Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Research Methadology
Research Topic Linking enhanced employee performance to the achievement of the companyââ¬â¢s goals and objectives so as to generate increased productivity: The case of ââ¬Å"SUBWAYâ⬠, Rathbone Place. Submitted by LOKEMAN HOSAIN MOLLAH ID ââ¬â 0385VLVL0209 MBA-A Submitted to DR. BERNADETTE WARNER Submission date 26 august 2009 Acknowledgement First of all, I would like to take an opportunity to say thanks to Dr. Bernadette Warner who has vast knowledge about business strategy and international business, which is helpful to complete this proposal. Also I would like to say thanks to Mr Hmant Dixit, the operational director of ââ¬Å"SONISH LTDâ⬠who helped me a lot to get information about subway and the employees of Subway in Rathbon Place, London. And I would like to give special thanks to Mr. Mamunur Roshed, area Manager,Sonish Ltd and Mr. Arifur Rahaman, Store Manager, Rathbonr Place for their cordial support. Table of contents Introduction Topic area Problem statement Background and purpose of the research Literature review Aims and Objectives of the research Research Questions Research Design and Methodology Sources and acquisition of data Data analysis Timetable About Subway Conclusion 1. Introduction In todayââ¬â¢s business become more globalize, and competitive, for this reason it is very essential to find out a ways to make our organizational resources more creative and productive. In many organizations, the most important and exclusive resource is employee and as a result, a lot of time is spent on creating processes and conditions that drive and motivate our employees. And if we can motivate and encourage our employee then their performance will be good which is very important for an organization. Increasing employee performance can achieve maximum business performance, for this reason every individual employee has to work at their optimal level and be focused on the correct tasks. Effective Employee Performance Management (EPM) adoption empowers employees to take responsibility for their own productivity, and allows a business to fully align goals, activities and tasks to support the direction of the company. Employee Performance Management helps organizations improve both the processes and the productivity of managing a workforce. In most service organizations, attrition is critical to consistent performance and success. Employee Performance Management strategies can help your organization make dramatic business performance improvements and yield tremendous benefits beyond cost reductions. 2. Topic area The topic area is to cover the employee performance at Subway to achieve the companyââ¬â¢s objectives and productivity This research will conduct correlate the gaps in individual performance and organizational productivity, with the environment that exists in Subway. 3. Problem statement To stay in a global market, organization need to have very high performing, productive, and motivated workforce ( Madhok & Phene , 2001 ) . However , the problem is that organization have not been able to effectively tap into and leverage the full potential of individuals, to enable them to operate at their peak / optimized level of performance. Consequently, most employees are under performing in organizations. The inability of an organization to use the full potential of an employeeââ¬â¢s capacity has had a negative impact on the overall productivity and competitiveness organizations in a global market. (Check land, 1999). 4. Background and purpose of the research The purpose of this research is to determine how organization could become more productive, and thus competitive, by enabling their employees to raise their overall level of performance and productivity, and assist employees to operate at high level of capacity by adopting the best practices of top performing employees in the organization. Building on the work on Pratt and Foreman (2000), the author was interest in determining, in a systematic and holistic manner, the impact of any interrelated organizational factors or entities that had a positive or negative impact on individual performance. The present research initiated to address a key organizational issue and leveraged a number of fundamental questions ââ¬â First, how can organization become capable of sustained high performance? Second, can organizations leverage the full potential of their employees? Third why do most employees in organizations work at 60% of the full capacity? Finally, why most employees about 90% of the total workforce, considered to be typical employees? (Boyett & Conn, 1995). We need a comprehensive approach to a style of management that enables every employee to aspire to excellence. Now only a few employees are excellent. Most employees are performing below their capacity and our piecemeal efforts to improve performance arenââ¬â¢t working. (Boyett & Conn, 1995) 5. Literature review In the literature review will provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature on individual performance, organizational productivity, and connection that may exist between these two. This overview will include a review and analysis of the seminal books and articles as well as many of the most current books and articles on the subject. In a general and broad sense, this review revealed that individual performance and organizational productivity can be affected by five key factors: leadership /management, the nature of the job itself, the environment of the job, personal drivers or factors and the individualââ¬â¢s emotional intelligence. When observed in isolation, each of these factors can have a positive or negative impact on individual performance. However, when combined and observed holistically it quickly becomes apparent to this that the leadership/ management factor can have a positive or negative impact on how the other four factors are shaped . The section that immediately follows will briefly introduce each of these five factors followed by a section that is devoted to exploring these five factors in greater detail. 5. 1Management / Leadership Elements and impact Numerous studies have shown that management and leadership style, practices and approach can have an influence on individual performance and motivation. (Khaliq, 2001) Leader ship has been defined as, the ability to influence or inspire others to do something that needs to be done. It is instilling in each employee a sense of belonging and commitment towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of the organization and leaders are the catalysts that stimulate employees to develop their potential to the full. This section will provide Comprehensive review of the role, the significance, and the effect of management and / or leadership practices on individual performance, motivation and their overall development in organizations. A comprehensive review of the current literature includes recent books and articles that deal with this subject . Finally this review will include the various leadership and management styles approaches and characteristics that have a profound impact on individual motivation and performance. (Khaliq, 2001, p. 5) Khaliq (2001), compared the motivational and performance factors of the workforce in the United States to that of the Malay, Chinese and Indian workers employed by the Malaysian companies. He concluded many of the leadership approaches that dealt with the concepts of openness, direct confrontation nd / or challenging the process were in direct opposition to many of eastern cultures values and behaviours. In sense khaliq points out that many ethnic and cultural parameters may also have a significant effect on how individuals are motivated, committed and become productive in organizations. Motivation is closely related to leading nurturing a willingness to achieve the above mentioned vision and mission of the organization. Leaders can motivate their employees by creating an environment wh ere work is seen as enriching and fulfilling, thus encouraging employees to contribute ideas and effort in order to enhance productivity. Khaliq, 2000, p. 2. ) 5. 2 Job specific elements and impact The leadership / management factors and the kind of positive or negative effect it had on performance and organizational productivity. The section that follows will review the significance and impact of the job itself and the type of day to day tasks performed by the individuals on their performance, motivation and energy level and overall organizational productivity. The nature of the job, the daily tasks performed by an employee and the manner in which tasks assigned to the individual can also influence performance. , motivational level and organizational productivity Some jobs have lot of beginnings and endings during the day with the opportunity for employees to win or lose. ( positive or negative consequences ). But unfortunately the prevailing situation is that most jobs are just doing this hour what you did the last hour without any immediate consequence for performance . And few workers are running around complimenting other workers for the good they are doing. That leaves the managers as the only source of positive consequence (positive reinforcement) to employees for performing well any day. ( Fournies , 2000, p. 78) . The degree of motivational potential of any specific job, then, dramatically influenced by how a person views the job he or she is given, including how assignments are organized, structured and managed. Even a high pressure situation, IT professionals report that work is exciting when they are having fun doing it. In some sense, then, highly motivating work assignments should be similar the kind of activities people might chose to do for fun on their own. (Kartz, 1998, p. 1) 5. 3 Environmental elements and impact The stability or volatility of the work environment ( e. g the degree of office conflicts , power place ) can have a negative influence on the individuals anxiety level, performance and their overall motivation to perform well at work. We used to think we could separate the soft stuff from the hard stuff ââ¬â the soft staffs was our commitment to the work force. The hard stuff ââ¬â what really mattered. Now we know you canââ¬â¢t get the staff out the door unless your employees are 100 percent committed and free of home life distraction. And the way get them there is simple. You do every thing you can to help them those life issues, so work and family can coexist successfully. ( Mechelen , 1998 , p. 6) . 5. 4 Personal / internal Elements and impact Personal factors or elements are internal and often silent motivational variables that can drive human behavior to act in certain way. For example a cultural or religious motivator (e. . Work being equal) may cause an employee to give it their all, deliver more quality work relative to their peers, and become creative. As second example an employee who is seeking promotion is more likely to work an and communicate better, establish better relationship and work harder compared to another co worker who was just recently promoted. Weiss (1936) points out that individual are driven on the basis of five categories of human needs that he refers to as Murrayââ¬â¢s categories. These categories were named after Henry A. Murray). Murray (1938 )named five specific categories of needs self fulfillment (achievement and endurance) , social needs ( affiliation and love) , ego needs ( exhibitionism and independence), safety needs ( avoidance of harm) , and power needs ( control). These needs indicate that many individuals are often motivated by strong desires and factors. Thus we trying to enhance or raise individual performance, managerââ¬â¢s needs to be sensitive to these human needs and understand that individuals are typically goal oriented and strive to concurrently satisfy many internal needs. There fore managers needs to search for internal drivers and try to ensure that they provide appropriate motivators and inceptives that will address these needs. (Murray , 1938) 5. 5 Emotional intelligence elements and impact An individual emotional intelligence can contribute to how he or she performs at work, how the individuals relate to others and the overall productivity of the organization. ( Johnson & Indvik, 1999; mason , 1999;)A person with high emotional intelligence has the ability to understood and relate to people. In fact this skill is now considered to have greater impact on individual and group performance. That traditional measures of intelligence such as IQ. when emotional intelligence is present , there is a increased employee cooperation , increased motivation , increased productivity and increased profits . (Johnson & Indvik ,1999 , p. 1) . People wit well developed emotional skills are also more likely to be content and effective on their lives, mastering the habits of mind that foster their own productivity. People who cannot marshal some control over their emotional life fight inner battles that sabotage their ability for focused work and clear thought. (Goldman, 1994, p36) 6. Aims and Objectives of the research It is expected that this research will have a direct impact on the management community by defining methods of developing top performing employees . This work will address the significant issues of individual performance , organizational productivity , and the link between two. As a long term objective, this research will provides a number solid answer to age old problems of productivity and employee motivation, and establish a set of principles that will be applicable to most work groups in organizations. In the interim, this study intends to provide a report in the form of a process for improvement that can be applied in the field by management. Especially this study has some major benefits. First it will identify and document any common factors that have a positive impact on individual performance. Second, by identifying and documenting the common variables or factors that may exist among low performers in an organizations , it is expected that management can be assisted in identifying areas of deficiency and consequently develop employees to improve low performance, raise morale, and reduce the potential for burnout in their organizations. And also it is expected that the result of this research will be translated into a corporate training program that will enable a typical or average employee to raise his or her performance by adopting the best practices used by the top or star performers in the organization. Finally researcher expectation that the aforementioned concepts and findings will be applicable to the Subway. It is further expected that the findings of this research will be the subject of the future study. 