Distance Learning: The New Frontier in Education

Distance learning has started to become more visible in today’s society. It has been recognized as an integral part of the education system. While still not being utilized in all places, it’s spreading and gaining ground as one of the more popular ways to deliver information. As a means of educating students, distant learning helps plug holes that have been created by a lack of a certified teacher being available. Through distance learning, technology has become an intricate part of how students are educated. Early Beginnings Distance Learning has been considered somewhat of a new idea. However, some of the key concepts that shape distance learning have been around for quite some time. Distance learning has a large portion of its roots in what’s known as correspondence study. According to Webster’s’ Dictionary, correspondence is defined as, â€Å"a course offered by a correspondence school. † Correspondence is defined as, â€Å"1 a: the agreement of things with one another b: a particular similarity c: a relation between sets in which each member of one set is associated with one or more members of the other — compare FUNCTION 5a. This information explains to us that two different parties are engaging in a form of communication with one another. â€Å"The roots of distance learning are at least 160 years old. An advertisement in a Swedish newspaper in 1833 touted, the opportunity to study ‘Composition through the medium of the Post. ’ In 1840, England’s newly established penny post allowed Isaac Pitman to offe r shorthand instruction via correspondence. † This information is very important because it helps in shaping some of the reasons and purpose of why correspondence was necessary. The power of correspondence began to develop even further. Because its advantage was in its ability to send information via the postal service, correspondence created opportunities for people to gain knowledge without physically being present. Not all scholars believe that form information transferrence marked the beginning of distance learning. â€Å"The history of distance education could be tracked back to the early 1700s in the form of correspondence education, but technology-based distance education might be best linked to the introduction of audiovisual devices into the schools in the early 1900s. This is an interesting point because it shows that different reference points are used according to a different set of criteria. As correspondence study continued to evolve, the implementation of correspondence schools began to expand. Several different correspondence schools were opened inside and outside of the United States: In 1891, Thomas J. Foster, editor of the Mining Herald, a daily newspaper in eastern Pennsylvania, began offering a correspondence course in mining and the prevention of mine accidents. His business developed into the International Correspondence Schools, a commercial school whose enrollment exploded in the first two decades of the 20th Century, from 225,000 in 1900 to more than 2 million in 1920. In Britain, we are informed that correspondence began to progress, â€Å"with the founding of a number of correspondence institutions, such as Skerry’s College in Edinburgh in 1878 and University Correspondence College in London in 1887. † As time progressed, distance learning received more support with the development of different communication mediums. Radio began to find its way into the mix of distance education. In the 1920’s, at least 176 radio stations were constructed at educational institutions, although most were gone by the end of the decade. † The development of televised courses began to receive a major push as well: In the early 1930’s experimental television teaching programs were produced at the University of Iowa, Purdue U niversity and Kansas State College. However, it was not until the 1950’s that college credit courses were offered via broadcast television: Western Reserve University was the first to offer a continuous series of such courses, beginning in 1951. The development of fiber optics paved the way for distance learning to make greater strides. It allowed for fast expansion of live, two-way, high-quality audio and video systems in distance education. With the introduction of the computer, teaching at a distance was able to really take off by leaps and bounds. Online courses found its way onto a number of colleges and universities. This was a great stepping stone for the development of such institutions as the British Open University, the American Open University, Nova Southeastern University and the University of Phoenix. These schools offer an enormous amount of courses online. According to Teaching and learning at a Distance; it is vital to the study of distance learning to combine theory because â€Å"it directly impacts the practice of the field. † There are many theorists whom express their ideologies that pertain to the historical background of distance learning. There are several scholars that note how important the role of theory and distance education intertwine, including; Borje Holmberg, Michael Moore, Otto Peters and many others. Theorists’ Desmond Keegan exemplifies the significance of theory and distance education when he expressed in 1988†¦ Lack of accepted theory has weakened distance education: there has been a lack of identity, a sense of belonging to the periphery and the lack of a touchstone against which decisions on methods, on media, on financing, on student support, when they have to be made, can be made with confidence. Keegan in his theories, implements how distance learning is vital in not only the classroom, but also how it encompasses the areas of politics, finance, and socialism. According to this theorist this type of education not only affects the classroom, it covers several properties of the world. Bjore Holmberg’s ideas promote that like any type of education. This type is no different in that it is according to him, trial-and-error with mere attentiveness to the theoretical stand point in making decisions. The ideas between Holmberg and Keegan contrast in that, Holmberg views distance learning as a representation of a deviation from conventional learning, while Keegan’s theories deduce that this type of instruction is a discrete type of education is symmetrical to the conventional methods. Contemporary Issues Distance Learning has created a wealth of opportunities for education to reach people in a variety of formats. With progress come concerns and issues that must also be addressed. There are several areas that have become red flags in the process of delivering education through the non-traditional classroom setting. Several policy issues have come about that are being examined. These areas of development deal with academic, fiscal and geographic: Institutions will need to develop policies that clarify everything from academic calendar to transferability. When a course is offered at one institution through a traditional classroom model, the academic calendar, for example, is the purview of that college or university. In certain cases, state regulations influence the calendar. But when a college enters into a consortia arrangement with other institutions on different academic calendars, it can become very confusing for the learners. In fact, some semesters or quarters end too late for courses to transfer to another college. Since distance learning models can complicate this process, flexibility is required. This is an issue that I personally encountered while taking an online Spanish course at Pulaski Technical College in the summer of 2007. In order to enroll for Spanish 2 I had to show that I had passed Spanish 1. The deadline was 2 days before grades were to be posted. I was fortunate enough to receive help from the administration but it was an intervention