Jacksonian democrats Essay

Thomas Jefferson was consistently inconsistent by switching from a strict constructionist view to a broad interpretation on the constitution to support his political views. Similarly, Jacksonian democrats occasionally altered their belief of being guardians of the political democracy, individual liberty, economic opportunity, and the Constitution to suit their purposes. President Andrew Jackson had several ways of ensuring political democracy thus he is regarded as a guardian of it. The spoils system is an example of Jackson stressing political democracy. According to Senator William Marcy the spoils system was acceptable since the benefits of winning should go to the winner. He supports this thought by saying, â€Å"To the victor belongs the spoils.† The spoils system allowed Jackson â€Å"Old Hickory† to rid his opponents of government jobs and award them to his supporters the â€Å"Hickoryites.† Another example of political democracy is rotation in office. Rotation in office is what Jackson utilized to incorporate the â€Å"common man† into a government role. Jackson believed that any man was capable of doing the job. â€Å"Every man is as good as his neighbor,† he declared, â€Å"perhaps equally better.† The inevitable dilemma that arises from Jackson’s notion on political democracy is that illite rates, incompetents and crooks obtained positions of public trust. The result of this was Samuel Swartwout, the collector of customs at the port of New York, stole a million dollars from the government. Jackson, although he was a rich aristocrat at the time of his election, might have been influenced to raise the common man on a pedestal as a result of him having been born poor. One of his first acts as president was to invite the working class of America to his inaugural. The White house was only emptied upon a rumor that said spiked punch had been served on the lawns. As a result, the inaugural is often referred to as the â€Å"inaugural brawl† and Jackson being the leader of the common people was called, â€Å"King Mob.† This represented what Jackson emphasized and that was the importance of individual right. Jackson believed that it was unfair for power to be in the hands of an elite few. Therefore, he advocated the rights of the common man through his land policy. His land policy would allow people to expand  further into the west. The more obtainable land there was signified a higher electorate. Jackson’s belief of rotation in office allowed average men to try their hand at government. Rotation in office is something which had been previously limited to the aristocratic elite since they were the only ones viewed as capable of managing the job. His success in achieving basic individual rights is shown in Doc. D. when Harriet Marineau, a British visitor to the United States reported that she had seen every man as an independent citizen and controversies â€Å"of which the people were to be judges.† However, the concept of individual liberty is not applied to minorities such as the blacks and Indians. This is seen in Document E. when Philip Hone, a New York City businessman describes riots in Eastern cities. â€Å"The spirit of riot and subordination to the laws†¦appears to have been produced by†¦ hostility to the blacks and an indiscriminate persecution of all whose skins were darker than those of their enlightened fellow citizens.† Document G also demonstrates that individual liberty was only directed towards whites. If individual liberty had been meant for all the Indians would not have been removed from their homeland. Further proof of whites against minorities is represented in Document A when George Henry Evans explains that all men are created equal, and allowed the rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Obviously, the Indians, immigrants and blacks were not granted these rights to individual freedom. Jackson was a guardian of the economy since he supported economic opportunities. To make sure that economic opportunities were achieved Jackson had to be anti big business. A big business tended to monopolize a certain part of the economy and not allow other businesses to expand and earn money. He wanted to ensure that the economy was not in the hands of a few rich men. In 1835 Jacksonian Roger Brooke Taney replaced Federalist John Marshall as Supreme Court judge. In 1837, a case known as Charles River Bridge versus Warren Bridge was about monopolies and charters. Two companies wanted to build bridges across the Charles River, but only one had a long standing charter. In the Marshall Court, the ruling would have been that the contract was stronger than the interests of anything else. But, under the  Jacksonians, it was ruled that the interests of the people were more important then any charter. Jackson viewed the bank as unconstitutional and undemocratic. In Document B Jackson describes the bank as incompatible with the Constitution he also says, â€Å"The present Bank of the United States†¦ enjoys an exclusive privilege of banking†¦almost a monopoly of the foreign and domestic exchange.