American vs. Chinese Culture Essay

Psychological anthropology is the study of individuals and their personalities and identities, within particular cultural contexts (Miller, 2007). Although American and Chinese people are raised in different cultures, their cultures are somewhat similar. Even though individuals are raised thousands of miles apart, is it possible to possess some of the same personality traits? In the American culture, baby showers are held to celebrate the impending birth of a baby. Family and friends bring many necessities needed for the new baby, such as, clothes, money, bottles, stroller, car seat, and or diapers. Once the baby is born it is the American culture to separate babies by gender. It is customary for boys to be dressed in blue and girls to be dressed in pink. As they grow, boys are encouraged to play with trucks, action figures and guns to promote strength and power. Whereas, girls are encouraged to play with dolls, cook with toy stoves, and play house to promote nurturing. As the child grows into adolescence, this is reinforced in the chores delegated to them. Boys are expected to cut the grass, take out the trash, and help out with any other â€Å"handyman† jobs. Girls are expected to wash dishes, do the laundry, sweep and mop floors. Hence, the stereotyping begins. This stereotyping is evident in adulthood. Men are labeled as providers, protectors, and head of the household. Men are expected to work to support their families. Men are often pressured to assert their masculinity and strength within there jobs and at home. Today, men are beginning to take on more responsibilities within the home. Women are labeled as mothers, housekeepers, and nursemaids, to name a few. Many years ago, women were not respected in the workforce. Their job selection was very slim, mainly secretaries. However, during World War II women took the place of men in the workforce showing they could perform the jobs just as well as the men. Today, women are highly accepted in the workforce and hold high powered positions within companies and even own their own businesses. Once men and women reach their senior years, they have achieved their social status. They are afforded the opportunity to retire from the workforce. In doing so, they are able to travel or just enjoy life at their leisure. They no longer have to pay taxes and receive their social security benefits as their compensation for working. Unlike the American culture where there is no animosity over the gender of babies, Chinese culture is different. Boys are considered treasured, so much so that years ago infant girls were killed. In doing this China has created an imbalance in the male to female ratio. In the Chinese culture, a baby’s birth is not celebrated until the infant is one month old. The family holds a â€Å"red egg and ginger† party. This is the time when the parents introduce their baby to friends and family, who bring gifts for the baby: boys receive â€Å"lucky† money and girls receive expensive jewelry. Parents present each guest with a dyed red egg to symbolize happiness and the renewal of life. Traditionally, gender roles in China are similar to the ones in the United States. The man goes to work, the woman is a housewife. This is changing, especially with the ‘one child policy’ in China. Women are not needed at home as much to take care of children since families are only allowed to have one child. In some cases, a family is allowed to have two children. For example, if the first born is a daughter, they may be permitted to have another child. There is a lot less social distance among Chinese people compared to Americans. It is a collectivist culture – people depend on each other and take care of each other. Chinese people spend a lot less time alone than Americans do. One example of this is the family unit is very close in Chinese culture. It is very common for three or more generations to live together because a lot of people still live with their parents when they have established their own families. Chinese people are more reserved when it comes to physical contact or showing public display of affection, especially in romantic relationships. Chinese people initiate physical contact very gradually compared to Americans. Premarital sex is a lot less common in China than in the United States. Both cultures show traits of openness by allowing individuals to explore their curiosity of the world and show their emotions. They also allow for individuals to be conscientious of their actions, to be self-disciplined, and to be cooperative towards others. Although two cultures are different it is possible for individuals to share the same traits. ? REFERENCES Chinese Culture. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 3, 2010, from English in Taiwan. com: http://www. englishintaiwan. com/foreigners/chinese_culture. php Gender: Gender Roles and Stereotypes. (2010). Retrieved February 3, 2010, from Marriage and Family Encyclopedia: http://family. jrank. org/pages/686/Gender-Gender-Roles- Stereotypes. html Miller, B. D. (2007). Cultural Anthropology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Olsen, A. (2009, April 10). China’s Population Laws Threaten Baby Girls, Favor Boys. Retrieved February 3, 2010, from The Huffington Post: http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2009/04/10/chinas-population-laws-th_n_185626. html Therese Hesketh, P. , Li Lu, M. , & and Zhu Wei Xing, M. (2005, September 15). The Effect of China’s One-Child Family Policy after 25 Years. Retrieved February 4, 2010, from The New England Journal of Medicine: http://content. nejm. org/cgi/content/full/353/11/1171.

Compare the presentation of love within the three sonnets studied Essay

The three sonnets that I studied were, â€Å"How do I love thee? † by Elizabeth Barret-Browning, â€Å"Let me not to the marriage of true minds† by William Shakespeare and â€Å"Since there’s no help let us kiss and part† by Michael Drayton. Of these three there are numerous differences and similarities. It is known that at the time of writing her sonnet, Elizabeth Barret-Browning was happily married to Robert Browning, but without the consent of her father. They moved to Italy where she began to use the Petrachan form of sonnet. At the time when William Shakespeare wrote he was known to have already established himself as an actor and playwright and was working for the leading company, the Lord’s Chamberlain’s Men. In Drayton’s sonnet we see that he was a contemporary of Shakespeare, this poem comes from a long sequence of sonnets called ‘Idea’s Mirror’. These sonnets were all inspired by his unrequited love for Anne Goodere, although he himself never married. As with Shakespeare his use of personification is extremely effective. Although their styles differ all three poets are speaking of their love for another person. Elizabeth Barret-Browning writes to her husband and as a women writing, it is written in a tender and soft tone. Her language and style used is incredibly dramatic. To begin with Browning presents her love to her husband in a very private and loving way. She uses language and expressions like; â€Å"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach,† Browning writes from a female point of view and wants to make a commitment to her husband. The ideas of love in the three sonnets differ, as Drayton’s love is unrequited and he is not writing in a reality, he has no one to write to. With Browning we know that she is writing to her husband and making a dedication to him. She writes in a serious yet, immensely loving form, we can tell from reading her sonnet that her husband is her life and the love she feels for him is described as endless. We see that Shakespeare writes in an incredibly confident manner, he is not writing to a person, as such, so his style differs from that of Browning or Drayton. Shakespeare’s sonnet is an explanation of love, he writes in his opinion and of how love can conquer all. As we know that Browning is a woman, her style and tenderness differs terribly from that of Drayton and Shakespeare. Drayton’s intention in his sonnet is to try and win over his idol of love, Anne Goodere. His efforts are useless and in his sonnet he says he wished to make himself free, so we can see that he does not enjoy the love he feels for Anne and wishes to be free of it. The name of his sonnet being, â€Å"Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part. † Meaning since they can no longer resist each other, let us have one kiss and part each other’s company. He does achieve what he’s trying to do, as when reading this I truly understood how he felt, he was trying to depart from this love. Drayton goes onto say: â€Å"And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart, That thus so cleanly I myself can free. † He means that now, after this kiss, he is glad, extremely glad that he can get over the possessive love he once felt for her. We can clearly see that Browning’s intentions are to make it perfectly clear to her husband and tell him exactly how she feels about him. She achieves this brilliantly and by her use of such outrageous, yet hooking lines, detailed with words and phrases such as, death, she produces her amazing sonnet: † -and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. † She talks of her after life and hopes that she will be allowed to spend it with him. Shakespeare intends to convince and tell every one of his thoughts on love, he is so confident that he is correct and that everyone will agree with him that he ends his sonnet with the rhyming couplet; â€Å"If this be error and upon me prov’d, I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d. † Thus showing that if this sonnet is wrong and proved to be then he never writ it and noone ever loved. This can also be interpreted as Shakespeare being cocky, he is quite sure of himself and the accuracy of his sonnet that he is willing to make an extreme statement. The general tone of Browning’s sonnet is a heart felt, true expression of her love for her husband, she counts the numerous ways of how she feels and lines such as; â€Å"With my lost saints, – I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! † Showing that she loves him with the most powerful feelings of all she has experienced in her life, her tears and smiles and the breaths she take each day. This differs from Shakespeare as he has a general confident manner and is stating the feelings and meanings of love. He uses personification in the lines; â€Å"Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle’s compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. † Meaning that love is not timed, it has no schedule of when to begin and cease, but reaches until the end, when death occurs. Love does not change over hours and weeks it stays constant until the brink of Judgement Day, death is it only let out. He shows how love, if true, will stay with the lovers until death. Compared to Browning’s and Shakespeare’s general tone, Drayton does not use the powerful and heart felt tone that Browning does, neither does he state a general meaning for love, as with Shakespeare. He seems to tell a story, or rather a tale, which he longs to happen between him and the one he loves, his love is not returned. He knows this and so at the end of his sonnet he uses the rhyming couplet; â€Å"Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over. From death to life thou mightst him yet recover. † This tells us that Drayton is willing to wait for his love, saying that if they ever change their mind, eh will be there waiting for them. He uses the form of a dramatic monologue and therefore does achieve a passionate sonnet. Shakespeare uses the rhyming form of abab cdcd efef gg. This enhances his poem and the rhyming couplet at the end of the sonnet changes the tone right at the end. This is effective and can give a totally different meaning. This structure gives his sonnet a flow and the language used works perfectly. We can see that his presentation of love and the way it is structured means that Shakespeare is an extremely experienced poet and writer. Browning uses Petrachan form in her sonnet and gives it the rhyming form of abbaabba cdcdcd, this is also known as an eight line section, known as the octave, followed by a six line section, known as the sestet. There is also a break in the thought and tone of the sonnet between these two parts. With Drayton his structure shows us that he was around at the same time as Shakespeare and uses the same rhyming scheme and couplet to finish. This again proves to be very effective and leaves the extra statement of the end to seal the sonnet to his love. All three of the sonnets are extremely original and all excellent. However, Browning seems to use the most powerful structure, source and form as it is written purely from her heart. All three sonnets flow very exceedingly well and have a good structure behind them. In comparison to Shakespeare, Browning’s use of structure is the most varied. It lends itself well to her meaning and rhyming such lines as; â€Å"I love thee to the depth and bredth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight† Just increases the exaggeration of the rhyme, the meaning is therefore exerted and we find ourselves wanting to reach on. Shakespeare use of rhyme in alternate lines is also effective and lends itself well to his language and style used. The words â€Å"fixed† and â€Å"wand’ring† are designed specially for this sonnet, as there must be ten syllables and 5 stresses in a Shakespearian sonnet. Shakespeare’s use of language does not differ very much from Drayton as they were written around a particular period. Although in Drayton’s sonnet he is infact talking of getting rid of love and how he will feel after it has gone, he seems to want to be relieved of the feelin, Shakespeare however is talking of how great love is and how it does not alter. In comparison Browning’s sonnet is the most different out of all three in her presentation of love. Her compassionate tone and kindhearted comments rule over he sonnet and seem to guide her to all correct places of describing. The effectiveness that Shakespeare, Browning and Drayton all have is one to make us all want to experience love. The three very different sonnets are similar in their presentation of love, as they all enjoy it, apart from Drayton who now wants to be free of the hold it has on him. But as we can learn from Shakespeare, Drayton may find it hard to do so.

