategic management as a process has diverse important implications. First, it is evident that a change in any component is likely to affect other components because the flow of information is always reciprocal. For instance, forces of the external environment often influence the company’s missions and the company also affect the external environment. A second advantage of viewing strategic management as a process is the fact that strategy formulation, as well as implementation, is sequential. This step is associated as well as followed by development of an organization’s profile in addition to the evaluatio n of the external environment. Then other aspects of management such as the strategic choice, definition of objectives, designing of strategies, as well as review and evaluation take place in order. The strategic management process entails three sequential stages. Data-gathering phase is the first stage. It involves extensive research as well as analysis of not only the external environment, but also internal environment of an organization so as to provide sufficient as well as accurate inputs required for strategic decision-making process. The gathered data is then analyzed, and SWOT analysis identified. The second stage of

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Colombia's International Trade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Colombia's International Trade - Research Paper Example Additionally, there are other factors responsible for the growth of the economic conditions, which include reduction of public debt, rigid government budgets, increased export activities and increased commodity prices. Contextually, improvements relating to security of business affairs and trade policies have been accountable for attracting greater Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) within its national markets, which is further expected to yield greater benefits to the economy in the long run through enriched international collaborations (Beittel, â€Å"Colombia: Background, U.S. Relations, and Congressional Interest†). Contextually, trade operations are determined to play an effective role in developing the economy on the continuous basis over the long run rather than focusing merely on short-run benefits. In this regard, the government has adopted important measures of performing international trade activities with other countries. Moreover, the government has also entered into free trade agreements with the US. Subsequently, the growth of trade operations is quite likely to facilitate in enhancing import along with export operations to a considerable extent. The country is also identified to acquire energy along with mineral resources in abundance to support its developmental needs in the near future (LTBS, â€Å"Focus on Colombia†). Prior to assessing Colombia’s economic indicators, it is essential to note that the country has been engaged in conflicts and dispute situations for a period of five decades in the recent past till the present scenario between Colombian government, the ‘National Liberation Army’ (ELN) and the ‘Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia’ (FARC) during the 1950s (Lopez 6-20).

Monday, August 26, 2019

History of Community Junior College Movement in American Education Essay

History of Community Junior College Movement in American Education - Essay Example ; the lengthened period of adolescence, which mandated custodial care of the young for a longer time; and the drive for social equality, which supposedly would be enhanced if more people had access to higher education.†(Cohen, 2008, p.1)Since their inception, community colleges have fit in to the American educational system well, and they have perceptible effects on the community with the services they provide. Cohen writes, â€Å"New technologies demanded skilled operators, and training them could be done by schools.†(Cohen, 2008, p.1)One change led to the other setting forth a chain reaction for the better. New areas of service are added. The authors further states people with different goals demand varied programs; the additional programs demand the attention of different categories of then populace (Cohen,2008,p.2) Change in the pattern of student demography is seen; with the rapid expansion, funding is a major issue. The technological advancement affects the instructional technology. Relationship with the community attains new dimensions. The occupational education scores precedence as it is more favorably disposed to employment opportunities. The need for constant evaluation of the future perspective becomes part of the college administration and the management as they have to move with the demand of the times. Historically speaking, the authors write, â€Å"Public supported universities, given impetus by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, had been established at every state.†(Cohen, 2008, p.2)Since education is closely linked to economic, social and cultural life of the community, changes in one or more areas affects the system of education in the community colleges. Students spend formative years of their life in the Community Colleges and their association here, what they learn here, has profound impact on their future life. â€Å"At the second annual meeting of the American Association of Junior Colleges, in 1922, a junior college was defined as â€Å"an

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Sheltering the Deep Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sheltering the Deep - Assignment Example Jessen emphasizes the need to protect depleting marine ecosystems from pollution and other human interventions. She underscores the need to find new ways to protect these marine environments, and bats for the concept of marine protected areas, that have been successful in other parts of the world. Although she concedes that marine protected areas are not the solution to all the problems; she encourages the reader to take a fresh look at the various species that exist in an ecosystem, and consider the symbiotic relationship they share. Her efforts are directed towards awakening the reader to the rich cultural heritage of the region that preserves early forms of life on earth as well as some unique plant life, and the need to protect it before it is too late. The author’s diction conveys her love of the treasures in the deep. Her choice of words like â€Å"adorn the underwater cliffs† (185) to describe the underwater plants and animals conveys the fact that she considers these jewels of the sea. Jessen conjures up striking word pictures of the beauty of nature’s bounty. Her use of metaphors like â€Å"perched off the southern tip of Vancouver Island† (185) conjures up a picture of a bird, ready to fly away at the merest hint of danger. Jessen’s extensive use of alliteration to describe nature’s beauty gives an almost poetic quality to the piece. When the author describes â€Å"other marine mammals† that â€Å"frequent the waters foraging† (185); or her portrayal of â€Å"soaring walls and spectacular scenery† (187) of the fiords of Baffin, enhances the aesthetic appeal of the essay. Her use of euphony as in â€Å"speckled trout spawn in the shallow bays†, (186) gives a harmonious mellowness to the piece that is both pleasing to the ear as well as conveying the harmonious nature of an ecosystem. Jessen’s use of denotation when she describes the fate of ancient mariners pitted against the â€Å"treacherous waters and well known fury of Lake

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Personal Ways of Knowing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Ways of Knowing - Essay Example Indeed, these early experiences almost certainly shaped and directed my interests towards a career in healthcare. In college, I took my first steps towards becoming a health care professional when I started a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. In my opinion the role of the nurse is not just performing set tasks to alleviate a clinical condition but rather to take a holistic approach and treating the individual as a whole and not just as a clinical case! With holistic care not only is the clinical condition treated but the patients’ general well-being and satisfaction is also optimized. As a nurse therefore all my efforts are directed toward helping and supporting the patient to recover and become capable of taking care of his/ her needs. Patient’s safety is, of course, a vital part of optimal care whereby critical thinking should be utilized to avoid any errors or mistakes in delivering care as well as solving any other work related problems. Indeed, being a nu rse involves much more than performing technical tasks. It requires a personal and professional commitment for effective delivery of goals and objectives. After I graduated and completed a one year internship I started my journey in nursing by working in King Faisal specialist hospital as RN in neuroscience ward for one year. As I was eager to learn new skills and gain more knowledge, I enrolled in one year Diploma in Critical Care accredited by Saudi council. The diploma equipped with necessary skills and knowledge to work successfully in the ICU for almost two years, providing care for critically ill patients. During this period I was occasionally assigned to teach the new staff and nursing students as a preceptorship. I enjoyed this teaching experience, finding myself capable to facilitate and pass on knowledge to others as well as having the ability to explain things to my students clearly. This was also a crucial period when I realized that acquisition of knowledge is an ongoin g process and needs to be adopted within the work culture. I realized that I like to teach and decided to move to academic field. I strongly believed that I have the potential to become an exceptional teacher. At the end of 2008, I was accepted to work as teaching assistant at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Nursing College (KSAU). I was responsible to facilitate the new knowledge, skills, and practice to the nursing students during their clinical day. Also, I was helping them in applying theory to practice. As a teacher, I understood the importance of ‘knowing’ and the process by which the personal knowledge accrued is used within the profession to improve and improvise the outcome. Porter (2010) emphasizes that evidence based practice greatly facilitates in decision making process in the care of individual patients. I support the view because individual patient’s needs are unique while the treatment could be similar to others. While work ing in KSAU, I was awarded a full scholarship to study abroad to help broaden the knowledge of academic and clinical nursing by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I took the challenge that this opportunity had offered mainly because I am dedicated, motivated, and ambitious to continue my higher education. Mantzorou and Mastrogiannis (2011) assert that knowing the patients is vital ingredient of effective nursing practice that thrives on clinical learning, development of cognitive, intuitive and experiential and personal knowledge

