A case study of Australian women managers in the educational sector

Introduction According to Starr and White (2008) the Australian educational system has changed significantly in the last two decades through both at the state and federal levels. In response to globalization, for instance, the education system has undergone restructuring which is intended to increase global competitiveness in trade, workforce capacity and innovations. These changes in the education system no doubt brought with them management challenges to school administrators.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on A case study of Australian women managers in the educational sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Schools are unique and are managed by different managers; thus, they experience different challenges. In the past few decades women have taken leadership roles in all spheres of life thanks to several strategies and pressures on governments through affirmative Action, women have gained acceptance worldw ide in management positions particularly in schools. Consequently, women managers like their male counterparts in schools are faced with challenges which require them to be very innovative, skilled, and highly knowledgeable (Sandra Gloria 1996). Effective conflict management at the workplace ensures the smooth function of the workplace. Most often the introduction of new technology in the workplace sparks the beginning of conflicts between the management and the employees. In reaction to such developments some employees do display what is referred to as â€Å"Challenging behavior† –behavior exhibited by an employee that can interfere with the implementation of such developments at the workplace (Mayer 1995). Challenging behaviors can also be exhibited outside the workplace, thus affecting the image of the organization as well as the community. As a result, the research intends to address the conflict management issues among women school managers that result from the i ntroduction of new technologies in the workplace. The research endeavors to unearth such challenges and suggest recommendations that are necessary to improve and address such challenges. There is no right way to manage; however, there are some fundamental principles and practices that can be employed by managers to ensure the efficiency of management techniques. Australia is among the countries that have been referred to as having feminized their education system denoting that female teachers represent a larger number of the teaching workforce. Despite these developments in the Australian educational system, most schools still employ male managers to head the schools (Reynolds 2002). Similarly, women elsewhere still remain under represented within the educational leadership as well as other areas of key executive management. Furthermore, research into women’s leadership style indicate that women managers are caring, communicative, collaborative and consensus oriented and tran sformational as opposed to men who are authoritarian (Reynolds 2002).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This leadership style of women drew the focus of the researcher to women managers in order to understand how their accommodative leadership style is applied in the conflict resolution. Accommodative leaders engage others in decision making process before the implementation of new ideas thus involving parties that are involved in the conflict (Sandra Gloria 1996). Moreover, since the research intends to address the specifically the introduction of new technology-e-Learning- women managers becomes the perfect objects of study as they are considered to more oriented towards innovation than their male counterparts (Kruger 1996). In addition, women managers have had to face deterrents that the male counterparts do not face in the implementation of management decision in the organization. They are further considered as managers who make decisions based on ethical considerations thus making them a perfect case study in understanding conflict management in relation to introduction and adoption of new technologies. Literature Review The information society represents the new phase in human civilization, thus educators must embrace the new technologies that come along with it. However, in incorporating these new trends in the education system educators are bound to face several challenges that emanate from resistance in part from the education stakeholders. In the contemporary complex and ever changing society, conflict is a fact of life and it can result in a great deal of injury or good depending on the management style of the leaders in the organization (Whitefield 1994). Still conflict between management and employees in today’s workplace is inevitable. Thus conflict management strategies employed by managers might differ depending on the intend ed purpose; for instance, some managers employ strategies that seek to reduce conflict, others employ strategies that seek to eliminate conflict, while others might employ strategies that seek to increase conflict. New information and communication technology has greatly changed the perspective of educational practice. The implementation of these new information and communication technologies in the education system is considered one of the most challenging and important issue in the 21st Century.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on A case study of Australian women managers in the educational sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The International Colloquium at Stanford in 1996 distinguished the urgent reforms to be incorporated in to the education system by educators. The first suggestion was the introduction of computers into the education system, the emphasis being that the citizen coming out of schools mu st be well equipped to fit in the information society. With these changes in the education system, educators particularly managers are placed in conflict situations in attempting to implement these changes. Concept of Conflict Management Conflict management is absolutely necessary for organizations that endeavor to achieve efficiency and competitive advantage over others.. According to D’OoSteerlinck and Broeckaert (2003), challenges posed by conflict in the organization impede the efficiency and effectiveness-the two variables commonly used to measure competency of managers. Conflict management (Mayer 1995) is a process through which the management encourages the interaction of different skills, knowledge and attitudes towards achieving effective running of the organization. It can involve negotiation that might compel the manager to bring together the different diverse individuals or groups into deliberating on to the problems of the organization. Mayer (1995) further notes that â€Å"lack of proficient conflict management has pervasive detrimental impact on productivity and career fulfillment† (p.80). Management of conflicts that arise from the wholesome or partial rejection of management decisions often focuses on the armed aspects of the conflict towards bringing the misunderstanding to an end, by limiting the spread of the conflict within the organization thus containing it. Thus from this perspective conflict management is aimed at bringing consensus between the two parties that are in conflict. Conflict management helps improving interpersonal relationships at the workplace. The interpersonal development of employees is necessary for the improvement of employee’s feelings of self worth and competence (Kuye, Thornhill Fourie 2002). Interpersonal development guides employee’s actions as it provides the employees with clear guidelines with regards to their job requirements and expectations. Consequently, it fosters the positiv e working relationships between managers and employees. According to D’OoSteerlinck and Broeckaert (2003), conflict management is a communicative process that attempts to understand the causes, types and impacts of conflicts in the work environment. Thus conflict also viewed as a problem that results when competing parties strive to acquire at the same time a set of scarce resources. From this competitive perspective, the parties involved in the conflict are competitors. The factor the influences conflict from this perspective is scarcity of the resource in question. However, these competitors should not be viewed as enemies’ per-se but should be viewed rational beings that struggle over something that important them (Barash Webel 2002). According to Kuye et al (2002), conflict often results when ideas differ dramatically amongst people. The disharmony can occur between individuals or groups that belong to the same organization, for example, employers and workers.Adve rtising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conflict can also result when different parties peruse mutually exclusive goals, values or events. In this scenario, the conflicting parties share different objectives (Achinstein 2002). Where individuals or parties experience that the views of the others are different, conflict occurs. Major Challenges The challenges that female managers may face in the implementation of management decision such as introduction of new technology in teaching include: Leading the change process Occasionally new technologies may appear that promises to change the lives of through improvement of workforce performance or creation of possibilities previously unavailable. Computers are such machines (Castells 2000). Even with such benefits there is little research to show that introduction of e-learning for instance improves the quality of learning making such introduction a contentious issue. The implementation of the change process in schools is often considered a key challenge in school management sinc e most managers do not fully understand the task. Before implementing any changes in the school, sense of teamwork should be first established between the managers and the employees. Thus, the managers need the support of their staff in order to be able to make changes in school (Sharp Walter 2003). Furthermore, in the implementation of new technologies in the school requires prior planning as it will enable the manager to give directions to staff and other role players as per the vision and goal of the school. According to Sharp and Walter (2003) planning helps the employees to know precisely how to effectively use their time and energies in attaining organizational goals and objectives. Moreover, the implementation of new processes will require constant meetings between managers and the staff in order to able to monitor the progress of the new technique. Lunberg and Irby (2006) argue that the success at which the implementation of new technologies in the schools largely depends o n the ways, in which the manager plans, leads, organizes and monitors the process. Accountability There remains a wide gap between the educational theory and practice regarding the value of new technology in learning. On several occasions the educators have to decide on their own between competing ideas the most appropriate for a particular circumstance. Theories of educational technology have failed to account for a number of technological impasses that philosophical analysis has been able to predict and explain, for example, technology enabling new forms of interaction. This indicates that there are inadequate conceptual tools for the education technology community to understand its own methodological difficulties (Castells 2000). According to Kogan (1986), the answerability of the school managers to the government of that particular country help provides standard education defined by the country’s legislation. Women mangers thus in the implementation of new technologies in the education system must convince the government that introduction of such technologies will not hamper the delivery of quality education, but rather improve it. This is often met with opposition from the policy makers who in most cases are men. The schools themselves are highly structured with clear hierarchy and accountability and firm guidelines that occasionally are not flexible enough to accommodate new innovations. In this case, the strategy employed by women managers to overcome such conflicts may include the preservation of good relations with the community in the locals, internally within the school and externally with the stakeholders (Sugrue 2005). He states that managers found it unnerving from the time an inspection is carried out and the time the reports are released. Managing diversity According to Cuban (2001), apart from educators being ‘luddites’ they adopt technologies that match their beliefs about student learning and