Early Modern Europe, Paradise Lost by Charles Milton Essay

Early Modern Europe, Paradise Lost by Charles Milton - Essay Example ddle of the action, telling the tale about how Satan fell, and then proceeding on to recreating different components of epic action such as the recollection of a previous golden world and the fantastic depiction of a battle, which in itself is an epic on its own. In Book IX, the epic tragedy is recounted. It is in this part wherein epic components are reordered (as what happened in many parts of the tale to suit specific thematic requirements) in such a way that underscores the Christian cultural purposes, specifically about transcendental concerns instead of the secular. For example, the reader is made to â€Å"listen† to Satan’s famous monologue. The soliloquy reflected clearly his state of mind and provided for an excellent prelude to an extensive discourse on the religious theme of man’s fall from grace and universality of such condition as demonstrated in the manner which angel fell as well. This device – the lyric and discursive genres - has been emb edded in various parts of the narrative and engages the reader when Milton wanted to depict a religious point such as an individual’s personal struggle. Milton used tragedy to underscore Christian purposes as well. For instance, the reactions to the Fall reflected the Aristotelian conception of classical tragedy wherein the plot involved a drastic change in the protagonists fate from happiness to misery. This device is particularly effective in Milton’s depiction of a Christian heroic protagonist. In lines 13 through 48 of Book IX, for instance, it was stated that true heroism is not about military greatness or some courtly grandeur. The Fall provided an excellent backdrop to underscore the idea that heroism can be had in man’s spiritual struggle. There is the Christian reference to the phrase â€Å"of patience and heroic martyrdom,† [32] which would be repeated through Books X-XII. Milton rejected the well-beaten path in epic narration by celebrating the ideal individual as well as his relations with

Financial Statements Essay Example for Free

Financial Statements Essay What does the Consolidated Statements of Earnings the income statement tell you about the company? Why is this statement important? What business decisions could be made using the income statement? What does the balance sheet tell you about the company? Why is  the balance sheet important? What business decisions could be made using the balance sheet? What does the statement of cash flows tell you about the company? What business decisions could be made using the statement of cash flows? What information is provided in the statements that will assist you in making these business decisions? What information is not provided that could assist in managerial decision making? Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Business Accounting Using Home Depot, Inc. 2008 Annual Report located in Appendix A of the text, Fundamentals of Financial Accounting , prepare a 1,050-1,750-word paper in which you answer the following questions: What does the income statement tell you about the company? Why is this statement important? What business decisions could be made using the income statement? What does the balance sheet tell you about the company? Why is the balance sheet important? What business decisions could be made using the balance sheet? What does the statement of cash flows tell you about the company? What business decisions could be made using the statement of cash flows? What information is provided in the statements that will assist you in making these business decisions? What information is not provided that could assist in manager Follow the link to get tutorial https://bitly.com/12BS8dD When you are traveling far from home for college, determine whether you should bring your vehicle or leave it home. In areas of high population, free parking spaces can be difficult to find. Also, if you have a car on campus, you will have to pay for regular maintenance as well as insurance and gas. Business Accounting Using Home Depot, Inc. 2008 Annual Report located in Appendix A of the text, Fundamentals of Financial Accounting , prepare a 1,050-1,750-word paper in which you answer the following questions: What does the income statement tell you about the company? Why is this statement important? What business decisions could be made using the income statement? What does the balance sheet tell you about the company? Why is the balance sheet important? What business decisions could be made using the balance sheet? What does the statement of cash flows tell you about the company? What business decisions could be made using the statement of cash flows? What information is provided in the statements that will assist you in  making these business decisions? What information is not provided that could assist in managerial decision making?

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues - Response to the Far Right Concerning

A Response to the Far Right Concerning Gay Marriage Mr. Far Right has claimed that neither the Constitution nor the Bill of Rights mentions the right of homosexual couples to marry. I think that it would be safe to say that a homosexual couple who wishes to marry is seeking their own definition of happiness. Did Mr. Far Right conveniently skip over the part about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" that is the very spirit of both these documents? "Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest" --On Liberty, John Stuart Mill Next, Mr. Far Right states that homosexuality is an "abomination" to the Lord. Ah, I see. Now he is making moral judgements about homosexuality based upon a theology that not everyone agrees with. Is this a private game, or can anyone play? To illustrate my next point, allow me to relate a story I one read, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula Le Guin. Behold the fair city of Omelas. In this shining city the people are happy. And why shouldn't they be? The children are beautiful, the food plenty, and crime is nonexistent. Nothing is unhappy in Omelas, well, almost. Locked in the small earthen basement of one of the largest houses in the city is a small child. This child is the source of all the splendor of the city. It is the sacrifice of this child's tortured existence by the city that makes its happiness and beauty possible. This boy is not a secret, however. In fact, every citizen of the city has to view and acknowledge the child for the city to retain is idyllic state. Most people view the boy and, after a brief pang of ... ... environments. It seems to me that there isn't a single good argument in Mr. Far Right' entire article against gay marriage. Mr. Far Right’s statements bring painfully to light the kind of ignorance that is rampant in our society. To quote Albert Einstein "Only two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the former." Although a ruling concerning gay marriage would have no affect on me directly, it deeply concerns me as to the kind of society that might be a result of a negative ruling. Once the rights of one group of people are restricted, what's to stop the restriction of another group’s rights? "Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men." --On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

Discuss the concepts of the Ideal Ruler

1. Gilgamesh, as a ruler, has portrayed a character that stirred up the necessity of having a leader who does not just have the time but also the passion for service. He drew his strength in leadership from his intelligence, bravery and respect. It was his skills that encouraged social consciousness among his people that heightened their aspirations to search for answers for the freedom of his city. Amidst his many battles, he has been grateful to God for the skills that he has.The image of a warrior and a soldier being an epitome of discipline and bravery among all the people in his city appealed to Gilgamesh greatly. Gilgamesh has shown his strength when he made it to the top of double cliff of Mt. Mashu on his way to Utnapishtim. Apparently, this is just one of the rather resilient moments of Gilgamesh. The ruler, who, at all times, exhibited instances of valor, made his journey while holding characteristics of a true hero. 2. The Odyssey was a great epic led by the main character , Odysseus who holds a group of men for more than years.He led the group for years and all this he did with an innate love for his country, his crew and his self. The inevitable fact however comes with its entire weakness when Odysseus pursued his plan of getting through the walls of the Trojans by making a giant wooden horse. Odysseus had one man to present the giant horse to the Trojans as a sign of peace. Not knowing what’s inside the horse, King Priam of Troy, freely accepted the gift and had merriment together with his people.After such, when everybody was falling asleep, Odysseus and his men sneaked out from the wooden horse and murdered every man in the palace, including the King. Odysseus was known for his bravery and brilliant minds. But like any other ordinary hero, he too, has his own weaknesses. As a leader, Odysseus demonstrated a deceitful act towards the Trojans and seldom reserved his humble personality because of his pride.Despite everything though, he was ab le to portray the good traits of a true leader – clever and gallant, that is. . Augustine, a man of â€Å"mystical piety and great philosophical acumen† was always hungry for knowledge. And this carnivorous-like desire entrapped him to be enamored with different philosophies and works – Manichaeism, Platonism, and Cicero’s Hortensius. These might have influenced him to write the greatest of his writings – Confessiones, De Trinitate, and De Civitate Dei – but they don’t hold a candle to what move most believers, Augustine’s conversion. Augustine’s faith was not handed to him on a silver platter.It was a faith earned even if it took all his life to achieve it. He was rather free in choosing his own religion. But in August of 386, Augustine was subjected to incessant pressure from the stern ethical demands of the preaching Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. Augustine was worried and was carried by anger to his own self for rejec ting the will of God and for not entering into His covenant (Confessions 8. 8). And as he stood there in the garden, he heard the voice of a child saying, â€Å"Tolle lege,† which means take it and read.Augustine took the Bible and read the first passage he came upon, Romans 13:13-14. And after reading such passage, he underwent a dramatic metanoia, a profound life-transforming experience wherein all his human desires were completely surrendered to God. 4. Oedipus’ being a King is no surprise for he was born as a prince. The people of Thebes had seen evidence of that. He was raised as a leader in a group of men who were happy during his time of leadership. He took responsibility on his people and was doing well on it. But what weaken him most were his low temperance and his pride.He couldn’t take hold of it for long that sometimes it was the only thing that was pulling him down. One instance that described how low-tempered Oedipus, was the time when he crossed t he highway and had a group of people before him. He wanted to go ahead of them and because of his impulsiveness; he jumped off and killed the group excluding one man who was leading it. With the scene, it can be concluded that despite his being a good leader and a king to his people, he too, can be as evil as any wicked beast could be to anyone who may break off before him.

