Tuesday, August 25, 2020

The Manipulation of Language used in Brave New World and Animal Farm Essay

The Manipulation of Language utilized in Brave New World and Animal Farm - Essay Example In doing as such, there is tumult and unsettling influence which gives the peruser a prophetically catastrophic picture of the world. For instance, in Brave New World the general public is made to fit in with a specific culture and conviction framework. It is prepared into accepting that everybody is bound to be in the job that they have been set into, by impact as the Director of Hatcheries in the novel puts it: that is the mystery of joy and goodness - enjoying what you must do. All molding focuses on that: making individuals like their unpreventable social destiny.† (Huxley, Ch. 1. 1946). The Director of Hatcheries utilizes his language to keep all the lower classes content with what they had and to disclose to them that that was the main way that they could lead a real existence. Mustapha Mond accepts that the future optimistic world will comprise of molded and prepared people who will submit to the social customariness. Henceforth, he oversees a strange picture of people w ho are driven away from books and obliged to pursue science. Mond utilizes his insight into the Bible and language of Shakespeare to control an extremist state. He makes language an oddity for other people, to such an extent that when John cites the words from The Tempest, â€Å"brave new world†, there is more antagonistic vibe associated with it than amazement in light of the fact that Mustapha Mond makes the World State to take a gander at things in such a way. Similarly, the language of the pigs turns out to be incredibly elitist, controlling, mixed up and a wandering talk when they talk. This method features the usurpation of intensity as one of the prevailing topics of the novel. The language controls the truth. The semantic aptitudes of the pigs overwhelm the modest language of the remainder of the creatures. The epic opens with the story that rapidly discovers the strength of language through the discourse of old Major who â€Å"was so profoundly respected on the ranc h that everybody was very prepared to lose an hour’s stay in bed request to hear what he needed to say† (Orwell, Ch.1. 1954). This sets a definitive and fatherly language structure which is pounded into different creatures like a required demonstration or law much after his demise: â€Å"Our lives are hopeless, arduous and short. We are conceived, we are given just such a great amount of food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are fit for it are compelled to work to theâ last particle of our quality; and the exact moment that our value has reached a conclusion we are butchered with repulsive brutality. No creature in England knows the significance of bliss or relaxation after he is a year old. No creature in England is free. The life of a creature is wretchedness and subjugation: that is the plain truth. Be that as it may, is this basically part of the request for nature?† (Orwell, Ch.1. 1954) This is presumably the most amusing discourse in the novel. What Old Major accepts he and his kindred collective of animals has seen about people, the creatures need to experience under the pigs’ rule after Old Major’s takeoff. At the point when Orwell says â€Å"The incredible foe of clear language is insincerity† (Orwell, PE, 1947, para 13) he implies unequivocally under these conditions. He accentuates that autocracy ruins the language of a specific district as indicated by history. The pigs are undependable towards their individual

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Titan Watches free essay sample

The market reviews show that scarcely 20% of grown-up Indians own a watch and about 90% of them own a solitary watch. In order to continue and endeavor in this situation, an organization needs to showcase itself well. Among those advertising system applied by the organizations, one is STP (division, focusing on, situating) ANALYSIS. Here, STP investigation is accomplished for an organization which has the most elevated piece of the pie in the watch market of India and it is TITAN. As the world’s 6th biggest producer brand of watches, the companys items pull in the classes and masses both. The 960-crore Titan Industries Ltd (TIL) is an aggregate between the Tamil Nadu modern Development Corporation and the Tata Group of Companies and it was set up in 1984. Titan Industries Ltd has part its mainline watch business into two:- Sonata and Titan. As their overseeing chief says,†volume development will originate from Sonata and worth development from Titan†. We will compose a custom article test on Titan Watches or on the other hand any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page CURRENT AFFAIRS: Growth Rate: Titan is keeping up a development pace of 30-35%. Tentative arrangements: ? Titan is intending to reveal its own Swiss made premium watches brand 'Xylys by August 2007, so as to bait the watch showcase. Xylys would contend with premium worldwide brands including Tissot and Rado. ? Titan is meaning to be a $1 billion organization by 2010(Rs 4,700) crore henceforth securing a three-overlap development. The STP Process SEGMENTATION Dividing the market by gathering the client with comparable tastes and inclinations into one fragment is called will be called â€Å"segmentation†. Division assist advertisers with understanding the requirements of various clients better and serve them with better incentives. A market contains various purchasers having countless tastes and inclinations. Depending n their promoting approach and the idea of the items advertisers can embrace distinctive level s of division. The degrees of market division are: †¢ Segment Marketing †¢ Individual Marketing †¢ Niche Marketing †¢ Local Marketing Division is additionally here and there distinguishing, catching and holding potential new markets. TITAN PERSPECTIVE Titan has portioned its business into three fundamental classifications: ? ? ? Mass Mid-premium extravagance

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Back from Camp! - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

Back from Camp! - UGA Undergraduate Admissions Back from Camp! I am back from Camp Sunshine, which is always one of the best weeks of the year. It does not matter if it is raining or 100 degrees, it is always a good time! Even though I am exhausted at the end of the week, it is great to be with my campers and see them grow throughout the week and the year. Over the years, I have seen one of my boys who is legally blind ride a bike through camp (it took a lot of work, but he did great!), helped one camper who spent all week in a wheelchair get half way up the climbing wall, and have seen so many campers who have grown because they have been a part of an amazing experience. When looking at applications, part of what we want to know is what things have changed you, and what you are doing now to help others. I am not saying that volunteer work is mandatory at all (so please do not rush out to sign up for any and all camps!), but if you do give back to your community, let us know. This can tell us more about who you are as a person, and how you might impact the UGA campus. Have a great rest of the summer, and I will get back to admissions issues for the next few weeks.

Friday, May 22, 2020

What Qualities of the Victorian Architecture Have a Particular Meaning Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Then, he states his sub-claim that the Victorian architectures have several readable meanings because of the development of mechanized iron architectural ornament during that period. To support his sub-claim, he describes the mechanized iron architectural ornament developed in Victorian architecture. In addition, the flourishing and the theorization could be seen as grounds because it shows how the Victorian architecture has evolved with the changing culture (Dobraszczyk 260). By analyzing his article, it is obvious to know that some people did not embrace the use of iron as much as it had flourished during the Victorian era and not every architect or building owner was into iron. However, the development of mechanized iron architectural ornament shows that the architectures were modernized over time and that it was received well as it was the choice for many architects. Blaszczyk's book is valid as he presents pieces of evidence that support his claim fully. For example, he gives sufficient evidence to support his claim by showing how architects embraced the use of iron very well. The pieces of evidence presented by the author are objective research and not personal narrations. We will write a custom essay sample on What Qualities of the Victorian Architecture Have a Particular Meaning or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The book develops my research by providing a lot of information on the construction materials from the Victorian era.

Saturday, May 9, 2020

The Insider Secrets for Interview Question Essay Introduction Samples Discovered

The Insider Secrets for Interview Question Essay Introduction Samples Discovered Hiring managers often look to your previous behaviors to find a feeling of your future behaviors. Concentrate on the positives of the company that you're interviewing with. Interviews are platforms by which organizations use to find a notion about someone. Sometimes, it appears difficult to earn a story from the interview. The entire collection of sample job interview questions you'll almost certainly be asked with the very best interview answers to have you hired. The very first part, where the examiner takes your interview, is a rather light personal conversation. Have a look at our top strategies to help you truly feel prepared and confident to rock your work interview. Next, it's essential to include the major tips that you have acquired from your interview. What's more, you are able to also conduct an interview to have the idea on how it's taken. Remember not to be too connected to the outline that you go in the interview carrying. Finally, you have to have a transcript of questions together with the draft. If you find yourself with a high score in IELTS, then there are many doors open for you in the event you wish to study in Canada, Australia or another country. In case you have any particular question, pls. All my questions are answered. Only indent the first line more if you're citing a number of paragraphs. Writing sections, it is extremely crucial for you in the event you write your own words. When you prepare for the Reading section, it is wise for you whether you read an excessive amount of context in English. In the speaking section, you have to be confident of what you speak. What Does Interview Question Essay Introduction Samples Mean? Lots of people don't finish and for a number of explanations. Whatever topic you've chosen and whoever you have selected to interview, being in a position to properly relay the message that you wished to share is something which is necessary to be considered. Pay attention to how you quote the individual. What you say during the very first stage of the interview may make a significant impact in the outcome in a very good way or in a poor way. The candidate who is best prepared for the work interview is the person who is probably to find the job. The new job wants someone who's ready to undertake a range of responsibilities. My final job offered me the skilled and creative freedom to do my job in the very best way which I saw fit. If you're asking for an entry level job which needs a college degree, then you might have to demonstrate why you're still the very best person for the job and demonstrate why your skills are equally as good if not superior than a colleg e graduate. When you are finished, proofread your essay and refine it, if necessary. If you're still unsure about your introduction, our essay editors would really like to provide you with some feedback. Make certain your essay will receive the interest of your readers by supplying the essential information needed to be known. Economics is really all around us. Essay writing differs for everybody. Students make the error of simply reading the very first essay example they come across on the web. Interview Question Essay Introduction Samples and Interview Question Essay Introduction Samples - The Perfect Combination The only element that creates a college entrance paper different from a career interview is the simple fact that the candidate's objective is to catch the interest of a university admission board as opposed to attempting to acquire work. If that's the case, explain how you're taking on more responsibilities in your present position. My long-term purpose is by gaining work experience of 07-08 years in the specialty of Economics. While you ought to be authentic and permit your nature and goals to shine through, you also need to be strategic of what you say. Interview Question Essay Introduction Samples Explained If you should prepare an essay writing for interview in the form of narrative form, it doesn't matter which pers on you want to ask. Consider asking a person who you don't like to respond to your questions. If you don't ask great questions to every individual you speak with, you are quite unlikely to receive hired. The questions shouldn't be biased or inclined to a single aspect. Your opening may be suggested by a number of the comments from your interviews or you may want to describe a situation which causes your question. Below, you will find four steps which will help you answer more or less any job interview question. Don't attempt to squeeze in an excessive amount of info or your interviewer WILL begin to tune out. Any information that will make a credible image for your interviewee will be critical. Don't say you don't know. A. Yes, there are particular guidelines. Also make certain that you've got an honest technique of recording the interview. Sometimes seeing an illustration can be useful, though each individual's Tell me about yourself answer will differ. After you have interviewed the person of interest, make an outline. Get ready to face significant challenges in the event the topic of your paper is a famous or busy small business person. The perfect way to make an intriguing paper is to locate a thriving small business person like Stev e Jobs and ask several excellent questions. Therefore, you ought to look closely at the word count. If you're overloaded with the information that you don't understand how to arrange, buy a customized solution from online academic experts! Also having a strong background in officiating will help you since you have to have the ability to teach all of the student officials the appropriate way of the way to officiate. Your answer doesn't have any bearing on whether you will receive the job or not.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