which adds to the psychologic al rewards of teaching. Educators become indifferent to changes that they view as irrelevant to their practice, weakening their control in the classroom or increasing their burden. With evaluative reports continuing to criticize technology for failing to live up to its promise of providing greater learning opportunities to students, the educational managers are faced with uphill task in implementing the adoption of such technologies into the learning environment. Since the introduction of computers into schools, teachers have been reluctant to implement them because of lack of universal agreement on how teachers should be prepared to use technology. These managers who operate in environments with diverse opinions, norms, cultural beliefs and even gender diversity must bring all these divergent views into a consensus if an agreement into implementing the technology is to be reached. Research Questions The research questions are: What are the major challenges in conflict management c onfronting managers in implementing the adoption of new technologies in schools? What do managers perceive to be causes of these challenges? How do school managers address the major conflict management challenges they confront? Research Objectives General Objective The purpose of the study is to identify the challenges that face women managers in schools in carrying out their management decision particularly in relation to adoption of new technology in education. Specific Objectives The study aims to: To investigate the literature regarding the management challenges women managers in schools face while performing their administrative duties. To explore the strategies adopted by women managers in schools in addressing the various operational challenges they face. To make conclusions and recommendations for the effective management of schools by women managers. Justification of the Study Conflict management is a key component of public management and largely determines the efficie ncy of any particular organization. Recently the government of Australia introduced leadership frameworks, standards, or performance contracts to guide the work of professionals. These documents in the school context emphasize the improvement of performance without addressing the challenges that these managers face. Analysis that explores the challenges that face women managers as it relates to education provision and women’s equality in employment have logically followed. The significance of this study lies in the fact that establishing the challenges facing women managers will be helpful to the policy makers to put in place measures that will help address the challenges identified. Ethical considerations and committee approval A formal submission including a semi-structured interview questionnaire and a letter to the managers of participating schools-those managed by women-will be sent to Victoria University of Human Research Ethics Committee (VUHREC) for approval. I have t he obligation to protect the anonymity of research participants and keep research data confidential throughout. This is due to the fact that some teachers might disclose some information concerning their manager’s shortcoming in the administrative job in school. I will assign numbers or letters instead of names to represent the school. It is also my obligation to tell the respondents the truth and give them all the facts about the research in order to make an informed decision about participating or not. They should also sign an informed consent form before engaging in the research. Research Methodology This part presents the procedures that will be used to conduct the study. The chapter focuses on research design, and study population, sample population, sampling procedure, data collection methods, data processing and analysis. Research Design Both descriptive and qualitative research method will be used in this inquiry. McMillan and Schumacher (1997) described qualitative r esearch method as a design which typically investigates behaviour when it naturally occurs in a non contrived situation. On the other hand, descriptive survey designs will used in preliminary and exploratory studies to allow researcher to gather information, summarize, present and interpret for the purpose of clarification. Descriptive investigation research according to Borg and Gall (1989) is anticipated to produce statistical information about facets of education that concern policy makers in education. Investigation of the problem will be conducted by means of both literature synopsis and empirical investigation. Sample Population A sample is small segment of a target population while sampling means selecting a given number of subjects from a defined population to be representative of that population (Neuman 2000).From all the 16 public primary schools in Victoria, Australia managed by women, only eight schools will be selected using simple random sampling technique to take part in the study. There will also be four teachers from each of the sampled schools, two male and two women, to participate in the study. As such, the sample size for the study will be 8 women principals, 16 women teachers and 16 male teachers making a total of 40 participants. Sampling Procedure Purposive sampling will be used to select participants who are conversant with the topic under discussion. In this regard simple random sampling technique is employed and eight public schools managers from Victoria, Australia are selected forming 50% of the target population which is higher than the recommended minimum of ten percent (Gay 1992). Further, two teachers from each of the sample schools; two males and two females will be selected to participate in the study. Data Collections Methods Data collection will be done through intensive, semi-structured, recorded interviews with 8 women managers, 16 male and 16 female teachers and -some conducted face-to-face and others via telephone; thro ugh whole group questionnaires; and through discussions and observations recorded as field notes. Data Processing and Analysis Data analysis will begin from the onset of the interviews until the process of interviews are completed. After all the data is collected, the analysis of the transcripts will be reduced through a procedure known as coding (Denzin Lincoln 1994). At this stage the researcher will conduct data reduction, presentation and interpretation. The researcher will carefully but accurately transcribe the responses from participants recorded telephone calls as well as audio recordings. Transcripts from the interview questionnaire will be read and key points noted. Similarities and differences will be identified and key challenges presented by the managers, teachers and educators noted too. The coded data will be entered in the computer for analysis using the statistical package for social science (SPSSS) (Miller et al. 2002). Descriptive statistics such as percentages m eans and frequencies will be used to report the data, which will be reported in summary form using frequency tables, histograms and pie charts. Conclusion Conflict management in any workplace is an important component of public management that must be thoroughly articulated if efficiency is to be attained in the workplace. Furthermore, for the managers to achieve good working relationships with their colleagues, teachers and all the education stakeholders, they must ensure that they employ the best possible strategies in managing conflicts. The study will only include female managers and teachers while students will be left out. This is because the study would be too wide and there is less interaction between the managers and students as compared to teachers and managers when it comes implementing new education technologies. As such, the research is limited to a small number of samples which of course is typical of the qualitative research; therefore, the findings cannot be generali zed. From the literature reviewed, it has emerged that various studies have been carried out on challenges faced by managers in management of schools, but no previous studies have identified on the strategies adopted by them in dealing with challenges faced. List of References Archinstein, B 2002, â€Å"Conflict amid community: the Micropolitics of teacher collaboration,† Teachers College Record.104 (3): pp. 421-455 Barash, DP and Webel, CP 2002, â€Å"Peace and conflict studies,† SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, London. Borg, WR Gall MD 1989, Education research. An Introduction,† 4th edition, Longman, New York. Castells, M 2000, â€Å"The information age: Economy, society and culture,† 2nd ed. Blackwell: Oxford. Cuban, L 2001, â€Å"Oversold and underused: Computers in the classroom,† Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA. Denzin, MK and Lincoln, YS 1994, â€Å"Handbook of qualitative research,† SAGE Publications: California. D’Oo sterlinck, F Broekaert, E 2003, â€Å"Integrating school based and therapeutic conflict management models at schools,† The Journal of School Health. 73 (5): pp. 222-225 Gay, LR 1992, â€Å"Educational research,† McMillan Publishing Company: Singapore. Kogan, M 1986, â€Å"Education accountability: an analytical overview,† Hutchinson: London. Kruger, M 1996, â€Å"Gender issues in school leadership: quality versus power,† European Journal of Education. 31(4): pp. 447-461 Kuye, JO, Thornhill, C Fourie, D 2002, â€Å"Public administration,† Heinemann Publishers Ltd: Sandown. Lunenburg, F Irby, B 2006, â€Å"The principalship: Vision to action,† Thomson Wadswoth: USA. Mayer, R 1995, â€Å"Conflict management: the Courage to confront, â€Å"Battelle Press: Columbus, Richland. McMillan, JH Schumacher, S 1997, â€Å"Research in education: a Conceptual framework.† Longman: New York. Miller, R et al. 2002, â€Å"SPSS for Social Scientis ts,† Palgrave Macmillan. Neuman, WL 2000, â€Å"Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches,† Allyn and Bacon: Boston. Reynolds, C 2002, â€Å"Women and school leadership,† State University of New York Press: Albany. Sandra, L and Gloria, A 1996, â€Å"Highly successful women administrators,† Corwin Press: New York. Sharp, W Walter, K 2003, â€Å"The Principal as school manager,† 2nd edition, Scarecrow Education: Lanham. Starr, K White, S 2008, â€Å"The Small rural school principalship: Key challenges and cross-school responses,† Journal of Research in Rural Education, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 108-118, via psu education articles. Sugrue, C (Ed.) 2005, â€Å"Passionate principalship,† Routledge-Falmer: London. Whitefield, J 1994, â€Å"Conflicts in construction: Avoiding, managing, resolving,† MacMillan: New York. Appendix I Semi structured interview questionnaire for women managers, school teachers and educato rs How would you define conflict and conflict management in your words? Kindly report the nature of conflicts which occur in your school? Amongst the reported conflicts which one{s} is/are as a result of implementation or an introduction of new teaching techniques? What are your feelings about these conflicts? What are the conflict resolutions styles that you use in school to manage the conflicts? Kindly report the efficiency of these conflict resolution styles. What is your opinion on the effectiveness of your school manager in conflict resolution? Kindly identify areas that you think the school managers need to improve when implementing management decision particularly those related to technology adoption. Please kindly report on any further area{s} that you feel is not addressed by this questionnaire. Appendix II Research Schedule Activity Time Commitment Completion Date Develop topic proposal 30 hours 19/05/12 Topic approval by supervisor 3 hours 22/05/12 Literature r eview 50 hours 26/06/12 Develop research proposal 50 hours 24/06/12 Research proposal approval by supervisor 3 hours 31/06/12 Develop survey questionnaire 20 hours 28/06/12 Questionnaire survey approval by supervisor 3 hours 05/06/12 Questionnaire survey approval by ethics committee 3 hours 26/07/12 Mail/distribute questionnaire survey 20 hours 30/08/12 Awaiting survey responses N/A 30/09/12 Data entry and analysis 50 hours 31/11/12 Write research project 100 hours 28/12/12 Draft review by supervisor 5 hours 07/12/12 Finalize research project 50 hours 31/03/13 Proof read 5 hours 04/04/13 Formatting referencing 7 hours 07/04/13 Submit research report 1 hour 11/04/13 TOTAL 400 Hours This assessment on A case study of Australian women managers in the educational sector was written and submitted by user Ray Wolfe to help you with your own studies. 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The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts

