Leadership Preferences in Japan an exploratory study

Introduction Japan is one of the most rapidly growing economies in the larger Asian continent. Many researchers have attempted to explore the various ways of life in this country including their institutional management, culture, and other diverse peculiar preferences. This report paper will offer a summary of the work conducted in finding out the most preferred leadership styles by Japanese followers in relation to the appropriateness of the Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Leadership Preferences in Japan: an exploratory study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It will discuss the purpose of the research, the research methodology used, the findings, the problems encountered and their practical implications, and finally the impact of the Bass and Avolio’s and House’s leadership theories. Objective The case study sought to explore the most preferred leadership styles by the Japanese followers. The appropriateness of the entire Bass and Avolio’s model of leadership was also investigated. The research provides a review of the existing literature concerning the various leadership styles and theories, and culture that can be considered to influence the preference of a given way of leadership, especially by the Japanese followers. The case study provides the nine scales of leadership extracted from Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model which most western researchers over the last two decades have considered it to have a universal influence. On the contrary, this case study explores the suitability of this model to the led people of Japan. Methods In order to come up with reliable findings and conclusion, the study mostly used a qualitative approach in the collection of data. Templates and numerous contents were also analysed. The data was collected in two phases: Phase 1 involved the use of semi-structured int erviews while questionnaires were used during the second Phase. Three research questions were used: What are the perceptions of Japanese followers regarding contemporary culture? What are the perceptions of Japanese followers towards Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model? Are there aspects of leadership not covered by Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model, which can be defined as culture-specific conceptualisations of Japanese leadership? This study involved 12 Japanese interviewees (five females and seven males), with an average age of 32.5. The respondents were Japanese employees and they identified themselves as followers under the supervision of Japanese leaders, and were drawn from several industries in Japan. The subjects were asked three general questions at random. The first one sought to know the respondent’s recognition of Japanese leadership; the second enquired the kind of leader that the interviewee would like to work with, and las tly, the subject’s perception of Japanese culture. The data collected constituted Phase 1 and were analysed by template.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Phase 2 of the study involved the use of questionnaires and composed of 57 Japanese respondents (38 males and 19 females with an average age of 33.1) who were drawn from a cross-section of Japanese industries. The questions were a further breakdown of the first three used in Phase 1 into 15 of them. Unlike in phase 1, Phase 2 was analysed by the content of the questionnaires. The language used in both phases was Japanese but the authors translated it into English. Results The interview results (Phase 1): According to the study, most of the interviewees, when asked about the trend of the Japanese culture, their responses implied that the Japanese culture and the management systems have been changing as a result of int ernationalisation, the impact of the bubble economy, and the financial crisis experienced in Asia. Furthermore, they identified a significant change from male chauvinism to gender equality, as reflected in the ever increasing number of female employees in virtually all Japanese places of work. However, two male interviewees suggested that male chauvinism, in their perception, still existed. Two of them suggested that collectivism was still part and parcel of Japanese culture while two interviewees indicated that there had been a significant change from collectivism to individualism. Moreover, two interviewees thought seniority was still part of Japanese work culture. In the contrary, five suggested that meritocracy was on the rise. On the other hand, eleven interviewees provided their responses concerning the Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership styles. Firstly, despite the fact that idealized influence attributed is one of the five transformational leadership styles which are expected to be the most effective as far as enhancing performance is concerned, only two interviewees approved its use. Nine of them indicated negative attitude towards this style of leadership.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Leadership Preferences in Japan: an exploratory study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Six interviewees were positive about the use of idealized influence behaviours style of leadership. The collective sense of mission and the keenness towards decision-making exhibited by such leaders was their core reason for liking the style. However, five of the interviewees expressed their dislike, emphasising that in business, what matters most is the â€Å"outcome.† Moreover, although it is one of the core transformational styles of leadership, the study had only five interviewees approving the use of inspirational motivation. Some of them suggested that any leader in Japan who talked op timistically about the future was no longer effective following the burst of Japan’s economy. Most of them explained that followers needed a leader who has a proper understanding of managing risk and contingency plans instead of a ‘hopeful’ leader. All the 11 interviewees approved a leader who exhibits the intellectual stimulation style. This was due to their belief that such a leader has the potential of solving the day to day problems and proposing strategies of handling future issues. Individualised consideration, on the other hand, was supported by seven interviewees. The interviewees who approved of such a style considered its effectiveness especially as companies increasingly focused on individual performance and competences. This follows the perceived growth of meritocracy in Japan. Those interviewees who were negative on this style of leadership suggested that group targets might not be achieved if the leader focuses on individual needs. Contingent reward , which is a transactional style of leadership, and supposed to be less effective compared to the five transformational styles of leadership in motivating the workers to optimum out put, was supported by 8 interviewees. They suggested that the use of rewards depending on performance to motivate employees was very effective in enhancing motivation. For the case of management-by-exception active, one interviewee claimed that it was not dispensable while the rest did not endorse it, either. They argued that such leaders cause tension in the work place and hence less motivation of followers. Similarly, management-by exception passive was not approved by any of the interviewees and they expressed their unilateral dislike of the laissez-faire leadership approach.