Weathering and Erosion

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity, and barometric pressure. Weather can be classified as day to day temperature and precipitation activity, where climiate is average atmospheric conditions over longer periods of time. Weather occurs from temperature and moisture differences between one place and another. These differences can occur due to the sun angle at any particular spot. The strong temperature contrast between polar and tropical air gives rise to the jet stream. Weather systems in the mid-latitudes, such as â€Å"extratropical cyclones†, are caused by instabilities of the jet stream flow. Because the Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane, sunlight is pointed at different angles at different times of the year. On Earth's surface, temperatures usually range from 0-100 degrees farenheit annually. Over thousands of years, changes in Earth's orbit affect the amount and distribution of solar energy received by the Earth and influence long-term climate Surface temperature differences in turn cause pressure differences. Higher altitudes are cooler than lower altitudes due to differences in compressional heating. Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a future time and a given location. The atmosphere is a chaotic system, so small changes to one part of the system can grow to have large effects on the system as a whole. Human attempts to control the weather have occurred throughout human history, and there is evidence that human activity such as agriculture and industry has inadvertently modified weather patterns. Studying how the weather works on other planets has been helpful in understanding how weather works on Earth. A famous landmark in the Solar System, Jupiter's Great Red Spot, is an anticyclonic storm known to have existed for at least 300 years. However, weather is not limited to planetary bodies. A star's corona is constantly being lost to space, creating what is essentially a very thin atmosphere throughout the Solar System. The movement of mass ejected from the Sun is known as the solar wind. On Earth, common weather phenomena include wind, cloud, rain, snow, fog and dust storms. Less common events include natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons and ice storms. Almost all familiar weather phenomena occur in the troposphere (the lower part of the atmosphere). Weather does occur in the stratosphere and can affect weather lower down in the troposphere, but the exact mechanisms are poorly understood. Weather occurs primarily due to density (temperature and moisture) differences between one place to another. These differences can occur due to the sun angle at any particular spot, which varies by latitude from the tropics. In other words, the farther from the tropics you lie, the lower the sun angle is, which causes those locations to be cooler due to the indirect sunlight The strong temperature contrast between polar and tropical air gives rise to the jet stream. Weather systems in the mid-latitudes, such as extratropical cyclones, are caused by instabilities of the jet stream flow (see baroclinity). Weather systems in the tropics, such as monsoons or organized thunderstorm systems, are caused by different processes. Because the Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane, sunlight is incident at different angles at different times of the year. In June the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, so at any given Northern Hemisphere latitude sunlight falls more directly on that spot than in December (see Effect of sun angle on climate). This effect causes seasons. Over thousands to hundreds of thousands of years, changes in Earth's orbital parameters affect the amount and distribution of solar energy received by the Earth and influence long-term climate. see Milankovitch cycles). Uneven solar heating (the formation of zones of temperature and moisture gradients, or frontogenesis) can also be due to the weather itself in the form of cloudiness and precipitation. Higher altitudes are cooler than lower altitudes, which is explained by the lapse rate. On local scales, temperature differences can occur because different surfaces (such as oceans, forests, ice sheets, or man-made objects) have differing physical characteristics such as reflectivity, roughness, or moisture content. Surface temperature differences in turn cause pressure differences. A hot surface heats the air above it and the air expands, lowering the air pressure and its density. The resulting horizontal pressure gradient accelerates the air from high to low pressure, creating wind, and Earth's rotation then causes curvature of the flow via the Coriolis effect. The simple systems thus formed can then display emergent behaviour to produce more complex systems and thus other weather phenomena. Large scale examples include the Hadley cell while a smaller scale example would be coastal breezes. The atmosphere is a chaotic system, so small changes to one part of the system can grow to have large effects on the system as a whole. This makes it difficult to accurately predict weather more than a few days in advance, though weather forecasters are continually working to extend this limit through the scientific study of weather, meteorology. It is theoretically impossible to make useful day-to-day predictions more than about two weeks ahead, imposing an upper limit to potential for improved prediction skill. Chaos theory says that the slightest variation in the motion of the ground can grow with time. This idea is sometimes called the butterfly effect, from the idea that the motions caused by the flapping wings of a butterfly eventually could produce marked changes in the state of the atmosphere. Because of this sensitivity to small changes, it will never be possible to make perfect forecasts. Weather has played a large and sometimes direct part in human history. Aside from climatic changes that have caused the gradual drift of populations (for example the desertification of the Middle East, and the formation of land bridges during glacial periods), extreme weather events have caused smaller scale population movements and intruded directly in historical events. One such event is the saving of Japan from invasion by the Mongol fleet of Kublai Khan by the Kamikaze winds in 1281. French claims to Florida came to an end in 1565 when a hurricane destroyed the French fleet, allowing Spain to conquer Fort Caroline. More recently, Hurricane Katrina redistributed over one million people from the central Gulf coast elsewhere across the United States, becoming the largest diaspora in the history of the United States. Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a future time and a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since at least the nineteenth century. Weather forecasts are made by collecting quantitative data about the current state of the atmosphere and using scientific understanding of atmospheric processes to project how the atmosphere will evolve. Once an all-human endeavor based mainly upon changes in barometric pressure, current weather conditions, and sky condition, forecast models are now used to determine future conditions. Human input is still required to pick the best possible forecast model to base the forecast upon, which involves pattern recognition skills, teleconnections, knowledge of model performance, and knowledge of model biases. The chaotic nature of the atmosphere, the massive computational power required to solve the equations that describe the atmosphere, error involved in measuring the initial conditions, and an incomplete understanding of atmospheric processes mean that forecasts become less accurate as the difference in current time and the time for which the forecast is being made (the range of the forecast) increases. The use of ensembles and model consensus helps to narrow the error and pick the most likely outcome. There are a variety of end users to weather forecasts. Weather warnings are important forecasts because they are used to protect life and property. Forecasts based on temperature and precipitation are important to agriculture, and therefore to commodity traders within stock markets. Temperature forecasts are used by utility companies to estimate demand over coming days. On an everyday basis, people use weather forecasts to determine what to wear on a given day. Since outdoor activities are severely curtailed by heavy rain, snow and the wind chill, forecasts can be used to plan activities around these events, and to plan ahead and survive them. Studying how the weather works on other planets has been seen as helpful in understanding how it works on Earth. Weather on other planets follows many of the same physical principles as weather on Earth, but occurs on different scales and in atmospheres having different chemical composition. The Cassini–Huygens mission to Titan discovered clouds formed from methane or ethane which deposit rain composed of liquid methane and other organic compounds. Earth's atmosphere includes six latitudinal circulation zones, three in each hemisphere. In contrast, Jupiter's banded appearance shows many such zones, Titan has a single jet stream near the 50th parallel north latitude, and Venus has a single jet near the equator. Weather events influence biological processes on short time scales. For instance, as the Sun rises above the horizon in the morning, light levels become sufficient for the process of photosynthesis to take place in plant leaves. Later on, during the day, air temperature and humidity may induce the partial or total closure of the stomata, a typical response of many plants to limit the loss of water through transpiration. More generally, the daily evolution of meteorological variables controls the circadian rhythm of plants and animals alike. Living organisms, for their part, can collectively affect weather patterns. The rate of evapotranspiration of forests, or of any large vegetated area for that matter, contributes to the release of water vapor in the atmosphere. This local, relatively fast and continuous process may contribute significantly to the persistence of precipitations in a given area. As another example, the wilting of plants results in definite changes in leaf angle distribution and therefore modifies the rates of reflection, transmission and absorption of solar light in these plants. That, in turn, changes the albedo of the ecosystem as well as the relative importance of the sensible and latent heat fluxes from the surface to the atmosphere. For an example in oceanography, consider the release of dimethyl sulfide by biological activity in sea water and its impact on atmospheric aerosols.

My First Part-Time Job

This is the my first part-time Job. I had learned so much from this experience. First of all, I learned how to get along with people whom you had only met for the first time. I remember this Job was back in three years ago. I was only 17 and I wanted to do something different this summer instead of Just hanging out at home. When I started looking for one, I realized finding a Job is quite difficult. Thanks to my sister who recommended me to this Japanese restaurant where she works as a manager. After a brief interview, I was accepted to fill this position.I darted to think about all kind of possibilities within this Job. Finally, my first day of work has arrived. My mom took the time and drop me off to work right on time. I was very nervous since I would have to introduce myself in front of everyone and started to learn everything. The first thing I learned was that, when customers come in, you have to say welcome. It was hard for me to say it so loud in front of people. I felt shame on myself for not doing it well. After I stand in front off mirror and practices a lot, I could say it easily. After a few weeks, things started to fall into places and I was familiar with the work.However, one accident happened, I accidentally knock over a bowl of soup on a customer. My first reaction was â€Å"Oh my god! † I was so unguarded and felt so bad. I blamed myself for not being careful. Fortunately, the customer did not get too upset; after that, I paid more attention to work. I get tipped well sometimes when I do a good Job with the help of my co-workers. I had became friends with my co-workers. When I think back, I still miss the time while working there. It was a valuable experience for me. It has taught me important lessons in my life. Hopefully, I would be able to find another Job that is as memorable as this one to me.