7. Research Questions This study is to address a fundamental question: What are the common factors or best practices used by the top performing employees in organizations? Examples of these common factors were perceived employee- manager working relationships, Leadership or management, top individual motivators or de-motivators, environmental elements and any best known practices. For further clarification this fundamental question can be further broken down into a number of sub questions: Were the identified common factors between high performers the same factors that the low performers were deficient and lacking? From the perspective of individual motivational factors, what would be the management perspective compared to that of the employee perception? Finally are there any discrepancies or gaps between the manager and top performer perceptions or beliefs? 9. Research Design and Methodology Concepts of this research individual performance, organizational productivity and the connection between two. A major objective of this study to explore and discover the common factors that distinguish the top performers in an organization. These factors are: any key perceived employee manager working relationships, top three motivators or de- motivators, and any best practices. The identification of these factors is intended to generate one or more grounded theories to explain why only a small percentage of the employees in an organizations ( e. g. 5 % ) are considered to be more effective or productive performers. Relative to the peers in the same or similar work environment. The study is going to be on a qualitative research approach . It will use an iterative data gathering process, the use of inductive data analysis techniques, and a constant comparative and classification process of data to develop one or more grounded theories that could explain this phenomenon. The design of this research study is interpretive and systematic. It will attempt to uncover fundamental patterns and commonalities (e. g. employee manager working relationship) that exist in the research data. It will attempt to discover the common factors that characterize the top performers, both managers and employees, in organizations. As a systematic study it will compare and contrast the data. To achieve this data will be collected from the high, medium, low, performers. Using techniques: 1. through the use of an elaborate organizational survey. 2. A series of one to one interviews. 3. Personal observation. Each phase the data collection and analysis process will be built upon the learning obtained from the previous stages in an iterative process. To construct the organizational survey literature review and analysis process will undertaken. 4. Finally to generate the grounded theories, the results of the organizational survey, and analysis of the one to one and group interviews. At each stage data will be collected, compared, contrasted, classified and any commonalities that existed will documented. (Glaser & Strauss, 1999) 10. Sources and acquisition of data To begin with, organization Subway, Researcher has been working there since four years as a senior sales assistant. And have a good cooperation with the management and the employee who are willing to anticipate with the interviews. Primary data will be gathered by conducting one to one interviews with key managers or individuals. Before executing such research activities it is ensured that research will be carried out with the permission of the senior management to interview the respective senior members of such organization. More concerns will be shown to select the appropriate senior members for such interviews. Finally, secondary data the possible available reviews, books, articles, suggestions, journals, electronic based information such as internet will be taken in to account for obtaining relevant information for the research, however strong weight will be given to acquire data from reliable source to make sure research content solid track of information. 1. Data analysis The theory construction will be based upon the literature review process, the survey results and feedback received from one to one make to the organization survey. as pointed earlier the desired out come of this study will to develop one or more grounded theories that could explain the top performing ( or low performing ) employee in o rganizations. To achieve this- First, theories will be developed based on the data collected, analyzed and the common pattern identified. The data will take from the literature review process, a comprehensive organizational survey, one to one interviews and observation. And each phase findings will be classified into specific categories: management / leadership, job, environment of the job, individual motivators and emotional intelligence. Second all identifiable performance factors will categorized according to the five major factors identified during the literature review. A matrix consisting of number of variable performance factors and the frequency of each result will construct. Further a set of definitions for each term or variable used in the study will formulate. 12. Timetable ACTIVITIESWEEKS1234567891011121Initializing Appointments 2Literature review 3Follow Up Meetings & Obtaining Information 4Obtaining Historical information 5Critical analysis 6Deriving a Conclusion 7Developing a Draft 8Editing & preparing final Draft 9Final Report Ready 13. About Subway Fred DeLuca founded the SUBWAYà ® chain in Connecticut, USA, in 1965. The company has since grown into a multi-billion pound business, with more than 25,000 outlets in over 80 countries. In a world full of ââ¬Å"Super Size Itâ⬠messages that prompt people to eat too much and eat high fat items, SUBWAYà ® bucks the trend with a healthy message ââ¬â 7 subs with under 6 grams of fat ââ¬â as a major part of their advertising strategy. 14. Conclusion Optimizing individual performance, raising the bar of organizational productivity, and being able to accomplish organizational objectives. A growing body research indicates that a productive, efficient and healthy learning organization is a necessary and key ingredient for global competition . The present study will be explored, analyzed and documented how an organization could become more productive and competitive by enabling its employees to raise their overall level of work performance. The results of this effort will indented to assist employees to operate at a higher level of their capacity by enabling them to leverage many of the common factors or best practices used by the top performing employees in their organizations. These factors include: perceive good employee manager working relationship, top individual motivating, and any other best practices. This study attempted the best way managers and employees can partner to nature a work environment where they can grow, develop, and maximize their full potential. This study has benefits. It identifies and documents the most common factors that have positive or negative impact on employee performance and productivity. It attempts to capture the attributes and practices of high performing employees in an organization and perform this analysis on low and medium performers as well. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that organizational productivity, effectiveness and creativity flow from flow naturally from individual productivity, effectiveness and creativity. (Loehr , 2001) Reference Loehr , J . (2001 , January ) , The making of a corporate athlete , Harvard Business Review , 79 , Issue 1 , 120 , 9p , 1 . Glaser , B . & Strauss , A . (1999) , The discovery of grounded theory : Strategies for Qualitative research , Chicago ; Aldline . Madhok , A . & Phene , A . 2001) , The Co evolution Advantage : Strategic management theory and the electic paradigm , International Journal of the Economics of Business , 8 , No, 2, 243 ââ¬â 256. Boyett , J . H . & Conn , H . P . (1995) , Maximum performance management : how to manage and compensate people to meet world competition, Glenbridge Publishing : Lakewood , Colorado. Checkland , P . (1999) , Systems thinking , systems practice . john Wiley & Sons , Ltd : New York , NY. Pratt , M . G & Foreman , P . O . (20 00) , Classifying managerial response to multiple organizational identities . The Academy of management Review . MississippiState. Khaliq , A . (2001) , Corporate leadership and workplace motivation in Malaysia. International Journal of Commerce & Management . 11 . 1, 82 (Fournies , 2000) . Fournies , F . F . (2000) , Coaching for improvement work performance , McGraw-Hill: New York , NY . Katz , R . ( 1998) , Motivation leads to innovation ââ¬â IT professionals who are excited about their jobs will be more creative and productive , Information Week , September , 14 , 1998 , n. 700, 294 (1). Mechelen , R. V. 1998, spring) , Work/life programs as management programs , The public manager : The new bureaucrat , 27 , n 1 , 31 (4) . Murray , H . A , (1938) , Exploration in personality : A clinical an expremental study of fifty men of college age , oxford University Press : New York . Johnson , P . R . & Invik , J . (1999) , Organizational benefits of having emotionally intelligent managers and employee , Journal of Workplace Learning , 1999 , 11 , issue 3 , 84 , 5p Goldman , D . (1994) , Emotional Intelligence : Why it can matter more than IQ , Bantam Books : New York , NY . www. subway. com
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Pioneers, oh pioneers
How does the setting underline the main conflict and the meaning for characterization? Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Setting 2 2. 1 Dominica 3 2. 2 Dr Cox's house 4 2. 3 Ramage's house 5 2. 4 Comparison Imperial Road and Market Street 7 3. Conclusion 8 4. Bibliography 10 5. Honesty Statement 11 This seminar paper analyses the different functions of the setting in Jean Rhys's short story ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneers. â⬠The author Jean Rhys was born in 1890 and brought up in Roseau, Dominica (Rhys 1981: 10).Her father was Welsh and her mother Creole (Rhys 1981 :6), so she grew up etween two worlds. Savory underlines that this is manifested in her divided attitude towards cultural identities (1998: 35). Rhys was an author of novels, short stories and an autobiographical fragment which is called ââ¬Å"Smile Pleaseâ⬠. But not only this book is autobiographical. Jean Rhys had almost always some autobiographical aspects in her stories. To her friend David Plante, who lat er became the ghostwriter of her autobiography, she said: ââ¬Å"l can't make things up, I can't invent.I have no imagination. I can't invent character. I don't think I know what character is. I Just write about what happenedâ⬠(1983: 52). In ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh Pioneersâ⬠, which was originally published under the name ââ¬Å"Dear Darling Mr Ramageâ⬠in The Times and later became a part of the story collection ââ¬Å"Sleep It Off Lady' (Rhys 1976), the reader will also find some autobiographical aspects. The female child protagonist Rosalie is ââ¬Å"aged 9â⬠(Rhys 1970: 12)1 and ââ¬Å"her father is the local doctorâ⬠(Hooper 2005:122).In 1899 Rhys was the same age and her father also had ââ¬Å"decided to become a doctorâ⬠(Rhys 1981 : 68). Malcolm and Malcolm point out that Ramage ââ¬Å"is neither white nor blackâ⬠Just like Jean Rhys was. In her family she was the one with the palest skin (Rhys 1981). Do you consider yourself a West Indian? â ⬠She shrugged. ââ¬Å"It was such a long time ago when I left. â⬠ââ¬Å"So you don't think of yourself as a West Indian writer? â⬠Again, she shrugged, but said nothing. ââ¬Å"What about English? Do you consider yourself an English writer? â⬠ââ¬Å"No! I'm not! I'm not!I'm not even English (Plante 1983:44). Jean Rhys seemed nowhere to be fit. To come to terms with this experiences, Rhys uses the character Mr Ramage in ââ¬Å"Pioneer, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠. She adopts his eccentricity, but apart from that, she ââ¬Å"gives im a rather different story' (Hooper 2005: 122). All references from the short story are from: Rhys, Jean. ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneers. â⬠Sleep it Off Lady. London: Penguin Books, 1979, 11-21. The following analysis will start with a short definition of the term setting and a closer investigation of the general setting in the short story.Furthermore, this seminar paper is aimed to show the link between nature and the emotional state of the main character Mr Ramage. Besides, the main issue of the story, namely the cultural clash between the black and the white insulars, will be analyzed. To get a general nderstanding of the main topic of this seminar paper, namely the setting of the short story ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠, the definition of Michael J. Toolan is to be considered. He points out that ââ¬Å"We like, in our reading of narratives, to know where we are, and look for clear spatiotemporal indications of Just where and when a thing happened. (1988: 102). In answer to the question of the point in time during which the action of the plot takes place, the reader finds out that ââ¬Å"It was still the nineteenth century, November 1899â⬠³ (11). According to Malcolm and Malcolm this date indicates he inability of Ramage to fit in the community of the island population. It symbolizes the situation of Ramage being caught between two cultures (1996: 85). He is neither Creole, nor a proper English man, b ecause he is trying more and more to disassociate himself from England, for example by marrying Isla. Her given name, Isla, the Spanish for Island, may suggest that Ramage has embraced the island itselfâ⬠(Hooper 2005: 124). The date 1899 also implies that the action occurs at the time of colonialism. To have an overview of the history of the society living there at that time, the reader may onsider that the West Indies were discovered as a place where tobacco and sugar grew very well and one might earn money by planting there and shipping the goods apart. For this reason thousands of people from Africa were departed to the West Indies to work there as slaves.Although in 1899 slavery was already abolished, racial segregation was still present. ââ¬Å"[T]he majority of Dominica's population is of African descent, mainly speaking French Creole and of the Catholic faith. â⬠(Savory 2009: 2) but the minority of white people, mostly from Europe, who believed in the Anglican Chu rch, was still the dominating class. They urged the black people to adapt to their culture and rules (Smith 1974: 5-6). Besides telling the reader that the story is set in the time of colonialism, the date fulfils another function.November 1899 is the turning point between two seasons, two years and two centuries. As Malcolm and Malcolm point out it ââ¬Å"adds to the sense of uncertainty and displacementâ⬠(1996: 85). The question of where the action takes place is more difficult to answer, but it will be discussed in the chapter ââ¬Å"Dominicaâ⬠of the seminar paper. Particular places of action re ââ¬Å"Spanish Castleâ⬠, the ââ¬Å"yellow- hot Market Streetâ⬠(1 1), ââ¬Å"the Imperial Roadâ⬠(14fO and Cox's house. In the following chapters, those places will be analyzed in more detail. 2. Dominica Dominica plays an important role in the analysis of the setting, since it is probably the place where the entire plot takes place and it is furthermore the is land that accommodates the most important houses such as Ramage's Spanish Castle or Dr Cox's house. ââ¬Å"Dominica is part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, in a strip of islands known as the West Indies. It is situated between the French islands of Guadeloupe to he North and Martinique to the South. â⬠(Kamyab 2009: 3). Other islands of the Lesser Antilles are Barbados and Trinidad (Brockhaus Weltatlas 1993: 255). arries Isla Harrington and at the end his wife is said to have stayed with relatives from Guadeloupe. As all these islands are directly mentioned, the reader can conclude that the location where the action takes place is a Caribbean island as well. Savory points out that Rosalie and Irene are ââ¬Å"clearly in Roseau, Dominica in 1899â⬠(2009:100). One fact which proves that Savory's statement is very likely to be true is the reoccurring motive of the ââ¬Å"Imperial Roadâ⬠. Along this new Imperial Roadâ⬠(13) Ramage looks for a place to li ve. He finds his new home, a mansion called ââ¬Å"Spanish Castleâ⬠.Another fact that may lead to the impression that Dominica is the place where the action takes place, is the ââ¬Å"West Indian newspaperâ⬠(Rhys 1976: 12) which is mentioned in ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠: ââ¬Å"the Dominica Herald and Leeward Islands Gazetteâ⬠. First of all, the newspaper is named after Dominica, therefore the reader may conclude that this is the place where the story occurs. Furthermore, an article published in this fictional newspaper mentions the Imperial Road and defines ts idea as made ââ¬Å"to attract young Englishmen with capital who would buy and develop properties in the interiorâ⬠(19).The real Imperial Road had a similar concept. The administrator of Dominica at the period from 1899 to 1905, Henry Hesketh Bell, developed the idea of this concept. Bell was a fine publicist and attracted a number of new venturers on Crown Lands opened up by the Imperial Road , thirty on his own estimation, who together had invested about E40,OOO by the end of 1904 (Bell Papers (12. x. 1904)). In September 1900, while on leave in London, Bell wrote a long letter to The Times nder the title ââ¬Å"Planting in Dominica,â⬠extolling the virtues of the island and seeking young men.He received many replies, three planters returning with him to Dominica later that year (Hulme 2000:29). The house of the Cox family is described as one room which is: ââ¬Å"Câ⬠¦ ] full of rockingchairs, a mahogany table, palm leafs fans, a tigerskin rug, family photographs, views of Bettws-y-Coed and a large picture of wounded soldiers in the snow, Napoleon's Retreat from MOSCOW' (Rhys 1979: 12). Furthermore, the fact that the two girls had to ââ¬Å"go upstairs to bedâ⬠(13) leads to the conclusion that this house is not a simple one in the Caribbean.The financial situation of the Cox's is never directly mentioned in the text, but looking at the fact that they life in a house where, for example, timber-made chairs, belong to the furniture, the reader can come to the conclusion that the Cox's are a family that is well off. Here Rhys uses the setting to promote an ââ¬Å"indirect characterizationâ⬠(Toolan 1988: 104). To give some information about Dr Cox's character, a description of his desktop is used. ââ¬Å"The Times weekly edition, the Cornhill Magazine, the Lancet and a West Indian newspaper, the Dominican Herald and Leeward Islands Gazetteâ⬠(12), are to be found there.This indicates that Dr Cox is a man of vast reading and therefore well-educated. Objects like this ââ¬Å"handled or props are two pictures. The first one is a picture of Bettws-y-Coed, this tells the reader that the Cox's have a British origin (http://www. betws-y-coed. com 2013). The second one with the historical Napoleonic background, implies that they are a family which is interested in culture and history. The house of the Cox family is situated near the ce ntre of the city, close to the Market Street, which is part of Irene's and Rosalie's way back home (11).The description of Dr Cox ââ¬Å"sitting in an armchair with a hree- legged table by his side. On the table there were his pipe[â⬠¦ ]. Also a Times weekly edition He was not to be spoken to (12) has also a biographical aspect. The place where Rhys's father used to sit is described in a similar way: a round table with a green- shaded reading lamp, the latest Times weekly edition a fortnight old, his pipe rack, and a large armchair where he sat reading and we weren't allowed to disturb him or speak to him (Rhys 1981: 68 f. ).Ramage's home is the place where the function of the setting, namely to underline the character traits, is most recognizable. Rhys focuses on ââ¬Å"male exploitation of women, on women's resistance to and collusion with that exploitation, on marginalizes exiled fgures from the Third world, on class antagonisms and conflictsâ⬠(Malcolm ; Malcolm 1996: 1 1). But in ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠the protagonist is a ââ¬Å"male outsiderâ⬠(Malcolm ; Malcolm 1996: 82). The character Ramage is also not completely invented. The real Ramage was a well-known fgure in Dominica.His attempt to dig a hole to reach China stands in parody of Chamberlain and Bell's modernizing efforts: much digging to no ultimate purpose, and with moral laxity, madness, and death Hulme 2000: 10) The main intention of the fictional Ramage in ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠is to find peace: ââ¬Å"Peace, that's what I am after. â⬠(14) but the only way to find it is: â⬠to pay for it' You'll be very much alone. â⬠(14). But this does not bother Ramage much. He prefers being alone and is considered to be ââ¬Å"very unsociableâ⬠(12). He does not follow any ââ¬Å"invitations to dances, tennis parties and moonlight picnicsâ⬠(1 2f).Furthermore he does not seem to be interested in religion very much, for he never goes to ch urch (13). The setting of the Imperial Road underlines this antisocial attitude. Only made ââ¬Å"to attract young Englishmenâ⬠the Imperial Road is a very isolated place to live at. The closes neighbor of Ramage is the owner of Twickenham, Mr Eliot (14). In the beginning, Ramage appeals to the inhabitants of Dominica, whether they are black or white. He is ââ¬Å"followed about by an admiring crowd of little Negro boysâ⬠(12) and regarded as ââ¬Å"a gentlemanâ⬠(12) by Miss Lambton. ââ¬Å"Ramage appears made to fit in. â⬠(Malcolm & Malcolm 1996: 88).It is conspicuous that Rhys uses the setting to create a link between the outward appearance of Ramage and the one of his house, the ââ¬Å"Spanish Castleâ⬠. At the when it came to looks ââ¬Å"(12), wearing his ââ¬Å"tropical kit, white suit, red cummerbund, solar topeeâ⬠(12). His eventual home, the Spanish Castle, is said to be ââ¬Å"beautiful but not prosperousâ⬠(14). As the story continues, things change. Ramage is now ââ¬Å"burnt a deep brown, his hair fell to his shoulders, his beard to his chest. â⬠(16). With only ââ¬Å"wearing sandals a leather belt, on one side which hung a cutlass, on the other a large pouch. (16), he attracts the attention of the other inhabitants of the island. 5 Spanish castle is now ââ¬Å"unkempt deserted [â⬠¦ ]. The grass on the lawn had grown very igh and the verandah hadn't been swept for daysâ⬠(17). Rhys uses the setting to underline the change in Ramage's life. He doesn't care about how he looks like anymore and seems desperate, because he seems to be unable to catch up with the society on the island. He simply wants to find peace. He isolates himself from the island population and tries to go native, but fails. Ramage's public appearance as naked, with long hair and deep brown skin, seems to indicate a serious, if flawed, attempt to go native. Ramage looks ââ¬â with the exception of the beard ââ¬â Just like de pictions of the real natives of Dominicaâ⬠(Hooper 2005: 125). Ramage may try to leave his British origin behind and to identify himself as a fixed part of the island. His whole struggle with trying to live a quiet life is reflected in the appearance of his estate. By marrying Isla, Ramage splits himself off from the English society and puts down roots on Dominica.But the people who live on the island do not except this marriage. He is said to be ââ¬Å"lost to white society' (15) now. Resulting from his interracial marriage, the island population assume that he rejects the idea of the natural superiority of the British race (Wende 2012: 229). When Mrs Ramage disappears, rumors are spread that Ramage might have killed her. An article published in the Gazette calls him a ââ¬Å"beastly murder[er]â⬠(19). Toolan points out that there is a causal or analogical relation between the setting on the one hand and characters and events on the other hand (1988: 104).Dr Cox, who seem s to be the only friend of Ramage, is not able to see the danger signals. When he visits his friend, the last time before Ramage kills himself, he gives the impression to be okay. The ââ¬Å"nasty beastly horrible Ramage. ââ¬Å"(11) was now ââ¬Å"wearing one of his linen suits, lean and pressed, and his hair and beard were trimmed. â⬠(17). He says that he feels ââ¬Å"splendidâ⬠(17) but his garden tells the truth. Here the setting, in this case the garden, gives some information about the feelings of the male main protagonist.As already mentioned above, the garden is ââ¬Å"unkempt and deserted The grass on the lawn had grown very high and the verandah hadn't been swept for days. â⬠(17). Deep inside he also feels ââ¬Å"unkempt and desertedâ⬠(17) because the people throw stones at his house (18), think that he killed his wife (19) and do not accept his new way of dressing 16) and his marriage with Isla (15). That fthe servants have all walked outâ⬠(17 ) shows that everyone left Ramage and he is all alone now, as Dr Cox predicted it before. Although he said at the beginning that he had no problem with being alone (14), he is hapless now.Nobody seems to understand him and therefore he is not able to find the only thing he was after: ââ¬Å"Peaceâ⬠(14). Neither fitting into black nor white society, Ramage decides to commit suicide. On the day of his funeral ââ¬Å"it was dream. 6 The comparison of the Imperial Road and the Market Street is used to clarify the function of the etting to underline the racial segregation. ââ¬Å"In Pioneers, Oh, Pioneers,â⬠the two contrasting worlds meet physically on Market Street in the form of black and white women thereâ⬠(Malcolm ; Malcolm 1996: 85). Rhys illustrates the complex hierarchy of race and class (Davis 2005) in her short story.She does this by using the setting. Like Davis points out, on Market Street ââ¬Å"the black women were barefooted, wore gaily striped turbans and highwaisted dressesâ⬠(Rhys 1976: 1 1), while Afro-French Madame Menzies maintained the dignity of her old-fashioned riding habit, and British Mr. Ramage lived out an imperialist antasy in his ââ¬Å"tropical kit, white suit, red cummerbund, solar topeeâ⬠(12). These different perspectives are linked through the consciousness of the young protagonist who rejects the reductive, hegemonic vision of colonial society (Davis 2005).When Ramage arrives on the island, he is looking for an estate and he tells Dr Cox that he ââ¬Å"was told that there were several places going along this new Imperial Road [â⬠¦ ]â⬠(13). But Dr Cox is not convinced of this plan. ANon't last. â⬠(13), he says. But Ramage still decides to buy an estate located at this lonely road. He acquires Spanish Castle, ââ¬Å"one of the older propertiesâ⬠(14). The nearest estate is the one of Mr Eliot. It was used to be called ââ¬Å"Malgrà © Toutâ⬠, but now it is called ââ¬Å"Twickenha mâ⬠(14) after a London suburb.Wende points out that this renaming represents the British sovereignty (2012: 227). In contrast to the young men, like ââ¬Å"young Errington, young Kellaway, who had bought estates along the Imperial Road and worked hard Câ⬠¦ ]â⬠(14) but failed and had to sell their land after only a few time had passed, Ramage does not want to gain prosperity. The only thing he wants to find is peace (14). In one way this can be interpreted as a ââ¬Å"desired escape from Britainâ⬠(Hooper 2005: 124). The loud and crowded Market Street corresponds to the lonely Imperial Road.The Imperial Road seems to be a place built up by white people to separate themselves from the black society. It is a place where people who want to live in another country, but do not want to integrate, live. They rather want to stay among people of the same origin. This is to be noticed by the fact that there are no black people