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The third part of the study evaluated the Japanese leadership styles. The opinions of the interviewees on the actual styles of leadership in Japan included directive leadership, participative leadership, social activities outside work, and overtime-work. Two interviewees explained that their leaders embraced directive style of leadership where they give specific orders to be strictly followed, whereas three interviewees mentioned participative leadership. Two of them saw this type of leader as very accommodative and one claimed that the participative style can be problematic if the leader cannot make own decisions. Eight interviewees approved the need for social activities outside work. Seven explained that such activities provide the platform for followers to interact with their leaders and share openly. Furthermore, six interviewees mentioned overtime-work. Most of them thought that there was still overtime-work in most Japanese companies and that the length of the overtime-work d epends, to some degree, on the type of leader in charge. During the study, Protective, network, and gender equality leadership was mentioned by the interviewees. Four interviewees approved the protective leader who can stand up for them and defend them from the onslaught of senior mangers. On the other hand, three interviewees supported the network leadership and expected their leader to help them advance in their career-path by being influential. Furthermore, gender equality was mentioned by three subjects. Two of the interviewees saw it as appropriate for the then current state of affairs in Japan. Only one interviewee considered this idea as being superficial and a western ideology without any relevant Japanese adjustment. The questionnaire results (Phase 2) From the study, 30 respondents, representing 52.6 % felt that the Japanese culture had some convergence with the Western culture as a result of globalisation. 24 (42.1%) thought that internationalisation had not caused any co nvergence between Japanese and western culture, and a low 5.3% were not sure whether there was any convergence. In relation to Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model, 51 respondents provided useful information concerning the type of leader(s) whom they would prefer to work with or under. The responses were initially compared with the nine â€Å"assumed categories† from Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model. The content analysis method was used in the comparison. From the analyses, 51 % approved the individualised consideration while intellectual stimulation received seven positive comments. Contingent reward, on the other hand, had five respondents supporting it while management-by-exception active had two. Inspirational motivation, idealised influence behaviour, and idealised influence attributed each received one positive comment. Moreover, management-by-exception passive and laissez-faire were approved by none of the respondents. When asked to comment about their individual preferences towards Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership style, according to the study, most of the respondents did not endorse many of the transformational styles of leadership. In fact, 34 respondents, representing 59.6 % of the respondents, were positive about contingent reward, which is a transactional style of leadership. As for the Japanese leadership styles, the study investigated both the actual and the preferred styles of leadership. 49 responses were considered useful for the research analysis. The participative leadership was the most mentioned followed by directive leadership. Authoritarian and protective leadership follow respectively. Next, there were the bargaining and laissez-faire, followed by supportive style. The ones that were least mentioned are punctual and egocentric leadership. Further findings reveal that Japanese followers believe that their leaders base their judgments more upon their own abilities, competences, and performances instead of gender differences or age. 68.4 % of the respondents approved the worth of overtime-work. Practical implications From the analysis of the findings of both the interviews and questionnaires, leaders who work in Japan would find this case study very useful. It helps them know the preferred styles of leadership within the Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model. The leaders will then adjust accordingly for better results. Implications for future research This case study concludes that it is important for researchers to carry out investigations which are culture-specific, for instance in Japan. The case study further notes that western theories should not be generalised under all contexts. The findings provide the link between traditional and modern leadership approaches. The challenge encountered in the study was the small representation of the Japanese people in the research. Future researches should involve more subjects to enhance the credibilit y of the findings. Conclusion This report has attempted to provide a summary of the research into the suitability of Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model to the Japanese context. It has highlighted major findings both from the interviews and questionnaires. The highly endorsed style of leadership was the contingent reward. Notably, this was found to contradict the earlier assumption by the Bass and Avolio’s full-range leadership model which is not comprehensive when it comes to leadership preferences by Japanese followers. This report on Leadership Preferences in Japan: an exploratory study was written and submitted by user D0ct0rSpectrum to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Boys and Girls Club Essays

The Boys and Girls Club Essays The Boys and Girls Club Paper The Boys and Girls Club Paper Essay Topic: Marketing The Boys and Girls Club in Billerica is more than a place, its a movement to enable all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive caring and responsible citizens. By reaching children at an early age and providing positive activities and encouragement, the club provides a compelling alternative to youth crime, gang membership, drugs, and other negative influences that affect youth today. The club promotes the development of young people by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, influence, and belonging with a goal towards enhancing self-esteem and helping youth achieve their full potential. It is a not-for-profit organization that is continuously trying to raise money to fund its many programs. In addition, it is running a capital campaign to raise $3.5 million for a new facility. Included in the project are new locker rooms, learning center, technology center, expanded kindergarten and games room, the centerpiece being a state of the art gymnasium. When completed, the community will have a facility to be proud of for generations to come. While the organization serves a great purpose and mission, its Internet marketing strategy requires a lot of upgrades. The Boys and Girls club of Billerica should instill a sense of ownership and pride within the community through the new Internet strategy that we are proposing. While the children and youth are the target demographic, the new Marketing strategy will attempt to bring families into the fold. I. Overall Business Objective The following are the three overall business objectives for BGCB: 1. Accelerate fund-raising to meet the $3.5 million capital that needs to be raised for the new building. The strategy should be able to increase donations to the capital campaign and general donations by 12 to 15 percent by February 2010. 2. Increase volunteer enrollment across the board. The strategy should be able to increase volunteer enrollments by 17 to 20 percent by October 2009. 3. Inform target audience about the programs and facilities offered by the Boys and Girls club of Billerica, leading to a 20 percent increase in membership enrollment by February 2010. II. Overall Marketing Objectives The marketing objectives to achieve the above business objectives include: 1. A comprehensive online and offline strategy to generate awareness about BGCB through a targeted print and email campaign using the existing member database. 