My research paper needs to be on how the government addressed past

My needs to be on how the government addressed past economic downturns and recoveries, what caused them and wha - Research Paper Example The government has been responsible to respond to the poor health of the economy, struggling to find a way in which to regain ground so that the millions of those suffering economically could recover. The many avenues towards economic health that the government has taken have been wide and varied, depending on the policies and the platform of those who were in office. The first true crises of the 20th century occurred in 1929 as the collapse of an ill-conceived stock market plan led to the collapse of industry within the United States. The 1930’s was a time filled with the doom of her citizens, the hard economic times creating a void that left many without jobs, without hope, and without enough to sustain their families. The 1940’s saw an economic challenge of a different kind as World War II took a great deal of resources that meant that citizens had to make significant sacrifices. However, the war led into the 1950’s, a time in which the innovations from the te chnologies that were created from the wartime efforts provided for a surge in commerce, the beginning of a global economy providing for high levels of income for Americans. The 1970’s saw the United States in a state of a recession with many losing their jobs and a notable shift in the way in which employment was viewed became a part of the sociological landscape. Black Thursday On the day that would come to be called Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, the stock market fell 34 points, which represented a 9% drop for the day. The extremity of the day was caused by a selling panic, driving the prices down and losing billions for investors. The simple answer about how it was caused was because of the speculator boom, but the causes were far more complex than the traditional answer to this question. The market was in a highly sensitive state by that fateful day, some of which was due to the real estate decline starting in 1925, some due to simply because the fear of a crash caused a run that caused a crash. The market had come to a high plateau and the fear of the end had caused the inevitable end. The rising stock prices were less due to value than to speculation manipulations. As an example, RCA was worth $1.32 in 1925, $6.15 in 1927, and $15.98 in 1928 before the stock split (Bierman, 1998, p. 9). The 1920’s represented a rise in technological advancements that affected the nature of American life. The automobile industry evolved during this period and the innovations of the Ford company in assembly line management and the level of wage paid to the workers created a working atmosphere in which the middle class was being born. Money was flowing and people were experiencing a new level of comfort that had never before been experienced. However, when the crash took all of that away, the resulting depression plummeted that emerging middle class into a poverty that was unprecedented on American soil. Farmers experienced losses that could never have been predicted, food prices at all time lows. Market Prices as they Plummet (Crewe & Ingram, 2005, p. 20) Homelessness was rife and ’Hooverville’s popped up all over consisting of huts in urban landscapes without electricity, water, or sanitation, named after President Hoover as ultimately,

Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 29

Homework - Essay Example However, as a Barnaby College graduate, I believe that you will be able to sail through the challenges jus like me. In my case, after graduation, I entered the job market, and later did my MBA at Harvard. Landing a job with the Flyover Airlines was a fantastic experience for me. While there, I applied all my knowledge and expertise, and due to my excellent performance, I quickly climbed up the career ladder to become the President of Flyover Airlines. While serving as the President of Flyover Airlines, I employed my innovativeness to develop new programs. Among them is the new service, AirTaxi. This employs small jets, and flies passengers at 20% more than the normal fare, as the flights are made on demand. Those of you that read last year’s issue of the International Airlines Magazine can testify that Flyover Airlines was named the Small Airliner of the year. This was all thanks to the new service, which I innovatively developed. Barnaby College emphasized and nurtured in me innovativeness, among other key skills. Therefore, my soon-to-be fellow alumni, go out there and make use of all the skills and knowledge you have acquired at Barnaby. Only through this way will you make your future to be unquestionably

Cuture deferences and debates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Cuture deferences and debates - Essay Example Focusing on the negative effects of social media to society, there is the issue of formation of groups in websites such as facebook where people motivate each other to carry out certain activities that affect the society negatively. This is from the fact that these negative ideas are spread from one person to another through the sites and affect the society in a poor manner. Social networking also affects the society through the fact that these sites provide a place where people can meet and talk without necessarily visiting the other person. This has generated a character of laziness in this generation and thus young people do not even go out to look for employment opportunities to improve their living standards that would generally affect the society positively (Wit 43). This is from the fact that with a stable means of income, the rates of theft and armed robbery in the society goes down. Another major impact that social networking has had on society is through young children. In the contemporary world, it is quite normal to find a very young kid demonstrating his prowess in using the internet. If the parents do not show these kids appropriate values from a young age, they end up following all the activities that they see on the internet (Carr 142). A great example is a situation where a young person decides to go through tattooing of the entire body. Having tattoos is not a negative concept as long as the age is appropriate. However, having a young kid learn this from the internet may lead to him stealing from his mother or even other society members in an effort to get the money to go get a tattoo. Social networking through dating sites has also led to the end of marriages where spouses are caught cheating on each other through messages and other related means. This has affected the society negatively and without the appropriate action, the situation might escalate in the future. Despite the

Hotel Paris Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hotel Paris - Essay Example Hotel Paris The various problems in this context are studied and analysed in the study and suitable recommendations are provided for eliminating the gaps and attaining a greater association between compensation plans in the organization and strategic objectives of the company. It is also aimed at attaining greater satisfaction and contentment of employees such they are adequately motivated to perform up to the desired standards in the organization. Challenge 1 The present compensation structure in the company is highly unstructured, unplanned and unsophisticated. In this, the pay range for workers is too narrow and does not differentiate much between them at different positions, such as front desk clerks, security guards etc. â€Å"Like several other HR systems at the Hotel Paris, the compensation programs were unplanned and unsophisticated........................each job category†. Challenge 2 Maintaining a salary standard which is competitive in the market seems to be inadequate to attain the best contributions and performance of employees. Also the compensation structures are not enough to motivate them to perform to their best abilities. They remain frustrated and discontented and this leads to high employee turnovers and attritions. â€Å"For example, the firm’s policy is simply to pay its employees a competitive salary...............extraordinarily service oriented workforce†. ... â€Å"The company has given little thought to tying general pay levels or individual employees' pay to the company's strategic goals†. Solutions Solution 1 Firstly a well defined job roles and responsibilities must be created for all positions in the organizations which include front line employees, securities, staffs, back-end workers, management executives etc. Compensation structures must be developed according to this structure and must be generated as per educational qualifications of employees, numbers of years of experience and position and designation in the organization. It is to be ensured that there is no overlap between the salary slabs for the different positions. This is important in order to differentiate between the positional roles of employees. The same salary from two different levels would necessarily de-motivate employees at the higher level of the hierarchy (Mathis & Jackson, 2011, p.153). Solution 2 Finally, setting a compensation standard at par with th e industry standard would not be effective in retaining or attracting talents in the organization. There can be multiple organizations paying similar compensation and employees would be easily tempted towards them. Thus it is recommended that the compensation level must be a step higher than the industry standards in order to attract and retain talents from the industry. However, a fair proportion of the gross salary must be performance based. This would not only help to get potential candidates but also help to motivate them to perform to the best of their ability in the organization. Besides this, it would also serve the purpose of controlling employee attritions to a

Strategy and Transformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategy and Transformation - Essay Example The company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange, listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average on April 8, 2004 and appears on the S&P 500 Component. Pfizer revenue for the year ending 2011 amounted to $67.425 billion, while the operating income was $8.739 billion in the same fiscal year. During the same year, the company’s net income amounted to $10.009 billion while the total assets and equity amounted to $188.002 and $82.190 billion respectively. The company employs a great number of employees who totaled to 103,700 by the year 2011. Pfizer Company also has a number of subsidiaries, which include, Agouron Pharmaceuticals,  G. D. Searle & Company, Greenstone,  Parke-Davis, Pharmacia,  Upjohn, Warner Lambert,  and Wyeth. However, this giant firm has faced a number of challenges in the last few years. In the year 2009, the company pleaded guilty of health care fraud that was the largest fraud case ever to be heard in the US. It also received the largest crimina l penalty ever levied because of illegal marketing of four of its drugs, which included Bextra,  Geodon, Zyvox, and  Lyrica. The company was called a repeat offender since it was its fourth such settlement with the US department of Justice in the last decade. That year, the company agreed to purchase Wyeth, a large pharmaceutical company, for $US$ 68billion. Cash, shares, and loans financed this deal. The completion of this purchase was finalized in October 15, 2009. These challenges have forced the company to think of strategic decisions that will enable the company achieve its vision, mission, objectives, short-term, and long-term goals. Strategic Uncertainties Facing Pfizer Pfizer Company faces a number of uncertainties, which are also facing various pharmaceutical firms. The modern pharmaceutical market place is characterized by change and uncertainty. Pfizer is facing a tough road ahead in its future markets with some of its major products facing patent rights expiration. A dditionally, its new drugs are not replacing the ageing products. The approval by NMEs is declining and the development and commercialization cost continues to increase at a high rate. There is an increasing pressure in the pharmaceutical industry due to the increasing competitive pressure and cutthroat rate of spending. This rate of spending cannot continue at infinitum. Pharmaceutical will linger on being the most cost effective health care intervention initiative and the market for its products will always continue to exist and expand as people and animals increases. Emerging trends in the pharmaceutical industry will persist and others will need to be transformed in order to cope with the modern changes. Some of the strategic uncertainties that the Pfizer are the changing landscape of the pharmaceutical industry. This is happening because the contemporary state of pharmaceutical industry is not good. A recent research has indicated that the current US prescription drug sales ind icate growth of only 4% whereas the wholesale grew by only 3.8%. This is low increase compared to the previous years since 1961. It shows a slow growth rate that means, with the increase in the number of pharmaceutical firm, the market will increase more division and therefore, minimal sales. Pfizer has shown these trends by making changes, which will respond to the unfolding pressure in the industry. Pfizer has been forced by this circumstance by resting off workers in order to focus on the therapeutic areas and respond

Business Ethics opinion paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Ethics opinion paper - Essay Example It is against the law for an employer to discriminate against people on other factor other than disqualification especially those with disabilities. I agree that discrimination can both be institutional or at individual level. I believe that people can discriminate by stereotyping or on personal prejudice. I understand that other people can unconsciously or thoughtlessly discriminate at workplace while trying to accept the traditions, norms or stereotypes. For instance, an employer can look at women and assume that they should be at home taking care of their families and become biased in making decisions on hiring women to the workplace. Focusing on this example, I suggest that organizations should provide materials and training to avert such situations by condemning actions of stereotyping in the workplace since both men and women have the same opportunity and knowledge of taking up responsibility in any company (Roth 46). Sometimes institutions can intentionally and explicitly discriminate against certain groups. On institutional-based discrimination, I strong believe stern and severe action should be taken to mitigate discrimination to provide examples and curb against discrimination. I strongly disregard institutions that when hiring disrespect people like older employees, marginalized tribes, other sexes or the young in the society. For instance, where a black man is forced to work in the kitchen where he cannot be seen by customers who are believed to be white, I strongly condemn this action since it is against the human rights of the black man. I am of the view that employers should give an opportunity to the black man to undertake responsibilities in the where the whites are working in the restaurant as long as he has the qualifications for the job (Roth 46). My study on general statistics and evidence on occupational discrimination have proved that women worker were the most discriminated whereby they