The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts Introduction: Where the Conflict Begins Charter schools have been an integral part of an education system in a range of states for quite a while. However, with the evolution of pedagogy, the development of new learning theories and teaching approaches, the necessity for teachers to adopt new approaches has emerged.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, charter schools are currently experiencing the necessity to grow and expand, yet this growth is halted by the lack of financial support from school districts. It should be born in mind that the emergence of the so-called charter schools is by no means an accident. The establishment of the charter school system was a response to the flaws of the U.S. education system, and an introduction of the model, that could authorise and build capacity in the education system of the state. A closer look at the way in which the Boston charter schools are organised will reveal that the existing system presuppose a complete independency in terms of defining the program and the teaching strategies required for addressing the needs of the target students (i.e., the necessity to assist ESL students and the students, who lack financial support from their families) (Peyser para. 1–6). Conflict Analysis: History, Participants and Environment The conflict between charter schools and school districts is not new; in fact, the history of confrontations between the local authorities and the people representing corresponding education establishments has been going on since the day that the two phenomena emerged. However, charter schools being a rather recent and specific innovation in the history of education, the dilemma regarding the freedom, which schools should be provided with, has taken a new turn. Among the key participants, Boston charter schools and the l ocal school districts must be mentioned. Neither of the opponents is willing to compromise, the schools demanding that they should be given the right to expand, and the school district authorities refusing to provide financial support from the establishments that they have practically no control over.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The environment, in which the conflict has been brewing for several years, is quite specific. Boston is a unique city with a rather rich history; however, as far as its economic success is concerned, the number of people coming from a low income background is quite high. Therefore, the school district does not consider investing into the development of the Boston charter schools a rational step and prefers to disregard the demands of the Boston charter school teachers. Dispute Resolution: A â€Å"Portfolio† School System The signific ance of the conflict specified above is tremendous. While the confrontation between the parties involved into it is not as severe as military conflicts are (Harvard Business Review 69), it still causes a lot of concern and leads to a variety of questions, including the possible changes to the financial support for Boston public schools, which may suffer as a result of budget cuts that may be made by the school district. Therefore, it goes without saying that the method for addressing the situation must satisfy the needs and meet the demands of both charter and public schools, as well as the school district. The â€Å"portfolio† system, which has been suggested in order to address the problem specified above, truly is an original solution customised uniquely for the benefit of both Boston charter schools and local school districts. The solution suggested by the people concerned about the issue seems perfect; it hurts neither of the parties and at the same time works for the be nefit of charter schools. The very title for the new type of schools represents a perfect solution to the problem and the satisfactory result for all the parties involved, since it presupposes that the control over the new type of charter schools will be split in equal proportions between school districts and heads of the charter schools. As a result, it will be possible for school districts to track down the financial transactions, which charter schools make, and check what charter schools’ administration spends the finances provided by the school district on. This is the power divide strategy that will help all those involved benefit (Melamed 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the conflict management perspective, the solution to the confrontation between charter schools and school districts is impeccable. Though it does involve a compromise and demands it from each of the parties, it rewards a positive response with an opportunity for charter schools to expand and for school districts to control the financial transactions of the Boston schools, therefore, making the process of budget distribution much easier. This, however, raises the question whether BATNA could be developed in case the school district refuses to compromise. Interpreted as the best alternative to a negotiated solution, BATNA actually does not require that a negotiation with the opponent should be carried out: â€Å"BATNAs are critical to negotiation because you cannot make a wise decision about whether to accept a negotiated agreement unless you know what your alternatives are† (Sprangler 1). The incorporation of BATNA in the set of tools for addressing the problem, however, invites the question concerning the future communication between the school district and Boston charter schools. Methods Implementation : The Negotiation Process While the solution described above seems quite obvious and presupposes that reasonable compromises should be made by both opponents, it would be too optimistic to assume that the negotiation process is going to be carried out impeccably and that the discussion procedure is going to flow smoothly. Instead, it can be expected that the participants of the negotiation will be unwilling to accept their part of the compromise and refuse to make the final step towards reconciliation and the improvement of their relationships. Therefore, the negotiation process must be thought through outstandingly well. Recognizing their mistakes will be the first step towards improving the situation for the Boston school district and the local charter schools. The process is not going to be easy, though, According to what Dunning’s research has shown, people traditionally fail to come to terms due to the inability to recognise their own mistakes:Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"Recent research we have conducted, however, suggests that people are not adept at spotting the limits of their knowledge and expertise† (Dunning, Johnson, Ehrlinger and Kruger 83). As a rule, the unwillingness to admit the obvious failure can be explained by the fear of being socially ostracised and labelled as incompetent. Herein the key to solving the conflict lies; it is essential to help the parties involved realise that their ability to recognise their fault redeems them as people, who are capable of telling the right solution from the wrong one. As Dunning put it, â€Å"If poor performers are given the skills necessary to distinguish correct from incorrect answers, then they would be in a position to recognise their own incompetence† (Dunning et al. 85). The negotiation process, therefore, must be steered towards the compromising approach. In other words, the emphasis must be put onto developing a compromising strategy instead of focusing on the competitive one. It would also be a good idea to steer the discussion to a more comfortable analysis of the financial changes with the help of accommodative approach. Mediation Process: In Search for a Compromise Though it is desirable that the opponents in question, i.e., school district members and the people representing charter schools, should attempt at solving the issue on their own. Unless both sides of the conflict recognize the necessity to reconcile and find points of contact, there will be no point in addressing the situation. However, it could be argued that with the introduction of a third party, which will represent and entirely objective point of view, the process of negotiation will take place faster and more smoothly. Therefore, it will be reasonable to suggest that the mediation process should be facilitated by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education. As a third party that is not interested in the outcomes of the negotiation, yet is a major authority in the field of ed ucation, it will be a perfect mediator for resolving the specified conflict. It can be suggested that charter schools should provide additional opportunities for students; thus, it will be possible to provide the schools with the status that they need. For instance, creating courses for the students, who are willing to study specific subjects in depth, could be a way to solve the problem In addition, it is desirable that the Massachusetts charter schools should design a flexible system of upgrade based on the concept of economic and financial sustainability. Thus, the costs will be reduced impressively, and the school districts will see the potential that charter schools and their students have. Finally, it will be a good idea to arrange basketball and soccer facilities in several charter schools so that major school sport related events could be held there. Attracting participants from other schools will help raise the money that will be used as the means to upgrade charter schools to the necessary level. Key Stakeholders and Major Factors: Evaluating the Situation When it comes to defining the major stakeholders involved into the conflict, one is most likely to mention teachers of Boston charter schools and the members of the Boston school districts. Indeed, these are the sides of the conflict that remain in the spotlight most of the time; they are the main participants, and they are involved in most of the discussions concerning the issue in question. True, the Boston charter schools and the Boston school districts are obviously two essential stakeholders in the specified conflict. However, there are other stakeholders that deserve to be mentioned. First and foremost, students of the Boston charter schools must be recognised as the key stakeholders, since their future academic life, as well as their career and success in the business world, hinges on the decision that the local authorities make in order to address the situation. Naturally, such a great depe ndence on the outcome of the conflict makes the Boston charter school students the key stakeholders. However, it would be wrong to disregard the aforementioned opponents when listing the major stakeholders. The choice that the Boston school district will make will obviously affect the school staff as well, as the latter will have to alter the teaching approaches, as well as introduce new teaching strategies in order to meet new requirements. Indeed, expansion of an education establishment presupposes that the diversity rates in charter schools are going to increase significantly, which will call for designing additional strategies for meeting the needs of children with various ethnic backgrounds, gifted children, children with disabilities, etc. Moreover, the rise in the amount of students will also entail the necessity to hire more staff and, thus, to reconsider the school budget and the current schedule. Needless to say, the school districts are also highly dependent on the soluti on that will be chosen in order to address the situation. Using the budget funds for expanding charter schools means that the school district will have to cut costs for other issues concerning financial support of schools; therefore, it is in the interests of the school districts to address the issue in such a way that the costs should be minimised. Thus, the members of the school districts must also be viewed as the key stakeholders in the conflict in question. As far as the factors are concerned, there are key financial, economic and social issues that may hinder the process of conflict resolution. The financial issues top the list of the key factors. Because of the need to re-establish the current principle of a charter school operation, the costs for the innovation are going to be impressive. Carving the money out of the budget means that public schools will be left without the required support. The fact that charter schools are practically independent from school districts in t erms of their education policy, in contrast to public ones, investing into the development of charter schools hardly seems reasonable for the Boston school districts. More to the point, the fact that students from low income families, as well as students belonging to ethnic and national minorities, make most of the student population in charter schools in Boston, does not add any credibility to the plea of the heads of Boston charter schools. Though the issue specified above seems to be financial, it, in fact, should be deemed as a social one, and related to the discrimination problems within the modern society. Conclusion: Revisiting the Principles of the Education System Though the solution, which requires responsibilities distribution and power divide between school districts and school authorities, requires that major concessions should be made by both parties, mutual compromise is the only way to settle the conflict. Moreover, the specified strategy seems the only rational appr oach to be taken in this situation. Once both sides of the conflict are secure about their control over the issue, they will be able to come to terms. The mediation process, which is the key towards reaching a compromise, must be based on the principles of cooperation and presuppose that the charter schools should use their key assets to solve the conflict. At present, to reach a compromise, charter schools need to prove that they are worth investing in. Dunning, David, Kerry Johnson, Joyce Ehrlinger and Justin Kruger. â€Å"Why People Fail to Recognize Their Own Incompetence.† Current Directions in Psychological Science 12.1 (2014), 83–87. Print. Harvard Business Review. Extreme Negotiations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review. 2010. 67–75. Print. Melamed, James. Maximizing Mediation. 2014. Web. https://www.mediate.com/pfriendly.cfm?id=97. Peyser, James A. â€Å"Boston and the Charter School Cap.† Education Next 14.1 (2014), para. 1–6. Web. http s://www.educationnext.org/boston-and-the-charter-school-cap/. Sprangler, Brad. â€Å"Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA).† Beyond Intractability. 2012. Web. https://www.beyondintractability.org/.