to be found on the Imperial Road. Only rich wh ite people live there. The Market Street is the place where black as well as white people meet. As already mentioned above: ââ¬Å"[T]he few white women carried parasols. The black women were barefoot, wore gaily striped turbans and highwaisted dresses. (11) Though they are humans, all people Rosalie watches on Market Street are only part of the setting (as well as 7 the admiring negro crowd). They are used to underline the contrast between black and white on the island, and are not important as characters for the story. They are only props, as Chatman defines (1993: 63). The white women do not seem to enjoy the weather. Their appearance is much darker than the one of the black women, who barefooted, but Mrs Menzies also passes by riding, she is therefore in the physical osition to look down on other people.This underlines the clear distance between the colonialists and the people who are colonialized. Even though slavery was abolished by this time, hierarchical structures were stil l present (Wende 2012: 237). In ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠the white society seems to be very hostile to acts or people who do not fit in their idea of life. Not only the Market Street shows the racial segregation, but also the description of the two cemeteries. On the one hand, there is ââ¬Å"the Catholic cemetery, where all day the candles burnt almost invisible in the unlight.When night came they twinkled like fireflies. The graves were covered with flowers- some real, some red of yellow paper or little gold cut-outs. â⬠(21). This cemetery is the one where mostly black people were buried. Just like their clothes, their cemetery is described in a more colorful way. Whereas ââ¬Å"the Anglican cemetery, which was not very far away, down the hill, was deserted and silent. â⬠(21). Just like the people, the cemeteries have some point where they seem to be alike, for they both are places where people are buried, but they have significant differences.When eferring to the people this could be interpreted as the black people are more kindly (bright) and the white are more dismissive (grey). 3. Conclusion An impoverished stranger comes from off the island, usually from ââ¬Ëhome', and courts and marries a local woman who, in narrative terms, is seen to represent the island itself. That story is fundamental to Rhys's work. [â⬠¦ ] It is the story of Mr. Ramage, in ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh Pioneers. â⬠And, crucially, it is the story of Rhys herself (Hulme 2000: 20). In Jean Rhys's short story the setting fulfills several functions.One the one hand, it is sed to determine the place where the action takes place. As already mentioned above, the place where the entire plot takes place and where the houses which are directly mentioned, such as Ramage's Spanish Castle or Dr Cox's house, are to be found, is Dominica. On the other hand, the setting is used to characterize acting people in an indirec way. For example, it is never said that the Cox f amily is a rich one. Only the description of one room in their house with chairs made of timber and a tigerskin rug leads the reader to the conclusion that they are a family which is well off.Furthermore, the setting tells the reader important character traits of 8 Dr Cox. The description of his desktop with a lot of newspapers implies that he is intelligent and a prestigious man. Another function of the setting in ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneersâ⬠is to point out the racial segregation, that was still present on Dominica in 1899. Although the differences were never mentioned explicitly, it becomes clear that there is a huge discrepancy between black and white people, as the setting implies. For example, when Ramage marries Isla, he is ââ¬Å"lost to white society' (15).In their eyes, the way Ramage lives does ot match their ideas of a hierarchy everyone has to stick to. They want a clear separation of colonialists and the people who are colonialized. As Malcolm and Malcolm point out ââ¬Å"Pioneers, Oh, Pioneerâ⬠, deals with the cultural clash between those two groups (1996: 83). The white people outrank the black islanders. This is already got to know. The white women Mrs Menzies does not only feel like she is in a higher position, she actually really is, because she rides past the black people on her horse. Furthermore Malcolm and Malcolm emphasize that even the date emphasizes the clash.Peter Hulme sees in Jean Rhys's short story ââ¬ËPioneers, Oh Pioneers' not only a foreshadowing of the life of the inexperienced settler, but a critique of precisely the sorts of imperial road-building ambitions that were promoted by politicians and administrators such as Chamberlain and Hesketh Bell.
Monday, July 29, 2019
The Importance of Play in the Design Practice Thesis
The Importance of Play in the Design Practice - Thesis Example He or she should also possess a passion for innovation, curiosity for exploration and a good amount of perseverance. Again, these are traits one acquires along the way as one grows up from childhood to adulthood. Such qualities rather than being taught are inherent or inspired through different interactions during oneââ¬â¢s developmental stages as a child. Thus, the more a person plays during the transition from childhood, and further maintains an interactive mode through play, the more creative he or she will become. The physical, emotional and intellectual developments of humans largely depend on their environment and the activities they engage in during the process of growing up. It is through these activities that they attain cognitive development and emotional as well as intellectual maturity and become responsible adults. Thus, if a person who possesses the traits of imagination, innovativeness and a sense of aesthetics, he will acquire a high level of creative potential. Wh en such an individual pursues a career in designing, proper education and training can make him or her highly proficient and competent professional in the field of design practice. Similarly, when adults continue the activity of play, they will remain imaginative and will be able to sustain their activity. Hence, it can be contended that play cultivates the qualities of imagination, innovativeness, sense of aesthetics and creativity which are essential traits for a designer to excel in his work. Thus, the concept of play has a direct bearing on design practices and it has a vital role in nurturing proficient designers. Psychology of Play Play has an important role in human life, especially in the context of the development of children and cultivating the faculties of imagination, creativity and innovativeness in them. Further, even after one grows into an adult, one needs to continue the activity of play, so as to actively engage their imagination as well as to invigorate their crea tivity. In the course of play, children develop conceptual meanings apart from understanding various things relating to life on the earth, which is a major characteristic in the growth of advanced mental functions. ââ¬Å"Many studies have been conducted on the significance of play in human life and evidence suggests that this activity is one among the most common forms of behavior during childhood.â⬠1 Therefore, this concept has generated intense interest in researchers in developmental and educational areas of psychology. Lev Vygotsky, a renowned psychologist, illustrates the example where he proposes that in the case of a child who wants to go for a horse ride, if he or she is below the age of three, it will probably cry and become angry, if he or she cannot ride the horse. But at the age of three, the relationship of child with the changing world "matures and it understands certain concepts. Thus, the child becomes
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Essay for Art and Design Class Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
For Art and Design Class - Essay Example There is an understanding that is reached with the material Smith used to create this art work considering how she handled them in order facilitates viewerââ¬â¢s thought processes. Smith painted The Court House Steps in reaction to the conservation emergency created when a landlord bulldozed a boulder marked with petroglyphs from its escarpment site (Smith and Kastner 63). He delivered the culturally significant stone to the courthouse to object legal arbitrations barring him from constructing a building on his land. The jagged angles on Smithââ¬â¢s work might be kiva steps bulging into high-rise buildings that grow and fall. Transversely, a series of orbs converges in a solar eclipse across the center. Smith and Kastner assert that, The Court House Steps is the most traumatic of all her paintings (87)â⬠because ââ¬Å"it documents a world spinning out of controlâ⬠(87). In this painting, Smith is seen to be lifting imagery from the natural world, and then changing it into modernism via abstraction. Her inhabited landscapes show the infinite human conflict over disputed lands. Her painting fuses modernist color and techniques with her unique visual vocabulary of crashing lines in a stirred expression of the human spirit. The work establishes Smithââ¬â¢s artistic voice, grounding it in modern abstraction, where she extends her native tradition through images of plants, animals and humans to bring the message home. The idea that smith was communicating was that the petroglyphs were subjected to individual coming in and shooting in that area ââ¬â getting rid of the petroglyphs from the lava escarpment. The Court House Steps is about uniting the traditional values in a very modern and fast changing world. In this painting smith informs us that world is complex and things will be changing very rapidly so we must prepare for the change and sometimes predict it. And we must work in a mixed way with some new things or ideally add in
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8
Biology - Essay Example t is taking place however, is that the overabundance of harmful gases which are a byproduct of fossil fuels, are causing a latticing effect to take place in the ozone layer. The earthââ¬â¢s ozone layer is necessary in order to filter out the sunââ¬â¢s excessive and destructive ultra violet rays. As the ozone layer becomes more and more compromised, the areas of the globe governed by cold temperatures (such as the arctic) are literally rising in temperature causing the melting of polar ice caps. As these ice caps melt and merge into the ocean, warm water oceanic areas are being cooled down to unnaturally low temperatures. This results in a drastic rise in natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. On a short term level, the animals that inhabit the arctic are finding their environment less and less suitable. Fish are dying due to the drastic oceanic temperature changes while animals like penguins and polar bears are finding less and less available fish. When discussing global warming, the topic of precautionary principle becomes extremely relevant as well. The precautionary principle is essentially a moral principle with political ramifications, which allows for necessary action in the face of possible danger to public health or the environment even without scientific confirmation or agreed substantiation of the threat from the scientific community. In other words, global warming is certainly a global issue and an obvious threat, regardless of the fact that many with conservative view points, argue its validity. Because of this, it is in the worldââ¬â¢s best interest to act in a manner which is airing on the side of precaution, in the best interest of pandemic survival. Normal proof policies would indicate that proof rooted in scientific fact is necessary but without exiting the confines of science. The precautionary principle allows for a lack of scientific proof and more of a suspicion with some confirmation based on observati on or
Remembering about Our Friendship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Remembering about Our Friendship - Essay Example à Yonder, upon the hilltop amongst the trees, my friend waitsâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I donââ¬â¢t know why this tuck but it did and I will let those science or psychology geeks figure it out. Nevertheless, my dear friend ââ¬â letââ¬â¢s call him Phil ââ¬â is a certified genius with an IQ of over 130 but that did not stop him from enjoying his youth. Phil and I grew up in the same town, same city and went to the same school from primary to high schoolâ⬠¦and yes, we were privileged to have gone to a private Catholic school ran by the stern and strict priests and nuns. Boys being boys, Phil and I were bosom buddies and we did all sorts of things. He was the brains and I was the brawn. Where Phil would use finesse, I would use muscle to get in and out of things. Phil loved quoting Galileo, Einstein, Hitler (a really weird liking of him!), and other great masters at 9 years old while I busy myself raiding neighborsââ¬â¢ trees, especially during warm summer months. We were the typical boys about town living and doing what boys have done since time immemorial. We laughed, we cried, we frolicked and we lived our lives. Our friendship was meant to be forever but Phil had to go...I forgot to tell that Philââ¬â¢s parents are international accountants/managers and they usually go on missions for the World Bank or the United Nations. Right before high school graduation, Phil said that heââ¬â¢ll be taking college in Europe because his parents were offered a cushy job at the U.N. in Geneva. Of course, like any friends, we were saddened by the situation but we promised to keep in touch. To make a long goodbye story short, Phil left two weeks after high school graduation and I spent that summer working odd jobs and getting ready for college. Ã
Friday, July 26, 2019
The history of the coastguard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12250 words