that would be constant on the part of the university. There’s also the question of integrity on the part of the students. While the use of CIV technology can alleviate some of this, other forms of distance learning continue to deal with this problem. The issue of students allowing others to complete their assignments has been around for quite some time. With distance learning, it looks to be just as prevalent. Fiscal concerns are consistent for a number of reasons. In most cases, distant education comes with a higher price tag than the conventional classroom setting: One certain way to guarantee problems in a distance learning program is to overlook the role of receiving institutions – those who do not offer the courses but provide the resources for learners to participate. This includes â€Å"receive† sites for interactive television courses and colleges that provide their computer laboratories to learners not enrolled at that institution. Contractual arrangements often provide a source of revenue to these receive sites, but in some cases policies do not provide, or prohibit, revenue sharing. Eventually, these receive sites become a source of frustration and potential revenue loss, which can diminish an otherwise well-run program. Distance learning policies must address the issue of equitable fiscal arrangements with receive sites and all other partners. These issues must be clarified in advance of program offerings, for without them, sound fiscal planning is impossible. Students are experiencing, what is called, geographic â€Å"out-of-state† fees for distance classes. This is a major concern because the internet is a boundless instrument that does not limit the learners’ ability to acquire knowledge on the basis of physical location. Asking students to pay extra fees for such this reason is of major concern: Setting tuition clearly is a fiscal issue; however, it also is a key aspect of the geographic service issue. Is â€Å"out-of-state† currently a relevant categorization for learners? Will â€Å"out of country† rates still apply? If we are to recognize the overarching reach of today's distance learning, existing policies need close examination and new policies may be needed to redefine tuition rates and service area restrictions. Another issue deals with the availability of instructors. While most of the curriculum is uploaded to the site in online courses, students may have questions that aren’t explained in the information. The difficulty comes in trying to contact the teacher through email or via telephone. The instructor may not respond in a timely manner, which puts the student at a disadvantage if the assignment is due before the question gets answered: Respondents were asked to rank the differences between traditional course delivery and distance delivery. The scale was according to importance, one having the most importance and six the least importance. The order in which possible choices were ranked was not of importance in this question. The rankings provided by each respondent for each difference was what was being examined. Results can be seen in Table 4. The primary choice for most important was â€Å"interaction with instructor† with 40 out of 107 (37. 4 percent) responses. Ronn Atkinson, social studies teacher at the Distant Learning Center in Maumelle, suggests that, â€Å"not all kids in Arkansas have access to the internet. It's either a question of accessibility or affordability. CIV is very expensive. Buying the system and paying the line charges, etc. Some districts can't afford it on their own without help. † Futuristic Implications Distance learning has made some very interesting strides and looks to be a mainstay in the future. This alternate form of education looks to be the growing as it takes on different shapes. Distance learning will take the place of traditional classrooms because of the accessibility that students have to computers. The overhead cost of running and operating an educational institution from a building will be a big determining factor in the success of distance learning: Despite the challenges distance education presents to our traditional conceptions of education and instructional delivery, distance education enrollment at community colleges has increased greatly over the last decade, suggesting that distance education offers an alternative to the traditional classroom experience that accommodates many students' individual circumstances and educational needs. Although the goals and outcomes of distance education are still somewhat unclear, it is generally agreed upon, however, that the marriage of technology and higher education will be a lasting one, and by the year 2000 more students will be instructed via more media than was ever thought possible. Though distance learning has become a very viable asset to education, a very key component to learning may be lost in the shuffle. The instructor’s ability to inspire the students through classroom lectures and instruction would most definitely not have the same effect on a student via online learning: How can we substitute for the inspiration of personal interaction with faculty members? In all of my years at Miami-Dade Community College, I never received a letter complementing a college program without reference to a faculty member or other staff member who had inspired or contributed to the development of the writer. Almost all of us can point to an individual, very often a faculty member, who had major impact on our lives. Is there a way to keep that inspiration in a distance learning situation? Is there something to be substituted? Compressed Interactive Video (CIV) has become a very interesting form of technology. This medium allows students to be taught a subject by a teacher in another location outside of the school building. So if a student is interested in taking a sociology course and their school does not offer it, he/she can utilize this system. More students are taking advantage of this technology each year. While CIV is still pretty expensive, over time it will become more affordable. Once that happens, it will help in the progression of home schooled students. Conclusion The power of learning at a distance has reached unparalleled heights in its ability to educate students. While there are some concerns as to whether or not it’s the â€Å"cure all,† there doesn’t seem to be much concern whether or not it is the medium of the future. It is cost efficient and looks to be the ultimate replacement of school building instruction. Distance learning is the truly the way of the new frontier. Bibliography Simonson, Michael; Smaldino, Sharon; Albright, Michael; Zvacek, Susan. Teaching at a Distance. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall, 2000. Gellman-Danley, B. , & Fetzner, M. J. (1998). Asking the Really Tough Questions: Policy Issues for Distance Learning Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume I, Number 1, Spring, State University of West Georgia, Distance Education. Schmidt, E. K. & Gallegos. A. (2001). Distance Learning: Issues and Concerns of Distance Learners, Journal of Industrial Technology, Volume 17, Number 3 – May 2001 to July 2001. McCabe, Robert H. (1996). Ten questions for the future of distance learning, Community College Week, 10415726, 7/29/96, Vol. 8, Issue 26 The Future of Distance Learning. (1994). Retrieved April 25, 2009, from EducationAtlas. com Website: http://www. educationatlas. com/the-future-of-distance-learning. html Research in Distance Learning. (2009) The History of Distance Education. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from MA Distributed Learning Web site: http://www. digitalschool. net/edu/DL_history_mJeffries. html

Ai Weiwei: More Than Just an Artist

