Research Topics

A Related Literature on Research on Employee Motivation

This is the related literature for a research on employee motivation. This paper discusses the definition, theories and forms of motivation. The manager’s role, and strategies that the manager can adapt are also included. This paper also discusses the benefits and effects of motivation, employee retention and satisfaction, & commitment of employees for the survival of the organization.   In the current competitive climate, the organization must have an intense interest in maximizing the resources at hand. Leadership must be alert to the ways in which fluctuating outside conditions and internal changes can dramatically impact the group’s dynamics required for peak performance. This will best be accomplished by motivating everyone to work together. Motivation is the art of creating conditions that allows everyone to get their work done at their own peak level of efficiency (Gellerman, 1992).  It helps people to focus their minds and energies on doing their work as effectively as possible. It is the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals (Lindner, 1998). Through motivation, skilled leaders can bring out hidden or untapped capabilities of their people. At the same time, this will give each person involved a greater degree of job satisfaction and make them more successful as individuals.  Employees have the need to be motivated for survival. Motivated employees are needed in the rapidly changing workplaces. Motivated employees are more productive, and they help organizations survive.   To be effective, managers need to understand what motivates employees within the context of the roles they perform. Employees, on the other hand, must be willing to let managers know what motivates them, and managers must be willing to design reward systems that motivate employees. Identifying the factors that affect the quality and quantity of employees’ job performance is an important issue in the study of work and the workplace.  Managers routinely make assumptions about the characteristics that enhance or detract from performance. It is generally assumed, for example, that greater organizational commitment contributes to better performance as more committed employees should be more motivated to work hard on their organization’s behalf.   Performance is also assumed to be affected by structural and task characteristics such as whether employees are able to exercise autonomy and discretion in their work, the extent to which their tasks are clearly defined, and whether they are rewarded for hard work (Cheng, et al, 1996). Of all the functions a manager performs, motivating employees is arguably the most complex. This is due, in part, to the fact that what motivates employees changes constantly.  A manager should be conscious of what motivates employees, what energizes, what makes them feel more optimistic, and what type of rewards encourage them.  These are the important things that make employees reach their full potential. Once high performance has been demonstrated, rewards can become important as inducements to continue. Internal, self-administered rewards that can occur following high performance include a sense of achievement based on attaining a certain level of excellence, pride in accomplishment, and feelings of success and efficacy (Kleinbeck, 1990).    Organizations use different motivation theories for motivating employees. In Hertzberg’s theory, management should begin by focusing on hygiene factors such as pay and job security, before focusing on motivator factors which include interesting work and full appreciation of work done. On the other hand, in Adams’ equity theory, management should begin by focusing on areas where there may be perceived inequities, such as pay and full appreciation of work done, before focusing on interesting work and job security. Another theory by Vroom’s suggests that management should begin by focusing on rewarding, employee effort in achieving organizational goals and objectives. According to Motivation in the Real World by Gellerman (1992), the most effective motivation systems in successful American companies are: selectivity in hiring, generous pay and benefit programs, and encouragement of long-term employment. Other strategies include flexible implementation of policies, rather than rigid rules, cooperative unions, or no unions at all, and a conscious policy of putting employee motivation above all other priorities. On the other hand, a research by Lindner (1998) on Understanding Employee Motivation, determined the ranked order of motivating factors. The top answers were interesting work, good wages, and full appreciation of work done. These factors are followed by job security, good working conditions, promotions and growth in the organization.  Feeling of being in on things, personal loyalty to employees, tactful discipline, and sympathetic help with personal problems ranked low on the results. Other methods of increasing employee motivation include job enlargement, job enrichment, promotions, internal and external stipends, monetary, and non-monetary compensations. Job enlargement can be used to make work more interesting for employees by increasing the number and variety of activities performed. Managers can also use job enrichment to make work more interesting and increase pay by adding higher level responsibilities to a job and providing monetary compensation (raise or stipend) to employees for accepting this responsibility.  To effectively motivate employees, the leader has to learn how to communicate effectively with the employees. The leader should first spell out what he/she wants them to do, reassure them that if they’re willing to try, they really can do what the leader has asked them to do, and finally, convince them that it’s very much in their best interests to try (Gellerman, 1992). The leader should also learn the skill of how to listen to what the employees have to say. Employees are motivated when they are given the opportunities to take part in achieving the objectives of the organization, and made to feel that what they say and do have worth. Acknowledging efforts is also essential for a motivated and satisfied work force (Denton, 1992). It stimulates new ideas and encourages better performance and team spirit. In consensus decision making, employees are given the opportunity to contribute their ideas and take part in creating decisions.  It does not mean that everyone has to agree, only that people believe that the right facts and right reasons are used to make the right decision. The real benefit of this process is not getting an answer but going through the process to get the answer. Good employees keep pushing and keep digging for facts until everyone agrees on a decision. Consensus decision-making makes the employees think about the decision, and the leader gets commitment and motivation from the process.  Restructuring jobs can improve workplace, and motivate both managers and employees. This broadening and restructuring jobs can be a partial answer to motivating today’s work force (Denton, 1992). One way to do this restructuring of work involves broadening job responsibilities. For instance, a process of reducing the number of managerial layers within its organization can be implemented.  