Global Warming : causes, effects and remedies Essay

Global warming is the greatest challenge facing our planet. It is, in fact, the increase in the temperature of the earth’s neon- surface air. It is one of the most current and widely discussed factors. It has far-reaching impact on biodiversity and climatic conditions of the planet. Several current trends clearly demonstrate that global warming is directly impacting on rising sea levels, the melting of ice caps and significant worldwide climate changes. In short, global warming represents a fundamental threat to all living things on earth. Global average temperature rose significantly during the past century. The prevailing scientific view is that most of the temperature increases since mid-20th century has been caused by increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations produced by human activity. Most scientists agree that planet’s temperature has risen 0.5 degree Celsius since 1900 and will continue to increase at an increasing rate. As a result, the world is getting warmer. The year 1990 was the hottest year in the last century. Together with 1991, the years of 1983, 1987, 1988 and 1989 have been measured to be the warmest six years in the last hundred years. The year 1991 was the second warmest year of the past century. The consequences of the rise in temperature is being felt all over the globe the findings of scientific research done in this field reveal that the temperature of the earth is likely to rise from 1.4 °C to 5.8 °C within a period of 100 years. Unfortunately, the imbalance which we have created between our life and earth is already showing the signs disasters in the form of flood, cyclones, landslides, tsunami, drought, etc. If the imbalance continues to rise, one day this will pose a question mark on the existence of this planet. Carbon dioxide (C02) which is an important constituent of environment is causing a warming effect on the earth’s surface. It increases the evaporation of water into the atmosphere. Since water vapour itself is a greenhouse gas, this causes still more warming. The warming causes more water vapour to be evaporated. The C02 level is expected to rise in future due to ongoing burning of fossil fuels and landuse change. The rate of rise will depend largely on uncertain economic, sociological, technological and natural developments. Other gases such as methane, CFCs, nitrous oxide, tropospheric ozone are also responsible for global warming. Increases in all these gases are due to explosive population growth, increased industrial expansion, technological advancement, deforestation and growing urbanisation, etc. Trees play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. They are the largest land-based mechanism for removing carbon dioxide from the air. Deforestation is checking these positive processes. It is the second principle cause of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation is responsible for 25 per cent of all carbon emissions entering the atmosphere, by the burning and cutting of 34 million acres of trees each year. Everyday over 5500 acres of rainforest are destroyed. As a consequence of massive loss of forests, global CO, levels rise approximately 0.4 per cent each year, the levels not experienced on this planet for millions of years. As we know the forests are the great absorbers of CO,,. There is a close relation between global warming and population growth. Today the large population on earth is using the technologies which are destructive for the earth. Approximately, 80 per cent of atmospheric C02 increases are due to man’s use of fossil fuels either in the form of coal, gas or oil. A large portion of carbon emission is attributed to the burning of gasoline in internal-combustion engine of vehicles. Vehicles with poor gas mileage contribute the most to global warming. Besides, the sulphur group gas is the most harmful for this. Its contribution is 30 per cent in global warming. This gas is also emitted from the burning of fossil fuels. Increase in global temperatures will cause rise in sea level. It will lead to melting of glaciers, changes in rainfall patterns, increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather. As per the latest survey report the rate of melting of glaciers has seen sharp increase in recent times. Even those glaciers are affected from global warming which have been considered permanent. The shrinking of glaciers is going to pose a major problem of drinking water. The sea levels as a result of melting of glaciers have risen from 0.35 mm to 0.4 mm. Scientists have warned in their reports that most of the glaciers will disappear within a period of 15 to 25 years. It will create problems of drinking water and food grains in most of the North American countries. India is not unaffected from it. The Himalayan glaciers have shrunk about 30 per cent after 1970. The rise in sea levels is a major cause of concern. A large number of cities located in coastal areas will submerge in the sea. Besides, many island countries will ultimately â€Å"lose their existence and will be washed away from the surface of the earth. The damage of rising sea levels is diverse. Buildings and roads close to the water could be flooded and they could suffer damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Experts believe that global warming could increase the intensity of hurricanes by over 50 per cent. In addition, as the sea rises, beach erosion takes place, particularly on steep banks. Wetlands are lost as the level rises. Rise in atmospheric temperature will lead to the outbreak of air ¬borne and water-borne diseases. It would also contribute to the rise in death caused by heat. The problem of drought would be frequent. Consequently, malnutrition and starvation will pose serious challenge before humanity. Global warming is a great threat to the flora and fauna of the earth. A large number of species of them may become extinct. The expanse of desert would increase. Low rainfall and rising temperature could add to the intensity and frequency of dusty storm. This in turn will immensely affect the quality of agricultural land, ultimately causing adverse effect on agricultural produce. It would have far-reaching socio-economic impact. In Indian context, the impact of global warming is a matter of grave concern. As is well known, India is mainly an agricultural country and agriculture here is gamble of the monsoon, e.g. largely depending on rainfall. Though it is to affect the whole country, the worst likely impact would be on central and northern India which is high-yielding parts of the country. These are the regions which produce the largest agricultural yield. The rise in atmospheric temperature and fall in rain would naturally result in decline in crop production. Moreover, it would have great effect on biodiversity as well. The growing concerns over global temperatures have led to the nations, states, corporations and individuals to draw out a plan of action to avert the situation. As a result the world’s primary international agreement on combating global warming was reached in Kyoto in 1997 which came to be known as Kyoto Protocol. However, ten years have passed; the situation does not appear to be very changed. It seems that the member countries are not very serious about its devastating effects. In addition, forestation can be of great help in this regard. Planting more trees and reducing timber cuts worldwide will help restore the imbalance. Secondly, we must follow on environmental policy of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, i.e. promoting the reuse of anything. Thirdly, the use of fuel-efficient vehicles should be promoted as these vehicles have lower emissions of harmful gases. Fourthly, every individual should be aware of the importance of the protecting environment. Besides, eco- friendly technologies must be promoted, and must be substituted with the technologies which cause great emission of global warming gases. Public awareness campaign can be of great help in this regard because unless each and every individual is aware only governments’ effect cannot bring desired difference.

Child Development Journal Article Review and Discussion Essay

Child Development Journal Article Review and Discussion - Essay Example This means whatever had been effective for a toddler might not work anymore when he is a teenager because his needs constantly change. For example, being a weekend parent from the time his child was a preschooler all the way up to being an adolescent may be a routine that provides a comfortable rhythm to a father. However, there are times when a child might need him more, especially if the child is a growing boy who needs a male role model in his growing up years. With this knowledge, parents and legal practitioners must make better decisions in designing a parenting plan for the children. This particular article by Hartson (2010) focuses on the infancy to toddlerhood stage of development of a child. Each developmental stage comes with its own challenges. The infancy to toddlerhood stage is a critical since an infant is a fully dependent being who cannot communicate his thoughts and feelings on how his parents’ separation affects him. Parents need to rely on his cues and research from child development studies to understand what he needs. Infants and toddlers, in particular, are yet in the process of establishing attachments to the significant people in their lives and when this is disrupted, may have serious implications in the development of their personality. An important factor to consider is the infant’s temperament since this gives a clear indication of how a parent should deal with him so they get along well. Some children may easily transition from relating to one parent to the other, some may be more difficult, and some may just be slow to warm up. The parent has his or her own temperament to reckon with, and the compatibility of the parent-child temperaments would constitute Chess & Thomas’ (1987) â€Å"goodness of fit† factor. In order to have a harmonious relationship, parents need to be able to adjust to their infant or toddler’s temperament. The child’s concept of time,