Behaviour in Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Behaviour in Organisation - Essay Example The change in organizational behavior has been multi-faceted and dynamic and the most defining transformation has taken place in the workplace, pertaining to major components like Globalization, Motivation, Technological developments and Workplace Values and Ethics. These changes have occurred in keeping up with the changing social, political, economic and structural aspect of the society. The paper will now discuss the above stated factors in detail and how they affect behavior of employees. Globalization During the late 1990s, a miracle called Globalization occurred. It led to an â€Å"integration of economies and societies through cross border flow of goods, services, capital, ideas, information, technologies and people† (Mcshane, 2008, p.10) and brought in the free market regime. Globalization had led to an increase in the centralization of control over business organizations and a decentralization of the performance of work. At any rate the exploring and capturing new tra de routes and maintaining control over the territory from the headquarters of one’s kingdom is a practice that was prevalent in older times as well. Globalization has re-established the same process, more effectively by using latest technological advancements. Three main trends have been observed in the development of organizational behavior. Firstly, the scope of business has been internationalized. Organizations have expanded beyond the geographical boundaries of the home countries and assumed the title of ‘Global Capitalist Corporations’. As the small size of the market was a barrier to trade due to inadequacy of demand, spanning of organizations across the globe has proved to be lucrative. For example, Switzerland’s Nestle and the Netherlands’s Heineken have both entered the global arena. Till the last decade, only big organizations could invade selective foreign markets but by the beginning of this century, globalization has aided even small an d medium firms in engage in regular buying and selling in the international market. Secondly, organizations are attempting to apply cost-effective methods of production. Thus, there has been a great emphasis on reducing labor costs. Cheap labor from developing countries of Latin America and Asia are in high demand and the level of outsourcing has risen rapidly. And, finally, exposure to the international markets is making the organizations more competitive as lagging behind in sales and profits are not an option. Chevron and Exxon increased their shares in the international markets to compete with international competitors like BP and Royal Dutch Shell. (Griffin and Moorhead, 2008, 32) All in all the changes brought about by globalization, in organizational behavior has been positive. Technological developments The transformation from industrial to information age has brought about some basic changes in the workplace. There is a need for constant innovation, decentralization of deci sion making process, dejobbing of the labor force (home based business and both temporary/part time and full time jobs), reducing the size of work units, ‘demassification’ (flexible ways of manufacturing and several options), change from â€Å"institutional help to self-help† leading to personality development. A knowledge economy and network based structure has taken the place of bureaucratic

Virtual team Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Virtual team - Research Paper Example Trust is a very crucial thing in a virtual team, which can reduce uncertainty to the global and technologically based environment. The theory of media richness and social presence questions the possibility of development of relationships and trust among members in a group (Duarte and Synder 30). The same theory asserts that use of computers to communicate may eliminate important types of communication people could use to convey trust, warmth, attentiveness, and other interpersonal affections. However, other studies have shown that communication is not a function of the characteristics of the media, but a function of context, setting, and timing. Therefore, we can view the aspects of context, setting, and timing in any theory that is attempting to argue that virtual teams cannot work in the present global society. A better way of looking at the problem of trust and relationships in virtual teams is considering communication behaviors. Communication among the members should be timed and be within the subject of concern. Also of paramount importance is commitment to communication, as regular communication produces socialization, courtship and social identification (Lipnack and Stamps 35). In conclusion, for virtual teams to succeed there are important steps to follow. These include holding a face-to-face meeting in the beginning, establishing clear codes of conduct for behavior, recognizing and rewarding for performers and every member realizing that most communications may be non-verbal so that they can be careful how they communicate (Duarte and Synder 20). A virtual team refers to a group of people who though separated by distance and/or space still work together towards a common goal by communicating using electronic means or by holding face-to-face meetings occasionally (Lipnack and Stamps Jeffrey 83). Virtual teams come because of reasons such as members not being