To improve motivation and allow more lateral movement within the organization, there can be reduced pay grades so managers in different disciplines could move easily across the organization. It also broadens the responsibilities of many of the managerial positions, believing that broader responsibilities would increase the challenge and satisfaction within the organizations. Giving employees diversity of experience is also a form of motivation. When it is considered that it is not uncommon for companies to do nearly half their sales in foreign markets, it is easy to see why companies see foreign service as a real plus. Working overseas is not the only foreign experience that companies are finding to be both motivational as well as beneficial to the company.  Many are sending their most promising managers and employees back to business schools and training programs. Employees are trained to do several tasks so they can handle more jobs, work faster, and make fewer mistakes. They are also trained to increase their knowledge and skills to achieve corporate goals. Other types of training include product/process specific training and special management training. In this way, both the employees and the organization benefit from the training. The employees are motivated to improve their performance at work. The organization, on the other hand, will achieve its objectives through its highly skilled personnel. Another motivational tool is using lateral moves. While pay, managerial level, and, in some cases, even titles remain the same, the challenge of each new job keeps employees motivated (Denton, 1992). Once the organization finds good employees, it is essential to find ways to keep them (Denton, 1992). Career advancement and awards program as incentives increase the odds of being able to retain people.  These incentives are designed to reinforce desired behavior, such as quality work and a focus on the customer.  They help employees to deliver high-quality service and keep them motivated. The leader has to know the important distinction between actions that are retainers and those that are motivators. The primary purpose of a retainer is to keep a person on the job. The purpose of motivation is to increase performance. To increase performance, management needs to set goals and then to link the accomplishment of those goals with rewards of value. Money is a reward of value for many employees. There are as many employees who also have personal goals that have something to do with job performance and career development. Good supervision and motivation seek out personal goals and align them with the goals of the organization. Morale building is related to motivation and recognition, but there are times when it needs a special emphasis. Downsizing often leads to lay offs. Lay offs are negatives for those left behind. In the aftermath of a merger or downsizing, managers must involve their employees in the next steps, whatever they may be. Regular communication about what is going on becomes link strengtheners.  Job security is also very important for employees. They reach an age and a stage when they realize that they are no longer building a career, but are in a career and need to perform at top levels. These workers frequently place less emphasis on salary, assuming it is adequate, and more on certain intangibles, particularly those that give them some assurance they will be around for a few more years. Mature employees want opportunity for learning, growth, responsibility. For these employees, consider continuing education, secure pension plans, a sense of greater belonging, symbols of seniority such as an extra day off after three years or an extra week after ten. They also want independence, autonomy, and flexibility. It is interesting that employees who have a sense of ownership about their work not only reach higher levels of performance, but also look for constructive criticism. They want to do a good job and they want the leader to know it. Employees retain their work when they are comfortable in their workplace environment. If internal and external rewards provide the individual with what he or she wants or values or considers appropriate or beneficial, the individual experiences satisfaction with the job. Job satisfaction can be viewed as the result of a positive appraisal of the job against one’s value standards. Job satisfaction is not a result of the person alone nor of the job alone but of the person in relation to the job–that is, the job as appraised by the person. Thus, if the job is appraised as a fulfilling or facilitating the attainment of one’s values, satisfaction is experienced; if the job is appraised as blocking or negating one’s values, dissatisfaction is experienced. More important values have a greater impact on affective reactions than less important values. The work itself is usually a more important aspect of the job for professional and skilled people than for others. Thus as a category, the work itself is usually the job aspect most strongly related to overall job satisfaction for people at the higher job levels.  Having challenging and meaningful work leads to high work satisfaction and, if rewarded by the organization, to high satisfaction with rewards as well.  In previous studies, it was found that job satisfaction affected organizational commitment that in turn affected the intent to stay. Researchers found that work experiences that lead to satisfaction (job scope or challenge, considerate supervision, compatible work groups) were associated with commitment (Kleinbeck, et al, 1990). Commitment is defined as the acceptance of the goals and values of the organization; the willingness to exert effort on behalf of the organization; and a desire to stay with the organization. Assuming that positive job experiences conducive to satisfaction are a crucial factor in bringing commitment about, and that commitment is a key factor in getting people to stay with the organization and cooperate with its members, then presumably committed employees will be prone to accept organizational demands (Kleinbeck, et al, 1990). Employees who are motivated, satisfied with and committed to the organization, are more likely to stay, and thus, increase the survival and success rate of the organization.   Bibliography Books Denton, D. Keith (1992). Recruitment, Retention, and Employee Relations: Field-Tested Strategies for the ’90s. Quorum Books: Westport, CT.   Gellerman, Saul W. (1992). Motivation in the Real World: The Art of Getting Extra Effort from Everyone-Including Yourself. Dutton: New York.    Kleinbeck, U., Quast, H., Thierry, H., Häcker, H. & Forschungsgemeinschaft, D.,eds (1990). Work Motivation.   Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Hillsdale, NJ.    Rethlingshafer, Dorothy (1963). Motivation as Related to Personality. McGraw-Hill: New York.   Journals Cheng, Yuan & Kalleberg, Arne (1996). Employee job performance in Britain and the United States in  Sociology, Vol. 30, Issue 1, pp. 115+. British Sociological Association Publication Ltd.   Lindner, James R. (1998). Understanding Employee Motivation. Extension Journal, Volume 36, Number 3. Also available at:  http://www.joe.org/joe/1998june/rb3.html   Kreps, David M. (1997). Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Incentives. American Economic Review, Vol. 87, Issue 2.   Shah, A., Sterrett, C., Chesser, J., & Wilmore, J. (2001). Meeting the Need for Employee Development in the 21st Century. SAM Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 66, Issue 2,  Page 22. Gale Group: New York.     Internet   Dougan, Cheryl. Employee Motivation is Important! Available at: http://www.feedyouroptimism.com/employeemotivation.html Accessed 14/5/03.   Lee, David (2002). PRIVATEHow to Maximize Employee Performance While Minimizing Employee Stress. Available at http://www.humannatureatwork.com/Workplace-Stress-4.htm Accessed 14/05/03.                 Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