Global Marketing Essay

Sinar Sosro Private Limited is the first company that introduced bottled jasmine tea to the public in Indonesia in the year 1940. The family started their business in Central Java, Indonesia which then expanded their market to Jakarta, Indonesia. Initially, the jasmine tea was brewed on the spot and served to the consumers. However, after they expand their market to Jakarta, they realize that the consumers find the tea that was brewed on the spot find the drink is too hot to be consume. Thus Sosro come out with a new strategy, the bottling system. In 1970, they came out with the first design of the bottle where tea was pre-brewed and bottled when it was cooled down and thus sell it to the consumers. The design of the bottle changed again in 1972 and 1974, which the latter design was used till now. Today, there are 4 different products which are under Sosro Logo. They are Bottled Sosro tea, Sosro Fruit tea, Sosro Teabag and Sosro Joy Green Tea. In addition to the local market, Sinar Sosro had also penetrated to the overseas market mainly by exporting their products in Tetra Pak and can packages to several countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalan and several countries in the Middle Eastern countries, Africa, Australia and United States. In this report, I will be investigating and analyse the opportunities exist in Singapore for Sosro brand product which is the Sosro Teabag which comes from Indonesia. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF SINGAPORE Singapore is known as one of the best country in the world for having the suitable environment for business. Located at the crossroads of the international trade routes, it is a constant top choice by multinationals organization to invest their money in. Singapore is known as a multi-cultural country with its diverse ethnic group, thus the varieties of cuisines are always in need. Food and Beverage business is one of the major business in Singapore and there is always a market for investors under this sector. Below, we will be analyzing the environment of Singapore and it is chosen to be the destination of the product. GEOGRAPHIC Located in the central of South East Asia, Singapore has one of the major advantages in doing business through their sea routes. The availability of the international and domestic transportation as well as the natural seaport had allowed Singapore to be one of the important hubs in the international trading. Changi Airport, the international airport of Singapore allows the country to connect with more than 180 countries in the world. This location allows them to easily access to all the premier Asian market. SOCIO-CULTURAL / PEOPLE With a population of more than 4 million people including expatriates, Singapore is a densely populated island with different races of people living harmoniously together. The people are the main drive behind most of the government decisions which aim to provide a better life for the people. With a population growth rate of 3. 1% in 2009, the literacy rate of the population comes up to 95% in total contributes to the economic boom in Singapore. The increase of the population plays a major part in the increase of the demand especially in the manufacturing field. Singapore is a knowledge based country, thus explained the highly educated people in the country. According to the Labor Force Evaluation Measurement report, Singapore has the best labor force in the world. Many of them have high productivity, technical proficiency, work hard and work smart culture. With professionals coming from all over the world, they bring extensive knowledge and professional expertise as well as experience which also contributes to the welfare of Singapore. The distribution channels for the food and beverage industry in Singapore can be divided into two main sectors. They are through retailers (includes wet markets, shopping malls, and supermarkets) and food services (e. g. hotels, restaurants, airlines). When it comes to distributing the products, many of them are controlled by local suppliers and their agents. Many of the channels prefer to purchase the products directly from the suppliers if they have large order quantity, for example, NTUC Fairprice and Cold Storage. However, for those who have a smaller order quantity will purchase their products from reliable suppliers. INFRASTRUCTURE Constant upgrading of the country’s infrastructure, Singapore remains as one of the most sought after country by investors to do their business. It is also ranked as Asia’s top convention city which had hosted some of the world’s most prestigious events. Depending on the size or nature of the business, investors can choose to set up their operations in an industrial/business park, own establishments or move into a readily available commercial buildings. As it is a technology savy country, Singapore tries to use technology to build up their efficiency and approximately 99% of the population have access to internet broadband network. POLITICAL / LEGAL Singapore political system is one that depicts laws, decides priorities and sets regulations using a rational and pro-business approach. It have a vision of bringing the country to the front line of the industrialized nations with its stable and orderly government. Singapore government emphasizes its efficiency and effectiveness in every walk of life. As it is run with integrity and transparent, investors can set up their business in an efficient manner without any hassle, bureaucratic delays or the need to pay corrupt officials. According to World Bank’s report, Singapore is rated strongly for government effectiveness, regulatory quality and control of corruption. Singapore government reviews their policies and programmes and takes extreme measure to restore their economy back to stable as quickly as possible if they come upon economic crisis. Development of Singapore laws reflect and awareness of the need to recognize and accommodate the investors with their current international business and commercial practices. As there are clear-cut laws regarding working hours, minimum wages, industrial protection and taxation, Singapore makes an attractive place for investors to set up and operate their businesses. ECONOMY One of the major reasons of doing business in Singapore is the economic factor. Being a member of ASEAN (Association of South East Asia) and FTA (Free Trade Agreement) allows Singapore to be of the best destination to do their business. As part of the member of FTA, Singapore had signed an agreement on the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) scheme on 28 January 1992 which aims to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers in the region. Other than Singapore, countries who are part of the ASEAN had also signed the agreement. Investors also enjoy a range of benefits such as preferential access to certain sectors, attractive tax regime, liberal immigration policies and intellectual property protection. Taxes are always an important factor that all investors take into consideration. One of the unique advantages of Singapore is that they have low corporate taxes. Companies that earn profit up to SGD 300,000 are imposed with 9% tax and it is capped at 18% for the amount more than that. Furthermore, Singapore follow a single-tier tax policy which means investors will be able to receive dividends tax free. In order to move away from direct taxes, Singapore government have adopted a more broad based consumption tax which is known as Goods and Services Taxes (GST) which is 7%. Intellectual Property Protection is taken seriously in Singapore. Investors or companies are able to register their trademarks in Singapore and also to apply for global trademark registration. In order to promote their economy, Singapore government had also established few programmes which is to assist investors to improve the efficiency and explore new opportunities. The availability of loans, grants and tax incentive as well as equity financing gave many investors the reason to invest in Singapore. COMPETITORS As all the information above mentioned, we know that the industry of food and beverage in Singapore is a thriving business. Thus there are many companies that brought in their products to the country. In the current market, there are many competitors that bring in their product. Using our product as a category, we have tea brands such as Lipton, Dilmah, Twinnings, Boh Plantations tea and many others as our competitors. CONCLUSION After analyzing the environment of Singapore, we realize that there are many opportunities that can be explored by the company for our products. With the correct strategy and right marketing strategy, we will be able to have a competitive advantage against other competitors and put our brand to the front. Looking at the economy of Singapore and how the government made decisions with the pro-business attitude, we believe that Singapore will be a good choice of location to invest the product. REFERENCES 1. EDB Singapore (2009), Singapore Facts and Figures, July 24 2010 http://www. fta. gov. sg/benefit. htm 2. FTA Singapore (2008), Benefits of FTA, July 24, 2010 http://www. fta. gov. sg/benefit. htm 3. Focus Singapore (2009), Business Opportunities, July 27, 2010 http://www. focussingapore. com/singapore-industry/business-opportunities. tml 4. Guide Me Singapore (2008), Advantages of Doing Business in Singapore, July 25, 2010 http://www. guidemesingapore. com/business/c643-singapore-business-setup-benefits. htm 5. Kotabe, M. and Helsen, K. (2008) Global Marketing Management, John Wiley and Sons Inc. United States of America 6. Sosro (2008), Company Profile, July 23, 2010 http://www. sosro. com/sejarah-bisnis. php 7. Statistics Singapore (2007), Latest Data, July 24, 2010 http://www. sing stat. gov. sg/stats/latestdata. html