2. Using social media and other Web 2.0 features to bring youth and their parents into the BGCB fold and generate a sense of ownership with the club 3. Provide a website that encourages repeat visitations through a local online community and enhancing Acquisitions and reinforcing retention. 4. Target local businesses and corporations and their employees to encourage them to donate and make a difference in the local community III. Business Situation /SWOT Analysis III.1. Internal Situation Performance Analysis The performance analysis for the Boys and Girls Club is based on the following factors: The aspect that we need to focus on is Donation and Volunteering. It is ok to talk about these other things, but since our paper deals with those two topics we should add those as factors. * The number of members added each year and total numbers of members. * Participation of the members, including hours each member spends per week/month in the club. * Access the percentage of kids in the community who are in need of these kinds of clubs. * Analyze the nature of the programs offered in the club. Try to improve the existing programs or add new ones. * Concentrate on the traffic in peak hours and implement the Divide and conquer strategy by providing more programs during the peak hours. * How many hours the club is open on weekdays and weekends. Relax the restriction of time constraint by providing extended hours. * How strong the relationship is between the staff and the parents. * Provide online survey to the members. This collects feedback from the kids as well as the parents, which can be channelized to improve the club performance. The survey should be a simple Yes/No 10 questions with a comments section. The survey can be distributed to the email list. The management Strategy will change depending on the activities and workers. The more activities and workers, the more the structure needs to be managed1. Data on Programs of a Similar Nature We need to also add some Capital campaign examples. Capital Campaign is what pays for the building Website Sponsorship Program: This program displays the advertisement for the sponsor website with a membership cost per year. The advertisement also provides direct link to the sponsor website. Cars for Kids Program: This program accepts donation of the vehicles. The vehicles are transported free of charge. The proceeds are utilized for the youth programs. The club will provide receipt, which can be used for tax deduction. Resource Availability and Allocation The club is overseen by a group of concerned community leaders from all walks of life. Lawyers, accountants, architects, insurance agents, bankers, parents of members and other professionals make up this group3. Brainstorm the ideas for fundraising within the volunteers and the staff. This brings out many new ideas that can implement with ease, since the ideas originated from them instead of being forced with an idea. The professional maintenance like website management and money management can be allocated to paid employees. Other tasks related with building design, contractor maintenance, fund raising for the building, material management can be allocated to volunteers who has experience in the related fields. III.2. External Situation Markets Kids Programs Demographics Age group for the programs Town of Billerica and surrounding areas. Competitors * YMCA in Woburn, Lowell Reading YMCA has good reputation and brand name, which attracts members. YMCA has high reliability, which leads to more funding turnovers. * Other Boys Girls clubs in nearby towns like Reading, Lowell. * Private gyms: Golds GYM, Bally Total Fitness, Fitcorp Getronics Fitness Center, Nautilus Plus, Best Fitness, The Club Fitness Health Sport Inc. The private gyms collect expensive fees from the members and hence they have more money to spend for marketing. They also host high standard websites maintained by professional resources. Technological Infrastructure The Website Grader service provided by HubSpot graded the website for Boys and Girls Club of Billerica as 19/1004. The grading depends on various parameters including search engine data, website structure, site performance and traffic. The Search Engine Optimization for the website presents these potential problems existing in the Clubs website: * Very few metadata keywords present in the website available for search engines. * No headings found. This prevents the signal to the search engines, what the website is about. * Most of the images in the Clubs website do not have the alt attribute. The Alt attribute provides the alternative content for images, which can be used by the search engine crawlers. * Interior page analysis provided the same keyword and description for 3 different pages within the main page. * The readability level is Secondary/High School, which is good in perspective of the members. But the readability level should be in much higher level in order to impress all level of target audience. * The time of expiration for the domain of the Clubs website is set to expire in 7 months. In general the search engines penalize the website with domains which are set to expire soon. * Permanent redirect for the website is missing, which reduces the credit from the search engines. * Google Page rank is 3, Google indexed page is 56, Traffic rank is not rated, Inbound links to the website is very less, and the website is not listed in major online directories. * RSS feed is not found. Poor quality website will lead to serious drawbacks to the Clubs growth. The members visiting the website will not take the clubs mission serious if the website doesnt appeal to them. The Clubs website is definitely in need of content management system. Redundant use of the logos, images and information across the pages should be reduced. Content Management System also provides a single access point for the standard templates, newsletters etc. Vinay do u have any feedback on Content management system for this website? Value Chain The Boys and Girls Club is a Non-profit Organization run by few staff and volunteers. This leads to unorganized programs and inconsistent online marketing plans. The club can be focused to function within the value based framework by making it more entrepreneurial in how it manages social programs, recognizing and measuring social value in the delivery of services and products, using logic models for assessment and measurement, and making the connection between emotional intelligence and effective leadership5. These are the external factors, which affect the value chain for any Non Profit Organization, and they apply to the Boys and Girls Club of Billerica: Reference: exinfm.com/training/pdfiles/course15.pdf The strategic planning for the Internet marketing is portrayed in the following logic model: The strategic plan for the online marketing should have a well-defined mission, an outline for the goals, objectives and activities, assessment of current resources and a strategic analysis. The club should set its mission of increasing the funds inflow through online marketing, increase number of volunteers to work on the marketing objective. III.3. SWOT Analysis: Strengths: * The club has nationwide network, which proves its brand name popularity. * The club serves as a secure place for the kids to spend after school hours. * The club serves as a second home for the kids. * Inexpensive fee structure provides opportunities to the low to mid income people. * Community based, which makes kids and their parents more connected to the community. * The technical infrastructure already exists, which maintains the clubs website. * The