Continental Europe seeks to combine flexibility with security in its relations with the workforce via a range of measures one of which is flexicurity. The WritePass Journal

Continental Europe seeks to combine flexibility with security in its relations with the workforce via a range of measures one of which is flexicurity. Introduction Continental Europe seeks to combine flexibility with security in its relations with the workforce via a range of measures one of which is flexicurity. a, p. 1). Flexicurity is thereby an important element of the European Employment Strategy, which must be incorporated into all of the Employment Guidelines within the EU. This helps to modernise labour markets (Flaschel and Luchtenberg, 2012, p. 14) and achieve the 75% employment rate target that has been set by the Europe 2020 Strategy. This Strategy seeks to change Europe into a â€Å"smart, sustainable and inclusive economy† (European Commission, 2012b, p. 13). In effect, flexicurity is vital for the labour market and must be promoted by all so that unemployment and long term exclusion from the labour market can be sufficiently tackled. It was made clear in the 2011 Annual Growth Survey that in order for an integrated labour market to be created â€Å"rigorous fiscal consolidation for enhancing macroeconomic stability† (European Commission, 2011, p. 1) is needed. Growth enhancing measures as well as reforms for higher levels of employment would also create a more integrated labour market, which would help to achieve the employment rate target. However, it was stressed by Linda Richardson that in order for the employment rate target to be successful attained, work needs to be â€Å"an economically attractive option† (European Employment Observatory, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, individuals need to be provided with the incentive to work in order for this to prosper otherwise the Flexicurity strategy will become futile. In order for Flexicurity to be fully achieved, nonetheless, it is important for all Member States to â€Å"design solutions that offer flexibility and security beyond company borders in order to facilitate good and timely labour market transitions and to reduce labour market segmentation† (European Expert Group, 2007, p. 41). It remains to be seen whether this approach will also address national borders in future years b ut it is evident that Flexicurity provides an opportunity to achieve â€Å"economic efficiency and social equity to a higher level in Europe† (European Expert Group, 2007, p. 41). In addition, the pathways to establishing Flexicurity need to ensure that national contexts and histories are taken into account since each Member State has a different legal and contractual model, which often stems from historical viewpoints that have become embedded into national cultures. This ultimately shapes the ways in which Member States adapt and change, which illustrates the importance of this when it comes to implementing policy measures relating to Flexicurity. Arguably, it is manifest in accordance with this that whilst there are a number of different pathways to achieve Flexicurity, each Member State will adopt their own according to their own cultures of industrial relations. This was clearly recognised by Wilthagen (2008, p. 14) when it was pointed out that: â€Å"There is not one common or standard pathway to flexicurity and every Member States will have to construct its own pathway, based on its typical history and its political, cultural, institutional and organisational tradition and particularities.† Despite this, each Member State can in fact learn from the approaches undertaken by other Member States, yet this will require intervention by the EU so that the different pathways to Flexicurity can be promoted. It is important that Flexicurity s uccessfully addresses the problems surrounding young workers. This is because, young workers are mostly affected by reduced employment opportunities and as a result it is vital that Flexicurity is able to address this. Flexicurity should thereby â€Å"reduce the divide between insiders and outsiders in the labour market† (Eurofound, 2012, p. 1). In doing so, it is vital that insiders are being supported during job-to-job transitions, whilst outsiders are provided with easy access to work and stepping stones, which will â€Å"enable progress into stable contractual arrangements† (Eurofound, 2012, p. 1). Flexicurity for young workers has proven successful in helping young people find work (OECD, 2008, p. 109). This clearly highlights the significance of Flexicurity and demonstrates how Flexicurity can be used as a means to support specific groups of people who are usually disadvantaged within the labour market (Broughton, 2012, p. 1). Arguably, Flexicurity appears to be a solution to the problems faced within the labour market, which is why it is important for the promotion of Flexicurity to be fully realised by the EU. Not all agree that Flexicurity is the solution for all Member State s, however, and instead believe that â€Å"the concept reveals itself to be less convincing when it comes to its application within the framework of different socio-economic realities and differently shaped labour markets† (Heeger, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, whilst Flexibility does appear workable in theory, the same cannot be said in practice since there is no one size that fits all and different approaches will need to be employed. Conclusion Overall, whilst Flexicurity is an important concept, which aims to combine flexibility with security in order to achieve the 75% employment rate target that has been set by the Europe 2020 Strategy, it is evident that there are a number of different pathways to achieving Flexicurity. Because of this, there is much difficulty in deciding what the best approach to take is, however this will differ according to the historical cultures of industrial relations of each Member State. Flexicurity does appear workable when it comes to solving the problems relating to young workers, and evidently helps young workers enter the labour market. This is vital given that young workers are mostly affected by unemployment levels and as such it is imperative that Flexicurity is better promoted by the EU and its Member States. References Broughton, A. (2012) Using Flexicurity to Support Specific Groups of Workers at Company Level, IES, [Online] Available: employment-studies.co.uk/news/es16art4.php [03 January, 2012]. Eurofound. (2012) Flexicurity – It Takes Three to Tango, [Online] Available: eurofound.europa.eu/resourcepacks/flexicurity.htm [03 January 2012]. European Employment Observatory. Workshop on ‘Making Work Pay’ Meeting Report, [Online] Available: www.eu-employment-observatory.net//EEOThSeminar-MWP-21Fe [03 January 2012]. European Commission. (2011) Commission Publishes Annual Growth Survey, Economic and Financial Affairs, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/articles/eu_economic_situation/2011-01-annual-growth-survey_en.htm [03 January 2012]. European Commission. (2012a) Flexicurity, Employment, Social Affairs Inclusion, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=102langId=en [02 January 2012]. European Commission. (2012b) Europe 2020, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/index_en.htm [02 January 2012]. European Expert Group. (2007) Flexicurity Pathways; Turning Hurdles into Stepping Stones, [Online] Available: ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=1519langId=en [03 January 2012]. Flaschel, P. and Luchtenberg, S. (2012) Roads to Social Capitalism: Theory, Evidence and Policy, Edward Elgar Publishing. Heeger, K. (2012) Flexicurity – Further Erosion of Workers Rights? EU Observer, [Online] Available: http://euobserver.com/opinion/114980 [Accessed 03 January 2012]. OECD. (2008) Jobs for Youth: Netherlands 2008, OECD Publishing. Wilthagen, T. (2008) Mapping out Flexicurity Pathways in the European Union, Tilburg University, Flexicurity Research Programme.