Friday, August 23, 2019

The role Julius Caesar played as a leader of Rome that caused his Essay

The role Julius Caesar played as a leader of Rome that caused his assassination - Essay Example Egypt and Palestine were under the control of Rome. The Caesar era made history, because it had created an empire by destroying the republic (Rome 1. In The Columbia Encyclopedia). In 55 BC, Caesar entered Britain as a warning to the British Celts who were assisting their rebellious cousins in Gaul. He landed and made camp in Kent, however, after a few weeks had passed by, heavy storms occurred and in order to safeguard his fleet he was forced to retreat. He once again raided Britain in the year 54 BC and defeated the Britons, who were led by Cassivelaunus. The Britons paid tribute to Caesar and promised him that they would neither support rebellions nor interfere in Gaul, subsequently; Caesar conducted a war against Gaul. However, the purpose of these expeditions were not to invade Britain but only to demonstrate Caesar’s prowess in battle and to stress his commitment to exterminating rebellions against his empire (Caesar, Gaius Julius (100 - 44 BC). In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas). After the death of Crassus in 53 BC, Pompey emerged as his rival. He supported the rebellious members of the Senate who dissented with Caesar and planned to prosecute him in the Court. In response to this conspiracy, Caesar with his army crossed the Rubicon River and fought with Pompey’s army. This resulted in a civil war, which lasted up to 45 BC (Caesar, Gaius Julius (100 - 44 BC). In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas). Caesar emerged victorious in the battles at Pharsalus in the year 48 BC; Thapsus in the year 46 BC; and against King Pharnaces II in the year 47 BC in Asia Minor. Caesar’s victories could be attributed to his brilliant war plans. He coined the famous slogan Veni Vidi Vici which means I came I saw I conquered. He spent some time in Egypt until Cleopatra gave birth to Caesarion. His last victory on the battlefield was in 45 BC, when he fought at Munda, in

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Language of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The Language of Leadership - Essay Example There are five appropriate methods of ensuring that the organization’s workforce harmoniously undertakes the tasks in accordance to the set rules and regulations, and in the absence of coercion. Modern leaders should serve as the center nerve of distributing favorable prepositions to the entire organization. Through the sharing of objectives, leaders set an equated and united organizations as the subjects realize their equated importance and choose to work in teamwork (Kadalie, 2006). Therefore, leaders may apply the collaboration and sharing techniques to ensure teamwork and united performances of tasks in a friendly environment. These variables shall eventually serve to ensure that all performances interrelate directly to the leader’s vision of the organization (Schmid, 2009). Other factors that leaders may use in ensuring that leaders may use to recognize talents of the others include democratic, and dispersed approaches whereby the subjects are able to express their feelings and propose the various methods that they feel as appropriate in undertaking specific tasks. Lastly, leaders may use the dispersion techniques to stimulate integration and the realization of talents amongst his subjects in the organization (Halpern, & Lubar, 2003). Mainly, a leader serves as integral in stimulating performances to excellence and ensuring that all their

Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States Essay Example for Free

Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States Essay There are two types of people in this story. They are the conquerors and the conquered. The communities that Zinn talks about in the story are the Native Americans and the English settlers that came to America. Out of those communities the conquerors were the English settlers and the conquered were the Native Americans. These two communities had similar and different views on topics. One thing that the two viewed differently was how they viewed the land. The Native Americans believed that the land did not belong to one single person, rather they believed that the land belonged to a whole tribe. The English settlers did not feel the same way. The settlers believed that each individual person had the opportunity to own his own land and that he may do whatever he wants to with it. Another difference the two communities had was their views on religion. The Native Americans did not believe in religion. They believed that there was a type of spiritual force that controlled the land. The English settlers did believe in religion. They worshipped gods and executed religious practices. The two groups did have some similarities though. One similarity was language. The two groups both used language to communicate with one another. Another similarity the two had was a law system. They both had punishments set up for the level of crime that someone within their community committed. Those are some similarities and differences between the two communities. Chapters 2 and 3 Racism is not natural. Zinn expresses this in the story. There are two things that factor into racism not being natural. Those two things are historical forces and human decisions. Historical forces are certain ideas or movements become irresistible forces that will have their way. One example of this is plantations not having enough people to work on them. The plantation owners had Caucasian slaves but they were few and far to come by. They considered using Native Americans as slaves but they were hard to capture and the owners knew that they would rebel. They eventually turned their attention to the very populous African American group. They went out and captured many African Americans and brought them into slavery. Human decision is a purposeful selection from a set of alternatives. An example of human decision is how they treated the slaves. The owners treated the African American slaves way worse than they treated the Caucasian slaves. They made the penalty for crimes committed by African American slaves far worse than those for a white man that had committed the same crime. The owners also felt that the slaves may rebel. If the plantation was attack the black slaves were not given weapons to defend themselves. This was to prevent them from every feeling in power and to prevent rebellions. These two things both factor into racism, but the main one that creates racism is human decision. Racism is not something that is guaranteed to happen. It was not set in stone that one race would hate another. It takes people to create this feeling. People themselves create this feeling and that is why it is human decision.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Dealing With Low And High Achievements In Teaching Education Essay