The history of the coastguard - Essay Example While there are hardly any who are not aware of the presence, aims and objectives of all of the army, the navy and the air force, only a handful of people have a similar awareness of the coastguard. Although some countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Japan, define the coast guard as a division of the national military, its importance is generally underestimated (LaGuardia-Kotite and Ridge, 2006). The popular understanding of the coast guard is that it acts as a vessel and life rescue service and, in some instances, to monitor fishing across the national coastlines and waters. This understanding barely touches upon the duties, responsibilities, aims, and objectives of both civilian and military coast guard services, nor does it even hint at the fact that the coast guard, in the first and last, is primarily responsible for coastal and port security. In other words, the responsibilities and functions of the coast guard directly tie in with national security (LaGuardia-Kotite and Ridge, 2006). This research paper, which shall highlight the multiple functions of the coast guard services and illustrate, through an historical overview, the increasing importance of this institution, shall, hopefully, illustrate that insofar as coastal countries are concerned, the coast guard plays an invaluable and vital role; a role which directly contributes to increased national security. This project focused on the development of Kuwait coastguard and identifies requirements in the near future to improve Kuwait Coastguard. This project was carried out at the University of Plymouth in United Kingdom by using the tutor assistances, Kuwait coastguard assistances and the simulator in the University of Plymouth. 1 Introduction While there are hardly any who are not aware of the presence, aims and objectives of all of the army, the navy and the air force, only a handful of people have a similar awareness of the coastguard. Although some countries, such as the United States, Canada and Japan, define the coast guard as a division of the national military, its importance is generally underestimated (LaGuardia-Kotite and Ridge, 2006). Popular understanding of the coast guard is that it acts as a vessel and life rescue service and, in some instances, to monitor fishing across the national coastlines and waters. This understanding barely touches upon the duties, responsibilities, aims and objectives of both civilian and military coast guard services, nor does it even hint at the fact that the coast guard, in the first and last, is primarily responsible for coastal and port security. In other words, the responsibilities and functions of the coast guard directly tie in with national security (LaGuardia-Kotite and R idge, 2006). This research paper, which shall highlight the multiple functions of the coast guard services and illustrate, through an historical overview, the increasing importance of this institution, shall, hopefully, illustrate that insofar as coastal countries are concerned, the coast guard plays an invaluable and vital role; a role which directly contributes to increased national security. This project focused on development of Kuwait coastguard and identifies requirements in the near future to improve Kuwait Coastguard. There are things need to be improved in Kuwait coastguard such as increasing number of patrol boats, where should these patrol boats operating and things require in the near future
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Business Communication Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Business Communication - Term Paper Example In fact my personal life has become developed and my personality has grown as a result of the same (Markus 2005). My daily work activities are now managed in a much better way than these used to be in the past. I have come to know exactly how to speak to a set of audience and in what attire I should be donned in when I am giving a presentation or influencing a set of audience. The business communication ranks have helped me immensely within my grooming domains and given me a chance to explore my truest basis with the passage of time. It has made me feel that I am a valuable member of the business clan and that my work realms are very significant towards the business undertakings in the time and age of today. The trends that I have seen in my current workplace domains have been slightly different from what these used to be in my former workplaces. I have understood that within these quarters I have been able to see things through within the ranks of business communication which was no t the case in the past. I have been able to manage myself in accordance with the growing business communication trends which have to be understood by people like me so that we can grow and develop with the passage of time. ... ave seen people adapt to formal routines and procedures more than the informal methodologies which were adapted within the previous workplaces where I was employed. Now I am better able to acquaint myself with the changing business communication dynamics more than these used to be coherent within my previous workplace domains (Eckhouse 1999). Hence I feel that now I am at a better place than where I used to be in the past. It gives me a vital point of advantage over the other employees who are in the process of coming to ranks with the changing business communication regimes. The message types that result from such business communication trends which have been emerging of late include the fact that only those individuals make it to the top who believe in the power of business communication and employ it to their best advantage. They perceive business communication would be of success towards their own domains and would help them grow and develop their own selves in an amicable and tr uly fulfilling way. This shall make them stand out from the crowd and make their positions apparent within the formal mix of things as far as the organizational regimes are concerned. More than anything else, the message types that are coming to the fore include the likes of establishing new trends that are wholly based on the patterns of allowing nearly everyone to be a part of the formal business communication quarters and thus giving them a chance to manifest their truest selves through hard work, commitment and a sense of being loyal towards their own skills and abilities. All said and done, I believe that any organization would dearly require that its employees believe in the premise of business communication and give their best so that not only their own growth and development regimes
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Economic development in bahrain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Economic development in bahrain - Essay Example Her population is 1.05 million with birth rate of 18 per 1000, death rate 4 per 1000, life expectancy is 74.7 years, birth rate is 2.6 children per woman, and literacy rate is 86.5 percent. It is mainly a Islamic country with 81.2 percent Muslims with ethnic groups like 62.4 percent Bahraini, 37.6 percent non-Bahraini, 9 percent Christian and 9.8 percent others (Bahrain, n.d.) Bahrain also known as al-Ihsa (Arabic) is a coastal town bounded by the Pursian Gulf on the east with Iraq above and Oman below is famous for its pearls (Nadwi, 1936, p.24). The history of this Arabian country finds it roots back in 2300 B.C. The land of Bahrain was the hub of ancient civilization of Dilmun, a pronominal trading center at that time connecting the civilization of Sumeria in Mesopotamia with the Indus Valley in India. After the degeneration of the civilization of Dilmun in 600 B.C., the most phenomenal incident which took place there was the overtaking of Bahrainian rule by the Carmathians (half-muslim, half -Magians) during the Muslim age and they established this place as their central political arena. The Carmathians were dethroned by the Sunni rulers in 976 and developed a powerful Muslim rule there. The pearl treasure of Bahrain became an immense attraction for the foreign invaders and plunderers as a consequence of which many foreign rulers ruled this place for a significant time period like during the 13th and 14th century the Mongols ruled there who were dethroned from their powers by Portuguese invasion in 1521 who ruled for about a century and then taken over by Bahranian rule which was followed by Omanian rule for some time then for a certain period of time the Persians ruled who were defeated by Al Khalifa clan invasion in 1783. Although the Al Khalifans were removed by the sultanate of Oman for some time they regained power in 1811. On the other hand the colonial expansion of Great Britain imparted its focus toward
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Comparison of the key management and leadership aspects of Essay
Comparison of the key management and leadership aspects of organisations in the private sector, public sector and not for profit - Essay Example The behavioural approach to management is preferred to other approaches to management because it takes into consideration the behaviour of employees. Behaviour is one of the key factors that significantly influence performances of employees in various organizations. Therefore, managers who wish to lead and motivate employees should fully understand how behaviours of individuals under them respond to different phenomenon in the organisation. This will enable them integrate and influence the environment under which the employees work, without hurting their feelings. According to Sloan (1964), number of factors including managerââ¬â¢s biasness, the type of organisation as well as growth and development stage of an organisation among other factors influence choice of management approach in any given organisation. The development of the behavioral approach to management in an organisation The behavioral approach was derived from human relations approach management. This is because its major focus is human dimension at work. According to this approach, productivity is improved through proper understanding of individualââ¬â¢s behavior at work. Human relation theorists defined the employees as individuals, resources, and assets. In the behavioral approach, direct relation exists between employee satisfaction and production. Most human experts believe that workers are more productive when they are satisfied. Therefore, managers who wish to increase and improve organisationââ¬â¢s performance should work hard to meet the needs of people who are working for them. In addition, the theorists believe that employees can be empowered through training, motivation and providing appropriate tools for work. According to Tripathi (2008), the behavioural approach to management gives employees more flexibility in terms of autonomy, independence and empowerment in the organisational structure (Barnard, 1962). The behavioral approach points out that human rationality has constr aints when making the optimal decisions. These constraints are both practical and situational. Both employees and managers may make sub-optimal decisions due to influence by their behaviour. According to Vroom (1964), behaviorists insist that it is appropriate to humanize administration control process and encourage self-direction process rather imposing controls to restrict individuals. Managers should also consider various needs of individuals when influencing people because employees are different. In organizational conflict and change, behavioral approach remains to be practical. It addresses the inevitability of conflict and proposes that conflicting individuals should be understood. Furthermore, it acknowledges that individual often resist change on social aspects. Workers are often organised into teams in the behavioural approach. This is because managers in most organisations are biased to a flatter organisational structure. Application of behavioural approach to management began in 1930ââ¬â¢s as a reflection of Hawthorneââ¬â¢s expression of human relation movement and organisational behaviour development. The field of organisational behavior was developed to fill the gap left by early human relation experts who concentrated on inter-personal relations and gave little attention to the patterns of group behavior. As compared to human relations approach management, behavioral approach concentrates it efforts in the study of human behavior. Douglas, McGregor, Chester Barnard, Rensis
Monday, July 22, 2019
Music vs. Book Essay Example for Free
Music vs. Book Essay Books and music are not a direct comparison normally but when it comes to youngsters and their lives both have a very strong influence. When we are bored, it is the time we listen to music or read a book. These two are the common things we are doing in our leisure time. People should be influenced by music and book. Music can have both a positive as well as negative impact on an individualââ¬â¢s life. The nature and kind of music defines that what type of message they render on the youngster. While books of any type give you either eye opening or well meaning but misguided information on subjects ranging from the simplest subjects to the more sophisticated. Books can even be used by those who are looking for answers in life. Many people report finding the perfect book to answer the burning questions in their minds. Books are more limited: fiction like novels and short stories and non-fiction like memoir, history, biography, self help, and philosophy. Reading books require a larger share of our time. We cannot also do another thing while reading a book. We cannot read a book while washing clothes. Books are more intellectually stimulating and has bigger journey than music. On the contrary, music doesnt answer questions by itself. Music answers feeling or disturbed emotions looking for an outlet. It exists in an extraordinarily wide array of genres and styles like vocal music (song, choral music, and opera), solo instrumental, chamber, orchestral, band and etc. We will listen to the music we love countless times over the course of our lives. We can multitask while listening to music. We can listen to music while running or washing clothes. Music are more passion and emotional than books. Whether you want to listen to music or read a book, they can both give positive and negative influences, affect all kinds of age groups, and cause different views of the world.