Rating Minerals on Mohs Scale of Hardness

Rating Minerals on Mohs Scale of Hardness Mohs hardness scale was devised in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs and has been the same ever since, making it the oldest standard scale in geology. It is also perhaps the most useful single test for identifying and  describing minerals.  You use the Mohs hardness scale by testing an unknown mineral against one of the standard minerals. Whichever one scratches the other is harder, and if both scratch each other they are the same hardness. Understanding Mohs Hardness Scale The Mohs scale of hardness uses half-numbers, but nothing more precise for in-between hardnesses. For instance,  dolomite, which scratches calcite but not fluorite, has a Mohs hardness of 3 ½ or 3.5.   Mohs Hardness Mineral Name Chemical Formula 1 Talc Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 2 Gypsum CaSO4 ·2H2O 3 Calcite CaCO3 4 Fluorite CaF2 5 Apatite Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) 6 Feldspar KAlSi3O8 – NaAlSi3O8 – CaAl2Si2O8 7 Quartz SiO2 8 Topaz Al2SiO4(F,OH)2 9 Corundum Al2O3 10 Diamond C There are a few handy objects that also help in using this scale. A fingernail is 2 ½, a penny (actually, any current U.S. coin) is just under 3, a knife blade is 5 ½, glass is 5 ½Ã‚  and a good steel file is 6 ½.  Common sandpaper uses artificial corundum and is hardness 9; garnet paper is 7 ½. Many  geologists just use a small kit featuring 9 standard  minerals and some of the above-mentioned objects; with the exception of diamond, all of the minerals on the scale are fairly common and inexpensive.  If you want to avoid the rare chance of a mineral impurity skewing your results (and dont mind spending some extra money), there are sets of hardness picks available specifically for the Mohs scale.   The Mohs scale is an ordinal scale, meaning that it is  not proportional.  In terms of absolute hardness, diamond (Mohs hardness 10) is actually four times harder than corundum (Mohs hardness 9) and six times harder than topaz (Mohs hardness 8).  For a field geologist, the scale works great.  A professional mineralogist or metallurgist, however, might obtain absolute hardness by using a  sclerometer, which microscopically measures the width of a scratch made by a diamond.   Mineral Name Mohs Hardness Absolute Hardness Talc 1 1 Gypsum 2 2 Calcite 3 9 Fluorite 4 21 Apatite 5 48 Feldspar 6 72 Quartz 7 100 Topaz 8 200 Corundum 9 400 Diamond 10 1500 Mohs hardness is just one aspect of identifying minerals. You also need to consider luster, cleavage, crystalline form, color, and rock type to zero in on an exact identification. See this step-by-step guide to mineral identification to learn more. A minerals hardness is a reflection of its molecular structure - the spacing of the various atoms and the strength of the chemical bonds between them. The manufacture of Gorilla Glass used in smartphones, which is nearly hardness 9, is a good example of how this aspect of chemistry is related to hardness. Hardness is also an important consideration in gemstones. Dont rely on the Mohs scale to test rocks; it is strictly for minerals. The hardness of a rock depends on the exact minerals that make it up, particularly the mineral that cements it together. Edited by Brooks Mitchell

Analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Analyze - Essay Example So, let us see the meaning of text interpretation evidenced from the article â€Å"Learning to Read† by Malcolm X. For the beginning it must be said that any author by his work intends to reach a particular purpose using for this different writing techniques. Just so Malcolm X takes advantage of every possible element for the effect on the issue of people’s perception of black-white relationship both by the black man who has to be literate for improvement of his oppressed state and by the white man who needs to realize his tyrant treatment of non-white men. Being led by such a view Malcolm X has chosen a good form of his idea presentation, that is, he has shown on his own example the whole significance of reading ability and serious reading itself for the benefit of non-white people (as a tool for their empowering in the fight against their humiliation), which suffer from white men’s dictatorship for more than four hundred years: this is the argument. Herein the realization of the purpose finds its reflection in a primary non-complex sentence structure easy for understanding by his followers, imagery providing readers with visualization of the sharp question (it is introduced through Malcolm’s descriptions of his own images from life of black population presented in the read books). In addition, author’s extremely expressive narration gives numerous details and emotions from his mastering of reading and writing, as well as his feelings about blacks’ position. As a result, rhetorical mode of pictorial description alongside with conscious tone of the author’s narration makes him to be represented as a willful concerned active defender of non-white peoples’ rights, who spends every minute of his time for resisting the white man. It seems to be that the author’s direct purpose is actualization of non-white treatment by white men and necessity of reading ability for access to

Systems and Cultural Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Systems and Cultural Investigation - Essay Example This paper seeks to analyze the cultural systems that exist in healthcare organizations The term system is a set of interrelated, interacting or interdependent elements that may be used to work together in a certain work environment to perform a particular task that is required by the systems aim. Systems can be improved all the time but before it is improved one must consider knowing how its products are created, the reasons why they are created and how they can be improved. Many systems work under some set of principles so as to help us understand how they behave, for example, the whole system may have one or more of the defining functions. Each part of the system can affect the characters and behaviors of the whole system. Also, it is equally important to note that behaviors and properties of just one part of the system can be very dependent on the behavior of the other parts of the system. Each part of the system may necessarily but may be insufficient to operate alone so as to carry out fully the defining role of the whole system. Healthcare system is often very cumbersome and opaque to their users including patients, nurses, and even the physicians. It best described as complex adaptive systems because they are collections of the individuals who are very free to act in various ways that are unpredictable. The boundaries of the organization can be very fuzzy since membership changes and providers of the services can simultaneously be members of other sub-systems. Given the complexity of these sub-systems, the action of the individual teams are much interconnected so that the action of one sub-system can change the whole context of the other sub-systems. Microsystem may change over time so that it can respond to the needs of their patients, staff members and the external pressure from the surrounding environment. They try to coexist properly with other