Dealing With Low And High Achievements In Teaching Education Essay Teaching is not a normal job that can be practiced by any person since it is the transmitting knowledge, behavior, and educational programs. The teacher is responsible for instructing others who may belong to different types of human behavior (Smith, 1997). The purpose of educational or learning groups is to acquire new information or skill through a sharing of knowledge. In most small group learning situations all members have something to teach and something to learn in-text citation is required (Smith, 1997). The role of the teacher is to provide a lecture in the classroom which means transmitting knowledge to a group of students. It is the traditional role of the teacher as one of the information provider in the lecture context. Moreover, the teacher plays an important role in increasing the practical skill of the students. Also, teachers are responsible for facilitating the learning process and mentoring the students performance. Furthermore, teachers are planners for the organization of the contents, the educational strategies, and the educational environment (Harden, 2000). The No Child Left Behind law has brought wide changes to education across the nation. It affects what students are taught, the tests they take, the training of their teachers and the way money is spent on education. Therefore, based on this law, teachers must be highly qualified to teach core academic subjects in every classroom. Specifically, an elementary school teacher must have a bachelors degree and pass a t test in core curriculum areas. While middle and high school teachers must show theyre competent in the subjects they teach by passing a test or by completing an academic major, graduate degree or comparable coursework. The qualification of the teacher helps in giving individual assistant on low achiever as well as high achiever. However, some teachers focus on the low achiever leaving the intelligent students or the high achiever behind which decrease their skills and ambitious (Harden, 2000). 1.1 Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is to shed light on the role of the teachers in the classroom regarding the existence of both high achievers as well as low achiever students. The study will investigate the impact of giving individual assistance to a segment of the class on the engagement of high achievers in teaching and learning process. H1: increased attention on low achievers will influence negatively on the achievement of gifted or high achiever students H2: teachers can demotivate the successful students which may lead to their failure or their withdrawal from school. Chapter II Literature Review A serious problem nowadays is faced in schools and education which is Giftedness. The meaning of this word can be summarized by a simple sentence measure of potential. Children vary with their ability to understand and get knowledge. Some students are gifted as named by many authors and need little help by their teachers while others have lower abilities to acquire as fast as those mentioned first. The problem stands that focusing on smart children can cause a big trouble to those who fall behind. In other words, the idea of failing to challenge a gifted mind will lead to low self-esteem and under- achievement to the child who thinks he is in the second place. Lack of training in the classroom is leading teachers to lose the ability on recognizing gifted children. Only half of those gifted students are receiving the care they need because gifted students are misdiagnosed. To have ability, to feel power you are never allowed to use, can become shocking and destroying. Many researchers consider the gifted as the largest group of under-achievers in education. According to the National Association for Gifted Children, there is frustration that leads to physical and psychological pain. 2.1.1Gifted Education There are several signs that show giftedness such as endless questions, curiosity, explore subjects, precision in thinking, and the ability to concentrate on intellectually challenging. Children having these signs may require follow intelligence testing so the childs educational needs can be properly provided. Profoundly high achiever students are unique individuals with different talents and interests. Through the follow up of the educational needs, a challenging educational program should be identified in order to develop the intellectual ability since gifted person need coaching to acheive suitable education at a level appropriate to their abilities. Children are becoming more annoyed and unmotivated because of the unappropriate challenge that they are facing at schools. Thats why Students will dumb-down and hide their intelligence to fit in the class if the teachers give a lot of care to the low achievers. The options that help gifted students start by the early entrance to first grade then they must be introduces to independent, multi-age gifted classes in addition to the increase of grades. However, experts stress that gifted kids are children with  special academic needs, who do not always do well without appropriate instruction.   2.1.1.1 Identifying gifted students Schools gifted programs are the most widely known identifications that occur in schools nowadays. Services that recognize gifted students occur in schools and show the levels of students in it (Bruer, 1997). 2.1.1.2 Characteristics Behavior of Gifted Students Gifted children have better comprehension of the nuances of language in early stages. It is clearly shown that half of the talented and gifted population has learned before entering schools. Moreover the rate of reading with less practice has been considered as one of the most commonly known behaviors of giftedness. Constructing and handling abstractions, picking up and interpreting nonverbal cues, drawing inferences and recognizing large vocabularies are also talent of gifted students. Gifted children are natural learners and have an eye for important details. They often prefer reading books and articles written by people older than their age. Their abilities often set them apart from their age mates. The characteristics of gifted students are as following: they are fluent thinkers, able to generate possibilities, consequences, or related ideas, they are flexible thinkers, able to use many different alternatives and approaches to problem solving.  They are original thinkers, seeking new, unusual, or unconventional associations and combinations among items of information. They are sensitive to beauty and are attracted to aesthetic values (Riley, 1999). 2.1.1.3 The needs of High Achievers Understanding of the gifted social and emotional needs is an essential requirement for successful teachers because they believe that not all academic angels and stellar scholars that people assume are gifted. Gifted childrens needs do not differ from others. Intellectual and personality attributes characterize gifted children and should be noted at the outset. The Strengths of gifted students is shown by the ability to retain information quickly while the possible problem is the impatient with others (August Hakuta, 1998). High achiever needs to be engaged in the class even in the implementation to the no child left behind act. 2.2.1 Less Skilled Teachers The solutions to the problem of low achievement are retaining them in grade, placing them in transition rooms, enrolling them in remedial or special education classrooms, or placing them in the bottom track. However these solutions increase low achievement and wont allow students to improve or either graduate from high schools. Low achievement students often receive a reading curriculum that is limited and indicates low expectations for their performance (Knapp Needels, 1990). Appropriate professional development and readily-available technical assistance is needed in order to become highly successful with all students since lack of professional training in dealing with diversity is being recognized and lead to poor training (Phillips Crowell, 1994). It is important that teachers have skills to help students to be more successful as mentioned by August and Hakuta (1998). Underachievement can change over time as said by Delisle and Berger (1990). the best intervention for remediation of any learning difficulty, and teachers who believe that these students can become high achievers even if the behavior did not change (Riley, 1999). Generally, having below average is noticed on children who are low achievers. (100) IQ and resist in the classroom to keep up with general academic requirements (Gresham, MacMillan Bocian, 1996). 2.3.1 Risk Factors for Low Achievement Low achievers face a lot of difficulties. Focusing on the effort of preventing learning difficulties is more important that trying to remediate them (Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, 1998). A close monitor on the progress of all children is essential in addition to the changes made to instructions. 2.3.1.1 General Risk Factors growing up in poverty with physical deficits, who attend schools with chronic school failure, whose culture varies from that of the schools, and who arrive at school speaking languages other than English are considered problems that face certain groups of gifted children. Having poor basic skills, low academic self-concepts, poor auditory memory, and less than average school attendance rates as mentioned by Delisile and Berger (1990) are characteristics of underachievers. Some children risk of dropping out of school if they live in single-parent households, have parents or siblings who did not complete high school, or are home alone more than three hours a day (Dynarski and Gleason, 1999). More than half of the Schools in Urban areas scored chronic failure. The reasons behind this is that they have young and less qualified teachers and high teacher turnover, lack resources, such as well-stocked libraries and up-to-date technology. Moreover, the connections with parents are often non-existent or aggressive and absenteeism of students is high. In addition to these reasons related to the schools system itself, there are reasons related to the students such as enroll high percentages of students who live in poverty, the majority fail to reach even the basic level on national tests (National Education Summit, 1999). 2.3.1.2 Poor skills Schools that provide effective reading instruction and reading practice causes the opportunities to learn letters and to recognize the internal structure of spoken words. Children who have normal or above language skills acquire reading skills that advance motivation and expose children to have literacy. If a child lacks any of the above factors, he has increased possibilities of delayed or impeded reading (National Research Council, 1998). On the other hand, some children lack reading readiness from home and suffer from discouragement in the classroom. There are low literacy expectations, limited resources, and differential instructional practices for these children (Riley, 1999). 2.4.1Effective Instruction Experienced and caring teachers who are able to establish close personal relationships with students, other staff members, and parents must formulate the most important competencies of a successful school. The staff and students succeed when the skills and positive atmosphere meet. It is surprising that many of the new school reform models are reverting to a teacher as factory worker mindset (French, 2000) instead of teacher as a caring expert. Good teachers overcome the obstacles that they face in order to make children stay away from failure. They improve their skills throughout their careers (Snow, Burns, and Griffin, 1998). Moreover, a successful teacher takes time into consideration. They allow more time for discussion and questions and they allow students to participate more and engage in the classes atmosphere (Breaking Ranks, 1996). If a teacher believes that each student has special capabilities and can improve their skills and achieve more, she let her students feel comfortable and encourage them and show them that she cares. 2.5 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD The attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurobehavioral disorder which is related to high or low achievement. Student who are hyperactive or irresponsible behave in a way that lead to problems. This problem is a genetic problem that creates lack of focus. Lack of concentration represent one of the symptomf of ADHD. Some students may switch from one thing to another that may cause them to forget the lesson explained even if they are high achievers. This problem allow students to move slowly and become easily confused by any distraction.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

