Tuesday, December 31, 2019

North India And The Ganges Voyage - 1101 Words

North India The Ganges Voyage Why this trip? Envision the unusual chance to experience India s most prominent highlights and journey by the relentless Ganges River in this extraordinary adventure tour package. The tour covers the vivacious surge of Delhi, the peacefulness of the Taj Mahal, the character of provincial towns, and the real tranquility of cruising the waterway from sanctuary to palaces. This unique trip on water and land will make you need to come back to the magnificence of India again and again. Itinerary Day 1 Delhi Arrive in Delhi, Arrival meet and greet with tour our tour representative. Transfer to Hotel (check-in timing is 12 noon). Relax till evening than enjoy the city. Transport: Women on Wheels Transfer (1.00-1.50 hours) Day 2 Delhi/Agra Stroll by the backstreets of Delhi through a guided walking tour with our assisted by our young tour representative, supporting New Delhi Street kids Project. Later, investigate Old Delhi with your tour representative before an evening. Transfer to Agra. Transport: Private Vehicle (3.00-4.00 hours, 200km) Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Agra On reaching Agra explore the walled city, including the internationally renowned Taj Mahal, Baby Taj, and Agra Fort. Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Agra/Jaipur Drive to Jaipur, going by the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri in which three palaces are built by Emperor Akbar for his three wives from three different religions. This is a UNESCO world heritageShow MoreRelatedEnglish As A Global Language2096 Words   |  9 Pages2011). This is a number that now seems minuscule compared to the 1.5 billion people who speak English today (Statista, 2016). English in America In 1584, the first English ship landed in America in a quest to colonise the new world, however, this voyage was sadly unsuccessful (Crystal, 2003). After several attempts, the first successful permanent colony to be founded in America landed in 1607 at the Chesapeake Bay and by 1732 there were 13 British colonies (McIntyre, 2009). Throughout the rest ofRead MoreAlexander the Great Essay13163 Words   |  53 Pageshis father King Philip the best military formation of the time, the Macedonian Phalanx, armed with sarisses - the fearful five and half meter long lances. He was the first great conqueror who reached Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Asia up to western India. He is famous for having created the ethnic fusion of the Macedonians and the Persians. From victory to victory, from triumph to triumph, Alexander created an empire which brought him eternal glory. He brought Greek ideas, culture and life style toRead MoreSwami Vivekananda14669 Words   |  59 PagesRamakrishna | | 1.3 Wanderings in India | | 1.4 In the west | | 1.5 Back in India | | 1.6 Death | | | 2 Principles and Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda | | 3 Works of Swami Vivekananda | | 4 Interaction with contemporary giants | | 5 Quotes of Swami Vivekananda | | 6 Trivia avout Swami Vivekananda | | 7 Recommended Reading | | Biography of Swami Vivekananda Birth and Early life Narendranath Dutta was born in Shimla Pally, Kolkata, West Bengal, India on 12 January 1863 as the sonRead MoreIndian English Novel17483 Words   |  70 Pagesliterature in India witnessed a revolution against the idiom which the colonial writers followed. Gradually the Indian English authors began employing the techniques of hybrid language, magic realism peppered with native themes. Thus from a post colonial era Indian literature ushered into the modern and then the post-modern era. The saga of the Indian English novel therefore stands as the tale of Changing tradition, the story of a changing India. The stories were there already in India steeped in folkloresRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesAmerican History. Revised and Expanded Edition E SSAYS ON _ T WENTIETH- C ENTURY H ISTORY Edited by Michael Adas for the American Historical Association TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS PHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by

Monday, December 23, 2019

Will the Use of iPads Enhance Reading in Middle School...

Every year paraprofessionals attend pre-services, teacher training, and professional development seminars - where staff continues to learn how to identify and accommodate for differences in learning styles and disabilities in their teaching strategies. Schools that provide for Special Education need these collaborative skills to properly serve the daily instruction for individuals with disabilities in inclusive class setting in conjunction with support staff and clinical specialists. Technologically enhanced curricula are appearing in schools across the nation that scaffolds the methods of interaction and content retention for students with learning disabilities. Some of these students may have multiple disabilities and motor/ sensory disabilities where a flexible design is adapted based upon neurological research along with universal principles. Through research, evidence based multimedia lessons plans can be used in the classroom to engage students who struggle in school. The iPad is a learning hub. The value far outweighs the cost by providing multiple uses for research, brainstorming, creation, and organizing information and reflects information in several formats. The advantages of incorporating the iPad in the classroom include; the use of the speech to text feature where students can speak into the device with its built in microphone to take notes for a class. In addition, the class environment changes all together with the use of an iPad because teachers canShow MoreRelatedAssistive Technology And Instructional Technology1551 Words   |  7 Pageshow they can both beneficial to student with disabilities. To understand Assistive technology (A.T.), we first should defined it. Assistive technology is defined as, as any gadget/equipment for and exceptional individual that helps to counter-balance their specific disability(s). (Stanberry Raskind, 2009, para.4) In clearer terms A.T. is any device that is used to help someone with a disability complete daily tasks. The devices enable children with disabilities to function more independentlyRead MoreThe Impact Of Technology On College Students Learning And Thinking3255 Words   |  14 Pages Contribution of Technology in College Students’ Learning and Thinking Farwa Javed City College of New York December 11, 2014 Professor Deidre Anglin Abstract: Many researches have been done to determine the positive and negative effects of technology in a person’s live in this Information age. This particular study was performed to find out the contribution of technology on a college student’s learning and thinking. The purpose of the study was to determineRead MoreTechnology And Technology1684 Words   |  7 Pagestechnology in the learning field has expanded as well. The use of technology in education has provided students and teachers with almost an unlimited number of options for learning in and out of the classroom. The advancement of technology in recent years has enhanced teacher’s ability to be innovative in their instructional methods, by allowing students and teachers to utilize new interactive games and apps, using the internet as a teaching tool, and by creating new ways to learn. Learning in classroomsRead MoreA Study On The Field Experience1349 Words   |  6 Pagesnot need glasses, hearing aids, wheelchair, braces, or other any other type of adaptive accommodations. The student is known to be Hispanic, because the author asked the student’s teacher for the student’s ethnic demographics. On most days, the child came to class unless they had a doctor’s visit. The child seemed to never be absent otherwise. The student seemed to appear clean. This student was however a 1st grade boy and did have trouble keeping his hands and finger nails clean. On most occasionsRead MoreHow Do The Internet Impact Children?1961 Words   |  8 Pagesways. Some children do have the potential of learning by having the access to all sorts of information, they use the Internet constructively and for positive educational uses, but many unfortunately don’t get good things from it or used the internet for things they aren’t suppose to be doing. Inte rnet has its risks and benefits. Some benefits are; education is being teach differently, kids are improving cognitive abilities, increasing interest in reading, improving writing ability, improving socialRead MoreJsdgflka3918 Words   |  16 Pagesexpose students to social experiences that in some cases are shared in diverse parts of the world and in other cases are culturally specific. Students need to consider, moreover, how these experiences are expressed through the imaginative prisms of cinema and literature. What are some of the resources that films employ to which textually-based literatures do not have access and vice versa? â€Å"International Cultures: Film and Literature† is both a literature course and a film course, so students mustRead MoreThe Benefits of Progress Monitoring and Assessment on Pupil Performance16691 Words   |  67 Pagesthat are designed to track the progress of pupils of different age groups. The major emphasis is laid on how it affects the kids and their academic performance. The benefit of these programs is also highlighted in this paper encouraging their use in schools worldwide. The definitions and terms used in pupil performance and their tracking have been adequately explained. Stress is laid on the advantages and disadvantages of tracking pupils as well. Programs like SIMS and Primary Essence are describedRead MoreJoyful Noise : Poems For Two Voices, Mayflies P. 15414 Words   |  22 Pages A. High-Quality Children’s Book promote cross-curricular learning 1. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, Mayflies p. 8, by Paul Fleischman’s Newbery Medal winner. Poetry encourages reading and the development of oral language. Writing poems provide techniques in writing, and enrich experiences across the curriculum. (Poetry) 2. Wake Up, It’s Spring! By Lisa Campbell Ernst (fiction) Scholastic Award 3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, winnerRead MoreE T Level 4 CERT PORTFOLIO Anon27074 Words   |  109 Pages27: Teaching in a Specialist Area Unit reference number: J/505/1096 Unit 1: Understanding Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Education and Training Unit reference number: H/505/0053 RPL Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Evidence Page PTLLS certificate†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.1, 2 Level 2 Literacy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Level 2 Numeracy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 Unit 3: Delivering EducationRead MoreApple, Inc Strategic Audit8435 Words   |  34 Pagesnetworking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The company s portfolio of offerings comprises Mac computing systems, iPods line of portable digital music and video players, iPhone handsets and iPad portable multimedia and computing devices (8). Apple was the first to use a 3.5 disk and first graphic based interface to be sold to customers. This strategic audit of Apple analyses the company’s strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. To determine that research had to

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Brzonkala Vs Crawford Morrison Free Essays