A Related Literature on Research on Employee Motivation

This is the related literature for a research on employee motivation. This paper discusses the definition, theories and forms of motivatio...

MAIN CHALLENGES TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE SINGLE CURRENCY IN EUROPE

MAIN CHALLENGES TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE SINGLE CURRENCY IN EUROPE     INTRODUCTION               Europe houses some of the most affluent and powerful nations in the world. The continent boasts progressive economies that highly influence the process of international trade and investment. The United States serves as both the greatest competitor and ally of Europe in world power with its stable economy and high standard of living. Along with the United States, other powerful and highly developed nations have emerged throughout the years such as Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia that also pose certain threats to the European power. Thus, the numerous states of Europe have always been confronted with the issue of unity if they are to stay as a dominant nation. Kirste (2007) claims that the call for unity was answered by the establishment of the European Union on November 1, 1993 which is an alliance of twenty-seven European states for the purpose of strengthening economic, social and political coordination. The European Union’s policy on unity has also led to the development of a single monetary policy among European nations as a response to the concern on stability of currencies in Europe. The birth of the European Union gives way to the transformation of majority of European Union’s member-nations towards an integrated unit that shares single fiscal, monetary and economic policies to ensure price stability and consistent economic success in the entire European continent. THE MAIN CHALLENGES TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE SINGLE CURRENCY IN EUROPE                 The European Monetary Union (EMU) or Euro has been the official single currency of thirteen members of the European Union which are Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Austria and Finland since January 1, 2002 and has been an important aspect of daily living for 315 million citizens in the euro area (2007).  The Euro is considered as a vital element that would render immense opportunities and gains for Europe. However, anything that brings opportunities can be accompanied by risks and challenges (1999).                (1998) states that the future of Euro has always been in question as bankers and analysts doubt its sustainability. The most salient argument is that some policies governing the single currency do not have any element of security that may result to either uncertainty or lack of appreciation on the part of the participating countries and eventually end in withdrawal of membership from the union which would abolish the single currency system in the end. One very significant challenge confronting the sustainability of the Euro is that the thirteen participating countries have to comply with a single monetary policy advanced by the European Central Bank (ECB) but have to pursue independent fiscal policies on taxation, spending and provision of government debt. This requirement provides certain risks since if in cases that some of the participating countries encounter excessive fiscal deficit, it may result to a boost in the general level of inflation for the rest of the countries adopting the Euro. To counter this occurrence, the European Central Bank’s monetary policy has to implement higher interest rates which may lead to firm objection of some low-deficit countries to shoulder the costs of inflation incurred by countries with high deficits. Since the European Monetary Union does not offer any policy that would enable a member-country to refuse payment for high deficits by a fellow member-country, the low-deficit country has no choice but to share in the costs of the high-deficit country whereas this case is not possible if it has maintained its national currency (). Corollary to the independent fiscal policies administered by the countries adopting the single European currency, the governments of these countries are not guided by solitary mechanisms applying to various government expenditures especially in the aspect of pension and health care for the aging population. Although all member-countries follow the “pay-as-you-go” arrangement, the governments of the thirteen member-countries individually face and overcome financial pressures in the absence of a single policy to follow. The euro area is characterized by a rising number of aging citizens and a declining proportion of the working population. Hence, the member-countries are all suffering from an imbalance wherein contributions of employees for social benefits, health care programs and pension provision do not measure up to the number of aging and retired population who need these benefits. The imbalance forces governments in the euro area to either implement risky reforms such as reduction in social benefits or increase in taxes which eventually affect the people. Less social benefits while paying higher taxes would make the citizens think that the European Monetary Union is more a burden than a benefit because of lack of cushion against economic imbalances ( 2004).               Another inherent challenge in any monetary union that also threatens the long-term success of the Euro is the fact that the single monetary policies of the European Central Bank discourage any mechanisms responding to irregular economic shocks faced by any member countries (1998). First,  (2004) states that the Euro puts an end to flexibility of prices among member-countries as dictated by flexible exchange rates. This characteristic jeopardizes the ability of any member-country to manage its trade relations and its economic activities. For instance, a member-country of the European Monetary Union encounters a drop in overseas demand for its leading export products and goods. The country is obliged to modify its existing external conditions for trade to respond to the problem by adjusting prices of its exports.  Adjustments in prices can be done either by decreasing prices and wages in the prevailing currency or adopting exchange-rate depreciation. In a single currency system wherein a fixed rate arrangement prevails, the country can implement the first option while facing the consequences of depletion of its national monetary resources through a short-term balance-of-payments deficit. This situation would mean that the country using the single European currency has to be ready to suffer temporary economic burdens without intervention from other member-countries and has to be able to develop strategies during this stage (). Secondly, unlike the United States federal tax, the European Union does not have a solid redistributive transfer mechanism wherein tax receipts of developing countries are transferred to countries that have difficulty in fostering economic growth. The freedom of each member-country to formulate and administer its own fiscal policies is part of the purpose of the adoption of the single currency which is fiscal discipline. Fiscal discipline is encouraged in the sense that all member-countries have to independently oversee, manage and control their fiscal activities. No fellow member-country is allowed to intervene in case of economic conflicts. The absence of the redistributive mechanism in the European Monetary Union makes the low-performing member countries highly susceptible to the adverse effects of strict monetary policies. These countries have to get out of economic recessions on their own and are greatly pressured to cope up with those countries that are rapidly growing with the use of the Euro. Therefore, there is a possibility that citizens and officials of these countries would feel that the union does not protect them in times of recession and would result to three possible problems: mounting pressure to develop a new redistribution structure, lack of appreciation for the single currency and withdrawal from the union which would impact the stability of the entire alliance (1998).               Finally, the success of the adoption of the single currency is shadowed by nationalist tendencies of the member countries to protect sovereignty. Each country decided to participate in the union to partake of the social and economic benefits that it promises (1998). However, the prevailing structure of the European Monetary Union does not guarantee equality among participating nations. The overall membership includes heterogeneous nations that have their distinct demographics pertaining to per capita Gross Domestic Product, financial requirements and commitment to unified policies that discourage inflation. The possibility of additional new members into the union increases this threat to sustainability of the single currency. Lack of cohesion in the European Monetary Union entails higher probability of dissatisfaction and loss of interest for some member-countries (2004). When the citizens of these countries perceive that they are not enjoying any of the benefits that the single currency promises, they could encourage the government authorities to withdraw from membership and decide that going independently is a better option (1998).   LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE FOR OTHER REGIONS CONSIDERING ADOPTION OF A SINGLE CURRENCY                 The European experience of a single currency although confronted with challenges, is also marked by numerous benefits. First, the Euro provides practical advantages to Europeans as they do not have to change currencies when they cross borders within the euro area, they can compare prices since the currency applies to the entire euro area, and they can use the Euro in several places outside the euro area since it is an international currency. Secondly, the participating countries can reap the benefits of a single market wherein exchange rate fluctuations and transaction costs are absent, and price transparency, more attractive foreign investment climate and higher competition prevail. Thirdly, the single European currency symbolizes unity among the various states of Europe which drives continuous integration and coordination. Finally, the single currency serves as an important currency in international trade and investment which makes the entire European continent a powerful player in the global economy (2007).                According to  (2004) the European experience with Euro conveys that adoption of a single currency as the culminating process in the pursuit of regional economic convergence does not take overnight to become established and successful. (1998) adds that to ensure that a single currency in Europe or in any other region of the world would be able to fulfill its purpose of fostering economic abundance, member-states that are using the currency should be able to grab the opportunities by promoting flexibility in policy making and strategic reforms in the product and labor markets. Policy makers in the member-countries must be able to understand that a single currency primarily aims for economic growth through fiscal discipline. Each country participating in a single currency union must be able to implement policies and strategies that would encourage price stability and address excessive deficits in order to guarantee that all member-countries would develop in equal pace. There is also a need for a commitment to achieving budgetary positions in a medium term period characterized by proximity to either balance or surplus to ensure that the countries would be able to confront normal irregularities in the business cycle and maintain a deficit in government expenditures lower than three percent of the Gross Domestic Product which is a requirement for sustainability of a single currency union ().(2006) assert that the value of fiscal discipline imbedded in the policies governing the adoption of the Euro communicates that the Europeans are committed to attaining regional integration in a win-win approach wherein each individual member-state of the European Monetary Union is given ample freedom and discretion in managing its fiscal transactions and economic activities while having allies to fall back on in case the country is unable to come up with potent solutions. The single currency serves as a form of discipline for all member-countries so that they would be prudent in harnessing their financial resources, not eternally depend on neighboring states during economic difficulties and contribute to an economically powerful European region.               Generally, there are four significant lessons that can be gleamed from the European experience of monetary cooperation namely the establishment of substantial institutional, legal and political foundations; the goal of achieving higher degree of economic convergence through a  single market; the creation of a regional process of financial market regulation and oversight; and the aim of macroeconomic integration through coordination in the formulation of economic policies and mutual supervision. Firstly, the European concept of monetary union is a prerequisite for political convergence. The different member-countries are forced to establish legal frameworks that alter the arrangement and authorities of various social or economic organizations at the regional level to extend into the boundaries and jurisdictions of other member-states and ensure that the independent policies of each member-country do not counter the goals of the single currency system. The single currency became a basis for the member-states of the European Union to share and pool their resources, economic policies and sovereignty into one solid framework of governance applicable to the entire union. Secondly, the adoption of a single currency is an answer to the pursuit of a single market. This important requirement connotes that member-states of a monetary union like the European Monetary Union should be prepared and willing to eliminate customs and regulatory restrictions, fulfill their obligations as dictated by the European Union Law, accommodate all legally produced and manufactured goods from other member-states, and not veto any legislative proposals from other member-countries. Thirdly, the adoption of Euro as a single currency in Europe encourages decentralized and coordinated surveillance of the financial markets and enhance foreign investment. Each member state is given the autonomy to manage its economic and fiscal affairs consistent with the monetary policies set forth by the European Monetary Union by overseeing local markets and keeping track of developments and trends in the market. The intelligence gathered from local surveillance of various member-states is open for transfer or sharing to other member-states which strengthens the ability of each country to accumulate vital information from the economy that can be made accessible to other countries and improve regional coordination (2002). Furthermore, an integrated surveillance of financial markets makes the region more attractive to foreign investments. Foreign investors would be enticed to enter the market because of lower costs and absence of exchange rates due to the common currency utilized in the market ( 2005). Finally, the European experience of a single currency is a story of consistent coordination and fiscal flexibility in formulating important economic and fiscal policies that in turn render advantages to all member-states. The member-states that decided to adopt the Euro are able to develop certain exchange rate or monetary mechanisms that are parallel to the economic order being pursued by the entire European Union. The mechanisms are very flexible in the sense that they are open to modifications consistent with changes in the broader context of the Union. The key element in establishing and maintaining a sustainable single currency is the ability of countries participating in the endeavor to be thoroughly prepared in giving up some forms of national sovereignty, be able to readily implement adjustments in existing fiscal policies and develop unyielding commitment to a greater regional integration (2004).                             Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