Plato's advise to President-Elect Obama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plato's advise to President-Elect Obama - Essay Example A difficult, if not impossible, task awaits you to start clean when you take office. So much has gone wrong, and the consequences of previous rulers’ actions will follow you throughout your time in office. But take my advice, the genuine ruler â€Å"will take society and human character as his canvas, and begin by scraping it clean. . . . [H]e will not consent to take in hand either an individual or a state or to draft laws, until he is given a clean surface to work on or has cleansed it himself† (p. 209). You can’t hope to fix anything if failed policies and actions can’t be scraped away to make room for better governing. Weigh carefully in your mind, when you’re asked to make decisions, the worth of a specific action, over and above what it means to those who petition you. Don’t be afraid to end policies that weren’t set up with the people’s best interest in mind in the first place. Keep the greater good of the whole populatio n in mind, rather than the complaining voices of lobbyists and congressmen. Philosophically weigh the consequences of the war and the nation’s economic policies, and make decisions from a clean slate if those previous policies aren’t working. The man who held office before you seemed to me drunk with power. I believe â€Å"access to power must be confined to men who are not in love with it† (p. 235). If you fall in love with being leader of what’s been called the greatest nation on earth, you’ll forget why you were elected to this office in the first place: to serve the people. Make your life good and wise first, and then you’ll be happy and be able to rule the nation philosophically and not through power. â€Å"All goes wrong when, starved for lack of anything good in their own lives, men turn to public affairs hoping to snatch from thence the happiness they hunger for† (p. 235). Men and women who rule the nation must be philosophers

Explaining The Pumping Action In A Heart Physical Education Essay

Explaining The Pumping Action In A Heart Physical Education Essay The heart is the most important organ of the blood which keeps the other internal organs alive by supplying blood and oxygen hence making it a life maintaining organ. The objective of this essay is to explain the pumping action of the heart, transportation of oxygen by the cardiovascular system and how reduced blood flow can affect cardiac function. A treatment for this cardiac malfunctioning is also explained. I will begin the essay by explaining the anatomical structure of the heart and then explain how the pumping action of the heart. The second part of the essay will include how the reduction in blood flow can affect the cardiac function and finally a treatment to cure this problem will be explained. The heart is a life maintaining organ weighs almost less then a pound, barely the size of the fist and located in the mediastinum of the throracic cavity of human body. The shape of the heart is like a inverted cone which has a blunt tapered end that points to the left hip and the base pointing towards the right shoulder. The heart lies more close to the left that is nearly third of it and rest on the diaphragm in between the two lungs. This is shown in figure 1 which shows the location of the heart. Fig.1: Anterior view of the heart in the mediastinum The entire heart is covered by a dense fibrous tissue called the pericardium which comprises of a dense connective tissue called the fibrous pericardium which protects the heart from over stretching due to excessive filling, it also consists of the serous pericardium which forms deeper portion of the heart. The serous layer is further divided into the parietal layer which lines the outer layers the and visceral layer which lines the innermost layers of the heart. A fluid which reduces friction is present in the pericardial cavity that separates these parietal and visceral layers. The below figure (see fig. 2 ) shows the different layers of the the pericardium. Fig.2: The pericardium and the Heart wall http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=cardiopart=A1016rendertype=figureid=A1019 As shown in the above figure (see fig.2), the heart wall is composed of three different layers ; epicardium, myocardium and the endocardium. The epicardium which forms superficial layer of the heart wall consists of mainly adipose tissue. The endocardium forms the deeper layer of the heart and is filled with squamous endothelium and aerolar tissues. Between these two layers lies the myocardium which is made up of cardiac muscles that help in the contraction of the heart. Its relatively a thick layer as it helps the heart to perform its normal pumping action that is contraction and expansion of the heart at regular intervals. On the outer surface of the heart there many grooves and layers of fat called the sulci. The heart is divided into four chambers which has two inferior intermittent pumps which discharge blood out of the heart called the right and the left ventricles and two superior primer pumps called the right and left atria receiving deoxygenated and oxygenated blood from the body and the lungs respectively. The ventricles are separated from each other by a relatively thick muscle called the interventricular septum but atria are separated from each other by relatively a thinner wall called the interatrial septum as it has lighter workload comparing the ventricles. The right ventricle has thicker walls comparing the left ventricle because it has to pump more blood during systemic circulation. The presence of heart valves prevents the back flow blood and hence ensures that blood flows effectively in one direction. There are two types of valves which are the atrioventricular (AV) valves and the semilunar valves. The AV valves consists of the the tricuspid and bicuspid (mitral) valves th at are located on the right and left side of the heart between the ventricles and atria respectively. The semilunar valves on the other hand lie on the bases of aorta and the pulmonary artery. These valves consists of the pulmonary valve and the aortic valve. The tricuspid valve has thread like structures that are connected to tendon like cords called the chordae tendinae. The anatomical structure of the heart and the heart valves is shown in figure 3. Fig.3: The heart and the heart valves http://yoursurgery.com/ProcedureDetails.cfm?BR=3Proc=24 Blood Flow Through The Heart The blood flow through the heart is explained by the pulmonary and systemic circulation. Deoxygenated blood is drained into the right atrium by the superior and the inferior vena cava. The pressure in the right atrium increases forcing the tricuspid valve to open and hence draining the entire deoxygenated blood to the right ventricle. The volume of blood in the ventricle increases and the maximum volume of the blood in the right ventricle after the contraction of the right atrium is called end diastolic volume (EDV). EDV is generally about 140ml. As the tricuspid valve closes the pressure in the ventricles increases. During this phase the ventricles contract but the pressure is not enough for the pulmonary valve to open hence resulting in isometric contraction as a result all the heart valves are closed during this phase and the volume in the ventricles remains constant. As the pressure continues to increase comparing the right atrium the blood forces open the pulmonary valve and the deoxygenated blood is pushed into the pulmonary trunk that divides into the pulmonary arteries. After the contraction of the ventricle that is the systole, the amount of blood remaining in the ventricle is called the end systolic volume (ESV). The difference between EDV and ESV gives the stroke volume (SV) that is the blood pumped out of the ventricles during a single heart beat. The pulmonary arteries carries the deoxygenated blood to the right and the left lung for oxygenation. Once the blood is oxygenated it is returned back to the heart by the pulmonary vein. The pulmonary vein empties the oxygenated blood into the left atrium, hence completing the pulmonary circulation and as the pressure in this atrium increases the blood is drained into the left ventricle by forcing open the mitral valve. When the mitral valve is closed the the pressure rises again comparing the left atrium and the blood is pushed into the aorta by opening the aortic valve. This oxygenated blood is transport ed to various parts of the body to carry out haemodynamic activities ( which includes the exchange of oxygen and carbondioxide with the blood ) . The systemic circulation is completed once the deoxygenated blood is returned back to the right atrium from different parts of the body by the venae caveae. Fig.4: Pulmonary and Systemic Circulation of the heart http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/bio201_McKinley/f22-1_cardiovascular_sy_c.jpg During the phase of the first diastole, the ventricular relaxation takes place as a result the semilunar valves are closed and also the AV valves are also closed during this time as a result the volume of blood in the ventricles remains constant, hence this phase is called the isovolumetric relaxation. The diagrammatic explanation of the cardiac cycle is explained in figure 5. Fig.5: The Cardiac Cycle http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/bio201_McKinley/f22-11_cardiac_cycle_c.jpg Cardiac Conduction System In this system the pumping action of the heart is synchronised by the electrical activity of the heart. Electrical signals are generated by the sinoatrial (SA) node which is the bodies natural pacemaker. This node generates pulses that propagate throughout the right atrium and through the Bachmanns bundle hence stimulating both the atria. These pulses travel from SA node the to the atrioventricular (AV) node through certain paths known as internodal tracts. The AV node acts as a gatekeeper and prevents all the pulses to travel from the atria to the ventricles, hence causing some delay in the excitation. From the AV node the signals travel through the Purkinje fibres that divides itself into right and left and excites both the ventricles. This process repeats and the contraction of the heart takes place. Transportation of Oxygen by Cardiovascular System The cardiovascular system is a dense network of arteries, veins, capillaries etc. which is involved in the transportation of blood gases to and from the various parts of the body. In this part I will talking about how the cardiovascular system transports oxygen to different parts of the body. The oxygenated blood which is pumped from the left ventricle is transported by the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery of the human body which is made up of several layers of the elastin fibers and covered by smooth muscle. Blood flows in the arteries with high pressures hence these arteries expand (vasodilation) and contract (vasoconstriction) thus helping to regulate blood pressure. The aorta bifurcates into various different arteries smaller in size carrying oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. These arteries further divide into arterioles whose diameter is much smaller comparing the arteries and are less elastic. These arterioles are made up of thick layer of smooth muscles an d are controlled by the autonomic nervous system that control their diameter. Oxygenated blood now passes from the arterioles to the capillaries which are the functional unit of the cardiovascular system. Capillaries are responsible for the exchange of blood gases and other nutrients between different tissues and blood through the process of diffusion. As diffusion is the process by which gases or fluids flow from higher to lower concentration therefore at the capillary level the concentration of oxygen is more in the capillaries and on the other hand the concentration of carbondioxide is more in the tissue than in the capillaries therefore the diffusion of these gases takes place. Oxygen is diffused into the tissues and carbondioxide on the other hand is diffused into the tissues. This is how oxygen is transported to different parts of the body. This deoxygenated blood is collected from the venules which are connected to the capillaries. Theses venules group together to form veins. Hence this deoxygenated blood is returned back to the heart for oxygenation and the entire process is repeated. The entire process of the transportation of oxygen by the cardiovascular system is explained in figure 6 Fig 6: Blood flow and capillary exchange of oxygen http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Blood-General-Overview.htm Effects Of Reduced Coronary Blood Flow And Its Treatment Reduced coronary blood flow results in a condition known as ischemia where the myocardiac tissue is deprived of oxygen due to inadequate blood flow. The inadequacy is caused by formation of localised plaques of lipids that protrude within the artery causing a reduction in blood flow. As a result of reduced blood flow, there is a reduction in the level of oxygen which is required to carry out metabolic activities of the tissues. In ischemia the anaerobic respiration of the tissue results in the formation of lactic acid which leads to sever pain in the chest region. This pain is called angina pectoris. Angina pectoris is classified into two types; stable and unstable. Stable angina which causes pain in the chest region may arise from some physical activity ( running, jogging etc.). During these activities the need for oxygen is more to carry out metabolic activities in a faster rate compared to the supply of oxygen as a result anaerobic respiration of the tissues takes place and hence results in the formation of lactic acids which causes this pain. In unstable angina there is a persistent pain in the chest regions this is because of the accumulation of platelets on the ruptured plaques which leads to the blockage of the arteries and hence causing immense reduction in blood flow. Persistent unstable angina may cause myocardial infraction which ultimately may lead to sudden death. There are many ways to treat angina it may be either surgical or non surgical ways. Surgical methods include coronary balloon angioplasty where a catheter is passed into an artery with a balloon at the tip of the catheter. The balloon is made to expand causing the artery to expand and hence breaking of the plaque of lipids in the artery. Another types of surgical method is the coronary bypass surgery where the blocked artery is completely removed and replaced with a new one taken from different parts of the body. Non surgical methods include taking drugs that cause vasodilation such as ni troglycerin which converts into nitric oxide and hence dilates the coronary artery causing an increase in blood flow. Beta adrenergic blocking receptors are used to reduce the heart rate and therefore causing a reduction in cardiac output. Other techniques that involve the use of calcium channel blockers that are used for vasodilation and hence helping the flow of blood. Conclusion The heart is a an electromechanical pump which carries out its action through pulmonary and systemic circulation. The pumping action is well synchronised such that there is proper blood flow within the heart and outside to carry out haemodynamic activities. The transportation of blood is carried by a system consisting various networks that are spread throughout the body known as the cardiovascular system. This system helps in the transportation of oxygen to different tissues in order to carry out different metabolic activities. The exchange of oxygen between tissues and the cardiovascular system takes place through a process called diffusion. The effects of reduced blood are many and can lead to a condition known as ischemia. Angina pectoris is one of the main problems that can cause due to reduced blood flow and hence causing a sever pain in the chest region and on sever reduction in blood flow it may even lead to myocardial infraction which ultimately leads to death. There are nume rous treatments for curing this particular problem, it may be either through surgical methods which includes cardiopulmonary bypass and angioplasty or using drugs that increase vasodilation and decrease cardiac output. These drugs include beta receptors, calcium channel blockers and nitroglycerin.