Transition stages of a group Essay Example for Free
Transition stages of a group Essay Recognizing that change will be occurring noticing our reaction to it initiates the transition process. Some people recognize the need change earlier than others. We may see the signs and notice the handwriting on the wall well ahead of others. Other of us may not recognize or react until the change is imminent. In either case, when change is apparent to sometimes obvious, we all form a reaction to the pending change. There are three options. It can embrace the change, accept it somewhat passively, or reject it. The first reactions will lead to the planning stage. However, if we reject or disagree with the change, we can become temporarily stalled. It might question the need for the change, become angry about it, feel highly stressed by the thought of it, or in some cases, experience feelings of depression like losing a job or getting a divorce can be so intimidating that short term counseling may be needed to help with acceptance of change and to facilitate the planning process. Before, we can continue the journey to the next adventure or change we will need to formulate a goal and action plan. If the change is about entering a new relationship, we often discuss with our partner the goals we have for the relationships, describe our expectations, or try to be clear in our own minds what it is we are looking for. If we are looking for a new relationship we may generate alternatives about how to meet new people. When anticipating a major move, we need to think about where we will live, what we need to take with us, and what need to be done before we can leave. The planning stage can help to minimize and diminish fears and concern about the unknown by identifying the concrete steps that will help us with the transition. Setting short term goals and envisioning the perfect scenario that could occur as a result of the change may help s to feel better about it. This is often the most difficult part of the transition process. It can be both stressful and sad to leave the familiar environments and routines or let go of cherished keepsakes, pets or a way of life especially when the experiences have positive. For many, the most difficult is to say goodbye to the people whom we have come to know, love respect, and depend on. There are things we do to reduce the effect of the separation. We may need to be sure that we have time to visit with eachà of those special people and to set up ways to keep in touch. Setting a date for a reunion or a phone call in the near future may reduce feeling of finality. Creating photograph collages with special memories that may be given as parting gifts can help to keep memories in the forefront to reduce anxiety. Remembering that we are all only a phone call or e-mail away may even help to reduce the initial stress of leaving others behind. Whenever we start a new journey there are moments of anticipation or exhilaration. We may even experience and a adrenaline rush, where we can feel the physical effects of the bodyââ¬â¢s anticipating of the change. Whether weââ¬â¢ve moved to a new place, or we just start a new job, the initial entry, while stressful, can also be positive exciting. This stage is helpful in putting the past behind and embracing the excitement and newness of what is to come. Taking it all in, meeting new people, and looking at possibilities may seem exciting and sometimes even almost overwhelming. Sometimes this new period has been called the honeymoon period where the newness the change gives us a false sense of reality. True or false this period of initial excitement is an important bridge from the past to the future. This security and eager anticipation helps to energize us to cross over into our new situation. However wonderful the initial excitement, when the dust settles and reality sets in we can often feel a let down. We realize that we are in a new and different place. We are not sure of the culture, the expectations, or how we will fit in. during this stage we begin to fill in the blanks. We familiarize ourselves with the routines, the environment and people who potentially will enrich our lives if we allow it. As Spenser Johnson (1998) says in his book about dealing with change, ââ¬Å"who moved my cheeseâ⬠? during the search for new endings (or cheese) we must free ourselves of the fear, envision the goals and leaves the past behind. We may need to find mentor d or guides who can provide information and advice about the culture or context. We will need to explore untraveled paths and leave ourselves open to new experiences, although some days may be difficult especially at the onset or in the beginning of the change. Taking a one day at a time philosophy, we should allow ourselves to set a specific goals for the day, focus on one positive event that occurred that day, and let go of the past. ââ¬Å"Movement in a new direction helps you find new cheese.â⬠During this time we try to make the strange familiar by seeking out others who haveà out similar interests, goals, or talent. We should seek out opportunities that pique out interests. When we reach this stage we are now living the change as a normal part of life. We feel as though we have become an accepted and valued member of the community or relationship. We can now focus on how we contribute to the environment and to make a difference in self actualization and elevate ourselves on Maslowââ¬â¢s hierarchy of needs scale. We may even realize that what we may have been holding onto about a former life was an exaggerated illusion and not the reality of that life at all. Finally we realize that while in this situation we should take advantage of what this new change offers as the next change is just around the corner, and it begins again!
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI): Symptoms and Causes
Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI): Symptoms and Causes Reproductive tract infections (RTI) are recognized as a public health problem and ranking second after maternal morbidity and mortality as the cause of loss of healthy life among women of reproductive age in developing countries (Jindal et al, 2009.). Infections of the reproductive tract causes serious health problem worldwide, with an impact on individual women and men, their families and communities (Adler et al., 1998). Are RTI infections which affect the reproductive tract, part of the reproductive system. For females, the reproductive tract infections may be much higher in the reproductive tract (fallopian tubes, ovaries and uterus) and lower reproductive tract (vagina, cervix and vulva). The global burden of reproductive tract infections (RTI) is a huge and a serious public health problem, especially in developing countries, where ITR are endemic . They can have serious consequences including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, abortion, cervical cancer, menstrual disorders, pregnancy loss, babies with low birth weight and increased risk of HIV transmission. The presence of the ITR (especially ulcer causing sexually transmitted infections) can promote the acquisition and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (Rabiu et al., 2010). Reproductive tract infections include endogenous infections, iatrogenic infections and sexually transmittedinfections (STDs) (Muula et al., 2006) . Reproductive tract infections (RTI) refers to three different types of infections affecting the reproductive tract : 1. Endogenous infections are probably the most common RTI worldwide. They result from an overgrowth of organisms normally present in the vagina. Endogenous infections include candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. These infections can be easily treated and cured . 2. Iatrogenic infections occur when the cause of infection (bacteria or other microorganism) is introduced into the reproductive tract via a medical procedure, such as menstrual regulation, abortion, insertion of an IUD or during childbirth. This can happen if the surgical instruments used during the procedure has not been properly sterilized, or an infection, which was already present in the lower reproductive tract is pushed through the cervix into the upper reproductive tract . 3. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites microorganisms that are transmitted through sexual activity with an infected partner. About 30 different sexually transmitted infections have been identified, some of which are easily treatable, many of which are not. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is perhaps the most serious sexually transmitted infection, since it eventually leads to death. STDs affect men and women, and can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy and childbirth. (Germain et al. 1992). Female RTI usually originate in the lower genital tract, such as vaginitis or cervicitis and can produce symptoms such as : abnormal vaginal discharge , genital pain itching burning feeling with urination abdominal pain irregular mensural cycle blood stained discharge However, a high prevalence of asymptomatic disease occurs, which is a barrier to effective control (Elias et al., 1993). Such as: Infertility Fibroid Polyps Prolaps Uterus / Vaginal Endomitrosis Even when symptoms occur, their presence may overlap with and be misdiagnosed as a normal physiological change and normal physiological discharge can be diagnosed as RTI. (Trollope Kumar, 1999). The presence of ulcers, especially RTI causing STI may increase the acquisition and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (Fleming et al. 1999). Infertility is a health problem in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where 20-30 % of couples are unable to conceive (Sciarrha, 1994). Most health advocates consider infertility as the most important reproductive health and social issues confronting the Nigerian women and gynecologists often report that infertility is 60 % 70 % of your queries at higher education institutions (Okonofua et al, 1997.). In Nigeria, most cases of infertility RTI following (Snow et al. 1997) Ectopic pregnancy is a large percentage of acute gynecological emergencies in Nigeria and is a major cause of maternal mortality [ 11-13 ]. A study in Lagos, Nigeria found previous STI and pelvic inflammatory disease as the main risk factors for ectopic pregnancy (Anorlu et al., 2005) Cervical cancer is usually the result of a sexually transmitted infection, and human papilloma virus is the causative agent. It is the most common malignancy of the reproductive system and a leading cause of death from cancer in Nigerian women (Thomas, 2000). In contrast to most other types of cancer, it is common below the age of 50, and is therefore a leading cause of premature death (Dey et al. 1996). Sites of Reproductive Tract Infections : Reproductive tract infections can affect the outer genitals and reproductive organs. Infections in the area of the vulva, vagina, cervix or are referred to as the lower reproductive tract infections. Infections in the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries are considered upper reproductive tract infections. (Bulut et al. 1995) Minor infections of the reproductive tract : . Vaginitis : RTI affecting the external genital area and lower reproductive tract in women is often referred to as vulvo vaginitis, vaginitis or simply indicating that the vulva and / or vagina become inflamed and sometimes itchy or painful. Vaginitis is most commonly caused by endogenous infections such as candida (thrush, yeast) or bacterial vaginosis, sexually transmitted infections despite certain as trichomoniasis, can also commonly cause these symptoms and signs. Pelvic infections can have consequences far more dangerous than the initial vaginitis, such as ectopic pregnancy or infertility. (Bulut et al. 1995) 2. Infection of the cervix Infection of the cervix can be caused by a variety of pathogens, particularly sexually transmitted infections, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and Human Papillomavirus transmitted. Infections of the cervix are considered more serious than vaginitis because more commonly result in infection of the upper reproductive tract, with its serious consequences. Unfortunately, they are also more difficult to detect and are often asymptomatic. (Bulut et al. 1995) Upper Reproductive Tract