The economic and environmental factors affecting USTs operations Coursework

The economic and environmental factors affecting USTs operations - Coursework Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is UST Inc. UST Inc is involved in the manufacture of tobacco products which continue to be one of the oldest and most profitable industries. This fact has been borne out not only in the ratios but the fact that the company has been identified as the most profitable company in the United States by one of the most trusted sources – Forbes. The financial results speak to this fact. However, as in any industry there is competition and what has been happening is that even though the market is growing by 3.7% per annum UST has not been able to grow with it. This is due to the fact that the company has not been responding appropriately to the threats posed by its competitors. However, there are some environmental factors that have been affecting the company and so UST needs to answer these and other questions including: †¢ What environmental factors affect the operations of UST’s business? †¢ What business risks does the company face, †¢ Can the company undertake the recapitalisation process effectively? †¢ Why is UST considering recapitalisation and what would be the incremental effect on the company’s value? †¢ What other factors beyond interest rate shields should UST consider in assessing the value of its recapitalisation plan? The environmental factors include political/legal, economic, and social issues. In addition to industry factors these affect every business and should therefore be given due consideration. In terms of the political/legal aspects the tobacco industry has been faced with tough regulations. These have had a negative impact on the cigarette industry but much less on the moist smokeless tobacco. However, and restrictions have had a negative impact on the prospects for future growth in the industry. While being saddled with a $100 to $200 million over the next 10 years in payment as settlement in keeping with an agreement arrived at with Medicaid the company also face restrictions on its advertising and promotional campaign which is aimed at reducing the exposure of the youth population to tobacco products. Additionally, UST has a few litigations pending which is the nature of this industry. However, the smokeless tobacco industry has a much lower exposure to health related law-suits. The Medicaid settlement signifies a reduction in net income which cannot be recouped at this time when UST’s market share is declining. In terms of the economic issues although consumption has been increasing UST’s market share has been declining. The growth that has been exper ienced appears to be going to the company’s competitors. UST has a track record of growth and innovation but this has not been the case in recent times. The company is used to the practice of annual price increases – sometimes even twice per year but the competition will definitely prevent the company from doing so for most of its brands. This trend of increasing prices has been somewhat abated by the introduction of price-value brands by the company’s competitors. Although UST is large in comparison to its competitors and has a major share of the market the company has not responded the way that investors and analysts would like and so they are doubtful as to whether UST has not been able to respond in a timely and appropriate manner in order to regain its market share. Additionally, the resignation of the company’s chief financial officer (CFO) and the Director of Tobacco in 1997 is a signal to investors that something is fundamentally wrong on terms of both the companies manufacturing operations and its financial management which are two key areas. These are key persons within the company and who obviously would have impacted the company’s financial results. Like most other companies that are engaged in the production of goods the aim is to have products at each stage of the product lifecycle and to have products that will appeal to different groups.

Internet Critique Essay Example for Free

Internet Critique Essay Internet is an incredible and enormous source of information and, thereby, information searched on Internet must be evaluated for credibility to effectively serve the variety of users. This paper provides a critique of the website â€Å"Healthline†, according to the criteria of Thede and Sewell (2010). Healthline is one of the popular website among Internet users, that offers users to search for health topic and medical advise online (http://www.healthline.com). The users can find different treatment options available for a diagnosis as well as information about the drugs. It also allows the users to search for a specialist depending on their residential area. The criteria illustrated by Thede and Sewell (2010) is important in guiding users to differentiate between reliable and unreliable information. By using this criteria users become knowledgeable about evaluating the credibility of a website. The questions posed in the checklist prompt critical thinking process, and leads us to find the underlying intent of the website. The criteria assist users to check the validity of information by finding if the information is peer-reviewed or verified by qualified editor. Only if the found health information were from a valid scholarly source then it would be trusted. If the user’s intent is to validate the information then this criteria should be applied to any other website regardless of the underlying intent. For instance, commercial website’s sole intent is to sale their products. The Internet users now can search on the web for other websites that offer peer reviews on that product. Source Healthline runs by a company Healthline Networks Inc. Originally founded in 1999 but re-launched in 2005 with current name. Detailed description is given about the company’s motto, board of directors and management team in company-info section. A search for a specific disease results in a choice to go to different websites or choose the articles that are listed. If the editorial team does the article then no author name is specified, but it’s reviewed by a qualified MD with or without their credentials specified. But if the article is from an encyclopedia or another publisher, there is only author name is given with their affiliation and article’s published date but no author’s credentials. The last review date of an article is shown at the bottom of the page. The publisher name is shown as well with the copyright information. If author name is displayed, there is no link to contact the author. The link is available if the article is licensed from another publisher. There is no link available to contact the article reviewer. Funding Healthline is found to be a commercial site, generating its revenue mainly from the advertisement. It’s a free website for users. The home page is attractive and shows the advertisement at top and bottom of the page. There is also video advertisement with no audio, resulting in less distraction. The advertisements are clearly labeled and don’t spoil the user experience, therefore making the navigation easier. Validity and Quality The home page of Healthline shows the accessed date on top of the page and copyright information at the bottom. The last reviewed date is displayed at the bottom of each individual article. New articles are shown at the home page with the name of the editorial team member on top. But if user is looking for something specific then some of the articles searched are almost two years old. User has to thoroughly search for up to date information. There are appeared to be no content and typing errors. Information appears to be non-bias. The language used is comprehensible to a general user and lacks the jargon terms. If user navigates to the company info, the purpose of the website is clearly stated. Some of the articles are written by the editorial team and reviewed by an MD with published date but no credentials, while other articles are sourced from a third party publisher with some links functioning. The website claims that articles that are done by Healthline editorial teams are reviewed by the board of certified physicians and medical editors. Detailed information about Healthline medical advisory board and their editorial team is also available on the website, including the name of each member with brief summary of their credentials. Healthline acknowledges licensing the medical and health content from third parties for publication, with clear depiction of their name and a valid link. Some of their third party publisher reference partner include A.D.A.M., GALE Cengage Learning, Gold Standard, NBC Universal, StayWell, Harvard Health Publications, Reed Elsevier and more. Privacy Healthline privacy policy is well outlined in the company-info section. They clearly state what information they are collecting from users and with whom they share this information with. They gave a detailed overview of what type of anonymous information they are collecting. Anonymous information includes the type of queries done on the website by a user, but doesn’t include any personal information such as, name email-address or phone number. User can choose not to pass-on this anonymous information by disabling the cookies. Healthline pledges not to share any personal information of registered users to the third parties. In comparison to the recognized privacy policy statement of HON (Health on The Net Foundation, 2011) website, the personal information collected is also not shared with any third party. However, HON also gathers â€Å"non-personal† information using their web-server. HON’s privacy statement is short and lacks the details about the non-personal information. On the other hand, Healthline company-info section not only clarifies in detail to the users what are the â€Å"Cookies† and â€Å"Web Beacons†, but also specifies the privacy policy for the children under thirteen. Summary To summarize, the criteria by Thede and Sewell helps user develop a sense to evaluate the sources and credibility of information, based on author’s qualifications and credentials, source of publication, website’s purpose, and website’s privacy policy. All of the criteria are found to be of most importance in helping user to evaluate a website for credibility, especially if user is searching information about their health. The healthline doesn’t meet some of those criteria. The criterion of source is not met because of the lack of consistency in providing author’s name and credentials. Healthline needs to develop a consistency in displaying author’s name, credentials, affiliation, link to contact the author, article’s last reviewed date, and link to contact the article reviewer. The validity and quality criterion is also partially met. The third party publisher’s validity is verifiable in some case where links are functioning. Healthline needs to specify credentials of the article reviewers as well as the name of their editorial team’s member who wrote the article. Also the health information needs to be up to date. Healthline meets the criteria of funding and privacy policy. It clearly expresses its purpose, and acknowledges generating revenues form advertisement. Its privacy policy gives user a detailed view about the anonymous and personal information and how it is used, gaining user’s trust.