† Therefore, when Henry Clay proposes a bill to congress in 1832 that would recharter the bank four year before needed Jackson vetoes it. After this Jackson bleeds the bank dry by removing federal deposits and started placing surplus money in â€Å"pet banks† which were pro-Jackson banks. The nullification issue emerged due to the Tariff of Abominations which protected it us from European competition. It angered South Carolina since they had to buy expensive manufactured goods and had to sell crops on an unprotected market. As a result of the high tariff Britain does not purchase as many goods as it previously did. The south also feared the tariff as a possible foothold for later federalist interference with slavery in the southern states this was brought on by a the South Carolina Cxposition written by John Calhoun which stated that the federal government has a compact with the states and that the state conventions had the power to declare laws unconstitutional and states should nullify the tariff. The tariff of 1832 was null and void they undertook the necessary military preparations and threatened to secede from the union if the United states government came to collect the customs and duties by force. Jackson was furious because he was against nullification therefore he quietly prepared an army and passed the force bill which authorized the president to use the army and navy to collect fed tariff duties. Henry Clay, although a supporter of the tariff influenced the compromise tariff of 1833 which said that the tariff would be reduced by 10% over a period of 8 years. By 1842 it would be back at 20-25%.Through Jackson’s aggressive reaction of South Carolina threatening to secede from the state we can see that Jackson believes in states rights. However, if he has to choose, the union comes before states rights. Being a guardian of the constitution means protecting many things at one time  since the constitution is basically a summary of the rights we possess. The rights that had to be protected were individual liberty, and economic opportunity among other things and the Jacksonians were not guardians of these rights. The time Jackson was president tends to be regarded as the â€Å"Age of the Common Man.† The reason as to why is that Jackson attempted to incorporate the â€Å"common man† into the current political& economic situation. The type of common man that was favored by Jackson was a poor westerner who desired land, freedom of choice, and a say in politics. He succeeds in incorporating the common man into politics through Rotation in office and involving them in government rallies. However, the problem with improving the common man was that anyone else who would fall out of this category: women, slaves, Native Americans, wealthy, Easterners, Northerners, were often den ied their own rights which is a direct violation of the constitution. (Doc D). The exempting of those who wouldn’t fit the category of the common man, helped stress universal manhood suffrage. Jackson’s personal view of the Bank of the United States was that it was unconstitutional. However, John Marshall had made it very clear in McCulloch vs. Maryland that the bank was constitutional. Jackson believed that preservation of the union preceded states rights. This was an unconstitutional view considering it was the states who had created the government. Therefore, if the government was stepping it’s rights the states could protest against the government’s actions. The first amendment is violated in Document F when the U.S. Post office suppresses abolitionist mail into the South. The reason why this was done to keep the multitude from finding out which would have motivated many to become anti-slavery. The Jacksonians could be described as two-faced considering they were for the common man while being a part of the aristocratic elite. They attempted to promote economic opportunities by eliminating the Bank of the United States. The Panic of 1937 was a repercussion of removing the bank yet Jackson succeeded in his main effort. His main focus was retrieving power from Nicholas Biddle, the owner of the bank. The belief of Union preceding states was utilized to assert the power of the executive branch. Finally, Jacksonian democracy did allow more people to vote than ever before and made government more directly responsible to the people.

Is Oedipus a Victim of Fate?