Vietnam War Research Essay Example for Free

Vietnam War Research Essay The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. The U.S. government viewed involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of their wider strategy of containment. The North Vietnamese government and Viet Cong viewed the conflict as a colonial war, fought initially against France, backed by the U.S., and later against South Vietnam, which it regarded as a U. S. puppet state. American military advisors arrived in what was then French Indochina beginning in 1950. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with troop levels tripling in 1961 and tripling again in 1962. U.S. combat units were deployed beginning in 1965. Operations spanned international borders, with Laos and Cambodia heavily bombed. American involvement in the war peaked in 1968, at the time of the Tet Offensive. After this, U.S. ground forces were gradually withdrawn as part of a policy known as Vietnamization. Despite the Paris Peace Accords, signed by all parties in January 1973, fighting continued. U.S. military involvement ended on 15 August 1973 as a result of the Case–Church Amendment passed by the U.S. Congress. The capture of Saigon by the Vietnam Peoples Army in April 1975 marked the end of the war, and North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year. The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities. Estimates of the number of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed vary from fewer than one million to more than three million. Some 200,000–300,000 Cambodians, 20,000–200,000 Laotians, and 58,220 U.S. service members also died in the conflict. (WIKI PEDIA) Key Quotes: (NOTABLE QUOTES) The Vietnam War was arguably the most traumatic experience for the United States in the twentieth century. That is indeed a grim distinction in a span that included two world wars, the assassinations of two presidents and the resignation of another, the Great Depression, the Cold War, racial unrest, and the drug and crime waves. DONALD M. GOLDSTEIN This war in Vietnam is, I believe, a war for civilization. Certainly it is not a war of our seeking. It is a war thrust upon us and we cannot yield to tyranny. FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN Television brought the brutality of war into the comfort of the living room. Vietnam was lost in the living rooms of America not on the battlefields of Vietnam. MARSHALL MCLUHAN Our resistance will be long and painful, but whatever the sacrifices, however long the struggle, we shall fight to the end, until Vietnam is fully independent and reunified.

Animal Farm, by George Orwell Essay -- Animal Farm Essays

In the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, the pig Napoleon uses specific tactics to gain power and control over the animal farm. Some of these techniques include controlling information through education, scapegoating, use of fear, swaying public opinion and blind obedience. Throughout the novel, the most prominent way that Napoleon gained power was through controlling the education that the animals received. In the beginning of the novel, Snowball believes in educating all of the animals on Animal Farm, young and old, by trying to organize committees and instituting classes devoted to reading and writing (page 39). However, Napoleon openly states that educating the young is more important that the old. When Jessie and Bluebell have puppies, Napoleon takes them away and secludes them from the rest of Animal Farm to teach them on his own (41). Throughout the novel, after Snowball's removal, education becomes less and less important, and pigs and dogs are the only animals really being taught anything. This comes in handy for Napoleon as he begins to make "adjustments" to the rules that Animal Farm is based upon, such as drinking alcohol, sleeping in beds, and walking on two legs. The fact that the animals can't do math is an advantage as wel l when Squealer starts reeling off facts and figures about rations and death rates and other nonsense (105). Another technique Napoleon takes advantage of is scapegoat...