The case is between a freshman in Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Christy Brzonkala, and the respective Institute as well as two members of the football team; Antonio Morrison and James Crawford. The case citation is 132 F.3d 949 (4th Cir. We will write a custom essay sample on Brzonkala Vs Crawford Morrison or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1997). This means it was held in 1997 June and the final decision was made on 23rd December 1997 (Leagle Incoporations, 2017). The events which occurred in 1994 are attributed to the case presentation. The plaintiff Christy Brzonkala accused two members of Virginia Institute football team Antonio Morrison and James Crawford of gang rape. According to an in-depth case file in Justia, Christy claims that both suspects raped her upon their meeting during an evening. Christy was in the company of her female friend. Morrison is also claimed to have raped Christy when they were left in Christy’s room alone despite her saying no to his request of having carnal knowledge with her. The two footballers repeatedly raped her without the use of protection. Another accusation falls on the institute with the plaintiff claiming no action was taken when she reported the matter to the authority. Prior to that, the rape had affected Christy’s behavior to the point she was prescribed anti-depressants medicines and she dropped out of school due to the trauma she received. The assailants she claims also threatened her. Out of the two assailants, only one; Morrison was found guilty after confirmation from his friend Crawford. Crawford was not charged. Issues The following issue can be linked to the case: Whether it was fair to inform Christy later on not involving previous testimonies in her statement during the second hearing. Whether the school was leaning on one side to protect its name; allowing Morrison access to first hearing tape but denying Christy access. Whether it is true Virginia Tech’s choice of providing simple punishment was violating title IX of 1972 and the rape occurrence violated Title III; violence against women act. Which legal steps would be taken on the hostile environment claim which was provided under Title IX? Did the plaintiff’s complaint meet the legal standards as stated in Title IX? The plaintiff had to prove four points under both Title VII and Title IX. For Title VII, Christy had to prove she was harassed and she was against it, the harassment situation had an impact on her environment and she had a reason to accuse the school. For Title IX, Christy had to prove she is part of a protected group and she faced harassment, the basis of the assailants was based on her sex and the occurrence had an impact to her school environment. Ruling The first ruling was that of the District court which blew off Christy’s case on the basis that there was no authority to enact the constitutional section 13981 by the Congress. The same decision was later made by the court of appeal. After several considerations, the decision of the court of appeal was affirmed based on the theory which related to the amendment of gun-free zone act which required people to abstain from possessing a gun 1000 meters around any school. The reasons also point at the federal system setting which required justice of Christy to be passed by the Commonwealth of Virginia (Jerome, 1996). The other reason why Virginia Tech was pardoned and Christy’s case dismissed is because the institute is said not to have made any remarks or acted in a way which displayed discrimination against Christy as a female. According to the Justia case recording, the school did not know of Christy’s predicament until the first hearing and under Seamons 84.f3d at 1232 proceeding, an employer is only liable if he/she knew of the predicament of the assaulted individual (Legal Information Institute, 2000). The convincing reasoning of the institute is that most of the rape victims do not report an assault and when some come out to speak, they do so by pressing charges against the assailant and not the school. Morrison is also found to have returned to school for the other semesters despite the accusations and earlier suspension by the school’s dean. The district court in their dismissal of the case stated that Morrison’s suspension was excessive (Jerome, 1996). Part two Q1: Why the reasoning of particular parties is more persuasive. The minority, in this case, I find it to be Christy Brzonkala who is the plaintiff in the matter. I would support the Congress on the district court’s dismissal of Christy’s case. Using congressional authority excuse to dismiss a gang rape case is unconstitutional. The facts presented before the court state that the assailants; Crawford and Morrison raped Brzonkala thrice before making hateful remarks like ‘I hope you don’t have diseases’. The remarks were not only demeaning but also a cause of depression for the plaintiff. According to the four points mentioned above, Christy proved three of each point perfectly for the court to dismiss her case twice. Brzonkala is alleged to have said no twice before Morrison went down on her, unrobed her and pinned her down raping her. His friend Crawford came back and raped her before Morrison did it for the second time. After the rape, Morrison is later heard making remarks on having sex with girls without their consent. These two facts prove the point that Christy was forced to have sex, she is part of a protected group and the two accused men did it due to gender bias since there are no other points as stated in the case proceedings of Justia. Other points include the intention for robbery, physical abuse, and provocation (Legal Information Institute, 2000). Therefore, the court should not have dismissed the case based on a lack of power to exercise judgment. The majority which in this case I term as the Institute in which Brzonkala was a freshman at had a case to plead. The first fact they provided goes according to Seamons proceedings which says employers who have no knowledge of an assault, in fact, have no mistake. At the same time, employers cannot be blamed for an offense which was done to an employee by their fellow employees. However, this fact goes diverts from Brzonkala complaint which was based on discrimination and lack of action by the Institute when the issue was brought forward. Nevertheless, Brzonkala did not provide evidence of discrimination and lack of special attention to her depression apart from the failure of the school nurse to notice her trauma and report the case. Therefore, dismissal of the Brzonkala case against Virginia Polytechnic Institute is justified. Question 2 The court decision on dismissing Brzonkala’s case will have a negative impact on other victims who may not have spoken up about male sex offenders. The reason behind this is how long the case and appeals took for the final decision to be made. The facts provided were enough to implicate the assailant; Morrison. However, the court decided to base their ruling on congress unconstitutionality and the absence of enough power to enact the law on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) (Jerome, 1996). The court ruling in favor of Virginia Polytechnic Institute comes in a time when employees assault each other and the blame is placed on the institute or the employer. Listening and making decisions based on the law and evidence favored the employer bracket. However, the same ruling blocked aspiring plaintiffs to hold their cases of assault against their institute or employer. References BIBLIOGRAPHY Jerome, R. (1996, March 11). No Justice, No Peace. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from The people Magazine : https://people.com/archive/no-justice-no-peace-vol-45-no-10/ Leagle Incoporations . (2017). BRZONKALA v. MORRISON . Retrieved September 26, 2018, from Leagle Incoporations website : https://www.leagle.com/decision/2001960272f3d6881882 Legal Information Institute . (2000, May 15). UNITED STATES v. MORRISON (99-5). Retrieved September 29, 2018, from Cornell University Law School : https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-5.ZO.html How to cite Brzonkala Vs Crawford Morrison, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Discipline in School and Home free essay sample