MAIN CHALLENGES TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE SINGLE CURRENCY IN EUROPE

MAIN CHALLENGES TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE SINGLE CURRENCY IN EUROPE INTRODUCTION Europe houses some of the most...

International Business of Global Honda

International Business of Global Honda

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Sample Essay Company Code or Policy on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Harassment means disturbing, abusive or belittling behavior directed to a person or group of persons. Sexual harassment means harassment of a sexual nature, for example, unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favor, or verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual in nature (Mohammed, 2006).            From this definition alone, the action of John towards Peggy would constitute sexual harassment. However, judicial courts might not rule such an incident as sexual harassment. Such an incident that happened to Peggy has more or less happened to many other women in real life. In the same incident where a woman complained that her co-worker repeatedly patted her bottom, the accused was fired from the company. Yet, the court ordered that the man be reinstated to work for the reason that while touching a co-worker’s buttocks is “obscene” and should be punished, firing the perpetrator is too severe because “it is not as serious as sexual harassment.” Such reasoning would confuse one as to what really constitutes sexual harassment.             Hostile-environment sexual harassment is a common form of workplace sexual harassment. A hostile environment may result from the actions of supervisors, coworkers, and third parties (Achampong, 1999). This could be what Peggy believes is happening to her, and would be what every women would definitely believe. However, even if Peggy thinks that this is sexual harassment, court rules have conditions. In establishing a prima facie case of hostile-environment sexual harassment, a plaintiff must show that unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature has affected her terms or conditions of employment, either because it has had an adverse effect on her work performance or created a hostile environment (Achampong, 1999). If I were Peggy, I would have done the same thing. I would have reported the incidence to a higher authority. Even if such an incident does not need to go to a higher court, Mike should have done something to prevent it or talked to John regarding the incident and tell him that it is not right. Herein we see the lack of the company against actions that would constitute sexual harassment. There could be many factors for this, not only the fact that there might not be some formal policy against sexual harassment, but also because Mike is a guy. Employers should spend vast amounts of money and time to educate all levels of employees from managements to part-time employees in the area of equal opportunities, sexual harassment and discrimination. This is to ensure that managers are aware of the implications, and also to communicate to all employees the company stance on discrimination, which would include under it the issue of sexual harassment, and how it can be reported. The company should also set up a code or policy against sexual harassment.  The purpose of this is basically to guide the employer to set up an in-house mechanism that defines, regulates, investigates and penalizes incidents of sexual harassment in the workplace. Although this is not legally binding, the fact remains that this will still remain as a guideline for proper conduct of the employer and the employee in the workplace. If there was such a policy, the incidence of patting of bottoms could have been avoided. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Essay Company Code or Policy on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Harassment means disturbing, abusive or belittling behavior directed to a person or group of persons. Sexual harassment means harassm...

