Organizational Change Models Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Authoritative Change Models - Research Paper Example In any of the cases, better administration is the way to accomplishing the ideal objective. Association advancement targets expanding the adequacy and profitability of a business through the work of various systems (Nelson, 2011). This will incorporate the various procedures that help laborers and the association all in all to adapt to the changing condition for a superior exhibition of the organization. This will subsequently empower firms to accomplish their objectives and meet the laid goals quicker. The significance of change in the cutting edge condition essentially guarantees that associations which don't change will quickly becomeâ€Å"corporate dinosaurs†, set out toward devastation since they not, at this point fit the current condition (Kates and Galbraith, 2007). To deal with the change, authority, specialist contribution and motivating forces that guide to beat protection from change are the key core interest. The idea of hierarchical change is one of the key components that decide if organizations endure and endeavor well in the market. The world is progressively changing and this calls for firms to utilize measures to effortlessly adapt to the evolving condition. There are those present moment and long haul gauges that should be utilized for powerful change to be seen by an association. It is a three stage model that was concocted by Kurt Lewin. The Lewin’s Three-advance Change Model capacities as a transient system to adapt to the evolving market. It centers around three significant advances: unfreezing-moving and refreezing as appeared in the figure underneath. In this stage, the association is set up for change. It includes recognizing any opposing powers for the change fit to be actualized. This will be useful as indicated by the Lewin’s model in recognizing systems for change which will endeavor even with the obstruction (Miner, 2011). Except if there is inspiration for change in an association, advancement would not take its

Solving Business Task Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Settling Business Task - Assignment Example We are searching for the Asymp. Sig. (2-followed) esteem, which for this situation is 0.858. This is the p-esteem for the test. We report the Wilcoxon marked positions test utilizing the Z statistic. A Wilcoxon marked position test indicated that there was no factually unique positioning score between the supervisory group and the business master group (Z = - 0.179, p = 0.858). To be sure, middle Pain Score rating was 5.5 both supervisory crew and the business master group. Appraisal of the connection between's the factors; table 1 beneath shows the relationship between's the factors. It is obvious from the table that the quantity of outings made has the most grounded connection with the reliant variable wellbeing; the connection coefficient is given as 0.961 which shows that the two factors have a solid direct positive relationship. Basically, two factors have noteworthy relationship with the needy variable (wellbeing). Travel has a straight negative relationship with the reliant variable wellbeing. Utilizing just the most grounded relationship recognized over, a basic model straightforward direct relapse model which could be utilized to foresee a customer’s rating of wellbeing was created. In view of the above outcomes, we build a model of security being anticipated by number of excursions (since number of outings had the most grounded relationship); the model condition is given as follows; Utilizing the above model, we can conjecture (anticipate) the needy variable. In the first place, it very well may be seen that given zero excursions one would anticipate the rating for wellbeing on the framework to be 1.349. Nonetheless, there is a positive connection between number of excursions and the rating for security on the framework; the coefficient for the quantity of outings is given as 0.108, this implies for any unit increment in the quantity of excursions, one would anticipate the rating for wellbeing on the framework to increment by 0.108. From the given model, it very well may be seen that the estimation of

Blog Archive MBA News Stephen M. Ross Donates $100M to Namesake B-School

Blog Archive MBA News Stephen M. Ross Donates $100M to Namesake B-School Stephen M. Ross, founder and chairman of Related Companies, pledged last week to give a $200M gift to the University of Michigan, half of which will go to the Ross School of Business and the other half to the university’s athletics program. Ross first made a $100M donation toward the construction of new facilities for the business school in 2004. This latest gift makes him the most generous alumnus in U-Michigan history. “The University of Michigan had a profound impact on my life and I have received enormous satisfaction from being able to give back to the institution that played such a critical role in my success,” he stated, adding, “I am confident that the initiatives we undertake will further transform the business school.” So, just what are these initiatives? According to the press release, Ross’s vision for the school includes expanding facilities, creating new scholarships opportunities and implementing projects to improve classroom technology. Incoming MBAs may look forward to the following proposed initiatives, according to the release: New spaces for students to study, collaborate and connect with each other, faculty and potential employers A state-of-the-art career services space, including an enhanced recruiting center to connect students with the best companies and careers New spaces to support an “admission to alumni” approach to student and career services, with dynamic events and opportunities on campus and beyond A space to bring together faculty, students and corporate partners to create practice-oriented research on topics of key importance to local and global firms Classrooms infused with advanced technology and innovative design to support in-person and virtual collaboration and connectivity on a global scale The seamless integration of  new and existing facilities, both inside and out, to create one campus Scholarships for Ross students Share ThisTweet News University of Michigan (Ross)

Conflict Between Two Cultures, The Chinese American And...

In American Born Chinese there is a constant struggle between two cultures, the Chinese American and the white culture. Their interaction yields constructive and destructive results in terms of their cultural integration. The characters can be separated into two distinct categories, empathizers and antagonists. Empathizers are the individuals that allow other cultures to exist freely within their city in the United States. They make no attempts to suppress other’s cultural identity, instead, they make decisions that promote the coexistence of multiple cultures. For example, when Jin Wang went out on a date with a white girl this would represent two cultures actively working to coexist (Yang 164). In this case, the girl would be considered an empathizer. On the other side of the spectrum, antagonists actively attempt to suppress cultures dissimilar to their own. They go out of their way to force conformity through the use of bullying and exclusion. Peter Garbinsky is an exampl e of an antagonist. His abuse of Jin Wang catalyzed Jin’s transition to conformity rather than identifying with his own culture. Yang represents both of these groups through their appearance in the graphic novel, more specifically their eyebrows. Empathizers are given two distinct eyebrows while the antagonists possess a unibrow. The unibrows represent our progress, or lack of progress, as a society towards cultural acceptance. Referring to the examples above, Jin’s date was given two eyebrows whileShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Between Waverly And Her Mother1001 Words   |  5 PagesHowever, the conflict between Waverly and her mother is very realistic, due to the nature that many mothers and daughters have different views which causes disagreements. The people of Chinese descent have their Chinese heritage, but struggle to keep true to their traditions while living around American culture. The major conflict in the story, the clash of different cultures, leads to the weakening of the relationship between the two characters. For example, when Waverly reenters the apartment afterRead MoreThe Is My Heart And My Soul, America, My Mind And Spirit, By Leah Lee Essay1301 Words   |  6 Pagesone’s awareness of one’s own culture and a recognition of the social group to which one belongs in practice.† (117). Everyone has an identity that was created by culture. Everyone have a culture that they were born into, sometimes with a mix of two or three cultures. Each culture has different values and traditions that conflict a person’s decision in life. However, having different cultures make one interesting to learn about and explore the cultures. Cultures define my life with romance, traditionsRead MoreAsian American Identities Of Asian Americans Essay1380 Words   |  6 Pagesfact that Asian Americans have been in Hollywood for decades, there are very few positive representations of them in film. More often than not, theyâ⠂¬â„¢ve been depicted as stereotypical caricatures, and more specifically, as foreigners who can’t speak grammatically correct English. Moreover, the negative representations of Asian Americans in film has perpetuated certain misconceptions about their culture. Chan is Missing (1982) calls for more genuine representations of Asian American identities throughRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pages It was third grade that I discovered that I wasn’t white. Don’t get me wrong, I was aware that I was Asian. I had a different culture at home from my friends. They didn’t eat rice nearly as often as I did. They didn’t see chopsticks as just another utensil for the table, but as an exotic tool. They didn’t speak Chinese at home. But race was never something that mattered in elementary school. People weren t black, white, yellow. They were classmates, friends. That is, until Peter arrived. It wasRead MoreFlower Drum Song By O. Y. Lee1468 Words   |  6 PagesCarlo Castaneda Professor Clark American Studies 23 November 2015 In Flower Drum Song Flower Drum Song was based on the 1957 novel, The Flower Drum Song, by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee. It was the eighth stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The piece opened in 1958 on Broadway and was subsequently made into a 1961 musical film. The team hired Gene Kelly (famous for Singin’ in the Rain) to make his debut as a stage director with the musical and scoured theRead MoreThe Statue Of Liberty At Ellis Island991 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica is a melting pot of culture. The statue of liberty at Ellis Island has welcomed hundreds of thousands of immigrants into this country since the early 1900s. Although the immigrant families knew it was important to learn the American language and American culture, they also wanted to keep alive their rich heritage and pass it onto their children. This was often a struggle as their children attended American schools and picked up on the American culture ways quicker than their elder parentsRe ad MoreThe United States As A Melting Pot Of Nations975 Words   |  4 Pageshomogeneous yet varied culture. Although we come from different ethnic groups, we are usually bound together through our common English language. This becomes an issue, however, when immigrants are not familiar with English and American culture, and instead attempt to keep their own heritage alive. They are often torn between identities through language, the one they speak at home which they are familiar with, and the one they must adhere to in public. This often leads to struggle and conflict on both sidesRead MoreIs Canada A Racially Inclusive Society? Essay1621 Words   |  7 PagesCanada’s development there has always remained an emphasis on promoting the supremacy of the white race, and Anglo-Canadian culture. After further examination of evidence from the courses curriculum, one thing remains prominent in periods of racism, the government. In relation to immigration, periods of conflict, and large government initiatives, it can been seen that the government has used it power to promote white supremacy and ensure the oppression of racialized Canadians. A key challenge the ideaRead MoreConflicts Resolved in the Joy Luck Club1442 Words   |  6 Pagesadequately describes the posing conflicts in Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club. The desire to find ones true identity, along with the reconciliation of their Chinese culture and their American surroundings, is a largely significant conflict among the characters of the novel. In the discovery of ones individuality develops a plethora of conflicts involving the theme of a lack of communication and misinterpretation of one another. Although, as time progresses, the various conflicts of the characters in TheRead MoreThe Jade Peony740 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Jade Peony. It is Poh Pohs most valued possession. She passed it to Sek Lung after her death. The Jade Peony symbolized Old Chinas culture and traditions. The Jade Peony was there for Sek Lung to keep his culture in Canada. It reminds all the people in this novel of their cultural roots. ⠝â€" The cat The most significant symbol in this story is the white cat, with its pink eyes. Pink is the color of her spirit. This â€Å"cat† symbolizes that grandmamma. Actually in China, cat is a kind of symbols