Entrepreneurial Action Is Creative Action Commerce Essay

Entrepreneurial Action Is Creative Action Commerce Essay Entrepreneurs are the talk of the business town at this very moment. But, who exactly is an entrepreneur and more importantly, what is it about him that makes him so famous in the world today? Let us take a closer look at an entrepreneur and his world! An entrepreneur actually is a person who makes life easier for the world community at large. Schumpeter (1965) defined entrepreneurs as individuals, who exploit market opportunity through technical and/or organizational innovation. He sees an opportunity which others do not fully recognize, in order to meet an unsatisfied demand or to radically improve the performance of an existing business. It began when an entrepreneur empathized with a problem faced by an individual which could be addressed by introducing a particular product or service. The earliest companies in the world were started by entrepreneurs who saw this need and created a vision for fulfilling that need. Next, they took the risks associated with starting a company and then finally producing and releasing a product to solve that particular problem of the individual. Eventually, in the long run, companies established by entrepreneurs add to the competitive spirit of the economy. In doing so, they force the existing firms to compete with the ideas and methods of newer firms and to come up with efficient business strategies. Thus, having stated how an entrepreneur was brought into existence, it can now be established that not only are entrepreneurs the people who possess the vision to introduce innovative products, but also the ones who ensure that the market is updated at all times, at times also creating new markets along the process. In a way they form an interlink between the masses and the business world. This makes them the core element of the business sector. This work performed by an entrepreneur is together clubbed as entrepreneurship. It can be defined in terms of value creation by identifying opportunities for new products and services and realizing them through new firm formation, then it is the process of transforming identification to realization of opportunities that forms part of the entrepreneurs learning experience. Reference Mitra (2011) The natural course of this essay takes us to an interesting point where we know that an entrepreneur introduces a product based on a need. However, there are two vital aspects of this task. Firstly, there is no empirical result which can ascertain his decision to introduce a product which has never before been released. In effect, this makes entrepreneurship an intuitive task. The decision to go ahead with a particular product is to a large extent backed by his instinct that the product will indeed be accepted in the market. The entrepreneur thus, makes an uncertain but intuitive decision of giving a product the green signal. Secondly, the probability of the product being accepted in the market is very high when the product is creativity personified, that is, it is a product which hasnt yet found a place in market. It could be a modification of an existing product or better still, a whole new product created by the entrepreneur. So it is visible now that uncertainty and creativity ar e two primary elements of entrepreneurship. Frank Knight, threw some light on the uncertainty aspect of entrepreneurship. His theory states that uncertainty is distinguishable from risk. He says that risk is measureable, whereas, uncertainty is not calculable as it relies on probability which cannot be measured. It is uncertainty that is distinguished from risk that provides a return to the entrepreneur. In other words, an entrepreneurs income (residual income) i.e. profits, is a product of uncertainty and not risk. This implies that if an entrepreneur wants to earn a profit it is a given that he needs to willingly bear uncertainty. Thus entrepreneurs are distinguished between non entrepreneurs in their willingness to bear uncertainty in order to gain profit. Milliken went ahead and gave three types of uncertainty. His three types of uncertainty can be simplified into three questions asked by a prospective actor about his or her relationship to the environment: (1) Whats happening out there? (state uncertainty), (2) How will it impact me? (effect uncertainty), and (3) What am I going to do about it? (response uncertainty). Let us consider an example of a product introduced under uncertainty. Apple introduced iPod at a time when nothing like it was ever heard of. There were some Mp3 players and portable CD players in the market at the time. But, IPod was entirely a different product. The probable success or failure of iPod could not be calculated. With thick clouds of uncertainty, Apple released iPod! Lo and behold! After the first few months of gradual acceptance, iPod hit a golden run. It revolutionised the market for audio players and electronic goods at large. However, it must be noted that the decision to introduce iPod was indeed an uncertain one which eventually garnered great profits for the company and gave it a niche status. Thus knights theory stands true that it was uncertainty that reaped profits for late Steve Jobs. The evaluation of Knights theory of uncertainty reveals that it has some loopholes as well. His theory explicitly arises out of partial knowledge. . The essence of the situation is action according to opinion, of greater or less foundation and value, neither entire ignorance nor complete and perfect information, but partial knowledge[p. 1991. This can be viewed negatively as partial knowledge backfires. Also, it appears as though Knight has paid too much attention to uncertainty and neglected other functions of the entrepreneur which are also instrumental in him earning profits. He has also not accounted for differences and asymmetries that emerge between different companies. It is not rational for an entrepreneur to release his product under strict uncertainty. Surely, he does undertake a considerable market research prior to taking a decision about introducing the product. However, the presence of uncertainty is definitely a hard hitting aspect of an entrepreneurs job. In contrast to Knights theory about the willingness to bear uncertainty, Joseph Schumpeter in his theory argues that entrepreneurs function lies in an innovative act of creating a new combination. Believing that the potential for new combination is abundant and at times obvious, Schumpeter delineates entrepreneur from non-entrepreneur not by difference in knowledge or perception but by performance of innovative act itself. The history of entrepreneurship reflects its uncertain nature. Several examples such as introduction of Nano Car by TATA Motors in India, Mc Maharaja which is a burger introduced by McDonalds in the Indian market, HD TV show that all these products began from an atmosphere of uncertainty. Nothing is certain, surely not the performance of a new product or service in todays volatile markets. In the past, uncertainty would rise from the fact that the market were rigid and unwilling to open up. Today, the same uncertainty exists, but with a different nature. The uncertainty phenomenon today arises from the ever changing tastes and preferences of the public. This puts in added pressure on the product performance. Thus, uncertainty can indeed not be separated from entrepreneurship. In fact, it is practically engrained in it. As established above, the second aspect of entrepreneurship deals with creativity. Being creative is seeing the same thing as the world, but thinking of something differently. Creativity refers to the ability or power to create or to bring something new into existence, to invest into a new form and to produce using imaginative skill. Some theoretical work on creativity gives insight into understanding the concept. According to Weisberg (1999), knowledge and creativity are two competing positions that are positively related. Creativity is in a way an application of knowledge. As opposed to this, the person theory of creativity suggests that creativity is a reflection of an individuals personality. Some traits are culturally determined while other traits are more emotionally determined. These different traits serve as an inspiration for creativity. On account of this, individual personality differences result in a heterogeneous mix of creativity. Stress also plays a very important role in creativity. A person with low arousal has high creativity and person with high arousal tends to have low creativity. The more we define our creativity by identifying with specific sets of values, meanings, beliefs and symbols, the more our creativity will be focused and limited; the more we define our creativity by focusing on how values, meanings, beliefs and symbols are formed, the greater the chance that our creativity will become less restricted. Normally highly creative people tend to be highly focused. But too much knowledge also sometimes restricts creativity. Planning improves a persons genic idea, a person with futuristic thinking, is seen to be more creative. Entrepreneurship would have been non -existent if it werent for creativity, to the extent that creativity is often used as the middle name for entrepreneurship. The main aim of an entrepreneurs job is to create new products and thereby discover new opportunities. An entrepreneur ought to have a creative product or service in order to be successful. In the early days of entrepreneurship, creativity was grossly ignored. It wasnt believed to be a requisite quality for an entrepreneur. That notion was corrected eventually. It was then accepted that creativity is an essential ingredient for an entrepreneur to make a fortune. Entrepreneurship creativity has been known as the generation and implementation of novel appropriate ideas to acquire new ventures (Amabile 1997). Intuition can also been viewed as more business competency which influences the ability of creativity.Also for an entrepreneur to understand creativity he must think of personal attributes like person , place or product. Talking of creativity, probably the most creative idea to have come up in the last decade is that of facebook! Truly, Mark Zuckerberg came with the brainwave of the century when he thought of starting The Facebook. The creative genius that he was, he thought there was a way to socially and virtually connect people across the world. The idea of facebook is not as much inspired by need as it is inspired by creativity. It is indeed a shining illustration and reinstates what creativity can do to an entrepreneur. Needless to mention, that Mark is now a millionaire. Intuition can be viewed as a core business competency which is influenced by the ability to be creative. There are also a number of other contributing internal and external factors that impact creativity: entrepreneurial creativity requires a combination of intrinsic motivation and certain kinds of extrinsic motivation a motivational synergy that results when strong levels of personal interest and involvement are combined with the promise of rewards that confirm competence, support skill development, and enable future achievement (Amabile 1997:18). Entrepreneurship has played a major role in fostering economic growth and also in generating employment. Along this process, the impact of creativity has been substantial. Entrepreneurial creativity, however, exists before, during and after the lifetime of a particular business since it is shaped in part by the social world and by the individual decision maker (Fillis and Rentschler 2006). Uncertainty and creativity are in effect interlinked. Both together define an entrepreneur. The relationship between the two can be expressed in the following manner. An entrepreneur introduces a new product with creativity and then releases it under some uncertainty. The idea thus begins with creativity and then gets linked with uncertainty. Creativity can be used to deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty in decision-making by matching the nonlinear responses of the entrepreneur to that of the business world. Uncertainty has not tended to be modelled in investigations of creativity and social networks, although it is very much part of an entrepreneurs environment (Perry-Smith and Shalley 2003). However, within new product development processes, it does receive attention in terms of moves to reduce it in order to secure the desired commercial effects. Creativity can also contribute to dealing with ambiguity. While uncertainty refers to a lack of information, ambiguity refers to the existence of multiple and conflicting interpretations regarding an organisational situation (Kijkuit and van den Ende 2007): Creativity when practiced by the entrepreneur is called creative action. It is impossible for an entrepreneur to sustain his position in the market if his product is just like many others in the market. There is only room for the product which is different. Consumers today, are not willing to buy anything that is outdated. Thus an entrepreneur has to ensure that his product satisfies the need appropriately and also is up to date. It is this challenge that necessitates creative action. For instance, Apple had launched iPhone 2G. Then, they upgraded it to iPhone 3G, then to 3GS, then 4G , then 4GS and finally 5 as they know they need to change with time. This shows Apples persistent creative action in keeping up with the latest technology as the company is aware that if it fails to keep up with the world, it will lose its control over the market. Having entered a particular market, for an entrepreneur to maintain the position of his enterprise, he ought to keep up his creative action. It is widely said and people are made to believe that opportunities dont come knocking to your doorstep and more so if you are an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur has to seize an opportunity before some other entrepreneur finds it. Once again for this as well, he needs to put at work his creative talent. Also such kind of creativity normally comes out of a person when there is a problem being considered and due to which the entrepreneurs keep getting solutions for the problem and then idea is being generated related to the problem and finally creativity then plays a major role and it gives an opportunity to an entrepreneur. But its not always when a problem is being seen an entrepreneur finds the solution for it is not always certain as many times the entrepreneurial action leads to failure. As said by Schumpeter that innovation is a necessity as people demand different products as the time changes hence creativity and opportunity plays a major role during that time and creative becomes necessity for an entrepreneur without which he would not be successful. Creativity, problem solving and intuition interact in order to produce an appropriate strategic vision for the entrepreneurially led organisation (Markley 1988). Mainly entrepreneurial learning is the process by which an entrepreneur acquires knowledge related to the business by exploiting opportunities This learning of Entrepreneur is socially embedded and provides the entrepreneur with human and social knowledge resources. The main reason for entrepreneurial learning is constructing the ambiguous and individualised realistic ideas for an entrepreneur.it is also a way by which entrepreneur develop knowledge and skills and make a business model .Hence forth for entrepreneurship learning is very essential for all the entrepreneurs as without which uncertainty might be created instantly. Also entrepreneurial learning is a key mechanism for innovation, as through which new opportunities would be discovered. After having discussed the concepts of uncertainty, creativity and their interlink and relationship with entrepreneurship, it will also be insightful to discuss the economic theories of entrepreneurship. Economic theories overall tell us that entrepreneurship takes a birds eye view of human action. These theories explicitly tell us how an entrepreneur should allocate his resources in order to maximise his output. These all points are essential for an entrepreneur. Also there are mainly two kinds of historical theories which have been used they are the Classical and Neo Classical theories. And then later new modern economic theories were introduced regarding innovation as the key aspect. As an economic system, in his book The Wealth of Nations in 1776, Adam Smith perceived capitalists as owner-managers who combined the basic resources of land, labour, and capital into successful enterprises. The classical capitalistic economic system, based on the concept of private ownership of property, assumed the creation and distribution of wealth through the exchange of goods and services through open, uncontrolled markets open to all buyers and sellers. In the late 19th Century, Leon Walras (1874) and Alfred Marshall (1890), separately, developed similar models of capitalist economics that incorporated a logical framework capable of mathematical analysis (Kirchhoff, 1997). The key concept of the new models was that markets consist of many buyers and many sellers who interact so as to ensure that supply equals demand. This Neoclassical theory was designed to show that capitalism characterized by perfect markets and unfettered by outside interference distributes wealth among bu yers and sellers and creates wealth in the process. Joseph Schumpeter (1934), one of its early critics, saw innovation as the key for creating new demand for goods and services and entrepreneurs as owner-managers who started new, independent businesses to exploit innovation. To Schumpeter, an entrepreneur was a person who destroyed existing economic order by introducing new products and services, by creating new forms of organization, or by exploiting new raw materials. A classic example of all that is discussed above in the essay would be to consider the introduction of automatic cars by General Motors back in 1940s. It was a time when cars were not even seen world over but inspite of that, General Motors possessed the creative vision to innovate and develop the first ever automatic car of the world. As this was a new concept, it was a big risk on the part of General Motors to launch a car of such a high standard. Very obviously then, the uncertainty surrounding this newly made automatic car was enormous. However, their creative action proved fruitful and their vision was rewarded as today, the entire western world is seen zooming around in automatic cars. If this is not enough, to remain ahead of their rivals, the big car companies of BMW, Mercedes Benz are continuously introducing new features through creative action to maintain their position among the top bracket for car buyers. Entrepreneurs are evidently the most dynamic members of an economy. As we have seen, they are the ones who bring exciting new products and services to the market, create new demand which facilitates further supply and thereby further production and better returns to factors of production. All this in turn keeps the economy on its toes. Further, the less productive firms of the economy are induced to enhance their productivity and performance and thereby improve the quality of products in the market. All this, the entrepreneur does under strict uncertainty with heavy dependence on his instinct.