location is accessible by public transportation, and pick up service is available from the Billerica public schools which makes it convenient for kids and low income families. * Local business support the club to improves the community. * Good relationship between parents and staff members, which improves the quality of service. * The club attracts members with special events like Elementary School Dance, Movie Night and Family Swim Night. * Board members are diverse in age, gender, religion, occupation, skills and background. * Board members share passion and have strong ties to the community. * Good relationship with the administration in the target schools. Weakness: * Board Members dont attend the meetings on a regular basis. Some of them dont contribute either money or time. * Outdated website design with poor navigation between the pages. * Fundraising is very critical. * Fewer programs offered to the kids in peak hours. * Historically challenged in identifying grants from government organizations and local and corporate businesses * Deficit of experienced people resource allocated for marketing. * Inadequate online and offline communication with parents. * Data captured through online database is not being effectively utilized to improve volunteering and philanthropic performance. Opportunities: * Availability of long-term grants provided by large corporations and Universities. * Teenage kids have afterschool hours which need to be utilized in a useful and secured place like the Boys and Girls Club. * Build a relationship with local school districts to introduce innovative programs to help teenagers in the community. * Volunteers from the local community who get personal involvement in improving the club. * A large talent pool of qualified software professionals who can be signed up to volunteer with building a new website and email distribution program. Threats: * Fundraising is becoming increasingly difficult in the current economic climate. * The private gyms and YMCA in the town offer more activities and choices to the kids and parents combined. * Bad reputation created by improperly trained staff. * Higher risk of personal injury claims. * Resistance from parents and families. * Competition from other non-profit organizations. The Boys and Girls club should focus on its weakness and threats to decrease them and concentrate on its opportunities available and utilize them to improve the Marketing Strategy. IV. Marketing Problems and Opportunities Problems related with volunteer programs: * The volunteer program plan for any marketing idea is not consistent. * The volunteers need to be screened before they are in charge for sensitive data or given any responsibility. A simple background check and reference from others will add to the reliability of the person. * Volunteers need to be supervised for a particular period, so that * Training should be provided to the volunteers until they get accustomed to the program. This requires additional resource. Marketing Opportunities: * Search Engine Optimization The technique used to make the website attractive to the search engines6. This includes: adding keywords in the websites title or in link, link popularity based on how many sites linked to the Clubs website, developing content that others want to link to which is called link-baiting, get listed in the online directories. * Attract the offline members to clubs website through FAQ section and support questions. * Banner advertisements are available free of cost which increases click through traffic. * Simple bookmark reminder pop-up window will request visitors to bookmark the website. * Promote volunteer programs for high school kids. This can be added to their community volunteer hours for their school curriculum. The club provides certificates for their volunteer service. * Select board members who currently work in media like newspaper, television or radio. This helps to market the new campaign launched in the club. * Advertise the benefit for the donors when they donate like Tax deduction in bold. This attracts large corporations and wealthy donors. * Local business which is willing to advertise in the Clubs website. * Whenever the club related members interact with outside people, they should encourage them to visit the clubs website. * Offline marketing is to include the website address in all the club related material and communication like brochures, business cards, letterhead, T-Shirts, Coffee cups, press releases, event announcements and invitations.

Company Law for Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company Law for Business - Essay Example It is known to all the consumption and burning of fossil fuel lead to environmental pollution as these activities increases the carbon emission level. High carbon emission level is one of the major reasons behind these growing effects of global warming. The temperature of earth surface is increasing day by day due to massive fossil fuel burning. Looking into these aspects, governments of several countries developed several environmental policies for business organization to limit the consumption percentage of fossil fuel. However, these policies and legal barriers forced the organizations to focus on sustainable business practices. In addition to this, market and customer’s demand for green and environment friendly products. Slowly and gradually, the organizations tried to search for substitute energy sources that can harm less to environment. In addition to this, emergence of advanced technology helped organizations to consider the aspect of green business operation strategy. On the other hand, sustainable business practices helped organizations to avoid legal and political threats. However, corporate social activities are considered as the part of sustainable business strategies. Water recycling, maintaining zero solid waste, reduction of carbon emission, charitable functions for the development of communities and other sustainable business activities are adopted by several organizations to maintain high brand vale and meet current market demand (Hannigan,. 2009, p.71). History of CSR In the year 1990, the leading organizations started to understand the significance of several types of CSR programmes and activities. It was important for the organization to undertake different business strategies to sustain in the competitive business environment. In... This essay approves that governments of different countries are monitoring the business performance of the organizations along with its corporate and business culture. A profitable organization can face several legal and political challenges if the organization does not follow any kind of ethical code, labour standard or environment policy. It is clear from several survey reports that stakeholders are attracting more to those organizations who maintain all the corporate social responsibilities. CSR is not only about maximizing profit and revenue, but also taking care of social and communal aspect through these business outcomes. This report makes a conclusion that leading global firms are focusing on corporate social responsibility activities to maintain sustainable business practices. Recently, the demand of stakeholders and customers are shifting to green business strategies and effective environment friendly business outcome. Earlier the business organizations tried to fulfil social needs by investing in the community and society from the business profit. It created setbacks for several organizations as it increased operational cost. Recently, the organizations are focusing on environmental sustainability in order to maintain their CSR. It is important for the organizations to fulfil all the social and environmental needs through sustainable business strategies in order to attain high brand image.