Ri Paper For Internal Circulation Only Raffles Institution 2012 Essay Example for Free

Ri Paper For Internal Circulation Only Raffles Institution 2012 Essay Passage 1 1. What is the writer hoping to emphasise by italicising ‘does not’ and ‘cannot’ in line 6? [1] Lifted â€Å"Just because money does not buy happiness does not mean money cannot buy happiness,† says Elizabeth Dunn, a social psychologist and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. Paraphrased The author hopes to emphasise †¦ (the contrast / difference between) what money often fails to do but actually has the potential to achieve. {MUST attempt to explain ‘does not’ and ‘cannot’. Merely saying that there is a difference/contrast is stating the obvious. E.g. ‘Does not’ is different from ‘cannot’. = 0m.} 1 2. Using your own words as far as possible, explain how we use money wrongly (line 8). [2] Lifted a. we tend to value GOODS over experiences, b. OURSELVES over others, Paraphrased a. People tend to think that commodities/things {must be tangible} are more important than experiences, b. People value themselves over others/self-centred†¦ OR spend on themselves rather than others, c. THINGS over people. c. People prefer spending on objects rather than people. d. [Inferred] We are spending on temporary pursuits and cravings that tend to disappear over time. {MUST capture the comparison (the reason it is wrong is because the preference is wrong). Need not follow the sequence in the answer scheme.} 3-4 points – 2 marks 1-2 points – 1 mark d. †¦ the spending that makes us happy, it turns out, is often spending where the money vanishes and leaves something INEFFABLE in its place. 1 For Internal Circulation Only 3. Using your own words as far as possible, explain three reasons why experiences are ‘inherently more social’ (line 28) [3] Lifted As experiences are inherently more social – when we vacation or eat out or go to the movies it is usually with other people, †¦we are liable also to RELIVE the experience when we see those people again. And past experiences can work as a sort of social adhesive even with people who did not PARTICIPATE with us, providing stories and conversational fodder in a way that a new watch or speedboat rarely can. In addition, †¦experiences do not usually trigger the same sort of PERNICIOUS comparisons that material possessions do†¦ (lines 2835) Paraphrased a. [Inferred] Experiences naturally involve interaction with people and 1 b. We are likely to recall / revisit / reminisce / recollect the experience when we meet those people again. c. People can also bond with people who were not present / strangers / others (through the sharing of anecdotes/conversational material). 1 1 d. Experiences do not cause hurtful comparisons†¦ OR experiences do not make people envious/jealous/ [inferred] insecure. 1 {MUST capture negative connotation.} 1m per point for any 3 of the above points. Maximum 3m. 4. Why does the writer use ‘seeming’ in the phrase ‘even for seeming essentials like cars, houses and, clothes’ (line 41)? Use your own words as far as possible. [1] Lifted Paraphrased Much of the impetus for a. Such needs are (could be) perceived to be crucial for discretionary spending everyday life even though they are not. OR†¦ even for seeming essentials like cars, b. Suggests that the author has doubts about whether houses, and clothes†¦ these objects are crucial. OR†¦ OR We might MISTAKE that c. The  writer feels that it is wrong to associate happiness with material/luxury goods. motivation for happiness, or for having a better life, but it is driven by something else, a human {Answer MUST include the idea of doubt and the need to compete or to fit explanation. in. Denied: sarcasm, cynicism, mockery Accepted: sceptical/scepticism (on its own), sceptical about this.} 1 2 For Internal Circulation Only 5. Explain what the writer means by ‘Talking about money and happiness in the same breath, it turns out, is not necessarily a surrender to crass materialism.’ (lines 47-48) [2] Lifted Talking about money and happiness in the SAME BREATH, it turns out, is not necessarily a SURRENDER to CRASS materialism†¦ Paraphrased a. Connecting / Linking money and happiness†¦ OR Talking about / discussing money and happiness together†¦ b. is in reality not always giving in to†¦ OR a submission to†¦ OR being a victim of†¦ c. a vulgar desire for material goods. OR excessive/shallow desire for luxury goods. 3 points – 2 marks 1-2 points – 1 mark. Passage 2 6. If you are a single male driving around in the Ferrari with nobody next to you, it is a glaring omission. (lines 14-15) a) Why does the writer refer to the Ferrari in line 15? [1] Pt Lift (not possible) Other trophies simply do not bring the payoff one expects. Says Loewenstein, If you are a single male driving around in the Ferrari with nobody next to you, it is a glaring omission. Inference a. A Ferrari is an example of a ‘trophy’. b. A Ferrari is a well-known example of a highly desired product. c. A Ferrari signifies high status / wealth in society. {Any of the above will be accepted.} 1 3 For Internal Circulation Only b) What does ‘glaring omission’ (line 15) imply here? Pt Lift (not possible) Other trophies simply do not bring the payoff one expects. Says Loewenstein, If you are a single male driving around in the Ferrari with nobody next to you, it is a glaring omission. [2] Inference [Inferred from ‘glaring’] a. It is strongly believed/popularly accepted that/very obvious {‘Emphasise’ and ‘highlight’ are not accepted because the question is not asking for the writer’s intention.} [Inferred from ‘omission’, reinforcing stereotypes.] b. that driving a Ferrari/luxury sports car will attract women / ladies / females / companions / partners. {Direct paraphrase of the quote is not acceptable.} 1 1 7. ‘A life that was constantly happy was not a good life’ (lines 30-31). Explain why this is a paradox. [2] Pt Lift Part of the meaning of life is to have highs and lows. A life that was constantly happy was not a good life. Inference [Must capture the clash.] a. We aim/wish/expect for maximum/optimum happiness in our lives all the time AND any of the following [Must capture what ‘good life’ entails.] b. Yet, a good life is one that has ups and downs, not just ups OR c. Yet, a good life is one with adequate/comparable negative experiences, not just positive experiences OR d. Yet, it is not just happiness that is ‘good’ but the ‘bad’ (of lows) is also seen to be ‘good’ {The key idea here is to question the value of ‘constant’ as a ‘good’ thing.} Answers will get either 2 marks or 0 mark. 1 1 4 For Internal Circulation Only 8. Summary Using material from paragraphs 2 to 5, summarise what Matthew Herper has to say about why wealth does not bring a constant sense of joy, why happiness is overrated, and the relationship between money and happiness. Wealth does not bring a constant sense of joy as Pt a. Lift Re-phrase Part of the reason is that people are not people do not know how to use their money very good at FIGURING out what to do to get happiness with the money, (lines 6-7) OR {Main idea of a lack of knowledge people are incompetent when it comes to understanding how to use money about how to manage money.} People generally OVERESTIMATE (line they have unrealistic expectations of the 8) {Students must capture the idea that it is off the mark.} the amount of long-term PLEASURE they will get from a given object. (lines 89) The way people spend money can make them less happy. (lines 9-10) Other trophies simply do not bring the (line 14) b. c. d. e. (Enduring) joy / happiness / positive outcomes that they can derive from something/object. The way people spend money can make them less happy. Other possessions also may not deliver f. g. {Do not accept ‘prizes’ / ’plaques’ / ’rewards’} PAYOFF one expects. (line 14) the rewards / utility / happiness we hope / wish to have. The central problem is that the human Next, our brain is accustomed to brain becomes CONDITIONED to pleasant/happy/joyful experiences as positive experiences. (lines 15-16) OR You can get used to anything, be it hanging by your toenails or making millions of dollars a day. (lines 19-20) Getting a chunk of unexpected money registers as a good thing, but as time passes, the response WEARS off. (lines 16-18) Mood may be set more by heredity†¦ (line 20) h. with time, their effect on us weakens/dies off/subsides. i. Lastly, our happiness level may depend on our genes 5 For Internal Circulation Only j. k. than by anything else (line 20) But this raises another question. How IMPORTANT is happiness anyway? (line 23) People with chronic illnesses describe themselves as happy, but they would still pay large sums for better health. And although healthy individuals are not much happier than quadriplegics, they would pay large sums of money to keep the use of their limbs. (lines 23-26) Some of lifes most SATISFYING experiences (line 26) do not bring happiness. (line 27) Part of the meaning of life is to have highs (line 30) and lows†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (line 30) A life that was CONSTANTLY happy (line 30) was not a GOOD life. (lines 30-31) more than other factors. OR predominantly / mostly [Inferred] However, the significance / necessity / crucial nature of happiness is still in doubt. [Inferred] Even supposedly happy people find happiness insufficient [Inferred] as they are willing to pay to ensure certain privileges†¦ OR health. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. Besides, some of the most gratifying/rewarding experiences do not make us happy. A meaningful life should also have its joyous and sad moments. A life that is always / perpetually happy is not fulfilling. t. u. {Do not award for point s in the absence of point r.} However, there may be at least one Yet, there remains a significant link IMPORTANT relationship between between money and happiness in that money and happiness (lines 31-32) †¦ happy people tend to have higher happy people earn more. incomes later on in their lives. (lines 3334) OR So, while money may not help make people happy, being happy may help them make money. (lines 34-35) Total: 21 points, 11 words that cannot be lifted Points ≠¥ 14 12 – 13 10 – 11 8–9 7 5–6 3–4 1–2 Marks 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 For Internal Circulation Only Wealth does not bring a constant sense of joy as†¦ people do not know how to use their money {a} and have unrealistic expectations {b} of the enduring joy that they can derive from something {c}. Other prized possessions {e} also may not deliver the rewards we wish to have {f}. Next, our brain is trained to be accustomed to pleasant experiences {g} as with time, their effect on us subsides {h}. However, the significance of happiness is still in doubt {k}. Even supposedly happy people find happiness insufficient {l} and are willing to pay to ensure their health {m}. Besides, some of the most gratifying experiences {n} do not make us happy {o}. A life that is always happy {r} is also not fulfilling {s}. Yet, there remains a significant link {t} between money and happiness – happy people earn more {u}. (16 points, 116 words) Vocabulary: 9. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the passage. You may write your answer in one word or a short phrase. Passage 1 Futility (line 3) noun Philosophers and gurus, holy books and self-help manuals have all warned of the futility of equating material gain with true well-being Answer should capture: ï‚ · Does not achieve purpose  OR lacks meaning ï‚ · Negative connotation Intriguing (line 8) adj The intriguing explanation for the poor wealth-to-happiness exchange rate is that the problem is not money, it is us. Answer should capture: ï‚ · Arousing intense curiosity OR very interesting ï‚ · Intensity 1 mark ï‚ · Hopelessness ï‚ · Uselessness ï‚ · Lack of purpose or meaning ï‚ · Efforts are in vain Accepted ï‚ · Ineffectiveness ï‚ · Meaningless ï‚ · Pointlessness 0 marks ï‚ · Wastage ï‚ · Worthless venture ï‚ · Failure ï‚ · Improbable ï‚ · Inability ï‚ · Foolishness ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Ability to arouse intense curiosity Fascinating Deeply/very interesting Appeal strongly To captivate Very interesting and unexpected Very interesting and surprising ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Capture interest Arouse curiosity Extremely interesting Thoughtprovoking ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Interesting {indication of intensity is not very apparent} Exciting Puzzling Ignorance Surprising Curious Intellectually stimulating 7 For Internal Circulation Only impetus (line 40) noun Much of the impetus for discretionary spending – even for seeming essentials like cars, houses, and clothes – comes from a desire to send certain signals about our buying power and our tastes. Answer should capture: ï‚ · The idea of a push or drive. Quell (line 45) verb And $5,000 worth of new stuff, or even $500,000 worth, is unlikely to permanently quell that need. Answer should capture: ï‚ · Suppressing. 