We are the Plague, We are the Cure :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

We are the Plague, We are the Cure Why is it that the fate of our nation seems to be in a downward spiral of despair? It seems as if everywhere you turn, you are greeted with grim visages of violence and misery. What is this plague which afflicts our society and has taken away the innocence and happiness of past generations? Our society is condemned to its current state due to its individualistic desires. If man is the downfall of himself, then is he also the plague of his society? You might believe that only recently with the advent of the Internet are we pushing ourselves too far, but this is far from the truth. This problem has hung as a spectre over society since its origin. In Genesis 3, we are first introduced to this plague on society. As Adam and Eve wandered the Garden of Eden, they were tricked by the serpent into eating from the Tree of Knowledge. After condemning all three for their disobedience God commented that, "the man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:22) This plague continues to today. If you think about it, we are all becoming increasingly dependent on technology. In a recent work by Bill Joy, this thought really hit home. To think that soon, "People won't be able to just turn the machines off, because they will be so dependent on them that turning them off would amount to suicide." This is what our dependence will cause, and this dependence is cause by our desire to push ourselves harder than is necessary. (Joy 2) As you can see this problem began when society did, and will not end until society does also. Technology and history are not the only fields in which society's plague are present, however. Recently, it seems as if every time you open the newspaper you are greeted with a declaration of 'breaking' news on the Presidential election. For hundreds of years, this process seemed so simple. Of course, there were times when society's little evil would spring up and try to do damage.

How does culture and environment affect institutions and their management

How does culture and environment affect institutions and their management? Define the Problem: What went wrong during Ms. Myers tenure from your point of view? Ms. Myers was a smart individual that got caught up in the hype of a new and promising job. Like many people these days the sound of an executive position is tempting and wanted by many, however most do not have the skills or the knowledge needed to survive and be a part of that new environment. It is great to want to invent the wheel again, but it's not great to step on toes while trying be Inventive. Ms. Myers started out good but failed in what her objective was.When Linda Myers accepted a human resources position at SK Telecom in South Korea, she thought it was the opportunity she'd long been working toward. Not only would she break ground as one of the first American female executives at a Korean company, she would also lead an initiative to make the organization more global. For someone who'd spent years consulting on ex patriate transitions, this seemed like a dream job. † Green 2011. If she had made a few changes, her objective would have been achieved, making a stand for women around the world and getting a foot hold for Asian women In Korea.Analyze the Cause: Explain the problem Ms. Myers Is encountering using Hofstede's five dimensions of culture to compare Korean and American assumptions about interpersonal relationships and management. 1. Power/Distance (PD) – This refers to the degree of inequality that exists – and is accepted – among people with and without power. On the ground in Seoul, Myers quickly realized Just how far she was from her native Baltimore. One early shock was the homogeneity of not only her offce but also the city: Government estimates indicate that foreigners account for 2. % of the population. That's compared with Just over 18% for Singapore and 27% for New York and London, according to the Migration Policy Institute. (Green) Because Mrs. Myer s was used to being in the states and was not acclimated to the Asian environment, she felt that she was far from comfort. Also, early on, she asked employees to dispense with calling her â€Å"Sang Mu Linda,† her title at the company, and to use Linda, the norm In a u. s. company, to create a less formal environment. â€Å"But by removing the label, I plummeted in their eyes,† she recalls.What she regarded as a â€Å"participative leadership style† looked wishy-washy to the people at SK. (Green) Power an be seen as a position that you have gained by promotion. Because she was already in a position of management, she had the power over many people. How she used that power was her downfall. In the Korean environment she was the â€Å"Sang Mu† which was a management position. Once she tried to associate with the workers as equals sne Tell Trom tnat role In tne eyes 0T tne workers. 2. Individualism (IDV) – The degree to which individuals are integrate d into groups†.In individualistic societies, the stress is put on personal achievements and individual rights. People are expected to stand up for themselves and their immediate family, nd to choose their own affiliations. In contrast, in collectivist societies, individuals act predominantly as members of a lifelong and cohesive group or organization. People have large extended families, which are used as a protection in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. 3. Masculinity (MAS) – This refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles. Myers was constantly aware of being female.Aside from secretaries, she was almost always the only woman in the room. She was also unprepared for the company's rigid hierarchy. But as Myers saw it, â€Å"there were asically four levels: VP, director, manager, and worker bee. You only talked to people at your level. † (Green) Not all societies have equalized the field of female and male relationshi ps. In the Asian cultures the roles of male being dominate and Females are the lesser of human social role. 4. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (IJAI) – This relates to the degree of anxiety society members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations.Her lack of Korean turned out to be a vexing problem. She recalls having to ask for an interpreter at her first meetings at SK. And even with an assistant and colleagues who spoke English, she ound it difficult to get the information she needed. â€Å"Asking questions was the only way I knew to learn,† she explains. â€Å"But it was not always productive. † As she saw it, even diplomatic inquiries could be construed as confrontational and critical. (Green) When the Higher CEOs and upper management felt that they were being stepped on by her way management they started to ostersize her and shield her from information 5.Long Term Orientation (L TO) ) – This refers to how much society values long- standing – as opposed to short term – traditions and values. Propose a Solution: Five key issues . Creating a climate for change In terms of creating a climate for change, culture is only effective if it is applied to the relevant area needing change or is tied to some organizational issue. 2. Employee engagement and empowerment Employee engagement and empowerment is crucial to ensure that the culture is effectively managed and aligned with the cultural assumptions of the organization as a wnole. 3.Team orientation Team work is a common feature in most organizations, in terms of crossing existing barriers and as a useful means of promoting and disseminating new cultural traits. In terms of individual and organizational development, teams are seen as a way of investing in talent development. 4. Tracking cultural change Tracking cultural change is important in terms of assessing whether the culture has become misaligned in terms of subgroup cultures' practices, or whether there are issues or challenges to be addressed which could undermine the cultural ethos and underlying assumptions of the organization. . Training, rewards and recognition Training in terms of culture awareness is viewed differently in various organizations. Culture is an aspect of general management training in some organizations. In other rganizations, it is deemed appropriate to learn from leaders and managers about the prevalent cultural norms and assumptions. Rewards and recognition is given when individuals or teams step outside the box and rise above the norm. It is an acknowledgment that there has been a significant change and/or a new operating standard has been started.From reviewing Green's fictional case study, (Green, 2011), the author acknowledges some good points for consideration when one has to determine how much a culture and environment will affect institutions and their management. In this review, Green explores the challenges faced by Ms. Linda Myers when she accepted a Job as a VP in a Seoul, South Korea with SK Telecom. Ms. Myers had what seemed to be all of the right credentials on paper that would make her the ideal candidate for a foreign assignment, except one, she was female.Although she had realized that later, being a female would be overbearing for her and she was not able to hang-on to the position due to many cultural factors, discussed earlier. (Green, 2011). When analyzing this case in depth and reviewing the entire tenure of Ms. Myers time with SK Telecom in Seoul, important issues surfaced, which caused this Job scenario to go erribly wrong for Ms. Myers. Concluding remarks This understanding in relation to effectively managing culture in public sector organizations and also to provide lessons from initiatives implemented to date in both the public and private sectors.The importance of managing and manipulating culture in public sector organizations cannot be misjudged in terms of its impact on the innovation outline. Developing appropriat e measures to address cultural issues in organizations in terms of increasing structural capability and performance is an important issue that should be addressed unilaterally. While the implications of such pproaches are wide-ranging, fundamentally the key to effective culture management Is leaaersnlp.Leaaersnlp must De commlttea to managing culture In terms of developing and sustaining organizational performance, while managers throughout the organization are responsible for its effective development. There is much that remains to be done to address the gap between the influence of cultural issues and the approaches adopted by managers, approaches which are elementary in many public sector organizations. The organizations provide useful examples of how organizations can effectively manage organization culture as an integral part of oth corporate strategies and organizational change measures to enhance performance and innovation.This case study contributes to the awareness and unde rstanding of culture management in public sector organizations. One of the first clues that things were going wrong in South Korea was that Ms. Myers should have realized occurred long before her accepting the Job in South Korea and she choose to ignore it. That clue being the preliminary assumption by the agency sent to recruit a VP that she was male, not female, as mentioned earlier. The second red flag that should have been raised by Ms.https://www.coursehero.com/file/16308917/MGT-501-CA1docx/http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/download.htmhttps://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htmhttps://ru.scribd.com/doc/19082366/Historical-Background-of-Environmental-Educationhttp://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Values-and-culture-in-ethical-decision-making.aspx How does Culture and Environment Affect Institutions and Their Management? Define the Problem: What went wrong during Ms. Myers tenure from your point of view? Ms. Myers was a smart individual that got caught up in the hype of a new and promising job. Like many people these days the sound of an executive position is tempting and wanted by many, however most do not have the skills or the knowledge needed to survive and be a part of that new environment. It is great to want to invent the wheel again, but it’s not great to step on toes while trying be inventive.Ms. Myers started out good but failed in what her objective was. â€Å"When Linda Myers accepted a human resources position at SK Telecom in South Korea, she thought it was the opportunity she'd long been working toward. Not only would she break ground as one of the first American female executives at a Korean company, she would also lead an initiative to make the organization more global. For someone who'd spent years consulting on expatriate transitions, this seemed like a dream job.† Gr een 2011. If she had made a few changes, her objective would have been achieved, making a stand for women around the world and getting a foot hold for Asian women in Korea.Analyze the Cause: Explain the problem Ms. Myers is encountering using Hofstede's five dimensions of culture to compare Korean and American assumptions about interpersonal relationships and management.1. Power/Distance (PD) – This refers to the degree of inequality that exists – and is accepted – among people with and without power. On the ground in Seoul, Myers quickly realized just how far she was from her native Baltimore. One early shock was the homogeneity of not only her office but also the city: Government estimates indicate that foreigners account for 2.4% of the population.That’s compared with just over 18% for Singapore and 27% for New York and London, according to the Migration Policy Institute. (Green) Because Mrs. Myers was used to being in the states and was not acclimated to the Asian environment, she felt that she was far from comfort. Also, early on, she asked employees to dispense with calling her â€Å"Sang Mu Linda,† her title at  the company, and to use Linda, the norm in a U.S. company, to create a less formal environment.â€Å"But by removing the label, I plummeted in their eyes,† she recalls. What she regarded as a â€Å"participative leadership style† looked wishy-washy to the people at SK. (Green) Power can be seen as a position that you have gained by promotion. Because she was already in a position of management, she had the power over many people. How she used that power was her downfall. In the Korean environment she was the â€Å"Sang Mu† which was a management position. Once she tried to associate with the workers as equals she fell from that role in the eyes of the workers.2. Individualism (IDV) – The degree to which individuals are integrated into groups†. In individualistic societies, th e stress is put on personal achievements and individual rights. People are expected to stand up for themselves and their immediate family, and to choose their own affiliations. In contrast, in collectivist societies, individuals act predominantly as members of a lifelong and cohesive group or organization. People have large extended families, which are used as a protection in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.3. Masculinity (MAS) – This refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles. Myers was constantly aware of being female. Aside from secretaries, she was almost always the only woman in the room. She was also unprepared for the company’s rigid hierarchy. But as Myers saw it, â€Å"there were basically four levels: VP, director, manager, and worker bee. You only talked to people at your level.† (Green) Not all societies have equalized the field of female and male relationships. In the Asian cultures the roles of male b eing dominate and Females are the lesser of human social role.4. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (UAI) – This relates to the degree of anxiety society members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations. Her lack of Korean turned out to be a vexing problem. She recalls having to ask for an interpreter at her first meetings at SK. And even with an assistant and colleagues who spoke English, she found it difficult to get the information she needed. â€Å"Asking questions was the only way I knew to learn,† she  explains. â€Å"But it was not always productive.† As she saw it, even diplomatic inquiries could be construed as confrontational and critical. (Green) When the Higher CEOs and upper management felt that they were being stepped on by her way management they started to ostersize her and shield her from information5. Long Term Orientation (LTO) ) – This refers to how much society values long-standing – as opposed to short term – traditions and values.Propose a Solution: Five key issues 1. Creating a climate for change In terms of creating a climate for change, culture is only effective if it is applied to the relevant area needing change or is tied to some organizational issue.2. Employee engagement and empowerment Employee engagement and empowerment is crucial to ensure that the culture is effectively managed and aligned with the cultural assumptions of the organization as a whole.3. Team orientation Team work is a common feature in most organizations, in terms of crossing existing barriers and as a useful means of promoting and disseminating new cultural traits. In terms of individual and organizational development, teams are seen as a way of investing in talent development.4. Tracking cultural change Tracking cultural change is important in terms of assessing whether the culture has become misaligned in terms of subgroup cultures’ practices, or whether there are issues or challenges to be addressed which cou ld undermine the cultural ethos and underlying assumptions of the organization.5. Training, rewards and recognition Training in terms of culture awareness is viewed differently in various organizations. Culture is an aspect of general management training in some organizations. In other organizations, it is deemed appropriate to learn from leaders and managers about the prevalent cultural norms and assumptions. Rewards and recognition is given when individuals or teams step outside the box and rise above the norm. It is an acknowledgment that there has been a significant change and/or a new operating standard has been started.From reviewing Green’s fictional case study, (Green, 2011), the author acknowledges some good points for consideration when one has to determine how much a culture and environment will affect institutions and their management. In this review, Green explores the challenges faced by Ms. Linda Myers when she accepted a job as a VP in a Seoul, South Korea wit h SK Telecom.Ms. Myers had what seemed to be all of the right credentials on paper that would make her the ideal candidate for a foreign assignment, except one, she was female. Although she had realized that later, being a female would be overbearing for her and she was not able to hang-on to the position due to many cultural factors, discussed earlier. (Green, 2011). When analyzing this case in depth and reviewing the entire tenure of Ms. Myers time with SK Telecom in Seoul, important issues surfaced, which caused this job scenario to go terribly wrong for Ms. Myers.Concluding remarks This understanding in relation to effectively managing culture in public sector organizations and also to provide lessons from initiatives implemented to date in both the public and private sectors. The importance of managing and manipulating culture in public sector organizations cannot be misjudged in terms of its impact on the innovation outline. Developing appropriate measures to address cultural issues in organizations in terms of increasing structural capability and performance is an important issue that should be addressed unilaterally. While the implications of such approaches are wide-ranging, fundamentally the key to effective culture management is leadership.Leadership must be committed to managing culture in terms of developing and sustaining organizational performance, while managers throughout the organization are responsible for its effective development. There is much that remains to be done to address the gap between the influence of cultural issues and the approaches adopted by managers, approaches which are elementary in many public sector organizations. The organizations provide useful examples of how organizations can effectively manage organization culture as an integral part of both corporate strategies and organizational change measures to enhance performance and innovation. This case study contributes to the awareness and understanding of culture managem ent in public sector organizations.One of the first clues that things were going wrong in South Korea was that Ms. Myers should have realized occurred long before her accepting the job in South Korea and she choose to ignore it. That clue being the preliminary assumption by the agency sent to recruit a VP that she was male, not female, as mentioned earlier. The second red flag that should have been raised by Ms. Myers occurred when she contacted the Society of Human Resources and asked them to put her into contact with a female executive who had worked in South Korea to help her prepare for her assignment. The basis of ethical or moral decision-making involves choice and balance; it is a guide to discard bad choices in favor of good ones.