From the Sichuan earthquake To art and twitter: Ai Weiwei, more than just an artist 1 Table of Contents Introduction: the Sichuan Earthquake †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 Ai Weiwei’s Communication Tools †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 â€Å"Remembering† †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Twitter †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Going Local to Global †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 2 Introduction: the Sichuan Earthquake On the 12th may 2008 in the Sichuan province, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 8 on Richter’s scale occurs during the afternoon (Fawu Wang, 2009). According to an official report, 69’197 people were killed, 374’176 injured and 4. 8 Million were left homeless. Although earthquake predictions remain in a certain way always random, a scientist named Chen Xuezhong brought in 2002 evidence of a potential coming earthquake in the region (Zhiyue, 2010). It stresses that China’s government was warned of a potential coming disaster. After this short introduction, this essay will focus on the repercussions of this incident, in China as well as internationally, emphasised by Ai Weiwei’s actions through, on one hand art and on the other Internet, respectively twitter. Ai Weiwei’s Communication ToolsThe Sichuan earthquake raised strong criticism against the Chinese government, especially because of the huge number of victims among children. According to a construction engineer who published the Chinese book â€Å"Book Blade†: â€Å"School construction in China is the worst† (Li, 2008). Indeed, they are often called â€Å"tofu construction†. Several reasons cover this problematic. Among them, the tiny budgets in poor areas. This is why we find infrastructure deficits in those regions (Li, 2008). Indeed this event has raised interest and the one of a particularly renowned artist, named Ai Weiwei.In his documentary â€Å"Never sorry† Ai Weiwei explains he pursued an independent personal investigation on this accident; he wanted to find out how many children had been killed and wanted to sue the government for their deaths, because according to him, it didn’t face its responsibilities. Furthermore he reveals the difficulties encountered, due to the government’s restricted information policy, to obtain the official number of children victims (Klayman, 2012). Thus, supported by helpless parents, depressed because of their loss, he gathered the names of an important number of children killed so that they could be remembered (Helmhirst, 2012). â€Å"Remembering† Ai Weiwei is an international renowned artist with strong beliefs and personal views. As a matter of fact, he likes to use his world reputation to make the public opinion aware of the problems the Chinese population is facing because of the communist party and has always been a great defender of their rights. The Sichuan earthquake would have been hidden and forgotten in the government’s propaganda, but thanks to him and to his art creation, those students’ life will never be forgotten. Remembering† is a piece of art created by Ai Weiwei on the wall of the â€Å"Haus der Kunst† in Munich. Made with 9’000 schoolbags (McMahon, 2010), it symbolises the life of the students who died during the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan. Different colours have been chosen to decorate the schoolbags, in order to read the following phrase, written with Chinese characters, on the wall of the â€Å"Haus der Kunst†: â€Å"She lived happily for seven years in this world† (Branigan, 2011).This sentence, pronounced by the poor mother of a victim, shows how sad and tra gic this accident has been. Through this artistic work and its exposition in a cultural centre like Munich, Ai Weiwei has been able to export local Chinese problems to the rest of the world and make us aware of the repressed liberty of expression and the lack of assistance to the population in China Province, especially when it comes to people living in poor areas. In addition it expresses Ai Weiwei’s beliefs by showing us that he holds the government responsible for those high casualties.Twitter Ai Weiwei uses twitter and Internet to share his views and assess his notoriety. This tool became an essential part of Ai Weiwei’s style of communication. During the Sichuan earthquake, twitter has been used to make the people aware of the damages caused and to reveal whom Ai Weiwei holds responsible for this incident. People outside China could be informed. On the opposite, people living in the mainland of China have a restricted access to Internet, respectively twitter.Still , there are some ways to deviate from the, imposed by government, restricted freedom of speech; although the use of Internet is limited, some people in China use a VPN located outside of China to communicate within the mainland (A digital rallying cry, 2011). Thus the government’s politic, this doesn’t 4 bother Ai Weiwei who’s an active twitter user, sharing his thoughts almost daily (Twitter Ai Weiwei). As a precursor of twitter in China, Ai Weiwei considerably influenced the style of communication and the liberty of expression of Chinese people.Effectively, the following example highlights clearly those facts: when Ai Weiwei was in detention, a lot of his followers shared twitts almost every day for his liberation and manifested in the streets with the famous slogan: â€Å"Free Ai Weiwei† (Twitter Free Ai Weiwei). This shows the considerable impact he has on Chinese society. Going Local to Global The repercussions of the Sichuan earthquake can be charac terised by the influence of the western culture on the Chinese population through Ai Weiwei, respectively art and twitter.As a matter of fact Ai Weiwei has studied art both in Beijing and in New York (Wines, 2009); this certainly allowed him to draw comparisons between the Occidental and the Asian culture and to figure out which changes were to be made in the Chinese politics, for example regarding the freedom of speech. Indeed from a local incident and thanks to an international renowned artist, a positive anger in the Chinese population, against the government, has raised to fight for their rights and to freely express their opinions.Effectively, it is to be underlined that the use of twitter by the Chinese population is a relevant example for this characterisation. Conclusion In the light of these factors the Sichuan earthquake emphasises the infrastructure deficit the country is facing in Province and more importantly in poor areas. Secondly, â€Å"Remembering† is the sym bol of the anger and the sadness Ai Weiwei and the parents face regarding respectively the government and this tragic accident. Thirdly, twitter highlights a communication tool, which can easily and instantly be used. Ai Weiwei hrough a combination of these tools positively influenced the Chinese people. Although it may seem somehow utopic, Ai Weiwei with â€Å"Remembering† and twitter made a huge step forward, by making a population aware    5 how to use their rights, in the fight he struggles with the government of mainland China. Hereby, I declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. 6 7 Ai Weiwei: More Than Just an Artist From the Sichuan earthquake To art and twitter: Ai Weiwei, more than just an artist 1 Table of Contents Introduction: the Sichuan Earthquake †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 Ai Weiwei’s Communication Tools †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 â€Å"Remembering† †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Twitter †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Going Local to Global †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 2 Introduction: the Sichuan Earthquake On the 12th may 2008 in the Sichuan province, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 8 on Richter’s scale occurs during the afternoon (Fawu Wang, 2009). According to an official report, 69’197 people were killed, 374’176 injured and 4. 