Perhaps you havent really considered this question. Its definitely something to think about. You see, were talking about your children here. This isnt just some academic question . .. Its a question of whether or not you want the best for your kids. I taught academic subjects for students in elementary through high school, and you know what Ive discovered? The best classrooms are well managed, well disciplined classrooms. Theres just no substitute for discipline in education. Its the oil that makes the machine move smoothly.And theres always more potential for disciplined efficiency in a home school classroom. You know your child better than anyone. You know what motivates and what doesnt. Yes, there truly is great potential for discipline in a home school. Unfortunately, theres also more potential to make do with mediocrity. Dont let that happen to you! SO To answer Our question, classroom discipline is very important. And Id like to share a little of my experience with you. So lets take a look at the issue of classroom discipline and see if we can make your home school as efficient and effective as we can. Here are five principles to oil your machine and make your classroom the best it can be. 1. Lay Down the Law! Who would you rather be? A parent with no workable plan for discipline screaming and yelling all day at her kids who dont seem to mind getting yelled at in the first place and just do what they want to do or A parent who is alway on top of it, has a plan written down and communicated adequately to her children who know and respect that plan and follow it day in and day out. So So who would you rather be? I think we would all agree that the second example pictures success more than the first. So whats the difference? Other than the obvious difference in results, the difference is very simple The second parent had a plan. And she communicated that plan clearly to her children. Thats success for a classroom. Thats classroom discipline at its best. You have to have a clear plan written down in black and white. Then you must communicate that plan to your children. They need to know When the school day begins and ends. What the classroom rules are. What goals must be accomplished for that day. What kinds of breaks are acceptable and when. Lets take each of these one at a time I cant emphasize more how important sticking to a schedule is. If you get this part of classroom discipline wrong, youll find yourself in the middle of a mind-blowing madhouse rather than a calm, cool and collected classroom. A good schedule includes when you begin class and when you end it. An ending time may not seem important. But it adds structure to your childs life by giving a clear cutoff for getting work done. Anything after this cutoff time is homework. Rules must be established and enforced as well. Be strict with these at first. Then loosen up later when a pattern of acceptable behavior has been established. This alone can make a big difference in your home school classroom. Your childs goals should be clear and reachable. Its probably best to place some kind of goal chart in front of your child. You wont believe how excited your daughter will be when she has crossed off all the goals on her chart. Shell feel shes accomplished something! Breaks are another matter. Dont forget to take them! Some overachieving parents tend to push their childs attention span to the limits. For all you overachievers let me ask you a question How would you like it if your boss took away all your breaks at work? Thats what I thought! Children need breaks too. Make sure you take them often and on time. Breaks should be part of your daily schedule. And make sure to vary them in length. Your lunch break should be longer than your other water breaks. Play breaks should be thrown in at least once a day. If your kids know what to expect for any given day, your life will be, oh, so much easier! 2. Be Consistent. Once you have your plan written down, communicated and kicked into action STICK TO IT! (Excuse me for yelling. ) Be consistent in how you implement your schedule. This is one of the most important parts of classroom discipline But consistency extends to more than just your written plan. It also comes into play in the academics of a classroom. We mentioned using a goal card in the last section. If you use this idea, remember to do it every day. It only works if you do it consistently. Consistency also extends to rules. Every home school parent should be careful to enforce rules. But those who teach more than one child at a time need to be even more careful. Make sure the rules and their correlating punishments are justly enforced. Dont favor one child over another. Thats recipe for disaster. Be consistent with your rules! Be consistent with where you home school as well. Make sure you have a designated place for your children to learn. This learning center should be the main hub of your educational day. Not that you cant take your children outside or to other locations to learn. But the bulk of your academic work should be accomplished in the learning center. The key here is be consistent in your classroom discipline! In what ever you do be consistent. Classroom discipline depends heavily upon sticking to what youve come up with in your plan. More about this in our last point. 3. Always Consider Individuality. Consistency is important in classroom discipline. But consistency does have its limitations. Where the realm of consistency ends, personal individuality begins. What do I mean by personal individuality? There are certain unchanging rules in education. Teaching facts, making application and careful student testing are just a few. But keep this in mind Every child learns in different ways. You must work with your childs learning strengths. What do I mean by learning strengths? Some children can only learn with a hands on approach. These types many times become inventors, mechanics and carpenters. They dont normally come across as intelligent as students. But they are. Many times theyre more intelligent then the average person just in different ways. So put things in concrete terms, and illustrate your point with things they can touch, feel and interact with. Others learn in abstract ways. Theyre what most people would peg as academic. These types learn more through challenging their thinking skills on an academic level. They like charts, flash cards and academic organization many times. So put things in academic terms for this type. And there are other learning types as well. The point is Dont pigeonhole your child. Try to find your childs strengths and work them into the curriculum you choose. Your child will be much happier if you work with their individual strengths. This is an important part of classroom discipline. Dont forget it! 4. Start Slowly. As far as classroom discipline goes, this ones easy but its the most often missed. Many times home school parents who allow a summer break think their children can just jump into where they left off. After all it was only a month or two Big mistake! It does make a difference. Yes, its true. They are children. They learn things much more readily than we adults do. But keep in mind Theyre miniature adults in many ways. Theyre still human. They have weaknesses just like we do. To expect them to recall everything they learned from two months ago with no refresher isnt realistic. Can you remember everything you did two months ago? I cant even remember what I had for lunch today! The fact is, children need time to recall what they stuffed into their brains two months ago. Give them a few days to refresh their memories. Take it slow at first. Help them remember in a fun way some of the key concepts from the last academic year. Maybe you could make a trivia game out of some of the last concepts they learned before summer and test their knowledge. Whatever you do, make it fun the first couple days. Youll want to ease them into the year. The rest of school will go much more smoothly and if you do. Classroom discipline depends on it! 5. Stick to It And Finish Strong! If the last section was the easiest part of classroom discipline this is the hardest. S tick to your plan. Be consistent in everything you do. And be consistent through the whole year. Once you get into the swing of the new school year, keep on going! Get a rhythm going and try to keep it. That doesnt mean you cant take breaks. Youll want to stop for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Easter and other holidays that may be important to you. You may want to schedule field trips and extra-curricular activities as well. But theres one important word here PLAN! If youre going to do these things, plan them into your schedule before the year begins. This will lead you to a much more consistent school year. And it makes your life a whole lot easier if you know what to expect. Of course, life may throw you your share of difficulties. Those will come. You cant schedule everything. When that does happen, try to come up with a backup plan that will at least keep your child close to where he needs to be. Remember This is your childs education were talking about here. Loosing a loved one or enduring some natural disaster may be difficult. But always keep your childs education well being in mind no matter what. You need to keep a consistent clip throughout the year and end on a strong consistent note. The key is Be consistent all the way to the end. Keep on keeping on. Stick to it. Because Your child deserves the best! God bless!