Pfizer Inc, Animal Health Products

Evaluation on Pfizer’s Distribution Strategy   Introduction               The case study presented the prevailing problems experienced by the ranchers in their Calf/Cattle production. The dominant problems encountered by various ranchers in their production of high-quality livestock rooted in the control of meatpackers and the NAFTA agreement with other nations producing and importing livestock to the U.S territory, making the domestic industry crippled under distribution process and high income-driven business.             The situation analyzed in the case study provides us a glimpse of the changing strategies and tactics in the industry to cope with the demands of the time. However, the center stage always boils down to consumers’ needs. This determinant allows the producers of any livestock to adapt effective ways and tactics in order to make it more appealing and highly qualified products.             The presence of commercial imports coming from different countries like Mexico, Canada, and Australia make ranchers develop practical means in order to effectively compete against the import production of the same products. Moreover, the inevitability of such problems which caused the domestic producers of livestock generates low-grade income due to low-quality production medicated by Pfizer’s highly-caliber animal health care products. The highly researched health products of Pfizer provide producers or ranchers solutions to the prevalent problems in livestock industry. This help ranchers or producers compete with the quality of products imported from different countries under NAFTA’s agreement. Pfizer’s Distribution Strategy             Pfizer’s strategic modes in my own evaluation and analysis are both effective and ineffective. The effectiveness of such distribution scheme varied accordingly. In this case study, the researchers outlined Pfizer’s distribution strategy as both effective and ineffective in some extent. Clearly, the indirect distribution of products to the ranchers itself manifests an effective strategy to further improve and generate high sales production. In this sense, Pfizer’s friendly business strategy allows an effective promotion of their animal health care products. The use of intermediaries in selling their products reinforces products quality. Such for instance, veterinarians are used by the company to promote and sell their products in exchange for incentives and great benefits. Analyzed based on thorough research, this strategic plan found out to be effective since ranchers in their emphasis of producing high-quality production of calves/cattle submit to the importance of health care lifestyle of their livestock which lead them to consult with expertise like veterinarians. With this demand, though, veterinarians do not directly sell products yet significant in its promotion.             In this case, because ranchers and producers greatly adhere mostly with veterinarians’ medical expertise are easily persuaded in choosing preferences on health products. The reliance of ranchers and producers to veterinarians’ knowledge effectively promotes Pfizer’s products. However, let us not give chauvinistic calculations about this fact, matter of fact; Pfizer’s inclination to highly-based research programs produces high-quality results.               It should be taken into account the changing environment in the production of various commercial products to be more attractive in the eyes of consumers. Henceforth, improvements in genetics and animal health and nutrition allowed producers/ranchers or owners of livestock production to increase production yields even with fewer head. In this case study, researchers presented the changing of consumers’ preferences and tastes with regards to food and lifestyle. This matter affects much of the livestock production especially the beef production in commercial markets. However, in order to make an effective appeal to consumers, changing of product packages style should be considered. Accordingly, branded products are more attractive to consumers because of the preconditioned assumption of ‘high-quality’.  This situation calls in re-directing the emphasis in producing high-quality products in this case, the health, nutritional, and genetic improvements plays a significant role.             Pfizer’s distribution strategy on the other hand, does not deem to create unhealthy competition against other corporations of the same field. However, the baseline of such unhealthiness competition and ineffectiveness strategic plans is situated on distributors/dealers business schemes. Although the case study only provides a little amount of explanation and exemplification of such scheme, it still concretized something which is important. Distributors/dealers strategic planning shows ineffective strategy of the Pfizer itself, although, offers some trade promotions to vets and distributors however, the ineffectiveness rested on competitors’ offers of much more significant discounts which resulted to distributors’ profiteering. Since, much profit is acquired from Pfizer’s competitors’ of the same product, distributors always falls down into this scheme, and make Pfizer’s strategy ineffective.                  What remedy can we prescribe out of this scheme is that to program and formulate new strategic plans in which no fatal compromises will affect the productions of goods. The solution can only be identified out of thorough research and understanding of the cases. The ineffectiveness resulted from Pfizer’s trust to distributors’ management scheme without knowledge of any infidelity just to gain more profit. Pfizer should look into this account and formulate better solution to remedy such cases, moreover, to take risk of providing attractive benefits, incentives, and promotions to distributors to avoid fatal injury in their market production.   Conclusion             This evaluation is based on the given case study about Pfizer’s distribution strategy amidst the prevailing problems in the domestic production of livestock. Pfizer’s promotions of animal health care products give domestic producers chances to compete with imported producers on the level of quality control. Although, Pfizer’s medical products are more effective compared to other competitors, the ineffective distribution strategy tempered its rapid increase of profit or income and its production due to distributors/dealers business schemes. Nevertheless, if and when this global corporation will look deeply into this case, it will eventually medicate and prevent fatal injury on their production of goods.      Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Pfizer Inc, Animal Health Products

Evaluation on Pfizer’s Distribution Strategy Introduction The case study presented the prevailing problems experience...