The Importance of Improving Communication Skills in the Business World

My biggest challenge while trying to move up the corporate ladder is interpersonal communication with co-workers and presentation speeches in front of the owners and financial managers. During my childhood, I did not have the opportunity to communicate with my parents or examples of loud arguments and negative personal attacks. Humans develop language and social skills from its surroundings so I guess I can blame mine on my dysfunctional family. At least I did almost five years ago. When the Director of Finance promoted me to senior accountant, his only constructive criticism was to attend different communication courses to groom me for the Assistant Director of Finance position. The frustration of feeling misunderstood and being unable to make ourselves understood by another person is my a constant hurdle for me and considered a barrier of communication (anything that blocks the meaning of what is being said) that many humans experience. Great communication can be compared to the way we build our buildings, one brick at a time. The foundation of the house is trust and we develop trust with personal interaction not as a group. It is said that to speak effectively, a person should be open, direct and bold; however, that is what got me into these classes in the first place. The classes teach how to balance finesse and respect with boldness and direct communication. As mentioned earlier, constantly conquering and rising above the barrier of communication. To name some of the barriers that arise daily are stereotyping, language, showing approval or disapproval, and becoming defensive. In my opinion, stereotyping is the biggest obstacle amongst people. Stereoty pe is a label or typecast of another person based on an oversimplifie... ... is an important variable--if there were never any time pressures, collaboration might always be the best approach to use. In addition to time pressures, some of the most important factors to consider are issue importance, relationship importance, and relative power: †¢ â€Å"Issue importance - the extent to which important priorities, principles or values are involved in the conflict. †¢ Relationship importance - how important it is that you maintain a close, mutually supportive relationship with the other party. †¢ Relative power - how much power you have compared to how much power other party has. â€Å" (Whetten 2002) Finally, learning the importance of interpersonal communication and effectively utilizing it daily as part of my normal daily routine, the Assistant Director of Finance in a multimillion dollar hotel is mine, which has been my goal for the last five years