Is Obesity Predominantly An Individual Problem. The Rate

Is obesity predominantly an individual problem? The rate of obesity is increasing globally and is a serious public health issue. It no longer only affects developed countries but is also having implications on developing countries. Often the focus is placed on individual choices and behaviours, this does not take into account the research and evidence that clearly shows that obesity is a multifaceted issue. To improve the level of obesity the broader determinants needs consideration. This essay will identify the key determinants of obesity and discuss the social, environmental, individual and cultural determinants of obesity. Ultimately, it must be realised that obesity is not predominantly an individual problem. Environmental†¦show more content†¦Cultural While the significance of the environmental determinants has been discussed as a determinant in obesity, cultural factors also play a role in the complex issues of obesity. Cultural customs and values vary considerably between countries such as in Tonga where larger women are considered ideal, whereas in Japan women are expected to have a small body frame (Swinburn, et al., 2011). Cultural determinants around smoking can interlink with environmental determinants that can affect unborn children and their inherent risk of obesity. Studies have shown that epigenetics can modify the expression of our genetic material and increase the risk of becoming obese (Rhee, Phelan McCaffery 2012). Therefor the environment surrounding the foetus and the cultural determinants of obesity can play a role in a child’s in-built risk of being obese and therefore not an individual determent for that child. Individual While Abbade argues that the obesogenic environment is one of the determinants of obesity, he also suggests that a lack of physical activity and large food portions are a factor that contribute to obesity (Abbade, 2014). The study by (Hendry, Coveney, Cox 2011) explored the relationship between health behaviours, the family environment and obesity. 157 families with children between theShow MoreRelatedObesity in America Essay1472 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will discuss obesity in America and the statistical data found surrounding the subject. This is an interesting and personal topic and something very interesting to learn about. The essay will cover different vantage points of obesity including obesity’s relationship to poverty in the U.S., parents’ fight for more physical activity in schools to combat childhood obesity, statistical data about America’s obese population and even a spurious correlation between obesity and sleep duration inRead MoreChild hood Obesity in Latino Children1187 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood Obesity in Latino Children. 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The process of obesity growth is not completely understoodRead MoreDiabetes Is A Major Public Health Problem Worldwide Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesDiabetes mellitus is a major public-health problem worldwide. Its incidence is increasing rapidly, and by 2030, this number is estimated to almost double.1 The increase in incidence in developing countries follows the trend of urbanization and lifestyle changes. Individuals with T2DM are considered on high priority as they are potential candidates for rapid evaluation to prevent and halt the progression of complicati ons. This study presented descriptive data from a large number of subjects with diabetesRead MoreObesity And Obesity Related Diseases Essay1706 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood obesity has become staggering in the United States. Children are considered obese if they have thirty percent amount of body fat or more and is measured by body mass index (BMI). Body mass index conveys the correlation of body weight to height. 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The official povertyRead MoreTeam Blaze : Addressing Childhood Obesity1885 Words   |  8 Pages Team BLAZE: Addressing Childhood Obesity in the Mississippi Delta Kathy Atkins, Jessica Barthelemy, Brittany Booker, Brooke Buchanan, Shelley Burkett, and Laurence Cicilio The University of Alabama at Birmingham NUR 610: Healthcare Systems for Advanced Nursing Practice Summer 2015 Project Description Project Purpose and Basis Team BLAZE (Beginning Life with AmaZing Examples) is a project designed to decrease childhood obesity in low income school districts. Team BLAZE is a schoolRead MoreObesity And The Influences Of Physiological And Socio Economic Factors On Individual s Health And Society1340 Words   |  6 PagesThis assignment will be focusing on obesity and the influences of physiological and socio-economic factors on individual’s health and society. Also, a current health strategy, ‘Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives’ proposing to prevent obesity and improve quality of individuals and society will be evaluated. Finally, the role of child, learning disability and mental health nurse in improving individual’s life will be explored. Obesity is when a person has accumulated excess amount of fat to the pointRead MoreSocio Economic Status And Health1748 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Social stratification is one of the tenets of sociological inquiry, and the association between socio-economic status and health could be viewed as a classical problem in medical sociology that dates back the mid-19th century works of Friedrich Engels, Rudolf Wirchow and Salvador Allende. These scholars writing during the early years of capitalism (Salvador Allende is an exception as to this trend as he studied the social origins of illness in the later times and a different geographicalRead MoreNutrition and Health in Third World Countries1523 Words   |  7 Pagessocial scientist and medical experts have expressed alarm about the growing problem. While most agree that the issue deserves attention, consensus dissolves around how to respond and resolve the problem. Malnourishment continues to be a primary health liability in developing nations such as Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. It is globally the most significant risk factor for illness and death, predominantly w ith hundreds of millions of pregnant women and young children being affected