8 Million were left homeless. Although earthquake predictions remain in a certain way always random, a scientist named Chen Xuezhong brought in 2002 evidence of a potential coming earthquake in the region (Zhiyue, 2010). It stresses that China’s government was warned of a potential coming disaster. After this short introduction, this essay will focus on the repercussions of this incident, in China as well as internationally, emphasised by Ai Weiwei’s actions through, on one hand art and on the other Internet, respectively twitter. Ai Weiwei’s Communication ToolsThe Sichuan earthquake raised strong criticism against the Chinese government, especially because of the huge number of victims among children. According to a construction engineer who published the Chinese book â€Å"Book Blade†: â€Å"School construction in China is the worst† (Li, 2008). Indeed, they are often called â€Å"tofu construction†. Several reasons cover this problematic. Among them, the tiny budgets in poor areas. This is why we find infrastructure deficits in those regions (Li, 2008). Indeed this event has raised interest and the one of a particularly renowned artist, named Ai Weiwei.In his documentary â€Å"Never sorry† Ai Weiwei explains he pursued an independent personal investigation on this accident; he wanted to find out how many children had been killed and wanted to sue the government for their deaths, because according to him, it didn’t face its responsibilities. Furthermore he reveals the difficulties encountered, due to the government’s restricted information policy, to obtain the official number of children victims (Klayman, 2012). Thus, supported by helpless parents, depressed because of their loss, he gathered the names of an important number of children killed so that they could be remembered (Helmhirst, 2012). â€Å"Remembering† Ai Weiwei is an international renowned artist with strong beliefs and personal views. As a matter of fact, he likes to use his world reputation to make the public opinion aware of the problems the Chinese population is facing because of the communist party and has always been a great defender of their rights. The Sichuan earthquake would have been hidden and forgotten in the government’s propaganda, but thanks to him and to his art creation, those students’ life will never be forgotten. Remembering† is a piece of art created by Ai Weiwei on the wall of the â€Å"Haus der Kunst† in Munich. Made with 9’000 schoolbags (McMahon, 2010), it symbolises the life of the students who died during the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan. Different colours have been chosen to decorate the schoolbags, in order to read the following phrase, written with Chinese characters, on the wall of the â€Å"Haus der Kunst†: â€Å"She lived happily for seven years in this world† (Branigan, 2011).This sentence, pronounced by the poor mother of a victim, shows how sad and tra gic this accident has been. Through this artistic work and its exposition in a cultural centre like Munich, Ai Weiwei has been able to export local Chinese problems to the rest of the world and make us aware of the repressed liberty of expression and the lack of assistance to the population in China Province, especially when it comes to people living in poor areas. In addition it expresses Ai Weiwei’s beliefs by showing us that he holds the government responsible for those high casualties.Twitter Ai Weiwei uses twitter and Internet to share his views and assess his notoriety. This tool became an essential part of Ai Weiwei’s style of communication. During the Sichuan earthquake, twitter has been used to make the people aware of the damages caused and to reveal whom Ai Weiwei holds responsible for this incident. People outside China could be informed. On the opposite, people living in the mainland of China have a restricted access to Internet, respectively twitter.Still , there are some ways to deviate from the, imposed by government, restricted freedom of speech; although the use of Internet is limited, some people in China use a VPN located outside of China to communicate within the mainland (A digital rallying cry, 2011). Thus the government’s politic, this doesn’t 4 bother Ai Weiwei who’s an active twitter user, sharing his thoughts almost daily (Twitter Ai Weiwei). As a precursor of twitter in China, Ai Weiwei considerably influenced the style of communication and the liberty of expression of Chinese people.Effectively, the following example highlights clearly those facts: when Ai Weiwei was in detention, a lot of his followers shared twitts almost every day for his liberation and manifested in the streets with the famous slogan: â€Å"Free Ai Weiwei† (Twitter Free Ai Weiwei). This shows the considerable impact he has on Chinese society. Going Local to Global The repercussions of the Sichuan earthquake can be charac terised by the influence of the western culture on the Chinese population through Ai Weiwei, respectively art and twitter.As a matter of fact Ai Weiwei has studied art both in Beijing and in New York (Wines, 2009); this certainly allowed him to draw comparisons between the Occidental and the Asian culture and to figure out which changes were to be made in the Chinese politics, for example regarding the freedom of speech. Indeed from a local incident and thanks to an international renowned artist, a positive anger in the Chinese population, against the government, has raised to fight for their rights and to freely express their opinions.Effectively, it is to be underlined that the use of twitter by the Chinese population is a relevant example for this characterisation. Conclusion In the light of these factors the Sichuan earthquake emphasises the infrastructure deficit the country is facing in Province and more importantly in poor areas. Secondly, â€Å"Remembering† is the sym bol of the anger and the sadness Ai Weiwei and the parents face regarding respectively the government and this tragic accident. Thirdly, twitter highlights a communication tool, which can easily and instantly be used. Ai Weiwei hrough a combination of these tools positively influenced the Chinese people. Although it may seem somehow utopic, Ai Weiwei with â€Å"Remembering† and twitter made a huge step forward, by making a population aware    5 how to use their rights, in the fight he struggles with the government of mainland China. Hereby, I declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. 6 7

Class Project on San Diego Police Department

Police Departments of different cities are undergoing a transition. Police department and their operations, hierarchy design, and strategies are becoming increasingly similar to that of other commercial organizations. Police Departments today operate with a sense of direction, a mission that is broken down into objectives and achievable goals that must be met in order to rank the mission of the department as a success. Therefore, it will not be incorrect to compare police departments to business organizations functioning within the society About San Diego Police Department The police department of San Diego is one of the most efficient police departments from across the country. The department is also amongst the pioneers in implementing strategies that have won the country the edge in the fight against crime. These strategies include implementation of an Information Technology infrastructure and programs such as ‘Community Oriented Policing’. The San Diego Police Department has a strength of over two-thousand-six-hundred personnel. This strength consists of officers that are sworn, as well as other that are civilians. These personnel function conjointly towards accomplishing the mission of the police department. These personnel are further divided into eight divisions: Field Operations, Special Operations, Neighborhood Policing, Training