K-12an Asset or a Drawback in Promoting Quality Education Free Essays

K-12: AN ASSET OR A DRAWBACK IN PROMOTING QUALITY EDUCATION? Sol F. Constantino (ED 213)Graduate School, Ateneo de Naga University There are ample reasons behind the emergence of K+12 Basic Education Program. With our country’s current situation, consequently it became an issue. We will write a custom essay sample on K-12:an Asset or a Drawback in Promoting Quality Education? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Similar to coin tossing, this argument has its heads and tails thus it earned different public reactions; an approval from those who viewed K+12 as the answer to the poor quality of basic education and stern rebukes from â€Å"folks whose pocketbooks would be adversely impacted by the proposed additional 2 years of basic education† (Cruz, 2010). Hence, If equated to analogy, the product of the old curriculum with a K-6-4 structure and the new curriculum having K-6-4-2 model can be compared to two newborn babies, a premature baby (half-baked graduates) whose needs must be addressed in order to survive and a normal one (the ideal graduate) . Futhermore, I consider the features of K+12 to be more an advantage in enhancing our quality of education but the conflict here is the preparedness of the crucial elements needed to be procured by DepEd as it turned out to be an untimely implementation. The cons reckoned many drawbacks of K+12 as they consider it an impediment and an additional burden especially to parents. The Philippine Star writer Isagani Cruz enumerated the downsides of K+12 in his column. He asserted that parents have to shell out more money (for transportation and food) for the education of their children as they find the additional two years heavy for their expense which will lead to a high dropout rate of the students if not addressed . I personally don’t concur to this point. Providing our children quality education is like farming, where one needs to perspire and endure working under the sun, plow the fields and take good care of everything in order to have a good harvest. Absolutely it is hard, but not impossible. Another reason cited is that the government does not have the money to pay for two more years of free education, since it does not even have the money to fully support the ten years of basic education. The cons believed that the problem of BEC is the content and not the length, thus the emphasis must be on â€Å"better† rather than on â€Å"more† education. For them, ten years is enough to equip students with necessary skills to become productive and successful members of our nation so there’s no need for the additional two years. Another problem that goes with the curriculum implementation are the skills and competency of teachers. Changes in the curriculum implies that teachers must be resilient and flexible enough to adopt the new trends. As I have mentioned earlier, the main concern that I think must be addressed first is the readiness of every component of education, including sufficient classrooms, chairs, teachers and equipment. Citing the present status of my own school as an example, classroom and teacher shortage is the main problem because we have a high rate of enrolment but the teachers are compelled to hold big classes (sometimes seventy or more pupils in one section) in dilapidated and improvised classrooms, even in shade houses within the school premises. In addition, sufficient educational supplies such as error-free workbooks and other teaching materials are still of great demand. Answering these needs will not be done with just a blink of an eye. Thus, implementing the new curriculum this early is a premature step because majority of its vital parts is not yet developed and realized. However, we are hoping that these issues will be immediately settled upon knowing that DepEd is one of the priorities of the present administration having a hefty P1,645 trillion budget. The positive features of K-12 stand out as it provide more benefits over the previous system in terms of quality education. The proponents believed it is the answer to our country’s ailing need as they figured out the following reasons: K+12 will produce graduates who are competent, physically, mentally and emotionally ready in their field of endeavor because the additional two years in the Senior High School curriculum will serve as the student’s career assessment as it offers areas of specialization or electives such as science and technology, music and arts, agriculture and fisheries, sports, business and entrepreneurship. It will help the students define what college course is suitable to his skills and interests which will make them excel in their chosen field. Filipino graduates will benefit from their degree earned when they work abroad because they will be recognized as professionals having graduated in a twelve-year basic educational cycle prescribed in international standard. So, Filipino professionals no longer need to serve s domestic helpers in other countries because they are entitled to practice their profession. Based from contradicting points enumerated and weighing the outcomes given, I resolved this issue by finally stating that K+12 is more of an asset than a drawback in promoting quality education. Let us embrace the fact that our country under the new leadership of President Ninoy Aquino III is undergoing Reconstructionism, that is, creating social change in building the nation through basic quality education. The reason for this change doesn’t stop from raising the students’ achievement scores alone. It aims to show the world that Filipino students are brilliant, and that Philippines wants to be at par with progressive countries because we don’t want to be left behind. In order to achieve this, our country really need brilliant students who will turn to be our country’s young entrepreneurs, as well as smart and competent teachers. Functional and productive Filipino citizens will make Philippines a progressive nation. All these will start from the fundamentals, the basic education. So, as a Grade One teacher, as early as June, I strive hard to let my pupils learn the essential skills expected to be mastered by first graders; reading, speaking, writing and counting. I will make sure that the incoming second graders next year are all good readers as I strictly implement the â€Å"No Read No Pass† policy. As for my professional development, I continue to augment my teaching skills through wide reading, online research on best teaching practices and continuous studies. Through my own simple ways, I aspire to contribute to our goal of nation building by providing basic quality education even if it means walking an extra mile and spending at my own expense. References: Balangue, D. (2010, November). Is K+12 the answer? Inquirer Opinion/ Column. Retrieved from http://opinion. inquirer. net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20101126-305539/Is-K12-the-answer Cruz, I. (2010, October). Pros Cons in the K+12 Basic Education Debate. The Philippine Star. Retrieved from http://mlephil. wordpress. com/2010/10/14/pros-cons-of-the-k12-debate/ Discussion paper on the enhanced K+12 basic education program. (2010, October 5). Retrieved from www. deped. gov. ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/K12new. pdf How to cite K-12:an Asset or a Drawback in Promoting Quality Education?, Papers

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The arctic race Essay Example For Students

The arctic race Essay The Arctic Race, a long marathon involving men walking along white snow plains to reach the South Pole first. There are many ways in which you can die, such as glaciers, frost-bit, lack of food that isnt frozen and of course, Polar Bears, which is what this story is all about. In the frozen waste-lands near the South Pole, actually it was never really known where this story took place, but what is known is what happened. In the ice-cold, three men were walking through the white plains. The first man was called Damien, he was English, Woo-pang was from China and Thomas was from America. We will write a custom essay on The arctic race specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now These three men were just walking along when suddenly one of them stopped and said Look. Where? Woo- Pang replied There, up ahead. What? Up there? asked Thomas. Yes. Theres a good place to set up camp. Damien pointed out. So they all walked over to what looked like a shelter and set up camp there. During the night, Woo-Pang heard a noise. He sat up and saw a shadow against the tent. He woke up Damien and Thomas and they all sat still and watched as the shadow moved slowly toward the tent entrance. Wheres the gun? Damien whispered. Hang on, Ill just look. Woo-Pang started to rummage through his rucksack. Its not there. He said finally Well then where is it? Oh. Oh, what? Its outside, I think. You think? What are we going to defend ourselves with? asked Thomas. All we have are distress flares. Replied Woo-Pang. Great. Just great. Damien sighed. By this time the shadow was almost at the entrance and then Damien said with amazement; Ive got it. What? said Thomas and Woo-Pang together Aarrgghh! The shadow jumped into the tent. It was a Polar Bear. It grabbed Thomas by the leg and tried to drag him outside, but Damien grabbed Thomass hand just before he disappeared. Help me! Thomas shouted. Hold on! Damien shouted back. AARrgghh! Thomas vanished from view. Blood splattered the outside of the tent. Give me the flares. Damien shouted to Woo-Pang. The Polar Bears head appeared again , this time it was covered in blood. Damien set off one of the distress flares and thrust it into the Polar Bears eye. Take that! he shouted. The Polar Bear turned, and ran off whimpering. Is he gone? asked Woo-Pang. Damien sniffed. What is that smell? Woo-Pang rummaged through the rucksack and found a tin of anchovies which was slightly open. Lets get moving Damien said. By the morning, they had packed all of their stuff up and were walking back to headquarters. They had discarded the tin of anchovies and that is the story of how Polar Bears can be very dangerous and also that theres a bear right next to me so I AARRGGHHhhhh.