Free Essays on Iago As Protaginist In Othello

IAGO AS THE PROTAGONIST IN OTHELLO THE MOOR OF VENICE When reading Othello, society cannot help but to sympathize with The Moor. Othello was presented as a â€Å"Valiant soldier† and a husband totally enamored of his wife, Desdemona. At the end, Othello strangled his beloved wife because he believed she has slept with another man. Othello does not fall from grace in our minds because he kills Desdemona. He falls from grace because she’s innocent and he has been tricked, and even then we still forgive him. Iago, on the other hand, was cast as a conniving villain whose life quest is to destroy the Moor. He doesn’t simply plot against the moor for no reason; he is taking revenge for the wrongs done on to him. Why is there no compassion for Iago? In the first act we learn that Iago participated in combat with Othello, and had expected to become Othello’s lieutenant. Iago tells Rodrigo, â€Å"three great ones of the city, in personal suit to make me his lieutenant†¦Nonsuits my mediators: for,’Certes,’ says he, ‘I have already chose my officer.’†¦One Michael Cassio,†¦that never set a squadron on the field, nor the division of battle knows†¦And I (of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds† (1.1.8-10, 16-17, 20-23, 28-29). Others also felt Iago should have been promoted; there were three people in high standing who spoke to Othello on his behalf. Further more, Othello chose Cassio as his right hand man, even though Cassio is not a solider but a scholar who has never been on the battlefield. Cassio had not proven himself in warfare as Iago has at Rhodes and Cyprus. There is no question that Iago merited the position. To rub salt in the wound Iago believed that his wife, Emilia, and Othello have been intimate. â€Å"And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets H’as done my office† (1.3.381-382). Still there is no catharsis for Iago because there is not enough proof to warr... Free Essays on Iago As Protaginist In Othello Free Essays on Iago As Protaginist In Othello IAGO AS THE PROTAGONIST IN OTHELLO THE MOOR OF VENICE When reading Othello, society cannot help but to sympathize with The Moor. Othello was presented as a â€Å"Valiant soldier† and a husband totally enamored of his wife, Desdemona. At the end, Othello strangled his beloved wife because he believed she has slept with another man. Othello does not fall from grace in our minds because he kills Desdemona. He falls from grace because she’s innocent and he has been tricked, and even then we still forgive him. Iago, on the other hand, was cast as a conniving villain whose life quest is to destroy the Moor. He doesn’t simply plot against the moor for no reason; he is taking revenge for the wrongs done on to him. Why is there no compassion for Iago? In the first act we learn that Iago participated in combat with Othello, and had expected to become Othello’s lieutenant. Iago tells Rodrigo, â€Å"three great ones of the city, in personal suit to make me his lieutenant†¦Nonsuits my mediators: for,’Certes,’ says he, ‘I have already chose my officer.’†¦One Michael Cassio,†¦that never set a squadron on the field, nor the division of battle knows†¦And I (of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds† (1.1.8-10, 16-17, 20-23, 28-29). Others also felt Iago should have been promoted; there were three people in high standing who spoke to Othello on his behalf. Further more, Othello chose Cassio as his right hand man, even though Cassio is not a solider but a scholar who has never been on the battlefield. Cassio had not proven himself in warfare as Iago has at Rhodes and Cyprus. There is no question that Iago merited the position. To rub salt in the wound Iago believed that his wife, Emilia, and Othello have been intimate. â€Å"And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets H’as done my office† (1.3.381-382). Still there is no catharsis for Iago because there is not enough proof to warr...