Case analysis: Deloitte & Touche Essay

In Deloitte & Touche, women had accounted for almost half of all new hires throughout the 1980s, yet by 1991, of the 50 candidates being nominated for partnership on that year, only four were women. There was serious imbalance of male and female gender in the workforce despite steps to ensure that the firm would be hiring women during the 1980s. Moreover, the high turnover of women leaving was accruing huge expenses for the firm . In this paper, I will first discuss the challenges faced in the organization and the reasons why the management saw a need for an organization change. Next, I will argue that the current situation favors the change process and despite the possible restraining forces; Deloitte & Touche is in a good position in successfully implementing the strategies. I will then discuss the possible restraining forces that would hinder the change and comment on the recommendations and strategies by the Task Force. Lastly, I will suggest further solutions that would help in overcoming the restraining forces so that this would further aid in the development of the change process. Mike Cook had initially assumed that the main reason why women left the workforce in greater numbers was due to family commitments. However, despite the strategies implemented in the 1980s to hire more talented women and ensuring that there was no glass ceiling for women in the firm, the statistics in 1991 proved that the previous solutions were not adequate and that the firm was incurring huge expenses due to the high rate of turnovers. Thus in 1992, a Task Force was formed whereby the firm hired outside consultants to find out why women were not advancing at the same rate as men, and why they were leaving at a higher percentage rate. After much investigations and interviews, the Catalyst report showed that the top two reasons for their departure was because the women had perceived that there was a male dominated work environment and that opportunities for career advancement was difficult. An imbalance work-life which was perceived by Mike Cook as the main reason was ranked third in importance. Clearly, the management had earlier identified the main reason incorrectly. When one examines the situation at hand, the firm is in a favorable position to execute the change. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the critical mass, whom are the partners in the firm are suddenly aware of the  real problem the plagues the firm. Engaging the critical mass is crucial as their support for the change is important and their leadership would help transmit effectively the change strategies. Secondly, the firm is presently at the third stage of the development process, whereby they have diagnosed correctly the exact problem. In addition, Lois Evans, one of the top-ranked women in the firm had similarly echoed that the current work environment was a crappy place for any woman to be. By identifying the precise problem, the organisation can now tackle more effectively and implement the appropriate solutions to change the male dominated corporate culture. Changing a corporate culture is extremely difficult and this in my opinion is the biggest restraining force. The challenge for any organization is how to reinforce people in changing an old culture that has lasted for so long. The key to the success is not to impose cultural changes, but to facilitate an environment whereby employees are involved in finding their own new approaches to change. Another major restraining force that might occur is that many male employees might sense a threat in their positional power. In addition, many male workers might start wondering whether these changes would benefit them, and would start questioning the strategies suggested by the Task Force which seems to favor women only. The organization at present is still not accustomed in seeing women in positions of power and thus by developing leadership platforms for women such as an advisory council might bring about suspicion and insecurity for the men. In examining the recommendations suggested by the Task Force, I do agree that the firm should hold workshops and seminars to educate and communicate to the employees that men and women are colleagues . I would suggest that during these workshops, change agents should inform the male workers their subtle actions and words can actually create an unwelcome culture for women. Insensitive comments that make women feel uncomfortable in the workforce should also be avoided. For example, statements such as â€Å"someone working part-time is not interested in the career† or â€Å"she has kids, maybe he should handle the international assignments† should not be made formally, as well as in an informal setting. In addition, managers should also learn to avoid gender stereotypes that women are incapable to handle challenging  assignments simply because they are mothers. Therefore by increasing the awareness of the dangers of stereotyping, male employees would understand and be mo re acceptable when they recognize and see major changes in the work environment that might favor women employees. I similarly agree with the Task Force that the firm should build goals in their business planning and provide directional goals for women in leadership . Defining the criteria to measure and monitor progress for women is also crucial. This is because better information and improving access to career development and training opportunities are significant ways in educating the women their route of advancement. It is obvious that if you do know what is available, the possibility of you attempting to take part would be much higher. Thus it is important to ensure that women receive the same opportunities as men and this can be solved by designing a program to monitor the promotion rates among women and men. I would therefore suggest that the Human resource department have a program that tracks work assignments to ensure that women at Deloitte & Touche are considered for premier clients and projects at equal rates as their male counterparts. Offices should be evaluated annually, ensuring women are being offered fair shots at career-advancing assignments. Another solution is to include women as assessors and to ensure that they are included on senior promotion interview boards. However, one should be cautious and avoid achieving a fix quota. The firm must highlight that equality and meritocracy still exists in the workplace between men and women. This is crucial so that the firm would avoid to be seen as promoting a women-favored environment only. Besides the listed solutions in the case study, there are further considerations that Mike Cook might need to consider. Firstly, it is important to have a policy that is clear to the staff within the organization. Moreover, identifying the right people within the firm to implement the policies is vital as electing change agents who might unconsciously or consciously disagree with the new corporate philosophy might in return sabotage the whole change process rather than aid it.  Secondly, the creation of a positive environment has to start with the chief executive officer and the leaders, and they must set the example in creating an atmosphere of encouragement for the women. The management must also be prepared to provide sufficient resources for the training and development of women. Thirdly, in the creation of a flexible work environment for women as recommended by the Task Force, the challenge the organization face is to dispel myths that the only way a worker can contribute and have the potential for career advancement is on accumulating work hours or â€Å"face time†. While the management should allow women to work at home on occasional periods, and be connected to the work site via a computer through tele-working, the complexity of have this flexible work environment or working from home is in the method of supervision. Managers therefore need to plan and prepare for the experience of tele-work and develop appropriate communication and accountability strategies. Managers should also be respectful to the employee and their personal workspace and have to be careful not to neglect the worker, causing them to fall into the â€Å"out of sight† trap. In conclusion, Deloitte & Touche is in a good position in sustaining and implementing the change process. This is because the firm has correctly identified the root problem and possess a strong Task Force in recommending sound strategies. However, the firm must still be aware of possible restraining forces and also take time to set the right policies and choose the correct change agents within the firm to spearhead this change process. Managers should also be aware of the difficulties in having a flexible work environment, and thorough research and planning should be invested into this program so that they are better prepared to handle the transition.