Non-disclosure agreement

Limited Liability Company  «XXX » (address), represented by its Director Name Name, and hereinafter referred to as â€Å"COMPANY†, on the one hand, and _ (address)___, hereinafter referred to as â€Å"EMPLOYEE†, have concluded this Agreement upon the following: – 1. Subject. The Agreement is concluded in order to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information as defined below. The parties agree and acknowledge entering into a confidential relationship with respect to the disclosure of certain proprietary and confidential information (hereinafter termed as â€Å"Confidential Information†).   This Agreement shall govern the conditions of disclosure. 2. Definition of Confidential Information. For purposes of this Agreement, â€Å"Confidential Information† shall include all technical information, business information or material that has or could have commercial value or other utility in the business in which the COMPANY is engaged. It includes all methods, processes, formulae, systems, techniques, inventions, patents, trade secretes, computer programs, research projects, business methods, financial data, etc. Confidential Information may be in form of electronic documents and files, physical documents and oral communications. If Confidential Information is transmitted orally, the COMPANY shall indicate in writing that such communication be constituted as Confidential Information. Confidential information also includes any written works, which were produced by the EMPLOYEE at the COMPANY’s demand.   The COMPANY shall label or stamp all written documents with the wording â€Å"CONFIDENTIAL†, acting as an indicator. 3. Exclusions from Confidential Information. EMPLOYEE’s obligations under this Agreement does not extend to information that is: (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Publicly known at the time of disclosure, or subsequently becomes publicly known through no fault of the EMPLOYEE; (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Learned by the EMPLOYEE through legitimate means other than from the COMPANY or COMPANY’s representatives; (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is disclosed by COMPANY with COMPANY’s prior written approval; or (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is produced by the EMPLOYEE before the COMPANY actually discloses it to the EMPLOYEE. 4. Obligations of EMPLOYEE. EMPLOYEE shall hold and maintain the Confidential Information in strictest confidence, for the sole and exclusive benefit of the COMPANY.   EMPLOYEE shall carefully restrict access to Confidential Information to other employees, contractors and third parties as is reasonably required and shall require those persons to sign nondisclosure restrictions at least as protective as those in this Agreement. EMPLOYEE shall not, without prior written approval of COMPANY, use for EMPLOYEE’s own benefit, publish, copy, or otherwise disclose to others, or permit the use by others for their personal benefit or to the detriment of COMPANY, any Confidential Information. EMPLOYEE shall return to COMPANY any and all records, notes, and other written, printed, or tangible materials in its possession pertaining to Confidential Information immediately, if the COMPANY requests it in writing.   EMPLOYEE shall return to the COMPANY all material and documents that contain Confidential Information, and shall not retain any of these copies.   EMPLOYEES shall not disclose CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION to future employers or use it themselves, at any time even after termination. 5. Relationships. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to constitute either party a partner, joint venturer or employee of the other party for any purpose. 6. Severability. If a court finds any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement shall be valid and interpreted so as best to effect the intent of the parties. 7. Integration. This Agreement expresses the complete understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior proposals, agreements, representations, and understandings. This Agreement may not be amended except in a writing signed by both parties. 8. Waiver. The failure to exercise any right provided in this Agreement shall not be a waiver of prior or subsequent rights.   COMPANY will be entitled to obtain an injunction to ensure that no infringement of this Agreement occurs. This Agreement and each party’s obligations shall be binding on the representatives, assigns and successors in interest of such party. Each party has signed this Agreement in WITNESS. ________________________________________ (EMPLOYEE’S Signature) ________________________________________ (Typed or Printed Name) Date: _____________________ ________________________________________ (COMPANY’S Signature) ________________________________________ (Typed or Printed Name) Date: _________________ ______________________________________________ (Witness 1 Signature) ________________________________________ (Typed or Printed Name) Date: _________________ ______________________________________________ (Witness 2 Signature) ________________________________________ (Typed or Printed Name)    Date: _________________ References: http://inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=inventors&cdn=money&tm=347&gps=197_10_588_283&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.inventnet.com/nondisclosure.html http://www.inventionconvention.com/ncio/inventing101/003.html http://www.ilrg.com/forms/non-disc.html http://www.score.org/downloads/NonDisclosureAgreement.pdf   

Advertising Images, Industry and Audience

Advertising Images, Industry and Audience Advertising Slim, sleek and smooth; these are not adjectives that describe a human being. These are words presently used to advertise products, be they cars, laptops, mobile phones and the like. How a product is described creates consumer curiosity and this leads to taking a step further in creating the look that goes with the description as suggested by Berkowitz et al. (1994).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising: Images, Industry and Audience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Product designers have to work consistently in creating an image of a product that will go beyond the customer’s imagination and, therefore, entice him/her to prefer that particular product to the competitor’s product. This goes agrees with the saying; image is everything. How a product is presented to the audience is far more important than the emphasis on its technological or feature prowess. This is because consumers ar e more focused on the looks rather than the performance as most of them would forego the former for the latter. This is exactly what Samsung Galaxy SIII has adopted. Advertisers have adopted the phone’s amazing features and performance and added a magic touch by presenting it as a phone with human capabilities. This does not mean, however, that the phone has adopted Artifical Intelligence (A.I.) technology. Rather it has come up with innovative technology that has an encompassed an array of verbal and facial features in a phone. This is the punch line of the phone. It captures the consumer’s wildest imagination. Probably the inspiration behind this feature was to come up with a phone that could understand the human language; one that was capable of having a ‘conversation’ with the user. With the voice recognition feature, one can actually speak an instruction and the phone complies accordingly. Therefore, in line with this capability, advertisers are marke ting the phone with the slogan: designed for humans, inspired by nature. Target Audience The physical description used is similar to the three words above, slim, sleek and smooth. It has rounded edges and a very solid look. The large 4.8 inches-high definition display has created a friendlier user interaction experience as the user can open different window tasks and work on them concurrently. This has also been aided by the 1.6 GHz processing speed of the device that enables faster processing of tasks. These are qualities that every busy executive will be attracted to. The price tag further indicates that the phone is not available for just any individual in need of a phone. Rather, it is available for those that can comfortably pay for it and maximize its full potential. A magazine review of the phone has indicated that the innovative phone is targeted for the middle class.Advertising Looking for essay on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because these are individuals who try and collect ‘new arrivals’ that validate build their image in the eyes of their peers. In one way or another, they are innovators as they tend to purchase items that have been recently introduced in the market. The digital spark marketing blog has also indicated that the main target market of the phone is the millennial category. These are individuals who keep up with changing trends to ‘stay’ ahead of others. Hard-selling the Samsung Galaxy SIII According to Jobber (2000), hard-selling approach tries to convince customers that one product is superior over another based on direct comparison. This is what Samsung Galaxy SIII has adopted. The technological giant has embraced the hard-selling tactics in selling the Galaxy SIII. The main reason for this approach is the ongoing battle for market share in the smart phone industry. The main rival of Samsung is Apple. The latter has a lso come up with innovative products that have a particular appeal to the younger generation. This is a segment that cannot be ignored as its huge market potential boasts of up to billions of sales. This is the market that Samsung has been trying to tap into. The Galaxy advert, particularly, goes head to head with the competitor in trying to portray the superiority nature of the Galaxy to the competitor’s product, the latest iPhone 5. This has been evidenced by signifying one of the phone’s features that of direct file sharing. Two young men are shown transferring data by simply touching their phones in front of the iPhone 5 purchasing line. This advert clearly creates product differences and the superiority of the phone in the minds of consumers. This product demonstration sends a signal to the customer that the Galaxy phone is more superior, based on demonstrating one powerful key feature: data transfer. The fact that it has been shot in front of the iPhone purchasin g store is no accident as it shows the phone is more powerful than that of the competitor. ‘Exciting characteristics’ According to Hanna and Newman (2001, p.153), the Kano Model suggests’ excitement characteristics’ are features, characteristics or benefits that go beyond the customer’s wildest expectations and offer them unparalleled user experience. This is a supplement of the ‘must-have’ characteristics which are features or benefits that if a product does not have then it is not a product that services the customer needs. It is widely known what ‘must-have’ characteristics a phone should possess. These include texting capabilities, a call log, an organizer among other attributes. This is what the Galaxy has capitalized on.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising: Images, Industry and Audience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides the essentials o f a phone, Samsung has gone further to introduce features that are way beyond the customer’s imagination. For instance, the phone can share data in the form of files, music or photos directly to another Galaxy phone by simply touching the two phones. This means that one does not have to go through the tedious process of using Bluetooth data transfer, such as activating, searching for devices, inputting codes and finally transferring. This is a lengthy process that has been eliminated hence faster data sharing. Another exciting characteristic is the phone’s stunning picture taking ability. Despite having a 4.8 inches- high definition display that freezes images as they are and the 8 Megapixels capacity, the user can flip the picture and write a note on the back, just as one would do at the back of real photos for memories sake. Such characteristics create an appeal towards potential users of the phone hence translate to increased sales as individuals would want to exper ience such unique experiences. Advertising variables The Galaxy SIII is a sleek phone and makes a statement by itself. It simply cannot be classified as just any other phone as its technological features and stylish looks have placed the phone in a class of its own. Of course, everybody would want a piece of the pie but the shiny price tag detail makes the whole difference. The phone fetches a retail price of around 650 to 700 dollars. This not affordable to everyone and therefore creates a class element. This goes with its target market, the middle class. Moreover, promotion strategy of the phone aims at targeting the youth aspect of the population, particularly the student group. This is characterized by the back-to-school discount offers that present themselves every September for a limited period of time. Press conferences as well as social media tactics aim to focus on delivering the message of â€Å"buying the phone† equals â€Å"join the cool group†. Samsung has recognized the huge teen potential in influencing market buying trends.Advertising Looking for essay on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is in accordance to Zollo (1989) who indicates that teens in particular are big spenders of their personal or their parents’ money. Based on this analysis, the Galaxy SIII purchase can also be viewed in terms of gender. This is because it has been shown that boys earn more than girls due to a variety of reasons hence become more inclined to buying the phone than compared to girls of lower income revenues. Samsung Galaxy SIII versus Apple’s iPhone 5 Both Galaxy and iPhone have recognized the importance of brand design and have proceeded to creating ‘Slim, Sleek and Smooth’ phones. The products have exquisite designs that have appealed to potential customers based on their appearance hence offering similar advertising strategies. Technological innovations Technology is rapidly changing and every firm must come up with innovative ideas that portray the company as in line with the changing demands of technology for their survival. This is a major factor t hat has been embraced by both Samsung and Apple. These two technological giants are big on innovation and encourage it in their products. This is seen by the innovative features manifested in the Galaxy and iPhone 5. Everybody likes to be associated with the current trends and, therefore, advertising these products as technology leaders translates to increased market sales. Friendly customer experience Both products offer a friendly customer experience to users as their products are easy to use. For instance, the Samsung SIII has an inbuilt user manual that helps users navigate through the phone with ease. iPhone 5, on the other hand, has touch screen â€Å"gestures† meant for zooming and scrolling through the 4 inch display. However, one advertising strategy difference that sets the iPhone 5 apart from the Samsung Galaxy SIII is the use of speculation to create customer interest. Apple is very good at maintaining secrets for as long as it is necessary in order to keep people guessing. This has worked very well as the media is always looking out for the next new thing. This is particularly true for iPhone products. Apple uses this strategy and evokes further speculation by providing virtually no information. People want to know how the new iPhone differs from its predecessors and look out for new innovative features. The media speculation and buzz helps create free consumer interest and when the product is finally released, the product is the next sought after thing in the market. This is characterized by the long queues witnessed at the purchasing stores on the sales date. The information provided above shows the importance of advertising strategies for firms that are keen on getting their products to the market and the variables affecting such strategies, particularly the image, industry and audience. References Hanna, R. Newman, K., 2001, Integrated operations management , Adding value to customers, Prentice Hall, New York. Jobber, D., 2000, Princip les and practice of marketing, McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York. Berkowitz, E., Kerin R., Hartley S Rudelius W. 1994. Marketing, Ohio, South-Western College Publishing. Zollo, P., 1989, As the century turned, McGraw-Hill publishers, New York.