Fate the un-avoidable Throughout the vast history of literature, various concepts have come and gone. The idea of fate or fatalism has been a concept that has survived the test of time. Numerous characters have succumbed to the power of fate and the character of Oedipus from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is a prime example of the vast power of fate within literature. Sophocles effectively depicts the wrath of fate as he portrays how Oedipus fell victim to fate and his efforts to disregard fate were futile. Once again fate manages to triumph and displays no character whether king or slave can avoid its gaze. One can attempt to change his or her fate. Numerous beings have put their entire lives into avoiding fate. Even if the strength of the earth and heaven united, what is decree as fate can only manifest itself according to time. However, in various situations one’s fate can be determined before the being is even given life. This is the very situation Oedipus was unknowingly born into. Before Sophocles would begin his play viewers would already have an idea of the play’s prologue. The prologue detailed Oedipus’s rise to king and more importantly his connection with fate. Oedipus was born to Laius King of Thebes and his wife Queen Jocasta. Before his birth Laius and Jocasta were given an ominous message by the god Apollo stating that their own son would kill his father and marry his mother. Soon after the revelation of this message, Oedipus was born. In order to avoid his fate, Laius crippled Oedipus’s ankle and gave him to a shepherd instructing the shepherd to leave Oedipus to die in the mountains. The saying â€Å"Father like Son† is ironically portrayed here. Laius did the same thing Oedipus tried throughout the play, avoiding fate. Even while planning his own son’s demise Laius was just portraying the qualities his own son would grow to inherit. As Oedipus falters in his clash with fate so does Laius as one learns in the prologue, Oedipus grows up and unknowingly kills Laius. This effectively follows the path set out by fate and Oedipus blindly follows this path while actively denying it. This denial would sprout into an utter defiance of fate by Oedipus and the final result would not be in his favour. Wisdom is an attribute that can be utilized in numerous ways. The most important aspect of the usage of wisdom is whether it benefits or harms the user. During the play a key line is said by the character Tiresias, the local prophet. When called upon by Oedipus, Tiresias states, â€Å"Wisdom is a dreadful thing when it brings no profit to its possessor†. This is a very significant statement. It clearly defines the situation Oedipus puts himself through. Oedipus’s lust for knowledge and thirst for admiration by his subjects spells his own demise. Through constant pressuring by Oedipus, Tiresias reveals Oedipus was the one who killed Laius. It seems Oedipus brought upon his own fate through the pestering of Tiresias. The unaccounted factor is the reason for Oedipus’s actions. Fate is responsible for a series of plagues that have engulfed Thebes and have situated Oedipus in a scenario where he must find the killer of Laius to undo the plagues. The forcefulness of Oedipus is fuelled by fate ensuring Oedipus has a viable reason to obtain knowledge no matter the consequence. Once again Oedipus is inadvertently on fates path which only harm him by its end. Chance is a very interesting concept. The belief things happen unknowingly and by mere luck. In the play chance is over shadowed by fate, a pre-determined destiny. A prime example of the contrast between these two factors is the arrival of the Corinthian messenger. One can say the messenger came by chance and luckily found Oedipus. Realistically the messenger was just a pawn in the pre-determined plan of fate. The messenger relays to Oedipus that the king of Corinth, Polybus has died. This news over joys Oedipus and Jocasta due to the fact fate supposedly stated Oedipus would kill Polybus his biological father. As the couple rejoice and mock the concept of fate, the messenger informs Oedipus that Polybus was not his biological father. This is fate playing another hand to ensure Oedipus continues on to his pre-determined destiny. Fate sent the messenger and it ensured the messenger shed light on Oedipus’s actual origins. This was no portrayal of chance; Oedipus faced the cold hard reality of fate. Oedipus due to his crazed nature went into a frenzy to determine who birth parents were. One can understand what follows and how the play climax’s as Oedipus goes to obtain the last piece of knowledge required to seal his fate. Oedipus was blinded by a thirst for knowledge and fate ensures this blinding becomes a reality. Fate is one word that can have momentous effects. No matter what period of history is examined, fate within literature has always held importance. Numerous characters no matter how great or influential have fallen into the hands of fate. Perhaps one of the greatest characters to fall into fates gazed was Oedipus from Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King. Sophocles used his mastery of the human mind to portray the fact even though Oedipus thought he was all knowing, he unknowingly was always on fates pre-determined path. No matter what Oedipus did his fate had been determined before hand and the concept of fate emphasized no character could avoid it. Fate added another character to its intricate web of pre-determined destinies. Works Cited Knox, Bernard. Oedipus the King Translation: New York: Simon & Schuster inc. 1994

Characteristics of an Effective Team Leader

