Immigration: Racism and Greece

Introduction Nowadays, it has been observed in several countries that immigrant students do not have an equivalent school performance with their native classmates (Pisa, 2003). This essay is concerning the different school performance of the immigrant and Pontic Greeks students in Greece. The first section of this essay is about the immigration to Greece, and it explores the reasons of the increasing immigration to Greece, the second explores the attitudes of Greeks towards immigration, whereas the next section highlights the racism and xenophobia in Greece’s society.Section four is about the ethnocentric school curriculum in this country, whereas, the next section is about, the differnces of the socioeconomic status and cultural capital towards these two groups of immigrants. Finally, the next two sections are about the intercultural education in Greece and its problems. Immigration to Greece Before we go into the procedure of analysis of our topic it is obvious that we shoul d explore the fact of immigration to Greece.The first decades after World War II, a lot of Greeks left their country and they immigrated in many countries such as USA, Canada, Germany and Australia which were more economically developed, because the rates of unemployment and poverty in Greece were extremely high (Katsikas &ump; Politou, 2005), however, Greece nowadays has become a country where many immigrants from different countries arrive, hoping that Greece will offer them the opportunities to have a better life (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).The Mediterranean countries have become a magnet for many immigrants replacing the traditional immigration countries like Germany and France (Brenner &ump; Fertig, 2006). Moreover, immigrants in Greece exceeds the needs of the Greek industry, and Greece has the highest proportion of immigrants between the European Union countries (Siar, 2008). Greece has become the centre of immigration since 1980, when many Greeks who have immigrated to other countries returned back, morever, in 1985 many repatriated Greeks returned back from the U.S. S. R and Albania, finally, the last two decades many economic immigrants from many developing countries from the Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa came to Greece (Katsikas &ump; Politou, 2005). A research which was conducted by Eurostat in 2006 has shown that in Greece there are 884. 000 immigrants and the majority of them came from Albania, the 62% of immigrants in Greece are Albanians (Siar, 2008).However, there are a lot of people from many countries such as Pakistan, India, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Egypt (Siar, 2008). Moreover, the last decades a lot of ethnic Greeks returned to Greece such as Pontic Greeks and Greek Albanians and also there are a lot Greek citizens who returned to Greece from countries such as Cyprus and Turkey (Fakiolas &ump; King, 1996).Furthermore, we should mention that many irregular immigrants especially from Asian countries , live in Greece, and their number becomes every year more and more increased, this happens because they try to enter to Greece through Aegean sea, which is very difficult to be controlled, due to the fact that there is a line of seashore which is 18,400 km and a vast amount of islands which are near to Turkish coasts, thus, it is quite easy from them to enter to Greece (Siar, 2008).In addition, nowadays, in Greece, there is an increasing number of asylum seekers, who try to enter to the most industrialised European countries, the majority of them comes from countries like Iraq, Pakistan, and Afganistan, unfortunately, Greek state, does not usually recognize them, and only few applications get a positive response (Siar, 2008). Moreover, it is quite useful to explore the reasons that Greece attracts many immigrants. First of all, the majority of European countries have stricter immigration policy than Greece, as a result, a lot of people immigrate to Greece (Leghari, 2009).As we have mentioned before, Greece has many islands and a vast coastline, moreover, it has a lot of mountains, it is obvious that Greece’s borders are very difficult to be secured, as a consequence, many irregular immigrants enter the country (Leghari, 2009). Greece, is situated, between the developed and developing countries, as a result, many people from the developing countries immigrate to Greece because their countries very usually face a lot of conflicts and changes (Leghari, 2009).The fall of Communism in many countries made people to leave their countries, the immigration of Pontic Greeks, it was a result of the fall of Communism in U. S. S. R (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). Another important reason which promotes immigration to Greece is the fact that the last decades there was an economic development (Leghari, 2009). Moreover, there was a decline in Greece’s population and as a result, there was a need of labour force (Leghari, 2009).In addition, we should menti on that there is a lack of workers in the construction sector because Greeks do not want to do these kind of jobs (Leghari, 2009). As a result, the majority of immigrants in Greece do these kind of jobs, according to, the Greek Ministry of Interior the 32% of immigrants work in the construction sector (Siar, 2008). Finally, the fact that Greece’s economy, is characterized by an informal sector gives the opportunity to many irregular immigrants to work in this sector (Leghari, 2009).It is obvious that all of these reasons promote immigration, however, it will be quite useful to explore the attitude of public opinion and Greek policy towards immigrants in Greece, because this, will help us, to shed light on the differences in school performance between Pontic Greeks and immigrant students, the next section of this research is about the attitude of Greek policy and public opinion towards immigrants. Attitude of Greek Policy and Public Opinion Towards ImmigrantsFirst of all, we s hould mention that although, in Greece there are a lot of immigrants there is no any effective immigration policy (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). The first decades of immigration to Greece, it was quite obvious that there was no such policy because there were no indications of the extent of this phenomenon, however, until now, there are not effective policies, as a result, we are able to assume that maybe Greek politicians and also society, believe that mass immigration will have an effect on Greek’s homogeneity (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).On the other hand, any migratory policies applied in Greece favors some specific groups, such as Pontic Greeks, moreover, Greek citizenship was granted to them when they arrived in Greece (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). This happens because Greece is one of the most homogenized societies (Rozakis, 1997), and Greece’s homogeneity comes from the fact that Greeks national identity is based on Greece’s gloriou s history and orthodox religion (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). In line with, Triantafyllidou and Veikou: Greek national identity includes both ethnic and civic features, which are dynamically organized and interact with the changing international context and internal needs of the society† (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002: 195). However, nowadays, there are a lot ot social changes in Greece due to the fact of mass immigration, as a result, there is a need Greece’s national identity to be reconsidered and redefined to meet the demands of global and national changes (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).It is obvious, that this fact led Greeks to believe that immigrants will elimintate their national identity and as a result, they do not have a positive attitude towards immigration. On the other hand, Greeks have a positive attitude towards Pontic Greeks, and they have a better treatment than immigrants from other countries such as Albania, we are able to assume t hat Pontic Greeks were a privileged group of immigrants, moreover, this positive attitude towards Pontic Greeks is based on media which have a more positive attitude to them than to other immigrants (Voutira, 2004).This happens because Greeks believe that Pontic Greeks are Greeks with some common habits and they have the same religion as a result, they believe that Pontic Greeks have, like them, national consciousness, however, they do not examine the fact that some of them do not even speak the Greek (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).One of the most important factors of the construction of Greeks national consciousness was the fact that many Orthodox Greeks lived in some other places which some centuries ago were under the control of Greece and made Greeks believe that these lands should be one day controlled by Greece again, helping Greeks Orthodoxs to be integrated with their homeland, this is, what is called in Greece ‘Great Idea’(Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 20 02). It is obvious, that these reasons, guide Greeks to have positive attitudes towards Pontic Greeks.We are able to assume that a better reception is granted to Pontic Greeks when they come to Greece, and their acceptance in Greek society is secured, due to their ‘Greekness’(Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002), as a result, it is obvious that their Greek roots make it easier to be integrated in Greek society, this better integration of Pontic Greek renders us capable of understanding that Pontic Greek students have more chances to have a better school performance than the other immigrant students.However, their Greek roots, it is not the only reason which give them the opportunity to have a better school performance, the next section, explores another reason, which promotes their better educational attainment, this reason is the fact that Greece’s society is characterized by xenophobic and racist beliefs. Xenophobia and Racism in Greece Immigration helps the rec eiving countries to develop their economies, however, sometimes in many countries there are negative attitudes against immigrants (Card, Dustmann, &ump; Preston, 2005).In Greece, a research which was conducted by Anna Triantafullidou and Andoni Mikraki has shown that Greeks since 1995 have not xenophobic attitudes against immigrants, moreover, the 31% of Greece’s population believed that immigrant’s rights should be more extended and only the 4% of the total population had negative attitudes against immigrants (Triantafyllidou &ump; Mikrakis, 1995).However, the high rates of immigration this decade, has triggered the xenophobic and sometimes racist attitudes in Greek society, people nowadays in Greece believe that immigrants increase the rates of unemployment and criminality and very often these stereotypes are guided by the media, moreover as we have mentioned before, Greek society is a homogenized society and Greeks believe that the mass immigration will have an effe ct on Greece’s homogeneity (Hatziprokopiou, 2005).On the other hand, it is quite difficult, to give an explanation, to the growth of xenophobia and racism in this country, however, these attitudes become more and more frequent, this is clear, if we consider the institutional racism which is very usual, in the police stations, the maiority of policemen in Greece tend to believe that immigrants are criminals (Hatziprokopiou, 2005).Moreover, racist attitudes, are a daily phenomenon, even in Greek TV series, there are racist attitudes, for instance, they show immigrants in some ways, such as, criminals, prostitutes, or domestic servants, with this way, there is a reproduction of stereotypes and xenophobia (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). However, these attitudes are very usual, in global history, because when there are a lot of social problems in a society, people try to find a weak social group to blame for these problems (Fenton, 1984), and Greece nowadays has a lot of roblems, due to t he social changes due to immigration (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002), and the economic recession. As a result, there is a growth of racist and xenophobic attitudes. Moreover, these racist beliefs are very common in Greek schools, very often Greek students have negative attitudes towards immigrant students, their perception often is guided by their classmate’s country of origin, some specific immigrant groups especially Albanians are faced xenophobic attitudes and stereotypes even in classrooms (Dimakos &ump; Tasiopoulou, 2010).Of course, we cannot characterize Greek society, as a racist society, because it has been observed, that when there is a contact between Greeks and immigrants, there is a development of interpersonal relationships, and friendships, it is obvious that, that media, social problems and Greece’s immigrations policy promote the racist attitudes towards immigrants (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). It is obvious, that the reproduction of the racist beliefs a nd stereotypes have an effect on school performance.As we have mentioned before, a better reception is granted to Pontic Greeks due to their ‘Greekness’(Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002), as a result, Pontic Greeks students do not have to face racist stereotypes in education, this issue, help us to understand that they have more chances to have a better school performance than the other immigrant students. Of course, Greece’s homogeneity and racist attitudes towards immigrants, are not the only reasons which have an effect on school performance, the next section is about another important reason which guides the differences in school performance, this is the school curriculum.