and Development, Office of Administration, Personnel Services, Professional Responsibility, and Support Services. All these departments function under the assistant chief, except for the Personnel Services which functions under a civilian personnel director. (Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999) The department has been a leader in trying new strategies for implementing effective criminal justice routines. The department works closely with the community and encourages the society to participate and coordinate with the fight to make the city free of crime. The ‘Community Oriented Policing’ and ‘Problem Oriented Policing’ are two such programs that bring the community and the department together in the fight against crime. Further, the department has also implemented Information Technology as a strategy for efficient crime reporting and monitoring The aforementioned strategies have yield promising results for the San Diego Police Department. The crime rate has considerably declined in the city and is continues to drop. The crime statistics of the year 1997 show that fewer homicides, murders, violent crimes, property crimes and burglaries have taken place that year as compared to 1978 (Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999). However, this existing crime rates are still quite high for the United States. The San Diego Police Department has therefore the responsibility to sustain the comparative low crime rates and try to reduce these statistics even further. This cannot be achieved without efficient strategy planning of department’s resources. Following is a study and analysis of the San Diego Police Department. The various aspects of the operations of the department are studied, analyzed, and based on these a strategy plan is devised for sustainability in operation of the department. San Diego Police Department’s Mission The department envisions cohesion of efforts of various entities in the society, aimed at improving the lives of the inhabitants of San Diego. The collaborative work is one of the most stresses attributes of the police department’s mission. This collaboration includes entities such as â€Å"communities, government agencies, private groups and individuals† (The City of San Diego Web Site, 2002) that share the same vision as the San Diego Police Department, i. e. fighting crime and improving the quality of life in San Diego. The attributes of the mission statement are the values that the San Diego Police Department tends to use to accomplish its mission. These values are representative of the spirit, and are the basis of the policies of the police department’s mission. San Diego’s Web Site (2002) lists some of the core values of their police department, rating protection of human beings as one of the highest priority values. This is significant for any police department as the primary reason for establishment of peace, law and order systems is protection of human life. The value deserves to be at top priority as a lack of value suggests taking for granted the objective of the department’s motif for existence. The implementation of ethical policing follows in the list of values. The reason for giving ethics a high importance is crucial for the acceptance of the police department by the people it is established for. There are many issues surrounding execution of duties of the police force and officers, ethics being one of them. It is not fiction but a fact that a police subculture has established itself within the officers which sometimes provides for officers to carry out unethical practices or misuse of authority. The public shows its concern for such unethical practices implemented by law enforcers themselves. Therefore, the implementation of ethics in particular and mention of it that high in the mission statement of the police department is strategically intended to ward off bad attention. Units in the San Diego Police Department The police department has been organized into several different units based on nature of function or crime. This helps organization of resources as well as represents the image of a well-organized/equipped police department. The different units operating in SDPD are: Air Support Unit, Armory – SWAT, Background Investigations, Canine Unit, Child Abuse, Communications, Crime Analysis, Criminal Intelligence, Crisis Intervention, Data Systems, Domestic Violence Unit, Elder Abuse, Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO), Field Training Officer Administration (FTO), Financial Crimes, Gang Detail, Harbor Patrol, Homicide, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Administration, Laboratory, Legal Advisors, Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST), Media Relations, Mounted Enforcement Unit, Narcotics, Neighborhood Policing, Permits & Licensing (Vice Administration), Personnel, Psychological Services, Records, Recruitment, Robbery, School Task Force, Sex Crimes, Special Investigations, SWAT/SRT (Special Response Team) and Vice Operations. The City of San Diego Web Site, 2003) Critical Success Factors of San Diego’s Department of Police The success of the Police Department in accomplishing and maintaining the mission objective in the community can be contributes to various factors. Some of these factors can be outline to be critical for the success of department, without which the SDPD could not have realized their mission objectives. These factors are summed up and briefly outlined here as the critical success factors for SDPD. Well-defined Strategy The reason why San Diego Police Department has been recognized as one of the leading police departments in controlling crime is that the department has well-defined strategic objectives. The objectives are responsible for focusing the resources of the organization in an organized manner, towards attaining the mission objectives of the department. Setting up a well-defined strategy for a criminal justice unit is rather a new concept in criminal justice administration as usually these departments just focus resources in an unpremeditated manner towards the customary objective of reducing crime. However, the strategy of the SDPD is different. The police department has laid down a definition of more than one goal and further strategically channelled their resources towards realizing these goals. An instance of such a strategy is the department’s awareness about different approaches towards criminal justice, such as the ‘problem-oriented policing’ strategy or integrating the community in the fight against crime in the neighborhood. Training of Human Resource  The shift away from the conventional means of operations brings forth the need to train the human resource of any organization to accustom it to the new strategy. Not only would a new strategy introduce new processes for conducting conventional operations, but it may also introduce new tools (such as Information Technology tools, including software and hardware) that are intended to enhance the efficiency of the human resource. San Diego Police Department faced the same circumstances where the introduction of a strategy enticed the need for human resource training. Eventually, the proper and trained use of strategies and tools led to efficient operations and increased productivity of the police department which was unprecedented. Besides the consideration of training with a changing information technology infrastructure, officers at the police department have to undergo extensive training from the police academy before they can start performing their duties in SDPD. A focus of ethical grooming is also maintained during this course of training. This helps realize and implement the value of the San Diego police department to use ethical policing when serving the community. The officers undergo comprehensive training in the police academy which