1 mark ï‚ · (Sustained) drive ï‚ · Push ï‚ · Motivation ï‚ · A moving force ï‚ · Impulse ï‚ · Stimulus ï‚ · Boost Accepted ï‚ · Catalyst ï‚ · Thrust ï‚ · Spur ï‚ · Spark ï‚ · Trigger ï‚ · Incentive 0 marks ï‚ · Impulsive ï‚ · Penchant ï‚ · Impetuous ï‚ · Attack ï‚ · Assail ï‚ · Reason ï‚ · ï‚ · Subdue Suppress ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Quiet Satiate / Quench Satisfy Appease Fulfil (incidental / part / whole) Allay Pacify Assuage ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Vanquish / Defeat {wrong context} Stop / Halt / Cease Remove Overthrow / Overcome Repress Oppress Extinguish Destroy / Annihilate Kill Dispel Diminish Literally Figuratively Approximately {the idea of estimation, not accepted} Ostensibly Actually Effectually Basically Passage 2 Virtually (line 1) adverb Surveys have found virtually the same level of happiness between the very rich individuals on the Forbes 400 and the Maasai herdsmen of East Africa. Answer should capture: ï‚ · For the most part. ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Nearly; Practically; Almost completely Almost wholly Almost entirely For the most part Just about ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Almost Effectively Essentially ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · 8 For Internal Circulation Only 10. Application Question: Drake Bennett talks about how pro-social spending can lead to happiness while Matthew Herper argues that money does not lead to happiness. Which writer’s views do you find more persuasive? Discuss the relevance of the arguments presented in both passages to you and your own society. [8] ï‚ · ï‚ · Answers that refer to only material from one passage would not be awarded more than 3 marks Explanation/evaluation should not just be a paraphrase of authors’ opinions Possible points From Passage 1 Bennett 1 Extract For deep-seated psychological reasons, when it comes to spending money, we tend to value goods over experiences, ourselves over others, things over people. (lines 9-11) Possible explanations S’pore context Relevant : In a society that is economically driven more than anything else, this is not a surprise. This drive, whether marked by early economic migration, post-war rebuilding, separation from Malaysia or simply Government push, remains sustained, if not stronger. Material success is celebrated and sheer narcissistic consumption is validated by commercial as well as social media. Examples : 2011 SMU study – S’porean women are significantly more materialistic than their American counterparts. Relevance of 5 ‘C’ [cash, credit card, car, condo, country club] notations despite more than a decade of use Not so relevant: There is a rising trend of S’poreans spending on people rather than objects; in 2007, Finance Minister Tharman had indicated clear tax concessions for charity spending and to focus Singapore as a ‘philanthropy hub’. More people, not just the rich, are donating generous sums to their alumni schools, religious charities and other organizations catering to  specific demographics such as the elderly, physically disabled, terminally ill etc. There is also increase in charity through CSR, whether by global MNCs or S’pore GLCs. Of course, the real intention behind the generosity is debatable but as corporations form a substantial percentage in a small workforce, the evidence is mathematically there that ‘we, the management/employees of company X, Y, Z†¦ are altruistic and caring’. There is a rising trend of social entrepreneurs opening restaurants to help the less fortunate and former prisoners. 9 For Internal Circulation Only 2 †¦ higher â€Å"prosocial spending† – gifts for others and donations to charity – was indeed correlated with higher selfreported happiness. (lines 18-20) Relevant : well-known philanthropists such as popiah king Sam Goi, Elim Chew of 77th Street, remisier Peter Lim, Chinese Chamber of Commerce ex-president Chua Thian Poh, Mustaq Ahmad of Mustafa Centre etc have gone on record to say so on newspaper interviews. Hong Kong billionaire loves to donate to Singapore, especially for education charity, for the same purported reason. The education system also introduces students to prosocial spending. The persistence of students in doing charitable acts also suggests happiness and satisfaction obtained. Not so relevant: This is not a technical disagreement. While the actual amount on ‘pro-social spending’ could be higher, it is usually by a small group of uber-rich AND older persons. The majority of Singaporeans, especially youth, have gone on record in many academic surveys that high levels of nuanced selfish material consumption is more rewarding than engaging in others’ welfare. The intense hours and anxiety spent on studying/work necessarily need to see material purchases as a direct reward. Perhaps this material reward can THEN lead to social happiness by the envy/admiration they evoke – e.g. for a Prada handbag, for the possession of a prized virtual weapon for a Diablo 3 PC online game character. This could be an unintended consequence of a meritocratic society. Most parents would also largely spend on their children and obtain great satisfaction. 3 money spent on experiences – vacations or theatre tickets or meals out – makes you happier than money spent on material goods. (lines 21-23) Relevant: Points to support this will  be relatively difficult based on available Singapore studies. Typically, Singaporeans vacationing will covet purchases from overseas; theatre ticket purchases locally may indicate a need to belong to a certain materially privileged crowd rather than the sheer love of the arts. Nevertheless, any qualified evidence is welcome to support agreement however the difficulty is in establishing the level of happiness obtained. Not so relevant: Typical youth population notes that playing World Of Warcraft or getting a new iPhone 4S is far more meaningful; middle-aged men and their toy figure collections; ladies of all ages on record saying that splurging on themselves, expensive cosmetic treatment more rewarding than anything else – refer to any Friday URBAN section of The Straits Times. As mentioned in earlier point, first the money has to be spent on material goods and THEN the experience related or shared can increase your happiness as a corollary. 4 As experiences are inherently more social †¦ we are liable also to relive the experience Relevant : the rise of alumni associations locally, aided by social media, have greatly increased networking; heritage and memorabilia gatherings are on the rise with 10 For Internal Circulation Only when we see those people again. And past experiences can work as a sort of social adhesive even with people who did not participate with us, providing stories and conversational fodder in a way that a new watch or speedboat rarely can 5 (lines 28-32) Talking about money and happiness in the same breath, it turns out, is not necessarily a surrender to crass materialism – it can also be a route to a new and more humane way to think about vitally important things like consumption, satisfaction, investment, and value. (lines 47-50) rich persons being key drivers behind these projects. Various hobby groups would also be relevant such as cycling clubs, dragon boating groups or cosplay groups. Not so relevant: There are hobby groups based on material goods such as car clubs or clubs for owners of toys. Material goods can also generate a sense of nostalgia. Relevant: SMU Board chairman Ho Kwon Ping and wife Claire Chiang regularly  promote pro-social spending and business; they are seen as new-age positive materialists and intellectuals. Christina Ong, boss of homegrown Club 21, is known for widespread charity outreach and growing her business, with equal pleasure. Not so relevant: For the majority of Singaporeans who lack such education or reflective practices, blatant monetary and property acquisition is the norm and only leads to a vicious cycle of debt, miscalculated risk-taking in investment etc From Passage 2 1 Extract People generally overestimate the amount of long-term pleasure they will get from a given object. Sometimes, Loewenstein notes, the way people spend their money can actually make them less happy. (lines 8-10) Possible explanations S’pore context Relevant: Just the consumer electronics industry here can attest to this; spending on upgrading of Apple smartphones from 3Gs to 4 to 4S; disposing of existing LCD for widescreen and 3D monitors, graphics cards in favour of new ones even though all are fully functional; rising number of secondhand computer parts shops is evidence of increasing technology shopping, which ultimately leaves one unhappy and insecure in the face of inability to keep up with the latest. While the tech spending may supposedly be mostly for males, the females display this ‘overestimation of long-term pleasure’ in copious fashion couture purchases and cosmetics. The increase in level of credit card debt is also an indication of less happiness as a result of overspending. Not to relevant: A basic level of income is necessary in Singapore to live a comfortable life. With a median household income of S$6000, anyone earning less would be hard pressed to live comfortably. In wired Singapore, having electronic goods is a necessity and can help attain more happiness in terms of education and interacting with peers. 2 The central problem is that the human brain becomes Relevant: Just looking at government financial decisions which affect the majority of the population after a while, 11 For Internal Circulation Only conditioned to positive experiences. Getting a chunk of unexpected money registers as a good thing, but as time passes, the response wears off. An expected paycheck does not bring any buzz at all  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ and does not contribute to overall happiness. (lines 15-19) Not so relevant: Since the Singapore population composition keeps changing with addition of foreigners, for the majority of the new citizens, this buzz is sustained. As Singaporeans also travel more, they might be more aware of societies which are not as fortunate as Singapore. Relevant: raising a family is universally seen as rewarding; the Government keeps promoting childbearing YET almost the first twenty years of a local child causes much stress for parents – working mothers post-maternity leave and the perennial maid/mother/mother-in-law management; young couples griping about childcare and choice primary schools; until the child is in a choice pri school and moving on to a premier sec sch, the parents put themselves under great duress. There is growing feeling that work-life balance is impossible and people are focusing more on their careers. Not so relevant: Hard to convince for majority local context but there is evidence that a positive change in attitudes to raising children is present, thanks to religious organizations, pro-family policies, national movements e.g. DadsForLife!. There are people who are giving up their careers for the sake of their children. There is also a push for women to return to the workforce after raising their children initially. 4 †¦ happy people tend to have higher incomes later on in their lives. So, while money may not help make people happy, being happy may help them make money. (lines 33-35) Relevant: There are professional who have given up their careers to take up their passions such as opening restaurants and bakeries, and they are doing well. There is an increasing number of entrepreneurs who pursue their passions. The main issue here is that happiness is independent of money and they do not have any links. Not so relevant In 2012, S’pore ranks high in benchmarks of physical comforts – healthiest country in the world, richest country in the world BUT ranks 90th in Happiness Index. Almost the entire local labour force can be on record for having technically higher incomes through their lives but the cost of living never lets up. Singaporeans are not happy or not happy enough but they keep making money anyway. the public becomes numb to the government’s welltimed monetary handouts and utility bill/town council fee reductions; the public expects more consultative engagement for sustained happiness. Recent feedback from the public seems to suggest that people overlook what is good in Singapore and focus on only the negative in terms of healthcare,  transportation, housing, and standards of living. Possible reasons could be a lack of sufficient information about life in other societies and countries. 3 Some of lifes most satisfying experiences do not bring happiness. For instance, having children actually makes people less happy over the short term (lines 26-28) 12