Arthur Miller's The Death Of A Salesman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arthur Miller's The Death Of A Salesman - Essay Example Although these created effects that are disturbing, the whole production does not border on being maudlin. The combinations of these impressions were effectively utilized in the play in order to reveal the ideas of self-deception and illusion. The play tells of Willy who dwells in the past to escape the financial dilemma he faces. Willy has an erroneous and rather odd notion of success, which for him requires only wealth and popularity. Linda, Willy Loman's wife, tries to persuade herself that her spouse is psychologically fit. Willy's predicament affects his two sons as a result - Happy who desires to linger in the fantasy world constructed by Willy - and Biff who eventually craves to detach himself from this delusion and accept the reality of Willy's problems which include his affair, his deteriorating career, and the family's dreadful pecuniary condition. Willy's predicament is delineated in this powerful presentation produce by Miss O Productions. Eddie Jones as Willy leads the many compelling performances. Jones has certainly gone beyond the taxing requirements of this immense character. As Willy, Jones is especially engaging which made his portrayal uniquely convincing. Although Jones exuded a very highbrow version of the role, this cerebral representation of Willy did not impede him from identifying effectively with Loman's persona. Jones was indeed Willy personified. Ivan Baccarat and Aaron McPherson take the roles of Biff and Happy, Willy's imprudent and miserable sons. Both are brilliant actors whose brotherly interaction easily convinces the audience. The strong and determined character of Linda is played by Anne Gee Byrd who sometimes exhibited vulnerability. This frailty becomes Ms Byrds strength, in fact, as the audience failed to fit her in any kind of stereotypical behavior. Linda was responsible for keeping Willy from pursuing his dream in Alaska, and Ms Byrd conveyed an intermittent intimation of dissatisfaction, which resulted to Willy's disparaging outbursts toward her more comprehensible. Jeremy Shouldis and Bob Machray are flawless in the roles as Bernard and Uncle Ben, and Alan Charof is a standout performance for the role of Willy's friend Charley. As Arthur Miller transformed the manner which contemporary plays were constructed - involving exquisite scenes and shifts in time - as when Willy's past intermingle with the present in almost harmonious beauty, this innovation cannot be emulated easily in its most fluid form. However, the set for this production fit the play superbly; the set designers constructed space as translucent as the play's fluidity of time. The set design was soundly and imaginatively planned but sometimes generates an effect of opacity. The walls and curtains bestow an unyielding firmness which contrasts with the trancelike configuration of the play. The production is replete with magical scenes emphasized by the flicker of the lights. In the opening scene, Biff talks about his dreams of owning a ranch while Linda tells her boys about her husband's great value. Ben then enters, amidst the playful glimmer of the light - its shades emphasizing this notable entrance. But there are also instances where prompts plunge, lines don't come easy, staging is dreary, fluidity is irregular and actors lose balance on the stage amidst the

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games The field of serious digital learning games that aim to develop players empathy along with their cognitive competencies has made tremendous strides in the past decade. Today, virtual simulations and video games for social change have much to offer the field of education. Even though the benefits of these offerings are still making themselves apparent, a growing number of teachers are trying to stay on the front-end. Many teachers are experimenting with new ways to connect with students through the very same technologies that occupy hours of young peoples leisure time. Teachers are increasingly interested in whether and how digital games and simulations might contribute to civic engagement and action. If video gaming and virtual simulations are so appealing to young people, how can we better harness these forms of entertainment to foster emotional intelligence and empathy so that students can exhibit a more caring and active response to relevant social issues? How can computerized sim ulation games help foster global empathy and interest in global civic learning/action? How might simulations help learners to empathize and identify with the lives of global Others? These are just a few questions that contribute to classroom learning in significant ways. Before considering the value of video games and virtual simulations in relation to empathy, it is important to recognize why empathy should be taught in schools. In our era of globalization, there is a growing need to educate for global citizenship, especially as people across the globe become more and more connected. A true global citizen values empathy and the ability to understand other people across borders and cultural divides. As a significant factor of being human, empathy is often defined as an emotional state that involves feeling in oneself the feelings of others. Empathy is emerging as an especially significant disposition for global citizenship because it enables us to perceive the world through others perspectives, experience the emotions of others, and communicate and act in ways that consider others views and needs (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 438). As adults, we come to see ourselves not only as citizens of our local community, country, or ethno-cultural group, but also a s global citizens willing and able to empathize with other peoples and their situations elsewhere in the world. While students can certainly learn about the plight of disadvantaged peoples around the world, adding empathy to the learning experience helps them retain and relate to this knowledge in a more profound way: emotion plays a variety of important roles in thinking and learning. First, when we are processing information, we store it more deeply and integrate with our prior knowledge better when that new information has an emotional charge for us, when we feel something is at stake or matters (Gee, 2008, p. 35). In addition, just as empathy can be used to increase understanding of various global issues, the more students are asked to analyze and relate to global issues through the eyes of an Other, the deeper their empathic response becomes. As a result, empathy is a key component of social justice education. If a primary goal of social justice education is to cultivate a responsibility to take action, then we cannot truly teach social justice without empathy. Social justice education is based on a need to identify and change structural inequalities and disparities worldwide. An effective way to teach this is to provide students with opportunities to not only gain contextual knowledge but also have experiences that create empathic insights into the lives of people who are oppressed. Segal (2011) believes that when there is a shared definition of the