Friday, March 20, 2020

The Human Genome Project Essays - Genomics, Genetics, Free Essays

The Human Genome Project Essays - Genomics, Genetics, Free Essays The Human Genome Project title = The Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project, What Is It? What would you do if you were given the power to change your genetic code from brown hair to blond?. Man has had this ability through natural selection for some time without knowing it, but in the near future scientist will be able to speed the process of natural selection by changing a persons genes. Scientists have identified what constitutes human DNA located in the nucleus of a cell. The Human Genome Project was established to identify the genes that make us who we are and is now an international organization. The massive task of identifying the numerous gene combinations has created a problem. In the nucleus are 22 genomes, plus two sex chromosomes which have already been identified. In the 22 genome there are approximately 3 billion base pairs of DNA which contain 50,000 to 100,000 genes, a basic unit of heredity. The identification of these base pairs is the goal of the Human Genome Project, which started in 1990 and whose job it is to identify the letters or chromosomes in DNA. These letter s represent nulcleotides called adenine, guanine, thyamine, and cytosine (or A, C, T, G). ('92 BSCS pg. 1) The Human Genome Project idea originated in the mid 1980's and was discussed in the scientific community and media through the latter part of that decade. In the United States the combined effort of the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Health were involved in the project planning. (The National Center For Genetic Reasearch) The Human Genome Project has several goals including identifying the genes of a human assessing the genes and comparing human DNA to that of bacteria, yeasts, the fruit fly, mice, and the Arabidopis thaliana, a small genome plant that grows rapidly. A major purpose is to determine how evolution proceeds from lower organisms to humans, and discover why the smaller genomes of animals have less junk or unneeded DNA. Geneticists use two types of maps to characterize the genes they discovera genetic linkage map and a physical map. A genetic map registers the distance between the fragments of DNA we know according to the frequency with which they are inherited. The physical map measures the actual physical distance between two markers. Scientists want to map and develop technology for rapid genotyping, plus develop markers that are easy to use as well as generate new mapping techniques. (Instrumentation) Scientists can map genes but it is still expensive. One of the ongoing goals of the Human Genome Project is to get the cost of mapping a gene down to 50 cents per base pair. ('92 HSCS pg.3) The enormous information that is and has been generated by the project is used to link sites together around the world through the internet and now some information can be acessed by the general public. Another of the project goals is to create a sequencing capacity at a collective rate of 50 Mb per year. This is supposed to result in the completion of 80 Mb by the end of FY 1998. Many people question whether the Human Genome Project is worth the money spent on it and will it be used negatively toward those who have traits that are considered undesirable by insurance companies and other corporations? The HUMAN GENOME ORGANIZATION has a council of scientists and doctors worldwide who meet to discuss the effects of identifying an individual's genes. In the 1996 Genetics Confidentiality and Nondiscrimmination Act an attempt to addresss this issue as noted in Section 2, " The DNA molecule contain's an individual's genetic information that is uniquely private and inseparate from one's identity. Genetic information is being rapidly sequenced and understood. Genetic information carries special significance. It provides information about one's family, and more importantly, provides information about one's self and and one's self perception." Genetic information has been misused, harming individuals through stigmitization and discrimination. The potential for misuse is tremendous as genetics transcends medicine and has the potential to penetrate many aspects of life including health and life insurance, finance, and education. Experts advocate that genetic information should not be collected, stored, analyzed, nor disclosed without the individual's authorization. Current legal protections for genetic information is, however, inadequate. Uniform rules for collection, storage, and use of DNA samples are needed to protect individual privacy and prevent discrimination while permitting legitimate medical reasearch. The report further states that the reading of a minors DNA should be only with parental or legal guardian consent and only

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills

10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills 10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills 10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills By Mark Nichol 1. Prepare Absorb information about writing, but don’t overwhelm yourself. I’ve been known to read a writing handbook or editing manual cover to cover, but I recommend reading one chapter or section at a time and absorbing information from online resources in similarly small doses as well. Our website is a good starting point, as it features thousands of posts about specific grammar, syntax, and style topics as well as vocabulary-building posts and more comprehensive posts about writing, editing, and language. 2. Practice Work on your writing every day. Commit to a daily writing exercise, even if you have only five minutes to spare. If you write for a living, or writing constitutes a significant proportion of your daily tasks at work, still set aside time to practice other forms of composition. Style or subject matter can vary day to day, or you can decide to, for example, respond in writing to something you experienced with any of your five senses (including anything you watched or read by way of a form of media). Alternatively, find a list of writing prompts online, and use the next one on the list each day, or choose one randomly. (Encourage family members or friends- or even coworkers- to join you in producing their own responses.) 3. Engage with Others Participating in a group learning activity is a great motivator. When you have paid for a class and/or scheduled time for attend classes or workshop sessions, you’re more likely to persevere, and completing assignments and projects will help you establish and/or maintain your writing discipline. If you’re intimidated by a group setting, consider finding a writing partner with whom you can exchange drafts and/or discuss concepts and practice skills, then graduate, on your own or with your partner, to a course or workshop. Alternatively, seek out online courses or groups. 4. Read Read for education, enjoyment, and enlightenment. For the most part, with recreational reading, just sit back and enjoy yourself. But consider devoting occasional sessions to analytical reading, in which you highlight particularly effective words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs and think about why they stand out, and apply the techniques to your own writing. 5. Organize Use organizational techniques such as outlines and diagrams. Brainstorm keywords and essential ideas or plot points. If other forms of creative expression stimulate you, use them: Listen to (or play) music to inspire a certain mood, collect photographs or illustrations of people, places, and things that suggest elements you want to incorporate into an essay or a short story, or draw sketches of characters or settings to help you visualize them. 6. Research and Fact-Check Whether you’re writing nonfiction or fiction, take care to write authoritatively. If you’re writing a short story or a novel, read about the historical background of the setting to make sure that you are not introducing counterfactual or anachronistic elements. When crafting a newspaper, magazine, or website article, or a blog post, educate yourself on your topic, and double-check quantitative information: proper names; affiliations and relationships; and dates, distances, dollar amounts, and so on. 7. Be Flexible Write with an open mind. Be flexible about changing the focus of an article or essay or the protagonist or plot of a short story or a novel. Question your assumptions, and accept that your initial goal or message may not be the most effective or useful one, or the one that you are prepared to express just now. 8. Draft Expect to be dissatisfied by your first draft, and don’t assume that your second draft is your last. Whether you’re writing a blog post or a book manuscript, the initial iteration may only slightly resemble the final draft- which, if you also submit it for editing, will differ from the edited version. Some writers have managed to produce an admirable piece of writing on the first try, but you will very likely spend as much time revising your first draft (and subsequent efforts) as you did producing it, if not more time. Embrace the opportunity to improve your baseline output by reorganizing, inserting, and omitting text; reshaping phrases and sentences; and replacing bland verbs and tired clichà ©s and vague descriptions. 9. Hire an Editor You’re free to post to your own blog or self-publish your novel without any further mediation, but you will be more successful as a writer if you accept that objective assistance enhances virtually everyone’s prose. Hiring an editor is a significant investment of time and money- editorial attention to a long novel, for example, can cost a couple thousand dollars and take several weeks- but if you find a good editor, the investment will be worth it. (And note that with any other service, you often get what you pay for, so when choosing an editor, focus on quality of results you will obtain rather than quantity of expense you will incur.) If you can’t afford such an expense, at least ask a friend or acquaintance to go over your writing for you, and perhaps offer to edit something of theirs in exchange or to provide a service of similar monetary value (dog walking or pet sitting, clerical or organizational assistance, repair or construction, and so on) in return. Just understand that assistance from someone on the basis of acquaintance is less likely to be either objective or of professional caliber. Choose an editor who knows what they are doing and will not hesitate to provide revisions and critiques at the risk of damaging your ego. 10. Practice Humility Perhaps you were praised at home and/or at school for your writing, or you have won one or more writing awards, or you have had articles or stories (or even books) published. Any or all of those achievements constitute a good start. But you are still developing as a writer, and you always will be. Continue to practice these habits and welcome other opportunities to grow functionally and creatively as a writer. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:Anyone vs. EveryoneEpidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic

Sunday, February 16, 2020

The Bluest Eye and Cathedral Raymond Carver Essay

The Bluest Eye and Cathedral Raymond Carver - Essay Example The story revolved around the manner by which the girl, Pecola, desired to be white, with pale skin and the deepest blue eyes. On the other hand, The Cathedral narrated a story about a man's encounter with a blind man called Robert. The account for this brief interaction, with its varying phases of emotional experience and personal relationship was anchored on how the latter was able to teach the narrator a new perspective in seeing things, transforming him in the process. Thematic Similarities The similarities between Morrison and Carver's work rest fundamentally on the way they wrote their respective stories on families in addition to troubled and tragic protagonists. Pecola suffered physical and psychological abuse from her father and her surroundings whereas; the Robert in Carver's tale was blind and has recently lost his wife. Even the narrator of the story seems to be suffering from some form of inner turmoil and suffered from confusion and emotional catharsis among other thing s depicted in a number of nuances and details. Also, both of these stories revolve around the theme of bigotry. In Morrison's work the community is still typified with the discrimination against the black people. As a result, people that surrounded Pecola used the whites and their lifestyle as standards of perfection, wherein those that they have are things to be desired. Her parents called her ugly, so she aspired to be white with blue eyes. Carver concentrated the bigotry on his narrator. It was not racial but targeted towards someone with disability. There was prejudice in his attitude towards the blind man and when he met him, it was further tinged with a degree of condescension. About Standards The theme of beauty and aesthetics, which is at the core of The Bluest Eye, revolved around the idea that being white, is beautiful. This variable is crucial in explaining the female black identity in the story. Morrison described this as psychologically damaging to black girls in Americ a. By providing a racist and patriarchal social setting, Morrison was able to illustrate the manner by which black women and men were shaped by cultural influences. To demonstrate this, there is the case of Pecola's father. He was treated throughout most part of the book with a kind of repulsiveness because of his appearance. For some, his looks appeared to resemble that of an alcoholic, so even he was not, he became one. The social perception involved with being black was emphasized to be equated with ugliness and Morrison enumerated several adverse effects on the psyche and behavior of a people. Carver was more specific in his tale with his minimal use of characters. In the interaction between his bigoted narrator and blind Robert, the reader is provided a summary of the social perception on disabled people. When the narrator met Robert, he observed and observed and, in his thoughts, the readers would be able to identify preconceived notions, prejudices and antagonisms that many o f them would find familiar. Cultural versus Utilitarian The treatment of themes and the text content conveyed revealed two different concerns. As Morrison focused on racial and gender identity, and the role of the social norms in the rage and pain of a people with their privations and exclusions, her narrative became a cultural critique. On the other hand, through his

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Total Quality Management High School Case Study

Total Quality Management High School - Case Study Example The categories are sorted from highest the number of occurrences to the least number of occurrences. The chart shows that Confusion (37.5%), Strain (30.0%) and Sprain (12.5%) represent 80% of the total injuries received. The rest of the injuries received such as foreign body, abrasion, punctures and others represent 20% of the total injuries received. ii. The Pareto Chart will be used to report the sorted injuries received according to the number of occurrences. It shows that the most frequent injury received is Confusion, followed by Strain and Sprain which constitute 80% of the total injuries received. The priority will go to the vital few as compared to the trivial many. d. A Pareto chart shows both frequency and prioritisation of qualitative data or categories. On the other hand, a pie chart identifies data in relation to the whole while a bar chart compares data relative to one issue or among individual items. It is advantageous to use a Pareto chart when comparing different causes or issues and identifying which one needs the most priority and focus. A pie chart is useful when a report requires a display of percentages of categories that represents the whole pie. A bar chart is useful when comparing the frequency of data over time or illustrating frequency of different categories without the need of prioritisation. e. e. The data follow the Pareto principle when it is arranged in accordance from the most frequent category to the least frequent ones. It will show vital few and the trivial many. The trivial few in the data are Confusion (75), Strain (60), and Sprain (25). It represents 37.5%, 30.0% and 12.5%, respectively, of the whole categories of injuries received. Consequently, the three injuries also signify 80% of the problems. Question 4 - TQM Principle a. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management philosophy that involves every person in the organisation and every phase of it operation. It employs a customer-focus definition which aims at maximising customer satisfaction. The role of management is vital in TQM such that they must be fully committed in TQM and this commitment must stream down the organisation. As for the Iron-Ore mining company, it overlooked the TQM principle that everyone must be involved. The General Manager decided on a 10% budget cut across the organisation without involving and aligning the ideas of the three section managers. Deciding on reducing the budget is a financial decision that ultimately hurts the operation of the company. TQM involves a process based approach which recognises the different contribution of each process to the whole business. The company also ignore the importance of customer centred definition of TQM. The goal of TQM is to satisfy customer needs and requirements. A business strategy that employs TQM focuses on the demand of the customers. The Iron-Ore mining company neglected to forecast the demand of iron ore. The Railway Manager focused on the 10% reduction of budget which consequently resulted to a reduction of capacity. Such reduction of capacity became a constraint in satisfying the customer demand. If they have prioritised the 60 mtpa requirement, they would incur a lower cost per unit even if they have greater total expenditure. Another principle of TQM involves the employment of

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Influence of Organization Justice on OCBs