Cultural studies of Organization communication Essay Example for Free

Cultural studies of Organization communication Essay According to Saran and Kalliny (2009), there are many theories which explain the organizational behavior relative to changes in the structures. Saran and Kalliny (2009, para. 4) continue to explain that there are many variables potentially affecting the implementation process including corporate culture issues, such as formalization, decentralization, functional differentiation, leadership, job satisfaction and job involvement and organizational dynamic issues, such as resources and communication. The review of literature about this topic focuses on these key areas by providing historical and contemporary issues that have been captured within the scope of this research. Communication is one of the most essential things that an organization requires to prosper in any market especially during turbulent business environments. Dubrin (1997) was of the opinion that communication is a very important aspect that unites all systems of the organization. Managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders to create an efficient flow of activities. Knowledge management is very vital to managers since the efficient operation of any organization depends on how information is managed. The long term survival of any organization depends on the ability to manage information and knowledge for the efficient communication. People exchange, process and use information through the system of knowledge management (Bakan et al, n. d. ). Organizational structure defines the various divisions within an organization and establishes a system of coordinating the various resources for the achievement of the goals and objectives. Decision making process follows the structure of the organization to ensure all responsible individuals make the appropriate decisions. The managers create a system of collecting information and ideas from all stakeholders during the process of decision making to ensure all parties are included in the decisions of the organization. All the forces to the organization must be considered during the decision making process, that is, environmental forces, technological forces and the strategies being adopted by the organization. The restructuring process must ensure that the managers create systems which make maximum use of the resources available to the organization. The definition of tasks, allocation of different resources and the arrangement of resources as well as tasks should match the structure, goals and objectives of the organization. Organizational structure provides the systems to be followed during division of labor, when delegating authority and responsibilities, when establishing units of command, and the span of control. The structure of the organization defines the strategies to be adopted when delegating authority and responsibilities (Porter, 1985). The use of technology is encouraged in developing organizational structures which match the needs of an organization. The use of information communication technology has increased as the need for efficiency in both private and public corporations intensifies. Technology helps people learn about the use of better knowledge about improving their systems. Good governance in organization requires the establishment of a clear organizational hierarchy to define the roles of each individual involved in the activities of the organization (Wade, 2002). The use of technology has been encouraged by many organizations to adjust the existing structures to fit new strategies that are required for improved performance. When new technologies are adopted, the management must introduce other structures to ensure their implementation takes place efficiently. The people working in an organization need to be educated and persuaded about the new technologies being adopted by the organization to ensure they utilize them for the benefits of all stakeholders (Evan Black, 1967). The technology must be relevant to the goals and objectives of the organization. The organizational factors must be well studied and analyzed to introduce a better system which is in line with all systems of the organization. Increase in technological innovation has attracted much attention especially due to the existence of scarce resources within the organization. Managers reshuffle the workers in their organization as well as creating other structures to ensure the organization adopts the new technologies being introduced (Rogers, 1995). Saran and Kalliny (2009) are of the opinion that implementing new technologies is complex and involves uncertainty. The uncertainty brings about conflicts between different stakeholders of the organization due to the new structures introduced. The uncertainty may create resistance from the people involved in the activities of the organization. The management must conduct adequate research about the best strategies to implement the technologies to ensure minimum resistance emanates from the individuals working in the organization (Rogers, 1995). However, Gill (2003, pg. 316) identified that many organizations do not conduct adequate research before implementing their new technologies and this has led to â€Å"low success rate, given the importance of the same in a very dynamic and ever changing business environment, where customers not only demand new products and services but also newness in the product offering. † Implementing new technologies requires introducing changes within the structure of the organization and behavior change is essential to ensure all stakeholders readily accept the new ideas. Behavior change is difficult where there is uncertainty about the technologies to be adopted. This may hinder implementation of the innovations. Organizations take a longer period to adapt to new changes compared to individuals. Fariborz (1991) suggested that the revolution in technology being observed today requires organizations to integrate the variables of the organization with implementation strategies. He continued to explain that technologies are the main vehicles of change and that individual, organizational and environmental factors affect the implementation of many technologies and innovations. Accepting change is the basis of introducing new technologies within the organization (Saran Kalliny, 2009). For an organization to adapt to new technologies there is need to link the organization to the appropriate technologies which match the structures within the system. The innovations and technologies adapt to the organizational and industrial structures with time and the management must be patient enough to allow the new systems become incorporated into the processes of the organization (Van De Ven, 1986). There is a learning process involved in the adoption of new strategies. The old systems must be done away with to ensure the people do not revert to them. The culture of the organization should be adjusted to accommodate the new changes. Changing the culture requires changing the attitudes and values of the people involved in the activities of the organization. Changing the culture is not an easy thing and many people will become opposed to these strategies since there are gains and losses to many people when new systems are introduced. The culture of an organization defines the values, norms, and attitudes that people have. The management must create structures which match the culture of the organization. The culture determines the best strategies to be adopted by the people working in an organization. The managers have a responsibility to establish a culture which suits the needs of the workers and other stakeholders of the organization (Bridges, 1991). The implementation of innovations and technologies requires a process to ensure all the stakeholders respond to the new systems successfully. The process starts from acquiring knowledge about the new systems, forming attitude about it, adopting or rejecting the new decisions, implementing and confirmation. Until the decisions are implemented, all activities prior to this involve mental processes. The installation of the ideas into real sustainable process is the final stage which determines the success of the management to implement its strategies (Pierce and Delbecq, 1977). Corporate restructuring allows the managers bring changes within the organization to accommodate new and better structures which improve the performance of an organization. The need to globalize domestic markets has forced many organizations to adopt better structures to create new market opportunities, overcome threats from organizations and diffuse models of business that relate to globalization. To improve the costs and revenue structures of the organization, managers have developed variety of objectives to ensure all aspects of management are captured (Jones, 2002). Formalization within the organizational structure provides the procedures to be observed when conducting the various activities by the individuals working in the organization. Organizational hierarchy describes the jobs and the amount of freedom provided to the stakeholders of the organization (Cohn Turyn, 1980). For the effective adoption and implementation of new technologies, the