Hersheys Sweet Mission

Hersheys Sweet Mission Introduction The purpose of this paper will be that of determining the stages Hershey has to implement in revamping its performance administration framework to appeal to its more and more varied workers. The paper will also establish how a worker will interpret Hershey’s culture and value based on his or her function.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Hersheys Sweet Mission specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper will utilize established trends in Human Resources Management and explain which one may influence Hershey the most. Finally, the paper will explain the impacts that mentoring could have on adopting virtues into the Hershey way of doing business. Redesigning Hershey’s performance administration method Hershey’s firm focuses chiefly on confectionary goods. Hershey’s goods comprise chiefly of candies and the chocolates. The company has remained in the marketplace since 1900â⠂¬â„¢s. It markets its goods globally. My suggestion to the revamp of the company’s performance administration would be in keeping its existing performance administration model. The company has a redesign model that provides for diverse age groups and more precise to two. Such age groups may comprise the younger and the baby boomer age group (Noe et al., 2011, p. 55). Based on these models, they encompass an event where the baby boomers coach or mentor the fresh hires to the organization. The principal purpose of training or mentoring is to establish an everlasting heritage with advancement of the entire universe. This specific model has been understood to be specifically passionate to mentor the younger workmates with a view of coping with Hershey’s guidelines (Noe et al., 2011). The company gains from the baby boomer as the reference model, trainer and in addition to its promoter in the corporate and business world. As far as younger recruits are concerned, the organ ization has developed their management systems with a view of attracting the younger recruits. This is presumed to provide the newly recruited employees with loads of enthusiasm for challenge, self-independent, and attain results in the business world.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Hershey’s revamp assumes the bottom-up concept. Individuals throughout the organization were permitted to identify a goal and monitor the likely growth on programs. The implementation of the management method is assumed to be successful to measure business outcomes. This system is in addition applied in checking whether the outcomes are attained in accordance to the company’s major values (Noe et al., 2011, p. 56). Interpreting values Hershey strives to offer an active and challenging work station that gives an individual the chance of developing his or her knowl edge and talents. The company’s sustained performance depends on engaged employees that are capable of meeting the challenges of a quickly expanding international market. Hershey’s special legacy, established key values and heritage to live up to the possible acceptable levels enable the company to engage and retain greatly talented individuals (Bowen Ostroff, 2004). If I were an employee of the company I would interpret the values that Hershey adopts based on my responsibility as an organization that believes in: Treating each employee with equality, integrity, and esteem. Encouraging openness by adopting diversity, implementing new technologies and advocating for sustainable growth. Growing together through sharing skills and realizing human capability in a setting of shared esteem (Noe et al., 2011, p. 55). Trends identified A possible threat for Hershey is the business world and expanding states of cocoa. Cocoa is the major component in chocolate, and a decline in cocoa dealers, or low quality cocoa would greatly wreck the sector. Hershey is responsive to this extrinsic aspect, and utilizes intrinsic forces in keeping this threat from turning out to be a reality. The organization is a member of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), and has implemented strategies with a view of preserving the environment and of starting projects that will preserve the ecosystem in which cocoa is grown (Bowen Ostroff, 2004). With more than 13,000 workers and turnover of about $4.5 billion, the organization has established their intrinsic and extrinsic aspects and utilizes the trend of flexibility in remaining an expending company. This is simply one of the various steps Hershey’s has taken with a view of protecting the organization in addition to the cocoa sector (Noe et al., 2011). Mentoring and integrating values Mentoring is an approach utilized in instilling enthusiasm, satisfaction and a sense of possession in workers throughout the organization (Bo wen Ostroff, 2004). The next section presents a few of the effects that mentoring could have on Hershey way of doing things:Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Hersheys Sweet Mission specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More New-recruit mentoring on areas like vision, culture and values ought to be taught by the worker’s colleagues. The managers of Hershey Company are the true advocates of Hershey’s culture. Culture ought to promote skill sharing. The company has a formal mentoring program and therefore, time spent mentoring is no longer lost time, but a chance of engaging in skill sharing and integrating key values. Structured mentoring program could aid in integrating newly recruited employees into Hershey’s culture. References Bowen, D. Ostroff, C. (2004). Understanding HRM-firm performance linkages: The role of the strength of the HRM system. Academy of Management Review, 29(2), 203-221. Noe, R ., Hollenbeck, R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P. (2011). Fundamentals of human resource management (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Schools as Loosely Coupled Systems