New Public Management (NPM) in Secure Training Centres

New Public Management (NPM) in Secure Training Centres 1. Introduction The management and organization of the public services in the UK became an issue of intense debate and discussion in the early eighties, coming under intense pressure for large-scale change. This demand to bring about wide ranging transformation in the working of the public administration arose mainly because of the negative perceptions of the conservative government about public sector working, especially concerning issues like bureaucratic inefficiency, lack of commitment, misallocation of funds, and overstaffing. The surfacing of new organisational configurations, roles, and cultures led to extensive questioning of well recognized and firmly established public sector patterns and to the challenging of standardised and professionalized welfare state agencies. Subsequent privatization and restructuring in numerous different public organisations led to the development of New Public Management, a broad based concept that spread to other states like the USA, Australia, and especially N ew Zealand, where its implementation became extensive. Over the years, the implementation of New Public Management (NPM) has come under increasing criticism. Public and media disillusionment at its failure to solve many problematic issues related to older methods of public governance, have tended to go hand in hand with the realisation that old fashioned public organisations also had several positive factors, which were necessary to the approach and working of public services.. These included a measure of stability, lack of personnel turnover, an insistence on required process, fairness in treatment, integrity, and answerability. Qualities like these, which constituted the other side of public sector working and had come to be largely accepted, and possibly ignored, during the debate on the need for change , came to the fore, especially in the case of public institutions or departments that dealt in areas of social responsibility, like, for example, the health, justice, and child welfare systems. One such area of increasing public anxiety and media debate concerns the working of Secure Training Centres (STCs) for young offenders under NPM methodology and practice. These institutes, which come under the purview and control of the Youth Justice Board, (YJB) are responsible for the secure custody, training, and rehabilitation of young offenders sentenced to custodial terms. STCs aim to ensure the smooth reintegration of their wards into society at the end of their custody periods, through required counselling, education and training. Their success is critical to (a) ensuring reduction of reoffending incidents, (b) rerouting the lives of disturbed young people, (c) motivating them to forsake criminal options, (d) building up their employment and earning skills, and (d) facilitating their reintegration with society. The area has come into sharp focus in recent months because of the introduction of rules empowering officials to use force under specific circumstances, and the suicid e of a young inmate following an episode of forceful restraint. This essay aims to study and analyse the use of NPM practices in the working of Secure Training Centres in the UK. The study of New Public Management, until now, has remained restricted to the domain of researchers and scholars of public administration, with business school professors preferring to focus on the working of private companies. While this is surprising considering the contribution of not-for-profit institutions and voluntary associations in the development of organization theory, a number of scholarly studies and research assignments on public sector organisations do exist. Some of these, along with information available on the internet and from media reports have served as information sources for this assignment. 2. Commentary a. Origins of New Public Management The public and private sectors constitute the two broad divisions of society, with their institutional separation evident on a global basis. The public sector comprises of organisations that belong to the entity known as the ‘state’ or the ‘government’. However, its scope is much wider than that associated with either of these two well-known concepts and contains, in its ambit, numerous kinds of governmental actions at diverse levels, varieties of public finance, as well as general public governance and regulation. Historically the role of the public sector in national life has moved through various stages, from being minimal in the nineteenth century, through a period characterised by social reformism and greater involvement of the government in public affairs, in the first half of the twentieth century, to that of the welfare state of the post war years. The welfare state functioned in the UK from the end of the Second World War, until well into the 1980s. It came into being on the assumption that private organisations, meaning charitable bodies, did not have either the resources or the competence to look after weaker sections and that the state needed to take care of its citizens from birth to death. These welfare services thereafter became the functions of professional public sector employees, specifically chosen and trained to handle their responsibilities. The concept of the welfare state came under severe criticism and pressure for change from the conservatives because of its many perceived deficiencies, chief among which were the rationing attitude of public servants, who (because of their war years mentality), were unable to respond to the needs of a changed citizenry, the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of public sector officials, and the greed of public sector trade unions, who put their own needs before those of their communities. Widespread changes in the role of public administration led to privatisation of numerous public sector organisations and their eclipse from the economic sector. In social and community sectors the conservatives pushed the concept of the enabling state, where planning and funding would remain within the responsibility of the state, while service provision would devolve upon private players. Privatisatisation, experts felt, would help not only in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of provisioning of services, but also in its responsiveness to individual requirement. (Ferlie, Mclaughlin and Osborne, 2002) This approach in public sector approach, which came to be known as NPM, owes its origins first, to a distrust of bureaucracy and public administration to provide public services with economy, efficiency, and effectiveness, and second, to an apprehension concerning the incorrect use of professional powers by bureaucrats, leading to the possible disempowerment of general community members. Although considerable debate and contention still exists over the exact implications of NPM, there is broad consensus over its seven important components. (a) a focus on hands-on and entrepreneurial management, as opposed to the traditional bureaucratic focus of the public administrator (b) explicit standards and measures of performance,(c) an emphasis on output controls, (d) the importance of the disaggregation and decentralization of public services, (e) a stress on private sector styles of management and their superiority, (f) a shift to the promotion of competition in the provision of public services, and (g) the promotion of discipline and parsimony in resource allocation (Ferlie, Mclaughlin and Osborne, 2002) One important spin off that arose from these tenets was the development of an enlarged emphasis upon outsourcing services by public sector organisations from private service providers in many sectors, including in those responsible for health, childcare, and prison management. b. Young Offenders and Secure Training Centres Statistics and information available from official websites and other information sources on crime and offending by young people in the UK reveal the issue to be one of great worry and concern. Young offenders come under the purview of the Youth Justice Board, (YJB) an established non-governmental public body, charged with preventing offending by young people and children through the formulation and use of measures for prevention of crime, identification and dealing with young offenders, and reduction of reoffending. YJB figures indicate that approximately 150,000 people enter the justice system each year, nearly half of whom are of school age. The percentages of young people coming into the purview of the YJB from black or mixed race backgrounds are significantly higher than their actual demographic distribution, especially in the under 16 groups. While nearly 75 % of the young offenders are let off with reprimands, curfews and fines, 17 percent are sentenced to community work while 4 %, i.e., around 600 young people receive custodial sentences. Custodial sentences vary from 4 months to two years and normally need serving in conjunction with a certain amount of community work. Custodial arrangements are of three types, Secure Children’s Homes, (SCHs) Secure Training Centres (SCTs) and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). SCHs and SCTs house children aged between 12 and 17, whereas YOIs house young offenders aged 15 to 21, with people aged 15 to 17 and 18 to 21 held in separate enclosures. YJB officials decide upon the place of custody after considering relevant factors that include assessments of vulnerability, needs of other young people in custody, and availability of custodial accommodation. An overwhelming proportion of the young people who enter the youth justice system come from deprived and disadvantaged backgrounds and many have histories of substance misuse, mental health problems and economically weak, disturbed or disrupted family backgrounds. Their educational backgrounds, in comparison with the general population, are also extremely deficient. Surveys reveal that 81 % of the sentenced boys were not going to school, at the time of sentencing, and 41 % had not gone to school at all after 14. In fact, a startling 75 % of the offenders appearing before the youth justice courts have histories of temporary or permanent school exclusion. Many of them have special counselling and mental health needs that require urgent attention. (Background paper, 2000) While the young people who come into the custodial system share backgrounds of severe disadvantage, deprivation and exclusion from school, the people who exit from YOIs, SCHs and SCTs have a marked predilection to return to offending actions. The number of reoffenders is extremely high with approximately four out of five (78 %) young persons sentenced to custody reoffending within one year. Statistics reveal that the proclivity to offend in these people continues in later years and 40 % of ex prisoners have a history of being young offenders. (Background paper, 2000) Prima facie, it does appear that the custodial system currently in practice, (the result of policy changes, public private participation, NPM, and outsourcing of governmental activities to private players) has not only been unable to meet its objectives but is possibly worsening with time. Considering that it costs twice as much to educate a young person in custody than outside, the whole situation is nothing les than a scathing indictment of the NPM system in childcare, children’s education, and youth justice in the UK. Exclusion from school becomes a major causal factor in offending and the occurrence of crime, which in turn leads the state to arrange for dispensation of justice, housing of children in custody, and providing for their training and education. While considerable public effort and expense goes into this process, the continuance of reoffending indicates the occurrence and continuance of large-scale systemic failure, notwithstanding the laudatory comments of the YJB on the effectiveness of the youth justice system. The present custodial system, of which STCs are an integral part, is representative of NPM and public private participation, in which governmental departments, local authorities and private players play similar and overlapping roles. Vulnerable young people, aged between 12 and 17 stay in these institutions while serving custodial sentences. Apart from housing them in restricted secure surroundings these institutions are under governmental mandate to provide counselling, education