formal structures must be followed when performing duties within the organization. All systems of the organization should be properly coordinated to ensure the implementation of the new ideas is successful (Kim, 1980). Formal procedures are introduced within the organization to reduce stress which may originate from confusion that occurs when systems are not properly coordinated. Formal structures provide the lower level employees of the organization with equal opportunities to avoid discretion in the allocation of duties and rewards. The planning process requires the management to create a properly coordinated system that will bring about successful implementation of new technologies (Zaltman, Duncan Holbek, 1973). The use of communication is expressed in the organizational hierarchy where formal communication procedures are established. All people must adhere to the communication structures that the management has established for effective operation of activities. The organizational chart provides the flow of authority, information and other resources. The managers restructure the organizational structure as need arises and provide new roles to different individuals. Restructuring the organization requires creating a proper system so that all individuals can adjust accordingly (Bakan et al n. d. ; Porter, 1985). The global recession that affected all global economies in the world forced many organizations to adopt new strategies to improve their performance as well as ensure the corporate survival in the global markets. Many organizations have restructured their systems to adapt to the new changes brought about by the effects of the recession. To reduce the increasing costs of production, managers are adopting a downsizing strategy (Harman, 2009). The reduction in sales volume in the global markets provides managers with the decision to create better systems and structures which improve the image of the organization in the global markets (Dewar and Dutton, 1986). Hitt et al (1994) established that over the last two decades, many organizations have carried out extensive re-structuring process to cope with the changing global markets. The media and communications industry has been characterized by increasing competition in both local and global markets. Organizations need to restructure their activities to accommodate the changes in the global markets. Gregory (1999) provides that â€Å"corporate downsizing has been implemented by a large number of American firms in an effort to become more flexible and responsive to increased competition. † The strategy to down size many organizations have not been responsive to the strategy of reducing the costs of production. The impacts of downsizing upon the employees of these companies have been worse. Cases of stress among the remaining employees have been reported by organizations which have used downsizing as a strategy to restructure their systems. Other negative impacts related to downsizing are reduction in career opportunities and reduction in the loyalty to the company by the employees. The loss of very important employees is another risk associated with downsizing organizations (Hitt et al 1994). Decentralization of authority is an important aspect when implementing better hierarchies which ensure the organization is successful in its efforts to create a better structure. Decentralization allows all members of the organization to participate in the decision making process. Employees are able to translate the decisions made by their managers into specific plans of actions. For effective communication, the management should introduce a decentralized system to ensure all members of the organization contribute towards the activities of the organization. Decentralization ensures that all decisions are implemented successfully by establishing different work centers where different individuals can contribute their ideas. Workers are ready to own decisions when they participate in the decision making as well as implementation process (Jones and Jennifer, 2003). Proper leadership strategies within the organization should be adopted when implementing the new technologies. Leadership refers to the ability of the management to influence the subordinates to contribute willingly to the goals of the organization. The managers should have the skills of influencing others to accept the new structures for the success of the organization. Managing change within the organization requires proper leadership skills so that the managers can influence their followers about developing new behaviors to adapt to the new systems of the organization (Robbins, 1998). To ensure the employees accept the new technologies, the management should ensure the employees are satisfied in the jobs assigned to them. Job satisfaction creates the willingness to perform duties without being forced and motivates the employees to improve their performance (Herzberg, Mausner and Synderman, 1959). Functional differentiation allows the management to introduce better systems within the organization. Kimberly and Evansisko (1981, pg. 693) define functional differentiation as a process which represents the extent to which an organization is divided into different units, normally measured by the different number of units under the top management. The extent to which an organization differentiations its structures determines the success in implementing technologies. The communication process is made efficient by a high differentiation of the processes. The top management has the role of ensuring all employees comply with the established rules for the efficient operation of the differentiated units of the organization (Baldridge and Burnham, 1975). To ensure employees are satisfied by the various duties assigned to them, the management should differentiate the organizations units and allocate jobs according to the skills and experience of the individual employees. The use of technology in different units should ensure that the subordinates are allocated the appropriate units to avoid conflicts (Ahls, 2001). Bibliography Ahls, B. , 2001. Organizational behavior: A model for cultural change. Ind. Manage. , 43: 6-9. Bakan, I. , Tasliyan, M, Buyukbese, T. , Eraslan, I. H Coskun, M (n. d. ). Organizational communications: the role of information technology (it). Retrieved 5 June 2010 from; http://www. iamot. org/conference/index. php/ocs/4/paper/view/624/127. Baldridge, J. and R. Burnham, (1975). Organizational innovation: Individual, organizational and environmental impacts. Admin. Sci. Q. , 20: 165-176. Bridges, W. , 1991. Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. 1st Edn. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. , Massachusetts. Cohn, S. F. and R. M. Turyn, (1980). The structure of a firm and the adoption of process innovations. IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage. , 27: 98-102. Dewar, R. D. and J. E. Dutton, (1986). The adoption of radical and incremental innovations: An empirical analysis. Manage. Sci. , 32: 1422-1433. Dubrin, A. J. (1997). Essentials of management, South-Western College Publishing, Ohio. Evan, W. M. and G. Black, (1967). Innovation in business organizations: Some factors associated with success or failure of staff proposals. J. Business, 40: 516-530. Fariborz, D. , (1991). Organizational innovation: A meta-analysis of effects of determinants and moderators. Acad. Manage. J. , 34: 555-590. Gill, R. , (2003). Change management-or change leadership? J. Change Manage. , 3: 307-318. Harman, Chris Zombie (2009). Capitalism: Global Crisis and the Relevance of Marx / London: Bookmarks Publications. ISBN 9781905192533 Herzberg, F. , B. Mausner and B. B. Synderman, (1959). The Motivation to Work. 1st Edn Wiley, New York. Hitt, Michael A. , Barbara W. Keats, Herbert F. Harback, and Robert D. Nixon (1994). Rightsizing: Building and Maintaining Strategic Leadership and Long-Term Competitiveness, Organizational Dynamics, 23:2, 18-32 Gregory, Jannifer (1999). â€Å"Encouraging Organizational Learning Through Pay after a Corporate Downsizing†. [emailprotected]@gement, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 163-181. Jones, Marc T. (17 Apr 2002). Globalization and organizational restructuring: A strategic perspective. Thunderbird International Business Review, Volume 44, Issue 3 (p 325-351). Jones, R. G. and M. G. Jennifer, 2003. Contemporary Management. 1st Edn. McGraw-Hill, Irwin, California. Kim, L. , 1980. Organizational innovation and structure. J. Business Res. , 8: 225-245. Kimberly, J. R. and M. J. Evansisko, (1981). Organizational innovation: The influence of individual, organizational and contextual factors on hospital adoption of technological and administrative innovations. Acad. Manage. J. , 24: 689-713. Pierce, J. L. and A. L. Delbecq, (1977). Organization structure individual attitudes and innovation. Acad. Manage. Rev. , 2: 27-37. Porter, M. E. , 1985. Competitive Advantage. 1st Edn. Free Press, New York. Robbins, S. P. , 1998. Organizational Behavior. 1st Edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Rogers, E. M. , 1995. Diffusion of Innovations. 3rd Edn. , Free Press, New York. Saran, A. , L. Serviere M. Kalliny, (2009). Corporate culture, organizational dynamics and