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE

Sample the State of Human Rights in the word Essay

Chapter 1 Problem and its Background   I.                   Introduction The state of human rights in the world is among the most heated and possibly the most recurring debates in nowadays. International policies held by individual states and even regional blocs have taken several amendments and developments in order to acquire a more universally acceptable laws pertaining to human rights. An area that has been incessantly present in human rights discourses is its implementation in Middle Eastern countries. Atrocities and other dreadful acts of human rights violations have been noted in news articles. Countless articles and studies have been published seeking to address this issue. The international community has also taken the initiative to deal with this problem by conducting dialogues and meetings with these countries. However, up until now, actual development has yet to be seen. In the recent reports of NGOs, like the Human Rights Watch, indicates that the situations seem to have actually turned to a far worse scenario. This study intends to analyse this situation by looking into the conditions prevailing in a particular country similarly known for its indiscretions on its policies pertaining to human rights, Iran. The following discussions in this chapter will provide the framework of the study.   II.                Background of the Topic Middle Eastern countries, specifically Islamic ones, have been under the watchful eyes of international organisations especially on their violations of international human rights laws. Iran is not exempt on this scrutiny. Early reports dating back at over two decades ago validates that the country do implement acts which is considered internationally as violations of human rights. (UN Chronicle, 1985, 46) In these reports, it is noted that civil liberties like “right to life, the right to freedom from torture or cruel; inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the right to liberty and security of person and to freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention; the right to a fair trial; the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to freedom of expression; and the right of religious minorities to profess and practise their own religion” are among the alleged violations of the country. It is important to note that these allegations were over two decades old. After this span of period, it appears that the same allegations are still in the lists of “supposed” human right violations of Iran. Recently, a recent report of the Human Rights Watch (2006), they indicated that the “respect of human rights” in the country of Iran has significantly spiralled down since its 2005 analysis. This only shows that the same “supposed” human right violations of Iran accused of them over twenty years ago seems to exist even at the present day. With this phenomenon, questions on the reason why Iran shows signs of being pathologically incapable of adhering to international human rights laws tend to recur in recent studies on the subject. Answers are consistently being sought to help stop the said country in any more violations and even reform its policies towards conforming to these international standards. To illustrate, there have been studies that indicated the inappropriate fit between the religion of Islam and civil liberties. These studies claim that the religion in the state has been one of the main reasons for human right violations. (Monshipouri, 1998, 198) Other studies have noted that the existing foreign policies are the cause of the supposed violations of Iran. (Forsythe, 2000, 212) They even claim that in the perspective of Iran, the regime covering the area of human rights is a mere component of a hegemonic attempt of countries like the United States and other influential nations. In any case, Iran is now on the political lime light not only because of its supposed human right violations. To some extent, these issues on human rights, though recurring as indicated earlier, tend to become a component of a more complicated international issue, nuclear proliferation. Apparently, Iran has been among the few countries that have turned to nuclear generation to deal with its issues in energy. (Sashimi, 2005, 42) An appended issue on having a nuclear program is the possibility of development of nuclear weaponry. (Chloe, 2006, 38) This posed to be a significant issue in the international community as Iran’s nuclear program is up and running. To a certain extent, there may well be a good reason for this apprehension from the international community since Iran was formerly known as a haven of terrorist groups several decades ago. (Forsythe, 2000, 212) Recent studies have highlighted the threat of a nuclear-powered Iran against defenceless countries in conflict with the said state (i.e. Israel) Thus, the international community is giving an enormous amount of consideration on Iran’s case, along with the issues on the nuclear programme, the concerns of human rights violations in the country has also been noticed.   III.              Aim and Objectives of the Study Human rights laws are plainly defined as “the way a state treats those within its domain.” (Crone, 2006, 1447) This is the operational definition of human rights law that will be used in this thesis. Basically, the law covers the conduct of states. Other studies have indicated that human rights laws tend to have an effect on international peace. Specifically, the violation of these laws tends to compromise the continuing existence of international peace as the most recent humanitarian interventions made by the international community have, one way or another, elements of human rights violation as a part of its justifications. (Aikman, 1999, 23) In the study of Goodman and Jinks (2004, 621), they noted that there are a couple of factors that makes the implementation of an international regime pertaining human rights laws rather complicated. First, they noted that “human rights norms are not self-enforcing.” (p 621) This means that the laws present in the existing international regime tends to show signs of lack of direct interest in implementing these rules with other states. This is reinforced by the second issue noted by Goodman and Jinks (2004, 621) indicating that “good faith” states that adopts these laws tend to veer away from making other countries follow or at least be disciplined if they are found to violate these existing international regimes.   The discussions above establish the fact that violations of human rights laws do have some adverse effect in international peace. However, it appears that the implementation of these laws tend to be voluntary which means that the international community could only do so much in monitoring the conduct of states towards the people in their borders. Following this line of reasoning, there is an ominous implication that human rights violations will never be stamped out. Given these issues, it is the intention of this study thus to accomplish the following aims and objectives:   ·        Establish the reasons why the international community has not been very successful in persuading Iran to protect human rights; It would be interesting to see the methods and attempts made by the international community in encouraging Iran to adhere to human rights laws. Specifically, international bodies like the United Nations, European Union, and influential nations like the United States have distinctive approaches in forwarding their attempt to make the Iranian government deal with the human atrocities within their borders.   ·        Provide justifications for the international community in conducting humanitarian interventions in sovereign states like Iran; and Studies and arguments pertaining to the right of international organisations and other nations to intervene with the business of Iran will be noted. Specifically, issues on sovereignty and rights of humanitarian intervention will be addressed to realise this objective of the dissertation. To do this, reference with scholarly and academic journals discussing the matter will be consulted along with the interpretation of international laws pertinent to this types of situations.     ·        Provide possible recommendations in dealing with these issues of human rights violations. The fulfilment of this objective requires the researcher to provide an in-depth analysis of the primary and secondary data acquired for this thesis. The interviews as well as the analysis of the existing literature on international law, human rights, and humanitarian interventions will be the core element in realising this objective. In essence, these recommendations will constitute the major findings and serve as the foundations of the conclusion of this thesis.   IV.Plan of the Study The study will provide a qualitative analysis of the implementation of human rights law in the Iranian situation. The thesis will be divided into five chapters to provide a clear presentation of the topic. The first chapter will serve as the introductory part of the thesis. It is in this chapter that the foundations of the study are established. The statement of the problem, the discussion of the background as well as the significance of the findings of the study will be provided in this part of the thesis. It is also in this part of the thesis that the scope and perceived limitations of the study is going to be discussed. The second chapter will provide the review of the existing literature on the topic. Basically, the discussions will be covering the situation in Iran, particularly the local and international implications of Iran’s stand in the whole human rights issue. The chapter is divided into three major parts. The first part will cover the laws and legal foundations on which Iran’s encounter with the issues on human rights are based. The second part will cover the supposed violations in the civil liberties in the state. In this part of the chapter, reports on the supposed violations will be indicated separately by specific civil liberty. The third part of the chapter will be looking into the reactions of the international community on Iran. Specific connections will be made with the state’s nuclear programme and supposed violations of human rights. The end of the chapter will constitute a synthesis of the entire discussions made within the three parts. This synthesis will also be used as a foundation on the interpretations of the data acquired from the respondents in this study.             The third chapter of this thesis will discuss the methodology employed as well as the procedures taken in this paper. Basically, the chapter will include the description of the models used, the respondents, the tools used, and the ethical considerations that the researcher has to deal with in acquiring the data needed in this study. The fourth chapter will cover the interpretation of the data acquired from the interviews conducted by the researcher. Tables, figures, and charts will also be used to show summaries of the collected data to facilitate the interpretation based on the discussions made in the second chapter of the thesis. Moreover, the chapter will also be taking statistics from international organisations to support the claims, observations, and arguments made by the researcher on this chapter. The findings on this chapter will be the basis of the conclusion and the recommendations of the paper. The final chapter will cover the conclusions and recommendations made by the researcher. These are based on the discussions and summary of the major points and arguments made in this study.       V.               Rationale of the Study This paper is composed of a couple of rationales. The first one is the age-old conflict between the Islamic-Middle East and the principles of the West. Superficially, this rationale is seen in plain religious undertones, however, the issue is more complex as it seems. In relation to the main topic of this paper, which is human rights, there has been a rather wide range of rhetoric pertaining to the relationship of the religion of Islam and democracy. With these studies come the prevailing issues on Islamic countries and the perceived violations of the international standards of human rights law. Contradictions on the principles of Islam and democracy has bee discussed lavishly in articles of international politics. (Terabit, 1992, 49) This poses a problem in the case of Iran given that majority of the elements of human rights law are based on democratic principles whereas Iran is operates under a theocratic rule (Islamic Republic). (1994, 33) The second rationale is based on the recent trend in foreign policies relating to Middle Eastern countries. Basically, this is the major outcome of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Western policies pertaining to its relationship with the Middle East turned to an unpleasant turn. The focus of western countries, particularly the United States, has shifted towards the Middle East because of the issue of terrorism. As noted in the earlier part of this chapter, Iran was considered before as a have for terrorist groups. It is no surprise the leaders of the “free world” takes careful check on the affairs of countries like Iran. This situation is also compounded by the fact that Iran has a fully functional nuclear programme. Regardless of any other considerations or perspectives, common sense will always say that the combination of “nuclear” and “terrorism” always spell dreadful fortune. This notion alone will make any country consider averting or at least place considerable attention on any other state that minutely has the possibility of harbouring these two. Unfortunately for Iran, they fit the bill. It is for this reason that they are in the close scrutiny of the international community.       Insignificance of the Study There are already a considerable number of studies regarding Middle Eastern Islamic countries and human rights. The findings of this study will similarly be a welcome contribution to the existing data on that subject. Moreover, a closer look and a detailed account on the case of Iran will be provided, which is basically timely as the country is currently under public scrutiny. In the same regard, the data used in this study will be coming first hand from people who actually experienced the conditions in Iran. This will provide the reader with the perspective of an individual who encountered the prevailing conditions present in the said state. In addition, the study may also be an important part of the existing literature on the topic. It could serve as an impetus for other academics to push through with further investigations on this topic. In the same way, the learners and students of international law and human rights legislation will also benefit on the findings of this study.             VII.          Scope and Limitations The discussion on this thesis will be based on the rationale as well as the aims and objectives indicated in this chapter. Moreover, the responses of the respondents as well as the existing literature will serve as the primary and secondary sources of data which will then be interpreted and analysed by the researcher. However, this study has some limitations. Given the chosen mode of data acquisition, the findings will be based highly on the perspective of the respondents in the conditions in Iran. Thus, it is the responsibility of the researcher to regard each of the responses dutifully in relation to the existing literature. In the same regard, the use of qualitative form of research could open the interpretation of data to a considerable level of researcher bias. To prevent this, the researcher has to constantly check with the rationale and aims of this paper so that the interpretations would remain objective and impartial.     Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample the State of Human Rights in the word Essay