Examine how Atwood presents Offred’s sense of self in “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Sense of self can be defined by the â€Å"roles, attributes, behaviours, and associations that we consider most important about our selves†. 1 Atwood wrote â€Å"The Handmaid's Tale† during the 80s; (1986 to be precise) an era of ‘power-dressing'. A key icon of the ‘power-dressing' was the wife of the American president, Nancy Reagan, who wore outfits with huge shoulder pads, making her look more masculine. Famous women like her encapsulated what the women of the time aspired to be: rich, beautiful, intelligent and powerful. In â€Å"The Handmaid's Tale†, Offred constantly refers back to her old life and the way she used to style herself in comparison to the way she looks now. She remembers, â€Å"Makeup†3 and â€Å"bathing suits and platform shoes†4, â€Å"sheer pantyhose against the skin†5, and â€Å"the smell of nail paint†6. All these things relate to the image that she once aspired to obtain, and this constant regressi on shows how she longs to return to her life before the regime, when she was secure in her identity. The air of desirability Atwood gives these things reflects how Offred desires them. However, this does not mean that Offred needs these things to regain her sense of self; Atwood simply uses them as symbols of Offred's true identity which she attributes to herself and her life before the regime. In contrast, Atwood uses negative language to describe the red dress Offred now wears. The phrases, â€Å"a nondescript woman in red†7 and, â€Å"the colour of blood, which defines us†8 hint at Offred's contempt towards her red dress. This shows how Offred recognises that her obligatory red dress is not a reflection of her personality (as clothing should be) but a barrier between her and the rest of the world; in this dress she is Offred, a Handmaid and nothing else. Even her name, â€Å"Offred† is evidence of the regime taking away her identity because it can be interpretated as, ‘Of-Fred' meaning that she is Fred's (the Commander's) possession. This concept supports Simone de Beauvoir's comments that, â€Å"she is defined and differentiated with reference to man and not with reference to her†9. In â€Å"The Handmaid's Tale† the name Offred does not tell the reader anything about Offred as a person, it only tells them that she is a Handmaid who belongs to the Commander, Fred, her actually identity is not referred to at all. Our names become a part of who we are and we are identified by them; after losing her name, Offred feels the need to remind herself of it, to ensure her true identity is not lost, â€Å"This name has an aura around it, like an amulet, some charm that's survived from an unimaginably distant past. 10 The words, â€Å"aura†, â€Å"amulet† and, â€Å"charm† create a semantic field of mystery and magic which reflects Offred's feelings towards her name; now that she is not allowed to use it, she views it as something to be in awe of, something she must â€Å"treasure† and, â€Å"dig up, one day†11. The word, â€Å"amulet† refers to something that protects you from danger; the danger for Offred would be to comple tely lose her sense of self so Offred refers to this name in order to connect with her ‘self' because she recognises that she is not actually part of this regime at all; she remembers her real name to separate herself from it. However, the importance of Offred's real name in the redevelopment of her sense of self is accurately demonstrated when she tells Nick, â€Å"I tell him my real name, and feel that therefore I am known. â€Å"12 Offred's real name is extremely personal to her, before she felt as if she was simply a Handmaid with no other identity but once she tells Nick her real name she feels as if she is telling him who she really is, apart from the regime. Atwood also uses the character of Nick as a literary tool to develop Offred's sense of self, through the development of her sexual identity. Nick becomes a recurring theme, representing masculinity; he is described as having forearms which are, â€Å"tanned but with a stipple of dark hairs†13, whereas Offred imagines that the Commander has a,†white, tufted raw body†14which makes him sound like the absolute opposite of Nick, undesirable and unattractive; and subconsciously Offred rejects him showing that she still has the power to chose who she falls in love with or feels emotion towards. Offred's emotions are unique to her and therefore define part of her identity; during the conception ceremony Offred's narrative includes very little emotion and her tone is detached,† One detaches oneself. One describes†. 15 By referring to ‘one' in general and not specifically to herself shows how Offred is using denial as a defence mechanism to avoid the shameful truth that she is actually having sex with the Commander; she even says, â€Å"what he is fucking is the lower part of my body†16. Atwood uses this detached tone to illustrate how Offred has become accustomed to how her body has been violated, but the expletive, â€Å"fucking† shows that she does not agree with it and is angry at this violation. She wants the reader to understand that throughout all this, Offred is trying to retain her sense of self and is still ‘herself' in her mind. In contrast, Offred's forbidden sexual relationship with Nick is a loving relationship which creates a parallel with the similar forbidden relationship she had with Luke, before the regime. Offred used to view herself as Luke's lover, then eventually his wife, these were roles that were important to her and roles that she attributed to her identity, â€Å"Can I be blamed for wanting a real body to put my arms around? Without it I too am disembodied. â€Å"17 The rhetorical question shows how confused and alone Offred feels and the word, â€Å"disembodied† highlights Offred's need to feel loved in a physical relationship because she defines herself through her interaction with others, but in the dystopian society in which she lives this social and emotional interaction has been removed. When Offred finally does sleep with Nick he becomes a substitute for Luke, â€Å"I went back to Nick. Time after time on my own, without Serena knowing†. 18 Atwood uses short sentences to give the reader a blunt and concise account of what happened; the fact that Offred slept with Nick is irrelevant in comparison to the implications it has. The small, insignificant rebellions Offred has executed throughout the novel come to a climax at this point in the story, where Offred shows that she is willing to sacrifice her life and social standing in an attempt to express her true self. The phrase, â€Å"on my own† draws attention to Offred's new found confidence and independence and the fact that Serena does not know about it symbolises her freedom from the regime. Atwood uses personal pronouns, â€Å"I tell, therefore, you are†, which enables Offred to personalise the listener/reader whom she is narrating to. Her references to the unidentified, â€Å"you† is ironic, because in a way she is talking to herself, about herself. She is becoming introspective and generates a sense of self pity through creating this other person. Atwood is trying to make the reader feel included in the novel; she is also giving Offred a way of coping with her loneliness and isolation. This notion supports Helene Cixous' belief that, â€Å"By writing her self, woman will return to the body which has been more than confiscated from her. â€Å"19 By telling her story Offred portraits a part of her personality and therefore, a part of her identity in her story, and because she cannot freely express her personality in the society in which she lives, she resorts to living in the memories of her nameless audience. Offred's storytelling also supports Mallik's opinion that Atwood includes, â€Å"basic victim positions†20 in her novel, because she tells her story to her ‘audience' in order to regain a part of her identity which she realises has been taken away from her; and as the novel progresses she becomes more willing to rebel to reclaim it. Atwood uses the narrative tone to reflect the emotional state of the narrator. At the beginning of the novel Offred is confused, â€Å"like a sleepwalker conceiving disjointed perceptions of its surroundings,†21 but by the end of the novel, â€Å"the narrative voice assumes a fully engaged emotional tone† which reflects Offred's emotional development, and mirrors how she is no longer a passive entity but an active woman who is willing to fight for what she wants.

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The Chinese economy has maintained a momentum of rapid growth while Essay

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Profile of Honda Motor Company Ltd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Profile of Honda Motor Company Ltd - Essay Example Japan was a fuel and transport starved nation after the Second World War. Soichiro Honda seized this opportunity to provide cheap transport from small two-stroke motorcycle engines developed in the Honda Technical Research Institute in Japan. (History). This resulted in the launch of Dream D 98cc motorcycle in 1949 (Honda). From then on there has been no looking back for this multi-national company leading to a wide range of products, and a presence in nearly every part of the world. It is the leading manufacturer of motorcycles in the world, and an automobile manufacturer of repute. The name Honda in the modern era has been equated with value for money. The business activities of Honda Motor Company Ltd. include the development, production and manufacture of motor products in many places around the world. The motorcycle business activity consists of the manufacture of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and personal watercraft. The engine capacities of the motorcycles manufactured by Honda have a range from as low as 50cc to as high as 1800cc cylinder displacement. The models of Honda motorcycles consist of sports, business, and commuter models. Passenger cars in the automobile range of Honda consist of the Legend, Accord, Civic, City, and Acura brands. Honda also offers multi-wagons, sports utility vehicles, sports coupes, and mini-vehicles under different brand names. Financial services to customers and dealers also form a part of the business activities of Honda. This activity facilitates the purchase of vehicles by the dealers and the customers. Honda also manufactures a range of other power products, which include power tillers, portable generators, general-purpose engines, grass cutters, outboard engines, water pumps, snow throwers, power carriers, power sprayers, lawn mowers, and lawn tractors. The products of Honda are made available to its customers through various outlets, wholesalers, and independent retail dealers (Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (HMC)).