Shyness And Awkwardness In Everyday Encounters Psychology Essay

Shyness And Awkwardness In Everyday Encounters Psychology Essay Maybe at the bus, or the lobby of a dental clinic, or even while waiting for that delicious fill of coffee, those are some of the times that you find yourself looking at the ceiling, checking your phone for that unread message or even noticing how exceptionally elegant are the wrinkles of your hands. In less than ten minutes, you have already analyzed all the posters glued to the metal stool, and you can name by heart every one of the magazines sitting on the lobby table. That is when you try to start a nonchalant conversation with the stranger standing next to you, but suddenly you feel uncomfortable as you are preoccupied with concerns about your self-presentation. This discomfort or inhibition in interpersonal situations is defined as shyness. It can be described as a form of excessive self-focus, and preoccupation of ones thoughts, feelings and even physical reactions. Shy people tend to feel uncomfortable and awkward in social situations. They try to abide to the rules of social interactions, but emotional and physical inhibitions prevent them from doing so. Shy individuals, contrary to the common belief, are not introverts. Introverts prefer being alone and enjoy the lack of human interaction. On the other hand, shy individuals crave for human interaction and social recognition as a part of a group. However, their self-consciousness and often the lack of assertiveness prompt them to give up opportunities to socialize. They are extroverts, but they handicap themselves by not entering social groups or speaking to strangers, and subsequently pass up the chances to practice the social skills necessary for a social rehabilitation. Being shy can be painful to watch, and even more disturbing to experience. Shyness can lead to the most awkward situations. American adolescents have hard-won expertise in this issue with their unadorned exclamation Awkward!, trying to ease the tension of the most uncomfortable situations. Furthermore, there are tons of self-help books to deal with awkward co-workers, and also on weekends or holidays we must face the awkwardness of the family gatherings, where people connected by blood kinship cannot share the most innocuous opinions without risking emotional or physical tension. Men are uncomfortable at seduction, knowing that an unwelcoming approach will result to rejection- a discomforting situation- and women never know if making the first move will be considered as a welcome relief or a manifestation of castrating pushiness. Our lives are all filled with examples of awkwardness, which we avoid by individualizing ourselves. Socially awkward or shy individuals often withhold their objective opinions in the pursuit of avoiding a potential discomfort, further building the barrier between them and other participants in social interactions. We so much despise the feeling of awkwardness that we develop techniques or rituals to avoid the aforementioned situations. These techniques are often executed subconsciously and are interconnected with the self-reflection process which hinders socially-awkward people from being socially active in a group of people. Avoiding eye contact followed by texting or calling from a cell phone, or intentionally revealing the cable of your headphones are some of the techniques used to create a barrier between human interactions. Other techniques like slightly leaning towards someone, grunting or laughing aloud while reading a joke in the newspaper are examples of indirect approach of shy individuals, who on the other hand try to participate in social occasions. In general, it is believed that most people arent comfortable being observed or approached. This is connected to the insecurity and low self-esteem that embodies a lot of socially awkward individuals, and also to the upbringing or culture of others. Some cultures of the East do not allow unmarried women to interact with men, and others even prohibit women from being in public without a spousal or blood-related male companion. On the other hand, western cultures raise their children to be more independent and support social interactions between them and their peers. It can be inferred that responses to shyness are not universal, for example shyness is negatively associated with peer acceptance in the United States of America, but positively in China. Leaving aside the cultural factors, even small things, such as the directions of the chairs in an auditorium or in a bus facing towards the front of the stage or the vehicle respectively, with no overlapping visual field between the peop le seated- play a substantial role in forming, or preventing social connections. Although the research of shyness is relative new, researchers have been able to discover the social behaviors and the factors that influence the phenomenon of social awkwardness and shyness. Shyness seems to be a form of social anxiety, where the shy individual may experience a range of feelings from mild anxiety in the presence of unfamiliar individuals to panic attacks with more serious symptoms for the individual. Additional research shows that there are different kinds of shyness. Buss, writer of the book Personality: temperament, social behavior and the self (1995), argues that there are only two of this phenomena: anxious shyness and self- conscious shyness. The differences between these two can be summarized to the time of appearance, type of emotion or feelings generated, and the immediate or enduring causes. Buss states that the events that evoke the two kinds of shyness are different. The  primary causes of anxious shyness can be grouped into two categories. The first is novelty  of persons, environment and social role. The second is evaluation, which occurs because the situation is structured that way or because of failed self-presentation. He further reiterates that the immediate causes of self-conscious shyness are more complex, involving conspicuousness, breach of privacy, others actions and ones own social mistakes. Although it is almost unbelievable to think that shyness is genetically inherited, Buss states that anxiously shy people are most probably born that way. The inheritance may be a direct inheritance of a certain gene or the combination of inherited traits that are genetically expressions of low sociability. Also, he argues that attachment in the infancy causes low self-confidence and renders anxiously shy people sensitive to evaluation. Children from the moment of birth, tend to be curious beings. From the early stages of their lives, they express curiosity towards the human body and the environment surrounding them: babies try to reach and touch their parents face, are caught at staring at certain individuals, et cetera. These practices, however, are slowly suppressed, while the social norms trample over the so-called childrens curiosity as the children grow up. On the other hand, overly attached children show signs of anxious shyness from the very beginning of their lives: certain b abies cry when strangers touch them or when they are taken away from their parents, children of ages 1-2 hide behind their parent when a stranger is approaching, et cetera. In the attempt of researching in depth the phenomenon of shyness Pilkonis, a researcher from Stanford University, designed an examination to investigate the differences between shy and non-shy individuals. To assess possible gender differences in the manifestation of shyness, both males and females were included as subjects. In a research by Pilkonis, shy people often report that their anxiety is evoked by ambivalent situations in which they are unsure about how to behave. In addition, one would anticipate the presence of a stranger during an anxiety-arousing task to hamper the performance of a shy person; therefore, the presence or absence of a confederated during the delivery of the speech was also varied (Pilkonis, 1977). In  the  research, differences among shy subjects themselves were also explored. A shy individual has yielded two major types: those persons who are privately shy and focus on internal events in describing their shyness, and those who are publicly shy and reg ard their behavioral deficiencies as more critical aspects of their shyness (Pilkonis, 1977). For research purposes, students enrolled in a psychology course at Stanford University participated in the experiment. Subjects were selected from opposite extrema of the shyness continuum on the basis of responses to a short form of the Stanford Shyness Survey that had been administered during a class hour. The procedures for this study were confederates, opposite-sex interaction, interaction with the experimenter, and development and delivery of speech. One of the inferences of the research was that one of the major differences between shy and not shy people is the ability of the latter to initiate and build conversations. During the opposite-sex interaction, people who were not shy showed a shorter latency to their first utterance, spoke more frequently, and spoke for a larger percentage of the time. They allowed fewer silences to develop and were willing to break a larger percentage of the silences which did occur. (Pilkonis, 1977). Shy objects reported themselves to be more nervous when delivering their speeches and also to be more nervous when doing their speeches. Despite their greater anxiety, shy participants delivered speeches which were not judged to be poorer on any of the evaluative dimensions (Pilkonis, 1977). According to the experiment, shyness seemed to be less relevant in the structure of preparing and delivering the speech than unstructured interpersonal encounter. An experiment of self-reported shy and not shy persons revealed huge differences between the two groups in verbal behavior. Both situational factors and sex of participant influenced the expression of shyness. But also within the realms of the shy group, behavioral and affective differences between publicly and privately shy subjects emerged, providing further evidence for the validity of this distinction. But when are shy people going to resort, where their craving for human interaction reaches its climax? The answer is the internet. Social networking, and tons of other free means of online communication such as chat rooms, have given the opportunity to shy individuals to socialize without the limits of social inhibitions present in the real life. Research shows that shy people feel much less inhibited in social interaction online than they do offline, and consequently they are able to form a number of online relationships. Clark and Leung indicated that the higher the tendency of being addicted to the Internet, the shyer the person is. This correlation of internet addiction and social shyness is statistically correct, but the reliability of the inferences of the study regarding these distinctions is not very high. However, nobody can deny that the internet has hindered social inhibitions but instead of closing the gap of communication between shy and non-shy individuals, it has actua lly widened it through fake personas of the internet scene.

Narrative Criticism of McPhee :: Monopoly New Jersey Essays

Narrative Criticism of McPhee "Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars." We’ve all heard these phrasesfromthe board game Monopoly. Monopoly, however, isn’t merely a game.It wasbased on an actual city. "The Search for Marvin Gardens" tells of Monopoly’s relation to Atlantic City, NJ. In this narrative criticism I will examine several main characteristics of the piece. In doing so, I will try to answer the question, "How has Atlantic City changed due to a greedy, capitalistic attitude?" I believe that this question makes a good connection to thepiece’s description of the changes in the features of the city. "The Search forMarvin Gardens" is a section of the book Pieces of the Frame byJohn McPhee. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux published the piece in 1975. Thecomposition itself is fifteen pages long. It tells of Monopoly’s connectionsto a realworld location, Atlantic City, NJ. In order to write a narrative criticism of McPhee’s "The Search for Marvin Gardens",I firstread and gave a comprehensive examination of the narrative. To dothis,I looked at several characteristics of the piece. I decided that thesetting,the characters, and the theme were the most important characteristicstothis piece. Other characteristics such as the narrator, events, temporalrelations, casual relations, and audience are not quite as important inmycriticism of this piece. To look at the important characteristics, youmustask yourself questions about the piece. How does the setting changethroughoutthe piece? How does the setting relate to the plot and characters?How isthe setting created? Who are the main characters? What are the physicalandmental traits of the characters? What is the major theme of the narrative?There are several other questions you may ask, but they do not prove asrelevantto this piece. The aforementioned questions are significant becausethey helpanswer t he research question. A participant in a game of Monopoly narrates the piece. He not only pictures the game board. He sees the corresponding locations in Atlantic City. The plot line ofthe story follows the narrator in search of Marvin Gardens. Along the wayhe sees the difference between the way things were, and the way they usedto be. In "The Search for Marvin Gardens", there are basically four physical settings: the Monopoly tournament, Marvin Gardens, Atlantic City of the past, and Atlantic Cityin the 1970s. McPhee alternates between the settings with great regularity,and the tempo of the story is constantly changing.

The World of Technical and Professional Writing Essay -- Ethics Morals

The World of Technical and Professional Writing As technical writing grows into a more common discipline, complicated questions concerning ethical standards seem to present themselves more frequently. Much of what is written by a technical writer will need to appeal to individuals of varying situational backgrounds, and in this day of intense political correctness and moral responsibility, it is important to remember the ethical and other cultural issues associated with writing for diverse groups of people. Perhaps the foremost ethical question that presents itself to technical writers revolves around the question â€Å"What makes a piece of writing acceptable to one’s audience?† On the surface, this is a seemingly uncomplicated thought. Unfortunately, however, it is one that few professional writers attempt to answer. This question can be approached by remembering that the ultimate goal of any form of writing is to spark an interest in the reader that will cause she or he to want to follow the writer’s thoughts to the end of the work. One way to ensure that the audience will remain attentive is to refrain from offending those who have expressed a desire to read your words. This issue is largely a matter of ethics and one that can harm or assist one’s career in technical writing. Alienation of one’s audience defeats the purpose of the work that accompanied the research and writing of the text in the first place. If technical writers sim ply exercise empathy and remember a few ethical and commonsensical ideas, they will find themselves far more successful in their chosen field. When examining the ethical issues involved in the rapidly growing field of technical writing, it may be helpful to beg... ...so factors a technical writer should consider, as he or she wants to be certain that what is written comes across to the audience in the spirit in which it was intended. As one can see, ethics are an integral aspect of this field. Their careful observation will certainly help to ensure the dignity of technical writers, as well as the profession itself, for many years to come. Works Cited Anderson, Paul V. â€Å"Simple Gifts: Ethical Issues in the Conduct of Person-Based Composition Research." College Composition and Communication 49.1 (1998): 63-87. Pearsall, Thomas E., Donald H. Cunningham, and Elizabeth O. Smith. How to Write for the World of Work. 6th Ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2000. Pickett, Nell Ann, Ann A. Laster, and Katherine E. Staples. Teaching English: Writing, Reading and Speaking. 8th Ed. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.