The loudest quiet man around

The loudest quiet man around. Both in the movie and the story Shawn Thorton/Kelvin is a boxer from America who returns to his home town in Ireland, but thats about the only major similarity between the movie and the book. In the story and movie some of the differances are that Shawns home town is different, the people are different, in more way than one, all in all a different story line. The story was written by Maurice Walsh, the movie was directed by Wolfe. In this the difference between the movie and the story The Quiet Man will be reveiled to the reader. In the movie the story line takes you to the beautiful city of Inspree. In the book the story line takes you to a much similar town called Kerry. Even Shawn's little cottage is different. In the movie he buys the cottage that he was born in from the Widow. In the book he couldn't by his cottage cuz it was not for sale. Big Laim O' Grady owned it and would not sell it cuz it connected the land between his house and the love of his life the Widow, the only reason he loved her is because of the fact she is extreamly rich. Another difference is the people of the small towns. Not only do these people have different names but also different personalities and different physical charicteristics. Lets take the main charicters Shawn for a very good example. He is called Shawn has two different last names. He also in the movie is a strong handsom tall man. In the book he is short and stalky. In the movie is a man who knows what he wants. In the book he seems to be a little bit not sure of what he wants and the way he wants it. In the movie Shawn buys his place of birth and goes into more details on stuff like the race where Kate's bonet is on the line. Also Kate and Shawns marriage is a set up and a scam on Will (laim). In the book Shawn buys a piece of property with no history to him, Date Cillen a...

Free Essays on BMG

Dominance of handful of key players in the last century. This was because of following entry barriers in different decades. Till 1920’s:  · Patents to the oligopoly. Therefore no access to technological know-how.  · Industry in its embryonic stage. This implied slow growth because of o Buyer’s unfamiliarity with the industry product. Unless records were available machines were useless. o High prices due to lack of scale economies Early 30’s  · Depression hit industry. Therefore it was consolidation time though otherwise it would have been growth stage for the industry. 30’s and 40’s  · By now established firms had stronghold on production (scale economies), marketing and distribution. 50’s and 60’s  · industry reached shake-out stage. There was more supply than demand. â€Å"payola† was widespread to beat the supply. 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s  · This was maturity stage. established players had set up mature distribution network and promotional channels.  · Reconsolidation started happening. Thus the patents in embryonic stage and a depression in the otherwise growth stage of the industry gave the initial players enough time to reach scale economies and edge in marketing & distribution which they did not lose out on. Therefore only a handful of major record companies dominated the music industry. Change in structure and economics of music industry because of Internet: 1. Online sale of physical products: physical retailer falls out of picture and rest of the structure remains same. a. If website is owned by another company: i. Structure: distribution division supplies stock to website’s distributor who further supplies to the customers. ii. Economics: distribution and sales cost of record company will come down as supply is to be made to less no of physical locations. Though there is no retail expenses, there will be website settingup+operating expenses (very high and not fixed as intern... Free Essays on BMG Free Essays on BMG Dominance of handful of key players in the last century. This was because of following entry barriers in different decades. Till 1920’s:  · Patents to the oligopoly. Therefore no access to technological know-how.  · Industry in its embryonic stage. This implied slow growth because of o Buyer’s unfamiliarity with the industry product. Unless records were available machines were useless. o High prices due to lack of scale economies Early 30’s  · Depression hit industry. Therefore it was consolidation time though otherwise it would have been growth stage for the industry. 30’s and 40’s  · By now established firms had stronghold on production (scale economies), marketing and distribution. 50’s and 60’s  · industry reached shake-out stage. There was more supply than demand. â€Å"payola† was widespread to beat the supply. 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s  · This was maturity stage. established players had set up mature distribution network and promotional channels.  · Reconsolidation started happening. Thus the patents in embryonic stage and a depression in the otherwise growth stage of the industry gave the initial players enough time to reach scale economies and edge in marketing & distribution which they did not lose out on. Therefore only a handful of major record companies dominated the music industry. Change in structure and economics of music industry because of Internet: 1. Online sale of physical products: physical retailer falls out of picture and rest of the structure remains same. a. If website is owned by another company: i. Structure: distribution division supplies stock to website’s distributor who further supplies to the customers. ii. Economics: distribution and sales cost of record company will come down as supply is to be made to less no of physical locations. Though there is no retail expenses, there will be website settingup+operating expenses (very high and not fixed as intern...

Humans' Limit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humans' Limit - Essay Example Thus, limiting what you are doing plays an important role in your life. In the story â€Å"Rose for Emily†, there are so many unnecessary extremes; which are obsession, super strictness and discrimination, causing a sad ending. Must we cease to exist before it is understood that we as humans have reached our mortal limit? According to the fiction piece â€Å"Rose for Emily†, Emily’s father himself was actually a strict person with his child. He didn’t allow Emily to go out of the house like the other children did since she was young. It is clear as to why he behaved this way. He loved his daughter and does not want her to be misled. But if we reflect on how the child may have felt, it is clear that she could have had a better childhood. All kids deserve to be happy. In fact, keeping Emily inside the house only causes her to lose her sense of motivation, communication, and knowledge of how to survive in society. She subsequently loses all her positive view on the world since the world she is living is not the same as others. Her life would be extremely routine consisting of getting up in the morning, eating what her father fed her, and obeying her father Looking at in psychologically, it is clear that Emily’s complacency with the world around her can lead her into depression and mental disorders.

Melissa Richardson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Melissa Richardson - Essay Example While discussing in more details, it can be said that she was very well aware of the fact that the role of a sales manager goes much more beyond the job responsibilities of a normal sales executive. She was to some extent aware of the fact that the sales manager needs to supervise the work done by the team members and has to take in to account the review of the progress of each employee in regards to his or her target achievement. She also had the idea that as a sales manager, she needs to provide significant motivation to the sales executives on a regular manner, so as to enhance their performance on the job. It is important to highlight that there exists a significant difference between the roles and responsibilities handled by a sales executive and sales manager. Talking on this note, it can be said that the traditional job responsibilities of sales executive comprises of leading the sales force of the company for acquiring sales of the company’s products or services. The k ey roles of a sales executive involve planning, organizing, implementing and monitoring of the sales executive of the firm (Jeff 18). Talking in regards to the role of a sales manager, it can be said that the job responsibilities include hiring the sales force, managing and motivating the sales team, achieving the sales target for the company. It is also important to say that the sales manager has a very crucial role in managing the sales turnover of the company, planning the promotional activities and devising the sales strategy to generate product and service sales for the company (Miller 5). Talking from the view point of ColorTech Greenhouses, Inc., it can be said that the job role of the sales executives for the company comprises of developing the accounts or business prospects of the company from large as well as small customers. While talking about the job role of the sales manager, it can be said that apart from managing and motivating the sales team, a lot of paper work is also involved on the job role of the sales manager (Booth and Cates 3). 2. It can be said that Richardson in an attempt to develop a high level of compatibility for handling the new responsibilities in a job focused on doing a number of right things. The very first thing that has to be mentioned is the fact that Richardson enrolled herself for a sales manager training course. It has to be highlighted that this particular action of Richardson was fuelled by the expectation that the course will help her to learn the necessary steps that will help her to manage the new responsibilities. The second most important thing that was done correctly by Richardson is to use her time listening to Spanish language, since she expected it will help her to develop a high level of compatibility with the other employees of the company, who prefer to use Spanish for one to one interactions. The third correct thing that was done by Richardson was to develop and design a motivation program that will help to boost the motivation level of her sales team. It also has to be highlighted that Richardson in her interest to develop the level of compatibility with the new job requirements took a few wrong decisions. First of all, she should have dropped out from the previous sales management classes she was taking since she felt they did not add much value to her. Second, the issue of not taking Spanish language classes to develop her language compatibility was also a very wrong step. It can be said that Richardson should have dropped out from the first sales management course and should have opted for a small course on management. The small course on management would have helped her in developing a level of familiarity with sales, leadership as well as the issues related to the paperwork. Also, she should

Talent Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Talent Management - Essay Example To this end, they needs must be cognizant of the fact that to become business leaders, high performing and motivated employees are critical. Business leaders who implement the best talent management systems will at the end of the day be more prepared than their counterparts to capitalize on new opportunities and maximize their usage of limited resources (Kehinde, 2012). In a nutshell, strategic talent management is a process through which an organization ensures it has placed the right people for the right jobs at the right place and time so as to achieve the long and short term goals and objectives. The contention of this paper will be to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the talent management approach as well try to justify its application in an organization with global latitude, and the need to actively involve employees’ opinion due to cultural variants owing to the international latitude of the firms operations. Benefits and Drawbacks As aforementioned, through proper talent management stratagem the skills and strengths of employees can be assessed and the HR managers will make recruitment, promotion and deployment decisions form a point of information. Ideally, each employee would be placed at the point where they are most productive and this is significant in reducing wastage and enhancing both individual and collective productivity. Secondly, there are always firms that are willing to poach talent and if an organization does not nurture its employees, they could end up losing their best talent to the competition (Global Novations, 2012). Therefore, when firms focus on the recruitment and retention programs that will allow them to contract and maintain their employees through the talent approach they will be have a low staff turnover which will contribute to the organization’s growth and stability (Li and Scullion, 2010). Employees feel motivated and less inclined to change jobs if they feel their growth needs are being attended to by t heir employers and that they can be rewarded for their skills, if they are neglected, they may end up leaving. Talent management planning is useful in aligning the firms strategic plan with the overall business needs, through goal alignment job roles for individual employees and teams can be clarified. In addition, employees working in such a system are likely to have a heighted sense of ownership for the firms decisions and products thus they will intrinsically motivated to perform. The talent management approach also comes with the benefit of increasing success and productivity while at the same time reducing the risk factors (HR Focus, 2010). A study by the talent management institute indicated that the success rate of organizations that align their operational strategy to talent management is about 72% which puts it ahead other firms which average at 58% success (Professional Management Institute, p. 2). A possible drawback of the talent management approach is that it has been f ound to have the potential to result in arrested in personal and moral development, Glover et al (1997) discovered that an individual’s level of experience was directly proportional to their propensity for ethical decision making. However a different study found that the more one rise in seniority the more their predisposition for unethical action increases (Ford & Richardson, 1994), by considering the results of both

The Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Death Penalty - Essay Example It is just mirroring the kind of offense that it seeks to condemn. A penalty that will serve as a deterrent to crime must be one which effectively or to a great extent stops the individual from entertaining or doing an illegal act. It is one which completely changes the mind of the person -- a shift of personal belief happens. In America, crime rates are comparatively high due to the following factors: harsh sentencing laws and racial turmoil (Liptak, 2008). The harsh sentencing law connotes that if one is convicted of a certain offense in US, the offender could not in any way escape the minimum sentence as it is made mandatory. This goes to say that if one commits a crime, he or she will surely experience being incarcerated thereby adding to the number of offenders. Racial turmoil is seen as one of the reasons for the high crime rate as it has been observed that the American police authorities are more aggressive in arresting black offenders than the white ones (Anonymous, n.d.). Am erica is not alone in its enforcement of the death penalty despite the international pressure of abolishing it. China, Pakistan, Iraq and Sudan are some of the countries which also favor capital punishment (Anonymous, n.d.). Other countries are not implementing this type of penalty due to religious and humanitarian causes.