Schools as Loosely Coupled Systems Free Online Research Papers Course Name: DYNAMICS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION Exam 2: Respond in detail to the following questions (no less than 3-4 pages per questions: 1. Define the term loosely coupled systems and give a specific example of how this concept is used to understand school organizations 2. In a school where you are the principal, illustrate how this school has a positive school climate. In your response, identify the four primary dimensions of school climate according to Taguiri’s model. For each of these dimensions describe how it is implemented in this school to produce a positive climate, and give at least one specific example for each dimension. Finally, indicate how you, as principal, continually assess the climate relative to these dimensions. 3. As the principal of a school (you choose the grade levels), propose a plan for school renewal using organizational development as a change strategy. For the past several years, the students achievement test scores have declined and the school overall has had very low test scores compared to similar schools in the district. In your response, identify at least three of the 10 concepts that characterize ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT and for each illustrate how these will be used to improve the school. 1. The management of schools are perceived to be bureaucratic. Typically, the school structure is a hierarchically connected pyramid of units under strong central control. However, scholars of organizations have found that schools are characterized by structural looseness, that schools in a district have an element of sovereignty and freedom, and that the management of teachers under a principal is much more broad and wide-ranging as thought before. Charles Bidwell has pointed out that, given the nature of the school’s task, clients and technology, that this structural looseness is a functionally necessary arrangement. Karl Weick and James G. March indicated that schools do not consist of hierarchical units as in true bureaucracies, but are loosely coupled as systems. â€Å" The beauty of this depiction is that it captures a different set of realities within educational organizations than are caught when these same organizations are viewed throughout the tenets of bureaucratic theory.† ( Owens / Valesky: 2007:165) Rational concepts, such as planning, goal-setting, job descriptions , evaluation and reward systems fail to adequately describe how schools function. This fact brings a receptiveness to understanding schools by non- traditional ways, such as the notion of loose coupling. Loosely coupled systems are subsystems in the institution that are connected to each other, but still sustain their own identities and function independently. Their interaction is weak, and relatively insignificant . For example, the guidance office is supposed to report to the principal’s office, but interaction between them is seldom, and responses to these interactions are slow. The coupling may hence be described as loose . Another example of loose coupling could be the school library and the principal’s office. The librarian is supposed to report to the principal’s office, similar to the cafeteria manager, or school nurse, or other non-instructional facets of the school. The librarian is responsible for resources, and smooth functioning of all aspects of the library. The librarian seldomly reports to the principal unless there is some unusual situation that calls for the principal’s direct involvement. By the mid-80s, consensus were reached that the concept of loosely coupled systems might describe previously misunderstood concepts of organizations. It is however, still not adequate description of how schools function. Many aspects of bureaucracy can still be found in schools . It is crucial to understand that institutions are loosely coupled in some ways, and bureaucratic in others. John Meyer and Brian Rowans found bureaucratic mechanisms such as teacher evaluations, peer observations, observation feedbacks, cooperative grade level planning and teaching, absent in American schools in 34 school districts. Evidence of other forms of supervision, reminiscent of the No Child Left Behind Act, such as student evaluations, detailed specification of curriculum, checking student mastery of precious grade’s work, were found. Instruction is the central being of schools . Contrary to bureaucratic notions, it is loosely coupled because administrators do not exercise direct control over it. Although school managers are held responsible for the curriculum and instructional programs, they have limited power to control content of, and method of instruction. Since the advent of labor unions , their power to do so, have significantly diminished. Meyer and Rowan reported that only 12% of school managers indicated they could make decisions concerning what teachers teach, and only 4% felt they had considerable power to decide instructional methods. They do have indirect influence on instructional behavior by bureaucratic means , such as, Control of time: time schedules, frequency of interruption of lessons, pulling out of students for special activities, paperwork to be completed, How many and what kind of classes to assign Grouping: Heterogeneously or homogeneously, self-contained or team-teaching, Control of resources: Assignment of teaching space, availability of equipment and supplies Teachers have increasingly sought protection from these mechanisms, and to have some participation in it through collective bargaining. School managers have considerably more control over non-instructional activities, such as bus schedules, issuing of paychecks, and attendance . This is described as tightly coupled because they are scrupulously monitored. 82% of principals reported involvement in scheduling, 75% in student assignment, and 88% in hiring of staff. Contemporary scholars conclude frequently that loose coupling is faulty, and that schools should stick to the classical norm. Hence many political initiatives demanded toughening up of standards. This was seen in the form of new curriculum additions, more testing, and more specifications of teaching methods. The focus is on understanding educational institutions in their current state of being in order to yield better comprehension of institutions and organizational management. Studies show that a more subtle , powerful method exists to exert power over instructional activities, that is, the development of organizational culture. 2. School climate is the heart and soul of a school. It is that essence of a school that all role players to love it and to look forward to being there each school day. It helps people to feel feel personal worth, dignity and importance, while simultaneously helping to create a sense of belonging to something beyond ourselves. The climate of a school can promote resilience or become a risk factor in the lives of people who work and learn in a place called school. A school’s climate can define the quality of a school that creates healthy learning places; nurtures children’s and parents’ dreams and aspirations; stimulates teachers’ creativity and enthusiasm, and elevates all of its members. ( Freiberg and TA Stein: ) Schools have their own distinctive characteristics. Organizational climate has triumphed over other terminology such as ethos, atmosphere, personality and tone in attempts to describe the idiosyncratic nature of schools. Climate generally describes the traits of the environment in its totality. According to Renato Taguiri, the environment consists of 4 dynamically interrelated dimensions. He presented culture as one of four components of organizational climate, along with ecology, milieu, and organization or structure. If I was principal of an Elementary School, (grades K-6), I would try to utilize these dimensions to enhance school climate in the following ways: Ecology refers to the physical and material elements of a work place: building, technology, facilities, furniture, and so forth. There is a need to provide â€Å"something more than mere housing†, the need for esprit de corps , which means â€Å"spirit of the body†, a common spirit of enthusiasm, a liveliness of mind and expression among the members of the group. I would attempt to use the ecology and physical elements of the school to create an inviting and friendly atmosphere , thereby fostering a positive climate. A building can be old, and traditional, yet be clean, tidy and well-organized. Hallways and classrooms should be attractively decorated with student work, information about upcoming events, study themes and field trips. In terms of the safety aspect, an evacuation / emergency plan should be posted in strategic places, and all teachers and students should practice the fire/tornado drills, as well as know what to do in case of a lockdown. All available space should be optimally utilized. Classrooms should be well-equipped with facilities and technology to maximize the teaching and learning environment, is vital. Modern-day classrooms are equipped with smartboards, computers, and have internet access. Resources, such as textbooks should be available to teachers and students, as well as a well-resourced library. Classroom size should be manageable, and teachers should be able to print, and photocopy as needed, within reasonable limits. The bell-schedule is another important aspect of the day, without which a typical school day could be chaotic. Even the teacher’s lounge or cafeteria should reflect emphasis on a well-organized environment, because this is where relationships between teachers, learners and other staff are formed. The second dimension of school climate, is milieu: It is the social aspect, and refers to the people in an organization: number of employees, socio-economic status, race, education, salary levels, and so forth. An administrator’s task is people-related, so good interpersonal relationships must exist between people in the school, and the right type of climate should exist so people would feel mutually committed to organizational goals. Firstly, I would make sure all staff can utilize their skills. All staff should feel they have support from management, and that there are channels and structures, through which they can vent. Teachers should feel they have some input in decision-making with regards to curriculum, instructional methods, fundraising, budget expenditure and so forth. As school manager I would make sure that there are no ambiguity with regards to expectations about hours, responsibilities, and procedures. All staff should feel they are treated fairly, and with dignity and respect, and that a complete absence of favoritism exists. I would like the perception of teaching as a profession to be elevated as it is perceived as lower status and income as others, and thereby help teachers to feel more pride in their chosen profession. Salary is a public indication of a profession’s status, and teachers’ remuneration is low relative to other professional groups. This is something I could address with bargaining councils. Yearly retreats and end of term functions with a focus on problem-solving, rather than problem prevention, reaffirm commitment to common goals. These retreats should be open to all employees, and reaffirm commitment to learners and each other. The third dimension of school climate is social system, which refers to the organization, administration, decision making procedures, and communication patterns. Owens and Valesky find the word organization as more aptly descriptive of dimension than social system. Level of organization stems from factors that are directly controlled by leaders, therefore there is a close link between their management choices, and the resulting organizational climate. Some consider social system as a disorganized natural order of things, whereas organization accentuates the manager’s responsibility clearer. Modern day research tends to focus more on the role of culture in shaping organizational climate. In a school where I’m principal, I would encourage staff members to feel the freedom to present ideas for development as long as it fits in with the school’s curriculum and policies. I would try to find strategies to enhance teacher involvement in decision making and to improve the quality of work life. I would strive to give teachers input into decision-making re. curriculum, text book selection, course content, special programs, but also into managerial decisions such as hiring and budget matters. I would strive to provide clarity about expectations and work direction, but not so much as to provide a sense that work is routine. If teachers are assigned tasks, I would grant them some freedom to implement them without interruption by their immediate superiors. Teachers expect substantial autonomy in their work, and to be allowed a degree of initiative and creativity. I would afford them the opportunity to utilize their own special abilities and talents, and be allowed to see the results of their work. I would like teachers to look upon me as their principal as a colleague in the sense that I provide information and support , as well as evaluate their work performance. I would attempt, to the best of my ability, to take into account teachers’ opinions, and suggestions. I would make teachers aware of advancement opportunities in recognition of greater levels of expertise. It is important to include opportunities for advancement as a work environment dimension for professionals. Rationality of fairness of advancement appears to be an additional work environment concern. The more teachers feel that they have opportunities for advancement, the more committed they are to the organization. The forth dimension of school climate is culture: There are several definitions of the word â€Å"culture: â€Å"Culture is to the organization what personality is to the individual – a hidden, yet unifying theme that provides meaning, direction, and mobilization† . Kilman, Saxton, and Serpa (1985b). According to Edgar Schein, organizational culture refers to the tried and tested corpus of solutions which are taught to new employees as the correct way of dealing with issues – the way we do things around here. Culture is a system of shared values and beliefs that interrelates to an organization’s employees, structures and control systems to generate behavioral standards. Culture and Climate both consider the interrelation of recent experiences and intangible powers in the organizations’ environment. Culture refers to the behavioral standards, hypotheses and beliefs , and climate refers to the observations of role players within the organization to exhibit those beliefs. Owens and Valesky define organizational culture in several ways: Organizational culture is the rules of the game: the unseen meanings in the rulebook that insures unity. Culture consists of the conclusions a group of people draws from its experience. An organization’s culture consists largely of what people believe about what works and what does not. As school principal, I would attempt to improve the school culture, firstly by developing a mission statement that reflects the purpose and the shared vision of the schoo. I would have students recite the mission statement, along withsinging of the National Anthem, every morning before classes commence . To encourage a school culture and climate that promotes individuals who are bonded together by natural will, and who are together bound to a set of shared ideas, and ideals then principals must strengthen their efforts towards improving connections, coherence, capacity, commitment, and collaboration among their members (Sergiovanni, 2001). I would encourage a supportive climate in these ways : Continual sharing of ideas with regards to instruction, curriculum, testing, school organization and the value of specific knowledge. Collaboration by allowing teachers to become involved in team teaching and other collaborative efforts in program development, writing and research Equality_ by dispensing with formalities and allow anyone to vote in a department meeting. Practical application by teachers constantly reflecting their practices Organizational culture is usually studied through observing organizational behavior and environmental elements. The study of symbolism is central in an examination of organizational culture: the rituals, myths, traditions, rites and language through which values are perpetuated. A school can be perceived as holding particular values, principles that have a strong impact on its role players. It is vital to understand which techniques organizations employ to enforce desired behaviors, if one wishes to comprehend organizational culture. Artifacts and symbols are representative of the culture and history fot he school so I would have trophies, cultural artifacts, medals and photographs displayed in school hallways and foyers. The country flag should be displayed in each classroom, and students should sing the anthem each morning. The school would participate in celebrations relative to their history such as National Day, (UAE), Independence Day (USA), and Freedom Day,( SA). Other relevant celebrations are of a cultural nature, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Awareness of global matters could be celebrated by participating in Arbor Day ( planting a tree day) and Earth Day. To promote reading, I would encourage events such as Dress up as a Favorite Story character and have teachers devote a section of the school day to reading. The teaching of History should incorporate telling of myths, fables, and stories related to the country’s history. 