prepares them not only to ‘serve and protect’ but to efficiently implement policing according to the strategy that is implemented at SDPD. Use of Information Technology The introduction of Information technology tools is one important development for crediting the success of the mission at SDPD. Conventional policing shows less use of high tech tool for attaining criminal justice objectives, but with the advancement in technology the role information technology tools play has become a crucial success factor of policing. San Diego Police Department has been one police departments that accredits it success to the use of Information technology tools, including software, hardware and processes. The department has segregated the use of Information technology in various units and systems. The New Technology Unit (NTU) is one such unit which is headed by a sergeant and staffed by patrol officers. Each individual involved in the integration of technology in policing is thoroughly trained, committed and knowledgeable about the use of this technology. The information technology infrastructure is used for a range of operations. This includes activities from installation of software of laptop machines to the use of Automated Field Reporting (AFR) devices. (The City of San Diego Web Site, 2003; Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999) Information Technology helps improve the efficiency of operations of the San Diego Police Department in various ways. For instance, the patrol officers can electronically transfer information from their remote locations to the central information system regarding criminal activity or general reports. Financial Situation Finances are the backbone of the any organization as refining the state of the community comes at a cost which must be met. Finances help any organization buy and employ resources towards a definite objective. Similarly San Diego Police Department has the primary objective of making the city a secure place by protecting them and further improving their quality of life. In order to realize these (and many other) objectives for the mission of the police department, the department needs finances. Once finances have been obtained, which is further required is the proper and efficient management of these finances in order to get the maximum out a limited finances. Budgeting is used by SDPD to plan its finances most effectively. The major part of the budget is used to cover personnel expenses. This shows the worth and its expected reliance on the human resource for the success of the mission of the department. Like any other organization, monetary benefits are used to keep the human resource motivated. When the major portion of the budgeted amount is spent on salaries, the remaining amount is still a hefty lot for the police department to plan investment in information technology and other nfrastructure – efforts aimed at improving the efficiency of SDPD. (The City of San Diego Web Site, 2003; Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999) The primary sources for the finances made available to the San Diego Police Department are five, namely: Property Tax, Sales Tax, Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), Motor Vehicle License Fee (MVLF) and Franchise Fee. As the financial resource of SDPD depends on the City’s General Fund, they are generally sensitive to political and economic stimuli coming from either local, state or national levels. Organizational Design Strategy The organizational hierarchy is clearly listed at the San Diego Police Department Web Site (2003). The organizational hierarchy shows the structure of the police department and the chain of command can be conveniently analyzed. An analysis of the organizational chart reveals that the department is arranged in a way of a business organization with the Chief of Police as the CEO, and the managers take places lower in the hierarchy. So much so that the organizational chart is also labeled as â€Å"San Diego Police Business Center†. The organizational hierarchy is top down, however possesses horizontal attributes, which make communication between individuals working at the same level (horizontal communication) and also across departments. Vertical communication however is not favorable in the top-down hierarchy. Further analysis of the organizational chart of the San Diego Police Department reveals that the department intends to implement a central control over other departments / entities working lower in the hierarchy. This organizational design will be helpful in enforcing strict monitoring and accountability of entities lower in the hierarchy. Such an organizational design, therefore, is used to implement effective programs and reduce the relaxation/room for errors for entities as activities are reported to entities higher up in the hierarchy design. This is one strategy that is used to accomplish the mission of ethical policing at all levels within the department. It is safe to suggest that the organizational design of the San Diego Police Department compliments its ethical policing objective. Strategic Plan for San Diego Police Department The aforementioned analysis has laid the foundation to devise a strategic plan for the San Diego police department for the coming years. The analysis of the department’s mission, critical success factors, financial situation and organizational design strategy are the groundwork for a smart strategic plan for the department, which would otherwise not be feasible without these analyses. The following is a suggested strategic plan for the San Diego Police Department including justification for each strategy suggested. Strategic Design for SDPD The analysis of the organizational design reveals a hierarchy with strict and inflexible structure. This organizational design might be appropriate for implementation of ethical policing and complimenting strict measures of control within the department, however the organizational design conflicts with an important aspect within any organization, i. e. communication. The design strategy hinders communications within different departments at different levels of the hierarchy. The design strategy suggests to the community that officers and entities placed lower in the hierarchy will be the interface for dealing with the department, whereas entities higher in the hierarchy depict not much interaction with the public. It is important to mention here the expectancy of the public to have transparent execution of services as it is the public’s money which is the source for funding the police department. Therefore, what the San Diego Police Department needs is an organizational design that fosters communication with all the entities involved in policing, however one that also implements a strict control for implementing ethical policing without hindrance. This can be implemented with a new, lean organizational design. Contingent Strategy for SDPD As analyzed earlier, the financial strategy of the San Diego Police Department is susceptible to economic and political fluctuations on the local, state or national level. This susceptibility poses a threat to the sustainability of operations of the police department by exhibiting dependence on these factors. The department needs to device a financial management strategy to provide when in difficult times such as those that may not cause disruption of work. This means that an alternative source for generation of funds must be established or sought out by the San Diego Police Department that can cater to the financial needs of the department when other currently implemented sources are not available. Conclusion The San Diego Police Department has implemented quite a few strategies to minimize crime in the city. Nevertheless SDPD must implement further strategic measures for sustainability of its mission of fighting crime.