The Great Gatsby Destruction of the American Dream Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Destruction of the American Dream Essay The failure of the American dream can be seen through the main characters Gatsby, Daisy and Myrtle and Tom Buchannan. Gatsby is obviously the most important of the four, due to his significant roll in the book. Jay Gatsby is bent on getting his love interest, Daisy, his girlfriend before the war. Ironically, Gatsby, a decorated military officer, is so intent on getting Daisy back he involves himself in organized crime and bootlegging (Callahan 2). He moves in across the river from Daisy and throws lavish parties to try to get her to come and try to woo her back to him. These lavish parties and Gatsby’s inability to move on will ultimately lead to his downfall. Baska 2 Gatsby’s personality parallels with many items brought up in the book. Fitzgerald uses Nick to describe Gatsby mansion, â€Å"The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard—it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion† (Fitzgerald 7). When Nick enters Gatsby’s house to attend one of his parties he also describes its grand rooms with high empty ceilings. Gatsby, much like his mansion, puts of this elegant appearance but on the inside he is hollow and tiring to find people to fill that hollowness Daisy’s character is very static just like the Gatsby; she plays Gatsby off and only truly liked him because he was just something new (Callahan 2). Despite being from the upper elite class and having the â€Å"perfect lifestyle†, she still is the third wheel in her relationship. Tom, Daisy’s husband, engages in an affair with Myrtle and despite the thinking that the upper class is perfect and everyone should be like them Tom beats his wife and is very hot headed. Tom is also a factory owner and the New York factories have destroyed this valley known as the Valley of Ashes. In this Valley there is the sign of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg â€Å"The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their irises are one Baska 3 yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. Evidently some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten his practice in the borough of Queens, and then sank down himself into eternal blindness. †(Fitzgerald 24) The decaying face of Eckleburg is there to show the consequences of the American Dream in the twenties and how it had destroyed the lives of many people. It may also be seen as the death of God in this day and age of social decay. Much like Daisy in her youth Myrtle has decided the wealthy life is the way for her. Myrtle up till the end is an almost ideal picture of the American Dream despite cheating on her husband for Tom. Myrtle’s car has broken down and when she exits the car Daisy, who was coming down the road, hits her with her car. Myrtle had gone from the Valley of Ashes to the riches to being murdered by her love affair’s wife. This downward spiral continues when George Wilson, Myrtles husband, believes who ever hit Myrtle was the person she was having an affair with. Tom tells Wilson that Gatsby was driving the car that hit Myrtle. Wilson goes to Gatsby’s house were he finds him relaxing in the pool on a float. Wilson shoots Gatsby then turns the gun on himself, showing us the tragic ending to the books corruption in the American Dream theme. Corruption in the twenties illustrated in The Great Gatsby parallels with many other generations, one such one is the most recent. The world today is filled with consumerism and the idea that to be reat and to be the person in the spot light you Baska 4 must have money and glamour. In The Great Gatsby, there is also the apparent struggle between the â€Å"new money† and the â€Å"old money† just as there is today. The Roaring twenties was the first generation to change the American Dream from the strait laced puritan morals to living large in the mansion. Hollywood, celebrities and the television has imbedded the failures of the American Dream which Fitzgerald has exposed in The Great Ga tsby into today’s culture. The middle class has been given the privilege to have a home and have freedom, so the view of the American dream has been changed by society. Tyler Durden, from Fight Club, expresses the sentiments above â€Å"Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy stuff we don’t need† (Palahniuk 114). Despite all the ignorant prejudice the recent large scale Hispanic immigration hopefully will show America that The American Dream should not about having money and the perfect life, but having a safe haven to live your life free. The people who left everything to come to America not to be famous or the wealthy but for a better life for them and their children are the true idealization of the American Dream. From the Great Gatsby to the roaring twenties all they way up to modern times people look up to the American Dream for inspiration and try to make it their own. Greed and love may have corrupted the dream for Gatsby, though it is just human nature to want more than what you have and that is the true corruption Fitzgerald has shown his readers.

Hobbes Locke And Rousseau And The Social Contract Philosophy Essay

Hobbes Locke And Rousseau And The Social Contract Philosophy Essay All the above three quotes are from three of the most influential and glorified philosophers. All three of them, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau are famous for their works in the field of political philosophy. These three philosophers dominated the political thoughts of the 17th and 18th century. Thomas Hobbes Born on 5 April 1588 in Malmesbury , Wiltshire , England , formed the base for western political thought through his various books, one of which was highly influential in the field of political philosophy was the book Leviathan .Apart from political philosophy he also contributed in the field of history , geometry , ethics and political science. John Locke Born on 29 august 1632 in Wrington , Somerset, England, mostly known as the father of Liberalism. His   work had a large impact upon the establishment of the concept of   epistemology and political philosophy.one of his most famous writings is the Two treaties of government . Jean Jacques Rousseau Born on 28 June 1712 in Geneva, Republic of Geneva.his work influenced the French and the American revolution. His major works were in the field of political philosophy , literature ,education and his famous books are Emile and the social contract and discourses. To begin with I would like to inform that the social contract from the eyes of these three philosophers is based on one fundamental philosophy that is the state of nature, which is different for each one of them as all three have different dimensions and dynamics to it Hobbes considers the state of nature an horrific one .he simply calls the state of nature a s a state of war that is constant war. This state of war or state of nature is derived from human nature , human beings tendency to desire and to fulfill these desires in order to remain happy and satisfied in life . Hobbes expresses that the state of nature provides full freedom , everyone has the freedom to do what they want . thus there is complete equality too as each one is capable of desiring what they want and to do anything to achieve the desires always trying to gain more than the other person resulting in conflict and hence a state of war. No person can be inferior to another by the virtue of nature. Hobbes wrote that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war as is of every man against every man .due to the constant dispute and battle between human beings there is constant fear. According to Hobbes people in the state of nature are free to do anything they feel like doing in order to protect their interests hence there is no injustice as there no law . According to Locke state of nature is a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions , and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of law of nature.it is a state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another. He defines the state of nature as that state that is present before the the society develops. Its a state of complete freedom and equality and everyone is equally free. there is this concept of law of nature which both Hobbes and Locke follow . the law of nature governs the state of nature , it is the law derived from human reasoning. But according to Locke the law of reason suggests to avoid harm to self and others well being , property and liberty. This is where Locke opposes Hobbes as he say if the law of nature is followed then there will be complete peace and harmony which prevents the state of nature from entering a state of war .Locke mainly speaks of political equality , he says that one person can not be a victim of authority and oppression of another. Rousseau too disagreed with Hobbes with regard to the state of nature .he too felt that the state of nature was not a state of war. He presents the state of nature as a primitive one . Where human beings live like savages, whose desires are very basic and simple. There interaction with others is done for no social cause but to fulfill their own basic desires like sex , food and sleep. He said that in a state of nature human beings have only a few natural sentiments of self-love and pity. Humans live on basic instincts and can make use of nature hence giving them way more choices than other animals even though they seem like brute animals but they are not. This state is a very peaceful one as there is no vice, and no sentiments like greed, jealousy, envy as there is no civilized society. How and why should the state exit the State of Nature and enter into a social contract? Hobbes says; In a state of War, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.no commodious Building; no Knowledge of the face of the earth; no Account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short Hobbes says that the only way that the state of war in the state of nature can end is with the entering of the social contract. It can prevent chaos which is prevailing in the state of war. Hobbes says that there are laws present in the state of nature but no one to implement them, hence to have an authority or a body which can enforce these laws we need to enter into a contract. Hobbesian social contract demands the human beings in the state of nature to give up all their rights to the supreme authority apart from their right to life, which in the case of Hobbes is the sovereign, according to Hobbes the sovereign is absolute authority. The contract is void one the aim of the contract is not fulfilled that is the citizens of the state are not secure. According to Locke the reason behind leaving the state of nature are three inconveniences in the law of nature that there wants an established known law, there wants a known and impartial judge, and there wants the power to back and support the sentence when right and to give it due execution he says that humans have to transfer from the state of nature to the social contract in order to create a political society. According to Locke the social contract is entered only once there is consent of the people. This social contract forms a civil society with a government; the purpose of this was the protection of life, property and liberty. Rousseau claims moving out from the state of nature because as the population increased the resources were strained as a result of which humans started living in groups,there were personal comparisons, which led to pride and vanity, with time passing there there were innovations resulting in leisure hence causing greed, all this created division between the rich and the poor.the social unrest caused by all this showed a need of a government hence Rousseau explains the need for exit from the state of nature. He states that the government should be formed on the basis of a general will. For the general will to be truly general, it must be general in its origin, in its form and when there is economic equality he says that there must be a say of each and every person of the society, that a group should not represent the mass but each person should have the ability to vote and chose their sovereign. From the above text we realize that all three of them agreed to having a contract for the greater good of society. Hobbes and Rousseau want a absolute sovereign whereas Locke places various limitations to the sovereign. I feel all even though the three theorists differ in a few fundamental points their aims and purposes are mostly similar. -SHIVEN VARMA