Conflict arises from the differences, and when individuals come together in teams, their differences in terms of power, values, and attitudes contributes to creation of conflict. Without conflict, teams will not be challenged and will not perform at their optimum levels. When this becomes apparent, how should the team prepare themselves to face this challenge, and how should the team leader facilitate and resolve conflict? The purpose of this paper is to present the characteristics and traits of an effective team leader. We will also be discussing the different types of conflicts as well as the effective way of managing and resolving disputes among team members Discussion: Effective Team Leader Successful management requires more than just assigning tasks to the team. It calls for a leader who can inspire team members to achieve their full potential. People want to be guided by a person they respect; someone responsible and dependable and someone who has a clear sense of direction. More and more businesses are becoming international. Team members need to trust each other as well as trust each others expertise. They need to feel confident that the other members are doing their share, so that when the team finally pools their ideas together, a multifaceted solution results. Different countries have different cultures, ways of doing things and behaving. Leaders need to learn about these differences if they are to succeed. Being an effective team leader requires basic leadership skills. Leadership is becoming tougher and tougher and requires continued development. When times are especially tough, it is the purpose of the leader to cheer the team through it. It is the leaders job to remind the members of the team just what they are capable of getting done. The team leader is someone who provides guidance, instruction, direction, leadership to a group of other individuals for the purpose of achieving the team results. It is their job not only to ensure that the standards of their team are high and the tasks that have been assigned are being done, but also to ensure that the team spirit and morale of their team is kept. But good and effective team leader knowledgeable in managing conflict can result in benefits for a team. All leaders are not the same, but they share a common trait. They don’t lead in traditional â€Å"to-down† manner (Information. com). Tyrants can no longer effectively manage a diverse, highly-educated, flexible, and independent workforce. Business and team leadership in 21st is more a matter of influencing the culture within which work is done, in the pursuit of a shared goal. Inspiring teamwork is a skill that allows people the freedom to achieve new heights of accomplishment through effective use of the teams collective skills. In this way you allow people to fulfill their own destiny, their work becomes the vehicle that will allow them to achieve both their professional and their personal goals. A leader is not always the leader of a country or a ‘movement’. A leader can be in so many different walks of life, be it business, entertainment, sport, politics, charities etc. But, in whatever field, it seems there are these certain traits that characterize a good leader. True leadership is only developed by those who continually work and study to improve them. Even the so-called born leaders need to constantly work on self improvement.. Many of the studies of team leadership have employed a behavior oriented approach, derived from job analytic methods. In some of the earliest research on team leaders, McGrath (1962) outlined several functions the team leader should serve. Leaders perform a diagnostic function by monitoring team performance (and comparing it to accepted standards) and a remedial function by taking action to improve group performance. Leaders also perform a forecasting function by watching environmental conditions (and their potential effects on team performance) and a preventive function by attempting to avert the negative effects of a volatile environment. Zenger, Musselwhite, Hurson, and Perrin (1994) also took a functional approach to team leadership and used questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups to outline the practices and skills of successful team leaders. The team leader is typically a member of the team who provides guidance and support and has ultimate responsibility for the outcomes of the team. As such, the success of a team leader is often measured in terms of both the cohesiveness of the team as well as producing some tangible outcome. Interestingly, little systematic research has been conducted on the success factors underlying effective team leadership. In a separate article, â€Å"How to Be an Effective Team Leader† (Technology, 2004), it says that there are five characteristics of effective team leader (a) Coach, Don’t Demonstrate – demonstrating the task rather than to provide supportive direction, (b) Provide constructive criticism by communicating the good and the bad actions and providing clear suggestion to improve the assigned task, (c) Back off- show team members hey’ll get a fair chance to demonstrate what they can do without interference, (d) Try to be Positive – during hard time, regain team motivation by discussing with them what needs to be changed and listen to what they have to say, and lastly (e) Value your Group’s Ideas – consider each and every idea that your generate and encourage them to communicate their insights on a regular basis. Team Confl ict: Without a good team leader, the team could not function effectively and later on could lead to conflict between team members. The best way a good leader resolves conflicts is with communication, allowing everyone to express themselves, be open to criticism, and processes the ability to encourage