3b. How would I as principal evaluate the climate relative to these dimensions: Improving school climate requires a consistent effort and reflection upon the issues that have led to current conditions. School climate should be measured from multiple perspectives, and throughout the school year, so that each person responsible for the education of youth can see how healthy the learning environment is and what needs to be changed or sustained. There are universal questions faculty and students could reflect on when evaluating school climate: How the school arrived a t a particular junction, what changes have occurred since and what adjustments are needed, and the role of each person in sustaining a healthy learning environment? Direct ways to measure school climate, are -survey instruments, stories, discussions, cases, student drawings, teacher and student journals, interviews, video and ambient noise check lists to describe what is occurring in school and classrooms collect climate data. -the use of climate surveys, classroom observations, interviews, video taping, journal narratives, student drawings, and focus groups Indirect measures are Analyzing existing data sources kept by the teacher, school or local education authority, including attendance records of students and teachers; visits to the nurse’s office (which are measures of student stress levels); discipline referrals to the office; suspensions and expulsions; teacher and administrator turnover rates; student achievement; student mobility rates and the like. I would endeavor to draw up a plan for school effectiveness, i.e. decide which outcomes I want to pursue, and then define their climate and effectiveness factors as instruments to achieve their intended outcomes. The Dutch checklist for the assessment of the quality of classroom and school climate factors is another useful tool to get a clearer picture of strong and weak points of the school and classroom climate. 3. Organizational Development is the process by which a learning organization adjusts to evolving changes in the environment as well as an attempt to increase the self-renewal capacity of school districts and schools. For the purpose of this assignment I will focus on three of the concepts OD involves:, and to show how I would implement them into a plan for Organizational Development: 1. The goals : To improve the functioning of the organization in order to facilitate decision-making , and to develop a work-oriented culture that will increase the involvement of the people in the organization in these areas. Firstly, I would select a group to work with me to set the goals to be obtained. It is imperative that all role players should agree on the organization’s goals and how to accomplish them. There are distinct benefits to having a clear set of organizational goals. Goals -serve as guidelines for action, directing and channelling of employee efforts. provide constraints in the organization. Choosing specific goals reduces discretion in pursuing other goals. legitimize an organization’s activities and existence. define standards of performance and if they are clearly stated, they set standards for evaluation. motivate: By presenting a challenge and how to achieve it, organizational goals act as behavioural incentives. If goals are set as a group, people will support them and be responsible for what they help create. Greater commitment and motivation can be expected. There will be a clear understanding of the goals and rationale for selecting the group. If all members contributed to the goal setting, it will represent a group consensus instead of one person’s ideas. This is how I would go about setting the goals with my group: 1. Brainstorm a list of potential goals as a group. 2. Choose from the brainstorm list which to be worked on 3. Prioritize. 4. Determine objectives for each goal and plans of action for each objective 5. Move into action, follow through. The next step is to develop an Action Plan. The following needs to be determined: 1. What is to be done and how is it to be accomplished? 2. Availability of resources 3. People responsible for completing each task 4. What is the deadline and how will results be measured? Once the Action Plan is in place, I will now designate people to specific tasks, set up a time frame, and plan regular feedback opportunities. It is also important to consider what alternative actions could be taken should parts of the Action Plan not function properly. 5. System renewal: To enable the organization to initiate and adjust to change, develop problem-solving abilities, have an increased sense of purpose and direction and to impact the environment. The postmodern culture is characterized by many contradictions that have direct implications for educators.: -Many parents have given up responsibility for the very things they want schools to emphasize, for example, they demand more literature graduates, but allow their children to watch television for hours. -Businesses often fail to use the skills that it demands schools produce. The economic world is dominated by transnational corporations, national education systems encourage national curriculum and standards. Society demands more flexible work skills, and multicultural diversity, and expect schools to consider multiple intelligences, different learning styles, heterogenous grouping, and the integration of special needs students into mainstream. I propose six principles of school renewal that take these contradictions into account: 1. Moving missions: Common missions that require complete consensus, and have to appeal to so many different interests, can become weak. Mission statements can become too fixed to enable satisfactory responsiveness to changes in policy mandates, personnel, or student populations. Teachers and schools should therefore review and renew their purposes over time. 2. Policy realization: Teachers must have sufficient scope to continuously review and renew their moral purposes. Policy decisions should be determined at the immediate level where people will have to realize them . 3. Reculturing: In order for collective action and dialogue to occur, relationships that form the culture of the school, must be built among teachers and others. To develop or adjust these relationships, is to reculture the school . Two kinds of cultures have traditionally existed among teachers ? Cultures of individualism, where teachers have worked largely in isolation, but sharing few resources and ideas, and ? Balkanized cultures, where teachers have worked in self-contained subgroups- like subject departments, and compete for resources and principals favors Both cultures fragment professional relationships, making it hard for teachers to build on one anothers expertise. They also stifle the moral support necessary for risk-taking and experimentation. I would endeavour to reculture the school to create combined cultures among teachers and with the wider community. My aim is to create an atmosphere of trust in which teachers can share resources, deal with complex issues, and celebrate successes. Teamwork also promotes the development of a mutual professional language. I would recognize that diverse expertise contributes to learning, problem solving, and critical inquiry. I would have an orientation workshop in which the value of diverse expertise and viewpoints will be discussed. 4. Restructuring: Cultures are grounded in structures of time and space, which shape relationships. Structures of teacher isolation have their roots in schools in which children are moved through prescribed curriculums, from grade to grade, teacher to teacher. Similarly, balkanized teacher cultures are often a product of subject department structures based on the system of Carnegie units, devised in the United States in the 1920s .If the schedule does not allow teachers to meet during the regular school day, they may become worn down and captives of their schedule,. Consequently, collaboration becomes exhausting and unnatural rather than based on genuine commitment and working relationships. These are some of the strategies I propose to solve the structural problems with : Routinely coordinated planning times to bring together teachers who teach the same grade or subject. Place 1st and 6th grade teachers in adjoining classrooms can begin to break down stereotypes and the confines between the upper and lower ends of elementary school. Peer tutoring to bring together students of different ages as well as the teachers who supervise them. Teacher teams, multi-age groups and shared decision-making teams Block-scheduling, mini-schools or sub-schools 1. Organizational learning: Working together builds relationships , collective resolve and it’s a source of learning. It helps people to see problems as things to be solved and to value the different voices of less important members of the organization. Collaborative cultures turn individual learning into shared learning. Some teachers are regular explorers, ardent readers, keen conference-goers, and willing committee and task force volunteers. Others make small changes with their own classes where they know their efforts will make a difference .Change and continuous learning are important but so are consolidation and routine. Schools and teachers, however, have to deal with many mandates they do not control, but are frequently blamed for poorly designed tests or inappropriate curriculums If organizational learning is to help us in school renewal, the concept ought to be renewed in ways more suited to public school realities. 6. Positive politics Teachers exercise power over their students, administrators exercise power over teachers, and the smarter teachers know how to manipulate or maneuver around administrators. Schools are becoming more subject to the pressures of diverse groups with single-issue interests. The moves toward site-based management are also making schools and what they do more overtly political. Although many teachers feel that getting involved in politics is selfish and objectionable, not all politics is bad. Here are some ways I would encourage teachers to apply positive politics to benefit students: ? Understand the political configuration of your school. Who has formal and informal power? How do they exercise it? How are resources allocated? ? Act politically to secure support and resources for the good of your own students and, indeed, all students. Use diplomatic tactics, trade favors, influence power brokers, build alliances, lobby for support, introduce proposals before presenting them in detail, and be sure how to meets the interests of others. ? Empower others to be more competent. Assist students through cooperative instruction, active involvement in innovation, and by allowing self-assessment and peer assessment. Empower parents by communicating with them in plain language, building partnerships with them , and keeping them informed of new developments.. Empower colleagues by working with them, involving them in decision making, sharing leadership, and sharing with them your weaknesses , and uncertainties as a leader as well as your triumphs. ? Accept conflict as an intrinsic part of change. Fruitful conflict exposes differences, shows sensitivity to opposing interests and positions, prevents false consensus, and promotes movement beyond early fears about ones own threatened interests. ? Regain the discussion of education. Challenge the business rhetoric and express your principles through memorable phrases, vivid examples, and simple stories. A systems approach: Schools consist of subsystems, and to effect long-term change, the whole system should be changed as any alteration in one subsystem affect others. Issues should be dealt with as manifestations of interrelated forces. The administrator should deal with the existing patterns’ of human behavior, and by analyzing the specific field of forces. Schools develop a broad range of systems that help people function amidst the complexity. I would seek to strengthen the organizational goals by making sure that: all organizational leaders clearly understand what results they are accountable for, and that it matters that they should deliver expected results . Should there be some discrepancies between accountabilities, they should be resolved. I would attempt in the following ways to endure that decisions are made by knowledgeable people. a reporting structure is designed to fit the needs of the strategy and the values of the organization. Timely feedback is given, and use the performance appraisal to summarize feedback given throughout the year An approval system is established that evaluates projects rigorously, and that frees the organization to make good decisions. The criteria and process of the system should enable all to make better business decisions. -Spending authority is allocated to people’s accountabilities and the need of their jobs, and also that there are good controls in place for spending authority at any level. References: 1. Robert G. Owens/ Thomas H. Valesky:2007: 9th Edition: Organizational Behavior in Education: Adaptive Leadership and Reform 2. Freiberg, H. Jerome. School Climate : Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. 