Do you agree that feminism remains a highly relevant ideology in its Essay

Do you agree that feminism remains a highly relevant ideology in its challenge to patriarchy and gendered inequality - Essay Example Through the efforts of earlier feminists, there have been major historical changes to favour women in enhancing their rights mostly in the west. Feminism has gone through development in three waves with each of the aiming at achieving particulars goals within a particular period. The first wave that came into place in the early twentieth century to the late 1950s mostly referred to as women’s suffrage that ensured that women had the right to vote in different parts of the world. After that came in the second wave that began in the 1960s that majored in ensuring that women had equal social and legal rights in the society. Later on, the 1960s came the third wave that is aimed to achieve most of the second wave goals that were not achieved within that period. The third wave has extended since then to date with various feminist identifying and fighting for the rights of women that are being infringed in different parts of the world. In today’s world feminism remains to be a highly related philosophy in its challenge to gender inequality and patriarchy (Fraser 2009). The idea of gender offers acknowledgement to the fact that each recognized society differentiates between men and women. Thus, the concept/term of gender is a logical method of understanding women and men socially and the modelling of affiliations amongst them. The idea of patriarchy assists the study of male domination in the social order. Gender inequality denotes to the unequal perception or treatment of individuals according to their gender. It ascends from dissimilarities in socially built gender roles in addition to biologically through hormonal differences, brain structure, and chromosomes. Feminists are individuals either men or women who require equivalent opportunities for both genders. Feminist writings on gender became common in the early 1970s when the feminist saw the

Case Study on South West Airlines Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

On South West Airlines - Case Study Example The company is also a fun place for people to work and is regarded very highly by employees. There are many aspects of this success of Southwest Airlines. In this essay we will present a SWOT analysis alongside with an analysis of porter’s five forces. This will also include the financials of the company. The organizational culture of the company and its operations and leadership will be discussed. Issues the company is facing currently will also be discussed and recommendations will be made. SWOT Analysis Southwest Airlines Southwest Airline has displayed cost leadership in the airline industry by turning cost effectiveness into profits. The culture of the company is also in line with the core values of the airline. Below an in depth view of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the company will be taken. Strengths The most impressive thing about Southwest Airlines is its financial records. The company is yet to report a loss on its balance sheets and this i s a big achievement considering the ups and downs airline industry in US faces. Since 1972 the company has given annual returns of around 25%. This shows the impressive performance of the company. The airline believes in friendliness and love in customer relationships as well as employees. One of the main reasons of success of the company is its employees. The friendly culture of the company illicit the best out of every employee of Southwest and that is why innovative ideas are given by lower and middle level employees. This is one of the reasons of Southwest Airline’s success. The management of Southwest Airlines has done an amazing job in crafting its company’s strategy. The strategy of cost leadership has done wonders for the company and I personally think that the idea of being cost effective in the airline industry great. Usually airlines have huge operational costs so they do not go for such a strategy but Southwest has shown the world that this can be done. Thi s strategy has proven itself to be a winning strategy. Southwest Airlines reported a profit of USD178 million in 2008 (Bloomberg, 2011). This was the time when recession had badly hit the US economy but still the company was able to reap profits. The operating expense of the company have not grown significantly even during recession. Operating expenses were $1,280 million in 2007 while in 2008 they grew to $1,385 million. Also the revenue in 2008 increased as compared to 2007. In 2007 revenue figure was $9,587 million and in 2008 it grew to $11,023 million. The CGS also has grown accordingly, in 2007 it was $7,235 million and in 2008 it was $8,590 million (Bloomberg, 2011). This shows that the costs of Southwest have not increased significantly. The company has tried to differentiate its policies from its competitors by doing everything in its own way. Employees were not fired in tough times, cost cutting was given attention rather than value addition, flights for shorter routes was started and a friendly work culture was introduced in the company. All this was not the usual trend in the industry but this became the basis for Southwest’s success. The company has proven that conventional thinking has led many airlines into huge loses (Freiberg & Freiberg, 1997). One of the operating practices in the company is to schedule more flights a day and pilots work an hour more than in other airline companies (Mouawad, J. 2010). The company also pays its

Strategic planning and development ( tourism perspective) Essay

Strategic planning and development ( tourism perspective) - Essay Example The company’s operations diversify in two broad categories of renewable energy and sustainable technology. Thereby the company requires abiding by the ethical issues with great concern in order to attain the efficacy of its operations. Masdar, in this regard, functions through five incorporated divisions such as the graduate university which primarily focuses on researches related to the renewable energy production and other components of the sustainable technologies industry. It is noteworthy that the company, being controlled by the Abu Dhabi government, has noticeably confirmed its position as a catalyst to accelerate the economic diversification of the country (Masdar, n.d.). 2. Purpose of the Organization The organization, being associated with the renewable energy and sustainable technologies industry, must abide by the issues related to the environmental aspects of the economy such as the natural resources, the socio-cultural factors and others. Considering the fact it can be stated that the purpose of the organization is highly depended on the industrial growth and its future prospect. In this milieu, the vision and mission statements of the company focus on the overall development of the economy in the global perspective in terms of knowledge, implementation and expansion of the renewable energy and sustainable technologies industry (Masdar, n.d.). Apart from these, the company also aims to contribute to the economic diversification through the expansion of its export base, stimulating entrepreneurship in the private-sector, investing in educational and research initiatives in order to encourage innovative ideas, generate skilled knowledge workers and others. The key purpose of the company also includes increasing the economy’s non-oil share in the global market. With this purpose, the company is concentrated on the prioritized sectors of the economy such as media, tourism, transportation & logistics and aviation & aerospace (Masdar, n.d. ). 3. Identified Problem of the Company and the Opportunity of the Strategic Plan The core values of Masdar have been defined by emphasizing on various attributes active in its micro and macro environment, such as the organizational objectives and the nature of the industry. These values demonstrate one of the major problems of the company, i.e. to market the clean technology products as commercially viable in order to reward a swift and sustainable growth to the economy (Masdar, n.d.). Therefore, the strategic plan that is to be illustrated in this paper is aimed to the purpose of the organization with a significant concern on the challenging factors most likely to be witnessed by the company. In this regard, the planning will be based upon the travel and tourism sector of the economy. It is basically due to the fact that the travel and tourism industry in the current phenomenon is highly prioritized by the economy. Additionally, the growth prospect of the industry is termed to be substantial in the near future which can ensure a sustainable growth to the company in marketing its products. Furthermore, the industry is recorded to grow with rapidity with an increased demand of technology which again enhances the growth perspective of the company and the economy at large. Hence, the plan shall reward the company with opportunities related to its expansion and the growth of the economy in the near future. 4. Goals of the Plan To be precise, the

U08a1 Compensation & Benefits Assignment Template Essay

U08a1 Compensation & Benefits Assignment Template - Essay Example Legally mandated benefits involve guaranteed pay; these are monetary reward provided by an employer based on the relationship between employee and employer. In most cases, guaranteed pay is best presented in basic salary (Andrus, 2012). On the other hand, variable pay is an example of voluntary benefits paid by an organization to a worker that is based on management discretion, effectiveness or results realized. Usually, voluntary benefits are best represented in bonus forms and sales incentives. Benefit communication should involve offering employees the right information on the incentives they stand to gain and allowing them adequate time to make hard decisions, if any. The practice also involves helping them go about permanent conditions, which is usually easier to manage than awaiting the eleventh hour. Employees should be educated on behaviors like maintaining good health and refraining from drug use (Tacchino, & Littell, 2011). Compensation policies are often riddled with different problems. These include the challenge of hiring the right employee to a given position. Unfavorable Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental conditions hinder the implementation of better compensation policies (Szendrei, & Rodriguez, 2010). Pros. Formal pay structure is advantageous because an employee can make permanent plans based on it. Non-monetary compensation enables the employee to save monetary resources, and feels part of the organization. Cons. Monetary compensation can be easily wasted by the employee. Non-monetary compensation may sound a long-drawn burden to an employee, especially those who have access to better non-monetary compensation offered by an organization. Organizations carry out a cost benefit analysis to find out how effective, or how badly, an intended action will impact organizational goals. Even though, the analysis can be employed for almost any case, it is usually executed on

Globalization and the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Globalization and the Media - Essay Example on the vulnerable and weaker cultures of varying communities. The essay aims at viewing cultural imperialism and whether the globalization of media is a form of cultural imperialism looking at both the positive and the negative aspects of globalization of media on cultural influences at large. Cultural imperialism can be understood as the form of imposing the values of one national culture upon others and media is considered to be in the central role for acting as the carriers of cultural images and meanings, which penetrate and then dominate the local culture of the subordinate nation (Schiller1989). For instance, Hollywood movies post Vietnam War presented the content and context in such a way that showed Vietnamese as uncivilized, thus making the war seem to be acceptable. In more particular concern, the owners of the global media production as well as transmission are just a small number of corporations and that too mostly Americans. For example, past two decades have witnessed the large and wide expansion of the pop music industry, 24 hour music channels like MTV in America, Asia and European countries. The fact is that the production and distribution of 70% of all the pop music is in hands of few multinational media corporations (Mowlana 1997). There are positive globalizers who see the globalization of media as the form of opening up to positive opportunities such as internet that provides voice to people and leading to democratization of the communication across the globe. On the other hand, pessimistic globalizers view this phenomenon of media globalization as a form of cultural imperialism where the whole process of production, distribution and promotion is in hands of few giant global media corporations, such as Viacom, Disney, Time-Warner, news Corporation, etc. The media products of these corporations joined with