empathic insights into discrimination, injustice, or inequality, individuals are better able and more willing to take action that promotes social justice (p. 268). Therefore, the capacity to experience empathy through a true contextual lens deepens our understanding of the society we live in and compels us to feel a social responsibility that can result in social justice. Segal (2011) states that exposing children to others who are different f rom themselves gives them an opportunity to practice affect sharing or mirroring and self/other-awareness while at the same time enhancing their awareness and understanding of different social conditions (p. 274). This awareness, in conjunction with empathy, can lead to a greater desire to take action for social change. Video games and virtual simulations are a simple and effective vehicle to connect students to the lives of people from various social groups. These tools are effective in promoting empathy within a social justice context because they feature compelling narratives that draw players into a given situation. The power of narrative thus serves as a fundamental aspect of educational gaming: Narrative-centered learning environments afford significant opportunities for students to participate in motivating story-based educational experiences. Virtual characters can engage users in a variety of task-oriented educational and entertainment roles. Fantasy contexts in educational games have been shown to provide motivational benefits to learning. Because of the power of story to draw audiences into compelling plots and rich settings through the promotion of suspension of disbelief and increased story involvement, narrative can contribute to learning in important ways. (McQuiggan et al, 2008, p. 1511) Besides hooking students into a story, narrative-based games invite players to adopt the point of view of a person who may be very different from the players own self, which then results in a number of judgments about the Other being altered, as the player exercises empathy: By encouraging us to exercise our moral imagination, we develop our capacity to more fully put ourselves in another persons situations and thus those different to ourselves in circumstance, identity or practice can no longer be dehumanized or Other-ised as disgusting or subhuman' (McRobie, 2014, n.p.). Narrative-based games and simulations forge connections between humans from different parts of the planet, and the player can learn to better identify with and understand the plight of someone whom he or she may never otherwise meet in real life. Furthermore, this role-playing facet of gaming, with all of its imaginative capacity, can result in better identification with the Other as empathy continues to develop in the player: Empathy may be further developed when a player not only takes the perspective of another, but also begins to identify with the character represented (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 440). Increased identification with the media character has further benefit, as Bachen et al. (2012) explain that this leads to greater attention to and retention of messages associated with those characters (p. 440). As a result, educators can exploit games and virtual simulations because they not only connect students to various peoples across the globe, but ultimately can result in deeper learning because students become immersed in their learning and take more away with them by the end of the experience. A key difference between traditional written narratives (stories, novels, etc.) and virtual simulations is the ability to simulate (and virtually live) a real-life experience that a student would otherwise only read about. Video games and virtual simulations open up the possibility to interact with a time and place that can be worlds away: a virtual world provides an experience set within a technological environment that gives the user a strong sense of being there (Warburton, 2009, p. 415). Because of their narrative feature, videos games and virtual simulations present players with a character that they adopt, while living out a set of experiences from the perspective of the character (Gee, 2008). They allow for exposure to authentic content and culture and allow for reproduction of contexts that cannot be reproduced easily in real life: Most games for change simulate real physical casualties so that the player develops an awareness of a situation where war and genocide may be cent ral to everyday life (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). This, in turn, allows students to experience complex and potentially dangerous situations without risk, virtually adopting the perils of the characters life, while simultaneously feel[ing] sympathy and/or empathy for the characters in the game (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). Raphael et al. (2010) propose that [r]ole playing games permit players to explore institutional, geographical, and temporal settings that would otherwise be inaccessible, allowing players to learn from the consequences of choices made in the world of the game that would be impractical or dangerous to experience directly (p. 200). Within this role-playing context, players exercise agency, as they are given the freedom to experiment according to their own goals. Players are permitted to do and act according to their own judgments. This experimentation can help the player better understand the potential consequences of certain actions or choices. In virtu ally living out the consequences, the player is more likely to empathize with the character in the situation, which hopefully will lead to increased understanding of inequities around the world and the need for action to address issues of social justice. To put my discussion of game-playing, empathy and social justice into an educational context, I would like to present three examples of virtual simulations and video games that can be used in classrooms to encourage empathy and action. The first is called Real Lives (http://www.educationalsimulations.com/), a simulation game designed for middle and high school students in which the player is born into a life from any country in the world. For instance, students can experience life as a peasant farmer in Bangladesh, a factory worker in Brazil, a policeman in Nigeria, or a computer operator in Poland. As players adopt the perspective of the given identity, they apply knowledge to solve real problems while comparing different value systems as they play the game. Students must make a variety of decisions that involve work opportunities, financial standing, health, marriage and family life, and participation in civil society. The game prompts players to engage in ethical reflection, alway s in the context of challenges or opportunities prevalent to the given country (based on real-world statistics for the countrys poverty rate, infant mortality rate, and so on) (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 216). The efficacy of this game in creating empathic insights is evidenced by Bachen et al.s (2012) study, which did show that Real Lives had a considerable effect on players development of global empathy: Comparing students who played the game with those who participated in an alternate computer-assisted