Essay --

Stress In Workplace affects Your Health What is Stress? Stress is the destructive source which our bodies experience as we adjust to our constantly altering surroundings. It has both physical and emotional effects on us and may result in positive and negative feelings. Stress can positive and at the same time negative. Positive Stress can help induce action and it can bring responsiveness and new ideas. Negative Stress can cause disbelieve, rejection, anger, and depression. These effects in turn can cause health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Stress is "not a bad thing, but a necessary thing," according to Parton. Like a stringed instrument, people need a certain amount of tension in order to perform. Too little stress and the instrument won't produce the right sound. Too much stress, and the string snaps. Companies need stress to drive production, however, stress can easily escalate, and left unc hecked, can have a negative effect on a company's bottom line. There are so many things related to workplace stress but it’s very difficult to cater and discuss all of them, here later we bit take a glimpse of todays most common and fastest technology using in business but as an stress, yes non other than â€Å"Internet†. Workplace Stress Workplace stress may be defined as job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury." [(United States National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, 1999] Or â€Å"The emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physiological reac... ... workplace stress can lessen productivity. This is the case often seen in employees at many organizations. In addition, aside from costs associated with lost efficiency, there are costs with respect to stress connected absenteeism and organizational medical expenses. In particular, these include the costs of lost company time, augment in work-related accidents, troublemaking production, increases in health care costs and health insurance premiums, and most significantly, decreases in output. References Stress at work, United States National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, 1999 Guidance on work-related stress: Spice of life - or kiss of death, European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs What is workplace stress? 10 March 2001. http://www-ilo-mirror.cornell.edu/public/english/protection/safework/stress/whatis.htm

Computer Technology :: Argumentative Technological Computer papers

Computer Technology I. Introduction Over the past few decades, the advances of computer technology have undoubtedly increased the rate of information exchange. Communication across the globe is now done with ease, convenience, and speed. Accessing online bank accounts, instant messaging, online auctions, and communication via electronic email are just few examples of normal transactions that occur today. Although these advances have provided a tremendous positive impact on our society, it has also caused some controversial ethical issues, namely the privacy of personal information. Computers have been used as a tool to invade personal privacy for various purposes such as direct marketing, the sharing and selling of consumer information, and government surveillances. Furthermore, the advent of the Internet as an infrastructure of connected computers has been used to exchange non-public personal information to unknown parties. As a result, privacy concerns have risen as computer technology rapidly becomes pervasive. Beca use of the depth and many facets of the privacy of personal information, this research paper focuses on the privacy of consumer information. II. Current State on the Usage of Consumer Information Consumer information is used for a wide variety of applications. Typical usage of consumer information today include target selling/marketing, sharing databases, and the credit bureau's use of consumer information to gauge personal credit ratings. Businesses may obtain consumer information from various sources such as customer questionnaires, surveys, commercial transactions, web activity, application forms, and many more. Personal consumer information gathered from these examples are then used by businesses to customize marketing efforts, data mine consumer databases to recognize buying patterns, and evaluate credit risks of applicants. A few examples of the kinds of information collection and usage practices are: An automobile dealership's web site offers help to consumers in rebuilding their credit ratings. To take advantage of this offer, consumers are urged to provide their name, address, social security number, and telephone number through the web site's online information form. Consumer information may then be sold or shared to other automobile dealerships to provide specific, targeted offers for the consumer. A mortgage company operates an online pre-qualification service for home loans. The online application form requires that each potential borrower provide his or her name, social security number, home and business telephone numbers, e-mail address, previous address, type of loan sought, current and former employer's name and address, length of employment, income, sources of funds to be applied toward closing, and approximate total in savings.

Feminism in Pokemon

A Pokà ©mon or â€Å"pocket monster† is a popular anime that is based on the story of a young â€Å"Pokà ©mon Trainer† â€Å"Ash† in his journey to become a â€Å"Pokà ©mon master†. This means capturing and training Pokà ©mon to create an elite team of the strongest so that you can say you are master of all Pokà ©mon hence a Pokà ©mon master, this also consists of capturing every type of Pokà ©mon and completing your poke-dex (a electronic encyclopaedia on Pokà ©mon that automatically records the amount of different Pokà ©mon seen and caught).Whilst it may seem very friendly and childish the story is open to interpretation and could be viewed from a feminist standpoint to be actually misogynistic. The first female character introduced in the series is Ash’s mom, she is introduced as the stereotypical mother however if we look closer at her we can see how see is trapped in a life of servitude and loneliness. That is why she is so attached to her son. There is a clear absence of Ash’s father that is often left unanswered; this could be interpreted to mean that the mother figure in a boy’s life is far more important than that of the father.The reason that Ash father is not present throughout the series is left deliberately vague however there is a reference to him becoming a Pokà ©mon trainer and starting his own journey. With this information I would say that it isn’t that much of a leap to say that perhaps he abandoned Mrs Ketchum (Delia Ketchum). The fact that it is â€Å"Mrs† shows that she married Mr Ketchum who had abandoned her; she also took his name. She runs the only Pokà ©mon restaurant in Palet town and has to take care of her child Ash and in return she again is deserted by him as he leaves on his adventure.This however doesn’t seem to be an abnormality and shows that it is common for women in Pokà ©mon to be imprisoned by their â€Å"duties† and not free to follo w their dreams of becoming a Pokà ©mon trainer like the males, instead they become housewives however there is a sense of equality as women are given the liberty to start the adventure, if they are not burdened by their duties. However despite all her misery she is still expected for her only desires to be to help Ash and to serve him as it is her â€Å"duty†.The next female character we are introduced to is Misty, she is portrayed as a â€Å"tom-boy†, with romantic affections towards Ash, she desires to help Ash and serve him, although her ego would never admit it. Once she develops a character with greater dimensions she is forcibly removed from the story line by fading her into the background completely dissolving and any love interests between her and Ash showing that their relationship was meaningless and that she could simply be tossed aside. She is then replaced by another female companion for Ash, another â€Å"play-mate†.She is forced to stay with her sisters and stay in the gym. Again like Delia Ketchum she is forced to abandon her dreams due to her duties and is deserted by the man she loves. Another important female character is Jessy she is described as manipulative and is working in the evil cooperation of team rocket attempting to steal rare Pokà ©mon. James is her weaker male partner and Jessy is far more dominant. He is constantly forced to dress up in a disguise along with Jessy however Jessy disguises herself as the dominant male whilst James the female showing the symbolic difference in power between the two characters.This may be interpreted to be a positive sign as a woman may rise to the power of a man and a man sink to a woman but the very fact that this idea is conveyed shows a sexist ideology and is anti-feminist as it shows inequality within the sexes. In other words the idea that because Jessy is stronger she should be male and James is weaker and should be female is conveyed by their cross dressing. Woman in Pokà ©mon dress in skimpy clothing, including Misty who is supposed to be pre-teen. This could be interpreted to the liberation of women, as they are allowed to wear what they want when they want.However another interpretation is that they are viewed as mere sexual objects that are open to sexual flirtation, this is why Brock, who is a notorious womaniser, is constantly shown flirting with female characters throughout the show and is entitled to make passes on them. However this is quickly ended by Misty who would grab Brock by the ear and throws him to the ground. This may seem like a humorous practice however this could be interpreted into Brock showing sexual aggression and him seeing women as a mere outlet for his sexual desires.That is why Misty must quickly throw him to the ground to prevent him from enacting his dark desires. When Misty fades away another female companion comes along to prevent Brock, in other words they are a â€Å"Brock block†, but none are as aggre ssive as Misty. He often flirts with Nurse Joy, the fact that she is identical to all the other Nurse Joys shows that women in the poke-world that pursue a medical carer can be simply casted as the stereotypical â€Å"Nurse Joy†. A one dimensional character that is ruled by her emotions to help heal Pokà ©mon.Notice how it is â€Å"Nurse Joy† not â€Å"Doctor Joy† implying that she can only ever rise to a rank of a â€Å"Nurse† an assistant to a â€Å"Doctor†. He also flirts with Officer Jenny; she also is identical to all the other officer Jennys this shows that women in the poke-world that pursue a career in policing can be simply casted as the stereotypical â€Å"Officer Jenny† or â€Å"Nurse Joy. A one dimensional character that is ruled by her emotions to help prevent crimes. Although it is a relief that women can pursue a career in policing and medicine they are still thrown into the stereotype of the typical â€Å"Officer Jennyâ₠¬ .Also they are presented as loud and presumptive, believing that the Ash is often the culprit but within minutes apologising for her presumptive nature showing her ignorance and naà ¯ve nature. An interesting new aspect of Pokà ©mon is Competitions, Pokà ©mon Contests were first introduced early on and Contests originated in the Hoenn region. In them, Coordinators show how beautiful and skilful they and their Pokà ©mon can be. Showing that the very focus is on the trainers and Pokà ©mon’s appearance, this shows how judgemental and cruel the Pokà ©mon world really is.I would argue that it is similar to shows like â€Å"America’s Next Top Model†; these shows are fixated on broadcasting a false image of women and create an expectation that is impossible for women to measure up to. This was made explicitly clear in a banned episode of Pokà ©mon where Misty is forced to compete in a swimwear contest and is threatened by James who cross-dresses and wears inf latable breasts; this shows the emphasis on big breasts as a sign of beauty and worth in both our society and the Pokà ©mon society.Overall I believe Pokà ©mon is remarkably similar to our own society and the issues faced by women, although women are also allowed to start of their own journey and even join the elite four (The Elite Four are four Pokà ©mon Trainers who are regarded as the toughest in their regional Pokà ©mon League, short of the Pokà ©mon League Champion. Those who challenge the Elite Four must have won all eight Badges from that region and face all four and the current Champion consecutively without losing to any of them. there is inequalities that is not only caused by the double standards and expectations of women but by their lack of liberty and burdens of responsibility. If we look back at Delia Ketchum she is abandoned by Mr Ketchum and forced to look after Ash whilst maintaining a restaurant passed down to her from her mother and is never allowed to pursu e her dreams of becoming a Pokà ©mon trainer and model. She is not shown any sympathy or pity she is merely marginalised along with many other characters and this practice is ongoing, Misty was just another victim of this cruel system.