and training in order to (a) facilitate their reintegration into the broader community, (a) increase their earning ability, (c) help them to disengage from criminal actions and (d) eliminate their proclivity to reoffend. While Secure Training Centres, Secure Children’s Homes and Young Offenders Institutions all come under the purview of the YJB and form part of the custodial system, their control falls under different institutions. While all of the seventeen YOIs are run by the prison service, all bu t one of the fifteen SCHs are run by local authorities, and the four SCHs are run by private service providers. c. Management and Administration of SCTs Secure Training Centres are establishments specially built for housing young offenders up to the age of 17 and are representative of NPM concepts, which while keeping planning and funding of public service with the state, call for service provisioning by the private sector. Private agencies, appointed after appraisal and selection, run these institutions under contracts that contain detailed terms and operational requirements. At present, there are four STCs in England, at Oakhill in Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, at Hassockfield in Consett, County Durham, at Rainsbrook in Rugby, Northamptonshire, and at Medway in Rochester, Kent. These establishments have accommodation for 58 to 87 persons with not more than eight places in each house. The total population of STCs is currently about 270. The formation of STCs represents a major governmental initiative in bringing about much needed reform in the youth justice system. Conceived in the initial years of the 2000s, STCs aim to play a major role in rehabilitating young offenders and ensuring their integration in normal community life. While the original plan envisaged the progressive establishment of 31 STCs, only four are in operation, with the functioning of some of them coming in for trenchant criticism. STCs are responsible for housing vulnerable young people sentenced to custody or remanded to secure accommodation and have a wide ranging and demanding set of responsibilities, which include (a) provisioning of secure housing, (b) taking care of the individual and collective needs of the trainees, including nutrition, hygiene, cleanliness, physical activity, medical aid, and absence of substance misuse, (c) providing focussed and tailored programmes for education and vocational development (d) ensuring appropriate couns elling and treatment for disturbed children and (e) fostering links with their home communities. Their responsibilities are not just onerous but critical because of their enormous potential to influence the lives of young people, who, because of socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, commit offences that involve custodial sentencing. Many of the trainees are vulnerable, have lived traumatised lives in environments of economic deprivation, substance misuse, and domestic violence, and need help from expert and trained professionals. â€Å"The report accepts that many of the 10 to 17-year-olds held in young offender institutions, secure training centres and local authority secure childrens homes have had chaotic and abusive childhoods and lack clear boundaries to their behaviour.† (Child jail restraint criticised, 2006) The effectiveness of these institutions is causal in the trainees choosing to enter normal society or returning to their familiar environs of socia l exclusion, repeated offending, and criminality. STCs are contractually bound to provide these services effectively and all employees require undergoing specific training programmes. Counselling, social and medical services are available from the local social and medical infrastructure. All secure training centres are also required to undergo periodic checks from external governmental agencies as well as watchdogs like Ofsted for assessment of actual service levels. While STCs are undoubtedly fulfilling a vital need in custodial requirements, their major failure relates to their inability to reduce reoffending, which at 79 %, points to a gross failure in their major objective of rehabilitation. Inspection reports also point to disparities in the efficiency and effectiveness of different STCs, the absence of improvement between periodic inspections and non-implementation of recommendations. This is also supported by intermittent incidents involving the use of forceful restraint, which in the recent past was possibly causal in the su icide of an inmate, (with a history of mental disturbance), and attracted significant media attention and debate. The running of STCs is especially difficult because it involves functions that on occasion contradict each other and exert immense pressure on the people running these institutions. Secure custody, on one hand, involves dealing with young people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, have committed serious offences, and possess attitudes that are possibly brutalised and dangerous, necessitating the use of restrictive custodial measures and force, if the situation so demands. On the other hand, trainees need to care, empathy, and deep understanding of the reasons that have led them to their current states. These functions, of prison keepers and social workers, are mutually contradictory and create significant tensions when required of the same group of people. Private organizations, when faced with these demands, respond with systems designed to meet these differing requirements but remain inherently flawed because of their inherent contradictions. These organisations are also not f unded by open-ended or liberal funding schemes and have both cost constraints and profit motives that are bound to influence their working. Employees who work in such organisations generally to the profiles of members of marketised institutions, give their careers and individual progress preference, and lack both the commitment or ideology of charitable workers, and the job security of public sector employees. Expecting these private sector managers and employees to adapt to such challenging needs creates enormous tensions. A number of inspection reports have pointed to the high incidence of turnover, a phenomenon that automatically leads to breaks and discontinuities in relationships between the workers and trainees and results in the emergence of destabilizing conditions, especially where mentally disturbed children are involved. Services at Oakhill Secure Training Centre are inconsistent, with evidence that poor practice is being institutionalised, inspectors concluded yesterday. A Commission for Social Care Inspection probeof the centre for 80 young offenders in Milton Keynes last June found its progress had slowed since a previous inspection in May 2005. While safeguarding had improved since the previous inspection, where this area was criticised, progress was reliant on one particular manager. The inspection also found services at the facility, run by Group 4 Securicor, were ran in isolation with considerable scope for integrating health, education, substance misuse and other services (Samuel, 2007) Investigations into the suicide of thirteen-year-old Alisha Ishmail, the child prostitute who died of a drug overdose in a Camden Town after escaping from a secure home, link her mental state to the number of homes she had to move to during her period in care, and to the consequent breakdown of helpful relationships. Philip Haynes, in his treatise on â€Å"Managing Complexity in the Public Services† refers to the contradictions and tensions that arise when general management ideas used in profit oriented private businesses are imported and applied to the running of public service organisations. While their use is possibly effective in the running of utilities, enormous contradictions and tensions arise on the application of these tenets in public service institutions like the one under study. Policy makers need to realize that the business policies used by Unilever executives are not usable in looking after their disturbed teenagers, and that furthermore these very executives, however effective they may be in their functions, will never apply the strategies used with business suppliers to solve issues in home environments. Public officials who insist upon the need for using force for dealing with these children need to realise that these children do not fill the profiles of errant suppliers who need taming and that the suicides of 15 year old Gareth Myatt and 14 year old Adam Rickwood could have been avoided if STC officials gave adequate attention to their mental health needs, instead of using heavily built workers to restrain them and twist their noses in order to cause painful and temporary incapacitation. 3. Conclusion New Public Management, in its essence, involves the import of private sector management methods, perceived to be competitive, efficient, economic, objective and effective into public sector organisations. While these methods do have relevance in certain public undertakings, especially where they concern issues like utilities and transport, they prove to be of limited relevance in institutions that deal with servicing the community, childcare, health services, and the care and rehabilitation of young offenders, as well as mentally disturbed adult prisoners being prime examples of such areas. As Haynes points out the introduction of methods based upon economic and practical considerations in such people oriented sectors leads to the development of numerous contradictions and the generation of enormously complex situations that debilitate the working and structure of involved organizations. (Haynes, 2003) Policy makers need to consider these issues seriously and realise the inadequacy of catchall solutions and detached systematic working in areas that need individual attention for effective results. In the case of STCs appropriate solutions would include the introduction of far more detailed mental health examinations of new entrants, especially in consultation with relatives, greater emphasis upon communication with trainees, increased interaction of trainees with social workers, separation of custodial and rehabilitation functions, measures to reduce staff turnover and increase monitoring of staff behaviour, and strict vigilance on use of forceful restraining measures. The private sector argument of most of these suggestions leading to cost ineffectiveness and inefficient working needs outright rejection considering the enormous financial and social costs of the current, ostensibly â€Å"efficient† system. References Background Paper, (2000) Education of young people supervised by the youth justice system, Retrieved August 3, 2007 from www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/BACKGROUND PAPER -finaldraft (1).doc – Box, R. C., Marshall, G. S., Reed, B., Reed, C. M. (2001) New Public Management and Substantive Democracy. Public Administration Review, 61(5), 608. Child jail restraint criticised, (2006), BBC News, Retrieved August 3, 2007 from news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/4722652.stm Doherty, T. L., Horne, T. (2002). Managing Public ServicesImplementing Changes: A Thoughtful Approach to the Practice of Management. London: Routledge. Ferlie, E., Ashburner, L., Fitzgerald, L., Pettigrew, A. (1996). The New Public Management in Action. Oxford: Oxford University Press Hood, C., Peters, G. (2004). The Middle Aging of New Public Management: Into the Age of Paradox?. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 14(3), 267+. Lane, J. (2000). New Public Management. London: Routledge. Mclaughlin, K., Osborne, S. P., Ferlie, E. (Eds.). (2002). New Public Management: Current Trends and Future Prospects. London: Routledge. Haynes, P. (2003) Chapter 1, Management, professions and the public service context in Managing Complexity in the Public Services Maidenhead: Open University Press, Samuel, M, 2007, Services at Oakhill Secure Training Centre inconsistent, warn inspectors, Community Care, Retrieved August 3, 2007 from www.communitycare.co.uk Thomas, C. J. (1999). Managers, Part of the Problem? Changing How the Public Sector Works. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Van Slyke, D. M. (2002). The Public Management Challenges of Contracting with Nonprofits for Social Services. International Journal of Public Administration, 25(4), 489+.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Shining :: essays research papers