Management/performance Appraisal Essay

The movie â€Å"Office Space† is a satirical version of the challenges identified in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. In the movie, Peter Gibbons, the character played by Ron Livingston is the quintessential corporate employee who characterizes the ailments that the Industrial Psychology aims to identify and cure. Office Space points out some burning issues that have emerged with the evolution of the corporate culture. Motivation Employee motivation is a constant challenge for every organization whether it has a strong and ambitious mission statement or not. In the interview with the consultants â€Å"Bobs† Gibbons articulates it accurately when he states that he is not motivated because any extra effort he puts in might lead to a leap in the share price of the Initech stock or better rewards for his management but he is not compensated in any way. He also bluntly points out that the productive period of his, in a regular week is around 15 minutes. This is a challenge that most organizations face, where the job description leaves a lot to be desired in terms of adequate motivation for its employees to work at peak performance levels for a long duration of time. Management/performance Appraisal In the vexing issue of cover sheets for TPS, Gibbons is harassed by more than one boss. He might be exaggerating when he says that he has to report to eight different bosses but he is right in the fact that an employee begins feeling highly insecure when his performance is scrutinized with unusual and unwarranted vigor and by more than one supervisor. Personnel Recruitment and Selection In the entire movie, one of the most effective characters, Milton Waddams, so efficiently played by Stephen Root, is shown as an ineffective employee but is never clear what his role and responsibility is in the organization. In fact he is revealed to have remained in the organization due to a technical glitch though he was sacked five years ago. Any organization needs ot identify every employee’s strengths and weaknesses through its recruitment processes and also nurture their talent through constant training and knowledge initiatives. Change management is an essential function of the management and ineffective handling of such functions leads to the wide spread paranoia that becomes evident in the reactions of the employees towards the external consultants. Team Effectiveness Initech does have a bunch of talented people in Michael Bolton, Samir Nagheenanajar, Peter Gibbons et al, but fails to build effective team spirit because of the low motivation levels and constant insecurity. Besides every employee is preoccupied with their own woes of the working environment and busy dealing with it, rather than trying to maximize their productivity. Leadership In this movie, the characterization of Bill Lumbergh, played so obnoxiously by Gary Cole ( which means he has succeeded completely) is the perfect example of all that might go wrong with the leadership teams of corporates. He is a bully by nature and does not take any initiative to listen to his team members. He is a throw back to an older era when bosses were treated like royalty. Today the leadership has to play a more constructive role and infuse a sense of inclusiveness in decision making. The scene where he asks Gibbons to come in to work on both the days of the weekend without any explanation or pretense of asking for an opinion is classic Mike Judge. When reviewed in detail, Office Space provides examples of almost all the important issues that form the crux of Industrial/Organizational Psychology but the topics mentioned above are the most significant representations of the conflict and the treatment of the movie. While it is important to note the topical significance of the movie, the experience is rendered enjoyable due to some superb performances and believable exaggerations. That, perhaps is the basic reason for the movie’s cult status on the DVD circuit though its theatrical run did not make it a super hit.