Research Plan Essay Example for Free

Research Plan Essay As part of your research plan, you must first draft a research question for your research paper that will guide the rest of your writing. A research question, which is more specific and focused than a general topic, is the question that your research paper will be answering. For example, if your general area of interest is Social Security, a possible research question might ask â€Å"How could low-income families save more money if the United States had a reformed Social Security plan that included personal retirement accounts? † As you develop a research question, keep in mind that you will need to research sources to support your topic. Do not pick a one-sided question that will limit your research. Instead, develop a research question that lends itself to further exploration and debate—a question you genuinely want to know the answer to. Try to pick a research question that is not too broad (covering too much) or too narrow (covering too little). It should be broad enough to be discussed in a short research paper. What is your general topic or area of interest? Recycling What is it about your general topic of interest that interests you? The topic of recycling interests me because there are some cities that so not make recycling a priority and I believe it is important to preserve for future generations. What questions do you have about the topic that you would like to investigate? List them. What is the history of recycling? What is being done in school systems to promote recycling? What are the benefits of recycling? What can be done in cities where recycling is not a priority to make residents recycle? The effects if recycling is not made a priority. What are the financial benefits to a community where recycling is a priority? Would any of the questions you listed about the topic make a good subject for a research paper? Pick or adapt one question and make it into a research question. What are the benefits of recycling? Why do you think this research question is appropriate for a research paper? I think this is an appropriate question for a research paper because there are many benefits with much information of the benefits. How is your research question significant or relevant to a wider community? My research question is relevant to a wider community because it is a worldwide issue in today’s society with much room for improvement. What background information provides the preliminary grounds for your research? I was shocked at how many people I have come to know that do not make it a priority because it is simply easier to toss it away. What are some expert or authoritative sources of information on this research question? The University of Phoenix library What type of materials will you need to review for your research paper? Plenty of articles to support the bases of my paper. What procedures will you follow to conduct your research? I will need to further brain storm and take notes on the articles I will be using for my paper and conpilling several other sources to ensure I have enough material to use. What difficulties do you anticipate in conducting your research? There is plenty of research out there and I need to cut it down to what is most important and relevant to what I am writing. Write a 250- to 300-word paragraph summarizing your reearch plan. Include the following: †¢The topic you have chosen for your final project. †¢What you hope to learn from your research. †¢What aspect of your topic you plan to focus on in your research and writing. This paragraph is just an intro of sorts. Dont begin with The topic I have chosen, or My topic is write in 3rd person (he, she, it, or in general terms) Recycling is a relatively new concept with very few states enforcing this as a law. Although recycling has only been around for about forty years it has come a long way in how it is viewed by many people and states. People across the country have now come to see the long term benefits to recycling and how it will benefit our society by reducing their carbon foot print and how it benefits the environment. While recycling has made big strides there is still much room for improvement with public awareness. There has been a big push in elementary schools recently, children are being taught from a young age, the benefits of long term recycling. There are many states such as California and, Oregon requiring deposits when purchasing drinking beverages to promote recycling by its residents, regardless if the person lives there or not, the deposit must be paid. This is just an example of ways other states are making recycling a priority. By being vigilant and constantly making recycling a priority we can reduce the amount of waste in landfills each year thus eliminating the effects of global warming and the release of methane emitted into the atmosphere and the pollution of the waterways. By committing to recycling not only is there a benefit to the environment but there can be other ways recycling can contribute to a community financially. By implementing an efficient program recycling can yield great profits. Now more than ever it is so important to make recycling a priority. Its imperative that we create a future, for the future generation to enjoy and if not made a priority children of the future will suffer.

Structure And Culture Ikea And Lego Commerce Essay

Structure And Culture Ikea And Lego Commerce Essay In this assignment I am meant to be working for an organization holding a trainee management consultant and at the end of my training I have to submit a report. My report will be about two private organizations where I discuss their structure and culture, how it affects the business performance. I also need to research how each company deals with their employees and problems faced with employees. An important figure is picked for each company and have discussed the leadership style used by both. In addition I explore the classical approaches which are being used in the companys and the different techniques to management used by each organization. In my PowerPoint presentation, I offer a consultation to my client organization on motivational theories and effective teamwork. Acknowledgement I Sayarah Saleem confirm and acknowledge the fact that this assignment was done by me alone. I have researched and studied the tasks given and have given the references from where I have obtained the information. Executive Summary The two private organizations that I have chosen are IKEA and LEGO in my report because I think its they are good examples of describing the structure and culture of each organization. They are both different in their own way , with how they deal with employee issues and how the organization is run. One is family oriented and the other , which got an outsider as a CEO in 2004 in order to change the company around. Table of Contents Task 1 1.Report 1.1 Analyze the structure and culture if the two organizations. In your analysis you have to engage in a comparison and contrasting of their structure and culture. 1.2 Further clearly evaluate how the structure of each company supports its culture and how this relationship effects business performance. 1.3 Explore and state what each company does in order to identify and solve employee behavioral problems. 2. Understand different approaches to management and leadership. 2.1 Select a prominent figure one from each company and compare the effectiveness of their leadership styles. 2.2 How to the two companies practice the classical approach to management. 2.3 Evaluate the different approaches to management used by the two organizations. In discussing your answer you have to use your knowledge on contingency approach to management. Task 2 Presentation References Bibliography Task 1 Task 1:Report Understand the relationship between organizational structure and culture IKEA LEGO 1.1 Lego began in the early 1930s by a gentleman named Ole Kirk Kristiansen and till date kept with the family, passed on by generation to the next generation. Lego has been named twice the toy of the century and has maintained the toy, the building brick. The organizational structure that Lego uses which best suits them is the functional structure, this structure is most widely used by companies. Basically the company has different departments to which they have delegated people to, and heads of that department according to the function. Some of these departments are Sales, Accounts, product development etc. Using this structure allows them to show the pyramid of hierarchy. It gives a clear view of the organizational chart and who are at the highest rank. Lego being based in so many countries uses a divisional structure which consists of three segments, and these are market, product and geographical. The other company which I have chosen to analyze is IKEA. IKEA was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad . IKEA is the worlds biggest furniture company that concentrates on innovative, fashionable furniture at inexpensive prices. Mr. Kamprad didnt want any normal organizational structure for the company, instead he formed a complex system of foundations, holding companies and trusts. The companys structure then divided into three for each of his son. The reason he did this was to prevent taxs and also to make sure that the company would not be divided due to family dispute. In actual fact IKEA is being held by a foundation which has a group under them that controls the companies that runs IKEAs individual operations. Between the two companies it is evident that while one has a typical corporate structure , the other is so committed in creating equality amongst the family and a fool proof method to ensure that the company will not be divided in the future. 1.2 The same way that Ikea has created their organizational structure they have also supported the company culture by sharing that they not just want to hire people but have a chance of bringing in unique individuals to share the same values of the company. To make them feel as they are all associates in the company. Not only does IKEA evaluate the person based on skills and expertise but also if they have the same culture as IKEA themselves. The assumption is that skills are easier to develop than personality traits, attitudes and values This in return promises happier employees who feel as if they are working for their own. Employees who like, themselves want to buy furniture, take it home and assemble at home will also make the customers feel the same. Lego on the other hand concentrated on their Danish values of hard work , modesty and teamwork. They look after their employees with respect and high standards, also incorporating global principles for those working overseas. Lego has always been strict about following all laws, rules and regulations in the countries they are in. Their employees in return offer their company which is so largely respected , great service, hard work and offer nothing but the best to their customers. 1.3 There are several different leadership methods which companies take on, IKEA however have not confined themselves to one particular method, instead taken the best parts of each method and combined their own. There is the Autocratic style, which is the basic team and supervisor style, Democratic , which allows the employee to think and make decisions on behalf of the company. Laissez Faire , where employees are given few guidelines and limits to carry out activities , which gives them freedom but may result in less productive work. Consultative is like the democratic style, very alike. Finally we have paternalistic where the manager , supervisor has tough ideas where he will require input and ideas for developing the business from the employees. By doing this IKEA has been able to avoid large scale employee behavioral problems. This is not to say that they dont have employees who have been disappointed either by not keeping their promise on pay raises and not even considering thei r opinions. IWAY which is IKEAs code of conduct, assures their employees the right to organize and order all overtime be voluntary. They also ensure wages are paid on time and not be withheld. Employees are entitled to medical, social insurance and pension. This way IKEA allows their co-workers their freedom and benefit all legal rights. IKEA hires a law firm called Jackson Lewis to encourage workers to attend meetings in order to discourage unions. One of Legos important rules was to maintain employees safety, therefore they set a goal to reach the top ten safe places to work for employees by 2015. Their main concern was to improve and maintain the work-life balance; this is basically to retain the employees motivation and satisfaction with their position at Lego. Lego has their system of flexible work hours, work from home option which are all ideal mainly for a working mother has made themselves enter Working Mother Magazine 100 best companies list . Lego involve themselves in providing wellness programs and leave entitlement for the mother up to 26 weeks of leave with their job assured of. Families looking to adopt are entitled to $5000 and fertility treatments are fully covered. Task 2 2.1 Lego Jorgen Vig Knudstorp is a leading and most prominent figure at lego, he has had the most challenging role of having revive Lego as the company had taken a turn for the worst. Mr. Knudstorp knew that in order to change things around he needed to be trusted and relied on. Doing so Mr. Knudstorp would be able to incorporate new methods to revive Lego from its low. He was an intelligent man to believe that for things to be done he needed to managing at eye level which meant liaising with the production workers, engineers , discussing to reduce sales declining with the sales and marketing department. Jorgen Vig Knudstorp reminded the management that they were there to maximize the firms value, this would be identififying why till date the lego group exists. He wanted their to be a less strict structure and a more free management style from the bottom to the top, empowering employees to make decisions at all levels. Jorgen Vig Knudstorp used the strategic leadership style, this which made employees share values,visons and goals, strengthening them to make decisions with minimum monitoring. It is defined that a strategic leader persuades for change and looks for new ways ideas, and improvement to better the company in order to allow the company to move onward. IKEA Ingvar Kamprad the founder of ikea, being a school dropout and began making furniture at the age of 17 uses the democratic style of leadership to run his company. Mr. Kamprad encouraged parallel management so that each can manage their purpose effectively. The reason for this same level management was so that employees opinion and feedback will help them feel like they are required in the company. This in return makes the employees want to work harder and feel as if they are working for their own. Mr. Kamprad however did have many things under his control like the financial details and of the companys structure. He encouraged his employees to work hard with stern business beliefs however to still have fun whilst working for IKEA, he preferred giving guidelines, showing methods of how things should be done instead of revealing authority and giving out orders. 2.2 Since the classical approach is purely based on acknowledging the idea that only the economical and physical needs of the employee are important and that their personal life and job satisfaction are irrelevant, Lego however believes strongly in allowing their employees to work freely within the organization. It is a place where all share the same value, of empowering children to learn. Lego wanted to strive to be the best toy company instead of being the biggest. The classical approach includes scientific, administrative and bureaucratic management. The scientific management theory was developed by Frederik Taylor (1856-1915). This theory had 4 steps, firstly by sorting the job into smaller pieces, then to pick the most capable employees to perform the job and train them, finally supervisors are used to monitor them. This theory came about at the time that organizations were large and industrialized to increase productivity to its maximum. Henri Fayol ( 1841-1925) developed a fourteen principles of management. These principles were: Division of Labor: to increase production and quality through specialization Authority and Responsibility: Where authority is shown, responsibility must be given and this works both ways. Discipline; Respect and order for the agreements between the company and their workers. Line of Authority: Clear view of the company hierarchy Centralization: Authority is given only to the highest in command. Unity of Direction: All are on the same track to lead the organization. Unity of command: Employee receives instructions from only one supervisor/manager. Order: Every employee is placed where they would contribute the most. Initiative: Creating action plans and carrying it out. Equity: Take care of all employees fairly with respect. Remuneration of personnel: Payment of salaries to employees accordingly. Stability of Tenure: to provide long term employment. General interest over individual interest: the companys priority will be before the employees. Esprit de corps: Harmony of the employees brings a strong union. Mr. Kamprad of IKEA believed that the workplace should be like everyday life, being free and at ease, instead wearing formal work attire, addressing colleagues in a personal manner. The company arranges once a year for at least week for the managers to work in the showrooms and warehouses. New ideas and innovations were always welcome at IKEA, the employees were always encouraged to come up with creative solutions. How did the concept of customers picking up their purchases arise? This is when they realized in order to cost cut and provide quick service, to engage in customers in self-selection. The customers choose their items, write them down and go down to the warehouse to collect their items. IKEA has a mission of spreading the companies philosophies and practices throughout the organization by assigning IKEA ambassadors that had been specifically trained and placed strategically within the company. They would in turn train their subordinates and act as role models. In my report it is evident that both IKEA and Lego do not have a strict list of management procedures which have brought them to where they are today. Bearing in mind that in 2004, when Lego CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp joined the organization he needed to save the company from the dire state that it was in. This required that whichever practices that were taking place needed to be evaluated and changed in order to revive the company. IKEA being a family oriented company, is not particularly head by the founders sons. Instead created a holdings company that managed the IKEA organization which was run by Mr. Kamprads sons. By studying and researching both companies it is safe to say that there is no exact approach to management followed by each. The contingency approach also known as situational approach supports the thought that there is no one best way to management. Each organization just like humans and conditions can change and differ from time to time. Therefore by studying the current situation of the organization, will the management of the company know what practices to enforce. Management had to think of environmental factors, for example weather, technology that could alter the organizations productivity.