Chapter 1 Problem and its Background I. Introduction The state of human rights in the world is among...

Term Paper on the Concept and Definition of Visual Impairment

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT         Visual impairment is a disease in vision and partial sight that may lead to blindness. It is an abnormal visual behavior that affects people to demonstrate a decrease in visual acuity. There are many factors that may affect a person from having this kind of visual abnormality sometimes a person may be genetically born to have such visual impairment.       A person who has been born with this kind of visual acuity may also be physically weak in mobility and intellectual capacity when they grow up therefore they are definitely required for an extensive medical attention as early as possible to be able to apply an immediate cure to their vision. Sometimes inborn vision impairment may not be cured at all by any medical surgery because of complication or it may vary from different type of severity and therefore medical operation may be crucial to the extent of total blindness or complication that may lead to death.       Most of the times less severe visual impairment can simply be cured by using an eye glasses or contact lenses. There are different types of visual impairment according to level of severity; firstly is the partially sighted person who can see but with less vision, they can sometimes depend on their own to mobilize and grasp things independently but may require a special assistance when reading because of small details that they may not easily identify while reading. Second is the low vision individual which suffers a more serious visual problems than a partially sighted person, they may need a Braille system when reading although there is a slight visual transparency in their vision when nearer. Next is the legally blind person who cannot see things clearly near or far but just a reflection or abstract images. Lastly is the totally blind person who has no vision all. This kind of blindness is usually incurable and may require a Braille system to understand and read objects.       One eye blindness is another form of visual impurities that can create an imbalance and abnormal vision to a person who suffered from this kind of abnormalities but nevertheless they can still be as normal in conceptual framework of development such as learning and reading.  Conceptually a person may also suffered from deaf blindness or an umbrella effect that may cause a person to be deaf and blind at the same time children and adult alike can be susceptible with this visual disease depending on their progression or experiences. It can also be inborn or hereditary.       Basically a person with this kind of visual imperfection may be need to a thorough attention in learning from various institutions and schools for the blind so that they can be given a special treatment and gradually assess their consistency in learning. Their performance in school may or may not be like of those ordinary students depending on their physical and spiritual capacity and interest to learn but basically it is an understandable behavior that visually impaired students are expected to learn slowly because of their situation. Braille system and cane stick has been very helpful in their learning capability that should always be available on their side in school or even at home if possible.         A person with a regular 20/20 vision can also be affected in this kind of disease accordingly and there are many reasons why people can suffer from this impairment. ·         Infection from bacteria can cause visual impurities, especially from busy streets and construction sites where there are dangers in visual suffocation. ·         Dust, moisture and any other harmful chemicals and objects that are large enough to enter into our eyes can ruin our vision. ·         Cataracts that shows a cloudy vision due to overuse of vision. This condition can be surgically treated with the use of eye glasses and or contact lenses. ·         Amblyopia which is caused by misaligned eyes that causes the brain to interpret images in unlikely manners. ·         Macular degeneration of retina, a part of the eye that weakens its condition that usually occurs because of aging, vices like smoking and over exposure to sunlight.       Ophthalmology and other medical professionals that is concerned in eye care should be sought if a person experience any of the above visual impurities so that they can be given professional attention and treatment that is legally applicable to their conditions and can manifest cure rather than neglect or self medication that is basically dangerous. A person who self medicate can put themselves in a more dangerous condition when not properly guided by applicable treatment.          Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Term Paper on the Concept and Definition of Visual Impairment

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT Visual impairment is a disease in vision and partial sight that may lead to blindness. It is an abnormal visua...

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED PARALEGALS

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED PARALEGALS

World Indigo

Key Decisions and Issues 1. Key industry to focus on – airlines, ferries or both 2. Which geographical market to enter and when   Key Tradeoffs of the Alternative Approaches Airline Market World Indigo chose to focus their attention on the short-haul airlines because of the following reasons: 1. Bigger market for the company’s CG 101 Communication Gateway 2. More revenue 3. Provides future opportunities for the company 4. Short-haul airlines market was a global market 5. Minimal competition with giant companies like Boeing and Airbus One of the challenges that the company faced was the varying government regulations of the airline and wireless industries. World Indigo had difficulties in getting FAA certifications for them to install their CG-101 nanocell in aircrafts. The new guidelines and policies of the FAA are expected to benefit World Indigo in the future. In Singapore, the company was able to acquire support from the Civil Aviation of Singapore, which signed a bilateral agreement with the United States. Ferry Market The ferry market was considered by the company because it is less restrictive. However, the ferry market is smaller compared to the airline market. The ferry market segment in Europe and Asia is promising for World Indigo. The potential competitors of the company are presently focusing on the cruise ship market but they can also target the ferry market as well. The ferry industry is another possible opportunity for the company. Global Operations The company had operations in the United States and Russia. Singapore was chosen because it is the center of knowledge-based economy is Asia. The environment and government support in Singapore is beneficial for World Indigo. Singapore was also chosen as a springboard for the company to reach other Asian markets. However, the company is also challenged in terms of different government regulations, industry players, and business styles in the airlines and wireless industries. Another challenge is the aircraft manufacturing big players’ plans to implement their own systems for mobile phone access aboard their aircraft. Competition The company faces stiff competition from big companies like Boeing and Airbus. Although these companies’ efforts are currently focused on long-haul flights, there is a possibility that they will soon be looking at the short-haul flights market. In addition, the company is also being challenged by small start-ups like Starling Advanced Communication. Partners The company is forming partnerships with different companies. Decision Time One of the most pressing issues that the company is facing is the global expansion strategy. The company needs to decide which industry and geographical markets to enter. The company’s strategy to focus on short-haul flights market avoided direct clash with Boeing and Airbus. However, these giant companies’ success in long-haul flights market poses potential threat for World Indigo. In addition, the company has limited resources that must be put to a more strategic, stable, and well-planned project.   Recommendation World Indigo faces different challenges in the short-haul flights market. These challenges include varying government regulations, difficulty in obtaining FAA certifications, and stiff competitions both from big and small companies. The ferry industry offers opportunities for the company. The ferry industry is smaller compared to the airlines industry but one advantage is the industry’s minimal restrictions. In addition, there is also a promising opportunity for the company in the ferry industry. Operators and ferry companies show interest about World Indigo’s services. It is more advantageous for World Indigo to focus first on the ferry industry because of the minimal competition and restrictions. The ferry industry is a promising market and World Indigo could establish its presence in a faster and stable way. The company should focus their attention on the different promising markets in the ferry industry. Focusing on the ferry industry could provide the means for World Indigo to become established and generate positive cash flow while negotiating in the more complex airline market. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