Montessori the Human Tendencies Essays

Montessori the Human Tendencies Essays Montessori the Human Tendencies Paper Montessori the Human Tendencies Paper The Human Tendencies â€Å"The love of activity, the yearning for freedom, the urge for obedience, the impulse to confirm to laws which are at the heart of all creation – these qualities make man the unparalleled work of Nature† (Montessori, M. , From Childhood To Adolescence, 1973) Discuss the eight human tendencies as developed by Dr. Montessori and her followers. Show how children show these tendencies during the three main stages of development. Discuss how you think knowledge of human tendencies helps us when educating children. Give examples to support your answer ******************************** One of the greatest discoveries made by Dr. Montessori was that all humans love certain tendencies of behaviour patterns. No matter where we live, no matter what our culture or ethnicity, we all follow the same natural laws that lead us to act or react in specific ways. We are all driven to communicate, socialise, initiate, explore, move, be exact, concentrate, repeat, discover order, achieve independence, personalise perfection, control ourselves and our work. Human tendencies are present at all ages of our lives but some are stronger than others during different development periods. The tendencies also vary in the way and strength in which they appear in different people but they all exist. And it is these tendencies which guide our development; which direct us to take or not to take a given action. What does Dr. Montessori mean by the word â€Å"Tendency†? A dictionary definition of the word is â€Å"A predisposition to think, act, behave or proceed in a particular way† (Oxford English Dictionary). Dr. Montessori noted that it was important that the correct environment was provided for each stage in order to allow the tendencies to be fulfilled. Human tendencies are creative impulses that guide human beings in the development of broad potentialities. Dr. Montessori believed that children are born with incredible learning potential and a desire to explore, discover and learn about their world. She believed that all children are born with potentialities, the ability to crawl, to walk, to talk etc. It is the human tendencies that guide them to these potentials. What are the â€Å"Human Tendencies†? Dr. Montessori identified eight areas: Exploration: This is the human tendency to explore and find out about our world and universe. [pic] Children are naturally curious and love to use their senses to learn more about the world around them. Our life around us is filled with sounds, scents, textures, tastes and colours. In the first stage children explore their immediate environment. As a baby the first few months you can explore by hearing sounds and seeing colours. As you grow exploration comes by tasting different foods, feeling different textures. A child likes to explore with his hands more than anything. – 12 years old the child explores by going out or by researching. This age of child loves exploring nature, going to the woods or going to the sea. As they grow they find more interest in searching the internet to increase their knowledge and they start to have a greater interest in personal and sexual relationships.. They explore society to try to find their own role in life. â€Å"There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all the life to be f ound around them, in a real forest†. Maria Montessori  (1870 1952) Source: From Childhood to Adolescence (page 19) Orientation: This is the human tendency to want to know where we are in space, in time and in the structures of nature and of society. [pic] When a young child enters a new environment they often want to explore, look at and touch all around them. But they still look for familiar people like their Mom or Dad. As they grow they enjoy knowing where they live (their address, country and continent on a map). They also like to know where they stand with regards to social roles. They demand very clear guidelines and rules. Order: This is the human tendency to create orderly surroundings which is apparent in nature and which we have brought more thoroughly into our homes, business and everyday life. [pic] Children under 6 years of age have a very strong sense of order. They like to be neat or have things in order. It does not matter if it his toys, clothes, shoes, everything should be in the right place according to his mind. As they grow they lose some of the order but they still shine through with order in their homework. Eg. Mathematics, Chemistry etc. People prefer order to chaos and confusion. Order brings predictability and security. Order is essential to proper orientation. Work/Activity: This is a human tendency, to be active and seek satisfaction form work. People generally like to stay busy. For children, movement can be enjoyed for its own sake, rather than always having a goal or end product in mind. Even children who have very little to play with will find ways to be active through games, songs, dance, and pretend play. Humans feel worthwhile through their work. Work leads to a feeling of accomplishment and self-respect. [pic] Maria Montessori believed that it was through work that a child constructed his true self, free of defect or misbehavior. Repetition: This occurs when a child repeats a task over and over again, until they become familiar with it. Like an infant trying to lift his head over and over again until he gets it, and learns how to control his muscles. They then see the environment from a totally different view. [pic] Often it is with the intent to master the task, but even after mastery occurs, a child may continue to repeat the activity for the sheer pleasure of doing so. Older children can do the same with a ball. They repeat and repeat the same task until they improve their ball handling skills. Exactitude/Precision: Exactitude allows children to know how to know when perfection is achieved. [pic] This is the human mathematical mind that leads us into exciting scientific discoveries based on precise detailed observation. Have you ever seen a child get upset because something was put back in the wrong place? They are quite precise in the way they pick things up, in the way they describe things and in the way they notice details. Older kids may put precision into their school work by doing science work or chemistry projects. Instinctively humans seek to precise in their work, doing something exactly right brings enormous satisfaction. Communication: Humans delight in conveying thoughts, feelings, and information to each other. [pic] New born babies can not talk but they still communicate with us. They cry when something is wrong eg. a dirty nappy. They smile when they are happy eg. when you play with them. As times passes they learn to communicate with their hands and with an absorbent mind they learn to pick up the language in 1. 5 to 2 years. School kids aged 6 – 12 communicate through play dates with friends, telling us all that happened at school and through social outlets and team sports. Older kids like to learn something different. Their communication forms are different; it is more linked to phones, texting, computers and other forms of social media eg. facebook. Various types of communication include the written and spoken word, touch, facial expressions, gestures, art, music, dance and media. Communication is an essential human need; it is the link of understanding between people, both face-to-face and from generation to generation. Imagination: This is truly the characteristic that sets us apart from animals. We are able to visualize events that have not yet occurred; we are able to feel and xpress emotions that are not tangible. We can imagine something that exists only in our minds, and then take the steps to make it happen. e. g A child in the first stage can imagine playing as a doctor and having his toys as his patients. [pic] As they grow they can imagine that they grow up to be a doctor. The fire of imagination drives the child to seek knowledge with a huge thirst. It is an important part of the Mont essori Method, both for the 6 – 12 years old and the older teenager, to present the imagination with exciting facts. We often forget that imagination is a force for the discovery of truth. The mind is not a passive thing, but a devouring flame, never in repose, always in action†. Maria Montessori  (1870 1952) Source: The Absorbent Mind, Chapter, Through Culture and the Imagination, 1988) Once we are aware of the underlying that compels human development we will recognise them everywhere. The tendencies of humans are what compel babies to put everything they find into their mouths. They are the reasons that a young child wants to know how things are made and why children are filled with wonder when they enter a forest. They are the reason for our appreciation of a beautiful painting or a finely crafted piece of furniture; we recognise the repetition that went into the mastery and finally the reflection of a difficult skill. The prepared environment is built around these tendencies. Because of this, Montessori teachers do not need to force the student to work, the children are naturally drawn to the materials. For example the environment is safe and secure, filled only with the items that can be touched and manipulated by the child. When these basic human needs, these basic tendencies of human behavior are understood and respected, children become what Dr. Montessori called â€Å"normalized. † They have a sense of internal peace, joy, tranquility, happiness. They can concentrate. They can choose something to work on and complete the work they set out do. They have self-discipline/self-control, are independent, and are secure within themselves. They have a positive, balanced self-image, have healthy self-esteem, and are aware and considerate of others. They are the person we would all like to be. â€Å"In order to understand the child so as to be able to educate him, we must know life in its entirety† (Montessori, M. , unpublished lecture, London 1937) Bibliography Clare Healy Walls- At The Heart of Montessori 1 – Core Principles Original Writing Ltd, Dublin 2008, ISBN 978-1-906018-64-1 Clare Healy Walls At The Heart of Montessori 2 – Core Principles In Action Original Writing Ltd, Dublin 2008, ISBN 978-1-906018-65-8 Clare Healy Walls At The Heart of Montessori 4 – The Pre School Child (3 – 6 yrs) Original Writing Ltd, Dublin 2008, ISBN 978-1-906018-67-2 Clare Healy Walls Montessori in a Nutshell Hello Montessori Ireland, 2007, ISBN 978-09557168-0-5 The internet was also used as an aid in completing this essay.