Friday, November 29, 2019

Od and Change Essay Example

Od and Change Essay OD and Change The Message Is Clear Change Or Disappear â€Å"There’s no off season anymore† Nolan Ryan â€Å"You miss 100% of the shots you never take† Wayne Gretsky â€Å"Somebody has to do something, and its just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us. † Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead CHANGE AN ONGOING PROCESS Companies no longer have a choice, they must change to survive. Unfortunately, people tend to resist change. It is not easy to change an organization, let alone an individual. This puts increased pressure on management to learn the subtleties of change. This final chapter was written to help managers navigate the journey of change. FORCES OF CHANGE †¢ How do organizations know when they should change? †¢ What cues should an organization look for? Organizations encounter many different forces for change. These forces come from external sources outside the organization and from internal sources. This section examines the forces that create the need for change. Awareness of these forces can help managers determine when they should consider implementing an organizational change. EXTERNAL FORCES External forces for change originate outside the organization. Because these forces have global effects, they may cause an organization to question the essence of what business it is in and the process by which products and services are produced. There are four key external forces for change: demographic characteristics. technological advancements, market changes, and social and political pressures. Each is now discussed. 1. Demographic Characteristics (1) the workforce is more diverse and (2) there is a business imperative to effectively manage diversity. We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Organizations need to effectively manage diversity if they are to receive maximum contribution and commitment from employees. 2. Technological Advancements Both manufacturing and service organizations are increasingly using technology as a means to improve productivity and market competitiveness. Manufacturing companies, for instance, have automated their operations with robotics, computerized numerical control (CNC), which is used for metal cutting operations, and computer-aided design (CAD). CAD is a computerized process of drafting and designing engineering drawings of products. Companies have just begun to work on computer- integrated manufacturing (CIM). This highly technical process attempts to integrate product design with product planning. control. and operations In contrast to these manufacturing technologies, the service sector of the US economy is using office automation. Office automation consists of a host of computerized technologies that are used to obtain, store, analyze, retrieve, and communicate information. â€Å"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. † Warren Bennis 3. Market Changes The emergence of a global economy is forcing US companies to change the way they do business. Companies are having to forge new partnerships with their suppliers in order to deliver higher quality products at lower prices. 4. Social and Political Pressures These forces are created by social and political events. Managers thus may need to adjust their managerial style or approach to fit changing employee values. Political events can create substantial change. For example, the collapse of both the Berlin Wall and communism in Russia created many new business opportunities. Although it is difficult for organizations to predict changes in political forces, many organizations hire lobbyists and consultants to help them detect and respond to social and political changes. INTERNAL FORCES Internal forces for change come from inside the organization. These forces may be subtle, such as low morale, or can manifest in outward signs, such as low productivity and conflict. Internal forces for change come from both human resource problems and managerial behavior/decisions. . Human Resource Problems/Prospects These problems stem from employee perceptions about how they are treated at work and the match between individual and organization needs and desires. Dissatisfaction is a symptom of an underlying employee problem that should be addressed. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism and turnover also represent forces for change. Organizations might respo nd to these problems by using the various approaches to job design, by implementing realistic job previews, by reducing employees role conflict, overload, and ambiguity, and by removing the different stressors. Prospects for positive change stem from employee participation and suggestions. 2. Managerial Behavior/Decisions Excessive interpersonal conflict between managers and their subordinates is a sign that change is needed. Both the manager and the employee may need interpersonal skills training, or the two individuals may simply need to be separated. For example, one of the parties might be transferred to a new department. Inappropriate leader behaviors such as inadequate direction or support may result in human resource problems requiring change. Leadership training is one potential solution for this problem. Inequitable reward systems are additional forces for change. MODELS AND DYNAMICS OF PLANNED CHANGE American managers are criticized for emphasizing short-term, quick-fix solutions to organizational problems. When applied to organizational change, this approach is doomed from the start. Quick-fix solutions do not really solve underlying problems and they have little staying power. Researchers and managers alike have thus tried to identify effective ways to manage the change process. This section sheds light on their insights. After discussing different types of organizational changes. we review Lewins change model, a systems model of change, and organization development. Lewins Change Model Most theories of organizational change originated from the landmark work of social psychologist Kurt Lewin. Lewin developed a three-stage model of planned change which explained how to initiate, manage, and stabilize the change process. The three stages are unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Before reviewing each stage, it is important to highlight the assumptions that underlie this model: 1. The change process involves learning something new, as well as discontinuing current attitudes, behaviors, or organizational practices. 2. Change will not occur unless there is motivation to change. This is often the most difficult part of the change process. 3. People are the hub of all organizational changes. Any change, whether in terms of structure, group process, reward systems, or job design, requires individuals to change. 4. Resistance to change is found even when the goals of change are highly desirable. 5. Effective change requires reinforcing new behaviors, attitudes, and organizational practices. The three stages of change. Unfreezing The focus of this stage is to create the motivation to change. In so doing, individuals are encouraged to replace old behaviors and attitudes with those desired by management. Managers can begin the unfreezing process by disconfirming the usefulness or appropriateness of employees present behaviors or attitudes. Changing Because change involves learning, this stage entails providing employees with new information, new behavioral models, or new ways of looking at things. The purpose is to help employees learn new concepts or points of view. Role models, mentors, experts, benchmarking the company against world-class organizations, and training are useful mechanisms to facilitate change. Refreezing Change is stabilized during refreezing by helping employees integrate the changed behavior or attitude into their normal way of doing things. This is accomplished by first giving employees the chance to exhibit the new behaviors or attitudes. Once exhibited, positive reinforcement is used to reinforce the desired. Additional coaching and modeling also are used at this point to reinforce the stability of the change. Resistance to Change Individual Sources of Resistance †¢ Fear of the Unknown †¢ Self-Interest †¢ Habit †¢ Personality Conflicts †¢ Differing Perceptions †¢ General Mistrust †¢ Social Disruptions Organizational Sources of Resistance †¢ Structural Inertia †¢ Bureaucratic Inertia †¢ Group Norms †¢ A Resistant Organizational Culture †¢ Threatened Power †¢ Threatened Expertise †¢ Threatened Resource Allocation UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE We are all creatures of habit. It generally is difficult for people to try new ways of doing things. It is precisely because of this basic human characteristic that most employees do not have enthusiasm for change in the workplace. Rare is the manager who does not have several stories about carefully cultivated changes that died on the vine because of resistance to change. It is important for managers to learn to manage resistance because failed change efforts are costly. Costs include decreased employee loyalty, lowered probability of achieving corporate goals, a waste of money and resources, and difficulty in fixing the failed change effort. This section examines employee resistance to change, relevant research, and practical ways of dealing with the problem. Why People Resist Change in the Workplace 1. An individuals predisposition toward change. 2. Surprise and fear of the unknown. 3. Climate of mistrust. 4. Fear of failure. 5. Loss of status and/or job security. 6. Peer pressure. 7. Disruption of cultural traditions and/or group relationships. 8. Personality conflicts. 9. Lack of tact and/or poor timing. 10. Nonreinforcing reward systems. RESEARCH ON RESISTANCE TO CHANGE The classic study of resistance to change was reported in 1948 by Lester Coch and John R P French. They observed the introduction of a new work procedure in a garment factory. The change was introduced in three different ways to separate groups of workers. In the no participation group, the garment makers were simply told about the new procedure. Members of a second group, called the representative group, were introduced to the change by a trained co-worker. Employees in the total participation group learned of the new work procedure through a graphic presentation of its cost-saving potential. Mixed results were recorded for the representative group. The no participation and total participation groups, meanwhile, went in opposite directions. Output dropped sharply for the no participation group, while grievances and turnover climbed. After a small dip in performance, the total participation group achieved record-high output levels while experiencing no turnover. Since the Coch and French study, participation has been the recommended approach for overcoming resistance to change. Empirical research uncovered three additional personal characteristics related to resistance to change. A study of 284 nonmanagerial office personnel (43 percent male) showed that hands-on experience with computers, whether through training or on-the-job practice, fostered more positive attitudes toward working with computers. Finally, high self-efficacy and an internal locus of control were negatively associated with resistance to change. OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Before recommending specific approaches to overcome resistance, there are three key conclusions that should be kept in mind. First, an organization must be ready for change. Just as a table must be set before you can eat, so must an organization be ready for change before it can be effective. Use the survey to evaluate a company that you worked for or are familiar with that undertook a change effort. Assessing an Organizations Readiness for Change Instructions: Circle the number that best represents your opinions about the company being evaluated. Yes Somewhat No 1. | Is the change effort being sponsored by a senior-level executive (CEO, COO)? | 3 | 2 | 1| 2. | Are all levels of management committed to the change? | 3| 2| 1| 3. | Does the organization culture encourage risk taking? 3 | 2 | 1| 4. | Does the organization culture encourage and reward continuous improvement? | 3 | 2 | 1| 5. | Has senior management clearly articulated the need for change? | 3 | 2 | 1| 6. | Has senior management presented a clear vision of a positive future? | 3 | 2 | 1| 7. | Does the organization use specific measures to assess business performance? | 3 | 2 | 1| 8. | Does the change effort support other major activities going on in the organization? | 3 | 2 | 1| 9. | Has the organization benchmarked itself against world-class companies? | 3 | 2 | 1| 10. | Do all employees understand the customers needs? 3 | 2 | 1| 11. | Does the organization reward individuals and/or teams for being innovative and for looking for root causes of organizational problems? | 3 | 2 | 1| 12. | Is the organization flexible and cooperative? | 3 | 2 | 1| 13. | Does management effectively communicate with all levels of the organization. | 3 | 2 | 1| 14. | Has the organization successfully implemented other change programs? | 3 | 2 | 1| 15. | Do employees take personal responsibility for their behavior? | 3 | 2 | 1| 16. | Does the organization make decisions quickly? | 3 | 2 | 1| Total Score: ——— Source: Based on the discussion contained in T. A. Stewart, Rate your readiness to change, Fortune, February 7,1994, pp. 106-10. (Arbitrary norms are as follows: 48-40 = High readiness for change; 39-24 = Moderate readiness for change; and 23-16 = Low readiness for change. ) What was the companys readiness for change, and how did this evaluation relate to the success of the change effort? Second, organizational change is less successful when top management fails to keep employees informed about the process of change. Third, employees perceptions or interpretations of a change significantly affect resistance. Employees are less likely to resist when they perceive that the benefits of a change overshadow the personal costs. At a minimum then, managers are advised to (1) provide as much information as possible to employees about the change, (2) inform employees about the reasons/rationale for the change, (3) conduct meetings to address employees questions regarding the change, and (4) provide employees the opportunity to discuss how the proposed change might affect them. ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT Organization development (OD) is an applied field of study and practice. A pair of OD experts defined organization development as follows: Organization development is concerned with helping managers plan change in organizing and managing people that will develop requisite commitment, coordination, and competence. Its purpose is to enhance both the effectiveness of organizations and the well-being of their members through planned interventions in the organizations human processes, structures, and systems, using knowledge of behavioral science and its intervention methods. As you can see from this definition, OD provides managers with the tools needed to manage organizational change. The four identifying characteristics of OD and its research and practical implications. OD Involves Profound Change Change agents using OD generally desire deep and long-lasting improvement. OD consultant Warner Burke, for example, who strives for fundamental cultural change, wrote: By fundamental change, as opposed to fixing a problem or improving a procedure, I mean that some significant aspect of an organizations culture will never be the same. OD is Value-Loaded Owing to the fact that OD is rooted partially in humanistic psychology, many OD consultants carry certain values or biases into the client organization. They prefer cooperation over conflict, self-control over institutional control, and democratic and participative management over autocratic management. OD Is a Diagnosis/Prescription Cycle OD theorists and practitioners have long adhered to a medical model of organization. Like medical doctors, internal and external OD consultants approach the sick organization, diagnose its ills, prescribe and implement an intervention, and monitor progress. OD Is Process-Oriented Ideally, OD consultants focus on the form and not the content of behavioral and administrative dealings. For example, product design engineers and market researchers might be coached on how to communicate more effectively with one another without the consultant knowing the technical details of their conversations. In addition to communication, OD specialists focus on other processes, including problem solving, decision making, conflict handling, trust, power sharing, and career development. OD Research and Practical Implications OD-related interventions produced the following insights: †¢ A recent meta-analysis of 18 studies indicated that employee satisfaction with change was higher when top management was highly committed to the change effort. A recent meta-analysis of 52 studies provided support for the systems model of organizational change. Specifically, varying one target element of change created changes in other target elements. Also, there was a positive relationship between individual behavior change and organizational-level change. †¢ A meta-analysis of 126 studies demonstrated that multifaceted interventions using more than one OD technique were more effective in changing job attitudes and work attitudes than interventions that relied on only one human-process or technostructural approach. Od and Change Essay Example Od and Change Essay OD and Change The Message Is Clear Change Or Disappear There’s no off season anymore Nolan Ryan You miss 100% of the shots you never take Wayne Gretsky Somebody has to do something, and its just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us. Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead CHANGE AN ONGOING PROCESS Companies no longer have a choice, they must change to survive. Unfortunately, people tend to resist change. It is not easy to change an organization, let alone an individual. This puts increased pressure on management to learn the subtleties of change.This final chapter was written to help managers navigate the journey of change. FORCES OF CHANGE †¢ How do organizations know when they should change? †¢ What cues should an organization look for? Organizations encounter many different forces for change. These forces come from external sources outside the organization and from internal sources. This section examines the forces that create the need for change. Awareness of these forces can help managers determine when they should consider implementing an organizational change. EXTERNAL FORCESExternal forces for change originate outside the organization. We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Because these forces have global effects, they may cause an organization to question the essence of what business it is in and the process by which products and services are produced. There are four key external forces for change: demographic characteristics. technological advancements, market changes, and social and political pressures. Each is now discussed. 1. Demographic Characteristics (1) the workforce is more diverse and (2) there is a business imperative to effectively manage diversity.Organizations need to effectively manage diversity if they are to receive maximum contribution and commitment from employees. 2. Technological Advancements Both manufacturing and service organizations are increasingly using technology as a means to improve productivity and market competitiveness. Manufacturing companies, for instance, have automated their operations with robotics, computerized numerical control (CNC), which is used for metal cutting operations, and computer-aided design (CAD). CAD is a computerized process of drafting and designing engineering drawings of products.Companies have just begun to work on computer- integrated manufacturing (CIM). This highly technical process attempts to integrate product design with product planning. control. and operations In contrast to these manufacturing technologies, the service sector of the US economy is using office automation. Office automation consists of a host of computerized technologies that are used to obtain, store, analyze, retrieve, and communicate information. The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog.The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. Warren Bennis 3. Market Changes The emergence of a global economy is forcing US companies to change the way they do business. Companies are having to forge new partnerships with their suppliers in order to deliver higher quality products at lower prices. 4. Social and Political Pressures These forces are created by social and political events. Managers thus may need to adjust their managerial style or approach to fit changing employee values. Political events can create substantial change.For example, the collapse of both the Berlin Wall and communism in Russia created many new business opportunities. Although it is difficult for organizations to predict changes in political forces, many organizations hire lobbyists and consultants to help them detect and respond to social and political changes. INTERNAL FORCES Internal forces for change come from inside the organization. These forces may be subtle, such as low morale, or can manifest in outward signs, such as low productivity and conflict. Internal forces for change come from both human resource problems and managerial behavior/decisions. . Human Resource Problems/Prospects These problems stem from employee perceptions about how they are treated at work and the match between individual and organization needs and desires. Dissatisfaction is a symptom of an underlying employee problem that should be addressed. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism and turnover also represent forces for change. Organizations might respond to these problems by using the various approaches to job design, by implementing realistic job previews, by reducing employees role conflict, overload, and ambiguity, and by removing the different stressors.Prospects for positive change stem from employee participation and suggestions. 2. Managerial Behavior/Decisions Excessive interpersonal conflict between managers and their subordinates is a sign that change is needed. Both the manager and the employee may need interpersonal skills training, or the two individuals may simply need to be separated. For example, one of the parties might be transferred to a new department. Inappropriate leader behaviors such as inadequate direction or support may result in human resource problems requiring change.Leadership training is one potential solution for this problem. Inequitable reward systems are additional forces for change. MODELS AND DYNAMICS OF PLANNED CHANGE American managers are criticized for emphasizing short-term, quick-fix solutions to organizational problems. When applied to organizational change, this approach is doomed from the start. Quick-fix solutions do not really solve underlying problems and they have little staying power. Researchers and managers alike have thus tried to identify effective ways to manage the change process. This section sheds light on their insights.After discussing different types of organizational changes. we review Lewins change model, a systems model of change, and organization development. Lewins Change Model Most theories of organizational change originated from the landmark work of social psychologist Kurt Lewin. Lewin developed a three-stage model of planned change which explained how to initiate, manage, and stabilize the change process. The three stages are unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Before reviewing each stage, it is important to highlight the assumptions that underlie this model: 1.The change process involves learning something new, as well as discontinuing current attitudes, behaviors, or organizational practices. 2. Change will not occur unless there is motivation to change. This is often the most difficult part of the change process. 3. People are the hub of all organizational changes. Any change, whether in terms of structure, group process, reward systems, or job design, requires individuals to change. 4. Resistance to change is found even when the goals of change are highly desirable. 5. Effective change requires reinforcing new behaviors, attitudes, and organizational practices.The three stages of change. Unfreezing The focus of this stage is to create the motivation to change. In so doing, individuals are encouraged to replace old behaviors and attitudes with those desired by management. Managers can begin the unfreezing process by disconfirming the usefulness or appropriateness of employees present behaviors or attitudes. Changing Because change involves learning, this stage entails providing employees with new information, new behavioral models, or new ways of looking at things. The purpose is to help employees learn new concepts or points of view.Role models, mentors, experts, benchmarking the company against world-class organizations, and training are useful mechanisms to facilitate change. Refreezing Change is stabilized during refreezing by helping employees integrate the changed behavior or attitude into their normal way of doing things. This is accomplished by first giving employees the chance to exhibit the new behaviors or attitudes. Once exhibited, positive reinforcement is used to reinforce the desired. Additional coaching and modeling also are used at this point to reinforce the stability of the change.Resistance to Change Individual Sources of Resistance †¢ Fear of the Unknown †¢ Self-Interest †¢ Habit †¢ Personality Conflicts †¢ Differing Perceptions †¢ General Mistrust †¢ Social Disruptions Organizational Sources of Resistance †¢ Structural Inertia †¢ Bureaucratic Inertia †¢ Group Norms †¢ A Resistant Organizational Culture †¢ Threatened Power †¢ Threatened Expertise †¢ Threatened Resource Allocation UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE We are all creatures of habit. It generally is difficult for people to try new ways of doing things.It is precisely because of this basic human characteristic that most employees do not have enthusiasm for change in the workplace. Rare is the manager who does not have several stories about carefully cultivated changes that died on the vine because of resistance to change. It is important for managers to learn to manage resistance because failed change efforts are costly. Costs include decreased employee loyalty, lowered probability of achieving corporate goals, a waste of money and resources, and difficulty in fixing the failed change effort.This section examines employee resistance to change, relevant research, and practical ways of dealing with the problem. Why People Resist Change in the Workplace 1. An individuals predisposition toward change. 2. Surprise and fear of the unknown. 3. Climate of mistrust. 4. Fear of failure. 5. Loss of status and/or job security. 6. Peer pressure. 7. Disruption of cultural traditions and/or group relationships. 8. Personality conflicts. 9. Lack of tact and/or poor timing. 10. Nonreinforcing reward systems. RESEARCH ON RESISTANCE TO CHANGEThe classic study of resistance to change was reported in 1948 by Lester Coch and John R P French. They observed the introduction of a new work procedure in a garment factory. The change was introduced in three different ways to separate groups of workers. In the no participation group, the garment makers were simply told about the new procedure. Members of a second group, called the representative group, were introduced to the change by a trained co-worker. Employees in the total participation group learned of the new work procedure through a graphic presentation of its cost-saving potential.Mixed results were recorded for the representative group. The no participation and total participation groups, meanwhile, went in opposite directions. Output dropped sharply for the no participation group, while grievances and turnover climbed. After a small dip in performance, the total participation group achieved record-high output levels while experiencing no turnover. Since the Coch and French study, participation has been the recommended approach for overcoming resistance to change. Empirical research uncovered three additional personal characteristics related to resistance to change.A study of 284 nonmanagerial office personnel (43 percent male) showed that hands-on experience with computers, whether through training or on-the-job practice, fostered more positive attitudes toward working with computers. Finally, high self-efficacy and an internal locus of control were negatively associated with resistance to change. OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Before recommending specific approaches to overcome resistance, there are three key conclusions that should be kept in mind. First, an organization must be ready for change.Just as a table must be set before you can eat, so must an organization be ready for change before it can be effective. Use the survey to evaluate a company that you worked for or are familiar with that undertook a change effort. Assessing an Organizations Readiness for Change Instructions: Circle the number that best represents your opinions about the company being evaluated. Yes Somewhat No 1. | Is the change effort being sponsored by a senior-level executive (CEO, COO)? | 3 | 2 | 1| 2. | Are all levels of management committed to the change? | 3| 2| 1| 3. | Does the organization culture encourage risk taking? 3 | 2 | 1| 4. | Does the organization culture encourage and reward continuous improvement? | 3 | 2 | 1| 5. | Has senior management clearly articulated the need for change? | 3 | 2 | 1| 6. | Has senior management presented a clear vision of a positive future? | 3 | 2 | 1| 7. | Does the organization use specific measures to assess business performance? | 3 | 2 | 1| 8. | Does the change effort support other major activities going on in the organization? | 3 | 2 | 1| 9. | Has the organization benchmarked itself against world-class companies? | 3 | 2 | 1| 10. | Do all employees understand the customers needs? 3 | 2 | 1| 11. | Does the organization reward individuals and/or teams for being innovative and for looking for root causes of organizational problems? | 3 | 2 | 1| 12. | Is the organization flexible and cooperative? | 3 | 2 | 1| 13. | Does management effectively communicate with all levels of the organization. | 3 | 2 | 1| 14. | Has the organization successfully implemented other change programs? | 3 | 2 | 1| 15. | Do employees take personal responsibility for their behavior? | 3 | 2 | 1| 16. | Does the organization make decisions quickly? | 3 | 2 | 1| Total Score: ———Source: Based on the discussion contained in T. A. Stewart, Rate your readiness to change, Fortune, February 7,1994, pp. 106-10. (Arbitrary norms are as follows: 48-40 = High readiness for change; 39-24 = Moderate readiness for change; and 23-16 = Low readiness for change. ) What was the companys readiness for change, and how did this evaluation relate to the success of the change effort? Second, organizational change is less successful when top management fails to keep employees informed about the process of change. Third, employees perceptions or interpretations of a change significantly affect resistance.Employees are less likely to resist when they perceive that the benefits of a change overshadow the personal costs. At a minimum then, managers are advised to (1) provide as much information as possible to employees about the change, (2) inform employees about the reasons/rationale for the change, (3) conduct meetings to address employees questions regarding the change, and (4) provide employees the opportunity to discuss how the proposed change might affect them. ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT Organization development (OD) is an applied field of study and practice.A pair of OD experts defined organization development as follows: Organization development is concerned with helping managers plan change in organizing and managing people that will develop requisite commitment, coordination, and competence. Its purpose is to enhance both the effectiveness of organizations and the well-being of their members through planned interventions in the organizations human processes, structures, and systems, using knowledge of behavioral science and its intervention methods. As you can see from this definition, OD provides managers with the tools needed to manage organizational change.The four identifying characteristics of OD and its research and practical implications. OD Involves Profound Change Change agents using OD generally desire deep and long-lasting improvement. OD consultant Warner Burke, for example, who strives for fundamental cultural change, wrote: By fundamental change, as opposed to fixing a problem or improving a procedure, I mean that some significant aspect of an organizations culture will never be the same. OD is Value-Loaded Owing to the fact that OD is rooted partially in humanistic psychology, many OD consultants carry certain values or biases into the client organization.They prefer cooperation over conflict, self-control over institutional control, and democratic and participative management over autocratic management. OD Is a Diagnosis/Prescription Cycle OD theorists and practitioners have long adhered to a medical model of organization. Like medical doctors, internal and external OD consultants approach the sick organization, diagnose its ills, prescribe and implement an intervention, and monitor progress. OD Is Process-Oriented Ideally, OD consultants focus on the form and not the content of behavioral and administrative dealings.For example, product design engineers and market researchers might be coached on how to communicate more effectively with one another without the consultant knowing the technical details of their conversations. In addition to communication, OD specialists focus on other processes, including problem solving, decision making, conflict handling, trust, power sharing, and career development. OD Research and Practical Implications OD-related interventions produced the following insights: †¢ A recent meta-analysis of 18 studies indicated that employee satisfaction with change was higher when top management was highly committed to the change effort. A recent meta-analysis of 52 studies provided support for the systems model of organizational change. Specifically, varying one target element of change created changes in other target elements. Also, there was a positive relationship between individual behavior change and organizational-level change. †¢ A meta-analysis of 126 studies demonstrated that multifaceted interventions using more than one OD technique were more effective in changing job attitudes and work attitudes than interventions that relied on only one human-process or technostructural approach.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Battle of Palo Alto