A Place Where the Sea Remembers †Short Story Essay

In A Place Where the Sea Remembers, Sandra Benitez invites us into a mesmerizing world filled with love, anger, tragedy and hope. This rich and bewitching story is a bittersweet portrait of the people in Santiago, a Mexican village by the sea. Each character faces a conflict that affects the course of his or her life. The characters in this conflict are Remedios, la curandera of the small town who listens to people’s stories and gives them advice, Marta, a 16 year old teenage girl, who was raped and became pregnant. Chayo is Marta’s big sister and Calendario is Chayo’s husband. Justo Flores, his conflict is person vs. self. One of the most important conflicts in this story is person vs. person, then person vs. supernatural followed by person vs. self. Marta was raped at a young age, so she wants to have an abortion. As she talks about it, Calendario, her brother in-law promises her that he and Chayo would take care of her baby when he is born, for he has been promoted to the salad maker in town. But everything changes when Chayo and Calendario are blessed with a child that they thought they would never have. Since Chayo is about to have a baby of her own, she refuses to take care of Marta’s baby. Marta’s dream is to go to El Paso. She goes to see Calendario and she finds out that her own sister did not want to take care of her child because she is having one of her own. So that is when the conflict person vs. person begins between Marta and Chayo. When Chayo finds out about her sister’s betrayal they do not speak for years. There are hard feelings going on between them throughout the story. Marta has a second conflict, person vs. supernatural. Marta goes to see Remedios, la Curandera, to help her with her problem. Remedios knows what happened to Marta even before she speaks. She knows that she was raped on the beach against her will. When Marta tells her about her problem and asks if she could help her Remedios refuses. Marta, disappointed about her sister’s selfishness, goes to el brujo to put a spell on her sister’s son. Marta regrets doing that and goes to Remedios to undo the spell. Chayo still thinks the curse is there after four years. Marta takes care of her own child, and learns how to deal with the fact he came from a rape but in the end there is a twist of fate. Remedios has seen Marta’s future. She knows that her child is going to die; she sees this when the boy was in his mother’s womb. The conflict of person vs. person begins with Don Justo Flores. Each day he goes to the beach where people beach pay him to see his birds perform tricks. Don Justo is a lonely man but he has a story. He had two wives and five children, including Justina, his first, and Ernestina, his fifth. Suddenly he receives a telegraph; he suspects it is bad news but he cannot read. He hopes the telegraph is from Justina saying all is forgiven. So as he walks on the beach as usual, he finds a girl named Rita and asks her to pick her fortune. Don Justo asks the guy next to her to read him the telegraph. The guy tells him it is bad news after he reads, â€Å"Come home at once, papa Justina is gone from us.†(A Place Where the Sea Remembers, Sandra Benitez, p. 108) So he gathers his things and goes to town for tequila and he blames himself for not being a good father and not being there for Justina when she was a little girl. He remembers allowing his second wife to push Justina out of the hou se; he cannot stand the pain. Whether we like it or not, conflict is a part of everyday lives. It can happen to anyone, from your friends to your family. Often it is not the fact that conflict occurs, but how it is dealt with, how people react to it. After being touched by conflict, people can evolve and build strong relationships. However, conversely many people can also suffer and be influenced. Therefore, in some ways conflict can be commendable, and some ways it can be brutal. Often conflict is violent, negative and destructive. However, this is not always so. There are times where conflict can bring unexpected qualities from people change a person for the better. Humans are stubborn. In A Place where the Sea Remembers, Marta and Chayo are experiencing person vs. person conflict. If the sisters understood each other and accepted that each other’s perspective is different, but not wrong, there would not have been any conflict.

The Historical Biography of Martin Luther

It is obviously important to note that society has evolved and that the issues of the sixteenth century although dictated by time are not all that different than what our schools face today. There may not have been a separation of church and state but there was a need for educational reformation. â€Å"It is sometimes forgotten that the Reformation was as much concerned with school as it was with church and home. Appreciating the role of education in directing church and society back to the source of the Christian faith, the reformers were committed to the schooling of the young. (Faber, 1998) There is no doubt that Martin Luther appreciated the structured approach of schools since one of his first official acts as a reformer was an attempt to convert existing monasteries schools. â€Å"For Luther, of course, education was grounded in the study of Scripture, a study that was to take place both within homes and schools. Committed by the First Amendment to separation of church and state and to freedom of religious expression, pluralistic America of the twenty- first century is very different from Luther†s Germany of the sixteenth century. (Harran, 2004) Many of the underlying foundation of the modern public schools systems around the world owe a great deal to the sixteenth century Reformation and Martin Luther. â€Å"In home, school, church, and community, fostering that awareness and understanding is the purpose of education and the responsibility of educators. No challenge is more urgent than empowering young people courageously to step into the stream of human events, refusing to stand upon the shore as bystanders. (Harran, 2004) Who better to use as a scholar for this particular work. I believe that Martin Luther would agree with the notion that our graduates should not only have a desire for collaboration, but should also strive to develop the bonds within a school†s collaborative learning environment. Luther lived in a time where only the wealthy or well connected received an education. This class isolationism went against the philosophies of today where diversity and interdependent social cultures strive to exist. In opposition to those who saw education as the privilege of only a few, Luther argued vociferously for compulsory education for all, recognizing the value of each individual before God. In an age in which only a few could afford to attend school and women received little if any education, Luther eloquently argued for expanding educational opportunities. † (Harran, 2004) Luther believed that a universal educational opportunity offered more to society and that mass education would be more advantageous because of the fact that it offered more collaborative opportunities. In the words of Martin Luther, â€Å"My dear sirs, if we have to spend such large sums every year on guns, roads, bridges, dams and countless similar items to insure the temporal peace and prosperity of a city, why should not much more be devoted to the poor neglected youth? † (Harran, 2004) Luther believed that society would benefit if more individuals were given the opportunity to improve themselves and he also seemed to understand that this process should include more collaborative educational methods. I also agree with the idea of collaborative educational methods and goals. I also believe that as teachers, we should promote the idea of students working together so they can learn from one another and at the same time extend their willingness and ability to interact and learning outside of the classroom. Today†s kids need PDA†s and other technology just to keep up with their own and friend†s busy schedules. Between commuting, extra curricular activities and homework, students may find that it is hard to coordinate with their peers. That is why we as teachers must create scenarios that promote togetherness through properly applying classroom settings, the use of technology and sound planning to eliminate the barriers of collaboration. It is a teachers responsibility to create an atmosphere that provides a comfortable setting for contribution by all, enable collaboration without regard to time or place and to help students learn from each other no matter what their diverse backgrounds might be. Luther was an advocate of a well conceived educational process. Writing in times far different than ours, Luther underscored the importance of a curriculum that truly engages young people and that inspires them to a genuine love of learning in all its many forms. † (Harran, 2004) This atmosphere can only occur if the teachers and administrative entities support critical self-reflection by the teachers. Teachers can only provide curriculums that engage if they themselves are up to date in their personal reflections and educations. I also agree with the fact that self awareness, professional development and personal achievement by teachers are areas that are critical to the success of the entire educational process. Professional development for example can be considered important in the realm of critical self-reflection because it is a vital piece of the teaching puzzle. Teachers who evaluate their needs and performance can use professional development opportunities to stay current with the new or available practices in teaching, learning and presentation. Consider that a large number of math teachers simply place far too much influence and credence on outdated text books and techniques. â€Å"Even while educators work to reduce the dominance of text-based learning in mathematics classrooms, publishers and teachers need to explore new modes of publication that will enable good innovative ideas to enter expeditiously into typical classroom practice. † (National Research Council 1989, p. 67) Self reflection will provide opportunities to change. Martin Luther and his reformers were the most social conscious individuals of their time. The reformations that he promoted were basically social justice reformations. Luther believed that the existing class system was not fair and that all classes should receive the opportunity for an education. â€Å"Not only would the state benefit from a reformed education, but also – and especially – the church. † (Faber, 1998) In the sixteenth century, those who could not read or write were forced to learn their religious scriptures form the religiously factions thus putting the poor and uneducated at a distinct disadvantage. Luther promoted that all individuals be educated and therefore eliminate those social injustices. Similar to the unfair class separation of Luther†s times, I believe we must address the social injustices of our times. â€Å"Schools in the United States face a multiplicity of challenges, from gaining adequate funds to hiring well-qualified and dedicated teachers to meeting the ever-increasing obligations of state-mandated testing to determining policy about such complex issues as bi-lingual education. † (Harran, 2004) We today face the distinction of having schools in poor urban areas that have no books, are literally unsafe, have no clean running water and certainly few to no good teachers while less than a mile down there could be an affluent school with a plethora of extras and well manicured lawns. Social justice always boils down to the haves and the have not†s. Consider the differentiation with the technology have line today. Schools that can afford new technology have it in abundance and every child has access to the internet and other educational tools. But, in our urban communities there are whole high schools that may only have five or six computers and those are for administrative applications. Today we are more adept at working with the special needs of race, ethnicity, class, cultural and linguistic diversity, religion, gender, sexuality and special needs. In Martin Luther†s sixteenth century, diversity was focused more on the differences between rich and poor and religious preference was a one way street. So when he wrote or worked to reform the system, he was trying to incorporate those who were considered to be the minorities of their time. Yet, whether the differences were color or religion is not relevant. The key is that there was a need for reform with the existing process just like we have a need for change in our modern day educational process. â€Å"The need for educational reform was urgent at the beginning of the sixteenth century. At that time there existed no school system as such, and teaching was often limited to the children of wealthy merchants and city rulers. In many places the Roman Catholic church supervised the training of the youth in monasteries, cloisters, and other church-run institutions. But these were falling into disrepute and disrepair, as the populace reacted against the corruption and abuses among the clergy. † (Faber, 1998) Today, research covering the effects of diversity in the classroom show how and why effective teaching can be linked to the ability of instructors to incorporate diversity into their classrooms. These studies repeatedly show that there is a direct correlation between a child†s attitude towards his or her race and ethnic grouping and other cultural groups from as early as the preschool years. In other words, young children develop their stereotypes in the classroom or in the home environment at very early ages. Teachers can therefore help reduce or hopefully even eliminate negative stereotypes by being diversity conscious themselves. Through the use of culturally sensitive class initiatives for example, teachers have an opportunity to establish more positive examples for their students. â€Å"Researchers agree that new models of professional development are needed, and that such models must include a focus on the development of local cultures of interest if they are to be sustainable. (Swan, Vargas, & Holmes, 2004) In conclusion, this paper was on Martin Luther and also my interpretations of his views on the treatise of scholarship and education. From Luther†s point of view, this report attempted to propose possible reforms in the area of curriculum. The report was formatted in the form of an action plan that articulated my personal philosophies of teaching and identified with Martin Luther as my selected scholar. Issues addressed were the educational and conceptual frameworks of collaboration, social justice, diversity and critical self-reflection. Obviously Martin Luther appreciated the structured approach of schools since one of his first official acts as a reformer was to convert existing monasteries into schools. This may even be the underlying foundation of all modern public schools systems around the world. Who could be a better scholar for this particular project. â€Å"There is no denying the huge gap between the sixteenth century and the twenty- first. Luther†s Germany was overwhelmingly Christian; he could look to the state to further the agenda of Christian education, although he insisted that the responsibility for education was not solely, or even primarily, the responsibility of government. We live in a very different world from that of Luther. The United States is rich in cultural and religious diversity, and, from an early age, children experience that diversity and multiplicity of religious traditions and values in school and community. † (Harran, 2004)