Jim Boeheim Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Jim Boeheim - Essay Example Born in 1944, James Arthur Boeheim or famously known as Jim Boeheim is currently serving the men’s basketball team at the Syracuse University as the Head Coach (Waters, 2013). Having a huge experience in the field of sports and leadership, Boeheim has made the Orange team of the Syracuse University into the NCAA Tournament 30 times. Boeheim also guided the team for final four match appearances in 1987, 1996, 2003, and 2013 and the NCAA championship in 2003 (SyracuseUniveristy, 2014). Not only this, he has also guided the Syracuse men’s basketball team to nine ‘Big East’ regular season championships and five Big East Tournament Championships. Because of his strong coaching experience and his effective leadership skills, Boeheim is currently the second on the Wins List of Men’s NCAA Division I Coaches (Pitoniak, 2011). The 880th win of Boeheim was earned in 2012, surpassing the total of Dean Smith’s wins of 879. These wins are calculated for a head coach at a single school for his most wins (Baker, 2010). Boeheim has also served the United States men’s basketball team, during the World Championship of FIBA 1990, FIBA 2006, Summer Olympics in 2008, FIBA World Championship 2010, and the Summer Olympics of 2012 (Baker, 2010). He has also served as the chairman of the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Committee during the period 2009 to 2012. He has the honor of being President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). In September 2005, in recognition to his remarkable achievements  Boeheim was included in the Basketball Hall of Fame  in the field of basketball (Pitoniak, 2011). Jim Boeheim has guided the Orange team through various tournaments, both national and international and has brought home many titles (Pitoniak, 2011). It is because of his strong leadership skills and capabilities that the Orange team of the

Paper 2 about Chinese media industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Paper 2 about Chinese media industry - Essay Example Although there are still reports of suppression by the state of independent media sources, there is tacit encouragement given to these media sources to participate in China’s culture industry and the media. Moreover, although state authorities continue to exert control on the use of domestic private capital in the core production of news items, there is increased recognition of this capital should play in china. Taken together, the media system in China is characterized by the domineering role of state capital in controlling the media’s heights, whereas private capital makes investments in production and sales. This has led to a system where the state continues to exert ideological control of the media, while also enabling the cultural and media markets to respond better to the needs and preferences of popular Chinese culture (Zhao, 2008). The Chinese state authorities have managed to gain increasing managerial and regulatory control over the media system, playing a gate-keeping role that enables it accumulate capital by strategically controlling media outlets and subsequent rental-seeking behavior. On the other hand, the state has sought to increasingly outsource most of the distribution and production work, thus giving up its ‘heavy lifting’ role to private capitalists (Zhao, 2008). In turn, the character and nature of private capital in the domestic media market has been transformed from private capitalist owners with a media background to industrial conglomerate owners embedded within the current power structure. For example, there is a growing class of financial capitalists in the media industry who view the industry as a new capitalist frontier, rather than a medium for cultural expression and social communication. In addition, there is a significant shift towards the incorporation of domestic priva te capital into transnational capital’s distribution

The Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Death Penalty - Essay Example It is just mirroring the kind of offense that it seeks to condemn. A penalty that will serve as a deterrent to crime must be one which effectively or to a great extent stops the individual from entertaining or doing an illegal act. It is one which completely changes the mind of the person -- a shift of personal belief happens. In America, crime rates are comparatively high due to the following factors: harsh sentencing laws and racial turmoil (Liptak, 2008). The harsh sentencing law connotes that if one is convicted of a certain offense in US, the offender could not in any way escape the minimum sentence as it is made mandatory. This goes to say that if one commits a crime, he or she will surely experience being incarcerated thereby adding to the number of offenders. Racial turmoil is seen as one of the reasons for the high crime rate as it has been observed that the American police authorities are more aggressive in arresting black offenders than the white ones (Anonymous, n.d.). Am erica is not alone in its enforcement of the death penalty despite the international pressure of abolishing it. China, Pakistan, Iraq and Sudan are some of the countries which also favor capital punishment (Anonymous, n.d.). Other countries are not implementing this type of penalty due to religious and humanitarian causes.

Paper 2 about Chinese media industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Paper 2 about Chinese media industry - Essay Example Although there are still reports of suppression by the state of independent media sources, there is tacit encouragement given to these media sources to participate in China’s culture industry and the media. Moreover, although state authorities continue to exert control on the use of domestic private capital in the core production of news items, there is increased recognition of this capital should play in china. Taken together, the media system in China is characterized by the domineering role of state capital in controlling the media’s heights, whereas private capital makes investments in production and sales. This has led to a system where the state continues to exert ideological control of the media, while also enabling the cultural and media markets to respond better to the needs and preferences of popular Chinese culture (Zhao, 2008). The Chinese state authorities have managed to gain increasing managerial and regulatory control over the media system, playing a gate-keeping role that enables it accumulate capital by strategically controlling media outlets and subsequent rental-seeking behavior. On the other hand, the state has sought to increasingly outsource most of the distribution and production work, thus giving up its ‘heavy lifting’ role to private capitalists (Zhao, 2008). In turn, the character and nature of private capital in the domestic media market has been transformed from private capitalist owners with a media background to industrial conglomerate owners embedded within the current power structure. For example, there is a growing class of financial capitalists in the media industry who view the industry as a new capitalist frontier, rather than a medium for cultural expression and social communication. In addition, there is a significant shift towards the incorporation of domestic priva te capital into transnational capital’s distribution

Teaching Strategies Adopted by the Teachers in Science High School Handling II-Acacia Essay Example for Free