Eâ€commerce and management information system

E–commerce and management information system Question This report is based around an in depth critical appraisal of the use of information systems by an organisation of my choice. Choose an organisation Research the activities of the organisation and how it makes use of information systems to help it undertake these activities Critique its use of information systems Provide recommendations for the future use of information system by the organisation. Dr Ger (2010). Individual Assignment, from S708. E Commerce and Management Information System. London College of Business on April, 2010. Available from : Blackboard.( Access o 08/04/10) Answer Background to organisation My chosen organisation is Metropole College. Metropole College Ltd, trading as Metropole Learning is a private company, limited by guarantee. It was established in 1994 and started delivering government funded provision in January 2000, offering Basic Employability Training. In 2001, Metropole Learning started delivering contracts for the Employment Services now (JobcentrePlus) in Basic Employability Training (ESOL and Literacy). In 2003, they started delivering a range of workforce development, this had made the organisation to grow, and this growth continues today. The companys future plan is expand the current delivery and to also to offer teacher training for the new staff. http://www.metropolecollege.com/en/about-us/our-history Services The company render services ( in the area of lifelong learning sector) that are designed to enable adults to get closer to the labour market and to help these learners to maintained/sustained employment by given them long time support at work. They offer the following courses; ESOL, Literacy, Employability, Information Technology (IT/Computer) and give support or assistant in the following areas; Individual Learning Support, Information, Advice and Guidance (I.A.G). http://www.metropolecollege.com/en/our-services The companys services is actually in two sections Pre Employability Post Employability Pre Employability services: here the company help and give support to the learners by improving their language. Their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills are improved through ESOL course. They also improve their employability skills in order to put them on the labour ladder. The learners achieve these skills through employability and IT/computer courses. http://metropole.test-host.net/our-services/pre-employability Post Employability services: metropole provides work based, and flexible learning solution for employed people. http://metropole.test-host.net/our-services/post-employability Aim and objective of Metropole College The ultimate goal of the company is to support the learners into sustained employment. http://www.metropolecollege.com/en/about-us/our-history Bibliography Metropole College (n.d) Our History. (WWW) Metropole College. Available from http://www.metropolecollege.com/en/about-us/our-history Metropole College (n.d) Pre Employability. (WWW) Metropole College. Available from http://metropole.test-host.net/our-services/post-employability (Accessed on 07/04/10) Metropole College (n.d) Pre Employability. (WWW) Metropole College. Available from http://metropole.test-host.net/our-services/pre-employability (Accessed on 07/04/10) Metropole College (n.d) Our services. (WWW) Metropole College. Available from http://www.metropolecollege.com/en/our-services (Accessed on 07/04/10) Metropole College (n.d) Our History. (WWW) Metropole College. Available from http://www.metropolecollege.com/en/about-us/our-history (Accessed on 07/04/10)

Essay --

Social constructionism was the theory described by Joel Best that explains how things in life become controversies or problems. The ways in which society thinks about situations and uses categories to analyze events in the world structures experiences and understandings of these events. Humans look at events beyond an objectivist approach, and instead subjectively, affected by the framework in which one lives. The social constructionist theory can be used to look at the relationship between science and the people that it serves, illustrated in Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman who died from cervical cancer in the 1950s. She sought treatment at Johns Hopkins hospital, where she visited many times and eventually passed away. During visits, her cells were taken without her consent, and given to scientist George Gey. Gey quickly realized that Henrietta’s cells were not like other cells that he had grown in his laboratory; they had the ability to grow exponentially in a cell culture, known as HeLa, and soon became seen as immortal cells. Not only that, the cells soon became one of the most prolific resources in medical research, having a major impact in the development of polio vaccines, cloning, gene mapping, and much more. HeLa became a medical controversy, not only because it helped the science world achieve so much, but also because of the ethical quandaries that it developed. Social construction can be used to help explain how HeLa cells became famous in general. According to the theory, primarily claims must be made about something. Then, the media will eventually circulate said claims, which will eventually garner a public reaction. This would lead to policies ... ...Henrietta’s life, informed consent was very informal and lax. But because of cases like HeLa and Mo, informed consent became recognized to be a problem that needed to have strict guidelines and therefore has become required. Looking at the social construct theory, the HeLa cells became viewed as controversial, which in the end made the public find other cases in its nature controversial as well, and needing guidelines to regulate scientific research. Evaluating the current policies, clearly some still believe that there needs to be more guidelines, and others believe that things such as tissue and other biological materials should considered to be under the ownership of the person whom it came from. What the social construct can say about the story of Henrietta, HeLa, and Mo shows just how influential the society is in constructing values, practices, and traditions.