The Battle of Palo Alto The Battle of Palo Alto: The Battle of Palo Alto (May 8, 1846) was the first major engagement of the Mexican-American War. Although the Mexican army was significantly larger than the American force, American superiority in weapons and training carried the day. The battle was a victory for the Americans and began a long series of defeats for the beleaguered Mexican Army. The American Invasion: By 1845, war between the USA and Mexico was inevitable. America coveted Mexicos western holdings, such as California and New Mexico, and Mexico was still furious about the loss of Texas ten years before. When the USA annexed Texas in 1845, there was no going back: Mexican politicians railed against American aggression and fired the nation into a patriotic frenzy. When both nations sent armies to the disputed Texas/Mexico border in early 1846, it was only a matter of time before a series of skirmishes were used as an excuse for both nations to declare war. Zachary Taylors Army: The American forces on the border were commanded by General Zachary Taylor, a skilled officer who would eventually become President of the United States. Taylor had some 2,400 men, including infantry, cavalry and the new flying artillery squads. The flying artillery was a new concept in warfare: teams of men and cannons who could change positions on a battlefield rapidly. The Americans had high hopes for their new weapon, and they would not be disappointed. Mariano Aristas Army: General Mariano Arista was confident that he could defeat Taylor: his 3,300 troops were among the best in the Mexican army. His infantry was supported by cavalry and artillery units. Although his men were ready for battle, there was unrest. Arista had recently been given the command over General Pedro Ampudia and there was much intrigue and infighting in the Mexican officer ranks. The Road to Fort Texas: Taylor had two locations to worry about: Fort Texas, a recently-built fort on the Rio Grande near Matamoros, and Point Isabel, where his supplies were. General Arista, who knew he had overwhelming numerical superiority, was looking to catch Taylor in the open. When Taylor took most of his army to Point Isabel to reinforce his supply lines, Arista set a trap: he began bombarding Fort Texas, knowing Taylor would have to march to its aid. It worked: on May 8, 1846, Taylor marched only to find Arista’s army in a defensive stance blocking the road to Fort Texas. The first major battle of the Mexican-American War was about to begin. Artillery Duel: Neither Arista nor Taylor seemed willing to make the first move, so the Mexican army began firing its artillery at the Americans. The Mexican guns were heavy, fixed and used inferior gunpowder: reports from the battle say the cannonballs traveled slowly enough and far enough for the Americans to dodge them when they came. The Americans answered with artillery of their own: the new â€Å"flying artillery† cannons had a devastating effect, pouring shrapnel rounds into the Mexican ranks. The Battle of Palo Alto: General Arista, seeing his ranks ripped apart, sent his cavalry after the American artillery. The horsemen were met with concerted, deadly cannon fire: the charge faltered, then retreated. Arista tried to send infantry after the cannons, but with the same result. About this time, a smoky brush fire broke out in the long grass, shielding the armies from one another. Dusk fell about the same time as the smoke cleared, and the armies disengaged. The Mexicans retreated seven miles to a gulch known as Resaca de la Palma, where the armies would battle again the following day. Legacy of the Battle of Palo Alto: Although the Mexicans and Americans had been skirmishing for weeks, Palo Alto was the first major clash between large armies. Neither side won the battle, as the forces disengaged as dusk fell and the grass fires went out, but in terms of casualties it was a win for the Americans. The Mexican army lost some 250 to 500 dead and wounded to about 50 for the Americans. The biggest loss for the Americans was the death in battle of Major Samuel Ringgold, their best artilleryman and a pioneer in the development of the lethal flying infantry. The battle decisively proved the worth of the new flying artillery. The American artillerymen practically won the battle by themselves, killing enemy soldiers from afar and driving back attacks. Both sides were surprised at the effectiveness of this new weapon: in the future, the Americans would try to capitalize on it and the Mexicans would try to defend against it. The early win greatly boosted the confidence of the Americans, who were essentially a force of invasion: they knew they would be fighting against huge odds and in hostile territory for the rest of the war. As for the Mexicans, they learned that they would have to find some way to neutralize the American artillery or run the risk of repeating the results of the Battle of Palo Alto. Sources: Eisenhower, John S.D. So Far from God: the U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1989 Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States.New York: Hill and Wang, 2007. Scheina, Robert L. Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899 Washington, D.C.: Brasseys Inc., 2003. Wheelan, Joseph. Invading Mexico: Americas Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2007.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Dual Diagnosis Treatment - Essay Example The police initiated most of these. Each time Leon was admitted, he was intoxicated and vocalised thoughts of persecution. Once, he tried to hang himself whilst in the hospital. At the age of fourteen, he began to use amphetamines and ecstasy. This has ceased only because he lost contact with friends he used to socialize with and used these drugs with after Leon became engaged in the mental health system. He stopped using cannabis daily and, as a result, his alcohol consumption increased to six litres from four litres of hard cider every day. He usually drinks this when he is on the street with friends. He experiences a feeling of needles and pins in his feet and hands. He believes this is caused by the medications that have been prescribed for him; however, this symptom can be caused by thiamine deficiency which is one of the possible side effects of abuse of alcohol because of dependency on this substance. His past treatment was receiving alcohol detoxification when he was in the hospital. Leon has repeatedly relapsed after his discharge. Several times, during his hospital stay, Leon drank alcohol whilst there and was discharged early because of this. Leon is somewhat concerned about his alcohol consumption but he perceives this in a positive manner because it provides a social outlet. He believes it also helps to diminish the residual hallucinations he writes that he experiences even when he is taking his medication properly. He has professed the belief that the stopping the use of cannabis was all of the change in his lifestyle that he could handle. He wants what he considers a "normal life." Leon would like to have a one on one personal relationship with a partner. (Starkey, Leon, date unknown) Leon has four