3. Best Practice BRIEFS No31, Dec 2004: Betty Tableman / Adrienne Herron 4. Building a Learning Community: The Culture and Climate of Schools: Angus MacNeil, Valerie Maclin 5. The Role of Organizational Climate and Culture in the School Improvement Process: A Review of the Knowledge Base: Ronald Lindahl Course Name: DYNAMICS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION Exam 2: Respond in detail to the following questions (no less than 3-4 pages per questions: 1. Define the term loosely coupled systems and give a specific example of how this concept is used to understand school organizations 2. In a school where you are the principal, illustrate how this school has a positive school climate. In your response, identify the four primary dimensions of school climate according to Taguiri’s model. For each of these dimensions describe how it is implemented in this school to produce a positive climate, and give at least one specific example for each dimension. Finally, indicate how you, as principal, continually assess the climate relative to these dimensions. 3. As the principal of a school (you choose the grade levels), propose a plan for school renewal using organizational development as a change strategy. For the past several years, the students achievement test scores have declined and the school overall has had very low test scores compared to similar schools in the district. In your response, identify at least three of the 10 concepts that characterize ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT and for each illustrate how these will be used to improve the school. 1. The management of schools are perceived to be bureaucratic. Typically, the school structure is a hierarchically connected pyramid of units under strong central control. However, scholars of organizations have found that schools are characterized by structural looseness, that schools in a district have an element of sovereignty and freedom, and that the management of teachers under a principal is much more broad and wide-ranging as thought before. Charles Bidwell has pointed out that, given the nature of the school’s task, clients and technology, that this structural looseness is a functionally necessary arrangement. Karl Weick and James G. March indicated that schools do not consist of hierarchical units as in true bureaucracies, but are loosely coupled as systems. â€Å" The beauty of this depiction is that it captures a different set of realities within educational organizations than are caught when these same organizations are viewed throughout the tenets of bureaucratic theory.† ( Owens / Valesky: 2007:165) Rational concepts, such as planning, goal-setting, job descriptions , evaluation and reward systems fail to adequately describe how schools function. This fact brings a receptiveness to understanding schools by non- traditional ways, such as the notion of loose coupling. Loosely coupled systems are subsystems in the institution that are connected to each other, but still sustain their own identities and function independently. Their interaction is weak, and relatively insignificant . For example, the guidance office is supposed to report to the principal’s office, but interaction between them is seldom, and responses to these interactions are slow. The coupling may hence be described as loose . Another example of loose coupling could be the school library and the principal’s office. The librarian is supposed to report to the principal’s office, similar to the cafeteria manager, or school nurse, or other non-instructional facets of the school. The librarian is responsible for resources, and smooth functioning of all aspects of the library. The librarian seldomly reports to the principal unless there is some unusual situation that calls for the principal’s direct involvement. By the mid-80s, consensus were reached that the concept of loosely coupled systems might describe previously misunderstood concepts of organizations. It is however, still not adequate description of how schools function. Many aspects of bureaucracy can still be found in schools . It is crucial to understand that institutions are loosely coupled in some ways, and bureaucratic in others. John Meyer and Brian Rowans found bureaucratic mechanisms such as teacher evaluations, peer observations, observation feedbacks, cooperative grade level planning and teaching, absent in American schools in 34 school districts. Evidence of other forms of supervision, reminiscent of the No Child Left Behind Act, such as student evaluations, detailed specification of curriculum, checking student mastery of precious grade’s work, were found. Instruction is the central being of schools . Contrary to bureaucratic notions, it is loosely coupled because administrators do not exercise direct control over it. Although school managers are held responsible for the curriculum and instructional programs, they have limited power to control content of, and method of instruction. Since the advent of labor unions , their power to do so, have significantly diminished. Meyer and Rowan reported that only 12% of school managers indicated they could make decisions concerning what teachers teach, and only 4% felt they had considerable power to decide instructional methods. They do have indirect influence on instructional behavior by bureaucratic means , such as, Control of time: time schedules, frequency of interruption of lessons, pulling out of students for special activities, paperwork to be completed, How many and what kind of classes to assign Grouping: Heterogeneously or homogeneously, self-contained or team-teaching, Control of resources: Assignment of teaching space, availability of equipment and supplies Teachers have increasingly sought protection from these mechanisms, and to have some participation in it through collective bargaining. School managers have considerably more control over non-instructional activities, such as bus schedules, issuing of paychecks, and attendance . This is described as tightly coupled because they are scrupulously monitored. 82% of principals reported involvement in scheduling, 75% in student assignment, and 88% in hiring of staff. Contemporary scholars conclude frequently that loose coupling is faulty, and that schools should stick to the classical norm. Hence many political initiatives demanded toughening up of standards. This was seen in the form of new curriculum additions, more testing, and more specifications of teaching methods. The focus is on understanding educational institutions in their current state of being in order to yield better comprehension of institutions and organizational management. Studies show that a more subtle , powerful method exists to exert power over instructional activities, that is, the development of organizational culture. 2. School climate is the heart and soul of a school. It is that essence of a school that all role players to love it and to look forward to being there each school day. It helps people to feel feel personal worth, dignity and importance, while simultaneously helping to create a sense of belonging to something beyond ourselves. The climate of a school can promote resilience or become a risk factor in the lives of people who work and learn in a place called school. A school’s climate can define the quality of a school that creates healthy learning places; nurtures children’s and parents’ dreams and aspirations; stimulates teachers’ creativity and enthusiasm, and elevates all of its members. ( Freiberg and TA Stein: ) Schools have their own distinctive characteristics. Organizational climate has triumphed over other terminology such as ethos, atmosphere, personality and tone in attempts to describe the idiosyncratic nature of schools. Climate generally describes the traits of the environment in its totality. According to Renato Taguiri, the environment consists of 4 dynamically interrelated dimensions. He presented culture as one of four components of organizational climate, along with ecology, milieu, and organization or structure. If I was principal of an Elementary School, (grades K-6), I would try to utilize these dimensions to enhance school climate in the following ways: Ecology refers to the physical and material elements of a work place: building, technology, facilities, furniture, and so forth. There is a need to provide â€Å"something more than mere housing†, the need for esprit de corps , which means â€Å"spirit of the body†, a common spirit of enthusiasm, a liveliness of mind and expression among the members of the group. I would attempt to use the ecology and physical elements of the school to create an inviting and friendly atmosphere , thereby fostering a positive climate. A building can be old, and traditional, yet be clean, tidy and well-organized. Hallways and classrooms should be attractively decorated with student work, information about upcoming events, study themes and field trips. In terms of the safety aspect, an evacuation / emergency plan should be posted in strategic places, and all teachers and students should practice the fire/tornado drills, as well as know what to do in case of a lockdown. All available space should be optimally utilized. Classrooms should be well-equipped with facilities and technology to maximize the teaching and learning environment, is vital. Modern-day classrooms are equipped with smartboards, computers, and have internet access. Resources, such as textbooks should be available to teachers and students, as well as a well-resourced library. Classroom size should be manageable, and teachers should be able to print, and photocopy as needed, within reasonable limits. The bell-schedule is another important aspect of the day, without which a typical school day could be chaotic. Even the teacher’s lounge or cafeteria should reflect emphasis on a well-organized environment, because this is where relationships between teachers, learners and other staff are formed. The second dimension of school climate, is milieu: It is the social aspect, and refers to the people in an organization: number of employees, socio-economic status, race, education, salary levels, and so forth. An administrator’s task is people-related, so good interpersonal relationships must exist between people in the school, and the right type of climate should exist so people would feel mutually committed to organizational goals. Firstly, I would make sure all staff can utilize their skills. All staff should feel they have support from management, and that there are channels and structures, through which they can vent. Teachers should feel they have some input in decision-making with regards to curriculum, instructional methods, fundraising, budget expenditure and so forth. As school manager I would make sure that there are no ambiguity with regards to expectations about hours, responsibilities, and procedures. All staff should feel they are treated fairly, and with dignity and respect, and that a complete absence of favoritism exists. I would like the perception of teaching as a profession to be elevated as it is perceived as lower status and income as others, and thereby help teachers to feel more pride in their chosen profession. Salary is a public indication of a profession’s status, and teachers’ remuneration is low relative to other professional groups. This is something I could address with bargaining councils. Yearly retreats and end of term functions with a focus on problem-solving, rather than problem prevention, reaffirm commitment to common goals. These retreats should be open to all employees, and reaffirm commitment to learners and each other. The third dimension of school climate is social system, which refers to the organization, administration, decision making procedures, and communication patterns. Owens and Valesky find the word organization as more aptly descriptive of dimension than social system. Level of organization stems from factors that are directly controlled by leaders, therefore there is a close link between their management choices, and the resulting organizational climate. Some consider social system as a disorganized natural order of things, whereas organization accentuates the manager’s responsibility clearer. Modern day research tends to focus more on the role of culture in shaping organizational climate. In a school where I’m principal, I would encourage staff members to feel the freedom to present ideas for development as long as it fits in with the school’s curriculum and policies. I would try to find strategies to enhance teacher involvement in decision making and to improve the quality of work life. I would strive to give teachers input into decision-making re. curriculum, text book selection, course content, special programs, but also into managerial decisions such as hiring and budget matters. I would strive to provide clarity about expectations and work direction, but not so much as to provide a sense that work is routine. If teachers are assigned tasks, I would grant them some freedom to implement them without interruption by their immediate superiors. Teachers expect substantial autonomy in their work, and to be allowed a degree of initiative and creativity. I would afford them the opportunity to utilize their own special abilities and talents, and be allowed to see the results of their work. I would like teachers to look upon me as their principal as a colleague in the sense that I provide information and support , as well as evaluate their work performance. I would attempt, to the best of my ability, to take into account teachers’ opinions, and suggestions. I would make teachers aware of advancement opportunities in recognition of greater levels of expertise. It is important to include opportunities for advancement as a work environment dimension for professionals. Rationality of fairness of advancement appears to be an additional work environment concern. The more teachers feel that they have opportunities for advancement, the more committed they are to the organization. The forth dimension of school climate is culture: There are several definitions of the word â€Å"culture: â€Å"Culture is to the organization what personality is to the individual – a hidden, yet unifying theme that provides meaning, direction, and mobilization† . Kilman, Saxton, and Serpa (1985b). According to Edgar Schein, organizational culture refers to the tried and tested corpus of solutions which are taught to new employees as the correct way of dealing with issues – the way we do things around here. Culture is a system of shared values and beliefs that interrelates to an organization’s employees, structures and control systems to generate behavioral standards. Culture and Climate both consider the interrelation of recent experiences and intangible powers in the organizations’ environment. Culture refers to the behavioral standards, hypotheses and beliefs , and climate refers to the observations of role players within the organization to exhibit those beliefs. Owens and Valesky define organizational culture in several ways: Organizational culture is the rules of the game: the unseen meanings in the rulebook that insures unity. Culture consists of the conclusions a group of people draws from its experience. An organization’s culture consists largely of what people believe about what works and what does not. As school principal, I would attempt to improve the school culture, firstly by developing a mission statement that reflects the purpose and the shared vision of the schoo. I would have students recite the mission statement, along withsinging of the National Anthem, every morning before classes commence . To encourage a school culture and climate that promotes individuals who are bonded together by natural will, and who are together bound to a set of shared ideas, and ideals then principals must strengthen their efforts towards improving connections, coherence, capacity, commitment, and collaboration among their members (Sergiovanni, 2001). I would encourage a supportive climate in these ways : Continual sharing of ideas with regards to instruction, curriculum, testing, school organization and the value of specific knowledge. Collaboration by allowing teachers to become involved in team teaching and other collaborative efforts in program development, writing and research Equality_ by dispensing with formalities and allow anyone to vote in a department meeting. Practical application by teachers constantly reflecting their practices Organizational culture is usually studied through observing organizational behavior and environmental elements. The study of symbolism is central in an examination of organizational culture: the rituals, myths, traditions, rites and language through which values are perpetuated. A school can be perceived as holding particular values, principles that have a strong impact on its role players. It is vital to understand which techniques organizations employ to enforce desired behaviors, if one wishes to comprehend organizational culture. Artifacts and symbols are representative of the culture and history fot he school so I would have trophies, cultural artifacts, medals and photographs displayed in school hallways and foyers. The country flag should be displayed in each classroom, and students should sing the anthem each morning. The school would participate in celebrations relative to their history such as National Day, (UAE), Independence Day (USA), and Freedom Day,( SA). Other relevant celebrations are of a cultural nature, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Awareness of global matters could be celebrated by participating in Arbor Day ( planting a tree day) and Earth Day. To promote reading, I would encourage events such as Dress up as a Favorite Story character and have teachers devote a section of the school day to reading. The teaching of History should incorporate telling of myths, fables, and stories related to the country’s history. 