World Indigo

Key Decisions and Issues 1. Key industry to focus on – airlines, ferries or both 2. Which geographical market to enter and when ...

Issues in Early Intervention: Children 0 – 8

Issues in Early Intervention: Children 0 – 8   Learning is still considered as one of the most popular subjects or issues regarding the development of individual, particularly about children development. This is because of the fact that there are different factors that are being considered in learning process of children, particularly the relationship of a child to his or her environment, the society and even the individuals that are connected to his or her learning process such as his or her parents, teachers and even peers. The case of Liz who cared for 15 children for 2 to 4 years of age shows different events and situations that shows the different principles and theories that are connected with children’ learning and development. Liz believes that early childhood education is considered as early childhood education is considered as a vital stage for the children. Just like what John Locke stated, children are born as a blank slate or known as tabula rasa, which states that children learns from their experiences, activities and sensations rather than the inborn traits. Thus, early education is important, and it is vital for schools to focus on the interest of the children. Therefore, it can be said that children’s learning and development is being affected largely by the environment, particularly with those individuals that are directly connected to the learning process of children, especially their parents. As a result, although it is important to developed school experiences that are based on the interests of the students, it is vital to focused on the fact that learning dos not only occur simply via the initiatives of the children, together with their exploratory behaviors, because there is a big chance that their learning process will lead to no directions at all. Just like what Liz believe, it is vital for develop a program that will be based or centered towards the students.     Therefore, children needs guidance from adults, whereas, teachers need to construct object lessons in order to balance the self-guided experience of the students.  Consequently, as what the Father of Kindergarten, Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel (1782 – 1852) introduced, the main role of the teacher must focus on helping the children learn if and only if the children are ready to learn because children is like a flower that blooms from a bud, they would grow with accordance to their own natural laws of development. This can be observed on the commentary being done by Liz towards the actions of the children. Aside from that, Liz is also participating in any activities that she conducted inside the classroom. In addition, aside from regular participation with the children, Liz tends to interrupt her own activities in order to acknowledge the creation and efforts of the children. Play is considered as the natural activity for children, thus based on the theories given above, it is vital for teachers to focus on developing learning objects that will let them perceived that they are just playing, which will help to bring out the best in them. Knowledge can be transmitted by using different symbols; therefore, it is vital to devised different teaching materials that will help the students to play, at the same time enables them to learn new things. It is also important to consider the fact that children are known for being curious, thus, it is important for teachers to use this curiosity in order to drive learning and enjoyment for children. As what John Dewey stated, it is important to focus on the fact that learning happens through real-life experiences and education is the process for living.  Play was included in the natural impulses of the children rather than in the need to manipulate the materials in order to teach the children regarding their symbols. This theory focuses on the observations that children are spontaneous regarding their interests, thus teachers must take advantage of this situation and build up learning. Due to that, curriculum cannot be done in advance, because what to be taught will be based on the children’s perspectives and interests. This can be seen on the programmes that are being implemented by Liz, it starts with the different designs and concepts that were planted in the classroom. As a result, the children inside the classroom have been able to learn new things by their own. Aside from that, this kind of classroom scenario enables the children to be more aware of the environment and use their curiosity in order to learn new things. On the other hand, Liz is always there in order to answer the queries by the children. This is connected to the theory of Maria Montessori (1970 – 1952), where she believed that education during the early years is considered as critical to the later development of a child, thus, those children who have passed in the sensitive periods, or those development stages where in children, shows strong curiosity which made them learn more easy. Liz had been able to smoothen the learning process of the children, by creating an orderly or already prepared environment that includes special tasks and materials. In addition, Liz also implemented educational programs that will focus on three growth periods including practical life experiences, sensory education and academic education. In order to use the curiosity of the children towards learning, it is vital to create an environment that will interests the children, particularly installing attractive and child-size materials, together with different tools and furniture that can be moved. Particularly, Liz focuses on inculcating knowledge towards the students including the proper way of communicating with their peers, academic aspects including symbols and the way of maintaining hygiene. This can help the children to feed their curiosity, because according to Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980), development is a continuous process which is the result of maturation and relations between the children and the social environment. This theory is supported by Lev Semenovich Vygotsky (1896 – 1934), that the development and learning process of children is being affected by their social as well as cultural worlds, together with the individuals that are directly connected with the learning process including their parents, teachers and classmates or peers. Children are more likely to complete a given task with the help from their teacher as well as their peers in a supportive environment because it motivates the children to socialize.   References   Corbett, J., & Slee, R. (2000). An international conversation on inclusive education. In F. Armstrong, D. Armstrong, & L. Barton (Eds.), Inclusive education : policy contexts and comparative perspectives (pp. 133-146). London: D Fulton Publishers. Keogh, B. K., Gallimore, R., & Weisner, T. (1997). A sociocultural perspective on learning and learning disabilities. [Electronic version]. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 12 (2), 107-112. Garguilo, R. M., & Kilgo, J. (1999). Foundations of early childhood special education. In E. O’Connor-Traylor, S. Nelson, M. Riveglia, & A. Tucker (Eds.), Young children with special needs(pp. 3-24). USA: Delmar.    Shonkoff, J & Meisels, S 2000, Handbook of early childhood intervention, Cambridge University Press Smith, P. (1999). Drawing new maps : a radical cartography of developmental disabilities. Review ofEducational Research, 69 (2), 117-144. from http://ezproxy.usq.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543069002117. Wien, C. A. (1995). An image of developmentally appropriate practice. In Developmentally appropriate practice in real life : stories of teacher practical knowledge (pp. 76-94). New York: Teachers College Press.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Issues in Early Intervention: Children 0 – 8

Issues in Early Intervention: Children 0 – 8 Learning is still considered as one of the most popular subjects or issues regarding the...