Influence of Organization Justice on OCBs 1. Introduction Questions regarding the organization justice and OCBs have received considerable attention by the researchers in the areas of industrial psychology, human resource management and organizational behavior during last few decades. Much more studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of organizational justice on organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Researchers have been emphasizing the relationship of organization justice with OCBs across the world through different moderating variables. The article which I have chosen for review is The Effects of Leader-Member Exchange on Organizational Justice and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Empirical Study written by Noormala Amir Ishak and Syed Shah Alam and published in European Journal of Social Sciences in 2009. As it is reflected in the topic, the author in this article analyzed the impact of three types of organizational justice on five dimensions of OCBs. The author also assesses the mediating role of Leader-Member Exchange in the relationship of organizational justice and OCBs. In the first part, the paper under discussion will to be summarized and in the second part, the relevance of the article to the Management will be discussed. In last part of critical review, first the article has been summarized and the critical remarks have been pen down. 2. Relevance to the Management Organizational Justice The issue of organizational justice and OCBs has attained ample attention of research community under the umbrella of organizational behaviors from last 4 decades. The work of Folger and Greenbergs (1985) is considered to be pioneering in this area of research, which received considerable attention in academic circles. It was followed by the study of Cropanzano, et al. (2001), whose primary focus was to explore the perception of justice and fair dealings among workers on work places. Later studies found organization justice to have a strong link with HR factors such as perceived organizational support, leadership behaviors and leaders-member exchange, empowerment, communication and socialization (H. Zhang, 2006; Jahangir, et. al, 2004) and employees attitudes such as job satisfaction, job commitment, turnover intentions, employee deviance, job stress (Zhang, 2006; Karriker and Williams, 2009; Aquino, et al., 1999). Researchers in the area of organizational justice classified these fa ctors into three dimensions: Distributive, Procedural and Interactional (Colquitt, 2001; Greenberg, 1993). These dimensions of justice have been reviewed in following sections. i) Distributive Justice: Distributive justice refers to the extent to which employees perceive the fairness of their work outcomes (Adam, 1965; Homans, 1968). Distributive justice is derived from equity theory provided by Adam (1963, 1965). The theory argues that people compare the ratios of their perceived input (e.g. contribution) and output (e.g. financial and non-financial rewards) with those of others at the workplace. If there is imbalance, the individuals whose ratio is greater than the other is perceived as underpaid whereas the individuals whose ratio is lesser is perceived as overpaid. Equal ratios are strongly associated with positive employees behaviors towards their jobs and organizations (Greenberg, 1990). Individuals who perceive themselves as comparatively low paid, attempt to reduce their distress by attempting to transform the inequitable situation to comfortable equitable position. These attempts may either be behavioral (e.g. altering job input and/or output) or psychological (e.g. alteri ng perception of work input/or ouput) (Walster, et al. 1978). Keeping in view the equity theory, later studies found that underpaid individuals decrease their contribution and individuals overpaid increase their contribution to achieve the organizational goals (Greenberg, 1982). ii) Procedural Justice: Thibaut and Walker conducted a series of study in early 1970s on the reaction to dispute-resolution process which further lead them to the development of procedural justice theory (Thibaut and Walkder, 1975). Procedural justice was conceived as extent to which individuals recognize the fairness of procedures and systems that govern the allocation of rewards (Leventhal, 1980; Lind and Tyler, 1988). Leventhal (1980) provided a variety of rules which allocation procedure must satisfy in order to be perceived as fair. These rules are consistency, bias-suppression, accuracy, correctability, representativeness and ethicality. Leventhal concluded that perception of procedural justice will be positive if these rules are sufficiently satisfied by the reward allocation procedure. Greenberg (1986) commented that individuals believe that reward resulting from unfair processes are themselves unfair but only when such outcomes are little beneficial. On the other hand, outcomes that provide more be nefits are perceived as fair irrespective of the fairness of outcome allocation procedure. When procedures are transparent and people are being informed about them, they recognize that they are being treated fairly (Beugre, 1998). iii) Interactional (Interpersonal and Informational) Justice Extending the previous theories of procedural justice, Bies and Moag (1986) differentiated between formal procedures (e.g. consistency, bias-suppression, accuracy) and the social aspects of fairness (e.g. treatment with courtesy) and introduced third dimension of organizational justice termed as interactional justice. According to the Bies and Moag (1986), interactional justice refers to the extent to which employees are treated with dignity and respect. Interpersonal treatment is found to have a significant impact on the employees perception of organizational justice as well. Employees perception is promoted when the justifications regarding the situation are clearly, truthfully and adequately explained and when employees are treated with courtesy, dignity and respect (Bies, Shapiro, Cumming, 1988). Organizational Citizenship Behaviors Employees Readiness to exert extra efforts beyond their formal job duties has long been identified as an essential predictor of organizational performance. It is noted in the work environment that the readiness of employees to exert cooperative efforts ultimately leads to the effective achievements of organizational goals. Exploring further this area, Katz and Kahn (1978) revealed that the rewards that motivate such unprompted, informal input are different from those that encourage task proficiency. Such theories provided an arena to the follower researchers; among them, Organ (1988) first introduced the concept of OCBs. Citizenship is a behavioral component that is believed to have a promise to improve organizational productivity by improving the attitudes of employees, creating harmony, cooperation and coordination among employees and minimizing disagreements (Bateman and Organ, 1983; Smith et al, 1983). OCB is defined as an optional and extra role, beyond the formal job, without e xpecting any reward that improves organizational functioning (Organ, 1988). Behavior such as helping an absent co-worker, willing to perform extra duties whenever required, playing vital role in the organization functions even without assigning the duty and resolving unconstructive interpersonal conflict (Organ, 1990). Organ (1988) introduced five dimensions OCBs i.e. Altruism (helping the specific others on the organizational tasks), Conscientiousness (efficient use of time, extra role with respect to the attendance, abiding by organizational rules, break time etc), Courtesy (get the update information and providing it to others to avoid work related problems), Sportsmanship (avoids complaining, Maximum use of time for organizational profitability), Civic Virtue (participating in committees and volunteer work for organizational functions). Followed study by Farh et. al., (1997) investigated two types of organizational behaviors i.e. positive contribution and preventing to engage in activities that are harmful to others. Leader-Member Exchange Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory suggests that quality of the exchange relationships that have been between employees and their leaders promise the highly productive attitudes of employees (Gerstner and Day, 1997; Graen and Uhl-Bien, 1995). LMX theory is unique among leadership theories in its focus on the dyadic exchange relationships between supervisors and each of their subordinates (Gerstner and Day, 1997). High-quality exchange relationships are based upon the mutual trust, respect, and obligation that generate coherence between an employee and his or her supervisor. Low-quality exchange relationship, on the other hand, are characterized by formal, role-defined interactions and predominantly contractual exchanges that result in hierarchy-based downward influence and distance between the parties. Social Exchange Theory Social exchange theory by Blau (1964) assumes that a reciprocal relationship between two humans or parties can be established. In other words, if one party renders its services or anything to the other, the receiving party would be obliged to perform the same or similar function for the former, in the days to come. If this sort of reciprocal relations are carried over the period, these would result in a social bond. This bond gives birth to trust, reliance and confidence between the parties. For instance, if an employer treats his employees with care and respect, the employees would behave, in return, in the same gentle and tender way. The treatment of employees may be in the form of better performance or undertaking their duties in an honest manner. Various studies on related topics such as organizational justice (Cropanzane et. al, 2001), leadership (Graen and Scandura, 1987), psychological contract (Rousseau, 1989, 1998), and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) (Organ, 1988 , 1990) conducted in different cultures have supported this theory empirically. Arguably, the reciprocal nature of human relations is more important in traditional cultures like Pakistan. The requiting norm of this theory reflects from the behaviors of Pakistani people. So, the social exchange theory provides a theoretical basis for conducting a study on behavioral aspect of relations between workers and owners, in context of Pakistan. In the light of above-mentioned theories, it is concluded that fair organizational practices promise the productive and favorable employees attitude. Under the social exchange theory there is reciprocal relation can be seen between firm and its employee when employees who are being treated fairly found to be involved more in some extra activities beyond their formal job duties to improve the firms effectiveness. Leader-Member exchange is one of the leadership theories which conclude that employees perform more if there is best dyadic relationship between leader and his follower. The article under discussion is found to be under the umbrella of study of organizational behaviors which is central theme of Human Resource Management. The study of organizational behaviors deals with behavioral issues of employees with the objective to improve the employees behaviors to accomplish the organizational goals efficiently. 