The Effects Of Alcohol Addiction On The Brain - 1774 Words

Abraham’s addiction to alcohol could be caused by processes in the brain, such as neurotransmitters and by hormones, it has been proven that alcohol addiction can be caused by genetics. There is also a gene that affects the amount of alcohol that people drink, this means that some people like Abraham may have a predisposition to drink a greater amount of alcohol that other people. There also a difference in the genetics factors, regarding alcohol consumption and alcohol dependency. Also in studies it has been shown that children of alcoholics are 4 times more likely to have problems with alcohol and this may also cause behavioural and emotional problems and also that characteristics can run in families. So since Abraham’s family drink a lot at parties and drink regularly, this would cause Abraham do the same things, because of the characteristics. Some people that are addicted to alcohol like Abraham certain things like physiology and genetics can cause addiction and when this happens it would be hard for people like Abraham to resist drinking, because of his genetics and the impulse to drink may be so strong, that it is hard to stop. Alcoholism can also be passed from a parent to their child, so Abraham’s problems with alcohol could be down to me him in this way – â€Å"These new findings suggest that if a parent uses drugs, he or she could pass on that DNA â€Å"damage† in the form of inherited epigenetic changes† (thefix, 2014) Epigenetics is when there can be heritable changes inShow MoreRelatedAlcohol Dependency And Its Effects On The Community1372 Words   |  6 PagesAlcohol dependency has grown to be stigma in the community which is responsible for growing problems into the world. 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Individual Essay for Tourism and Hospitality- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theIndividual Essayfor Tourism and Hospitality Management. Answer: Introduction The diversity of culture is quite relevant to the tourism and hospitality management sector, and it has influenced its business largely too. The cultural diversity is an important concept in tourism and hospitality because of the global customer related industry and management of international business. The cultural diversity though can bring several challenges too like barriers to communication between employees. The most important technique is to develop a cultural diversity committee such as a particular cultural event or language event where the tourism and hospitality sector can promote its services delivered and make people aware of the kinds of services delivered by the companies within the hospitality and tourism sector (Bharwani and Butt 2012). The customs and rules are considered as the major cultural components that the organisations want to identify and ensure that they adapt to the new culture while expanding business globally and furthermore improve the efficiency of th e business. Cultural diversity in tourism and hospitality Though cultural diversity is an important aspect, still it needs careful planning and proper education and training programs are needed to make the workers of the hospitality and tourism sector gain relevant skills and knowledge regarding that. The managers and employees must understand the importance of cultural diversity within the tourism and hospitality industry and bring a lot of benefits in the workforce with ease and effectiveness. The cultural diversity has brought other benefits such as employing the best individuals from a large pool of individuals and improve the quality of workforce as well as gain benefits regarding cost effectiveness and time of training provided to them (Bharwani and Jauhari 2013). Cultural diversity can promote a positive culture within the organisations and allow the employees to perform to their full potential and make them feel valued, encouraged and motivated as a whole too. The psychological involvement further increases the performances of emplo yees and enhances the organisational efficiency by creating a responsive and adaptable environment. By maintaining cultural diversity, the rate of retention of employees is increased, thereby reducing the chances of turnover of employees and rate of absenteeism. Not only these are the advantages of maintaining cultural diversity, but also it has helped in developing a flexible working environment where there are a strong and diverse workforce that can respond to critical and pressurized situations with ease and manage flexible working hours for employees to remain focused and satisfied (Chen, Cheung and Law 2012). This would enhance the sales and production level for the company too and allow the company to gain competitive advantage in business too. This is an effective way of anticipating the needs of customers and fulfill their demands. The abilities of teams are improved, which further creates successful management of cultural diversity and allows the company to promote innovation, creativity, solve problems with ease and furthermore make good decisions by outperforming the homogenous groups (Duncan, Scott and Baum 2013). Benefits and gains The cultural diversity within tourism and hospitality industry has also improved the services provided to customers and enhanced the skills and abilities of employees to communicate across cultures by reducing the communication and language barriers and create a strong customer base. The efficiency of the team depends not only on cultural diversity but also on the nature of tasks allotted to team members, abilities and skills of team members and urgency of tasks allotted to them. With the help of a managing cultural diversity, the company would be able to enhance its reputation as well as encourage more innovation and creativity and create effective solutions for overcoming problems with ease and effectiveness. This would help in gaining profit and competitive advantage in business as well (Fullagar and Wilson 2012). The diversity of culture within tourism and hospitality has created a corporate vision so that the employees can move in the right direction to accomplish the organisati onal goals and objectives and enhance the delivery of services to the customers. There are many advantages of cultural diversity in tourism and hospitality business because it has improved the interpersonal skills of individuals and increased the ability of people to work as teams by expanding their creative and innovative thinking. The production level also increases on the complex tasks, which further helps in adapting to the culture of a new place and fulfill the requirements and needs of customers effectively. By understanding other cultures, there would be ease of managing customer interactions and promote good communication with them too. The individuals belonging from different cultures have different needs and preferences, and thus workers are needed to be aware of that by understanding their culture and improve the customers' services (Janta et al. 2012). The betterment of customers' services could also lead to a better brand image, reputation and loyalty among customers. Cultural diversity can result in forming a good marketing strategy, and the companies within the tourism and hospitality sector can identify the target audiences easily. Creating cultural awareness is possible by understanding their values, beliefs, customers' behaviours and attitudes and deliver services according to their preferences to develop an useful marketing strategy for connecting to the market and prevent wastage of time and resources too. By understanding the culture of people, it would be easy to manage the production of tourism and hospitality services and furthermore conduct market research for ensuring the development of products and services that can fulfill their demands and preferences (Madera, Dawson and Neal 2013). Cultural diversity promotes vision to create equal opportunities for employment for individuals and appreciates the socio-cultural and economic differences to recruit individuals from various diversified backgrounds and culture. Costs and consequences The main aspect of the development of tourism and hospitality is to allow the tourists to purchase goods and services through exchanging the leisure and recreation. The economic backwardness and rural poverty can also have good quality. The resort hotels are mainly foreign owned, and the same happens for the tourism agencies, which make people travel from one place to another. The cost that is incurred and profit generated is provided to the parent companies for improving the quality of services furthermore. The tourists mainly focus on accommodation and cuisine, and these are all added to the import costs for materials and food (Mak, Lumbers and Eves 2012). The hotels manage huge amounts of expenditures for good quality food, water and other services available to the customers so that they can enjoy and relax during their stay without making any complaints regarding the services. There could be different consequences when culture mix with the tourism and hospitality businesses in case there had been a lack of proper management. Tourism and hospitality focus on the needs and satisfaction of customers, and often it becomes difficult to deal with customers from different backgrounds and to establish a business in a new location. The policies and principles are not followed properly, which can even lead to disaster (Nickson 2013). The cross-cultural business environment is established, and in many cases, immigration policies are not up to the mark, which creates difficulties to select the right candidate for the right job. Though there are few drawbacks, still the cultural diversity can create a positive impact by developing a diversified group of people and handle critical problem solving tasks with ease and effectiveness (Obrador 2012). Actions are taken for improving the position in cultural diversity There is need of providing training to the workers of the tourism and hospitality industry for reducing the communication and cultural barriers and improve the nature of interaction with people from various culture, colour, race, creed or ethnicity. The higher management of the companies within the tourism and hospitality industry must create a corporate vision for facilitating the understanding of various cultural and social behaviours and furthermore improve the delivery process by keeping the customers satisfied and happy too (Solnet, Kralj and Kandampully 2012). It is important to provide equal opportunities for all without considering race, religion, age, gender or ethnicity. A strong diversified workforce is maintained for allowing employees to create a good culture and understand the market segments that they are serving. The social media involvement has further helped in spreading awareness of the company and even promotes a healthy culture and workplace where people can work in coordination and as a unit to bring successful outcomes (Torres, Fu and Lehto 2014). The handling of regulatory frameworks is also essential for incorporating a high level of cultural awareness and understands the cultural norms and behaviours properly for working properly with local authorities. Human resource management is essential as well for managing the local employees who will need cultural sensitivity to the local norms, rules and expectations. The managers if companies must also develop policies of HR aligned with the cultural diversity within the tourism and hospitality industry too (Bharwani and Butt 2012). Conclusion The essay covered the most important aspects of cultural diversity within the tourism and hospitality industry. The tourism and hospitality industry is worldwide based, and thus it is important to adopt the culture of different places and ensure that the needs and requirements of local people are kept satisfied. The benefits gained from maintenance of cultural diversity within the tourism and hospitality business included reducing communication barriers, creating a good culture within the workplace and even enhancing the productivity of the organisation largely. The costs incurred and impact created by the cultural diversity had been demonstrated here as well along with the development of most suitable approaches for improving the position in the form of diversity. References Bharwani, S. and Butt, N., 2012. Challenges for the global hospitality industry: an HR perspective.Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes,4(2), pp.150-162. Bharwani, S. and Jauhari, V., 2013. An exploratory study of competencies required to co-create memorable customer experiences in the hospitality industry.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,25(6), pp.823-843. Chen, R.X., Cheung, C. and Law, R., 2012. A review of the literature on culture in hotel management research: what is the future?.International Journal of Hospitality Management,31(1), pp.52-65. Duncan, T., Scott, D.G. and Baum, T., 2013. The mobilities of hospitality work: An exploration of issues and debates.Annals of Tourism Research,41, pp.1-19. Fullagar, S. and Wilson, E., 2012. Critical pedagogies: A reflexive approach to knowledge creation in tourism and hospitality studies.Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management,19(1), pp.1-6. Janta, H., Lugosi, P., Brown, L. and Ladkin, A., 2012. Migrant networks, language learning and tourism employment.Tourism Management,33(2), pp.431-439. Madera, J.M., Dawson, M. and Neal, J.A., 2013. Hotel managers perceived diversity climate and job satisfaction: The mediating effects of role ambiguity and conflict.International Journal of Hospitality Management,35, pp.28-34. Mak, A.H., Lumbers, M. and Eves, A., 2012. Globalisation and food consumption in tourism.Annals of tourism research,39(1), pp.171-196. Nickson, D., 2013.Human resource management for hospitality, tourism and events. Routledge. Obrador, P., 2012. The place of the family in tourism research: Domesticity and thick sociality by the pool.Annals of Tourism Research,39(1), pp.401-420. Solnet, D., Kralj, A. and Kandampully, J., 2012. Generation Y employees: An examination of work attitude differences.Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship,17(3), p.36. Torres, E.N., Fu, X. and Lehto, X., 2014. Examining key drivers of customer delight in a hotel experience: A cross-cultural perspective.International Journal of Hospitality Management,36, pp.255-262.