Teaching Strategies Adopted by the Teachers in Science High School Handling II-Acacia Essay Abstract The researchers sought to determine the teaching strategies of the II-Acacia teachers. This study intends to help various people. The data gathered in the study will be beneficial to the students, faculty, parents, DepEd, and future researchers. Through this study, the strengths and weaknesses of the teaching strategies can be determined. Specifically, it will seek answers to the following sub-problems: 1. What teaching strategies are used by the teachers? 2. What teaching strategies are most often and most seldom used by the teachers? 3. What are the implications of the findings to classroom instruction? 4. What are the recommendations to improve classroom instruction? The researchers used questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed to teachers. Afterwards, the data was retrieved then organized in tabular form. Then it was copied in to the SPSS. Each teaching strategy employed in the II-Acacia was interpreted one by one. Then, a conclusion was derived. Introduction Since the beginning of time teachers started to pass on their knowledge to their students, over the years they started developing techniques for teaching from basic demonstration to the use of visual aids. Teachers have become an integral part in the society; they provide knowledge to make the child ready when we become adults. Teachers have different strategies to use for the students to learn. According to oregon. gov there are 4 varieties of teaching methods and these are Demonstration, Question and Answer, Role Play, and Short Lecture. As part of a teacher’s teaching strategy they also have a variety of teaching materials which they can use. These can be Audiovisual, Interactive computer, or Games. A teacher is nothing without a student. Students are the main reason why teachers exist. Students have learning techniques to suit them. According to mindtools. com students have 8 learning styles these are Sensory, Intuitive, Visual, Verbal, Active, Reflective, Sequential, and Global. Sensory learners prefer concrete, practical, and procedural information. They look for the facts. Intuitive learners prefer conceptual, innovative, and theoretical information. They look for the meaning. Visual learners prefer graphs, pictures, and diagrams. They look for visual representations of information. Verbal learners prefer to hear or read information. They look for explanations with words. Active learners prefer to manipulate objects, do physical experiments, and learn by trying. They enjoy working in groups to figure out problems. Reflective learners prefer to think things through, to evaluate options, and learn by analysis. They enjoy figuring out a problem on their own. Sequential learners prefer to have information presented linearly and in an orderly manner. They put together the details in order to understand the big picture emerges. Global learners prefer a holistic and systematic approach. They see the big picture first and then fill in the details. Research Problem The researchers want to determine what learning method is commonly used and evaluate it if the learning technique is really effective. This study evaluates and assesses the different teaching strategies of teachers utilized by the teacher in AQ Science High School. The researchers will use SPSS as the statistical tool to evaluate the data. Specifically, it seeks answers to the following sub-problems: 1. What teaching strategies are used by the teachers? 2. What teaching strategies are most often and most seldom used by the teachers? 3. What are the implications of the findings to classroom instruction? 4. What are the recommendations to improve classroom instruction? Related Literature and Studies Institutions of higher learning across the nation are responding to political, economic, social and technological pressures to be more responsive to students needs and more concerned about how well students are prepared to assume future societal roles. Faculty are already feeling the pressure to lecture less, to make learning environments more interactive, to integrate technology into the learning experience, and to use collaborative learning strategies when appropriate. Teaching methods are best articulated by answering the questions, What is the purpose of education? and What are the best ways of achieving these purposes? † For much of prehistory, educational methods were largely informal, and consisted of children imitating or modelling their behaviour on that of their elders, learning through observation and play. In this sense, the children are the students, and the elder is the teacher; a teacher creates the course materials to be taught and then enforces it. Pedagogy is a different way by which a teacher can teach. It is the art or science of being a teacher, generally referring to strategies of instruction or style of instruction. Resources that help teachers teach better are typically a lesson plan, or practical skill involving learning and thinking skills. A curriculum is often set by the Government with precise standards. These standards can change frequently, depending on what the Government states. A study from . asian-efl-journal, the bulk of research into Chinese students’ problem with plagiarism in both the Anglophone and Chinese contexts has given much attention to the culture/education versus language debate, and the development versus morality debate. This study explored the views of two groups of Chinese college English teachers in those regards, one with an experience of English-medium academic training (the PGDELT trainee teachers, n = 29) and the other without (the EFL in-service teachers, n = 30). All participants completed a questionnaire with a few being interviewed. The results indicated that (a) the EFL in-service teachers tended to see Chinese college EFL learners’ plagiarism more as a linguistic problem, whereas the PGDELT trainee teachers tended to see it more as a cultural/educational problem; and (b) the EFL in-service teachers seemed to take a moral perspective as indicated by their penalty-oriented approach to the learners’ plagiarism, whereas the PGDELT trainee teachers appeared to take a more developmental perspective as shown by their pedagogy-oriented approach to the learners’ plagiarism. However, while there seems to be strong evidence for the differences between the two groups in their perceptions regarding the culture/education versus language debate, there is only limited evidence for their different perceptions concerning the development versus morality debate. Moreover, the two groups were also found to differ to some extent in their perceptions concerning the causes of, remedial approaches, and punitive reactions to student plagiarism. Finally, the implications of this study are discussed and recommendations for future research presented. Most teachers and pupils have experienced misunderstanding in an English as a Foreign Language class. Take for example this episode of a teacher being puzzled by a pupil coming to the board, because he said, â€Å"Can’t hear! † (not â€Å"come here ! †). Communication is ruined if there is phonological misunderstanding. Troubetskoy explains that a learner is deaf to foreign sounds, which receive an incorrect phonological interpretation since they are â€Å"strained through the phonological sieve of one’s mother tongue†. As a result, there are numerous misinterpretations (1986, p. 54). This shows how tricky phonological appropriation can be for EFL teaching. By phonological appropriation, we mean matters of sounds, that is phonetics -the study of speech sounds , but also, rhythm and intonation, phonology â€Å"the abstract way phonemes function† (Roach, 2000, p. 44), as well as a mastering level of a linguistic form and its meaning, allowing a learner to use it in an authentic communication situation. Interaction is social and reveals how communication between the learner and other speakers leads to the FL appropriation. By interaction, we mean a language-dynamic communicative exchange among individuals in a functional pragmatic frame (Bailly, 1998, p. 135). This paper is based on both research and teaching, since its author is a researcher and a teacher trainer; it aims at raising this crucial question: Can oral interaction be a trigger to phonetic and phonological appropriation? To start with, this was posed to a group of 80 EFL supervisors coaching teacher trainees in partnership with the University School of Education in Reunion Island (IUFM de la Reunion, France) and their answers were staggering: Can interaction activities favour phonological learning? Yes: 9 No: 39 Don’t know: 32 Can discrimination activities favour phonological learning? Yes: 63 No: 13 Don’t know: 4 This quick survey shows that, unlike discrimination, interaction is not necessarily considered as a means of furthering phonological appropriation. By discrimination, we mean an auditory decoding process allowing the learner to match a speech sound with what he knows. The above-mentioned survey indeed raises many more questions: What about the consequent distinction between the conscious and unconscious process? What about the dichotomy between a form-focused versus a meaning-focused process? What is the respective role of input and output in phonological appropriation? To what extent can motivation help? The main problem raised here is whether cognitive psychology can address all questions, and what could be done to sort it out. It will therefore be worth wondering in this qualitative, descriptive, analytic and experimental study, whether oral interaction, which is now a full skill in the Common European Frame of Reference for Languages, can be seen as a real trigger to phonological appropriation. This study is built on a teacher trainee’s experience in Reunion Island, Indian Ocean. Reunion is the 23rd French region. L1 is Creole French; L2 is French. The major first foreign language taught at school is English (80% choose English, the others taking Spanish, German, Chinese or Tamil). Pupils start learning English as early as primary teaching at the age of 7. The teacher trainee involved is a 24-year-old French-speaking colleague who studied English both at the local university and abroad through an Erasmus exchange programmed. She passed the national competitive proficiency exam for EFL secondary teaching (known as CAPES). The University school of education tutor, who is also the author of this article, visits her in class three times in the year. The class involved is a B1 class (Threshold level in the CEFRL) of 24 fifteen-year-old teenagers. The school mentioned is a secondary high school. This group level is somewhat average with a majority of girls. The group personality is somewhat inhibited and introverted. Their fluency is slowed down by pronunciation difficulties. None has gone to an English speaking country before and all often feel self-conscious when they have to communicate in a foreign language. Our analysis will be threefold. We shall first examine an experience in this B1 class, in which phonology is acquired through phonological discrimination and tested through interaction. We will therefore deduce theoretical and practical issues. In a second part, we will enlarge our theoretical scope and try to find answers to our issues. Eventually, this will lead to a second experience and us to practical assumptions in the same B1 class, this time integrating oral interaction as a trigger to phonological appropriation. A comparison between the two similar assessments should be revealing: sound acquisition, word and sentence rhythm, intonation will be tested by three persons, the trainee for the sounds, the supervisor (a qualified teacher at that school) for rhythm, and myself (a lecturer and a trainer at the university school of education) for intonation. An average class situation was set up in November 2006 (Classe de seconde 4, 24 pupils, Lycee Boisjoly Potier, Tampon, Reunion) taught by our teacher trainee. The sequence was planned for three lessons. The cultural unifier was violence in New York. Two documents were studied: â€Å"Rudolph Giuliani† (Appendix 1) as a listening activity (Assou, 2004, p. 57), â€Å"New York City Mayor disturbed by police officer’s use of force†, November 28, 2006 (Appendix 2), as a reading activity. Once listening and reading, together with speaking will be over, phonology will be acquired through listening discrimination. A final interaction test should help to measure this acquisition. Related Studies The respondents from the college of Nursing and Health Sciences of ­ten preferred to use the following teaching methods: Lecture/Discussion Combination, Class Discussion and In-class Demonstration. They rarely preferred to use Jigsaw Method, Guest speakers, Oral presentations and Panel of experts. The data indicate that some faculty still hold the traditional passive view of learning which involves situations where materials are delivered to students using a lecture-based format. Although the findings of a study by de Caprariis, Barman and Magee (2001) suggest that lecture leads to the ability to recall facts and discussion produces higher level compre ­hension, a more modern view of learning where students are expected to be active in the learning process by participating in collaborative activi ­ties may prove more effective. A research on group-oriented discussion methods has shown that team learning and student-led activities not only produce favorable student performance outcomes, but also foster greater participation, self confidence and leadership ability (Perkins and Saris, 2001; Yoder and Hochevar, 2005). The results of the study of Hunt, Haidet, Coverdale, and Richards (2003) on the student performance in team learning methods show positive learning outcomes as compared to traditional lecture-based methods. In contrast to these findings, a study by Barnes and Blevins (2003) sug ­gests that active, discussion-based methods are inferior to the tradition ­al lecture-based method. However, a comparison of lecture combined with discussion versus active, cooperative learning methods by Morgan, Whorton, and Gunsalus (2000) demonstrated that the use of the lec ­ture combined with discussion resulted in superior retention of material among students. The Polytechnic Institute (PI) supports the curricula designed to culti ­vate and promote among the students high levels of scholarship, desire to seek understanding, a solid foundation in professional and personal responsibility, desire for service, and an ability/willingness to serve as leaders within both the engineering and architecture profession and soci ­ety. Thus, the graduate of PI must possess the ability to identify, formu ­late and execute solutions to multidisciplinary problems encountered in the practice of engineering and architecture. In order to realize these objectives, the faculty of the PI adopts certain teaching methods adapted to the subject matter, capacity of the students, situational needs and related to actual life situations and practices. The data show that the respondents from the Polytechnic Institute always preferred Lecture/Discussion Combination and role playing. Also they always preferred to use lab work and applied projects as teaching methods. They never preferred the Jigsaw Method; Index Card Exercise; Guided Imagery; Socratic Methods; ILPE Method and Brain Writing. The development of problem-solving skills is one of the primary goals of the PI curricula. Problem solving involves five basic components: rec ­ognize and define the problem; formulate the model and identify vari ­ables, knowns and unknowns; select an appropriate solution technique and develop appropriate equations; apply the solution technique (solve the problem); and validate the solution. Solution validation is one of the most important steps in this process and includes interpreting the solu ­tion, identifying its limitations, and assessing its reasonableness using appropriate approximate solutions or common sense. Allowing the stu ­dents to engage in lab work and project studies will help them develop problem solving skills. Also, role playing when properly used introduces problem situation dramatically, provides opportunity for the students to assume