Community Base Correction Essay

Community based correction is a more effective means of criminal punishment in comparison to incarceration. Community based corrections is a program which supervises people who have been convicted or are facing conviction. It is a non-incarcerate system of correction. These offenders have been convicted or are facing conviction. Some offenders have entered these programs before being in jail and some serve a part of their sentence in jail before entering the program. Community corrections have gained acceptance across the United States as a response to the growing costs of traditional correctional settings. Their increased use is based on the fact that such programs are generally cheaper, because they entail shorter periods of control, but also thought to be more effective than residential prisons and jails in reducing future criminal behavior. In Ohio, community-based alternatives to prison were established in HB 1000, also known as the Community Corrections Act (CCA). Under this bi ll, non-residential prison alternatives were established that would allow lower level felons to be diverted from expensive state penal institutions into cheaper community based programs. Over time, community alternatives expanded across the state and became an integral part of the correctional scene. By FiscalYear 2000, CCA programs expanded to 85 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Typically, these facilities and programs house non-violent, first and second time offenders who might be sentenced to prison if not for the community alternative. It is reported that in 2000, over 8,698 offenders were diverted from the state prison system and 18,344 offenders from local jails (Ohio DRC website). According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Ohio has a smaller proportion of its correctional population in prison and jail than other states in the mid-West, and the nation (Glaze, 2002), and this may be  reflective of the state use of community corrections systems. Currently, community based alternatives to prison are either state run programs, or county run programs that are subsidized by the state. There are also nonprofit organizations throughout the state that administer prog rams such as halfway houses, which are also subsidized by the state. Nationwide, however, there is an expanding notion of community corrections that goes beyond the concept of sending offenders to locked facilities: More and more states and communities are experimenting with less and less restrictive forms of supervision and treatment, and are seeing treatment programs as part of a vital system that rehabilitates offenders. These programs help to maintain public safety through a balanced use of secure detention, corrections and community based alternatives because they help to reduce facility crowding. Community Corrections programs are programs designed to divert offenders from incarceration by providing alternatives to prison and help reduce jail overcrowding. They are there to support the offenders to intermingle with the community while being monitored in their activities. Community based corrections consists of probation, intermediate sanction, parole and re-entry programs. Parole and probation have always been a way of community based correction s. In recent years with the technological advancement and considering the psychology of convicted people, correction programs have widened to accommodate work releases, day fine programs, electronic monitoring, home confinement, community service, half way houses, boot camp prisons, restitution, check-in programs, mediation, curfews, restorative justice centers, drug checks, alcohol checks and other methods where there is a certain level of trust between the offenders and the people involved. Jail affects a person psychologically and he or she can lose his self-esteem which eventually leads to disinterest in normal life. Many jail inmates who are there for petty reasons turn to become hard core criminals with the company they get in jails. There are thousands of people in jails and more than 5 times are on probation or parole at any given point of time. ‘Jails were never made for people, it were made for crimes,’ says a famous crime based fiction writer. It is not that jail authorities want to solve the problem of overcrowding of jails through community based correction. However  it is one of the minor reasons which lead to the start of these methods of correction. Society has valid and legitimate reasons to stay away from offenders but this may turn them towards crime again. Almost one quarter of people who have spent time in jails return mostly with the same kind of offence or some other type of anti-social activities. Braithwaite put forth the philosophy of restorative justice which advocates a change of behavior of convicts through holistic methods. It works on the principle of reintegration. It is like helping offenders to enter the society in a way where they can be accepted by the society. This system has its impact on the society in general as well, as it helps the society understand and accept the fact that offenders are also a part of the society. There are some offenders who enter the community based correction programs without entering jails and some serve a part of their sentence in jail before entering the program. We all commit mistakes and get an opportunity to learn and same goes for offenders. The process of learning starts when the person involved comes to know his mistake and accepts it. Eventually, the process may be difficult but it has helped many people, which gives a positive signal for other offenders. In conclusion, community based correction programs are more effective than institutional corrections because they are less expensive to operate. They have many ways of funding so the burden is not only on the government. Overcrowding is lessened by offering prison education programs that make possible offenders aware of the lifestyle in prison and by o ffering many different programs that accept numerous offenders. The offender learns accountability and the programs are individualized so the offender can gain the maximum rehabilitation. There are some that may oppose the community based correction programs because they may be scared for the safety of the community. The programs may be hard to place in the community due to locations of schools and businesses and some people may be worried about the property value. Even with these objections the community based correction programs have proven to be more beneficial than a correctional institution. â€Æ' References (2010, 2008, 2007). In J. J. Macionis, Sociology —Thirteenth ed. Upper Saddle River,: Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall,. Crime Reduction: Prision Overcrowding. (2003-04). Retrieved from American Community Corrections Institute: http://www.accilifeskills.com/prison/overcrowding.php Marion, P. N. (2002, November). Community Corrections in Ohio: Cost Savings and Program Effectiveness. Retrieved from Justice Policy: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents.ohio_community.pdf John Byrne & Donald Yanich, 1982. â€Å"Incarceration Vs. Community-Based Corrections: More Than Just Politics ,† Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 2(2), pages 216-223, November. Watson, R. (2012). Benifits of Community Corrections. Retrieved from Hamilton County, Indiana: http://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/topic/?topicid=165&structureid=9 (2011, 01). Community Based Corrections. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 01, 2011, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Community-Based-Corrections-555395.html