Case Study on Organizational Behavior Essay

How will Tony Stark deal and cope with the new environment in the Reece Company? Solution: In my own opinion, since Tony is new in the company, feeling of indifference and resentment from other co-workers is inevitable. He already accepted Reece’s offer, so there’s no turning back now. Second thoughts won’t really help him with his situation. There really is a big difference with O’Grady’s and Reece’s working environment. He probably got so used to the previous company that’s why he’s having issues with the new one he’s in. There are no companies are extremely alike. What he has to do now is accept whatever is happening and exude effort in trying to make things better. He should continue interacting and reaching out to his colleagues. He should also learn to adapt to his new environment by finding out what kind of processes and procedures that the company carries out, do some background researches on what Reece has been a ccomplishing these past few years, etc. By doing such, the indifference he’s been feeling will hopefully diminish and he’ll be able to cope and adapt well. Case Questions: 1. Identify several concepts and characteristics from the field of organizational behavior that this case illustrates. 2. What advice can you give Tony? How would this advice be supported or tempered by behavioral concepts and processes? 3. Is it possible to find an ideal workplace? Answers: 1. Several concepts and characteristics from organizational behavior were illustrated in the context of this case. First, let me start with the O’Grady Company. Their technical, human, and conceptual skills seem to collide on very good terms. But their valuable human skill is the one most profound and evident in the work environment. The leadership style manifested here is positive leadership. This approach is focused on â€Å"rewards-economic†. This can be seen when it was stated in the text that Tony received three promotions and many pay increases while in the company. Now, let’s proceed to Power Styles. In here, the authorities of the leaders can be classified as â€Å"participative leaders†. They decentralize authority. They are not unilateral, and arise from consultation with followers’ participation by them. They inform their employees about conditions affecting their jobs and they are very much encouraged to express their ideas and make sugg estions. On the aspect of Leadership styles, O’Grady is practicing â€Å"Participative Leadership†. The management welcomes employees’ Inputs in decision-making and gives their suggestions great attention in making final decisions. On the other hand, Reece is practicing something very different from O’Grady. First, their human skills seem to be lacking. But their technical and conceptual skills are in good terms. When it comes to Power Styles, Autocratic leaders are very evident in this company. The power is centralized and decision making is up to the top management. They take full responsibility and authority over the company. This is evident when it was mentioned in the case that Reece was structured much more bureaucratically. No one was allowed to make any sort of decision without getting three signatures from higher up, and these signatures were very hard to get. On Leadership Styles, the company is manifesting â€Å"Directive Leadership†. Leaders focus on clear task assignments, standards of successful performance and work schedules. 2. Since Tony came from a company very different to the one he’s now in, he should learn to cope and adapt to his new environment. He should make an effort to learn how things are run in the new company in order to become familiarized and will be able to manage himself well. Also, he needs to network with others within the company. This may allow him to assist in areas of the company which and enabling him to earn recognition from your colleagues and other managerial figures. This will make your positive contributions to the company more apparent, and may cause people to question your supervisor if he fails to discuss your work in a positive light. Although this may be a difficult task to accomplish because of the behavior that his colleagues are exhibiting towards him. They seem to be indifferent and very apathetic. This may pose a challenge to Tony as to how he’ll be able to make this kind of environment work for him. Adapting and easing in to the company may take awhile due to such circumstances. 3. I wouldn’t really say that a person can find a very ideal workplace, but one can make the place you work ideal through risk and reward strategies , as well as figuring out how to apply your skills and passions to the field that you’re in. It’s the whole â€Å"love the one you’re with† scenario. But it is definitely possible. Also, if the workplace isn’t working out for you, don’t go rushing out the door. You shouldn’t expect to find everything that you are looking in a work place. There’s no such thing as a perfect company. There will always be something that will come up and make things uneasy or uncomfortable for you. Therefore, be the change that you are looking for. Make these anxieties and worries as an opportunity for one’s self improvement and development. In conclusion, there is a possibility to find something close to an ideal work place, but it is up to you to if you can make the disadvantages turn into advantages. Recommendation: In conclusion to all what’s been said and done, it is up to Tony Stark to make all of the inconveniences and disadvantages he’s been experiencing in the new company work for him. It’s all about adapting, coping, and being the change himself. He must consider this as a challenge for him to overcome. Running away should not be an option. Indifferent or apathetic colleagues can make your working life difficult or ineffective. These people may routinely fail to notice your accomplishments, or may quickly undermine your work without much hesitation. Although this can seriously disrupt your professional output, it’s possible to minimize the effect which your co-worker’s behavior will have on your career by deciding to emotionally detach from the situation and seek positive support from others within the company. It’s very ideal to stay calm. Although it will be tempting to argue with your supervisor, you should avoid this impulse; you need to remain professional and polite in order to prevent the situation from damaging your reputation. This will also make you appear more reasonable and focused in the event that problems do occur later on. It is also advisable to maintain positivity. Although you may have a professional problem with your negative work environment, it’s important not to take the issue personally. If you remain on friendly terms, the issue may naturally resolve itself over time as the quality of communication between you and your colleagues improves. A positive attitude will also assist you in understanding if your own behavior can be improved to successfully motivate other people into action.