1. Summary of the Article Objectives of the Study The study focused on OCB and examined the influence of organizational justice on OCB. The study is expected to address these two issues: (1) to investigate the influence of organizational justice types on OCB; and (2) to examine the role of LMX as a mediator in the relationship between organizational justice types and OCB. Research Design Research Framework On the basis of literature review, the following research model has been established by the author to explore the relationship between organizational justice and OCB with the moderating role of LMX. Hypothesis for this study are as under: H1: Organizational justice types have significant positive relationships with OCB. The impact of interpersonal justice and informational justice are stronger on OCB than the impact of distributive justice and procedural justice. H2: Organizational justice types have significant positive relationships with LMX. H3: LMX mediates the relationship between organizational justice types and OCB in such a way that the impact of organizational justice on OCB will be smaller (partial mediation) or non-significant (full mediation) in the presence of LMX. Sampling: Data has been collected from non-supervisory employees, employed in the participating domestic commercial banks. A package containing two survey questionnaires: ?one questionnaire (Set A) was to be answered by the subordinate and another (Set B) to be answered by the supervisor in charge of the subordinate ?was distributed to participating banks. The subordinates were also given questionnaire items measuring organizational justice and LMX. The supervisors were given questionnaire items rating the subordinates OCB and in-role behavior. A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed to 80 branches. A total of 339 completed questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 97%. Measurement: Citizenship behaviors of employees were measured by 24-item OCB scale developed by Podsakoff et al. (1990) was utilized to assess five dimensions of OCB. Organizational justice was measured using the 20-items adapted from Colquitt (2001). LMX was measured by the scale extracted by previous literature. Results: Table 1 reports the means, standard deviations, and zero-order correlations for all variables. Using Pearsons correlations it was found that procedural and distributive justice were significantly correlated with only one OCB dimension-altruism while Interactional justice and LMX were found to be significantly related to all OCB dimensions. Contrary to expectation, the results from Table 2 in which results are given of linear regression, it was found that only interactional justice has a significant relationship with OCB (altruism and consideration). Thus, hypothesis 1 was only partially supported. LMX was then regressed on organizational justice (Table 3). Distributive justice and interactional justice were found to have significant relationships with LMX. Hypothesis 2 was thus partially supported. OCB dimensions were then regressed on LMX. There had to be a significant relationship between the two in order to proceed to the next step of mediation testing. It was evidenced (Table 4) that LMX showed significant relationships with altruism and sportsmanship. Hypothesis 3 was also partially supported. Table 5 shows the results of the tests required for mediated regression analyses. The conditions for mediation were met for altruism but not for sportsmanship and consideration. Hypothesis 4 was thus partially supported. We found that the relationship between interactional justice and OCB which was significant in became insignificant once we included LMX as a mediator. We found that LMX fully mediated the relationship between interactional justice and altruism. Conclusions: Results shows that there is positive relationship between interactional justice and two dimensions of OCB i.e. altruism and consideration which is similar to the findings of Moorman (1991). Distributive and procedural dimensions of organizational justice have not been found as a predictor of citizenship behaviors of subordinate. When subordinates feel that they feel that there is interaction justice between them and their supervisor, they found to be involved more in citizenship behaviors. The findings also noted that this relationship strengthened when there the role of LMX is included in the model. These results are consistent with social exchange theory where it entails unspecified obligations, did not specify the exact nature of future return for contributions, is based on individuals trusting that the exchange parties will fairly discharge their obligations in the long run, and allows exchange parties reciprocate through discretionary, extrarole acts (Blau, 1964; Konovsky and Pu gh, 1994; Moorman, 1991; Niehoff and Moorman, 1993). The study provides some insight for managers that in order to develop the citizenship behaviors among employees, the role of supervisors should not be ignored. Supervisors should be emphasized more so that they may build mutual interest and good dyadic relations with their subordinates. Managers need to always be supportive towards their employees and listen to their concerns and ask for their input on decisions affecting them. Open interactions with the employees will enhance their motivation toward their work and will lead them to perform in their work as well as performing OCB. The study provides evidence that interactional justice has greatest impact on OCB through the presence of LMX. This is especially true when the subordinates see their superiors giving them support and encouragement to them at work. In an environment in which relationships are important, superiors emotional support and guidance appeared to assist subordinates in attaining higher levels of performance. In res ponse subordinates are likely to perform some extra role beyond to their job in order to benefit other employees and organization. The study reported here is not without its limitations. The results pertaining to organizational justice and OCB may be susceptible to common method variance. The study conducted was also cross-sectional, which does not allow for an assessment of causality. Thus our results are mute where issues of causality are concerned. Critical Review: As discussed earlier, the featured article addresses one of the theories of leadership and organizational behavior. Earlier studies have been investigated the relationship of organizational justice and citizenship behaviors directly and through different moderating variables. Recently a study conducted by Karriker and Williams (2009) found the relationship between organizational justice and OCBO through OMX as mediating variable and the relationship between organizational justice and OCBS through LMX as mediating variable. Another justification of featured study is review of OCB literature by Podaskoff et al (2000) that suggests cultural influences on OCB as a future research agenda. Exploratory findings of Organ and Ryan (1995) also suggested that OCB may be evaluated and interpreted differently in different cultures/nations. They identify individualism/collectivism and power distance as potentional source of variation in research findings obtained in US context. For example they su ggest initiative in workplace may be different in high power distance countries as employees may limit themselves to what they are told. They also mentioned the possible impact of cultural differences on measurement of OCB (Organ and Ryan, 1995). Organization justice and OCBs have received ample attentions by the researchers as it is found to be positively linked with individual and organizational productivity. Vital role of organizational justice in creating citizenship behaviors has been emphasized by researchers in different aspects (Farh et al., 1990; Konovsky and Pugh, 1994; Moorman, 1991; Moorman et al, 1993; Niehoff and Moorman, 1993). Employees perception regarding fairness of outcomes and procedures has been considered as a major motivational basis for developing citizenship behaviors among employees (Organ, 1990). A study conducted by Moorman et, al., (1998) found that there is positive relationship between procedural justice and perceived organizational support and between perceived organizational support and three of the five organizational citizenship behavior dimensions. However, by including the effects of POS as a mediating variable, we found stronger support for a fully mediated model of the effects of procedural justice on OCB. Findings of this study provided support to earlier studies by Organ and Ryan, (1995) which revealed that fairness at workplace play major role in creating citizenship behaviors among employees. Researchers have also been attempting to examine the relationship between organizational justice and OCB through mediating variables. In this respect, Konovsky and Pugh (1994) analyzed the mediating role of trust between justice and performance relationships using the supervisor as proxy for the organization, rather than directly addressing the individuals level of trust in the organization itself. The study examined the mediating role of trust in supervisor between the relationship of procedural justice and OCB and found full support for this relationship. Extending this framework, Aryee et al. (2002) investigated the mediating role of trust in the supervisor and trust in the organization and found support for mediating role of trust in the organization between organizational justice (distributive, procedural and interactional) with job satisfaction, turnover intent and organizational commitment while trust in supervisor found to have mediating relationship between interactional justice only with OCBO and OCBS. Moorman and Niehoff (1998) conducted a study to measure the relationship of procedural justice with OCBs through mediating role of perceived organizational support (POS) and found that POS fully mediate between the relationship of organizational justice and OCBs. Masterson et al (2000) found support for the mediating role of POS in the relationship of organizational justice and OCBO. Karriker, JH and ML Williams, (2009) conducted a study to find the relationship of organizational justice on OCBS (citizenship behaviors that benefit to supervisors) and OCBO (citizenship behaviors that benefit to the organization) and found full support between system-referenced justice outcomes and OCBO and mixed support for agent-referenced justice perception and OCBS. Specifically, system-referenced distributive and procedural justice were not found to have significant impact on OCBO, yet agent-referenced distributive justice had a significant direct relationship with OCBS, and agent-referenced distributive and procedural justice had significant indirect relationships with OCBS. In addition, interpersonal justice found to have direct impact on OCBO. Here, in this study the relations of interpersonal justice only have been measured with OCB rather than full model of interactional justice including interpersonal and informational justice perceptions. Impact of system-referenced dis tributive and procedural justice was not supported in this study while one dimension of interactional justice i.e. interpersonal justice was found to have direct relationship with OCBO. Trust between employees and their supervisors is found to be strong predictor of OCB in the context of work environment. Leadership behaviors and level of OCBs have also been under the discussion of researchers in the area of social sciences. In this regard, Pdosakeff et. al, (1998) examined the aggregate effects of the set of transformational leader behaviors on OCBs noted found the indirect relationship between leader behaviors and OCBs. The study suggests that to find the support between leader behaviors and OCBs, organizational trust and employees satisfaction have to be included in the model as transformational leader behaviors impact both trust and employees performance while on the other hand only trust is significantly related to the OCBs. In contrast, transactional leader behavior on OCBs found to be positively related to two dimensions i.e. altruism and sportsmanship while no effect has been found between transactional leader behavior and other three dimensions of OCB. Mast erson et al. (2000) explored that high-quality LMX relationships lead employees to engage in behaviors that are directly related to their supervisors, such as in-role behavior and organizational citizenship behaviors. They found that LMX mediated the relationships between interactional justice and both job satisfaction and supervisor-focused citizenship behaviors, OCBS. Extending the research on the said area, the authors attempted to shed light on organizational justice and OCB directly and through the mediating role of LMX. Findings of the study opened some new avenue for social sciences researchers. Karriker and Williams (2009) investigated the relationship of organizational justice with OCBO through the mediating variable of organization-member exchange (OMX) and relationship of organizational justice with OCBS with the mediating role of LMX. The authors applied the model with some valuable changes in Malaysian culture and provide useful insight for managers to improve the level of OCBs. Over all the study is very well organized, address an unattended area; but the study seems to be failed to discuss the literature on organizational justice due to which reader may face difficulties to build logical connection between organizational justice and OCB. Further the study could not properly differentiate between the dimensions of OCBs that benefit to the individual and that benefit to organization. The author made good attempt to collect the data from respondents and their supervisors but the problem in this scenario that there may some intergroup conflict that may bias the result. To improve the accuracy regarding OCB data, peer review should also be incorporated in the data. As for as statistical tools are concerned, Zero-order Correlations, Linear and Mediating Regression test have been applied to analyze the data. The data should also be analyzed through Structure Equation Model (SEM) that is commonly used for the model where mediating and moderating variables are included in the model.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Creating a Democratic School Essay