Leadership and Management

ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management: |Centre Number: |R31609 | |Centre Name: |Leeds Metropolitan Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Centre | |Student Name: |Alexandra Hunt | |Leeds Met Student ID: |33251825 | |Student Date of Birth: |15/01/1991 | |Student Email Address: |a. [email  protected] leedsmet. ac. uk | |Gender: |Female | |Assessment Summary | | | |This task requires you to develop and demonstrate your skills or potential skills in leading and building an effective team.In order to gain the ILM 3 | |Award in Leadership and Management you will need to complete and pass a number of questions in this short question test. | | | |Note: To complete the task you will need to draw upon your personal experiences in, for example; a part-time job, voluntary work, other groups (e. g. sports| |teams), and leadership you have observed, are familiar with or have read about. |Understanding Leadership Styles | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the factors that will infl uence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations | |Question 1: |Describe 2 factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations (approximately 100 | | |words) | |If the person is in a situation where a decision needs to be made fast for example a paramedic may use an autocratic leadership style due to being in an | |emergency and needing to work objectively and quickly. | |During my 12 months placement I was working as recruitment consultant, a paternalistic leadership style on reflection was what I used when speaking to | |potential candidates, as it involved me using a lot of enthusiasm and persuasion. I need to use perceptive skills in order to pick up how the candidate was| |reacting and if it was a warm lead or a dead cold call. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or negative effect on individual and group behaviour | |Question 2: |Following on from the previous question, please explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or | | |negative effect on individual or group behaviour (approximately 100 words) | |A con of using autocratic leadership style would mean that you may miss good ideas, and does not encourage team work, so often taking on a heavier work | |load yourself as you put the team in a position where they are needing constant supervision and approval from the autocratic leader. |A con of paternalistic leadership is that the selling only lasts as long as you are on the phone or are around for, and some candidates/people are not easy| |selling targets, you also may waste your time persuading them without gaining any commitment – which came across me time and time again when working as a | |recruitment consultant. | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own leadership behaviours and potential in the context of a particular leadership model, using feedback from others | |Question 3: |Assess your own leadership behaviours and potential in relation to a leadership model discussed on the programme.Your reflection | | |should be based on what previous team members have fed back to you (approximately 100 words) | |At university currently we are participating in a module called consultancy project, whereby as group we have to write a report, research and offer | |recommendations to a real life client. Over the 4 months we have had 2 peers assessments and my feedback fits into the empowering leadership style, I have | |gained 100% commitment from the client and my team, I have motivated all my team members giving them guidance and reassurance when writing the report and | |they do trust my decisions that I have made. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe appropriate actions to enhance own leadership behaviour in the context of the particular leadership model | |Question 4: |Describe at least 2 appropriate actions to enhance your own leadersh ip behaviour in the context of a leadership model discussed on | | |the programme (approximately 100 words) | |To enhance my leadership skills I think I firstly need to take a more asking approach instead of getting so stressed myself without even consulting the | |other group members. Sometimes I tend to take it all upon myself without building the rest of the teams effort. | |Sometimes also using an autocratic style might be worth it, due to recently working with a team member who does not seem to put as much effort in as the | |others, to improve the group and work on my leadership styles he may respond to getting things done and meet objectives if I set them for him, this is | |something I will take with me and use to improve my group work with. | | | | | | | | |Understanding the Communication Process in the Workplace | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace | |Question 1: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |If communication in the workplace is bad it can have several effects such as decreased productivity, low morale and mistakes made. Communication is the key| |to running a successful business or project, it dismisses the pportunity for any important project to jeopardised (Allen Webster) | |High Productivity: the goal of any business, poor communication causes a breakdown in productivity resulting in profit loss or time loss. | |Morale: Not understanding a task causes low morale, as it makes employees feel confused and question wether they can contribute to the job role or not | |which leads to low self esteem. Tasks must be received in a clear concise manner focusing on the manager or the leaders communicative skills when | |surpassing important information. | |Mistakes: Written communication is essential and when writing emails which are now such a frequent task, you must be careful in choice of wording to ensure| |the email is not mi sunderstood or it can lead to unnecessary mistakes in the workplace. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle | |Question 2: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle (approximately 100 words) | |The basic flow of communication: | |Sender –> Message –> Transmission –> Recipient –> Receiver | | | | | |In this flow the sender sends a message to the receiver and then they can share feedback on the communication process. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify possible barriers to communication in the workplace | |Question 3: |Describe two possible barriers to communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |Environmental Barriers: The things that surround us, which prevent us from receiving the speaker’s message for example, other peoples conversation, time | |pressures, the weather, physical discomfort in the room you are sat in. – External barriers. | |Environmental barriers are related to the listener such as how the listener is feeling at the time. |Attitudinal Barriers: The thoughts and feelings going on inside our heads which prevent us from listening, for example boredom, you do not like the person | |who is speaking, – internal barriers. | |Attitudinal Barriers have a lot to do with the mood and beliefs of the listener. | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication | |Question 4: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication (approximately 100 words) | |Effective communication requires listening and strong concentration.So it is important when receiving information, to ensure that the conditions are | |conducive to listening. ILM 3 has taught me that when important conversations are taking place and you are not in the right frame of mind due to | |attitudinal barriers be prepared to take them offline. You can also use the 6 steps to hearing attention, to improve your communication when needed m ost. | |For example an improved step I should take is be aware when it is getting to deep for me, and I tend to switch off when it gets to complicated or complex. | |This is something I need to work on to improve my communication skill set and follow through on challenging tasks that I need to complete. | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses | |Question 5: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses (approximately 100 words) | |Written Communication: This should be used when needing to provide detailed information, such as figures and facts. Written communication is useful during | |briefs, it is useful when conducting a presentation to send extra written information out, the main use is when needing to refer back to it throughout a | |project or at a later date you can do, without having to ask the same questions again or repeat yourself. | |Or al Communication: This can be used during presentations, over the phone and is main form off communication. It is verbal, vocal and visual. You can | |convey the information you want to surpass on with passion and conviction and can be sure to get your message across clearly without any errors by using | |the tones in your voice. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication | |Question 6: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Can store and be used at a later date. | |Easy to provide detailed information such as facts and figures | |Easy to pass on information from a third party. | | | |Disadvantages: Do not know if the information as been received unless a reply is needed. | |Writing skills are often difficult develop | |Poorly written documents can cost money. | | | | | | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication | |Question 7: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Easy and quick | |Can communicate your point without much room for misunderstanding. |Can be given constructive feedback after a presentation from managers or vies versa | | | |Disadvantages: Need effective listening to be active and cannot always predict | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication | |Question 8: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |A mixed message can occur when a persons body maybe ‘talking’, and when people do speak their bodies sometimes can say different things. For example eye | |contact is sign of confidence which much be used when attending interviews. | |At times a persons body maybe talking wh en they are actually sitting in silence. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication | |Question 9: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication (approximately 100 words) | |Constructive feedback is a positive way to improve somebodies skill set. When feedback is communicated effectively it can keep some goal orientated. When | |feeding back you must focus on specific behaviours rather than making general statements however still aiming to keep it impersonal. Always ask questions | |to ensure the person understands the feedback and make sure they do not feel like that have been attacked in a negative way. The value of constructive | |feedback is the key to improvement. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own performance in a frequently used method of communication. Outline actions to improve own performance in communicating | |Question 10: |Assess your own performance (identifying your strengths and weaknes ses) in one frequently used method of communication. Possible | | |methods include; verbal communication, e-mail, telephone etc. Then state two ways in which you could improve your performance as a | | |communicator when using this method. |Written Communication | | | |Strengths – I have managed to establish relationships over email a varied amount of time throughout my 12 month placement, and I have managed to keep a | |professional working relationships with these people, via Linked In, and I feel confident that if I needed there support I would be able to rely upon them | |for advice and support even 12 months later. This shows I have conveyed my personality through email and have managed to be personable and approachable | |through my writing skills. | | |Weaknesses | |My spelling and grammatical errors I something I need to be aware off, I tend to rush many emails, and this cannot look when speaking to a professional | |body as it undermines the content of my email. | |Due to emailing tutors and friends from all over the world, I need to make sure I distinguish the difference between a friendly more informal email to a | |formal email, for example ending an email with Kind Regards and Many thanks, can change the way you want your whole email to come across. So being specific| |with my language is key. | |I have learnt during the ILM course to use the P. O. W. E.R | |Understand How to Establish an Effective Team | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team | |Question 1: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team (approximately 100 words) | |Bellman and Ryan define an extraordinary group as on which: | |‘Achieves outstanding results while members experience a profound shift in how they see their world’. | |Extraordinary groups are not only productive as employees, but also develop personally during there p articipation. |Authors suggest that effective team work can exhibit these common factors, | |Full engagement, shared leadership, embracing differences etc | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work | |Question 2: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work (approximately 100 words) | |During team work you spend many hours in creative and energised environment – you get to know each others strengths and weaknesses and become a small | |support network for each other. This enables the employees to form connections which go deeper than usual work relationships. Through my own experience of | |working in a team this year, it has evolved into a long term friendship on a personal level outside of the group work at university. |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working | |Question 3: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working (ap proximately 100 words) | |Strong communication during team work can ensure that the team know and understand your visions and goals, and how you see the project going. This can make| |it easier when needing to combine an overall aim and setting various objectives. It means that you can achieve something together with no confusion and a | |mutual agreement. |Communication and personable behaviour can lead to strong support networks around, and creating a more confident and friendly environment to work in. | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the differences between a group and a team | |Question 4: |Explain the differences between a group and a team (approximately 100 words) | |A team is internally organised, with specific goals and usually specific roles for different members of the team. A group is a collection of people with | |something in common something as simple as being in the same place or having a shared interest. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages of an esta blished model of group formation | |Question 5: |Describe the stages of Tuckman’s model of group formation (approximately 100 words) | |Tuckman believes that all teams pass through four stages of development, gradually becoming more effective as the dynamics of the team change dramatically | |from periods of inefficiency and uneasiness through to a high period of performance. | |The four stages are as follows. |Forming: Uncertainty about roles, looking outside for guidance. | |Storming: Growing confidence in team, rejecting outside authority | |Norming: Concern about being different, wanting to be part of a team | |Performing: Concern with getting the job done | | | |He believes that a team will not be fully effective unless it reaches he stage of performing. Unless the four stage process is completed teams may | |degenerate too back into storming. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined i n an established team role model | |Question 6: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined in an established team role model, such as | | |Belbin’s model (approximately 100 words) | |If a manager can determine what roles are preferred by each team member they are able to have a strong insight into what is going on and who to go to for | |certain questions. For example if somebody is strong and enjoy financial analysis it makes it easier for the manager to delegate this to the team rather | |them than having to form together and get to know each other before assigning each other roles. Also if something goes the wrong the manager knows who to | |go to. | | |Belbin believes that new team members should be selected so that there is a balance both in terms of skill sets and team roles – if the manager knows what | |is missing he will be able to make an outside confirmed choice of what is needed in the team. | |Also ea ch role has its weaknesses. Knowing these weaknesses is useful for planning to avoid potential difficulties and for helping individuals develop – I | |personally feel this is the managers role. | | | | | Leadership and management Leadership has been the subject for quite some time now. Management experts have shown how leadership is important for organisations and how leaders emerge. There has been a debate on whether leaders are born or are trained to take on leadership roles. It has also been argued whether leaders are charismatic individuals or those who are highly skilled. Gibbons 1992 discusses how organisational roles shape the nature of leadership. Those in entrepreneurial positions are leaders who are risk takers; where as those who are in the supervisory roles tend to be those who conform to rules. George 1992 however takes the view that personality shapes leadership more than other traits. Leaders have been known to be persuasive, committed and visionary people and examples like Napoleon, Lincoln and Gandhi are often chosen to show how personality matters in Leadership roles. Management on the other hand is the ability to reach defined objectives using resources available. Managerial roles have not been seen as charismatic roles, they are more often than not logistical roles that skilled people occupy to be able to take the organisation toward its defined goals. Alvesson and Sveningsson 2003 examine the role of managers in providing leadership. In the modern context, managers are often asked to bear the responsibility of providing leadership in organisations. Today’s corporate manager is seen as a strategist and not someone who necessarily has all the traditional traits of being a leader. Management and Leadership: Similarities Management today is responsible for all the original roles that leadership played. Ohmae 1999 explains how today’s globalized world places different demands on those in power and occupying strategic roles in organisations. Management is responsible for hiring, training and nurturing talent by way of organising and supporting human resources. The manager is also someone who defines company policy in the context of laws and regulations that exist. Also managers are responsible for a long-term business plan that ensures the organisation keeps growing. In modern firms where a large number of employees work together across the globe, the dividing line between managers and leaders gets blurred and modern technology helps all managers communicate as effectively as leaders would have. Therefore today, the gap between leaderships and management is closing because of these growing similarities. Management and Leadership: Differences However there continue to be differences. Leadership is often a position that is acquired through informal developments that give certain people power. Management gives responsibility and authority. Leadership is what defines the long-term mission of organisations while management ensures that these goals are reached most effectively. Management requires specific skills and tools while leadership requires a set of traits that enable the leader lead from the front and do so in a manner that appeals to the entire team. Management is responsible for team building while leadership ensures that the team stays motivated and passionate about its tasks. Management is responsible largely to the shareholders while leaders must take into consideration all stakeholders. In today’s world where firms face pressure from voters, civil society organisations, the media and consumers, it is critical that top management take on a role where they act as spokespersons and ensure that such pressures do not act detrimentally to the interests of the firm. Leadership is often seen as a trait that is a function of the specific time and place and leaders bring special traits that enable them to operate successfully in the given context. Management however is a science that allows managers to operate efficiently anytime and in the globalized context, at any place where they apply the principles of management to generate efficiency. Leaders necessarily need to be good communicators, writers and speakers. Managers need to be clear in what they articulate not necessarily spectacular. Leaders inspire where as managers report. However any growing organisation today requires both leaders and managers. Those firms where managers take the leadership role find the going easier than others. But there are clear roles that both occupy. For firms to grow, in different markets and ensure that growth is sustainable, there is an active involvement from both managers and leaders in defining and implementing strategy. It is firms that are able to generate leaders and nurture managers who would perform well in the marketplace. Reference: Alvesson M and Sveningsson S, 2003, Managers Doing Leadership: The Extra-Ordinarization of the Mundane, Human Relations Gibbons P T, 1992, Impacts of Organizational Evolution on Leadership Roles and Behaviors, Human Relations J. M. George J M, 1992, The Role of Personality in Organizational Life: Issues and Evidence, Journal of Management Ohmae, K. 1999. ‘The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Interlinked Economy’. New York: Harper Business. Leadership and Management There are several subtle differences between the concepts of leadership and management. The functions and actions of each title differ in their foundation, expectation and execution. Those positions which exist under each title also differ – in their expectations, and motivations.   It is my goal, through achieving an MBA to develop a cohesion between these two roles in my work, and career endeavors. Leadership is less like a role, than it is an occasional action. (McCrimmon) It is the intention of a leader to inspire his or her followers to achieve their common goals. The focus of a leader is on the entirety of a project or goal. The followers, under the guides of leadership, assume the responsibility of carrying out the necessary actions required to achieve whatever goal is at hand. (CM) Management, on the other hand, handles the delegation of authority differently. Managers are concerned with all levels in the chain of command. Unlike the leaders, managers have subordinates – which, differing from followers, have much less personal inspiration for the work at hand. Managers have to overcome their subordinates’ personal desires with incentives. â€Å"Management requires efficiency, profitability, and depends on minimal inputs for maximum returns†. (McCrimmon) These two roles share a base theory – achieve a goal through the delegation of authority. It is in the manner and execution of this, in which they differ. The effectiveness of each has been proven, and while certain situations lend themselves to a particular set of expectations, both roles can achieve most any goal. Team work, in the American culture, derives from a centralized leader, and his or her subordinates. In the business setting, this would be the group manager. A properly organized team will consist of members which are chosen for their ability to execute certain aspects of a goal with efficiency. While it can be possible for a single person to be good a multiple tasks, if the situation allows, each person would be serve the group with only one responsibility. Conflict within the group setting can offer incentive to work harder, or, reciprocally, create tension. There are two main types of conflicts: affective and substantive. (Jehn 532) Substantive conflict arises through the competition of a task assigned to the group – and often works out through group communication. Affective conflict is far more disruptive. Affective conflict arises through differences in the members of the group – be it ethnic, cultural or other difference – and can stall group production completely. It is the responsibility of leaders and managers to address and – if possible – end conflict within a group. Without the cooperation within a group, it cannot complete the tasks at hand. Therefore, effective leadership and management must be able to identify and remove the sources of conflict. Through my experience as a manager and team leader in various situations including job responsibilities, and other school functions, and responsibilities in a group (i.e. organizational meetings in which I was a leader) I had to prove myself to others that I was up for the task of being a leader.   In order to manage effectively a certain amount of conflict resolution must be incorporated into any situation. I found that the conflict resolution texts that I have read in the past (centering around Gandhi and other peaceful leaders) gave me a certain edge of understanding when it came to difficult situations.   One particular incident in which I had to utilize my conflict resolution, and leadership skills was when I was working at my first job. Although I did not hold the title of manager yet, I was a well liked fellow employ at the local video shop.   Our goal was complete and total customer satisfaction:   the policy being that the customer is typically always right and that the employee must cater to the customer’s needs.   one day, I was just clocking in for my shift.   I went to the back of the store to ask the manager what station she wanted me on that day. She said to go ahead and go up front and handle customers since she was doing inventory in the back.   I went to the front of the store where a customer was already waiting impatiently for me.   He gave me his movies to rent and I asked for his membership card.   When his account came on my screen I informed him that he owed late fees amounting to over twenty dollars.   He was irate.   He said that he did not owe any late fees, because he turned those movies in on time.   The computer held testament that he was in fact late.   The tirade continued with a slew of swearing and the customer was obviously very upset about this. I knew that in situations like this it is much easier to react harshly, and yell back at the customer because he was definitely out of line with what he was calling me, and the emotions he was displaying.   However, I had to keep my job, and keep my head in this situation.   I took a moment in myself and realized that to react with the same negativity would only incite danger, and that this person was probably upset about something else in their life and was only letting it out on me because I was easy and he didn’t have to pay the consequences of his actions with me. With the utmost strength I had in self-control, and leadership, I asked the man kindly if he would like to take advantage of our promotion which was if a person donated canned goods then they only had to pay half of their late fees.   The man physically took a step back:  Ã‚   he did not expect this reaction I could tell.   I further informed him that if he wanted to leave and come back for the movies he wanted to rent, while getting canned goods I could hold the movies for him until his return. He took me up on the offer and came back with several cans of green beans, and cream corn, rented his movies, and even stuttered over his thank you when he left.   I feel that in this situation I took a leadership role in taking charge of the direction of the conversation and reflecting a cool demeanor without upsetting the customer.   This type of reaction was the necessary course in a business setting.   With an MBA degree I feel that I could enhance my leadership qualities and become a creative, manager utilizing conflict resolution. WORK CITED Jehn, Karen A. â€Å"A Qualitative Analysis of Conflict Types and Dimensions in Organizational  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Groups†. Administrative Science Quarterly. Vol. 42, No. 3. September 1997. p. 530-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   557. McCrimmon, Mitch. â€Å"Leaders or Managers†. Leadersdirect.com. Self Renewal Group. 2006.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Date of Access: June 29, 2007. URL:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.leadersdirect.com/mgevslead.html â€Å"Leadership vs. Management†. Changingminds.org. 2006. Date of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Access: July 22, 2006. URL: Leadership and Management ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management: |Centre Number: |R31609 | |Centre Name: |Leeds Metropolitan Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Centre | |Student Name: |Alexandra Hunt | |Leeds Met Student ID: |33251825 | |Student Date of Birth: |15/01/1991 | |Student Email Address: |a. [email  protected] leedsmet. ac. uk | |Gender: |Female | |Assessment Summary | | | |This task requires you to develop and demonstrate your skills or potential skills in leading and building an effective team.In order to gain the ILM 3 | |Award in Leadership and Management you will need to complete and pass a number of questions in this short question test. | | | |Note: To complete the task you will need to draw upon your personal experiences in, for example; a part-time job, voluntary work, other groups (e. g. sports| |teams), and leadership you have observed, are familiar with or have read about. |Understanding Leadership Styles | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the factors that will infl uence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations | |Question 1: |Describe 2 factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations (approximately 100 | | |words) | |If the person is in a situation where a decision needs to be made fast for example a paramedic may use an autocratic leadership style due to being in an | |emergency and needing to work objectively and quickly. | |During my 12 months placement I was working as recruitment consultant, a paternalistic leadership style on reflection was what I used when speaking to | |potential candidates, as it involved me using a lot of enthusiasm and persuasion. I need to use perceptive skills in order to pick up how the candidate was| |reacting and if it was a warm lead or a dead cold call. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or negative effect on individual and group behaviour | |Question 2: |Following on from the previous question, please explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or | | |negative effect on individual or group behaviour (approximately 100 words) | |A con of using autocratic leadership style would mean that you may miss good ideas, and does not encourage team work, so often taking on a heavier work | |load yourself as you put the team in a position where they are needing constant supervision and approval from the autocratic leader. |A con of paternalistic leadership is that the selling only lasts as long as you are on the phone or are around for, and some candidates/people are not easy| |selling targets, you also may waste your time persuading them without gaining any commitment – which came across me time and time again when working as a | |recruitment consultant. | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own leadership behaviours and potential in the context of a particular leadership model, using feedback from others | |Question 3: |Assess your own leadership behaviours and potential in relation to a leadership model discussed on the programme.Your reflection | | |should be based on what previous team members have fed back to you (approximately 100 words) | |At university currently we are participating in a module called consultancy project, whereby as group we have to write a report, research and offer | |recommendations to a real life client. Over the 4 months we have had 2 peers assessments and my feedback fits into the empowering leadership style, I have | |gained 100% commitment from the client and my team, I have motivated all my team members giving them guidance and reassurance when writing the report and | |they do trust my decisions that I have made. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe appropriate actions to enhance own leadership behaviour in the context of the particular leadership model | |Question 4: |Describe at least 2 appropriate actions to enhance your own leadersh ip behaviour in the context of a leadership model discussed on | | |the programme (approximately 100 words) | |To enhance my leadership skills I think I firstly need to take a more asking approach instead of getting so stressed myself without even consulting the | |other group members. Sometimes I tend to take it all upon myself without building the rest of the teams effort. | |Sometimes also using an autocratic style might be worth it, due to recently working with a team member who does not seem to put as much effort in as the | |others, to improve the group and work on my leadership styles he may respond to getting things done and meet objectives if I set them for him, this is | |something I will take with me and use to improve my group work with. | | | | | | | | |Understanding the Communication Process in the Workplace | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace | |Question 1: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |If communication in the workplace is bad it can have several effects such as decreased productivity, low morale and mistakes made. Communication is the key| |to running a successful business or project, it dismisses the pportunity for any important project to jeopardised (Allen Webster) | |High Productivity: the goal of any business, poor communication causes a breakdown in productivity resulting in profit loss or time loss. | |Morale: Not understanding a task causes low morale, as it makes employees feel confused and question wether they can contribute to the job role or not | |which leads to low self esteem. Tasks must be received in a clear concise manner focusing on the manager or the leaders communicative skills when | |surpassing important information. | |Mistakes: Written communication is essential and when writing emails which are now such a frequent task, you must be careful in choice of wording to ensure| |the email is not mi sunderstood or it can lead to unnecessary mistakes in the workplace. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle | |Question 2: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle (approximately 100 words) | |The basic flow of communication: | |Sender –> Message –> Transmission –> Recipient –> Receiver | | | | | |In this flow the sender sends a message to the receiver and then they can share feedback on the communication process. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify possible barriers to communication in the workplace | |Question 3: |Describe two possible barriers to communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |Environmental Barriers: The things that surround us, which prevent us from receiving the speaker’s message for example, other peoples conversation, time | |pressures, the weather, physical discomfort in the room you are sat in. – External barriers. | |Environmental barriers are related to the listener such as how the listener is feeling at the time. |Attitudinal Barriers: The thoughts and feelings going on inside our heads which prevent us from listening, for example boredom, you do not like the person | |who is speaking, – internal barriers. | |Attitudinal Barriers have a lot to do with the mood and beliefs of the listener. | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication | |Question 4: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication (approximately 100 words) | |Effective communication requires listening and strong concentration.So it is important when receiving information, to ensure that the conditions are | |conducive to listening. ILM 3 has taught me that when important conversations are taking place and you are not in the right frame of mind due to | |attitudinal barriers be prepared to take them offline. You can also use the 6 steps to hearing attention, to improve your communication when needed m ost. | |For example an improved step I should take is be aware when it is getting to deep for me, and I tend to switch off when it gets to complicated or complex. | |This is something I need to work on to improve my communication skill set and follow through on challenging tasks that I need to complete. | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses | |Question 5: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses (approximately 100 words) | |Written Communication: This should be used when needing to provide detailed information, such as figures and facts. Written communication is useful during | |briefs, it is useful when conducting a presentation to send extra written information out, the main use is when needing to refer back to it throughout a | |project or at a later date you can do, without having to ask the same questions again or repeat yourself. | |Or al Communication: This can be used during presentations, over the phone and is main form off communication. It is verbal, vocal and visual. You can | |convey the information you want to surpass on with passion and conviction and can be sure to get your message across clearly without any errors by using | |the tones in your voice. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication | |Question 6: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Can store and be used at a later date. | |Easy to provide detailed information such as facts and figures | |Easy to pass on information from a third party. | | | |Disadvantages: Do not know if the information as been received unless a reply is needed. | |Writing skills are often difficult develop | |Poorly written documents can cost money. | | | | | | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication | |Question 7: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Easy and quick | |Can communicate your point without much room for misunderstanding. |Can be given constructive feedback after a presentation from managers or vies versa | | | |Disadvantages: Need effective listening to be active and cannot always predict | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication | |Question 8: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |A mixed message can occur when a persons body maybe ‘talking’, and when people do speak their bodies sometimes can say different things. For example eye | |contact is sign of confidence which much be used when attending interviews. | |At times a persons body maybe talking wh en they are actually sitting in silence. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication | |Question 9: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication (approximately 100 words) | |Constructive feedback is a positive way to improve somebodies skill set. When feedback is communicated effectively it can keep some goal orientated. When | |feeding back you must focus on specific behaviours rather than making general statements however still aiming to keep it impersonal. Always ask questions | |to ensure the person understands the feedback and make sure they do not feel like that have been attacked in a negative way. The value of constructive | |feedback is the key to improvement. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own performance in a frequently used method of communication. Outline actions to improve own performance in communicating | |Question 10: |Assess your own performance (identifying your strengths and weaknes ses) in one frequently used method of communication. Possible | | |methods include; verbal communication, e-mail, telephone etc. Then state two ways in which you could improve your performance as a | | |communicator when using this method. |Written Communication | | | |Strengths – I have managed to establish relationships over email a varied amount of time throughout my 12 month placement, and I have managed to keep a | |professional working relationships with these people, via Linked In, and I feel confident that if I needed there support I would be able to rely upon them | |for advice and support even 12 months later. This shows I have conveyed my personality through email and have managed to be personable and approachable | |through my writing skills. | | |Weaknesses | |My spelling and grammatical errors I something I need to be aware off, I tend to rush many emails, and this cannot look when speaking to a professional | |body as it undermines the content of my email. | |Due to emailing tutors and friends from all over the world, I need to make sure I distinguish the difference between a friendly more informal email to a | |formal email, for example ending an email with Kind Regards and Many thanks, can change the way you want your whole email to come across. So being specific| |with my language is key. | |I have learnt during the ILM course to use the P. O. W. E.R | |Understand How to Establish an Effective Team | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team | |Question 1: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team (approximately 100 words) | |Bellman and Ryan define an extraordinary group as on which: | |‘Achieves outstanding results while members experience a profound shift in how they see their world’. | |Extraordinary groups are not only productive as employees, but also develop personally during there p articipation. |Authors suggest that effective team work can exhibit these common factors, | |Full engagement, shared leadership, embracing differences etc | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work | |Question 2: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work (approximately 100 words) | |During team work you spend many hours in creative and energised environment – you get to know each others strengths and weaknesses and become a small | |support network for each other. This enables the employees to form connections which go deeper than usual work relationships. Through my own experience of | |working in a team this year, it has evolved into a long term friendship on a personal level outside of the group work at university. |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working | |Question 3: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working (ap proximately 100 words) | |Strong communication during team work can ensure that the team know and understand your visions and goals, and how you see the project going. This can make| |it easier when needing to combine an overall aim and setting various objectives. It means that you can achieve something together with no confusion and a | |mutual agreement. |Communication and personable behaviour can lead to strong support networks around, and creating a more confident and friendly environment to work in. | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the differences between a group and a team | |Question 4: |Explain the differences between a group and a team (approximately 100 words) | |A team is internally organised, with specific goals and usually specific roles for different members of the team. A group is a collection of people with | |something in common something as simple as being in the same place or having a shared interest. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages of an esta blished model of group formation | |Question 5: |Describe the stages of Tuckman’s model of group formation (approximately 100 words) | |Tuckman believes that all teams pass through four stages of development, gradually becoming more effective as the dynamics of the team change dramatically | |from periods of inefficiency and uneasiness through to a high period of performance. | |The four stages are as follows. |Forming: Uncertainty about roles, looking outside for guidance. | |Storming: Growing confidence in team, rejecting outside authority | |Norming: Concern about being different, wanting to be part of a team | |Performing: Concern with getting the job done | | | |He believes that a team will not be fully effective unless it reaches he stage of performing. Unless the four stage process is completed teams may | |degenerate too back into storming. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined i n an established team role model | |Question 6: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined in an established team role model, such as | | |Belbin’s model (approximately 100 words) | |If a manager can determine what roles are preferred by each team member they are able to have a strong insight into what is going on and who to go to for | |certain questions. For example if somebody is strong and enjoy financial analysis it makes it easier for the manager to delegate this to the team rather | |them than having to form together and get to know each other before assigning each other roles. Also if something goes the wrong the manager knows who to | |go to. | | |Belbin believes that new team members should be selected so that there is a balance both in terms of skill sets and team roles – if the manager knows what | |is missing he will be able to make an outside confirmed choice of what is needed in the team. | |Also ea ch role has its weaknesses. Knowing these weaknesses is useful for planning to avoid potential difficulties and for helping individuals develop – I | |personally feel this is the managers role. | | | | |