Product Update Introducing The NEW And Improved ReQueue!

Product Update Introducing The NEW And Improved ReQueue! Attention social automation lovers! Based on your feedback Weve made some serious improvements to your favorite social automation tool Introducing the NEW and improved ReQueue! AKA the refreshed version of the only social automation tool with built-in intelligencenow with added control, more flexibility, and even better visibility into your entire social schedule! Watch this quick demo.Or keep on readin for the full breakdown! Introducing The NEW And Improved ReQueue from @NEW! Placeholder Groups Sometimes, straight automation just doesn’t cut it (and you need a bit more more control).   With our NEW Placeholder Groups, you can create custom sharing schedules for specific groups by selecting the day, time, and sending frequency that works best for you! Here are a few examples of when using a Placeholder Group  would come in handy: For your #TBT campaign Taco Tuesday promotion Or even a #MotivationMonday campaign! The best part of using a Placeholder Group? You stay in control and can set your own sharing schedule (while still enjoying the perks of automating your social strategy). Stay in control and can set your own sharing schedule with ReQueues Placeholder Groups inOrganize ReQueue based on what matters to you Now you can prioritize the order of your ReQueue groups within your settings†¦. AND use drag + drop to quickly move social messages from one ReQueue group to another. (!!!)

Consumer behavior blogs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer behavior blogs - Essay Example In a perfect market structure, several things affect a buyer’s preference. Study of what buyers prefer is a field known as marketing psychology. According to this type of psychology, a buyer’s preference may be dependent on personal, social or psychological reasons (Dholakia, 2012). Production companies and businesses use two major research methods in order to determine the demand of a product from consumers. The two methods include secondary research and primary research. Secondary research is dependent on already existing information to predict the market demand for a given product or service. Primary research on the other hand depends on the producer’s personal research using questionnaires, surveys etc (Belch, 2004). In the subsequent blogs, we are going to see how psychological, personal and social factors affect a consumer’s behavior. In the previous blog, I introduced the concept of consumer behavior and the factors that affect a consumer’s preference to certain goods as opposed to others (Blog 1). In this part, I will be looking at the psychological effect on consumer preference. Before a consumer opts for a certain preference, there has to be a psychological intention attached to the item (Poiesz, 1993). The consumer internalizes on the value of the item towards satisfying their desire and decides what best suits them. An example of the latter is a consumer that likes to look elegant and classy; she is likely to buy the latest limited edition channel, Versace or Louis Vuitton products as opposed to upcoming designers. The consumer has the psychological perception that wearing a well-established designer satisfies her desire. The psychological effect on consumer behavior is largely dependent on perception. Most companies looking to sell their products realize that psychological perception is the key to capturing a large consumer base. Advertisement in the mainstream media