The current educational set up is based on a curriculum that is centered on adults and their feelings towards educating their young’s or the younger generation. Most often, their sentiments, aspirations and aims do not coincide with what the younger generation wants or feels like doing by creating or providing a curriculum which, though sometimes child centered, muzzle with the individual freedom of the young learners. There is a need to change the present set up of the school in order to effectively respond to the demands of globalization by giving back to the learners and to their parents the needed voice regarding the things they want to learn or do in school. Deborah Meier (2005) opined that the changes in school structures should be pursued by a convinced and involved faculty who believes that there is a need to change the system although being involved is not an easy task but a very taxing one. The Herculean task involves changing an embedded lifetime habit on the way schools should be run and the way parents and students expect education to be delivered. This task should be performed by all the participants in a climate of self-governance. According to Garrison (2003) John Dewey defined education in a technical sense as the â€Å"reconstruction or reorganization of experience which adds to the meaning of experience and which increases the ability to direct the course of subsequent experience† (p. 527) This paper will examine how to create a democratic school and the factors involved in it as well as the modalities of its existence. Components of a Democratic School Democracy As the central tenet of social and political relations, democracy is American’s basis of self governance (Beane & Apple, 2002). As a tool of measuring wisdom and the worth of social policies as well as any shift in the current paradigm, democracy is the ethical anchor that holds the system of government in place. According to Beane and Apple (2002) it is through â€Å"democracy† that Americans measure their political progress and trade status with the other countries. People were taught that democracy is working in various ways of political governance’s social dimensions involving the consent of the people and the equal opportunities given to them. Beane and Apple (2002, p 6-7) added that â€Å"[l]ess explicitly taught were the conditions on which a democracy depends, the foundations of democratic way of life. The stated conditions and extensions even extend to education, to wit: [t]he open flow of ideas, regardless of their popularity, that enable people to be as fully informed as possible; [f]aith in the individual and collective capacity of people to create possibilities for resolving problems; [t]he use of critical reflection and analysis to evaluate ideas, problems, and policies; [c]oncern for the welfare of others and â€Å"the common good;† [c]oncern for the dignity and rights of individuals and minorities; [a]n understanding that democracy is not so much an ‘ideal† to be pursued as an â€Å"idealized† set of values that we must live and must guide our life as a people; and [t]he organization of social institutions to promote and extend the democratic way of life. † In Citing Dewey’s works, Beane and Apple (2002) theorizes that in order for the people to maintain its security and the blessing of democracy in their daily lives, they should be gi ven an opportunity of knowing the real meaning of life and how or where it might led to. Though with objections, followers of democratic ways in school firmly believed that the democratic way of life hinges on the learning opportunities and its dimensions on how to lead it. For them the school has the moral obligation to educate the students and allow them to experience and taste the true meaning of democracy because it is not solely for the benefit of the adults but for the young generation as well. The democratic system’s leaders fully consider the consequences of their visions. Having a democratic school is not purely actively involving the young but extend to the establishment of a democratic place where democratic ideals flourishes to the various adult’s roles played in schools. Thus, various educational partners and stakeholders such as teachers, school leaders, parents, community activist, and other citizens should be fully informed about their critical role and participation in enacting school policies and guidelines as well as programs for maximum utilization of the young people. There are painful contradictions and tensions in establishing a democratic school. These factors revealed that enjoying the fruits of democracy in life is always a privilege but coupled with a struggle. But above and beyond these struggles, creating a democratic school is a hope for a possibility for professional educators and citizens to work together in creating a sound and flexible but enjoyable democratic schools which will cater to the ideals of the common good of the whole community (Beane & Apple, 2002). The Democratic School’s Structure A democratic school’s structure provides a venue for an active participation of all stakeholders especially those who are directly involved in the school management, including young people, have the right to participate in the decision making process, including professional educators, young people, their parents, and other school community members. The democratic planning at the school and classroom level is a genuine attempt to honor the people’s right to participate in the decision making process affecting their lives as it adheres to the democratic values (Beane & Apple, 2002). The right of the participants to be heard is coupled with responsibility as it opens a door on how the opposing views will fit into the delicate equation of balancing special personal interest with a larger common good of the democratic community (Beane & Apple, 2002). The learning activities in a democratic school are characterized by cooperation and collaboration rather than competition among the young people as it emphasizes structural equity of the young people’s right of access to all programs in the school as well as the outcomes of its school values. This structural equity assures the public and the entire stakeholders that the school has no institutional barriers against the young people by doing away with the school’s eliminating tracking, biased testing, and providing equal opportunities to everyone regardless of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Likewise, the school structure adheres to the improvement of school climate and enhances student self-esteem as well as reducing social inequities resulting to the total overhauling the immediate environment that affects them. What distinguished democratic schools from the other kinds of progressive schools—humanistic or child centered school even if in both or many ways shared the same visions with the democratic school’s visions, it extends beyond by improving the school climate or enhancing student’s self-esteem. Democratic educators seek not simply to lessen the harshness of social inequities in school, but to improve the environment and the living conditions that affects them. Democratic Curriculum The curriculum of the democratic school allows its participants’ views to be heard as an educator in this system has the moral responsibility to help young people develop their ideas by actually voicing them for the benefit and critic of the others. The curriculum moves beyond selective norm of the dominant culture’s endorsed knowledge and meaning to a wider range of views and voices as it considers not just adults perception but also the youth’s question about themselves and their worlds by inviting young people to assume the active role in the search of meaning to their world rather than just being mere spectators only(Beane & Apple, 2002, p 13). The democratic way of life is seeking dynamic paths by which the values of democracy extend and expands. The curriculum developed both the intelligent and reflective component of a child or leaner in solving problems, events, and issues that crop up in the course of their collective lives. For Beane and Apple (2002), the curriculum is a discipline of knowledge and not simply categories of educated children to absorb and accumulate but a source of insight and information that will serve as living lenses through which to look at those issues that confront society. Thus, a democratic curriculum is â€Å"helping the students become knowledgeable and skilled in many ways, including those required by gatekeepers of socio-economic access. â€Å"Simply, democratic educators live with constant tension of seeking a more significant education for young people while still attending to the knowledge and skills expected by powerful educational forces whose interest are anything but democratic† (Beane and Apple, 2002, p 16-17). Finally, as a mover of change, a teacher in a democratic community has the right to have their voices be counted in curriculum planning and development. This is in line with the idea that since they are the one’s who interact with the child, they should be heard the most for they are more knowledgeable of the child’s nature. Beane and Apple (2002) revealed that the current set up in a non democratic school is that all curriculum planning and design is located at or centralized in the state or district offices of education. Tensions Inherent In the Concept There are factors that need to be resolved and look into in order to have a fuller understanding of the open tensions inherent in any democratic school. Community is a number one area and source of tensions undermining this system’s success. In order for any school system to be successful, complete overhaul of the community should be given a paramount importance and preferential attention in order to act as a democratic school’s partner in creating a democratic youth’s institution (Furman & Starrat, 2002). Furman and Starratt’s (2002, p. 106) give the following â€Å"nature or character of a democratic community. This concept was derived from Dewey’s progressivism. The following: [d]emocratic community is based on open inquiry, the full and free interplay of ideas as suggested by Dewey; [d]emocratic community members work for the common good; [i]n a democratic community, the rights of all, including the less powerful, are respected; and [c]reating democratic community in schools is a systemic challenge, involving structures, process and curriculum. † Problematizing Community Furman & Starrat’s study revealed the two â€Å"prevailing attitudes for better understanding the community in education. These are: the understanding of the anachronistic attitudes of community in education in assuming that social conditions underpinning earlier theories of community can be recreated in contemporary schools and societies; and that the rendition of community in education tend to create an impression of the school as an isolated, â€Å"stand alone† community, in which heroic educators strive for cohesion amidst a sea of chaotic outside forces that threaten the school’s educational; values† (2002, p. 108-109). First, exercising difference and otherness concept in community building provides a matrix that accepts differences with respect to justice and appreciation and peaceful cooperation with differences. Second, the prevailing attitudes provide for a sense of interconnectedness and cultural capital exchange between community and schools needs to be recognized and nurtured (Furman & Starrat, 2002). Above and beyond these two issues is the fact that for a democratic school to succeed â€Å"community† needs to be redefined and this redefinition will then form part of the idea of a democratic community. For Furman & Starratt, the community’s new understanding â€Å"must be based on acceptance and celebration of difference rather than a futile and nostalgic striving for sameness and homogeneity which will focus on the integral linkages between the school, the surrounding community, and the larger global community rather on the isolated community within the school walls. The key to answer this novel undertaking is to understand that community works on interdependence and the common good† (2002, p. 110-111). Finally, the diversified school population of a democratic community in school, provides for an interdependent relationship in order to achieve the common good of the school; â€Å"that the school and surrounding community are also interdependent—culturally and economically—with the school being a key contributor to the community’s cultural capital and common good; and that ultimately, all people, and the school communities to which that belong are interdependent and interconnected in contributing to the common good of human kind† (Furman & Starratt, 2002, p. 110-111). Problematizing Democracy As in the case of the community, the school’s democratic practices have two dimensional issues needed for a democratic school system’s consideration. The first issue is that the school’s democratic practice is minimal as the freedom of choice and expressions are seldom experienced in schools; and that a democratic tenets emphasizes the individual freedom to pursue its self-interest, â€Å"with citizen participation in government reduced to electing representatives who will promote policies that serve the pursuit of that self-interest† (Furman & Starratt, 2002, p. 110-111). The present issue led to democracy’s reconceptualization as there is a pressing need for cross-cultural, cross-national dialogue and understanding of common good in school. Thus, â€Å"democracy needs to incorporate the values of post modern liberalism, or civic republicanism, or deep democracy and civic participation. These values are: [t]he worth and dignity of individuals and the value of their participation; [r]everence for free and open inquiry and critique; [t]he responsibility of individuals to participate in open inquiry, collective choices and actions in the interest of the common good; and [t]he recognition that post modern democratic participation transcends understanding of democratic principles associated with specific nation-states. † (Furman & Starratt, 2002, p. 111-112). Democratic Minimalism in Schools Furham and Starratt (2002) cited Maxcy’s 1995 study which revealed that â€Å"American public education has been dominated by democratic ‘minimalism’ both within the school and in regard to local control and governance because the scope of democratic decisions making and freedom of choice and expression has been extremely narrow. † Minimalism is prevalent in American public school due to educator’s fear that democratic practices carries with it some risk like chaos and loss of control once democracy is released to the classrooms. Thus, there is a need to conform with the hierarchical structure in place regarding decision making on the various aspects of learning (p. 112). Finally, as a community of differences, democratic community’s difference is recognizing the interdependence and the common good, as the local and global glue. Also, the democratic community is â€Å"informed by a deep or thick version of democratic participation in which all citizens have a respected voice, and communal action is determined through high levels participation in free and open inquiry† (p. 112-113). Democratic Participation’s Process In a democratic school the structures and procedures allow all school’s members to participate and have a respected voice in decision making and policies affecting them. Though recognizing school’s interdependence, surrounding community, and the assets that any community offers, these structures and procedures includes community members and is open to community-initiated participation (Furman & Starratt, 2002, p. 117-118). There is a collaborative planning by the student and teachers in reaching decision that respond to their concerns, aspirations, and interests. In Brodhagen’s (2002) article entitled â€Å"The situation made us special† wrote that at the start of her class they made a written constitution (p. 87) that will serve as their guide. This constituent embodies the pledge of every participant and signatories that they will observe respect for individual differences in opinions and individuality as