Jack London Essay -- essays research papers

Jack London was a prolific writer, one of the most widely read American writers of the early 20th century. During his short life, he wrote fifty books, plus many articles and short stories. Besides being one of the most widely read authors, he was also the highest-paid. However, Jack London did not spend all of his time writing. Besides being an author, he also was a gold prospector, a homeless, a pirate, a sailor, and a factory worker. London was determined to live an adventurous life: I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dryrot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. (Parks and Recreation) This attitude fueled Jack London’s daring life. But his brash spirit eventually lead to his demise. London lived a short life, dying at age 40. He was known to be strikingly handsome and was a celebrity. His passionate writings were famous for his ideas on the struggle of survival and the questions of death. London’s novels were usually based on nature and adventure, coming from real life experiences, which appealed to millions of readers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack London was born on January 12, 1876 in San Francisco, California. The relationship between his mother, Flora ...

Mis †Walmart Essay

INTRODUCTION A Management information system (MIS) is a system or process that provides information needed to manage organizations effectively. Management information system gives the business managers the information that they need to make decisions. Early business computers were used for simple operations such as tracking inventory, billing, sales, or payroll data, with little detail or structure but now days it has been replaced by the advanced techniques like ERP, EPM, SCM and SAP. Management information systems are distinct from regular information systems in that they are used to analyze other information systems applied in operational activities in the organization. HISTORY OF WALLMART Sam Walton who is a businessman from ARKANASAS, begin his carrier with retail industry and started working on June 3, 1940. On July 2 1962 he opened first walmart discount city store located in ARKANASAS. Walmart is one of the most technically advanced companies in the world and reason behind this is availability of accurate and up to date information which intern a basis of its growth in the market. And for collecting the accurate information on time it is necessary that management should continuously review the information, which is possible only by an integrated management system. Walmart became one of the first companies in retail sector to use MIS. MIS IN DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANISATION: 1.OPERATIONS: In the world of retailing, Wal-Mart has what is considered to be the most sophisticated distribution system called Retail Link. This system connects each store with headquarters and over 2,000 suppliers so that they will never run out of or have too much inventory. Wal-Mart turns over their inventory more than any other retail store. The current challenge exists with supplying their overseas stores, especially while this is the area that they are concentrating on growing. In order to become more efficient overseas, Wal-Mart has started is on Customs Brokering division to take care of its global procurement, which saves them brokering and freight forwarding fees, and also gives them more control. They have also started to â€Å"request† strongly that their suppliers also be physically located in the countries where Wal-Mart is to better supply them. Procurement of material Walmart is a bulk purchaser and they follow centralised purchased system, so the company directly procure the materials from manufacturers thus eliminating all the intermediaries and middlemen. This is essential to reduce the cost and offer best pricing. They first find out the potential supplier and then after getting prices from everyone the will decide finally according to the cost structure of the offer. For efficiently managing this information wall mart uses EDI model(electronic data interchange) it is basically a computer based system of walmart in this system the computers of suppliers and vendors are connected with walmart. EDI enables supplier to download purchase order along with store to store sales information related to their product like no of product sold, no. of product received. As supplier receives the information about sales of various products, the supplier shipped the required goods to different walmart distribution centres. Basically it is a high speed integrat ion system between supplier and walmart and which is very helpful in making the process fast and efficient. Transportation A company owned transportation system also assists Wal-Martin shipping goods from warehouse to store in less than 48 hours. This allows Wal-Mart to replenish the shelves 4 times faster than its competition.Wal-Mart owns the largest and most sophisticated computer system in the private sector. It uses a MPP (massively parallel processor) computer system to track stock and movement which keeps it abreast of fast changes in the market .Information related to sales and inventory is disseminated visits advanced satellite communications system. MPP is basically used to track the movement of goods and stock level and information for this is transmitted through advanced satellite communication system. So when the information about movement of goods is transmitted it automatically generate the information and pass it on to transportation department and from there the logistic facility is ensured. Inventory management Wal-Mart invested heavily in IT & communication system to effectively track sales and merchandise inventories in stores across all the outlets in the country. For this company needs to have excellent communication system. And Walmart is using the technique of PRETTY DARN QUICK DISPLAY (PDQ) TECHNIQUE. In this technique the company asked its suppliers to ship goods inshore-ready displays called pretty darn quick (PDQ) displays.Goods were packed in PDQ displays that arrived at the stores ready to be boarded on the racks.WalMart’s employees could directly replace the empty racks at the stores with fully packed racks, instead of refilling each and every item at the racks. HUB AND SPOK SYSTEM – in the early1970s, Wal-Mart became one of the first retailing companies in the world to centralize its distribution system, pioneering the retail hub-andspoke system. Under the system, goods were centrally ordered, assembled at a massive warehouse, known as distribution centre · (hub), from where they were dispatched to the individual stores (spoke). The hub and spoke system enabled Wal-Mart to achieve significant cost advantages by the centralized purchasing of goods in huge quantities. And also the used of RFID technology (radio frequency identification) this technique is used to replace the bar coding technique and increase the efficiency of employees because with this employees are no longer requires to physically scan the bar code thus it improve efficiency and reduce the stock outs. Reordering Wal-Mart built an automated reordering system linking computers between Procter & Gamble (â€Å"P&G†) and its stores and distribution centres. The computer system sends a signal from a store to P&G identifying an item low in stock. It then sends a resupply order, via satellite, to the nearest P&G factory, which then ships the item to a Wal-Mart distribution centre or directly to the store. This interaction between Wal-Mart and P&G is a win-win proposition because with better coordination, P&G can lower its costs and pass some of the savings on to Wal-Mart. Thus walmart is efficiently using the MIS to achieve efficiency and cost minimization. 2. MARKETING FUNCTION (MIS) Marketing activities are directed toward planning, promoting, and selling goods and services to satisfy the needs of customers and the objectives of the organization. Marketing information systems support decision making regarding the marketing mix. These include: 1. 2. 3. 4. Product Price Place Promotion Sources of Data and Information for Marketing: Boundary-Spanning and Transaction Processing Subsystems A marketing information system relies on external information to a far greater degree than other organizational information systems. It includes two subsystems designed for boundary spanning – bringing into the firm data and information about the marketplace. The objective of marketing research is to collect data on the actual customers and the potential customers, known as prospects. The identification of the needs of the customer is a fundamental starting point for total quality management (TQM). Electronic commerce on the WEB makes it easy to compile statistics on actual buyer behaviour. Marketing research software supports statistical analysis of data. It enables the firm to correlate buyer behaviour with very detailed geographic variables, demographic variables, and psychographic variables. Marketing (competitive) intelligence is responsible for the gathering and interpretation of data regarding the firm’s competitors, and for the dissemination of the competitive information to the appropriate users. Most of the competitor information comes from corporate annual reports, media-tracking services, and from reports purchased from external providers, including on-line database services. The Internet has become a major source of competitive intelligence. Marketing Mix Subsystems The marketing mix subsystems support decision making regarding product introduction, pricing, promotion (advertising and personal selling), and distribution. These decisions are integrated into the sales forecast and marketing plans against which the ongoing sales results are compared. Product Subsystem The product subsystem helps to plan the introduction of new products. Continually bringing new products to market is vital in today’s competitive environment of rapid change. Although decisions regarding the introduction of new products are unstructured, information systems support this process in several ways: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Professional support systems assist designers in their knowledge work DSSs are used to evaluate proposed new products With a DSS, a marketing manager can score the desirability of a new product. Electronic meeting systems help bring the expertise of people dispersed in space and time to bear on the problem Information derived from marketing intelligence and research is vital in evaluating new product ideas. Place Subsystem The place subsystem assists the decision makers in making the product available to the customer at the right place at the right time. The place subsystem helps plan the distribution channels for the product and track their performance. The use of information technology has dramatically increased the availability of information on product movement in the distribution channel. Promotion Subsystem The promotion subsystem is often the most elaborate in the marketing information system, since it supports both personal selling and advertising. Media selection packages assist in selecting a mix of avenues to persuade the potential purchaser, including direct mail, television, print media, and the electronic media such as the Internet and the WEB in particular. The effectiveness of the selected media mix is monitored and its composition is continually adjusted. Database marketing relies on the accumulation and use of extensive databases to segment potential customers and reach team with personalized promotional information. The role of telemarketing, marketing over the telephone, has increased. Telemarketing calls are well supported by information technology. Sales management is thoroughly supported with information technology. Customer profitability analysis helps identify high-profit and high-growth customers and target marketing efforts in order to retain and develop these accou nts. Sales force automation involves equipping salespeople with portable computers tied into the corporate information systems. This gives the salespeople instantaneous access to information and frees them from the reporting paperwork. This increases selling time and the level of performance. Access to corporate databases is sometimes accompanied by access to corporate expertise; either by being able to contact the experts or by using expert systems that help specifies the product meeting customer requirements. Price Subsystem Pricing decisions find a degree of support from DSSs and access to databases that contain industry prices. These highly unstructured decisions are made in pursuit of the companies pricing objectives. General strategies range from profit maximization to forgoing a part of the profit in order to increase a market share. Information systems provide an opportunity to finely segment customer groups, and charge different prices depending on the combination of products and services provided, as well as the circumstances of the sale transaction. Sales Forecasting Based on the planned marketing mix and outstanding orders, sales are forecast and a full marketing plan is developed. Sale forecasting is an area where any quantitative methods employed must be tempered with human insight and experience. The actual sales will depend to a large degree on the dynamics of the environment. Qualitative techniques are generally used for environmental forecasting – an attempt to predict the social, economic, legal, and technological environment in which the company will try to realize its plans. Sales forecasting uses numerous techniques, which include: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Group decision making techniques are used to elicit broad expert opinion Scenario analysis in which each scenario in this process is a plausible future environment Extrapolation of trends and cycles through a time-series analysis. 3.FINANCE For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2011, Wal-Mart reported a net income of $15.4 billion on $422 billion of revenue with a 24.7 percent gross profit margin. The corporation’s international operations accounted for $109.2 billion, or 26.1 percent, of total sales. It is the world’s 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000 list, and the largest public corporation when ranked by revenue. Walmart on an average hire about 10000 employees every year and on opening every single store Walmart employees 300 new employees. Their main source of funds is there sales and basic expenditure goes on building new stores and employees salary. Job Hierarchy at Wal-Mart Human Resources Wal-Mart is the largest non-government employer in the world. They realize that turnover is high in retail, but that their associates are one of their most important assets. Their written policy regarding associates is as follows: â€Å"they are encouraged to maintain the highest standards of honesty, morality, and business ethics†. In order to become a Wal-Mart associate, candidates must take a multiple-choice test and select what are considered the appropriate â€Å"Wal-Mart† responses in order to be hired. Due to the fact that Wal-Mart strives to keep their costs low, they do not offer high wages. They exist on many part-time and temporary workers, do not offer these employees benefits, and do not pay their employees enough to live on. Wal-Mart has a 20-30% cost advantage over competition, as their labor is not unionized. Besides facing current litigation for not paying employees for overtime there are and have been several cases regarding discrimination on the basis of gender (female) that females are often not hired or promoted to be managers.