21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement free essay sample

The Holy Grail in education today is to link an educational strategy, program, initiative or technology to student achievement. There are numerous organizations advocating for Technology Literacy, Information Literacy, 21st Century Learning Skills, and any number of other titles for literacy in a modern context. In all sectors of human society, the technology of the 21st Century has revolutionized and enhanced our way of life. From medicine to the military and from business to the arts, the technologies of today have made our lives better. It is not surprising then, that the public expects technology to have a similar revolutionary effect on education. After all, the biggest advancements of the last 20 years have been in the realm of information and the tools of human knowledge; this is Education’s back-yard. Yet, when people look at our schools they see many classrooms that seem to have been immune to these advances. There are obstacles that education faces in implementing a 21st Century approach to education not the least of which is finding a definition and a clear picture of what it really looks like and whether it will be more effective for students. We will write a custom essay sample on 21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Costs to implement technology-rich programs quickly seem prohibitive when scaling to an entire school system, particularly so in a state that lags the nation in educational funding. Teachers are our biggest asset and are known to be the single largest influence on student achievement the district can provide, so professional development is crucial and fundamental. The measure of success, the CSAP, is a paper and pencil test which will be unable to measure all the positive effects technology can have for student learning. Indeed, a 20th Century test method will be unable to properly assess (and may even inhibit) the skills development of a 21st Century learner. And then, are we just about the content and helping students master it, or is education about something more as well? Therefore, making the case that investment in technology will increase student achievement can be fraught with pitfalls and obstacles. To attempt to tackle this issue, the authors of this paper will review quality research and commentary in an array of areas where technology-related tools and strategies have been implemented with positive effects for students. A strict filter of studies that produce higher test results will not be used because of the limitations current paper and pencil tests have in assessment of 21st Century skills. In addition to improved assessment performances, the reader is encouraged to consider the context of a global workplace and education’s duty to prepare students to thrive in a highly digital, interactive knowledge workforce. Research that shows increased student achievement on assessments, studies that point to ways education can successfully prepare students for a modern workforce and our own experiences in Littleton Public Schools shall all be considered positive correlations between technology and student achievement in this paper. The Challenge Inherent in Determining the Effectiveness of Technologies via Research The following is an excerpt that addresses a gestalt view of technology and its correlation to student achievement: When we try to determine the effectiveness of educational technologies, we are confronted by a number of methodological and practical issues. First, we need to remember that technology is only one component of an instructional activity. Assessments of the impact of technology are really assessments of instruction enabled by technology, and the outcomes are highly dependent on the quality of the implementation of the instructional design. According to Roy Pea, director of SRI Center for Technology in Learning in Menlo Park, California, the social contexts of how technology is used are crucial to understanding how technology might influence teaching and learning. Educational technologies cannot be effective by themselves. The social contexts are all-important. This means more attention should be paid to the teaching strategies used both in the software and around it in the classroom, and to the classroom environment itself. It is a recurrent finding that the effects of the best software can be neutralized through improper use, and that even poorly designed software can be creatively extended to serve important learning goals. There are also a host of methodological issues to confront. First, standardized achievement tests might not measure the types of changes in students that educational technology reformers are looking for. New measures, some of which are currently under development, would assess areas, such as higher order thinking skills, that many believe can be particularly affected by using new technologies. There is also a need to include outcome measures that go beyond student achievement, because student achievement might be affected by students attitudes about themselves, their schools, the types of interactions that go on in schools, and the very idea of learning. Another consideration is pointed out by the U. S. Office of Technology Assessments Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection: Technological changes are likely to be nonlinear, and might show effects not only on student learning, but also on the curriculum, the nature of instruction, the school culture, and the fundamental ways that teachers do their jobs. Coley, 1997). Instant Response Systems Data-driven decision making is an educational approach that requires educators to decide on instructional strategies and activities based on what they know about how well students have grasped a concept. Whereas before, this might be done with mini quizzes, homework or performances at the chalk board, today’s technologies provide another avenue. Using handheld devices in Modesto City Schools classrooms, teachers can pose questions to students who use wireless remotes for real-time responses. Such engagement enables the teachers to immediately determine if students are grasping concepts and decide whether more time is needed on a topic or whether the group can move on. Item banks of standards-aligned questions make teacher’s jobs easier in developing such review materials (Hines, 2005). Another similar technology is the graphing calculator which can be used in math and science classrooms to enable every student to participate and have the power of a modern computing tool. Classrooms that make use of the graphing calculator exhibit better questioning and feedback behaviors; goal-oriented instruction becomes more attainable and more common; activities result in better student engagement and students tend to demonstrate more collaborative learning behaviors (Whitehurst, 2003). In Littleton Public Schools, a definitive interest is rising for these technologies as several classroom sets are deployed in schools across the district. Results are largely anecdotal and preliminary, but math coordinators are seeing the Texas Instruments graphing calculator as a valuable tool that will reach beyond just math class. Technology Education Littleton Public Schools has a strong tradition in the realm of technology education. Our Middle and High Schools are all equipped with curricula that introduce a wide array of technologies to students. LPS technology education students and teachers have won national recognition for their work. A relatively small amount of research has been done on students’ understandings of design and technology concepts, or technical knowledge. This limited research sometimes makes it difficult to capitalize on such an ever evolving subject as Technology Education. The findings from the Australian study state that an increasing awareness of students’ understandings of design and technology concepts can have an impact on the teaching and learning of design and technology in elementary schools similar to that experienced in elementary science education (Davis, Ginns, McRobbie, 2002). Called Career and Technical Education in Virginia, CTE correlations to curricular areas have been documented on a state web site (http://www. valinkages. net/) and are considered a key component to preparing students for End-Of-Course tests. A study was conducted in 2002–2003 on Illustration and Design Technology coursework, an example of CTE student performance on Standards of Learning (SOL), the Virginia equivalent of CSAP tests. The results showed that 78 percent of CTE students passed the mathematics SOL test while only 72 percent of non-CTE enrolled students pass the test (Dyer, Reed, Berry, 2006). Authors on the subject advocate for providing students with opportunities to synthesize their learning in other subjects in technology-related programs. The opportunity to apply and reinforce learning from content areas in technology programs is essential if learning is to be meaningful to students (Lewis, 1999). In our own experiences in LPS, we find that the Technology Education courses generate excitement and interest for learning among both male and female students which must have an impact on their learning. Recent research has shown that Technology Education courses appeal to both genders equally (McCarthy Moss, 1994). Although girls appeared to enjoy required technology education courses, they were less likely to continue taking such courses as electives(Silverman Pritchard, 1996). Certainly motivation and application of knowledge help to improve student achievement. And while recent results do not conclusively prove that these courses impact student achievement at a higher level than other programs we implement in schools, it would be imprudent to think that these programs do not have a very positive effect. This is one of the limitations of research on students: it is almost impossible to create a true control group. When asked, students currently enrolled in LPS Technology Education courses reported their thoughts of technology to include: computers, iPods, video games, music media, email, and tools in general. Recent legislation supports the concept that education’s technology initiatives need to go beyond thinking about computers. Rather, Technology Education is about teaching innovation; providing opportunity for practical application of knowledge gained in school; mastery of abstraction and problem solving. Technology Education programs at LPS include a broad scope of tools that human beings use to master their environment including manufacturing, construction, power and energy, communication, transportation, and