Have women achieved equality with men Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Have women achieved equality with men - Essay Example This is because it has always been one of the root causes behind the segregation between men and women. They both can work together to achieve their individual as well as collective goals yet the inequality arises all of a sudden and mars the whole phenomenon essentially. Plants and offices have of late been filled by women who were reckoned by the authorities as of less efficiency as compared to their male counterparts some years back. This has changed for the better and more and more companies in the world of today are recruiting female candidates for suitable positions within their staff. Apart from this positive change in mindset of the companies and businesses, there have been some pretty negative points attached to the same notion moreover. The top one of these aspects is the indiscriminate attitude of the staff towards the women working in the offices which has given birth to gender issues like the sexual harassment and racial vilification ones. In the present day workplace situation, white men have encouraged the selection of white women as well as minority group members but there is a totally different posture when the selection of black community staffing within these companies starts making waves. (Author Unknown, 2001) Gender is a word, which describes the characteristics and attributes that are culturally accredited with women and men. It is pretty different and distinct from sex, which in its own entirety means the physical characteristics that make up one biologically either a male or a female. Structuralists have been in agreement with seeing the gender as a product of universal cultural laws and customs of the languages that shape up a cultural utterance and assertion. Consequently, structuralism accounts for the gender that focuses on the traditional contour of the male hero as somewhat of an â€Å"active subject† and the heroine (from the female sex) as rather

Uranium Mining in Western United States and its Effects Research Paper

Uranium Mining in Western United States and its Effects - Research Paper Example The element, uranium, occurred in ores mined for extraction of other minerals, especially carnonite. After the First World War and during the second war, uranium received a lot interest as an element. This write up follows the development of uranium mining as a by-product, to the exhaustive processing of uranium containing ores in search of uranium in later years. Uranium received such great interest because of its properties. Uranium decays with the release of energy and other particles; this makes it useful in nuclear weaponry and in production of electricity. Uranium was pursued for both reasons to a varied degree. This research paper investigates the circumstances that led to the uranium rush. The mining of uranium has numerous effects to both human beings and the environment. The writer of this paper reviews the chronological but enduring effects of uranium mining in the western United States. It investigates the ecological, social-cultural and health effects of uranium mining i n the western states. The importance of uranium and the role it has played in the development of the US cannot be belittled. Nevertheless, the lack of due care in the mining and processing of uranium ore resulted to varied adverse effects. Some of these effects have been around for several decades and are not yet over. Due to the long half-life of uranium, thorium and radon, their deposits take millions of years to reduce to safe levels. Additionally, the presence of a water-soluble uranium isotope made it easy for the spread of radionuclides from the mining districts to other states. Geography of western United States Western US covers the greater half of the country. It is divided into pacific states, west coast, mountain states, western Texas, and the mid west. The first group includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington while the west coast refers to California, Oregon, and Washington. The mountain states include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. T he Midwest includes Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota among others. (Energy-net) The western region features a wealthy but intricate tectonic history. This includes volcanoes, extension and compression. The Colorado flat terrain is at the centre of this region. The deformed Rocky Mountains (north), southern Rocky Mountains (northeast), Rio Grande rift (east), and the basin and range (south and west) surround the plateau. The plateau consists of gently tilted blocks of monoclines (Fagbola 2007, p. 1-8). The Colorado plateau extends to about 130,000 square miles. It is in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. Precambrian and metamorphic rocks form the basement of the plateau. Colorado’s basic topography can be demarcated threefold. The eastern part consisting of plains, the

Interpretation of financial statements (report) Essay

Interpretation of financial statements (report) - Essay Example To keep an investment with a company or its shares is a decision that should be viewed by an owner or investor in terms of cost-benefit analysis just like any purchase transaction. The expected benefits must have to be quantified or measured in order to guide decision making better. A company is generally assumed to growth over time in certain finance models. (Brigham and Houston, 2002). It needs to have profitability, efficiency, liquidity and solvency to survive, grow and stay in business. It competitors would always be there to match every strategy that it unleashes; thus, the strategies to be used must consider its external and internal environment in order to compete well in an industry that is affected by many hard to control factors. External factors need not be avoided however, since companies have employ strategies that would help the to develop strategies that would help them cope with the changing external environment. The return on capital employed (ROCE) of WBS Ltd. at for the last two years 2009 and averaged at about 17% as against the industry average of 20.3%. WBS Ltd. is obviously less profitable than ordinary competitors in the industry in both years. ROCE also declined to 12% in 2010from 22% in 2009. Such declined performance could not be an indication of some problem as it is still very high. Profitability was lower also compared with 2007 and 2008 ratios. See Appendix B. A more than 15% return on capital employed (ROCE) would definitely attract investors as it would mean that for every $100 the investors expect returns of about $15. This could be viewed as something high during normal times or when there is no recession. The present situation of the economy may be described as recovering. The fact the company is slight not doing better than the rest of the industry must convince owners to keep watch their profitability if not their investment with the company may