Help Improve Own and Team Practice in Schools Essay

Outcome 1.1 How you take note of children and young people’s responses to your own practice It is extremely important to take note of children and young people’s responses to your own practices as by doing this you – †¢Can ensure learning activities are effective in the pupils learning †¢Can recognise the pupils abilities and identify strengths and weaknesses †¢Can reflect on how effective the delivery methods were †¢Can identify if anything needs to be altered for next time Things I monitor during lessons or learning activities – †¢Children who are putting their hands up to answer questions †¢Children who are not contributing much to the lesson (not putting hands up/if working in a group not offering suggestions) †¢Children who seem to be lacking concentration/not showing much interest/not staying on task †¢Children who are behaving differently (maybe because they do not understand the work or are finding it too easy) †¢Children who do not seem to understand the work as much as others or are finding the work particularly difficult (I find this out by checking over their work/answers and by asking them questions about the work/task) I personally always take notes during lessons and activities and always give feedback to the teacher either formally or informally. Read more:  Essays About Team Work in Schools Below are some of the other ways we review learning activities – †¢Letting children feedback (asking them to traffic light their work) †¢Group/pupil reflection †¢Parents evening †¢Pupil’s learning journal – literacy, numeracy, targets †¢Previous progress – read reports, reviews †¢Ask pupil to explain how they achieved the learning objective †¢Writing comments on lesson plan, report card, reading diary †¢Termly assessments †¢Marking work and writing comments †¢Homework Outcome 2.2 The importance of continuing professional development There are many things you can do to continually develop professionally, these include: †¢Do your research to ensure you are kept up to date on new teaching methods, resources and legislation †¢Work based training †¢Participate in further training/courses such as first aid, ICT and SEN training †¢Regularly observe your peers †¢Ask others for help and advice Continual professional development is extremely important for the following reasons – †¢It helps you to understand your role more effectively †¢To apply new policies and procedures †¢To upgrade and enhance your knowledge †¢To enable you to become confident in your job role †¢It enhances and promotes good team work †¢To keep up to date with any changes in legislation †¢To improve the quality of the teaching environment, pupil learning and achievement †¢To ensure you are working to the best of your ability †¢To share good practice relating to different teaching methods †¢To ensure there is a good standard of work in the workplace and standards are kept high and do not slip †¢To ensure that as individuals we have personal goals and also the skills that need updating for our job Outcome 3.1 Why teamwork is important in schools T – Together E – Everyone A – Achieves M – More The ability to work together with others as part of a team is a vital skill used in all areas of life. Teamwork requires people to work cooperatively with others towards a shared purpose or goal. For a team to work together effectively, it takes all members of the team to respect each other’s abilities and opinions. Teamwork is a highly social activity and involves much interaction and exchanging of ideas and actions. Below are some examples of why team work is so important in schools- †¢Effective communication is a key element needed to meet the needs of children †¢By communicating with each other and working in a team you can ensure that you do not miss any vital information †¢It creates a positive and safe environment for both pupils and staff †¢It sets an excellent example to pupils †¢It creates a good working environment and community for staff and pupil †¢It helps ensure that all goals and objectives are being met †¢It helps raise moral and create a positive atmosphere †¢It ensures that the schools aims, values and mission statement are carried out †¢It promotes consistency throughout the school †¢It helps build confidence †¢Enables you to share good practices and ideas †¢It helps ensure that the work load is being shared and completed effectively †¢It ensures children are getting the most out of their learning experience †¢It helps create a conflict free environment †¢It means that constant support and advice is available Outcome 3.2 The purpose and objectives of the team in which they work Princethorpe Junior Schools mission statement – â€Å"Our vision for the school is to create a successful, caring school in which everyone can achieve to the best of their ability.† It is important that every school demonstrates and upholds their aims and values. Princethorpe Junior School have a set of aims for all staff and pupils to follow that support their mission statement. General Aims – †¢At Princethorpe Junior School we aim to provide a safe, secure and happy environment in which all our children can develop and learn. †¢We aim to create a bright and stimulating environment in the classrooms and around the school. †¢We aim to help all our children to achieve their full academic, artistic and physical potential. †¢We aim to enable all our children to have access to all aspects of school life. †¢We aim to promote harmony and understanding of each individual in an environment where all the children are encouraged to flourish whatever their race, gender or ability. †¢We aim to develop a partnership with parents and the community and encourage all parents to share in the education of their children and to feel welcome in the school. Academic – †¢We aim to provide for all the children a broad and balanced curriculum with a strong emphasis on the development of numeracy and literacy †¢We aim to develop our own policies and schemes of work in line with the National Curriculum and the Religious Education agreed syllabus, through a wide range of learning activities. †¢We aim to equip our children with the necessary ICT skills to support their learning across the curriculum. †¢We aim to  provide opportunities for additional activities, which enrich the curriculum e.g. educational visits, clubs and visitors to school. †¢We aim to equip our children with the knowledge, skills and understanding required for the next phase of their education. Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural – †¢Through our Collective Acts of Worship we aim to equip all our children with an understanding of differing faiths with the greatest emphasis on Christianity. †¢Through Religious Education and the curriculum we aim to foster a sense of awe and wonder. †¢We aim to value everyone by developing each person’s self-esteem and sense of individual worth. †¢We aim to teach our children to know the difference between right and wrong, to be honest and to have respect for adults, each other and the environment. †¢We aim to develop the children’s awareness of their responsibility to and for their school and the local community. †¢We aim to help the children to take their part as responsible citizens. †¢We aim to enable our pupils to co-operate, to work together, to take turns and to share. †¢We aim to develop the children’s ability to think about others as well as themselves. †¢Through our curriculum and school life we aim to develop knowledge and understanding of other cultures and traditions. †¢We aim through music, art, literature and creative work, to contribute to the cultural development of the children. Behaviour – †¢We aim to equip our children with the skills to be responsible for their own actions and to develop a strong sense of self-discipline. †¢We aim to provide positive attitudes throughout the school for work and behaviour. †¢We aim to provide a positive system of rewards and sanctions. †¢We aim to work in partnership with parents to maintain the behaviour policy of the school. Below are examples of how Princethorpe Junior School uphold these aims and therefore support the mission statement – â€Å"We aim to value everyone by developing each person’s self-esteem and sense of individual worth† †¢All staff members ensure to always offer praise and rewards whenever a child participates in an activity or really tries hard at the work. †¢Every child is acknowledged, the Head Teacher makes a conscience effort to learn every new child’s name at the start of the year and also stands at the front door every morning greeting each child with a ‘Good Morning’ †¢All children are encouraged to have confidence in themselves, the TAs are on hand to ensure this is the case in every lesson with giving the children constant reminders to â€Å"have confidence in yourself† †¢Children are issued certificates and awards for certain achievements for example spellings, reading, writing, attendance and good behaviour â€Å"We aim to develop a partnership with parents and the community and encourage all parents to share in the education of their children and to feel welcome in the school.† †¢Princethorpe Junior School tries to involve parents in their child’s school life as much as possible for example – Parents are daily invited to join their children at breakfast club Parents are regularly given opportunities to volunteer on school trips All parents are invited to a ‘celebration assembly’ every Friday where children receive certificates and awards for various achievements †¢The School holds regular curriculum meetings and workshops for parents, both during and after school, to consult, inform and discuss curricular issues. †¢Each year group organises family workshops during the year so that parents can work alongside their children in class. Various courses are also organised for parents. †¢Termly parent’s evenings are held so parents and carers can be updated on their children’s progress. †¢Parents are always welcome to chat to a member of school staff, without an appointment, about any worries or concerns they may have before or after school. The Head Teacher operates an ‘open door’ policy to enable parents to come and speak to her anytime she is free †¢A school newsletter is sent home with children every Friday updating parents on the week’s activities, reminder of term dates and weekly attendance and behavioural reports †¢Parents are made aware of any behavioural issues their child may be having and together with the parents either the Head Teacher, Teacher, Teaching  Assistant and/or Pastoral Care Worker can then work together to resolve these issues. â€Å"Through our curriculum and school life we aim to develop knowledge and understanding of other cultures and traditions† †¢Children are taught about different cultures and religions by termly topics being held on different countries, cultures and religions †¢There are regular assemblies about different countries, cultures and religions †¢A variety of different festivals and events are acknowledged and celebrated in school †¢Alternative food options are always available during breakfast club tuck and lunch such as halal meat and vegetarian and vegan options to ensure all children are made to feel included and welcome â€Å"We aim to equip our children with the necessary ICT skills to support their learning across the curriculum† †¢Each room is equipped with an interactive whiteboard which is used during most lessons †¢Every child has a personal computer login that enables them to logon to a school computer to access its programs and any saved work †¢Princethorpe Junior School have an ‘ICT suite’ where there are enough computers for a