biotechnology. While research that clearly correlates higher student achievement on standardized tests is lacking, the skills that students learn in such courses clearly match what employers, from engineering firms to manufacturing companies, indicate they seek in their applicant pools. Simulations and Video Games â€Å"Dad, did you know that a Prefect in ancient Rome was both a firefighter AND a policeman? † was a question that arose from the back of my (Dan Maas) car during a long road trip with my son, Calvin. He described, in quite accurate detail, the pantheon of Roman gods, the basic elements of Roman society and then abruptly ended the question and answer period that arose from his initial question so he could fend off the Carthaginians. How did he know they were Carthaginians? â€Å"Hannibal always attacks with elephants† was his reply. The boy had learned all this about Rome playing a video game at age five. Video games have long been the bane of the parent and teacher’s existence, but there’s something here that may be of some use to us. Some have picked up on the possibilities. A multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) is a kind of video game. Schools like Harvard University are creating MUVEs that are patterned after video games with a few critical differences. Video games typically have goals like collecting points, defeating enemies or gathering gold. On the other hand, MUVEs have the goal of learning. By creating virtual environments, problems can be posed, research can be collected, theories tested and outcomes achieved. One MUVE example begins with an outbreak of a disease in a small town that players must investigate, determine the pathogens involved, develop theories on how o treat the illness and test methods to resolve the crisis. The simulation is highly visual, interactive, and highly engaging to the students. See   Studies show that children whose teachers use technology for simulations and application of knowledge tend to develop higher order thinking skills and tend to score higher on tests like the National Assessment for Educational Progress. Conversely, technology use that focuses on drill-and-practice tends to correlate to lower performance (Archer, 1998). In another pilot, students who participated in computer-assisted literacy instruction earned higher scores on a Stanford Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory and on a Test of Written Spelling (Bottege, Daley, Goin, Hasselbring, Taylor, 1997). In a 2005 study on a gaming system called an Intelligent Tutoring System, results showed increased educational interest and motivation among students. Students showed statistically significant gains educationally, but of particular note was the very significant effect on students who had performed poorly previous to the pilot (Virvou, Katsionis, Manos, 2005). When one thinks about games, it seems as if there is a clear opportunity for using this tool for advancing educational skills. Students solve problems, learn languages and master virtual world rules while playing video games for entertainment. This pattern was examined in a Newark, New Jersey study using Lightspan educational video games where 47 pre-school age children played 40 minutes per day for 11 weeks and demonstrated significant gains over the control group on the Wide Range Achievement Test R-3. The scores for spelling and decoding were significantly improved for the experimental group over the control while no significant difference was detected in math (Calao Din, 2001). The Pokemon video game is also interesting to consider. By the time the first draft of this document is completed for the Board of Education, the country will celebrate Dr. Suess’ birthday. His children’s books help young people to learn to read by creating simple, repetitive language constructs that reveal patterns to students and help them improve their decoding and phonic awareness. He even made up nonsense words to press the student’s phonetic ability. Pokemon has many similar traits. Text on the handheld game appears in small, five word chunks that only proceed when the reader is done. The reading is meaningful in that comprehension is required to solve the puzzles of the game. And the story line is filled with imaginary creatures with made-up names†¦ each phonetically accurate. Did the makers of Pokemon intend to create a game that might help children learn to read or did the creators use phonics to create the English language equivalents of their native Japanese? Who knows, but perhaps this game, or something like it, could be helpful. In speaking informally at several buildings in LPS, students at the middle level indicated that they would check out educational video games to play on their home gaming systems. Could video games, tuned to education by eliminating violence and other objectionable themes, become a new tool educators can use to engage students both during and after school? More research is certainly warranted but the existing results and intuitive logic leads one to think that there is promise here. At-Risk/Intervention An ever present emphasis in education is how to intervene for students with at-risk characteristics. We see educational and economic gaps forming for students at-risk and our public system is always focused on closing gaps and providing bridges for students. Can technology-integrated interventions be part of the answer? In a recent study published by North Carolina State University’s Meridian, journal on middle school technology, students repeating eighth grade were isolated into a focused 27-week program that used hypermedia, online resources and Power Point as integrated technologies. Students demonstrated statistically significant gains (29 percentile points) in reading and language arts. Additionally students demonstrated marked improvements (23 percentile points) in writing performances (Little, 2006). Within LPS, the Center for Online Studies is a partnership with Arapahoe Community College (ACC). Students come to ACC to take online coursework supplied by Class. com and supervised by a certified teacher. The students enrolled have had difficulty succeeding in their traditional high schools and reported to the Board of Education in January, 2007 that the program has made a difference in their academic pursuits. The principles in use here that are making this first year program a success are having a quality content source, a certified teacher and a supportive learning environment. 1:1 Initiatives One-to-one computing is an industry term of one computing device allocated to one person. This essentially is an initiative to end shared computing resources based on the idea that such learning tools are so essential that every student needs one all the time. This view is something akin to the status that textbooks have enjoyed for some time. When the public hears about classroom textbooks, meaning students can’t take their own book home, there is usually concern or even outcry to increase the resource. Proponents of 1:1 computing believe that the 21st Century represents a time when that status held by textbooks transfers to the computer. Indeed, if we are to shift from paper-based learning materials to electronic sources, a 1:1 initiative of some sort of computing device will be a pre-requisite. Some school districts and even states have begun to explore this concept. In Maine, a state-wide initiative began nine years ago to provide every seventh grade student with a laptop. The program is called the Main Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) and it is having an impact on teaching and learning in their public schools. After five years, researchers reported that teachers were more effective at helping students meet state standards. Also students were more motivated, learned more, and mastered concepts to deeper levels. Finally, students appeared to be learning new skills for the 21st Century (Lane, 2003). Further research into the MLTI project showed that students who had used laptops in 7th and 8th grade, but no longer had school supplied laptops in 9th grade reported that the quantity and quality of their school work had dropped since losing access to school-provided laptops (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). A 1:1 project is the initiative in Henrico County, Virginia which began in 2001. Prior to the project, 78 percent of the district schools were accredited based on the student achievement on the Virginia Standards of Learning test. By the end of the school year in 2003, all schools had earned accreditation meaning that a satisfactory percentage of students passed the state test (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). In Canada, a 1:1 effort entitled the Wireless Writing Project begun in 2002 started in Peace River North with 6th and 7th grade students. In pre and post-test results on writing assessments, researchers found that the percentage of students who met or exceeded the performance standards of the test increased from 70 percent to 92 percent (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). Another 1:1 initiative is underway in New Hampshire where initial results reflect other studies of similar efforts. Students and teachers are demonstrating increased technology use across the curricular areas. Student engagement and motivation is improving and student-teacher interactions are on the rise. Initial reports of teacher judgment of student achievement (that is, basing achievement on grades rather than standardized tests) indicate that students are doing better than before (Bebell, 2004). In our own experiences in LPS, we see classrooms with laptop access achieving a 1:1 ratio for the class period exhibiting much improved academic behaviors. Working in this manner, students demonstrate a tendency to return to previous homework and revise, edit and reuse to far greater degrees than the classroom teacher was accustomed to seeing. Students more often compare their writing samples with peers and seem more likely to collaborate. Using blogs, wikis and other online tools, students expand on the usefulness of word processors by working collaboratively and ubiquitously. Collaboration through Technology A strong theme through the research and observations in this paper is how technologies are used to improve student achievement and general practices. This section is dedicated to the art of collaboration and how various tools allow people to reach across distances and through time like never before. iPods and other MP3 playing devices have opened up a very convenient and powerful pathway for information to be produced, accessed and archived. San Diego