Infections : The migration of infection in the upper reproductive tract, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and tends to be more severe than infections of the lower reproductive tract. Infections of the upper reproductive tract are often a direct complication of infections, especially sexually transmitted lower reproductive tract. (Bulut et al. 1995) Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), for example, is one of the most serious problems of gonorrhea or chlamydia. This can result in chronic abdominal pain, ectopic pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, infertility and as a result of scarring of the fallopian tubes . Ectopic pregnancy, which can cause death, is a particularly serious complication, since it requires emergency interventions that are not available in many resource-poor settings. Iatrogenic infections -. Caused by the introduction of bacteria in normally sterile environment of the womb through a medical procedure such as insertion of an IUD can also result in serious, and reproductive tract infections, occasionally life -threatening upper (Bulut et al .., 1995) ADHD in Classroom Strategies: Literature Review ADHD in Classroom Strategies: Literature Review To what extent can teachers make provisions for pupils with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivityââ¬âDisorder) in the mainstream classroom? CONTENTS (JUMP TO) Section 1: Referenced Extracts Section 2a Part One: Analysis and Critical Evaluation of the Issue Section 2b Part Two: Examination of the Practical Implications for Primary School Teachers Section 3: Copies of Extracts Section 4: Bibliography Sources and Further Reading Section 1: Referenced Extracts (1) Quarmby, K. (Tuesday 6 December, 2004) Rebels without a Cause: Children with Behaviour Problem are Increasingly Diagnosed with ADHD, in, Education Guardian, pp.1-3 (2) The Disorder named AD/HD: What we know (2004) National Resource Centre for AD/HD: Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivityââ¬âDisorder (CHADD; http://www.help4adhd.org/en/about/what/WWK1.pdf , p.2 (3) Rafolovich, A. (2005), Exploring Clinician Uncertainty in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity-Disorder, in, Journal of Sociology of Health and Illness, Volume 27, Number 3 London: Blackwell, pp.306ââ¬â310 (4) Northen, S. (Friday 26 November, 2004), Feed your Head, in, The Times Educational Supplement, p.3 (5) Spencer, T. et al (1995), A Double-Blind Crossââ¬âOver Comparison of Methylphenidate and Placebo in Adults with Childhood Onset Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity-Disorder, in, Archives of General Psychiatry, Volume 52, pp.434-443 (6) Education Guardian Opinion (Tuesday 10 October, 2006), p.4 (7) Handy, C. and Aitken, R. (1986) Understanding Schools as Organisations London: Penguin, p.13 (8) Chowdhury, U. (2004) Tics and Touretteââ¬â¢s Syndrome: a Handbook for Parents and Professionals London and New York: Jessica Kingsley, p.115 (9) Raphael Reed, L. (1995) Reconceptualisng Equal Opportunities, in, Griffiths, M. and Troyna, B. (Eds.), Antiracism, Culture and Social Justice in Education Stokeââ¬âonââ¬âTrent: Trentham, p.88 (10) Guiding Principles for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Attentionââ¬âDeficit Hyperactivityââ¬âDisorder (2006), Presented by the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA); http://www.add.org/pdf/GuidingPrinciples021206Rev[1].pdf , p.2 (11) Jones, A. (August 2004) Clinical Psychology Publishes Critique of ADHD Diagnosis and Use of Medication on Children, in, Psychminded Website; http://www.psychminded.co.uk/news/news2004/august2004/Clinicalpsycholgy (12) Swanson, J.M. and Castellanos, F.X. (2002) Biological Bases of ADHD ââ¬â Neuroanatomy, Genetics and Pathophysiology, in, Jensen, P.D. and Cooper, J.R. (Eds.), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: State of the Science Kingston: New Jersey, pp.71-72 (13) ADHD: Strategies for Primary School Teachers; http://premium.netdoktor.com/uk/adhd/living/school/article.jsp?articleIdent=uk.adhd.living.school.uk_adhd_xmlarticle_004691 (14) ADHD in the Classroom ââ¬â What Helps; http://www.adhd.com/educators/educator_communication_difficulties.jsp (15) Selikowitz, M. (2004) ADHD: the Facts Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.154 (16) Stein, D.B. (1999) Ritalin is not the Answer: a Drug-Free, Practical Programme for Children Diagnosed with ADD or ADHD New York: Jossey Bass Wiley, Preface Section 2a Part One: Analysis and Critical Evaluation of the Issue The issue of ADHD is one of the most pressing contemporary concerns within the broader educational sphere of making adequate provisions for children with learning difficulties. With the help of scientists and the media, ADHD has been transformed from a relatively unknown illness of the brain to a well known national problem for thousands of schoolchildren. The increase in awareness has been accompanied by a steep rise in the number of children being diagnosed with the disease. ââ¬Å"The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) estimates that as many as 500000 children in the UK may have ADHD and, of these, as many as 100000 may be seriously affected.â⬠(1) Unbelievably, this figure amounts to approximately one in twenty of all British schoolchildren. With figures constantly on the rise and awareness increasing in tandem, it is clear that ADHD is, at the beginning of the twenty first century, a highly important concern for any mainstream primary school teacher. In comparison to other behavioural problems experienced by young people, the illness is relatively new (at least in terms of its recognition from psychiatrists and general practitioners) and, as such, often causes confusion and misunderstanding when the issue is raised in the classroom. Touretteââ¬â¢s syndrome, for example, has a ten year advantage over ADHD in terms of public awareness and forthright medical opinion. Moreover, the illness is also notoriously difficult to accurately quantify with rather ambiguous symptoms like ââ¬Ëinattentivenessââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëa lack of concentrationââ¬â¢ used as precursors to a diagnosis of attentionââ¬âdeficit hyperactivityââ¬âdisorder. ADHD is consequently considered to be a highly controversial illness that has the medical community split over whether it is a disability in the traditional sense or whether it is a neurological malfunctioning on the part of the child or individual in question. This is not an easy problem to so lve not least because of the scarcity of medical facts. Indeed, the medical facts that are known are somewhat ambiguous and rely heavily on subjectivity rather than objectivity, which would bequeath an improved perspective for scientists and teachers alike. It has, however, been concluded that the illness begins no later than the age of seven and patients who are first diagnosed as ADHD sufferers in adulthood must have displayed the core symptoms from the age of seven to receive treatment for attentionââ¬âdeficit hyperactivityââ¬âdisorder this places the issue directly within the realm of the primary (as opposed to the secondary) school teacher as the first tell-tale signs must be evident before the age of seven (year three). It is therefore prudent to detail these core symptoms of the disease so that the primary school teacher may be in a position to offer better advice to parents and doctors as to the condition to one of their pupils. For this, analysis must turn towards the USA, which is the leading country in terms of diagnosing, treating and including children with the illness in national classrooms. Thus, according to the American National Resource Centre for AD/HD, symptoms can be split into two separate categories (2). The first category comes under the heading of ââ¬Ëinattentionââ¬â¢. The chief features of this are: Making careless mistakes in homework, in class and in other related activities. Failing to pay close attention. Difficulty maintaining attention during work or play. Appearing as if not listening when clearly being spoken to. Failing to follow simple instructions in class. Have difficulties with organisation. Avoiding work with a sustained amount of mental excursion, such as homework or tests. Loses things. Easily distracted. Forgetful in daily activities. The second category used for ascertaining the most visible symptoms of ADHD comes under the heading of ââ¬Ëhyperactivity-impulsive behaviourââ¬â¢. The core features of this particular behavioural manifestation are: Constant ââ¬Ëfidgetingââ¬â¢ in class with hands or feet. ââ¬ËSquirmingââ¬â¢ in chairs. Running or climbing at inappropriate times. Has difficulty remaining seated. Difficulties in maintaining silence during quiet play times. Failing to wait for turn in class. Interrupting teachers and fellow pupils at inappropriate times. Act as if they are on a ââ¬Ëmotorââ¬â¢. It is immediately evident from just a brief overview of the symptoms that ADHD is open to a wide variety of claims of inaccuracy with regards to diagnosis as well as excessive interference on the part of parents, teachers and the state, which has made the cause of children with learning difficulties a chief domestic policy since the end of the twentieth century. Sceptics naturally point to the many years before ADHD became a well known disorder (during the 1980sââ¬â¢) as evidence that the illness has been blown out of proportion (help groups, on the other hand, say this is merely evidence of the way in which the illness has been avoided by education professionals for so long.) Furthermore, according to an empirical study compiled by Adam Rafolovich (3), even doctors retain strong reservations about diagnosing a child with ADHD on the grounds of the fertile ground for misconception that exists with concerns to the symptoms highlighted above. For instance, there can be little doubt that there is a very fine line between defining a child as ââ¬Ëclinically inattentiveââ¬â¢ and simply viewing that same child as lazy and disinterested in the subject matter at hand. Likewise, the same problem persists with any variety of the core symptoms of ADHD, which are often too close to everyday behavioural disorders that should be expected in children as young as seven or eight. Once again, it is not difficult to understand the scepticââ¬â¢s point of view, especially when considering that the modern variation of schooling is a lot more pupil friendly than was the case forty or fifty years ago. Psychiatric experts and doctors are likewise divided over the best means of treatment available to children who have been satisfactorily diagnosed with ADHD. In the 1990ââ¬â¢s, medication was seen as by far the most viable route to inclusion in the classroom with the ââ¬Ëwonder drugsââ¬â¢ Ritalin and Concerta witnessing an explosion in sales at this time. Prescriptions for these two drugs have leapt from 6000 in 1994 to around 345000 by 2003. This marked increase is testimony to the way in which ADHD has become a serious problem for all mainstream teachers, particularly those who work in primary schools. In addition, there have been grave concerns voiced by doctors, parents and teachers regarding the moral aspect of prescribing a child as young as five or six a powerful, sophisticated neurological drug that alters the way the brain perceives key data. Young peopleââ¬â¢s brains do not fully develop until well into adolescence and often beyond; thus, the risks in having chi ldren become dependent on medication at such a young age should be obvious to all concerned. Moreover, as Stephanie Northen (4) points out, the fact that ADHD is seen as a biochemical imbalance in the brain requiring a pharmaceutical treatment while, at the same time, dyslexia is seen as a solely educational problem that has no connection with the brain, severely tests the rationale behind the way that the illness is currently being classified and treated. In many cases the difference between the two is only the opinion of a teacher, doctor or mental health observer. On the whole, however, medication has proved to be a success in young children with ADHD at least in terms of lessening the tendency for public outbursts and school time tantrums. Research conducted by the MTA Coââ¬âOperative Group at the end of the twentieth century discovered that approximately 70 to 80% of school children