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Advantages and Disadvantages of Capitalism and Socialism Research Paper

Advantages and Disadvantages of Capitalism and Socialism - Research Paper Example This essay declares that capitalism has slowly emerged to what it has become today, to an extent that it is the most common system of government especially in United States and Europe. Factor that characterize capitalism can be put under four groups of behavioral and institutional structures that are; goods production that is market oriented; production means that is privately owned; a great population that is non existent unless it sells its power to labor in the market; an economic system that displays individualism and need to acquire by most people. This paper stresses that every economic system has its strengths and weaknesses and capitalism is not an exception. Some of the pros of capitalism include economic freedom that spill over to become political freedom, when the means of production and price determination is in the governments hand, it gives the government a lot of power that leads to bureaucracy that may be evident in other parts of life as well. Capitalism experiences efficiency as firms are motivated to be efficient in producing goods according to demand. Such incentives encourage cost cutting and reduced wastage. State firms have a tendency of being inefficient as they lack the motivation for instance to reduce the surplus work force and venture into innovative methods of production. As individuals and companies encounter motivation to work hard, this leads to innovation and expansion of the economy, consequently this aids in increased actual growth of the GDP and improved standards of living.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Social eek 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social eek 2 - Essay Example This is with regards to distribution of pretax income in the economy. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages linked to greater income equality. Greater income equality helps fight some of the social evils in society including social exclusion and poverty among the poor. Secondly, it leads to improved provision of basic facilities including health education and leads to higher social mobility. On the contrary, improved economic equality leads to lack of motivation by the poor to work hard since income is distributed equally (Desilver, 2013). Secondly, it leads to poor innovation and new skills since the rich contribute towards the payment of taxes that are distributed equally. Greater income equality can be achieved in various ways. First, the cycle of poverty should be broken by increasing low incomes (Ellyat, 2013). Secondly, high incomes should be lowered closer to the average income (Bartels, 2008). Finally, the cycle of privilege that inhibits social mobility and cements inequality should be eliminated. Desilver, D. (2013, December 5). U.S. income inequality, on rise for decades, is now highest since 1928. Retrieved from