State University is leveraging this technology in science teacher preparation. Podcasting is a method of recording digital audio and video files and posting them online for others to access. This method can be used to bring distant experts to students, provide opportunities to review material at leisure, grant unprecedented access to students to research material and extend the learning opportunities for students well beyond the classroom. Surveys of pre-service science teachers who used iPods and podcasting in their preparation reported time savings, increased interest in subject matter, and declared that they would use podcasting in their own teaching methods in the future (Yerrick, 2006). The presence of global networks, the affordability of a wide array of information technology and the reality that connected people create an integrated whole have drastically impacted how we work, and learn today. Learning theories of the previous century including behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism were developed, prior to the current way our lives are organized, as a result of technology. Siemens proposes a new theory of learning based on the new human condition: Connectivism. In this view, knowledge resides in people and on devices. Learning and knowing rest on diverse opinions from a wide array of sources. Learning becomes a process of connecting nodes of information. Continual learning is maintained by nurturing connections. Learners find connections between different ideas, fields of study, and basic concepts. Being current is of paramount importance. And decision-making is actually a learning process, meaning choosing what to learn and being able to deal with the shifting nature of information. Learners must become comfortable with the reality that what is considered correct today might be proven wrong tomorrow. This theory of learning represents a massive shift in thinking: that learning is not an individual pursuit, but is a collaborative, dynamic and never-ending activity (Siemens, 2005). In LPS, the blog and the wiki has become a fascinating collaborative learning tool. In a Language Arts classroom, students no longer just check out a book, write some sticky-note annotations, and have one-at-a-time discussions prompted by the teacher. Rather, students copy Macbeth from a web resource into a word processor and annotate electronically, keeping their work on personally owned USB memory keys. While some students discuss a scene with the teacher, others are free to blog commentary on the topic of verbal discussion or other interests in the subject-matter at hand. Suddenly, a dozen conversation threads are happening all at once and the teacher only has control of one. The participation rate of students has risen and students return to the blog after school to continue their dialog. Students report that the conversation via blog makes them more reflective and yet more confident because of the lack of a public speaking component to the classroom discussion. In one discussion, the number of postings became so frequent over a short period of time that the free blogging service shut down the account because the activity resembled a malicious electronic attack on the blog server. A wiki supporting another Language Arts class is being used to connect students to young people in other countries like South Korea. Students reading Arabian Nights have opportunities to share their insights with others from around the United States and even in foreign countries. Other opportunities include the use of SKYPE for toll-free calls around the globe to other connected classrooms and instant messages allowing free-form, high speed conversation on topics of study. And in a Foreign Language classroom, chat and Voice Over IP systems allow students to practice their second language acquisition with their teacher, with each other, and even with students outside the classroom. The lesson is that the art of collaboration has no boundaries today. Time and space are no longer the limiters they once were and the list of technologies in this section only scratches the surface of what is available. And like the learning theory of Connectivism points out, this too will change. Education must take note and prepare students to succeed in an environment that thrives on collaboration while constantly changing and improving the tools that support it. Word Processing and Writing For decades now, research has been conducted on the effect word processing has on writing skills for students. In a 1997 study, Owston and Wideman cite a considerable body of work on this topic as part of their research project that studied 3rd grade students using word processors for writing. They concluded in their own study that use of word processors that were readily available to students and were an integrated part of their daily activities resulted in considerably higher quality and quantity of writing as compared to a similar student group without access and support for such tools (1997). In a more recent qualitative study, the use of word processors with seven 3rd grade students over a six week period led to significantly more creative, more comprehensive and improved style. This study of five girls and two boys also reported higher motivation to work with the writing process as compared to paper and pencil methods (Beck Fetherston, 2003). In LPS, Anne Smith reports that students are more engaged when using classroom laptops. The students take advantage of the ease of use to manipulate text to show various sentence structures. While these studies definitely point to improved writing volume and quality from young students, research also suggests that young students need to be exposed to handwritten learning as well, which has been a point of discussion for some time. An article by Balajthy et al points out that students need a diverse writing experience and that word processors should be part of the experience rather than replacing handwritten work (Balajthy, McKeveny, Lacitignola, 1986). At this developmental level, the various tools for writing are most effective for learners when they are used in an integrated approach with the overall instructional program rather than taught separately (MacArthur, 1988). There are studies that show little or no impact of word processors on the quality of student writing, however, a meta-analysis in 1993 showed that these studies tend to have a number of limitations not the least of which is the use of text-based word processors rather than the Graphical User Interface (GUI) systems in use today. Additionally, the analysis revealed that such studies often involve students who have sporadic access to the technology and were not accomplished with the tool (Bangert-Drowns, 1993). The process of mastering writing is very important and there is research that shows how emphasis on writing skills positively improves student achievement across the curriculum. Writing Across the Curriculum initiatives have over twenty years of professional practice and anecdotal evidence to support this claim. Strong research has been hard to come by, however, to truly evidence the effects. One of the biggest obstacles is the ability to truly have a strong control group for any study as such would require a population of students who did not use writing as part of their learning process (Railsback, 2004). Some studies have been able to document positive effects. In a 1992 study, Van Allen was able to conclude that school-wide efforts in Writing Across the Curriculum in five middle schools over a five year period resulted in better writing and better overall student achievement on assessments (1991). What we have found essential in LPS is to have students write frequently and in a variety of forms including wikis and blogs as well as word processors. We wish to note here that we must be careful about using research that is old, even though some of it is unavoidable. The technology tools of today are very different than when computers first entered schools. As an example, the word processing research from the 1980s may not be completely irrelevant, but the software of today bears so little resemblance to the software of the late 1980s. In addition, increased student (and teacher) familiarity with these tools will also have an effect on the impact these tools have on achievement. A key question is How do we measure the impact of tools that change so quickly that by the time you measure their impact, the tools have changed? In other words, by the time most research is done (and published in reputable sources), the technology has changed so much that the research loses at least some of its relevance. This will be a significant hurdle to overcome. In a comprehensive peer-reviewed report, Bangert-Drowns conducted another meta-analysis with Hurley and Wilkinson on the impact of writing across the curriculum in 2004. This analysis, which reviewed 48 studies, produced three major findings. First, writing for learning produced positive effects on school achievement in the studies reviewed. The second finding was that grade levels, minutes per task, and writing prompts had significant impact on results. The study found that programs implemented in Grades 6–8 actually had reduced performances, possibly due to the loss of time on the more differentiated content covered at the secondary level. Longer tasks also depressed results perhaps for similar time constraint issues and motivational issues among students. The use of writing prompts concerning students’ current understandings and confusion were very effective while prompts for personal writing showed no effect. The third finding concerned the length of treatment. The analysis revealed the intuitive conclusion that students who have longer exposure to writing for learning strategies experience a cumulative effect that is very positive (2004). The research continues today and can be seen in an article published in Education Week on February 14, 2007, where the National Assessment of Educational Progress has been piloting a computerized test for assessing writing. This move recognizes the research that is showing how students write more often, of better quality, and with more consistency (between both genders) when using these writing tools. And preliminary results are showing that students tend to write better on the tests when using the word processor (Cavanagh, 2007). What can be drawn from these studies is that writing, being an active learning process, has been shown to positively impact student achievement in all subject areas. It can also be stated that students who have ample access to word processing in conjunction with skillful instruction in a school that is emphasizing Writing Across the Curriculum can be reasonably expected to produce higher achievement results. Streaming Video In four Los Angeles public schools, a study was conducted on the effectiveness of United Streaming video in supporting 6th through 8th grade mathematics achievement. Students were pre and post-tested to provide the source data for the study which revealed that the experimental group using streaming video outperformed the control group by 4. 