with ADHD reacted positively to psycho stimulant medications. Significant academic improvement has likewise been noted with an increase in attentiveness in the classroom, compliance on group related tasks and a greater accuracy evident in homework, coupled with a decrease in activity levels, impulsivity, negative social behaviours in groups and verbal hostility (5). The implications of medication and the effects that this can have on a child who displays the key symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity will be discussed in greater detail in Part Two of the discussion, but, at this point, the important point to note is the relatively high level o f success of prescription drugs in the effort to minimise the negative The other major option with regards to effective treatment is the option of psychotherapy involving a mental health expert and groups of child sufferers of ADHD. Utilising a form of cognitive behaviour therapy, qualified experts are able ââ¬â over time ââ¬â to challenge the way in which children react to certain environments and situations ââ¬â those situations that had previously led to evidence of what are considered to be the core symptoms. ADHD ââ¬Ëcoachesââ¬â¢ also help the child to prioritise, organise and develop interactive skills that will lessen the chances of that child experiencing a sense of social exclusion. There are also a number of problems with this kind of therapy not least the obstacle concerning the considerable costs incurred via employing a mental health professional in the current NHS climate. Theory and practice therefore still stand some way apart when it comes to the ideal means of treating children with ADHD faced with the reality of NHS staff shortages and a scarcity of private sector mental health experts who concentrate solely on children with learning difficulties. There is also the significant problem of stigmatisation when a child is diagnosed and then treated for ADHD or, indeed, any other mental health problem. To understand the severity of the issue, one need only look at the way that the adult labour force in the UK discriminates against employees who have a mental health issue in order to understand the way in which playgrounds can become a source of intensive bullying, especially below the age of eight according to the Guardian Education Opinion in October 2006 (6). When one considers the fact that schools are, according to Charles Handy and Robert Aitken (7), not at all dissimilar to adult commercial organisations, it becomes even more clear that bullying and peer pressure are significant issues when it comes to schooling children with learning difficulties and behavioural problems, which ADHD obviously entails. As Uttom Chowdhury declares, the more a child stands out as different from his or her classmates ââ¬Å"because of associated behaviours such as impulsivity, poor handwriting and academic difficultiesâ⬠(8) the greater the likelihood of bullying and social exclusion. Primary school teachers would have a pivotal role to play in the cessation of bullying on the grounds of a mental illness, in addition to maintaining an effective social balance within the classroom. Furthermore, a pupil who suffers from ADHD is bound to display signs of low self esteem, regardless of bullying in the playground or peer pressure within the classroom. Low self esteem combined with the unpredictable side effects of the medication as well as mitigating factors that may be occurring at home, means that the task of a mainstream primary school teacher is made all the more time consuming. It can be seen that attentionââ¬âdeficit hyperactivityââ¬âdisorder is not only a highly topical issue that is bound to increase in significance in the coming decades, but that it is also a highly problematic area of debate for public education and child welfare due to the ambiguity that resides at the heart of the diagnosis of the condition. While there are a number of tellââ¬âtale signs that a child may be suffering from ADHD there are also any number of alternative reasons as to why a student appears to be veering away from the carefully constructed consensus of a primary school classroom. Ultimately, some children would just prefer not to be in school at all. With this in mind, it is prudent to turn attention towards the implications for teachers who wish to advance the governmental policy of social inclusion in the classroom by understanding how ADHD can be married with an award for Quality Teacher Status. Section 2b Part Two: Examination of the Practical Implications for Primary School Teachers Section 3.2.4 of the Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status declares that teacher should, ââ¬Å"identify and support more able pupils, those who are working below age-related expectations, those who are failing to achieve their potential in learning, and those who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.â⬠Clearly, therefore, with regards to pupils with ADHD, the most pressing concern for primary school teachers is the need to maintain a healthy social balance within the classroom without ostracising the child with the learning difficulty. Inclusiveness must consequently be the teacherââ¬â¢s main priority if they are to fulfil the most basic precept of the QTS. ââ¬Å"All children need someone to mediate their learning, but sometimes this feels especially true for children with special educational needs.â⬠(9) This is a tried and tested educational tightrope that cannot be replicated in a college classroom, in an academic book or in an educationââ¬âspecific journal. Rather, this challenge can only be met through experience. This is, of course, not to state that there are not certain features and attributes that the teacher can learn so as to be in a more advantageous position to deal with potential sufferers of ADHD. The most obvious place to begin would be the acquisition of help from a more experienced teacher ââ¬â one who hopefully has coped with the demands of teaching children with learning difficulties beforehand, even if the difficulty in question is not ADHD. This would equip the recently qualified primary school teacher with the ability to deal more efficiently with children in the classroom who have already been diagnosed with the illness as well as those pupils that have yet to be diagnosed but who are nonetheless showing a variety of signs of ADHD. This is an important point because, according to the ââ¬Ëguiding principles for the diagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivityââ¬âdisorderââ¬â¢, ADHD should be ââ¬Å"suspected but never presumed.â⬠(10) Section 2.4.1 of the Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status states that: ââ¬Å"they [the qualified teacher] understand how pupilsââ¬â¢ learning can be affected by their physical, intellectual, linguistic, social, cultural and emotional development.â⬠With regards to pupils with ADHD, this would involve the ability to liaise with the childââ¬â¢s parents. This has two obvious benefits. The first is to better understand the childââ¬â¢s home life, which experts agree is a vital factor in the formation of the disease, especially if said home life is noticeably chaotic, abusive or violent. ââ¬Å"More regard should be given to a childââ¬â¢s social circumstances, experience and history in understanding their behaviour.â⬠(11) Secondly, research has indicated that there are certain generic attributes of ADHD that run through families, which makes the issue of maintaining an effective, coherent working dialogue with the parents of ADHD sufferers all the more imperative (12). Although the illness is inherently complex, involving a crossââ¬âover of many genes, there is a strong likelihood that one of the parents will also show signs of ADHD, making empathy with the child easier in the process. The Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status also require the primary school teacher to be able to effectively plan lessons for all pupils in the class. Moreover, as of January 2002, a revised SEN code of practice dictated that ââ¬Å"all teachers are SEN teachers.â⬠(13) Clearly, children with learning difficulties pose unique problems for the planning of lessons, none more so than those pupils with ADHD, which is an inherently disruptive and antiââ¬âsocial illness. Communication between the teacher and the student (not to mention communication between the student and his classmates) is therefore a major problem. Fortunately, there are a number of study aids that are available for teachers to consult. For instance, the official ADHD website in the US offers invaluable advice on how best to manage children with the illness in a classroom setting (14). The following constitutes a small extract of what the organisation considers to be useful information for educators . It should be interpreted as an Individual Education Plan (IEP): Refrain from ââ¬Ëpoppingââ¬â¢ a question which requires a speedy answer. Give the student extra time to answer questions. For example, use up time by writing on the blackboard. Speak slowly and provide information in small units. This is especially helpful in the classroom. Reinforce verbal instructions and lessons with written materials, or by writing on the blackboard. Work closely with the student to determine and accommodate his or her individual needs. There are likewise a number of books that have been published in recent years that are a source of encouragement for primary school teachers. Mark Selikowitz, for example, gives advice on the structural planning of the classroom for students with ADHD: ââ¬Å"the child with ADHD should be seated at the front of the class near to the teacherââ¬â¢s desk. The old idea of putting the ââ¬Ënaughtyââ¬â¢ child at the back of the classâ⬠¦is totally inappropriate if the child has ADHD.â⬠(15) Teachers must also be constantly aware of the dangers inherent in educating children who are prescribed powerful doses of medicine. In his critique of the culture of prescription drugs prevalent in the USA and the UK, David Stein warns of the sideââ¬âeffects of Ritalin, which include insomnia, tearfulness, rebound irritability, personality change, nervousness, anorexia, nausea, dizziness, headaches, heart palpitations, and cardiac arrhythmia. (16) Finally, in accordance with Section 3.3.1.4, tutoring a child with ADHD allows the qualified teacher to test their ability to effectively manage instances of bullying and harassment. Where a child with ADHD is concerned, bullying is especially relevant due to the potentially volatile outbursts of the child in question as well as taking into account the reaction of those classmates who do not understand ADHD. As is the case when constructing an IEP, the primary school teacher must be able to use common sense in order to properly tailor classroom and playground management for the specific needs of the child in question. No two ADHD sufferers are likely to display the same characteristics of the disease. Section 3: Copies of Extracts (1) (4) Rebels without a cause Children with behaviour problems are increasingly diagnosed with ADHD. But their parents often struggle to get them the education they need. By Katharine Quarmby Tuesday December 6, 2005 The Guardian James Steele, aged 10, from Bermondsey, south London, has seven doses of Ritalin a day to control his behaviour. On one of his first days at Southwark Park primary school, he stripped off naked and was chased round the school by two teachers. His mother, Julie Clapp, had to give up work to cope with him. Its been a nightmare, she says. He would crawl over desks, start climbing on equipment in the classroom, says Angie Sharma, acting headteacher. Then at one point he opened the window and stood on the ledge. The whole school was in a panic. We seriously thought we might have to exclude James. It was extremely difficult for the teacher to teach to the national curriculum when James was running out of class, refusing to co-operate. Before he joined the school, he had already been kicked out of nursery. The school begged Southwark council for help and, at the age of seven, James was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and given a statement of special educational need. A team of experts assessed James, including the schools special educational needs co-ordinator, an
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