3b. How would I as principal evaluate the climate relative to these dimensions: Improving school climate requires a consistent effort and reflection upon the issues that have led to current conditions. School climate should be measured from multiple perspectives, and throughout the school year, so that each person responsible for the education of youth can see how healthy the learning environment is and what needs to be changed or sustained. There are universal questions faculty and students could reflect on when evaluating school climate: How the school arrived a t a particular junction, what changes have occurred since and what adjustments are needed, and the role of each person in sustaining a healthy learning environment? Direct ways to measure school climate, are -survey instruments, stories, discussions, cases, student drawings, teacher and student journals, interviews, video and ambient noise check lists to describe what is occurring in school and classrooms collect climate data. -the use of climate surveys, classroom observations, interviews, video taping, journal narratives, student drawings, and focus groups Indirect measures are Analyzing existing data sources kept by the teacher, school or local education authority, including attendance records of students and teachers; visits to the nurse’s office (which are measures of student stress levels); discipline referrals to the office; suspensions and expulsions; teacher and administrator turnover rates; student achievement; student mobility rates and the like. I would endeavor to draw up a plan for school effectiveness, i.e. decide which outcomes I want to pursue, and then define their climate and effectiveness factors as instruments to achieve their intended outcomes. The Dutch checklist for the assessment of the quality of classroom and school climate factors is another useful tool to get a clearer picture of strong and weak points of the school and classroom climate. 3. Organizational Development is the process by which a learning organization adjusts to evolving changes in the environment as well as an attempt to increase the self-renewal capacity of school districts and schools. For the purpose of this assignment I will focus on three of the concepts OD involves:, and to show how I would implement them into a plan for Organizational Development: 1. The goals : To improve the functioning of the organization in order to facilitate decision-making , and to develop a work-oriented culture that will increase the involvement of the people in the organization in these areas. Firstly, I would select a group to work with me to set the goals to be obtained. It is imperative that all role players should agree on the organization’s goals and how to accomplish them. There are distinct benefits to having a clear set of organizational goals. Goals -serve as guidelines for action, directing and channelling of employee efforts. provide constraints in the organization. Choosing specific goals reduces discretion in pursuing other goals. legitimize an organization’s activities and existence. define standards of performance and if they are clearly stated, they set standards for evaluation. motivate: By presenting a challenge and how to achieve it, organizational goals act as behavioural incentives. If goals are set as a group, people will support them and be responsible for what they help create. Greater commitment and motivation can be expected. There will be a clear understanding of the goals and rationale for selecting the group. If all members contributed to the goal setting, it will represent a group consensus instead of one person’s ideas. This is how I would go about setting the goals with my group: 1. Brainstorm a list of potential goals as a group. 2. Choose from the brainstorm list which to be worked on 3. Prioritize. 4. Determine objectives for each goal and plans of action for each objective 5. Move into action, follow through. The next step is to develop an Action Plan. The following needs to be determined: 1. What is to be done and how is it to be accomplished? 2. Availability of resources 3. People responsible for completing each task 4. What is the deadline and how will results be measured? Once the Action Plan is in place, I will now designate people to specific tasks, set up a time frame, and plan regular feedback opportunities. It is also important to consider what alternative actions could be taken should parts of the Action Plan not function properly. 5. System renewal: To enable the organization to initiate and adjust to change, develop problem-solving abilities, have an increased sense of purpose and direction and to impact the environment. The postmodern culture is characterized by many contradictions that have direct implications for educators.: -Many parents have given up responsibility for the very things they want schools to emphasize, for example, they demand more literature graduates, but allow their children to watch television for hours. -Businesses often fail to use the skills that it demands schools produce. The economic world is dominated by transnational corporations, national education systems encourage national curriculum and standards. Society demands more flexible work skills, and multicultural diversity, and expect schools to consider multiple intelligences, different learning styles, heterogenous grouping, and the integration of special needs students into mainstream. I propose six principles of school renewal that take these contradictions into account: 1. Moving missions: Common missions that require complete consensus, and have to appeal to so many different interests, can become weak. Mission statements can become too fixed to enable satisfactory responsiveness to changes in policy mandates, personnel, or student populations. Teachers and schools should therefore review and renew their purposes over time. 2. Policy realization: Teachers must have sufficient scope to continuously review and renew their moral purposes. Policy decisions should be determined at the immediate level where people will have to realize them . 3. Reculturing: In order for collective action and dialogue to occur, relationships that form the culture of the school, must be built among teachers and others. To develop or adjust these relationships, is to reculture the school . Two kinds of cultures have traditionally existed among teachers ? Cultures of individualism, where teachers have worked largely in isolation, but sharing few resources and ideas, and ? Balkanized cultures, where teachers have worked in self-contained subgroups- like subject departments, and compete for resources and principals favors Both cultures fragment professional relationships, making it hard for teachers to build on one anothers expertise. They also stifle the moral support necessary for risk-taking and experimentation. I would endeavour to reculture the school to create combined cultures among teachers and with the wider community. My aim is to create an atmosphere of trust in which teachers can share resources, deal with complex issues, and celebrate successes. Teamwork also promotes the development of a mutual professional language. I would recognize that diverse expertise contributes to learning, problem solving, and critical inquiry. I would have an orientation workshop in which the value of diverse expertise and viewpoints will be discussed. 4. Restructuring: Cultures are grounded in structures of time and space, which shape relationships. Structures of teacher isolation have their roots in schools in which children are moved through prescribed curriculums, from grade to grade, teacher to teacher. Similarly, balkanized teacher cultures are often a product of subject department structures based on the system of Carnegie units, devised in the United States in the 1920s .If the schedule does not allow teachers to meet during the regular school day, they may become worn down and captives of their schedule,. Consequently, collaboration becomes exhausting and unnatural rather than based on genuine commitment and working relationships. These are some of the strategies I propose to solve the structural problems with : Routinely coordinated planning times to bring together teachers who teach the same grade or subject. Place 1st and 6th grade teachers in adjoining classrooms can begin to break down stereotypes and the confines between the upper and lower ends of elementary school. Peer tutoring to bring together students of different ages as well as the teachers who supervise them. Teacher teams, multi-age groups and shared decision-making teams Block-scheduling, mini-schools or sub-schools 1. Organizational learning: Working together builds relationships , collective resolve and it’s a source of learning. It helps people to see problems as things to be solved and to value the different voices of less important members of the organization. Collaborative cultures turn individual learning into shared learning. Some teachers are regular explorers, ardent readers, keen conference-goers, and willing committee and task force volunteers. Others make small changes with their own classes where they know their efforts will make a difference .Change and continuous learning are important but so are consolidation and routine. Schools and teachers, however, have to deal with many mandates they do not control, but are frequently blamed for poorly designed tests or inappropriate curriculums If organizational learning is to help us in school renewal, the concept ought to be renewed in ways more suited to public school realities. 6. Positive politics Teachers exercise power over their students, administrators exercise power over teachers, and the smarter teachers know how to manipulate or maneuver around administrators. Schools are becoming more subject to the pressures of diverse groups with single-issue interests. The moves toward site-based management are also making schools and what they do more overtly political. Although many teachers feel that getting involved in politics is selfish and objectionable, not all politics is bad. Here are some ways I would encourage teachers to apply positive politics to benefit students: ? Understand the political configuration of your school. Who has formal and informal power? How do they exercise it? How are resources allocated? ? Act politically to secure support and resources for the good of your own students and, indeed, all students. Use diplomatic tactics, trade favors, influence power brokers, build alliances, lobby for support, introduce proposals before presenting them in detail, and be sure how to meets the interests of others. ? Empower others to be more competent. Assist students through cooperative instruction, active involvement in innovation, and by allowing self-assessment and peer assessment. Empower parents by communicating with them in plain language, building partnerships with them , and keeping them informed of new developments.. Empower colleagues by working with them, involving them in decision making, sharing leadership, and sharing with them your weaknesses , and uncertainties as a leader as well as your triumphs. ? Accept conflict as an intrinsic part of change. Fruitful conflict exposes differences, shows sensitivity to opposing interests and positions, prevents false consensus, and promotes movement beyond early fears about ones own threatened interests. ? Regain the discussion of education. Challenge the business rhetoric and express your principles through memorable phrases, vivid examples, and simple stories. A systems approach: Schools consist of subsystems, and to effect long-term change, the whole system should be changed as any alteration in one subsystem affect others. Issues should be dealt with as manifestations of interrelated forces. The administrator should deal with the existing patterns’ of human behavior, and by analyzing the specific field of forces. Schools develop a broad range of systems that help people function amidst the complexity. I would seek to strengthen the organizational goals by making sure that: all organizational leaders clearly understand what results they are accountable for, and that it matters that they should deliver expected results . Should there be some discrepancies between accountabilities, they should be resolved. I would attempt in the following ways to endure that decisions are made by knowledgeable people. a reporting structure is designed to fit the needs of the strategy and the values of the organization. Timely feedback is given, and use the performance appraisal to summarize feedback given throughout the year An approval system is established that evaluates projects rigorously, and that frees the organization to make good decisions. The criteria and process of the system should enable all to make better business decisions. -Spending authority is allocated to people’s accountabilities and the need of their jobs, and also that there are good controls in place for spending authority at any level. References: 1. Robert G. Owens/ Thomas H. Valesky:2007: 9th Edition: Organizational Behavior in Education: Adaptive Leadership and Reform 2. Freiberg, H. Jerome. School Climate : Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. 3. Best Practice BRIEFS No31, Dec 2004: Betty Tableman / Adrienne Herron 4. Building a Learning Community: The Culture and Climate of Schools: Angus MacNeil, Valerie Maclin 5. The Role of Organizational Climate and Culture in the School Improvement Process: A Review of the Knowledge Base: Ronald Lindahl Research Papers on Schools as Loosely Coupled SystemsStandardized TestingBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemOpen Architechture a white paperPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andResearch Process Part OneHip-Hop is ArtThe Spring and Autumn