well as enjoined themselves into formation of collaborative learning experiences, listening to others and resolving conflicts which may divide them in the future. Also in the same study, Brodhagen’ students were involved in curriculum planning (p. 87-89) as they try to unravel the mysteries of their individual differences and their unique world they live in. In the case Rosenstock & Steinberg’s (2002) paper entitled â€Å"Beyond the shop: Reinventing vocational education† revealed that in her case they have a common planning time wherein the teachers and counselor who signed for the program sits together and plan, review revise, and proposed curriculum activities and most especially to get to know each other as well as they explore collaborative work (p. 49). For Furham and Starratt (2002) the student and teacher’s activities planning are guided by a four-stage â€Å"process of democratic deliberations: information sharing; reaction; ideas and strategy developments; and debriefing. † The meeting held is not confined only with the â€Å"instructional/curricular decision but also to varied subject matters that concerns the participants. † The above process may be used by the teachers in their meeting with their fellow educators. â€Å"Significance parent involvement and broad based community participation also need to be nurture[d] through creative ideas in regard to shared governance, communication and meeting structures that are equitable and inviting and promot[ing] understanding across groups and individuals who might clash in their values. Democratic participation requires more than forums. It requires the ability to listen, understand, empathize, negotiate, speak, debate and resolve conflicts in a spirit of interdependence and working for the common good† (p. 118). The Morality of the System There is also a moral dimension that is a ground for conflict in a democratic school. Furham & Starratt (2002) provided a moral dimension of a democratic community. The following: â€Å"[a] social morality that values sociality itself, that is, that values coming together in the communicative spaces under which dialogue can occur in the interest of the common good; [a] reverence for open inquiry and critique within these common space, in pursuit of the common good; [a] respect for individuals and for the assets they bring to communities, with a view toward celebrating difference; and [a] sense of responsibility that acknowledges the interdependence of all in achieving the common good† (p. 120). School educators in a democratic community promotes the above mentioned values through modeling and discussions pertaining to behaviors such as respect, sociality, empathy, compassion, acceptance of difference, forgiveness, generosity, and teamwork. The older student could be a great model for their younger school mates helping them to develop the basic habits of caring for fellow members of the school community. The interdependence will be the mor al foundation of the school as a community (Furham & Starratt, 2002, p. 121). Curriculum and Instruction The processual and moral dimension of a democratic school is the basis of democratic school’s curriculum which is characterized by openness to multiple ideas and sources of information and to critique this information. â€Å"A democratic curriculum would be based on interdependence as a theme. History, science, and government’s presentation in a democratic school, the curriculum would help students understand the fundamental ecological interconnectedness of human life across culture and nature† (Furham & Starratt, 2002, p. 120-121). The fundamental approach in a democratic community is the process of democratic deliberation. In a democratic community, classroom management had prior discussion among class members and consensus about appropriate behavior and sanction for violations. Furham & Starratt’s (2002) study is consistent with the Brodhagen (2002) and Rosenstock & Steinberg’s (2002) paper whish espoused collaborative learning atmosphere in creating curriculum and design. For Furham & Starratt’s (2002) ‘peer teaching and coaching would become more common. Classroom debates of differing perspectives would teach respect for different points of view as well as provide for learning how to conduct such debates in public following rules of civility and respect, as well as logic and evidence gathering [which the ] systemic nature and challenges of enacting democratic community in schools† (p. 122-123). Leadership Processes Leadership in Democratic community in Schools After establishing a dynamic and democratic curriculum based on the fundamental tenets of democratic practices in the community, leadership is needed to fill the void that will implement the curriculum and run the democratic community in school In Furham & Starratt’s erudition of a democratic school entitled â€Å"Leadership for Democratic Community in School† describes the role of leadership in a democratic community with emphasis on school. Furham & Starratt describes the leadership as being democratic and communal and is not reposed on any specific administrative function â€Å"but on a communal responsibility shared by all participants at a particular school grounds. † As processual, democratic community’s leadership practices attends to the creation and maintenance of democratic process and structures that nurtures thinking aloud together; thus, the leadership practice is both intentional and opportunistic. All decisions and issues affecting the school community and its members is open to democratic deliberations. Thus, leaders need to attend with sensitivity in mind to the continuous flow of concerns and `the opportunity for decisions in the school life as well as the surrounding community affecting it. The leadership in this regard does invite democratic deliberation on all issues and concerns brought before it as well as the decision making process and making it clear that participation is open, welcome and appreciated. They need to work to institutionalize structures, forums, and communication process that promote participation and act as a model by providing continuous training in deliberative process such as dialogue (p. 123). In a democratic community in school, leaders should possess the moral resolve to â€Å"promote democracy, empowerment, and social justice;† thus, should work on what he can contribute to the system rather than promote his self interest alone. Consistent with critical-humanist perspective of being a leader, and working in a democratic community in school, the leadership should commit in transforming society to its prominence in order to minimize, if not overthrow, the existing structures, process and power relationship that tend to minimize democratic practices (Furham & Starratt, 2002, p. 126). According to Furham & Starratt (2002), the constructivist leadership’s perspective work for the manifestation of the leadership practices within the relationship of a community and from the set up emerges to being real and vulnerable for each other thus engaging the participants into a real conversation. Finally, leadership in a democratic community in school is an art which the leaders engage in aesthetic and experimental behavior in designing a new school order. The conglomeration of these four leadership concepts—moral, critical-humanist, constructionist, and artistic—are the essence leadership behavior and roles in a democratic community in school. But above and beyond the four concepts, it is the art that â€Å"facilitates the construction of meaning within diversity aimed at the moral purpose of transforming schools into democratic communities† (p. 126-127). Finally, Furham and Starratt while considering democratic community as the center for educational leadership, gave the following claims: â€Å"[d]emocratic community is not a marginalizing center for the field because it is based on acceptance and appreciation of differences; [d]emocratic community recultures the profession by focusing on what leadership is for—serving the common good in multicultural society and world; and [d]emocratic community is the most appropriate focus for school leadership in the postmodern world of diversity, fragmentation and cross-nationalism† (p. 129). Societal and Community Barriers There are societal barriers and personal characteristics of leaders affecting the creation of a democratic community in school. The societal barriers and personal factors are hindrances that block a free exercise of the freedoms of choice and expression in the school set up leading to minimalist tendencies of democratic practices. The most apparent and strong force that hinder the democratic community in school’s effectiveness is the rules of business interest. Even if society’s concept of democracy does emphasize cooperation among its people, a lot of school has created an atmosphere of competition from grades, status, resources, programs, etc. Thus, even if these democratic educational institutions commit itself to credo more often than not they are aligned in a position of conflict with the dominant traditions of schooling. The democratic community in school’s ideas and efforts are resisted by institutions that benefit school’s inequities and those who are more interested in efficiency and hierarchical power than in the difficult work of transforming schools from the bottom up (Beane & Apple, 2002). The Realpolitik The revelation revealed by Furham and Starratt (2002) send a chill in the spine. According to them, the practice of democracy in schools and society â€Å"is governed by the rules of business interest† resulting to the shaping of school politics and curriculum leading to difficulty in enacting a â€Å"school that adheres to a democratic practice for to do so one has to overcome the rational/technical/instrumental assumption about schooling and learning shaped by business interest† over the last decades. They gave business assumptions about schooling, in the following: [t]he purpose of schools is instrumental—that is to serve national economic interest by preparing student for the work force; [t]he success of school in achieving this instrumental purpose can be rationally determined by measurable student achievement; [t]he individual’s motivation for learning in schools is instrumental—to succeed on individual measures of student achievement, in competition with other students, to secure financial prosperity; and [t]eaching is a technical problem and teachers/schools can be held accountable for measurable student achievement. As a result of the prevailing assumptions â€Å"about schooling, coupled with hierarchical, authoritarian traditions of school leadership, leadership for democratic community in schools requires opportunistic action at the local level as well as intentional and proactive leadership on the part of state and national leaders to affect policy directions† (p. 128) In the case of Brodhagen (2002), the challenge of creating a democratic community in school comes from her peers and from the prevalent system that operates in various schools. Her colleagues were the source of stress due to their lack of support and complete understanding to the visions and goals of having a democratic community in school. Opposition was centered on the fact that students were given freedom to choose their curriculum as well as the freedom of expression. Her colleagues were cautious in giving children these fundamental freedoms because they believe that only adults could exercise them; otherwise, it will lead to chaos and abuses. Though not setting up â€Å"roadblocks,† the leadership showed little support for the system by not inviting others to join. Finally, due to lack of textbooks and established curriculum, the initial curriculum planning was a â€Å"messy process† (p. 99) Ethical Rationale for Democratic School Leadership As a process, democratic leadership is a professional necessity for effective school governance due to a high diversified cultural communities and a new world order as a result of new technology and the forces of globalization. The professionalizing school’s democratic leadership should be made within the school leadership role’s nature, communities’ social context and the ideological social mandate. Begley & Johansson (2005) admits of the difficulty in many communities of achieving a democratic consensus on educational issues among even traditional educational stakeholders. The present social confusion along with diverse character stakeholders in the communities led to a perplexed attitude that in developing a prescriptive guide to ethical or value-added leadership there should be a list of standard norms for a school administrator to adopt without question. This quick fix method is not enough to respond to the demand needed in school leadership. A school leader must practice reflection and become an authentic in their leadership practices and the first step towards achieving this step is, predictably enough, to engage in personal reflection. The values perspective of school leadership is a tool that facilitate the reflection process as it transform a vague advice into a concrete thing for the school administrator to act upon. The process does not stop in reflection alone. Once the leader attained the required degree of improved self-knowledge via personal reflection, he must work towards an authentic leadership. That is, the leader must strive in developing his sensitivity to the values orientation of others (Begley & Johansson, 2005). The school leader’s ideas translated through his skills in transferring new pedagogical ideas and educational reforms to the teacher, teams of teachers and other key personnel among the staff. This transformation can be done through an organizational and leadership dialogue creating an understanding about the different reforms that will improve children’s learning on democratic society as well as the subject knowledge. An authentic professional leader shows active participatory dialogue with other school personnel including the school improvement agenda (Begley & Johansson, 2005). Begley & Johansson’s (2005) study listed down the different democratic and ethical vision of school leaders they need. The following: â€Å"a democratic and ethical leader sees a clear connection between work assignments, the national and local political goals, and the school’s operational philosophy. † In this area, the leader effectively communicates school goals and operational philosophy and â€Å"exercises leadership by translating operational philosophy into practical education tasks and by motivating the personnel and students to work towards the completion of these tasks. A democratic and ethical leaders also develops a value-informed sophistication in their practices to move beyond what Greenfield (1999) describes as the rhetoric of moral leadership. The new reality of school leadership is responding to value conflicts. This has become the defining characteristic of school leadership much like instructional leadership which was the dominant metaphor of school leadership during the 1980s. A number of implications are implied, including: understanding the problem of value articulation versus actual value commitment by individuals; the tendency towards ritual rationality in administration; the cultural isomorphs that are apparent in leadership practices; and finally the critical role dialogue plays in deepening an individual’s understanding of value position and motivational intentions, as well as ensuring genuinely democratic practice. At the very least, dialogical interactions have the potential to promote the thoughtful critique of current practices and better support the equitable and ethical resolution of value conflicts in education† (p. 16). After having listed the different visions and ethical dimensions of a leader, it is proper for us to review and examine the responsibilities attached to a leader in educational sector. In Starrat’s (2005) essay on â€Å"Responsible Leadership† advanced the concept that after having explored the wide terrain of ethical dimension of educational leaders â€Å"various domains of ethical responsibility are found. The term â€Å"domain† is used to refer to a constructed cluster of ethical concerns around common th