psych essays

psych essays The five journal articles I examined were all from a journal titled Developmental Psychology, May 2000. The first journal article that I observed was Sleep Patterns and Sleep Disruptions in School-Aged Children. This study assessed the sleep patterns, sleep disruptions, and sleepiness of school-age children. Sleep patterns of 140 children (72 boys and 68 girls; 2nd-, 4th-, and 6th-grade students) were evaluated with activity monitors (actigraphs). In addition, the children and their parents completed complementary sleep questionnaires and daily reports. The findings reflected significant age differences, indicating that older children have more delayed sleep onset times and increased reported daytime sleepiness. Girls were found to spend more time in sleep and to have an increased percentage of motionless sleep. Fragmented sleep was found in 18% of the children. No age differences were found in any of the sleep quality measures. Scores on objective sleep measures were associated with subjective reports of sleepiness. Family stress, parental age, and parental education were related to the child's sleep-wake measures. The next article I observed was Shared Caregiving: Comparisons Between Home and Child-Care Settings. The experiences of 84 German toddlers (12-24 months old) who were either enrolled or not enrolled in child care were described with observational checklists from the time they woke up until they went to bed. The total amount of care experienced over the course of a weekday by 35 pairs of toddlers (1 member of each pair in child care, 1 member not) did not differ according to whether the toddlers spent time in child care. Although the child-care toddlers received lower levels of care from care providers in the centers, their mothers engaged them in more social interactions during non-working hours than did the mothers of home-only ...

Questions Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Questions - Speech or Presentation Example The Industrial Revolution planted the seeds for the erosion of the employment-at-will doctrine. When employees began forming unions, the collective bargaining agreements were formed and the unions had to negotiate with employers frequently because the agreement had provisions in them that required just cause for adverse employment actions, as well as procedures for arbitrating employee grievances. The 1960s marked the beginning of Federal legislative protections (including Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act) from wrongful discharge based on race, religion, sex, age, and national origin. These protections reflected the changing view of the relationship between employer and employee. Rather than seeing the relationship as being on equal footing, courts and legislatures slowly began to recognize that employers frequently had economic advantages when negotiating with potential or current employees. The recognition of employment as being central to a person’s livelihood and well-being, coupled with the fear of being unable to protect a person’s livelihood from unjust termination, led to the development of common-law, or judicial, exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine beginning in the late 1950s. Employers should use gender neutral terms when advertising for staff. For example, adverts for a postman, waitress, salesgirl, which use a job description with a sexual implication, are likely to violate the Sex Discrimination Act. Occasionally, however, an employer may be able to lawfully discriminate on grounds of sex or race, for example, a department store could legitimately advertise for male applicants to play Father Christmas. On the basis of above facts it is quite clear that Muhammad pursue a claim for discrimination against Joes Bakery since the discrimination has been made on the grounds of racial discrimination by refusing him the

A Model for a State Surveillance and Militarization Essay

A Model for a State Surveillance and Militarization - Essay Example While this sounds to be very appealing for an effective and efficient state and government, this brings about the concern of the state as being totalitarian in nature. To maintain order in society, the government must keep close monitoring of its citizens and create a strong-armed force and police to defend that social order. The view of this form of state and society is very familiar to the totalitarian form government. State surveillance and a highly militarized state are, after all, distinct characteristics of nation or country under totalitarianism. The question that could be asked right now is whether Plato would support state surveillance and militarism based on his writings and ideas found in his work the Republic. Does this mean that Plato's ideal system of government curtails certain rights of citizens to maintain order and justice? Discussion of this matter will be discussed further in this paper with a few real-world examples of totalitarian states as references. At the same time, such examples will be analyzed and placed into context with Plato's idea of his Republic. With the ever-growing threat of terrorism, both internationally and locally homegrown, and the possibilities of uprisings or revolutions, it is not a surprise that many governments of the certain nations around the world have created their own state security agencies or organizations and highly strengthened military. There are various reasons as to why such state groups were set up by different national governments. Contemporary times and recent history shows that many governments have been very concerned and active when it comes to counter-insurgency and counter-revolutionary activities. It can also be considered that governments develop such organizations to prevent terrorist or revolutionary from even having the chance to form up.