Composition and Properties of Bronze

Composition and Properties of Bronze Bronze is one of the earliest metals known to man. It is defined as an alloy made of copper and another metal, usually tin. Compositions vary, but most modern bronze is 88% copper and 12% tin. Bronze may also contain manganese, aluminum, nickel, phosphorus, silicon, arsenic,  or zinc. Although, at one time, bronze was an alloy consisting of copper with tin and brass was an alloy of copper with zinc, modern usage has blurred the lines between brass and bronze. Now, copper alloys generally are called brass, with bronze sometimes considered a type of brass. To avoid confusion, museums and historical texts typically use the inclusive term copper alloy. In science and engineering, bronze and brass are defined according to their element composition. Bronze Properties Bronze usually is a golden hard, brittle metal. The properties depend on the specific composition of the alloy as well as how it has been processed. Here are some typical characteristics: Highly ductile.Bronze exhibits low friction against other metals.Many bronze alloys display the unusual property of expanding a small amount when solidifying from a liquid into a solid. For sculpture casting, this is desirable, as it helps to fill a mold.Brittle, but less so than cast iron.Upon exposure to air, bronze oxidizes, but only on its outer layer. This patina consists of copper oxide, which eventually becomes copper carbonate. The oxide layer protects the interior metal from further corrosion. However, if chlorides are present (as from seawater), copper chlorides form, which can cause bronze disease a condition in which corrosion works through the metal and destroys it.Unlike steel, striking bronze against a hard surface wont generate sparks. This makes bronze useful for the metal used around flammable or explosive materials. Origin of Bronze The Bronze Age is the name given to the time period when bronze was the hardest metal that was widely used. This was the 4th millennium BC about the time of the city of Sumer in the Near East. The bronze age in China and India occurred at roughly the same time. Even during the Bronze Age, there were a few items crafted from meteoritic iron, but the smelting of iron was uncommon. The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age, starting around 1300 BC. Even during the Iron Age, bronze was widely used. Uses of Bronze Bronze is used in architecture for structural and design elements, for bearings because of its friction properties, and as phosphor bronze in musical instruments, electrical contacts, and ship propellers. Aluminum bronze is used to make machine tools and some bearings. Bronze wool is used instead of steel wool in woodworking because it doesnt discolor oak. Bronze has been used to make coins. Most copper coins are actually bronze, consisting of copper with 4% tin and 1% zinc. Bronze has been used since ancient times to make sculptures. The Assyrian king Sennacherib (706-681 BC) claimed to be the first person to cast huge bronze sculptures using two-part molds, although the lost-wax method was used to cast sculptures long before this time.

Marketing strategy in Nokia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing strategy in Nokia - Research Paper Example [Accessed 29 November 2011] 17 Appendix A: 20 Appendix B: 21 1. Introduction The aim of this report is to analyze, appraise and make recommendations on the marketing strategy of one of the leading Mobile manufacturing companies, Nokia. The paper will identify the company’s strengths and exploit the opportunities that it has in the competitive market today. The paper would further analyze the environment in terms of internal and external factors and make appropriate recommendations to its current marketing strategy to attain higher customer satisfaction, brand loyalty and market share. 1.1 Background and origin of Nokia: Nokia is world’s leading mobile phone manufacturer operating globally. It is the symbol of quality, ease and excellence. It is a Finnish multinational information technology manufacturing company with head office in Keilaniemi, Espoo, Finland. It has wide operations in 120 countries with more than 100,000 employees worldwide (Forbes). It is the second la rgest mobile manufacturer of the world following the Samsung Incorporation. It has 22.5% market share in mobile phone industry (Damian and Calvin, 2012). The products are mobile phones, handhelds, electronic gadgets and notebook computers. Till the year 2012, it had been a world largest mobile phone manufacturer but after emergence of Samsung and Apple iPhone 5, it got its sales down sufficiently. A lavish life of Nokia brand was observed as lesser popular after when people started adopting Samsung Galaxy smart phones and iPhones. A couple of years back, it faced a similar situation when Blackberry phones were on demand fashion (Kotler, 2012). To cater the needs, Nokia has jumped in to the competition while the competitors are enough substantial to moderate the competition. Since Nokia has lost the market leader position but still it is on priority for student, middle class man and quality seekers (Dibb and Simkin 2013). 1.2 Nokia’s Position in the Market Figure 1: Leading mo bile manufacturing Companies’ market share Source: Samsung, Nokia, and Apple dominate phone sales in spring 2012- August 2012 (Hill, 2012) Based on the 2012 results, Nokia is ranked as the second largest company in the competitive mobile industry. The further sections of the report shed light on Nokia’s current market status in the mobile industry. In order to achieve its aims, the paper uses tools like SWOT analysis and competitive analysis to understand the competitive edges that company stands on. After the careful analysis, Nokia’s marketing strategy is evaluated in terms of segmentation, targeting and positioning. Its marketing objectives are evaluated and strategies analyzed to identify any gaps between the marketing goals and strategies adopted. The paper reaches its conclusion after providing a number of recommendations to fill the gap in marketing strategies and suggests Nokia some efficient and effective strategic changes. 2. Situational Analysis 2.1 S WOT Analysis Strengths Nokia is ranked second largest distributer of mobile sets in the competitive mobile manufacturing industry (Figure 1). Nokia keeps its market share high by investing a considerable amount of capital in Research and Development strategies. It had spent 4.94 billion Euros on R&D in 2010 and was ranked 11th in the list of top R&D spending Multinational organizations globally (Sitkin & Bowen 2013).

Sex, Drugs, and the Fear of Secular Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sex, Drugs, and the Fear of Secular Music - Essay Example The Christian issue of secular music cycles through society’s collective imagination with a precision worthy of the passing of the seasons. Each new generation brings with it a musical style that invokes fear and disgust among the existing Christian traditionalists. Vulgar lyrics and obscene choreography invites the question of whether Christians should be listening to secular music. Yet, no one can adequately define â€Å"secular† in reference to music, and the Bible offers little, if any guidance. There are Christian concerts with a floor show that makes â€Å"Black Sabbath† look like Sesame Street, while a Yo Yo Ma cello solo is labeled secular because it’s played at a Super Bowl half time show. It’s important to note that there can be a spiritual lesson in even the most crass music, just as lessons are learned from Christianity’s violent past. Even if it could be defined, there is no requirement for Christians to deny themselves all secul ar activities. Christians need to move beyond trying to label music, accept it that we learn about sin from the sinners, and in this world of diverse secular activities Christians should be listening to secular music.