7 percent among sixth grade students. This differential was shown to be statistically significant. Eighth grade students showed a more modest 2. 2 percent advantage which still registered as significant (Boster et al. , 2004). In LPS, the same United Streaming resources were secured for all schools at the beginning of the 2006–2007 school year. Additional digital projection and speaker equipment was provided to schools along with a concerted orientation effort to help teachers access and use the material. Prior to the introduction of United Streaming video, the Internet connection for the district was peaking at 26 megabits of demand. Within two months of the introduction of United Streaming, the peak demand had reached 100 megabits which represented the maximum throughput the connection was able to sustain. This 400 percent increase in Internet demand was traced directly to streaming video services requested by the schools demonstrating the value teachers immediately saw in this technology. Today, LPS is deploying a locally hosted server to present the streaming video to meet the growing demand for both quantity and quality of the content. Laptops for Teachers The following is an observation of technology use at Lenski Elementary School by Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, Boni Hamilton. As part of the Technology Grants from Plan for Social Excellence (www. pfse. org). schools provided laptops for teachers in the first year of the three year grants. PFSE didnt collect hard data about the impact, but at Lenski Elementary School, I saw firsthand the effects on teachers and instruction. Some observations: 1. Teachers who had been least confident about their technology skills increased their confidence and competence with technology skills to equal that of the more tech-savvy staff members within four months. While the classroom teachers had regular access to technology skills when they co-taught in the lab and so were fairly confident with technology skills, the non-classroom staff such as specialists received training only when it was scheduled for the staff. This was too infrequent to give them the level of competence they needed. The portability of the laptops allowed the specialists to get help from peers, family members, and friends. A couple of teachers even signed up for computer classes outside the school because they finally had computers they could take home and practice on. One teacher who had been only moderately comfortable with technology learned how to make tables in MSWord and began showing everyone on staff she became the staff expert. 2. Teachers improved in their trouble-shooting skills. Trouble-shooting is difficult to teach because problems happen at inconvenient times and are hard to reproduce during a training session. However, when teachers were carting their laptops home and had problems, they had to solve the problems themselves. They either used family members to help or they fooled around until it did what they wanted. Because they knew the computers could be restored, they no longer worried about what would happen if they took a risk and pushed a button. 3. Teachers grew more relaxed about problems. Before laptops, teachers often got stressed when some technology failed. As they learned to problem-solve laptop problems, they had less tendency to get up-tight when something went wrong. They were then able to think about problem-solving strategies, consult a peer, or cart the laptop to a computer coach for help. 4. Teachers increased the level of student use of technology. As teachers gained confidence, they became more willing to risk using computers in the classroom. It wasnt as scary to let kids try projects on classroom computers because they trusted that either they or their students could solve problems. 5. The demand for student computers in classrooms has increased dramatically annually. Even though teachers felt their classrooms were too small to handle clusters of computers, six months after they received laptops, they made room for computer clusters because they began to depend on computers to enable students to continue projects, collaborate on learning, and practice skills. The number of desktop computers in classrooms went from an average of three per room to an average of five to six per room. Lenski also bought two 15-computer laptop carts, but demand was so heavy that the school added two more carts in the following year. Then the librarys demand for computers increased so dramatically that the school had to buy a fifth cart. In the third year of having laptop carts, teachers are now complaining that there are too few carts available for the library and 16 classrooms (Grades 2-5). 6. After three years of having laptops, most teachers opted to return to desktop computers. There seemed to be several causes for this: 1) They purchased home computers and found they could use USB drives to cart files; 2) The school had enough wireless laptops for student use that teachers could get on a laptop; or even borrow one overnight, if they needed; 3) They preferred larger screens, faster processors, and standard mice. Based on these observations, I advocate strongly for giving teachers experience with laptops before buying laptops for students. Concluding Remarks The following is a summative commentary from Karl Fisch, Edublog Nominee and Finalist for the Best Blog of 2006: Were not going to find a whole lot of really good research to support this at this time. I can summarize what the research generally says. The use of technology in appropriate ways has a small, positive effect on student achievement. It also has a larger, but still small, positive effect on student and teacher motivation, engagement and satisfaction. Thats about it. But I would strongly argue that to a certain extent this is missing the point. I would also suggest that many of our current practices are in direct contradiction to what the research says we should do, but we do them anyway because its convenient for the adults. How come nobody is demanding to see the research to support those practices? But I digress. ) I do not think that if we infuse technology into our schools, even putting in a 1:1 program at the high schools, that we will see student achievement as we currently measure it skyrocket. I think we may see a small positive effect, with possibly a slightly larger effect among those students who typically have not done very well in our schools. But the basic problem with looking for research that supports growth in student achievement is that by necessity research has to look at fixed, testable content to try to determine growth. Now Im not saying that content knowledge isnt valuable, it is. But I think the skills and abilities and habits of mind that ubiquitous access to technology would help us develop in our students are ones that are really hard to measure. How do you measure creativity? Or the ability to collaborate with others, both in the same room or across the planet (or beyond)? Or the ability to take in information from an almost inexhaustible supply, synthesizes it, remix it, and then produce something that is of value to others? How do you measure imagination? How do you measure the ability to function in a flat, globally interconnected, technology-enabled, rapidly changing world? How do we measure the ability to learn how to learn? To know how to adapt, to reinvent yourself over and over again to meet the needs of a world that is changing at an exponential pace. How do you measure the ability to function in a world where all of human factual knowledge will be available practically instantaneously? Knowledge is good. Having content knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient, to be successful in the 21st century. The research at best is only going to tell us about content knowledge. The power of the technology is to transform teaching and learning as we know it. To make it more student-centered, more individualized (yet also more community-based), more relevant, more meaningful. It allows each student to connect to each other, to the world, to knowledge, to learning, in the way(s) that works best for that student. I guess I fear we are asking the wrong questions . . . Where does all this leave us? And what use does this document provide? Clearly, more research is needed, but our efforts can no longer await the coming of comprehensive research studies. Not having solid research behind us will not be an adequate excuse for failing to prepare our students for the 21st Century. Therefore, we must be on the constant look-out for research that will help us light the way while we move ahead in the modernization of our public schools and our methods. We must become students of our own society and allow our own observations and action-research to influence our decisions. We must model for our students the creativity and risk-taking that will be defining characteristics of the next age. In short, educators must come out of the comfort zone, release some control and join the wave of seemingly chaotic global empowerment. Daniel Pink describes the next age of society which might give us some clues. He defines an age by the type of worker that is most commonly found among the population. During the Agricultural Age, the common person was some sort of farmer. During the Industrial Age, it was the factory worker. And during the Information Age, which he describes as beginning in the 1960’s, it was the Knowledge Worker. But the end of each age is preceded by an out-sourcing and off-shoring of the common worker prompting the rise of the next age. So what does Daniel Pink suggest is next? The Conceptual Age. This economy maintains the necessity of strong left-brain skills (reading, writing, math and science) while adding the right brain skills (aesthetics, intuition, value and play). Daniel Pink would advise us to continue our left-brain pursuits, but introduce the richness of meaning and value. It is no longer sufficient to create a well engineered product; now the product must be appealing as well (2005). References: http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/PDF/NH1to1_2004.pdf