learning activity, we found that playing the simulation game was associated with significantly higher levels of global empathy (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 450). Games like Real Lives are well suited to developing personal responsibility or character. Raphael states games for social change lend themselves to exploring individual ethics rather than the ethics of institutions or society although they still introduce students to the dynamics of large-scale structures that shape lives giving them little power to alter those structures but demanding ethical evaluation of them (p. 219). As in Real Lives, games of responsibility can also force players to grapple with the question of how to live a good life in a society that may be imperfect and unjust (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 221). A second virtual simulation video game that evokes player empathy is Darfur is Dying (http://darfurisdying.com/). This online game is based on the genocide in Sudan and is described by the games developers as a narrative-based simulation where the user, from the perspective of the displaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threaten the survival of his or her refugee camp. It offers a faint glimpse of what its like for the more than 2.5 million who have been internally displaced by the crisis in Sudan (http://www.darfurisdying.com/aboutgame.html). I have used this game in my classroom teaching with grade seven students and have observed that many enjoy the experience because of the game-based challenges that students must be overcome as their characters risk their lives to protect their village while still seeking to maintain survival. Huang and Tettegah (2010) state that the goals of the developers and instructional designers of Darfur is Dying include raising awareness so that the player/user shares fear, empathy, and other emotions associated with victims of war. Darfur is Dying was developed with goals to educate, provide support and inspire (p. 142). Characters depict actual situations that occur in real life, summoning the players emotive capacity as s/he virtually becomes a displaced Darfurian who must take serious risks while completing seemingly mundane daily tasks, such as gathering food and water. I use this game in my classroom with the hope that students develop empathy for the character, based on the experiences portrayed in the game, and that this leads to cultural awareness and a deeper human connection to the peoples of Sudan. In other words, empathy becomes the main learning outcome as opposed to acquiring specific content. Finally, Against All Odds (http://www.playagainstallodds.ca/) is a third internet-based video game simulation for social change that can be used to teach empathy within a social justice framework. The game was developed by the United Nations Refugee Agency and is designed to teach 12- to 15-year-old players about the plight of refugees. Players take on the role of a refugee, and play through stages, from depiction of persecution and flight from their native country to eventual integration into a foreign country as an asylum seeker. I find this game particularly pertinent today, especially in view of our current political climate and the displacement of Syrian refugees. Many students are hearing about these issues in the news and in discussions at home, but do not fully understand what it means to be a refugee, the struggles refugees face, and how individual citizens in Canada might be able to aid in this situation. Raphael et al. (2010) argue that virtual simulation games that promot e empathy, such as Against All Odds, can encourage students to seek out more knowledge beyond the game and make efforts to act rather than merely observe: playing or developing games may increase students motivation to learn and drive them to consult sources outside the game, inspire critical reflection on history and politics and how they are represented, provide multiple viewpoints on contested events and ideas, allow players to draw on distributed knowledge and develop skills in leadership and collective action that can be used to tackle real-world political problems, or afford opportunities to explore ethical choices and develop empathetic understanding by projecting oneself through an avatar into places and times otherwise inaccessible. (p. 200) My ultimate goal in using video game simulations such as Against All Odds is to promote civic action. It is not enough for students to know about a problem, empathize with those affected, and then go on living their normal lives without further reflection. I hope that the empathy that is established by the game playing incites students to take action, even in a small way, so that they understand that global citizenship is an active task and that we are each individually responsible for the Other. Given that a fundamental part of social justice is developing a community of citizens who take action, it is important that students who play video game simulations such as Real Lives, Dying in Darfur, and Against All Odds are provided with an outlet to both show understanding of empathy and take action. The question that remains for me is what can students do with this experience? Based on their experiences playing one or more virtual simulation games, students can now create their own video game simulations presenting a day in the life of a refugee of their choosing. Using online software called Twine, students can create a narrative that allows players to choose various paths, much like a choose-your-own-adventure book. As students create their game, they demonstrate an understanding of the daily struggles faced by a particular refugee, thus exhibiting empathy for lives of people who may be very different from themselves. In order to make this task an activist one, my middle-schoo l students will be asked to create their game for a younger student in our neighbouring elementary school. This allows students to do something with what they have learned, and as they share the game with a younger child, they take on the role of educator and active citizen. Social justice video games can provide real opportunity for reflection and learning in todays classrooms. For teachers who wish to engage students in learning about real world issues, or who are seeking alternative resources to enhance student learning, pairing young peoples interest in games with a serious social justice topic has the potential to result in powerful educational experiences. The narrative component of virtual simulation games is a real hook that can entice students to learn about the lives of people around the world, and the interactive features require students to both become the character while exercising agency to solve authentic civic problems. The problem-solving aspect of these virtual games puts students in the shoes of the Other, allowing them to better understand hardships and hopefully strongly empathize with a life that may otherwise seem distant and irrelevant. While video game simulations are not a magic solution to increasing student engagement or devel oping empathy, they certainly can be a great tool that allows students to realize that they play an important role in making change around the world.