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Innovations of Nokia Technology

Innovations of Nokia Technology EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The technology in the world is highly rapid rated and just business who might adjust to quick changes in the electronic market can struggle. Technology is perpetually developing. Different companies to present opinion with more innovative products. The customers are given information about the market. They may simply from one company to another company. The challenging is so difficult amongst companies. INTRODUCTION This assignment will explain about Nokia company. Besides it will illustrate innovations of Nokia, analysis of company and marketing strategy of Nokia. Moreover it also will say recommendations about Nokia company and value chain analysis of Nokia company. Today , in the world which has high technology, many people see innovations as an area of their daily life. Innovations such as mobile phones are expedient and carriable and it is selled in a mixture design, shape and colour with unlike functions. Nokia is becoming the directing brand in the mobile phone market have with success enlarged their electronic market by succeeding more than 1,6 billion mobile phone definitions through the world. They help carry out a main human need for social contact with Nokias duty to contact people. Nokia constructed bridge amongst people as they are quitre apart. Nokia is the world director in the mobile telecommunication. Nokia began the external market in 2000. they made a rise their sales with technology of networks and products. They centre on individualised communication technology. Nokia innovated technology to let people to access internet applications ,tools and services instantly.they take care the problem that the person said them , build up the networks system more for wide.so they may enlarge quicker than other industry on electronic market. HISTORY OF Nokia History of Nokia begins in 1895, as engineer Fredrik Idestam founded a wood pulp mill in southern Finland and began manufacturing paper. Because of European industrial enterprise and the development using up of paper and card board Nokia soon become productive. In 1895 Fredrik Idestam handed over the reins of the company to his son in law Gustaf Fogelholm.( http://www.about-Nokia.com/history/)The products of Nokia were sold aboard first to Russia after that to the france and uk. The factory of Nokia appealed an imperative workforce and a small residential area developed around it. A community called Nokia still exists on the riverbank of Emakoski in southern Ireland. The hydroelectricity which the woodpulp mill used appealed the Finnish Rubber Works to found a factory in Nokia. The Finnish Rubber Works purchased the majority of the Finnish Cable Works shares after world war II. The companies were merged to form the Nokia Group.( http://www.about-Nokia.com/history/). When the Nokia gr oup was organised, the sales of Nokia group as 3 percent was produced and the Nokia electronics supplied job for so many people. Processes of Nokia quickly enlarged to different business areas and products throughout the 1980s. the plan was to make it large quickly in all their business areas. Nokia was an important television manufacturer and in the Nordic countries in 1988.(http://www.about-Nokia.com/history/). Nokia launched its first 3G phone which is called Nokia 6650. Today Nokia is a leader of the world in digital technology such as mobile phones, wireless data solutions, multimedia terminals. Success of Nokia is reposed on stable innovation. Human technology of Nokia is about increasing communication and searching new ways to interchange knowledge. INNOVATIONS OF Nokia TECHNOLOGY Companies in each business area innovate products. There are competitive situation amongst companies. It creates competitive advantage. Companies are trying to get the better of this in an industry. It can be seen in the mobile phone market. Nokia has been leader of this market recently. But , Nokia has so many rivals such as Samsung , sony. The products which is innovated are accepted as an advantage and companies might increase the products life cycle. It is as a product is decaying and is being resuscitated. Nokia still holds the largest share of the mobile phone market, but its sales and profits are stagnant while those of rival Samsung electronics of korea are zooming(daft,2007) Many organizations would like to keep their situation of director as business mostly assume the approach as being better to direct than adopt. For companies to direct, they should find any such competition and evaluate its furiousness and deflect getting left back. An abstract from the journal Innovation Implementation: Overcoming the challenge by Katherine Klien and Andrew Knight has stated thatâ€Å"In changing work environments, innovation is imperative. Yet, many teams and organizations fail to realise the expected benefits of innovations that they adopt. A key reason is not innovation failure but implementation failure-the failure to gain targeted employees skilled, consistent, and committed use of the innovation in question. According to this adjustment from the journal, it has been discussed that some companies who innovate and extend a brand too far and in the long run could fall short. This is thought as troubled innovation. These kind of innovations can be seen in Nokia. Companies think that product innovation is a crucial effect. That is why they try to manage it successfully. Innovation is complicated and companies are aided to make it simpler to get by crushing it in to parts on a sample. There are so many innovations in Nokia technology. I would like to talk about Nokia 67 00 classic. It is a new innovation. Nokia has always brought off to plus bread and butter phones to their line up. This innovation might be used by both business and casual people. Nokia was likely the first one to establish mobile phones having bluetooth including color display with the 6230i and 6310i. the next one is the Nokia 6300 classic which is similar to the other ones. But it is little bit better by developing. The trusted candy bar design had a flush keypad and smooth flowing lines. The hand set is designed such that it weights only 116g and also has a much improved battery life of around 5 hours talktime along with the standby time of around 300 hours. This feature is certainly considered far better as compared to its older version which is called 6300.( http://www.articleblast.com/Reviews/Products/Nokia_6700_classic_-_a_new_innovation/) the menu for this mobile phone is so self generated. Person does not need to get an direction book. Because this phone has got 5 way navigation system. Nokia established the new innovation which is 6700. it is described as GSM quad band handset which is enabled with 3G system. Because of that people can send and receive data to another people. Ä °t is fitted out with a 5 megapiksel camera. Ä °t can be took quality photos and videos. Ä °t has autofocus lens, flash models and LED flashand a committed 4X digital zoom power. Normally some mobile phones Has got limitations. But , this phone does not have any limitations. Ä °t is increased its capacity of memory to 8 GB as micro SD chip. This is helpful for people. Because one wants to save photos and videos person can store them without influencing the normal function of phone. Ä °t is an usual multimedia player with RDS FM radio that can be played some latest songs and music. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS Value chain become a known managements strong analysis tool for strategic planning. Kotelnikov (2001) defined value chain as a high-level model of how businesses receive raw materials as input, add value to the raw materials through various processes, and sell finished products to customers. Value chain is a crucial tool to business improvement because it adopted the opinion that according to Kotelnikov (2001) â€Å"success in digital economy is the implementation of an integrated value chain that extends across and beyond the enterprise† The bigeminal value chain people who take part in company such as managers, customers workers should hand over value and endeavour for a common purpose. Nokia is being a leader of mobile communications technology. Nokia must carry out value chain as a function and a crucial tool in corporate strategy of Nokia. The purpose of Nokia to labour development and sustainability of the wide mobility industry. Ä °t endeavours to reach people via innovative and user friendly mobile phones, tools and solutions for imagination. Forms and styles in an invariably developing product such as mobile phones are so important for Nokia. Being in front of its competitors and informed with the charging needs of Nokias customers is hold Nokia in front of mobile industry. Changes in the international business view can affect the value chain of Nokia during the next 5 years. This is so because of comfoming to charge and making essential allotment for it is crucial for Nokia. Ä °t can be thought as matter as well value chain is not include consisted of the individual business just. Ä °t also concerns to the supply chains and distribution works. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths and oppurtunities The strengths of Nokia are scarcely for or few between Nokia company have been the company which win the european quality awards. The opportunities in Nokia are interminable as a environmental leader. The Nokia has the advantage of benefits of innovations, particularly in the handset market. They presently control of so many of the handset market. Nokia is nearly twice that of Motorola. Consequently Nokia brought in the superlative differences in the mobile phone industry. Nokia showed new ventures adn improvement. Nokias two top competitors are Motorola and Ericsson. All three companies offer cellular phones that are technically similar. Further more, indicated that brand equity is represented by customers recognition of consistent quality, satisfactory physical attributes of the product, and other emotional satisfiers. (Duffy, J. 2000) Moreover , Nokia has so powerful marque acknowledgement. Nokia mobile phones have qualifications more than only methods of speaking such as a fashion situaton. This was an answer of consumer satisfaction. Nokia realised that the mobile phones which look smart could be more effective for people than its techniqual qualifications outside the peoples care of dependability and good serving. Thus , the mobile phones of Nokia has become popular. Ä °t made them reliable brand. Consumers are searching mobile phones because of its name. This authority has resulted it to rise its popularity. Consequently , the organizations expect to get this advantage and go on to improve productive and clever processes of mobile technology. Especially they expect to get an advance from the improvement of their new technology of phones which continue the 3G technologies. Weakness and threats Ä °n spite of Nokia goes on to control in the mobile phone market, Nokia should be cognisant of the rising challenge in an industry. Which is tightly bordering on a developed market. The yearly sales of mobile phones is decreasing substantially. The challenge had risen to deal with this developed market. Nokia must keep on top of this challenge particularly when the japanese companies attempt getting the direct on the improvement of the next generation phones. Organisational structure of Nokia Nokias organizational structure is pliable and variable, uncessantly boosting innovation and organised improvement.organizational plans of Nokia alter as rapid as the mobile phone industry alters. In the mobile phone industry, a flexible organizational structure is crucial because the designs appropriate for business development change as quickly as the business itself. Nokia said that operations outsourcing would be instrumental in helping operators achieve further operations expenditure savings and move away from day-to-day operations of their networks and focus on serving their customers. (Nordic Business Report, Feb 20 2004) Nokia Ventures Organization (NVO) launched in 1998 is a good sample of Nokias pliable organizational structure. NVO was founded to test and improve emergent opinions that had the potential to produce great amounts of revenue. NVO searches many business opportunities and incorporates the feasible ones into Nokias operating business. Over the past 15 years, Nokia has exited from many businesses which did not fit into its overall plans. For Nokia, organizational abilities means that having the skill to have people jointly capable of working together in a quickly changing environment by improving a new product and taking it to market. It also implies, having the people in the organization able to work together in an attempt to innovate, to reply to consumer needs, to see the value suggestion and to decently carry out the organizations strategy. Nokia has a powerful dominant culture, and the pronounced orientation for a decisional or power base which greatly gravitates around the dominant Finn culture. Deployment of Nokia ability in various wireless domains is the hallmark of Nokias present strategy. RECOMMENDATIONS It should protect itself threats from its rivals It should be ready quick change in the market which can be reason increasing of costs, quick obsolescence of mobile phones, new standards and rules A new focus in customer segment should be required to keep its market leadership. It should challenge from coming out rivals and as overcapitalized market. It needed businesses and applications improvers to hedge commitments to Nokia platforms due to stiff competition faced outside its dominant market. It faces market impregnation in the industry causing new endorsers to go down and sales improvement to worsen Share Data http://www.Nokia.com/about-Nokia/financials/key-data/graphs Conclusion To sum up, The Nokia company examined in this assignment comprises the modern pliable global organization that by technological innovation and attractive design appeal moves fleetly via the booming wireless telecommunication market. The company is a director in the mobile phone business in the consumer products and one of the main players in the business networks units as well. When it comes to delivering product design innovations to mobile device users, Nokia is the company against which all others are judged.(lindholm,keinonen, 2003). It innovates the best technology and plays important role in improving a new standard for communications to the future. With sales growth and the market size and potential in the future showing no signs of dropping, Nokia is in a large place to successfully improve and keep its controller position. Some dangers could become from the rising challenge but Nokias research and powerful brand recognition because of its design will sustain the company in t he spotlight for a long time.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Fight Club - Conformity vs Rebellion Essay -- Fight Club David Fincher