Motivating the workforce

Internal Labour Markets/ Motivating the workforce Introduction Labor economics is an integral part of economics because it explains how the labor market functions and operates and its dynamics. The labor market is the market where workers and employees interact. This means that there are suppliers of labor and the people who need that labor.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Internal Labour Markets/ Motivating the workforce specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The suppliers in this case are the workers or employees and the people who demand the labor are the employers. Smith states that the principal agent relationship always occurs in the labor market where the principals entrust the agents with their businesses. (Smith, 2003 89) The principal in this case is the owner of the business and the agent is the manager who will manage the business on behalf of the owner Principal agent relationship The principal agent relationship can be defined as an arrangement or a contract between one person called a principal and the other called an agent to carry out some work. Currie and Wolpin state that a principal can be anyone who is legally able to carry out an act. Legally able means that they are mentally stable and they are not minors. An agent can be anyone who is qualified enough to comprehend the act that is being done by the principal. (Currie Wolpin, 2001 54) The principal agent relationship is also called the agency relationship. A contract that is signed by an agent on behalf of the principal is the contract of the principal and therefore the principal has the right to exercise any term that are in the contract for example the principal can give anyone authority to perform specific or general duties. The agency relationship can be either formal where there has to be a valid contract or some writing or informal where there is no valid contract or any kind of writing that is authorizing the agent to act on behalf of the principal. The agency relation ship must also be legal. This means that the agent and principal should engage in legal activities It is evident that in the principal agent relationship, the agent is acting on behalf of the principal. The agent therefore has to act under the authority of the principal. This relationship is based upon trust and loyalty from both sides but especially from the agent. The agent has to convince the principal that he will follow his instructions to the latter and that he will not be negligent when carrying out any of the works entrusted to him by the principal. Hirshleifer et al postulate that the relationship is also based on the assumption that the agent is to act ethically and therefore he will not take advantage of the task at hand for his personal gains or satisfaction. (Hirshleifer et al, 2005 169)The principal in turn should exude a lot of confidence in his agent and also act ethically. These bases will ensure that there is a strong bond, trust and understanding between the two p arties and hence a fruitful relationship.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The agent has an obligation to be truthful to the principal all the time and disclose all the necessary and important information that affect the business or the task at hand or any other factors that affect the agency relationship. The agent should also refrain from any activities that may harm the agency relationship The principal agent problem The principal agent problem always arises where there is misleading information or information that is not symmetrical or complete when a principal hires an agent. Both the principal and the agent will try to satisfy their needs and sometimes they can do that at the expense of one another and therefore a problem arises. Information that is not symmetrical is caused when the two parties both have different economic information that is used in economic decisions. The differences in economic information affect a lot of decisions that are made daily. The moral hazard problem is one of the causes of a principal agent problem. It occurs when one party gives misleading information to the other so that they can satisfy themselves. Jollands et al postulate that the moral hazard problem is related to adverse selection and information not being symmetrical. In all these cases, one party in the relationship always has access to more information than the other and he uses this information badly to benefit himself. (Jollands et al, 2007 78) The party is always insured from risk and therefore he can act unethically for example if the agent is insured, he has financial security and therefore he can engage in risky contracts that may be harmful to the business or to the task at hand. The principal agent relationship can arise among various parties for instance the manager and the shareholders. Shareholders entrust the managers to act on their b ehalf and manage for them their businesses. A problem will occur when the managers act unethically to satisfy their personal needs at the expense of the business or the shareholders’ wealth. Another principal agent relationship is between the insurer and the insured. An agent principal problem will arise when the insurer incase of a loss gives false information regarding the hazard that occurred so as to gain falsely. It may also arise when the insured does not take all the facts into account regarding a loss and therefore gives less compensation to the insurer. The principal agent problem can also be looked at in a different dimension. Surhone, Timpledon and Marseken state that in economics, the principal agent relationship occurs when one party who is the principal, motivates the other party who is the agent to act on his behalf. (Surhone, Timpledon Marseken 2009, 54)Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Internal Labour Markets/ Motivating the workforc e specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The problem mostly arises when one party gains at the expense of another for example when the principal motivates or compensates the agent when he carries out certain activities that benefit the principal but are costly to him. Such problems occur when the contract between the principal and the agent was signed under inaccurate or incomplete information and therefore renders it vague or when the contract was signed under a lot of uncertainties and risks. Geetika et al state that in these cases, there is little information regarding the contract and the duties that are supposed to be performed or even the goals that are supposed to be satisfied and therefore they have to provide the agents with incentives and compensation packages to motivate them so that they can act ethically and in a way that the principals would like them to act so as to accomplish the tasks at hand and to enable the principals to gain. (Geetika et al, 2005 302) The principal therefore has to apply different methods in trying to motivate the agents but also benefiting their personal needs and accomplishing their goals and objectives for example the principal can change the way the task is carried out or the way to run the business so that even if the agents act in a way that they satisfy their personal goals, then the goals of the principal are also satisfied or if they make decisions or choices that benefit their self interests, these decisions and choices will also be the same as the decisions that the principal would have made or the choices that the principal would have taken Ways of motivating the agent to act ethically To get rid of the agency problem, the principal must motivate or compensate the agents so that they can act in a way that the principal would wish them to act. Principals can use the employment contracts to motivate or compensate the agents. According to Bolton and Dewatripont, the contracts in clude the ways in which the work is to be performed, the levels of performance required, the measure of that performance and the appraisal and compensation process. (Bolton Dewatripont, 2005 135) Contracts vary in nature because of the difference in the type of work being done and the difference in the nature of the relationship Principals can also use non financial compensation packages to compensate their agents. This involves motivation using other methods that do not involve money. This may include appraisal and recognition or provision of higher authority or the permission to engage in activities that may benefit the agent at a personal level. Every employer takes pride in their work and this is no exception for the agents. Smart states that introduction of performance related pay will therefore reduce the pride of the agent because it will be based more on economic terms between the agent and the principal and the principal will not appreciate the work of the agent. (Smart, 2 010 208)The principal should therefore avoid such methods of remunerationAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The principal can also motivate the agent by improving the working conditions under which the agent is working. The principal should not put so many strict rules and he should allow the agent to be flexible when carrying out his duties and when making decisions that affect the business. Ways of solving the principal agent problem The principal can however undertake certain actions to try and solve the problems that arise from the principal agent relationship. First, the principal can give threats of firing the agent incase of any unethical actions by the agent or incase of any losses by the principal arising form the actions of the agent. McConnell, Brue and Macpherson state that these threats will enable the agent act ethically and in a manner that the principal may want them to act so as to avoid being fired and losing their jobs. (McConnell, Brue Macpherson, 2003 218) Secondly, the principal can take over the work that is being done by the agent, the business or the company and do it alone or give it to another person to do it. This will leave the agent jobless. Lane and Ersson postulate that threats of take over will ensure that the agent acts ethically or appropriately and provides all the information needed by the principals so that they can benefit the principals and ensure that they achieve their goals in due time. (Lane Ersson, 2000 174) The agent will try as much as possible to satisfy the needs of the principal so that they do no not lose their jobs when the principal takes over the business. Another way of solving the principal agent problem is by rewarding the agent. When an agent acts ethically and satisfies the needs and goals of the principal, the principal should reward him so that he can feel motivated and act in the same way always. When the agent is motivated they will always act rationally and ethically and will always aim at ensuring that the principals benefit from their actions Conclusion The principal agent relationship is very commo n and it has proven to work where there is trust and commitment between the two parties. Loyalty is also important in such a relationship and the terms of the contract should be well defined and stated to avoid any misunderstandings References Bolton, P Dewatripont, M. (2005) Contract theory. Massachusetts: MIT Press. Pp. 724 Currie, M. J Wolpin, I. K. (2001) Labor economics. New York: Routledge. Pp. 165 Geetika et al. (2008) Managerial economics. London: McGraw-Hill publishers. Pp. 538 Hirshleifer, J et al. (2005) Price theory and applications: decisions, markets, and information. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 614 Jollands, N et al. (2007) Mind the gap: quantifying principal-agent problems in energy efficiency. New York: OECD Publishing. Pp. 219 Lane, E. J Ersson, O. S. (2000) the new institutional politics: performance and outcomes. New York: Routledge. Pp. 329 McConnell, R. C. Brue, L. S Macpherson, A.D. (2003) Contemporary labor economics. London: McGraw-Hill. E d 6. Pp. 654 Smart, C.J. (2010) Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research. Canada: Springer. Pp. 569 Smith, W. S. (2003) Labor economics. New York: Routledge. Ed 2. pp. 448 Surhone, M. L. Timpledon, T. M Marseken, F. S (2009) Principal-agent Problem: Information Asymmetry, Profit Sharing, Performance Measurement, Efficiency Wages, Dual Labor Market, Time and Motion Study, Off-balance-sheet, Contract Theory, Agency. London: Betascript publishers. Pp. 128

PR Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PR Scenario - Essay Example (OMalley, 2008) Aside from being honest with a group of target audiences, transparency and authenticity of the PR and marketing strategies used in communicating the products and services offered by McBride are also necessary when it comes to the ethical way of persuading a prospective client (Jackson, 2008). In relation to the proper way of communicating the McBride’s products and services in a totally new market, it is but ethical for a public relations company such as in the case of television or newspaper advertisers to strictly follow the law of utilitarianism and deontology. In general, the law of utilitarianism states that PR companies should â€Å"do the greatest good for the greatest number of people† whereas the law of deontology states that PR companies should â€Å"do only what is right†. (van Hook, 2008) Aiming to double the company’s target sales every six months, marketing strategies and promotional activities will be developed in order to increase the public awareness on McBride’s financial services. A market research will be conducted in order to identify and determine the classification of potential target market for McBride’s financial services. Identifying the size of its target market will make it easier for the marketing manager to project a feasible growth rate on behalf of the company. Aside from identifying the target market for McBride, a market research on the strength and weaknesses of similar existing financial consultancy firms will be very useful in terms of enabling McBride to position the company in the global market. Based on the information gathered in relation to the financial capabilities, educational background, gender, age, and preferences of McBride’s target market, PR companies could propose some communication methods that will enable McBride to easily capture its target clients. Aside from the typical

European Tourism Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European Tourism Marketing - Essay Example When the fear had somewhat waned, there was an influx of travel demand which has been slowly been dissipating leading tourism experts to dampen their expectations for year 2007. The United Kingdom is experiencing a demographic shift from married life to being single as shown by the rise in number of independent singles. According to the World Tourism Market Report single person households accounted for almost 30% of all households in the UK for the year 2005. Over the past 25 years, the average age of first marriage has increased significantly rising to 28 years for women and 30 years for men in 2005 as compared to the age of 22 for women and 24 for men in the 1980s. Without doubt, singles now represent a major consumer group in the UK. What is important to recognize in singles is that their lifestyle is now characterized by a focus on career and a busy social life. When it comes to holidays, therefore, many singles are looking for a wide variety of leisure services and activities that offer relaxation or help to alleviate stress created by day-to-day living. Furthermore, career-minded singles are more inclined to spend their higher-than-average disposable income on treating themselves, rather than on family life. This presents high return on investment potential for those targeting their travel products and services at this growing consumer group. According to the Euromonitor World Tourism Market Report 2006 report, tourism operators need to bear in mind that in order to appeal to a wide consumer base of single holidaymakers, they need to respond to the financial, social and emotional needs and interests of those who holiday alone. It is recommended that due to the prevailing social stigma associated with being unattached travel operators should focus their offering on safety, socializing and providing a unique experience to those who travel solo. As singles continue to dominate UK society, the phenomenon of holidaying alone is becoming popular. The singles market, therefore, represents one of the most potentially profitable and as yet undeveloped areas of the UK tourism industry. Singles, for example, are more inclined in adventurous holidays and extreme sports so hobbies, such as trekking, surfing, bird watching, horse riding or yoga, as well as spa retreats and exotic city breaks, are all niche markets which would do well to cater to the needs of single travelers. The consumer base of single travelers can be split into two different groups. On the one hand are independent travelers seeking thrills, and new, liberating experiences to contrast with their high-stress workload. On the other hand, however, there are those looking to potentially find a partner, using holiday operators as a form of dating agency. A specialist 'singles' travel operator can easily cater to both target markets. With the success of new concepts like speed dating and online dating agencies, such as www.datingdirect.com, www.match.com and www.streetcupid.com, holiday activities marketed as spin-offs from these dating