The Shining The story take place in Colorado and begins with Jack Torrence, going to a place by the name of "The Overlook Hotel" to be the caretaker over the winter month's, because of coast of keeping a twenty-five mile road, in which it take to get to the hotel open, because of all the snow. To get the job as the caretaker of the hotel, he would be alone for five months, and have free food, and also free stay at the hotel, all Jack has to do is mantiance and handyman work around the hotel. He arrives for the interview and meets Lloyd (the manager of the Overlook Hotel) they discuss certain duties and jobs that will be needed around the hotel, and then Lloyd brings up a certain account that happened a couple of years back at the hotel, about a man that murdered his family from what you call "cabin fever" caused by seclusion and away from everything. Jack is stuned by what he hears and then quickly say's something to the effect of not having to worry about something like that happening, and that he needed the months off to get started on a book he was writing. Lloyd decides to let him have the job, and asked him to come back the next day. The next day Danny (his son) and wife Wendy and Jack left for the hotel. They arrive and get there bags dropped off, it is the last day the hotel is open for the season, and people are checking out, and workers cleaning up, so they can leave for the spring. Jack and Wendy goto meet up with Lloyd, and Danny leaves for the game room. Lloyd takes them around the hotel to look around and get a feel of were they will be staying, and shows them their rooms. They stop and meet up with the head cook Dick Hallorann, Lloyd ask Dick to show Wendy and Danny around the Kitchen as he takes Jack to see the rest of the hotel. Dick Hallorann goes threw the kitchen and shows Wendy what to do, and what to use, etc... all threw this time of the tour Dick keeps on using a mind signal, a voice to communicate, at first Danny does not realize it, but then as the tour wraps up, the family meets back up, and Dick offers Danny some ice cream as Lloyd takes Wendy and Jack to another part of the hotel. As Danny is eatting his ice cream, Dick is talking to him, and then talks about, what he was doing