Shanholtzer Iehr

The fact that a patient has experienced recent weight loss, fatigue, and joss of appetite would be included in which part of the review of systems (ROSS)? A. Musculoskeletal B. Gastrointestinal C. Neurological D. Constitutional Answer: D. Constitutional Topic: The Review of Systems (ROSS) Feedback: Vital signs, general health, and weight changes are all part of the constitutional findings in the ROSS. Blooms: Understand 29. Of the following, which is not an element of the history of present illness (HIP)? A. Duration B. Severity C. Quantity D. Quality Answer: C. Annuity Feedback: A physical exam includes objective findings of the care provider hill the HIP includes the signs or symptoms that a patient communicates to the provider, such as the duration, severity, and quality of pain. Blooms: Understand CA. PEEP: V. C. 6 SASHIMI I. A. I; l. A. 2; I. B. I 34. Kelly is being seen by her physician today, and he is asking her if she's had any increase in or unusual headaches since her last visit, whether she has any blurred vision, and whether she has seen her eye doctor in the past year. The answers to these and other questions are documented in what part of the health record?Answer: Review of Systems (ROSS) Feedback: Patients either fill out a form which asks for current symptoms, or the care provider verbally asks the patient about signs and symptoms for each body system, to complete a comprehensive review of systems (ROSS). Blooms: Understand ABBES: 4. A CHIME: I. A. I; IA. 2; I. B. I; I. B. 3 Estimated Time: 1-2 minutes 35. How a patient is feeling, any current complaints or concerns, weight loss or gain, appetite, sleep patterns or difficulties, and a recap of vital signs. This information is documented in the general part of the ROSS, and is also known s what?Answer: constitutional (or general) Learning outcome: 05. 03 Feedback: The elements listed in the question are part of the constitutional (or general) portion of the ROSS. Blooms: Understand CHIME: I. A. I; IA. 2; LB. 1; I. B. 3 CHART NOTE Date of service: September 5, 2013 Patti Wolfe is a 49-year-old patient of Dry. Mamba's. Ms. Wolfe arrives today complaining of a productive cough, heaviness in her chest, chanciness, and a fever of 102. She started one week ago with symptoms of a cold – runny eyes, nasal congestion, cough, and some wheezing.The cough was non-productive. She has taken over the counter (ETC) medications, but has not seen much improvement, and in fact her cough has become worse. Ms. Wolfe has a history of gastrointestinal reflux disease (GIRD). She has had no recent weight loss or gain, she has been feeling well, though a little fatigued over the past week; she has no frequency or urgency of urination, does not have any blurred or double vision, and has had no night sweats. Dry. Mamba conducts a physical exam (PEP) with the following findings: Head: Morphophonemic. Eyes:Equal and reactive to light. Ears: Clear. Nose: congestion noted. Throat: Clear. Lungs: Ar les and rancho are noted on auscultation. Dry. Mamba writes an order for a chest x-ray which will be done as an outpatient at the local hospital. She instructs Ms. Wolfe to drink plenty of fluids, take Ethylene or ibuprofen for her chanciness and fever, and to use a cool mist humidifier at night. Dry. Mamba diagnoses the patient with Cough, ruling out pneumonia. 43. In the chart note above, what information is considered to be part of the review of systems (ROSS)?Answer: She has had no recent weight loss or gain, she has been feeling well, though a little fatigued over the past week, she has no frequency or urgency of urination, does not have any blurred or double vision, and has had no night sweats. Learning Outcome: 05. 03 Feedback: She has had no recent weight loss or gain, she has been feeling well, though a little fatigued over the past week, she has no frequency or urgency of urination, does not have any blurred or double vision, and has had no night sweats. Blooms: Apply Diff iculty: 2 Medium Estimated Time: 3-5 minutes

A Critical Analysis on “A study in Scarlet” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

In his book, â€Å"A study in Scarlet† Sir Arthur succeeded in marrying mystery, intrigues and suspense together into one. The book has an unusual style of writing, for it is written in two different writing styles that dissolve into one another.The first part has a first person singular diction, while the second part has third person narrative style. It also has two settings, the first has London settings, while the second setting is America. It is a classical novel that revolves around a detective, Sherlock Holmes, a character who later became famous in other subsequent novels.The novel is divided into two parts, the diction in the first part is rather sarcastic, which has Doctor Watson relates the story in a personal experience style. He briefly explained how he was wounded at the second â€Å"Afghan war† and came back to London to find a decent apartment.It was this search for accommodation that led to his meeting of with Sherlock Holmes, an enthusiast chemist, who can also be described as eccentric, a cosmos and that later turned detective as the novel unfolds.â€Å"Holmes is a little too scientific for my tastes—it approaches to cold-bloodedness.†The novel delves into its mystery theme when a dead body was found at dilapidated building in Brixton with the word â€Å"RACHE† scribbled with blood on a wall near it. Sherlock, who is very vast in science and criminal investigation, took it upon himself to fish out the culprit irrespective of the fact that he does not have anything to gain from it.â€Å"You seem to be a walking calendar of crime,†Ã‚   â€Å"You might start a paper on those lines. Call it the ‘Police News of the Past. †As he proceeds with the investigation, he keeps unfolding mystery. Firstly, with the help of a wedding ring found at the crime scene, which he advertised in the paper, he found out that the old woman, who came to claim the ring was only disguised as a woman but was indeed a ma n. But as he traces this woman, the woman escaped. Not much later, a police comes to inform Holmes of the arrest of the murderer and one would think that was all about the play, but Sir Arthur had more   plots up his sleeves.As the first detective was done, a second detective came to announce another similar murder, a proof that the murderer is still at large, that the first police had only jailed an innocent fellow. Holmes told both police that he had already solved the puzzle of the mystery killer, that it will only take short while before he apprehend the murderer.  He later fulfilled his promise by arresting the culprit, pretending to be going for a journey; he deceived the culprit to help him pack his luggage. As the cabman was packing these things, he brought out a handcuff and arrested him. After severe struggle with Holmes and his friends, the cabman realized he was caught and resigned to his fate as the first part of the play ends.