class of 32, classes are on a rota to use this room and every class will use this rooms and its facilities at least once a week †¢The school also has 35 laptops which are again shared out on a rota based system †¢Princethrope Junior School has invested in EducationCity.com’ an internet based program that creates new ways of delivering curriculum content. Children are set homework on this site which they have the option of accessing at home or at school. â€Å"We aim to equip our children with the skills to be responsible for their own actions and to develop a strong sense of self-discipline† †¢Children are taught the difference between right and wrong †¢All children are constantly made aware that they are responsible for their own actions and that their actions will have consequences – either with a sanction or  reward. For example if a child does not complete their homework on time they will receive a detention, whereas all the children who do hand their homework in on time will receive a sticker †¢Children are given opportunities to work independently and make their own decisions â€Å"We aim to enable our pupils to co-operate, to work together, to take turns and to share† †¢Certain lessons and activities require the children to work in pairs or groups with the teacher and TA ensuring the same children are not always working together †¢Playground toys and games that require children to share and play together such as building blocks, skipping ropes, footballs and bat and balls are provided for children during break times. †¢The school offers many different after school activities such as after school clubs, sports matches and the choir which gives children from different classes and year groups chance to work and play together †¢Teachers and pupil support staff are always on hand to monitor the children and to help children work out any friendship issues they may be having Outcome 3.3 Own role and responsibilities and those in the team Working in a primary school as a Teaching Assistant I work alongside a class teacher during guiding reading, maths, literacy, art, ICT and listen and respond lessons. The role of the Primary school teacher is to work with children between the ages of 4 and 11 years. They are responsible for teaching either a number of, or every, area of the National Curriculum, this will most likely mean covering Key Stage 1 (5 – 7 years) and Key Stage 2 (7 – 11 years). Key responsibilities as a primary teacher – †¢Ensuring the optimal development of children, both socially and academically. †¢Preparation and delivery of lessons that cater to the wide ranging abilities of the class. †¢Instill interest to learn, through  enthusiastic and motivating presentation of lessons. †¢Recording and monitoring student progression. †¢Meeting with carers/parents giving feedback regarding child’s performance. †¢Organising activities, classroom displays and class trips †¢Ensuring the curriculum is covered and up to date. †¢Prepare pupils for secondary education and examinations. As part of my role as a Teaching Assistant I am required to support the class teacher with the planning, delivery and evaluation of all learning activities. Whether the learning activity is for an individual pupil, group of pupils or the whole class, all activities must be properly planned, delivered and evaluated in order to work effectively. Planning is usually the first step when organizing a learning activity. Planning is important for the following reasons – †¢To understand learning objectives and what needs to be achieved by the end of the lesson †¢To identify children’s individual needs †¢To identify different teaching methods †¢To review feedback from previous lesson †¢To ensure health and safety is met – Complete risk assessments †¢To ensure you are organised and can allocate enough time for each task Every teacher completes the class planning for the week before school starts on a Monday morning. The teacher will then give a copy of the planning to the class TA. The planning will include the expectations and learning objectives of each lesson, resources needed, if any children need any extra support and how they require the TA to support during each lesson. After I have this information I then have my own planning responsibilities as a Teaching Assistant, these involve the following – †¢Look over previous observations †¢Ensure all learning resources are ready for use – photocopying, workbooks, stationary, laptops, etc. †¢Find out children’s individual needs and prepare different resources to aid them – white boards, enlarged worksheets, etc. †¢Organise seating plans – are there any children that may need to be moved – disruptive, easily distracted, hearing or sight difficulties †¢Prepare extra work for any children who may finish early †¢Think of key questions to ask to support the children during the lesson †¢Feedback to teacher on what you think of the planning, is there anything you could add or change Whether it is myself delivering the learning activity or a teacher I am supporting, it is always important to remember and follow the below every time – †¢Explain to the pupils the expectations and what they need to do †¢Ask questions and observe their reactions, ensure they understand, if they are struggling to understand find other ways to explain/demonstrate/simplify/step by step instructions/adapt lesson plan to child’s needs ensuring it still meets the lessons outcome †¢Give praise and encouragement †¢Rewards – follow schools procedure with giving rewards; let pupils know what rewards they will receive †¢Give one to one support where needed †¢Ensure you are using appropriate body language and eye contact †¢Give good balance of support and letting pupil work on their own †¢Encourage independence †¢Using sanctions when needed – moving children if necessary †¢Using the right teaching methods with the different ability children †¢Keep pupils interested and motivated †¢Re-enforce timing to children e.g. with projects and learning objectives †¢Take notes on children’s understanding, what is working well, what isn’t, etc. It is always important to review every learning activity as this will help plan for the next time. Whether it be having a formal review of a learning activity or an informal chat it is important as a Teaching Assistant to  discuss the following with the Teacher – †¢How the teacher felt with your support? †¢Did the children achieve the learning objective in the given time? †¢Were there any learning needs you picked up (who struggled? who finished early? who asked questions?) †¢Were the resources useful? †¢The overall enjoyment of the lesson †¢Did resources suit learning activity? †¢Is there anything you would have changed or can improve next time? †¢Did anything work particular well? †¢Were there any issue that you need to report to SDP/SENCO? Outcome 3.4 The importance of respecting the skills and expertise of other practitioners It is important to always respect the skills and expertise of other practitioners for the following reasons – †¢It can help us to develop as professionals because we can learn from others †¢Their expertise can provide career aspirations to others †¢To ensure the pupils wellbeing is promoted and we have the knowledge and understanding to provide them with the best education †¢By not respecting other practitioners you are effectively undermining them which will result in having a negative effect on the pupils and overall will not be promoting good team work †¢Those practitioners are there for a reason; they have the skills, knowledge and know the strategies that work †¢It means the work load is shared effectively and fairly resulting in everyone’s job being made easier †¢It ensures consistency in practice †¢It promotes good working relationships †¢It creates a positive working environment †¢It helps children reach their full potential Outcome 4.6 How you respond to differences of opinion and conflict constructively When working in a professional role as a Teaching Assistant, it is important to consider how you can improve your own practice effectively to meet the needs of the children or young people you support and the team you work with. You will be responsible for meeting your own continuing professional development needs. Continuing professional development (CPD) or Continuing professional education (CPE) is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives. CPD will affect you as a member of the team in your workplace for the following reasons- †¢You and your team will be confident with personal job roles, skills and abilities. †¢As a team you will be able to help each other with your own CPD as constant support and advice is on hand from other team members †¢It ensures everyone is working to the best of their ability and therefore creates a stronger team As a TA at least once a year you will have a ‘Performance Management Review’, this may be with the Head Teacher or your team leader. This review offers you the following- †¢An opportunity to reflect and to review your progress and development †¢An opportunity to ask yourself and your team leader ‘How am I doing?’ †¢An opportunity to consider and celebrate your role in raising standards and in meeting the targets in the departmental action plan †¢An opportunity to consider where you are going in your career †¢A discussion about any areas for development †¢An opportunity to set targets †¢An opportunity to identify any training needs †¢A forum to provide information for management †¢An opportunity to look back at your previous review and decide if targets have been met †¢An opportunity to set new targets and goals for the following year There will be times when there is conflict in the workplace, when this happens it is important to recognise why conflict may arise and how you should resolve issues. Below are some examples of conflict in the workplace – †¢Not listening to what the other person has to say †¢Not sharing the work load fairly †¢Taking advantage of the good nature of others †¢Not working to the best of your ability †¢Not working to high standards †¢Not offering the necessary support and advice to others †¢Not being thoughtful and considerate to other’s ideas, opinions and beliefs †¢Not asking for help when needed Scenario: You were asked to plan and prepare an activity for the phonics group that you support. The activity you came up with was fun, eye-catching and included the whole group. When you came to use it with the group, the activity worked really well and, at the end of the lesson, you felt the children had worked hard, even though they became very excited and got quite loud. However, a Teaching Assistant who was supporting another group has since told you that you were not in control and should have training in how to assert yourself. Was the other TA correct to tell you this? Yes, I believe they were but I believe that they should have gone about it in a different way. When working with children it is important that the staff work as a team and offer each other help and advice when necessary but it is also important to be tactful in doing so. Who should you discuss this with and will you ask for help, knowing that you do struggle to gain control? I would let the TA know that I do appreciate their feedback and agree that I did struggle at times to keep my group under control, however overall I was pleased with the activity and felt the children achieved the learning objective of the task. I would also ask if they have any techniques they use to help keep children quiet and calm during activities. I would also speak to the teacher to find out how they felt the activity went and if they had any advice on what I could do differently next time.