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Hackers vs. Crackers Essay -- Internet Cyberspace Web Online

Hackers vs. Crackers Introduction When you hear the word hacker, you probably think of a nerdy, teen-aged boy sitting behind a computer with sinister plans for his attack flowing through the keystrokes of his fingers. You probably think of a techno-criminal defacing websites, shutting down computer systems, stealing money or confidential information-basically a threat to society. But these descriptions may describe someone else enterely. Many in the computer community contend that this criminal description defines crackers. Hackers, on the other hand, are actually people who enjoy learning how computer systems work, and bettering themselves and the computer community with the information that they gain from their learning. So if there are non-criminal (hackers) and criminal hackers (crackers), is it fair to label both hackers and crackers as hackers? It is important to address this question because the identity of a culture in our society-the hacker culture-is being challenged. It is being defined as good or bad. This good or bad status affects the way Americans use the Internet, the way the government controls or does not control the Internet, and the way technology will grow in the future. Some people say that there is no difference between hackers and crackers; they are both criminals. Others say that there are major differences between hackers and crackers. This paper addresses whether hackers and crackers really are two separate identities and whether it is right for society to define both hackers and crackers as hackers. This paper discusses . The people who believe hackers and crackers are two different groups of people and should be treated as such. . The people who believe there is no differe... ...r Credit." Digital Daily June 8, 1999. February 28, 2000. http://www.time.com/time/digital/daily/o,2822,26529,00.htm Taylor, Paul. "A Sociology of Hackers." The University of East London, United Kingdom. February 16, 2000. http://www.job.am/inet98/2d/2d_1.htm Denning, Dorothy E.. "Concerning Hackers Who Break Into Computer Systems." 13th National Computer Security Conference October 1- 4, 1990. February 22, 2000. http://www.swiss.ai.mit.edu/6095/articles/denning_defense_hackers.txt Vatis, Michael A. "Cybercrime, Transnational Crime, and Intellectual Property Theft." Before the Congressional Joint Economic Committee March 24, 1998. March 1, 2000. http://www.fbi.gov/search?NS-search-page=document&NS-rel-doc-name=/pressrm/congress/congress98/vatis.htm&NS-query=hacker&NS-search-type=NS-boolean-query&NS-collection=FBI_Web_Site&NS-docs-found=34&NS-doc-number=1

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Building a Strategic Balanced Scorecard

The balanced scorecard has been said to be among the most important tools in business management (Kaplan, R. S (2003), PR Newswire (2003). The usage of balanced scorecard by several companies has led to increase in profitability, productivity and efficiency. The strategic balanced scorecard has been used by organizations to balance all aspects of organizational practice by providing a framework for effecting change and translating strategy into action.It has for sometime gained acceptance as a way of turning around businesses which were at one time in the brink of collapse (Kerr, D.  L. 2003). The scorecard has facilitated the translation of strategy into action (Kaplan, R. S. , and D. P. Norton 1992). In corporate organizations, is the case with Saatchi and Saatchi, the scorecard has helped many companies out of crisis. In the nineties this organization called Saatchi and Saatchi was experiencing many problems associated with poor growth.This was due to a recession that followed t he rapid growth through acquisitions in the 1970’s and 80’s. Particularly in 1995 this organization was almost collapsing due to bankruptcy.To avert the collapse the agency started with strategy reformulation and making some structural changes that began with bringing onboard new personnel at the top to the organization. Bob Seelert who formerly worked at General Foods was appointed as the new chairman and Kevin Roberts as the new chief Executive, while both the Saatchi brothers left the company. With the new leadership in place several financial goals were developed. These goals were: i. Growing the company’s revenue base better than the market. ii.Converting 30 percent of that incremental revenue to operating profit. iii. Doubling the company’s earnings per share. These goals were given as a promise of performance to the shareholders and thus had to be achieved. To achieve them, the leadership of the organization identified ways in which the goals could be achieved and in doing this it was found that all units or locations had different visions. For smooth accomplishment of the goals, all units had to have a common vision. A management tool had to be devised to help communicate and operationalize the new vision.Having a common vision was perceived to aid in achieving of one of the main objectives which was to position the agency at the top rank of the advertising industry. ANALYSIS The importance of measuring strategy and operational plans cannot be overemphasized (Green et al. 2002). After setting up financial/growth goals the company’s senior team focused and had to re-prioritize their investment plans for the different units. First the units had to be categorized according to their size in terms of the number of employees and also revenue contribution. Using the above criteria three categories were created.These were the ‘lead’, ‘drive’ and ‘prosper’. For each category different str ategies were formulated. The ‘prosper’ agency is the one with less than 50 employees and is less likely to become a huge agency. Most agencies fall into the ‘prosper’ category. The new strategic focus for this category was that units in it were expected to achieve high margins despite their failure to grow significantly. The other category is the ‘drive’ agency which is estimated to have between 50 and 150 employees. The strategy adopted for it was that it had to maintain or slightly grow its revenue base, not leaving out growth in margins.The ‘lead’ agency is the one in which majority units are located and is the largest with examples being the UK, New York and China. This agency was expected to post rapid growth and also is the one where the biggest share of investment would be allocated. Apart from strategies directed to the different agency categories, Saatchi and Saatchi adopted other strategies relating to a customer perspect ive. One was paying close attention to the agency’s core client base. This strategy calls for treating the customers well in order for them to love the company i. e.to infatuate them. For this Saatchi and Saatchi came up with what they called are having ‘permanently infatuated clients’ or PIC for short. The other strategy which was encouraging employees to come up with big ideas which were referred to as ‘big fabulous ideas’ or BFIs. The BFIs were supposed to be quality ideas that could change businesses, brands and reputations to Saatchi and Saatchi’s clients. CONCLUSION The strategy for the ‘prosper’ agency of achieving high margins was possible through treating the few customers excellently i. e. making them infatuated.Also the employees in this agency were given opportunity to give quality ideas which were supported by financing from the top management. The ‘drive’ agency charged with responsibility of maintaining or slightly growing their revenue base and growing their margins also achieved their goals through being supported financially by the top management. The agency given the ‘lead’ status which comprised the largest revenue base, such as the UK, New York and China received the lion’s share of investment. As a result this category grew rapidly with the scorecard as the way through which strategy was translated into action within Saatchi and Saatchi.Key success was achieved through the absolute commitment of the most senior management that gave the required resources. EVALUATION For the case of Saatchi and Saatchi Company a set of two strategies were meshed together. These were the financial and customer perspective strategies which worked together reinforcing one another. The reasons which support this position are that in the goal of generating more revenue, more attention was paid to the clients who gave large earnings. On the other hand the goal pf converting 30 percent of the incremental revenue to operating profit was meant to finance changes in the organization.This was through encouraging employees to come up with quality ideas, by giving them incentives and rewards for quality ideas. Finally, the financial goal of doubling earnings per share was achieved through implementation of PICS’ (permanently infatuated clients) hence increasing growth and achieving high margins from clients who love and stick to the company. Also the financial goal of encouraging development of big ideas which could transform business, brands reputation of the company’s clients, was related to the customer perspective strategy. Reference:Business Intelligence: Building a Strategic Scorecard. Saatchi and Saatchi Complimentary Case Study. Available at http://www. business-intelligence. co. uk/PDFdownloads/strat_bsc/Saatchisr. pdf. Accessed on 20. 05. 07. Green, M. , J. Garrity, A. Gumbus, and B. Lyons (2002). â€Å"Pitney Bowes Calls For New Metrics : The Company Used a Balanced Scorecard to Manage Performance and Increase the Bottom Line,† Strategic finance. Kaplan, R. S. , and D. P. Norton (1992). â€Å"The Balanced Scorecard: Measures That Drive Performance,† Harvard Business Review 70(1), 71-79.Kaplan, R. S. , D. P. Norton, and M. Witzel (2003). â€Å"Great Believers in Balance: Guru Guide Robert Kaplan and David Norton,† The Financial Times, August, 11. Kerr, D. L. (2003). â€Å"Accountability By Numbers: How the Lone Star State's Auditor Introduced a Balanced Scorecard Management System,† Journal of Accountancy 195(6), 61-70. PR Newswire. (2003). â€Å"Got Leverage? September-October Issue of Harvard's Balanced Scorecard Report Explores Strategic Lock-In, Strategic IT Agility and the Balanced Scorecard,† PR Newswire, September 16, 1.