roles of others and thus appreciate another point of view. Fur ­thermore, it allows the students to explore solutions and provides oppor ­tunity to practice the skills. The faculty of the College of Business Administration envision to contrib ­ute to the intellectual and personal growth and development of the students and to enhance the competence of the students to engage in all phases of business activity and management. In order to achieve these objectives, the data show that they always preferred Lecture/Discussion Com ­bination and Class Discussion but rarely preferred to use Jigsaw Method, Index Card Exercise and Panel of experts as teaching methods. This means that the faculty of the College of Business Administration believed that by using the Lecture method combined with class discus ­sion, the students would be able to acquire knowledge on the core areas of business, perceive the global nature of organizational and economic activities, recognize the role of law and ethics in business behaviour, un ­derstand and appreciate the impact of demographic diversity on organi ­zations and understand and appreciate the impact of sustainability and the natural environment on organizations, the impact of organizations on sustainability and the natural environment, understand organizations and the process of management, develop the ability to work effectively, inde ­pendently and collaboratively, and integrate core area skills in problem solving and decision making. The College of Arts, Sciences and Education brings together disciplines in the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social scienc ­es and education t o form the intellectual heart of the University. It fosters liberal education, promotes lifelong learning, research, creative activ ­ity, social and professional responsibility, and growth. To these ends, its faculty challenges students to think critically and intuitively, cross disci ­plinary boundaries, recognize and value diverse perspectives, and solve problems creatively by through the use of different teaching methods. Since the College of Arts, Sciences and Education is committed to a liberal education orientation, it must provide the students with oppor ­tunities for: expansion of the boundary of knowledge, preservation and enrichment of a countrys cultural heritage, development of personal and social adjustment, cultivation of intelligent citizenship, acquisition of self-discovery and self-understanding, development of an oral and writ ­ten competency, maximization of the capacity for critical and imagina ­tive thinking, and understanding of international relations and affairs. This awareness of the commonly held objectives of the college provided broad bases for the faculty’s use of various teaching activities and meth ­ods. Thus, in this college, learning should provide opportunities beyond the knowledge of the subject matter of a particular course. The courses should not be restricted to the instruction of abstract theories, but should afford opportunities for students to develop skills of effective oral and written expression, to improve their ability to relate to others, to learn to think critically and scientifically, and to feel the need for continuous growth even outside the university campus. The importance of such in ­tellectual and social stimulation beyond the mere knowledge parameters of the course content should be emphasized. The college has the following major departments: Natural sciences, Mathematics, Social Sciences, LLH/Communication and MAPE/Profes ­sional Education. It is assumed that the teaching methods used in the class may differ from subject to subject since the method that the faculty may prefer to use may depend on the goals of the subject. The goal of the Natural Sciences component of the curriculum is to help the students increase their scientific literacy and capacity to ap ­proach scientific materials intelligently, and to convey the general understanding of science as a way of looking at the world. In order to achieve these goals, the faculty of the Natural Sciences Depart ­ment often preferred to use Lecture/Discussion Combination, Team Project Method, lab work, Worksheets/Surveys, In-class Demonstra ­tion, Panel of Experts and Explanatory Discussion as their teaching methods. However, the data show that the respondents had never preferred to use guest speakers, applied projects, Simulation and the ILPE Method. The next data on the teaching method preferences are from the Mathematics teachers of the College of Arts, Sciences and Education. The findings of the study show that this group of respondents always preferred in-class exercises. This group of respondents never preferred to use Jigsaw Method, guest speakers, Videotapes, Report-Back Session, Role Playing, Panel of ex ­perts, Explanatory Discussion, Reflective Discussion, Debate, ILPE Method, Guided Imagery, Brain Writing and PBL as teaching methods. This implies that the faculty adopted these teaching methods in order to provide the students precision in numerical expression, logical thinking and problem solving. However, other instructional methods may also be proven effective for developing mathematical comprehension. The most important of these could be the use of hands-on, active learning tech ­niques in the classroom. Of equal import is the need to make students understand the utility of the material they are being taught. Students need to understand and appreciate the need for their courses. Many students leave their mathematics courses thinking that the material will never be used in their courses. It is essential that mathematics courses have some future value in their program of studies. The mathematics portion of a student’s curriculum should not be simply something â€Å"to get through. † This means that the faculty teaching mathematics and others must coor ­dinate their curriculum. They must teach concepts and methods that are applicable to current practice, and these methods must be employed in other curriculum within a reasonable time period after the students learn the techniques. In mathematics teaching, teachers provide students with adequate oppor ­tunities to engage in math activities to help them in the self-exploration and cooperation and exchange in the process to really understand and master the mathematics knowledge and skills, ideas and methods, and to learn valuable math. Thus, participation and learning efficiency of the method is used when appropriate relevant. The social sciences component of the curriculum aims to make the stu ­dents aware of the general problems and issues, especially those with relevance to the Philippine society; and to enhance students’ awareness of the importance of scientific approaches to the discussion and analysis of social issues. In order to achieve these aims, the faculty teaching the social sciences always preferred Brainstorming as their teaching method but rarely preferred Role Playing, Role Playing, Index Card Exercise and Panel of experts. Another data of the teaching method preferences are from the LLH/Com ­munication faculty of College of Arts, Sciences and Education. The data indicates that this group of faculty often preferred Lecture/Discus ­sion Combination, in-class exercises, Brainstorming, Class Discussion, Explanatory Discussion, Reflective Discussion and Simulation. Most probably these are the teaching methods that the faculty teaching LLH/Communication perceived that could provide the students with effec ­tive communication skills in both English and Filipino, foster critical understanding and appreciation of how people give expression to their experiences in the world, develop in the students the students to see the grammatical relationships between words, group of words and sentence within the discourse level; train the students in the effective use of ver ­bal and non-verbal symbols towards ethical speech communication; and develop in the students writing skills in their respective discipline. Like ­wise, these teaching methods will help them teach the students how to reflect on the totality of the human experience; formulate for themselves a human perspective that integrates all branches of knowledge in a pro ­found understanding of the individual as well as society; and contribute to the understanding of the beautiful and the good in human experience. They rarely preferred to use Jigsaw Method, Report-Back Session, Team Project Method, lab work, Worksheets/Surveys, Index Card Exercise, Guided Imagery and In-class Demonstration as teaching methods. The faculty teaching MAPE and Professional Education are committed to the production of quality teachers who could be at par with the other pro ­fessionals through a deliberate effort to improve instruction, research, and community extension. These efforts are reflected in their teaching meth ­od preferences. Simulation is an event or situation made to resemble real classroom situ ­ation as closely as possible. The faculty uses simulation most probably because it is an excellent venue for the education students to learn ex ­perientially since it provides opportunities for them to practice problem solving and psychomotor skills in a safe, controlled environment. In a simulation, students create connections mentally which is rarely, if ever, accomplished through conventional teaching techniques. Conse ­quently, the learning has a greater impact, plus the new knowledge and skills are retained much longer. It works because the students become more engaged with the subject matter than through more conventional approaches to teaching (lecturing, debates, discussion, videos, etc. Thus, compared with these traditional methods, this method of teaching and evaluating learners is more realistic, enhances both acquisition and re ­tention of knowledge, sharpens critical-thinking and psychomotor skills, and is more enjoyable. Simulation can be used to teach theory, assessment, technology and skills. The emphasis in simulation is often on the application and inte ­gration of knowledge, skills, and critical thinking. Unlike a classroom setting or a paper-and-pencil test, simulation allows learners to function in an environment that is as close as possible to an actual teaching situa ­tion and provides them an opportunity to think. The Team Project method is the appropriate pedagogy of choice of most faculty in the professional education courses, since it combines knowl ­edge with practical experience and improve interpersonal and commu ­nication skills which are essential to the knowledge growth and perfor ­mance of future educators. Furthermore, besides technical skills and knowledge, the MAPE and Professional education courses is required to give students opportunities to improve their interpersonal, collaborative and communication skills. It requires students to apply in practice per ­sonal competencies and improve problem-solving skills such as explor ­atory searching, critical thinking and decision making (Hawking et al. 2001). The method also provides students with experiential learning op ­portunities to actively develop their knowledge and experience, as they cooperate in group projects. The discussion method is always a preferred teaching method since it involves the entire class in an extended interchange of ideas between the teacher and the students and among classmates. The members in the class may approach the discussion topic with many and varying points of view, however, the teacher focuses the discussion in the direction most conducive to effective and purposeful learning. In summary, the respondents from the College of Arts, Sciences and Ed ­ucation often preferred to use Lecture/Discussion Combination, in-class exercises and Class Discussion in teaching. Rarely, they preferred to use Jigsaw Method, Explanatory Discussion guest speaker, video tapes, Re ­port-Back Session, Role Playing, Reflective Discussion, Debate, ILPE Method, Guided Imagery and Brain Writing. As a whole the faculty of Aquinas University as reflected by the data, often preferred Lecture/Discussion Combination, Team Project Method, lab work, in-class exercises, oral presentation, Brain storming, Class Discussion and In-class Demonstration. They rarely preferred Jig ­saw Method, guest speakers, Index Card Exercise, Debate, ILPE Meth ­od, Brain Writing and Socratic method. Lectures although combined with class discussion (4. 34) remain the core teaching method in most the colleges. Their role is best suited to pro ­viding an overview of the subject matter and stimulating interest in it, rather than disseminating facts. Since this is the most preferred teach ­ing method, the faculty must remember that students would appreciate good quality lectures with clear objectives which could be placed in the course handbook, with the lecture summaries, clear overhead acetates or slides; a paced delivery; and appropriate handouts which would provide students with complex diagrams or difficult or critical text. The class discussion that follows could be used to clarify certain points in the lec ­ture. Thus, lecture when combined with discussion widens the intellectu ­al horizons of the student, making it possible for them to gradually move toward acquisition of self-discovery and self-understanding. It enables the instructor to correct error in literature and articles read by the student. Also, it affords opportunities for an instructor to explain a particularly equivocal ambiguous point of idea, or a complicated, difficult, abstract process or operation and resolves conflicting points of view and clarifies misunderstanding of different schools of thought. It could also enliven the learning situation by adding the voice, gesture and the personality of the instructor. The discussion that follows the lecture will promote interest by giving the students a share in the responsibility for the course and in search for knowledge. It compels the students to be active learners and motivates them by keeping the work within their intellectual bounds and by allying it with their aptitude. It enables the instructor to constantly appraise the students’ understanding of the issues under discussion. Discussion method is also a preferred teaching method since it sharp ­ens the students’ ideas and concepts by forcing them to express them in their own words. This facilitates intellectual comprehension and applica ­tion of new knowledge to life-situations. It permits the students to chal ­lenge statements with which they disagree or which they misunderstand, thereby facilitating the process of self-discovery and self-understanding and developing the sense of self-assertiveness. In addition, it develops in the students the skills essential to effective group discussion and verbal communication. The discussion method forces the students out of their classroom lethargy, so that every learner will react either in support or in opposition to the issue under discussion. In using this teaching method, each student learns to feel free to express his/her opinions, to argue with mutual respect and to defend his/her own stand in the light of logic and rationality. It also develops facility in oral expression, critical and cre ­ative thinking, and intellectual and imaginative problem-solving ability. Thus, lecture when combined with discussion sustains and strengthens most of the elements essential for productive learning. The provision of feedback and class participation heightens the learners motivation, facilitates the intellectual grasp of abstract concepts and the learning of problem-solving skills. The data also show that Brainstorming is an often preferred teach ­ing method. Alex Osborn describes it as a conference technique by which a group attempts to find a solution for a specific problem by amassing all the ideas spontaneously by its members† (http://www. moneyinstructor. com/lesson/brainstorming. asp. According to him in this process more ideas could be generated than in any normal dis ­cussion and that by producing more ideas, people had a better chance of finding useful ones: from quantity came quality. A key part of the process is to come up with wild or silly ideas because these in turn can spark off really useful ones. This finding of the study implies that brainstorming is often preferred as a group process so that the members of