Fight Club - Conformity vs Rebellion The conflict between conformity and rebellion has always been a struggle in our society. Fight Club is a movie that depicts just that. The movie portrays the polarity between traditionalism and an anti-social revolt. It is the story of man who is subconsciously fed up with the materialism and monotony of everyday life and thereafter creates a new persona inside his mind to contrast and counteract his repetitive lifestyle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main character is actually unnamed, but sometimes is referred to as Jack, which comes from a medical book he reads in the Tyler’s house perhaps. He is the normal, everyday, worker bee that carries on his overly boring life day in and day out because he is the typical conformist that society tells us to be. Jack is the everyday common workingman to which the audience can sympathize with and relate to. His character portrays the struggles and longevity of the American dream. He is constantly rating his life and his lifestyle by his furniture. The designer furniture that he orders out of mail catalogues defines his personality and self worth. This is due to the fact that he is constantly trying to improve and complete his lifestyle by buying certain pieces of furniture to create a modern but still simple and traditional household. His house is beyond perfection but yet he still tries to further its flawlessness, which relates to his dream of the typical Am erican. But as he constantly tries to improve himself with his furniture and work habits to define his personality, he actually fails miserably and does quite the opposite. When Jack buys his furniture he destroys every attempt that he has made to improve himself. He only falls deeper into the hole that he digs himself. Every piece of furniture that he buys, he loses another part of his identity. Jack’s conformity follows him to work as he becomes a doormat. His socialization is confined to the limits of his cubicle with the only exception being when he is on business trips. During flights he develops relationships with the passengers around him. This is not done out of a real honesty for a conversation, but out of a need to fill a void, a loneliness, a lack of self-worth. His life is full of â€Å"single serving friends†, car crashes, and wishes of an eventful death because the monotony of his life gives him strict boundaries to live by. His... ...rkingman, as Tyler is the man everyone wants to be. Fight Club shows a man that everyone wants to be but can’t because of laws and in most cases common courtesy. The movie states that there is basically a Tyler in all of us, wanting and waiting to come out. None of us will let him out though because we don’t have the courage, or maybe stupidity to do it, although Jack does. For a while in the movie Jack did get everything he wanted. He had no care in the world and couldn’t have felt better about himself as a whole. Not until later does the final message come in, without any control there is chaos. When Tyler ran rampant and did what he pleased things began to get out of hand. For instance his final act of defiance towards society was the blowing up of credit card companies in order to erase the debt record so that everyone’s debt would go back to zero. This is only to create total chaos and embody Tyler’s world without rules. Tyler sums up the m ovie in his own terms, â€Å"You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. The things you own end up owning you.†

Monday, November 11, 2019

Fluency & Learning Essay

The purpose of this paper is to specify an interesting story and design reading activities around it to increase the reading fluency of students. The paper starts with a synopsis of The Cay, a tale of survival, in which a young boy is blinded by a severe blow on the back of his head while his ship which makes him entirely dependent on Timothy. The adventurous nature of this story makes it interesting for the students to read and carry out different activities on it, thus contributing to their reading fluency The Cay The book is written by Theodore Taylor. The story deals with a young boy’s misconceptions about race and a black sea man, Timothy, with whom he gets shipwrecked on a deserted island. The young boy, Philip, is blinded by a severe blow on the back of his head while his ship was destroyed by the enemy torpedo. This makes him entirely dependant on Timothy, at least initially through his stay at the island. As Philip explores the island and learns the art of survival and relies less on Timothy, their relationship and mutual respect grows for each other, when they learn to survive and live within the means available at the island. Their struggle to face the odds and survive on an isolated island with no food and water, indeed makes this an interesting tale of survival. (Polette, 1995) I’ll be employing following five different activities for the children to work with the story. Student-Adult Reading In student-adult reading, the class will be divided into small groups and each group will be assigned a chapter from the novel to read. The student will read out loud from the novel with me while the rest of the children listen. I will read the text first, which will actually give the student a model of fluent reading. This is followed by the student reading the same text, while I would assist and encourage him or her during the process. I would repeat this process with individual student until the subject gains fluency in reading the particular passage. (Fluency & Learning to Read – Reading Fluency) c In this activity the students will read a particular passage from the novel along with me as a group. To carry out this activity, each student will be provided his/her own copy of the novel. I would read a particular passage starting from the first chapter so that the children begin to comprehend the story ad they are familiarized with the words. After reading a particular passage I would re-read the passage aloud to model fluent reading but this time asking the students to join in and read the passage along with me. This would be repeated three to five times on selected days of the week. At the end of this routine students should be able to read the text independently. (Reading Fluency, 2002) Tape-assisted Reading This activity follows a different method. Students are supposed to read from their books while they hear and follow a fluent reader read the text from the book on an audiotape. For this activity to be a success the recorded voice should be reading the text at about 80-100 words per minutes. Each student must have his/her copy of the novel in front of him/her and the recorded voice should be loud and audible. To start with, student should point along the text with his finger while listening to the recorded voice. After this practice the student must read out the text aloud with the tape. Reading the text loud with the tape must continue until the student gains fluency and can read the material without the support of the recorded voice. Fluency is important in readind as it allows the particiants to groud words together and focus more on their meanning rather than decoding the text. On the other hand less fluet readers direct more attention towards word recognition than comprehension of the given text. The above mentioned exercise is therefore aimed at easing the hesitation in reading. (Fluency, 2001) Partner Reading Partner reading is an activity which involves a couple of students taking turns to read the text aloud to each other. This would turn out to be an effective reading practice in which fluent readers can be paired with less fluent ones. The less fluent reader will use the fluent reader’s style of expression as a model and learn quickly. The better skilled reader provides help to the weak reader with word recognition and assists him in the process. Another approach to partner reading is check list reading where both the partners are given checklists. After explaining the students how they can change the pitch of their voice to make it more realistic, each students is asked to read out the passage to their respective partners thrice following the above instructions. At the end each students submits a report regarding their partner’s fluency which can be improved upon in the next session. (Murray) Readers’ theatre Readers’ theatre involves students rehearsing and performing a play for their fellow students and friends. Characters from the novel can be assigned to different students who can then act out the play by reading from their individual scripts derived from the novel. ‘The Cay’ will be a suitable book for this practice as it is rich in dialogues. This kind of activity makes reading more appealing and enhances fluency by providing students with the opportunity to interact with their peers on a different level. References Fluency & Learning to Read – Reading Fluency. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. time4learning.com/readingpyramid/fluency. htm Fluency. (2001). Retrieved July 2008, from Reading Rockets: http://www. readingrockets. org/teaching/reading101/fluency Murray, D. B. (n. d. ). Developing Reading Fluency. Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. auburn. edu/%7Emurraba/ Polette, N. (1995). The Cay by Theodore Taylor. Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. nancypolette. com/LitGuides/cay. pdf Reading Fluency. (2002). Retrieved July 2008, from http://readingserver. edb. utexas. edu/downloads/primary/guides/Fluency_Presentation. PDF