Formal and Informal Communication: an Organizational Approach

Formal and Informal Communication: An Organizational Approach By: Masayu Shahnaz Winarko Student Number: 43005860 Faculty of Economics, Business and Law University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2012 Abstract This paper concentrates on the discussion of formal and informal communication and its usage in organizational approach. Although both formal and informal communication support the well-Â ­being of organizations, studies suggest that informal communication has taken a big part in determining the productivity in organizations and it has derived many benefits and many challenges. Managers should know how to deal ith such thing and optimize the advantages that will create value added for the company and overcome the obstacles it might create. Many researches have studied and given results on this matter and its application in businesses worldwide. 1. Introduction Communication occurs in every single section in life, from personal to professional issues. It is inevit able that it supports the flow of social life and company’s workflow. It has been taking an important role in organizations; therefore, many studies concentrate in the discussion of organizational communication. It is believed that both formal and informal communication affect rganization’s productivity (Litterst & Eyo). However, unlike formal communication, informal communication is less controllable and unstructured. Informal communication plays a strong role in determining the result of scientific field by generating new ideas or improving the existed idea (Hagstrom). FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL 1 APPROACH Since informal communication has a strong impact on organizational performance, managers should be able to manage the flow of not only formal, but also informal communication. As business grows and the requirements needed in surviving within the competition keep adding on, xecutives should make the most effective use of every resource avai lable and by improving the flow of communication is one of the ways. This study will provide an analysis in dealing with managerial challenges regarding controlling the flow of informal communication and what managers should do to make the best of it. 2. Literature Review 2. 1 Communication Communication is the activity to convey messages through different channels, such as words, symbols and signs. Based on Duncan and Moriarty (1998), communication is a human activity that links people together and creates relationship. In order to create a successful communication, t requires three elements; they are the sender, the message and the receiver. Both the sender and the receiver have to share the same understanding so that the message can be fully transmitted. The success of communication is determined by how the message is understood by the receiver. As defined by Gamble and Gamble (2002), communication is the transfer of meaning and there are seven essentials of communication, which are people, message, channels, noise, context, feedback and effect. Although there are 126 different definitions on communication (Ruben & Stewart, 2006), but many scholars defined it as an exchange of information.Ruben & Stewart (2006) also stated that success in one’s career may well depend on communication. Not only in the individual performance, communication also determines organization’s performance. This present study will point out the importance of formal and informal communication and its applications within an organization. 2. 2 Formal Communication Formal communication is an organized and structured communication within an organization. The communication occurs in many flows. Upwards 2 FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH communication indicates the communication from employees to executives. Downward ommunication represents the flow of communication from executives to lower level employees. Horizontal communication shows the flow o f communication within the same level of company, for example the communication flow of brand manager and finance manager. The last one is diagonal communication, which represents the communication of the upper level of a particular division with the lower level employees in another division. The types of formal communication within an organization that are commonly used are meetings, conference, phone calls, company bulletin and interview. 2. 3 Informal Communication Informal communication is nevitable in every organizational entity. By communicating with other people, employees can find similarity in hobbies, opinions and experiences, which result in being friends. Informal communication is based on social relationship among people (Litterst & Eyo, 1982). Informal communication is relaxed, casual and spread through word-Â ­? of-Â ­? mouth. Informal networks are communication links between individuals and sections that bypass the formal structures in an organization (Smith, 2011) . There are four flows in communication networks; the first one is single strand in which one person tells another person, the second one is gossip hain in which one person tells the others, the third one is probability chain in which one person tells another person who pass the news to someone else and the fourth one is the cluster chain in which one person tells other two or three people who spread the news to other two or three people as well. There is another important term in informal communication, which is grapevine. Grapevine is best described as the way gossip travels through organizations. Robbins and colleagues (2008) indicate the characteristics of grapevine: it is not controlled by management, it is more believable and reliable for the employees and it serves he self-Â ­? interests of those in the group. 2. 4 Differences between Formal and Informal Communication FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL 3 APPROACH No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Elements Definition Fl exibility Degree of control Evidence Discipline Formal Communication Informal Communication Takes place through Passing formal channels Flexible by Cannot be controlled No documentary proof is not followed formal channels Not flexible Controlled management Has documentary proof Official discipline are highly maintained is Discipline Flow of information Flows upwards, Flows freely to all downwards, horizontal directions and iagonal 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 2. 5 Differentiation and Complimentary Studies have attempted to determine which one between formal and informal communication has the most impact in organizations. Research suggest that formal communication takes role in the authority in organizational hierarchy (Dow, 1988; Jablin, 1987), differentiation of labor and specialized tasks (Dow, 1988; Jablin, 1987) and mechanism for coordination of work (Dow, 1988). Meanwhile, business communicators strongly believe that informal 4 FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATION AL APPROACH Speed Secrecy Rumor Distortion Time MisunderstandingCost Mistakes Slow Can be maintained occur Not distorted Requires much time misunderstanding Expensive Very low Very fast Difficult to maintain Small chance of rumor to Rumor can occur Can be distorted Less time occur Less expensive Very high Not much chance of Misunderstanding may communication plays an important role in increasing innovations within organizations (Johnson, 1990). Johnson, Donohue, Atkin and Johnson (1994) conducted a study on the means of formal and informal communication within an organization through three main perspectives: salience, channel factors and channel usage. The research suggested that the employees erceive informal communication as more effective and better used in achieving company’s mission. However, in terms of cultural means, formal communication is perceived as a more appropriate way to communicate. 3. Case Study First and Tomic (2011) conducted a research regarding the role of informal communication in creating company brand image and preferences. In this research, the object was an international turnkey contractor specializing in oil and gas industry. This company employed more than 38,000 employees all over the world at the time this research was conducted. This company operates in business market, so not many eople acknowledge this company’s existence. However, this company concerns about its brand image. They use formal approach in spreading its existence to college graduates by coming to the university and do presentations on its company profile. Nevertheless, formal communication only does so much. They also rely heavily on informal communication role to spread the word-Â ­? of-Â ­? mouth on the culture of the company. For example, people know from their acquaintances that this company gives high salary to their employees and this news draws them to working for this company. The second example of case study comes from the research ofAndr ea, Arnaldo and Romano (2011). The case was about Italian leading mineral water and soft drink company. In 2008, the company held 16% of the segment mineral water in Italy, 12% in soft drink and 19% in tea-Â ­? based drink. Its ROE was 18. 1% while its competitor was only 13. 8%. Its inventory turnover was 12. 6 compared to its major competitor whose inventory turnover was only 6. 15. The study focuses on determining the role of formal and informal communication in making this FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL 5 APPROACH company a leader in its filed. The study was conducted in three steps. The first one is dentifying the units that engage in the process of purchasing, manufacturing and logistics. The second step is tracing the flow of formal and informal communication during those activities. The final step is to identify how both formal and informal communication improved over time that results in a synchronized workflow of the company. The study suggested that formal communication was highly important in achieving internal integration (Andrea, Arnaldo & Romano, 2011), while informal communication is important in problem solving because it occurs in real time (Pagell). 4. Conclusion Based on the present and former studies conducted y many scholars on various objects (focuses on organizations in this matter), it can be concluded that both formal and informal communication are important in the productivity of the company and its performance as a whole. Managers should identify in which field the communication should be optimized and which way to use. There are several differentiations in the work progress on which it is better to use either formal or informal communication and managers should be well aware of it so they would not imply the wrong method of communication. As in optimizing the informal communication, managers should use personal approach as it ravels fast and is more favorable by the employees. Moreover, informal communication can be used in building company brand and image, so managers should be really careful that only the good values of the company is transmitted through informal communication. 6 FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH References Andrea, F, Arnaldo, C & Romando, P 2011, ‘Case study: understanding how formal and informal communication affect purchasing, manufacturing and logistics integration’, Advances In Management, vol. 4, no. 7, pp. 22-Â ­? 32. First, I, Tomic, M 2011, ‘Formal and informal communication channels in creating Formal and Informal Communication: an Organizational Approach Formal and Informal Communication: An Organizational Approach By: Masayu Shahnaz Winarko Student Number: 43005860 Faculty of Economics, Business and Law University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2012 Abstract This paper concentrates on the discussion of formal and informal communication and its usage in organizational approach. Although both formal and informal communication support the well-Â ­being of organizations, studies suggest that informal communication has taken a big part in determining the productivity in organizations and it has derived many benefits and many challenges. Managers should know how to deal ith such thing and optimize the advantages that will create value added for the company and overcome the obstacles it might create. Many researches have studied and given results on this matter and its application in businesses worldwide. 1. Introduction Communication occurs in every single section in life, from personal to professional issues. It is inevit able that it supports the flow of social life and company’s workflow. It has been taking an important role in organizations; therefore, many studies concentrate in the discussion of organizational communication. It is believed that both formal and informal communication affect rganization’s productivity (Litterst & Eyo). However, unlike formal communication, informal communication is less controllable and unstructured. Informal communication plays a strong role in determining the result of scientific field by generating new ideas or improving the existed idea (Hagstrom). FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL 1 APPROACH Since informal communication has a strong impact on organizational performance, managers should be able to manage the flow of not only formal, but also informal communication. As business grows and the requirements needed in surviving within the competition keep adding on, xecutives should make the most effective use of every resource avai lable and by improving the flow of communication is one of the ways. This study will provide an analysis in dealing with managerial challenges regarding controlling the flow of informal communication and what managers should do to make the best of it. 2. Literature Review 2. 1 Communication Communication is the activity to convey messages through different channels, such as words, symbols and signs. Based on Duncan and Moriarty (1998), communication is a human activity that links people together and creates relationship. In order to create a successful communication, t requires three elements; they are the sender, the message and the receiver. Both the sender and the receiver have to share the same understanding so that the message can be fully transmitted. The success of communication is determined by how the message is understood by the receiver. As defined by Gamble and Gamble (2002), communication is the transfer of meaning and there are seven essentials of communication, which are people, message, channels, noise, context, feedback and effect. Although there are 126 different definitions on communication (Ruben & Stewart, 2006), but many scholars defined it as an exchange of information.Ruben & Stewart (2006) also stated that success in one’s career may well depend on communication. Not only in the individual performance, communication also determines organization’s performance. This present study will point out the importance of formal and informal communication and its applications within an organization. 2. 2 Formal Communication Formal communication is an organized and structured communication within an organization. The communication occurs in many flows. Upwards 2 FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH communication indicates the communication from employees to executives. Downward ommunication represents the flow of communication from executives to lower level employees. Horizontal communication shows the flow o f communication within the same level of company, for example the communication flow of brand manager and finance manager. The last one is diagonal communication, which represents the communication of the upper level of a particular division with the lower level employees in another division. The types of formal communication within an organization that are commonly used are meetings, conference, phone calls, company bulletin and interview. 2. 3 Informal Communication Informal communication is nevitable in every organizational entity. By communicating with other people, employees can find similarity in hobbies, opinions and experiences, which result in being friends. Informal communication is based on social relationship among people (Litterst & Eyo, 1982). Informal communication is relaxed, casual and spread through word-Â ­? of-Â ­? mouth. Informal networks are communication links between individuals and sections that bypass the formal structures in an organization (Smith, 2011) . There are four flows in communication networks; the first one is single strand in which one person tells another person, the second one is gossip hain in which one person tells the others, the third one is probability chain in which one person tells another person who pass the news to someone else and the fourth one is the cluster chain in which one person tells other two or three people who spread the news to other two or three people as well. There is another important term in informal communication, which is grapevine. Grapevine is best described as the way gossip travels through organizations. Robbins and colleagues (2008) indicate the characteristics of grapevine: it is not controlled by management, it is more believable and reliable for the employees and it serves he self-Â ­? interests of those in the group. 2. 4 Differences between Formal and Informal Communication FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL 3 APPROACH No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Elements Definition Fl exibility Degree of control Evidence Discipline Formal Communication Informal Communication Takes place through Passing formal channels Flexible by Cannot be controlled No documentary proof is not followed formal channels Not flexible Controlled management Has documentary proof Official discipline are highly maintained is Discipline Flow of information Flows upwards, Flows freely to all downwards, horizontal directions and iagonal 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 2. 5 Differentiation and Complimentary Studies have attempted to determine which one between formal and informal communication has the most impact in organizations. Research suggest that formal communication takes role in the authority in organizational hierarchy (Dow, 1988; Jablin, 1987), differentiation of labor and specialized tasks (Dow, 1988; Jablin, 1987) and mechanism for coordination of work (Dow, 1988). Meanwhile, business communicators strongly believe that informal 4 FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATION AL APPROACH Speed Secrecy Rumor Distortion Time MisunderstandingCost Mistakes Slow Can be maintained occur Not distorted Requires much time misunderstanding Expensive Very low Very fast Difficult to maintain Small chance of rumor to Rumor can occur Can be distorted Less time occur Less expensive Very high Not much chance of Misunderstanding may communication plays an important role in increasing innovations within organizations (Johnson, 1990). Johnson, Donohue, Atkin and Johnson (1994) conducted a study on the means of formal and informal communication within an organization through three main perspectives: salience, channel factors and channel usage. The research suggested that the employees erceive informal communication as more effective and better used in achieving company’s mission. However, in terms of cultural means, formal communication is perceived as a more appropriate way to communicate. 3. Case Study First and Tomic (2011) conducted a research regarding the role of informal communication in creating company brand image and preferences. In this research, the object was an international turnkey contractor specializing in oil and gas industry. This company employed more than 38,000 employees all over the world at the time this research was conducted. This company operates in business market, so not many eople acknowledge this company’s existence. However, this company concerns about its brand image. They use formal approach in spreading its existence to college graduates by coming to the university and do presentations on its company profile. Nevertheless, formal communication only does so much. They also rely heavily on informal communication role to spread the word-Â ­? of-Â ­? mouth on the culture of the company. For example, people know from their acquaintances that this company gives high salary to their employees and this news draws them to working for this company. The second example of case study comes from the research ofAndr ea, Arnaldo and Romano (2011). The case was about Italian leading mineral water and soft drink company. In 2008, the company held 16% of the segment mineral water in Italy, 12% in soft drink and 19% in tea-Â ­? based drink. Its ROE was 18. 1% while its competitor was only 13. 8%. Its inventory turnover was 12. 6 compared to its major competitor whose inventory turnover was only 6. 15. The study focuses on determining the role of formal and informal communication in making this FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL 5 APPROACH company a leader in its filed. The study was conducted in three steps. The first one is dentifying the units that engage in the process of purchasing, manufacturing and logistics. The second step is tracing the flow of formal and informal communication during those activities. The final step is to identify how both formal and informal communication improved over time that results in a synchronized workflow of the company. The study suggested that formal communication was highly important in achieving internal integration (Andrea, Arnaldo & Romano, 2011), while informal communication is important in problem solving because it occurs in real time (Pagell). 4. Conclusion Based on the present and former studies conducted y many scholars on various objects (focuses on organizations in this matter), it can be concluded that both formal and informal communication are important in the productivity of the company and its performance as a whole. Managers should identify in which field the communication should be optimized and which way to use. There are several differentiations in the work progress on which it is better to use either formal or informal communication and managers should be well aware of it so they would not imply the wrong method of communication. As in optimizing the informal communication, managers should use personal approach as it ravels fast and is more favorable by the employees. Moreover, informal communication can be used in building company brand and image, so managers should be really careful that only the good values of the company is transmitted through informal communication. 6 FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION: AN ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH References Andrea, F, Arnaldo, C & Romando, P 2011, ‘Case study: understanding how formal and informal communication affect purchasing, manufacturing and logistics integration’, Advances In Management, vol. 4, no. 7, pp. 22-Â ­? 32. First, I, Tomic, M 2011, ‘Formal and informal communication channels in creating