compromise and negotiation. Conflict in teams is a significant contributor to poor performance, but seldom is it dealt with effectively. This section will help with a basic understanding of conflict and how to deal with it (Teambuilding. Inc, 2001-2007). Conflict. This is a word that causes most of us a great degree of discomfort, anger, frustration, sadness, and pain. Conflict arises from the clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). If the management of that conflict is not effective, it can totally disrupt the entire group process. The dictionary defines conflict as a struggle to resist or overcome; contest of opposing forces or powers; strife; battle. A state or condition of opposition; antagonism; discord. A painful tension set up by a cla sh between opposed and contradictory impulses. No matter how hard we try to avoid it, conflict periodically enters our lives. In the workplace, a simple disagreement between team members, if unresolved, may escalate into avoidance, inability to work together, verbal assaults, and resentment. In the worst cases, it may also lead to hostility and eventual separation from the organization. Many people and organizations view conflict as a negative, or something to be avoided. Yet conflict, differences, or disagreements are a natural result of people working together. Also, without conflict, teams can become complacent and not perform at optimum levels. The challenge then becomes, how should the team be prepared for this stage of their existence, and how should the team leader facilitate through it? (Cappozzoli (1995) and Alessandra (1993)) In some articles from the web, causes of conflict were itemized into eight possible causes. These are (a) perceived breach of faith and trust between individuals, (b) unresolved disagreement, (c) miscommunication leading to unclear expectation, (d) personal clashes, (e) differences in acquired values, (f) underlying stress and tension, (g) ego problem, and lastly (h) combination of the above (Teambuilding. Inc, 2001-2007). According to Cappozzoli (1995) and Alessandra (1993) some common sources of group conflict are: 1) values of team members, 2) attitudes of team members 3) goals / expectations – the processes and expected outcomes 4) roles and responsibilities of team members 5) limited resources 6) personalities 7) interdependency and 8) increased interaction (frequency). On the other hand, Thompson, Aranda and Robbins defined two types of conflict â€Å"A-Type; emotional† and†C-Type; cognitive†, Type-A, emotional conflict, involves interpersonal friction not related to the task and is considered harmful conflict, but Type C, task-oriented conflict, revolves around discussion and debates about the task itself, and can promote productivity. In our book (Langton, 2004), it was summarized into three variables communication, structures, and personal variables. It says that one of the sources of conflict is communication through semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and â€Å"noise† in the communication channel. But communication is certainly not the source of all conflict. These are structures and personal variables as well. The structures includes the variables such as group size, degree of specialization in the task assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, rewards systems, and degree of dependency between group. Personal variables, on the other hand, include the individual value system that each person has, and the personality characteristics that account for individual idiosyncrasies and difference (Langton, 2004, pp. 87-189). Other version of why conflict arises is coming from Stulburg (1987) Five-P’s of Conflict management :(a) Perceptions: People associate conflict with negative responses such as anger, fear, tension, and anxiety. Rarely do we perceive any benefits from being involved in a dispute. Our negative perceptions impact our approach in resolving conflict as we strive to eliminate the source of these negative feel ings. (b) Problems: Anyone can be involved in a conflict, and the amount of time, money, and equipment needed for resolution will vary according to its complexity. c) Processes: There are different ways to go about resolving disputes: Suppress the conflict, give in, fight, litigate, mediate, etc. (d). Principles: We determine the priorities of all resolution processes on the basis of an analysis of our fundamental values regarding efficiency, participation, fairness, compliance, etc. (e) Practices: Power, self-interest, and unique situations are all factors relating to why people resolve disputes the way they do. Stulberg proposed these patterns as an aid for formal mediators, but anyone dealing with conflict can benefit from understanding the elements common to disagreements. Furthermore, Conflict arises from the clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). If the management of that conflict is not effective, it can totally disrupt the entire group process. However the old saying that which does not kill us will make us stronger illustrates how successfully managed conflict can benefit the group. Conflict in work teams is not necessarily destructive. It can lead to new ideas and approaches to organizational processes, and increased interest in dealing with problems. Conflict, in this sense, can be considered positive, as it facilitates (a)the surfacing of important issues and provides opportunities for people to develop their communication and interpersonal skills, (b) motivating team to examine a problem they would have overlooked; (c) forcing them to re-examine a solution and be more innovative; and lastly (d) increasing team interest and energy, thus reinforcing solidarity and cohesiveness. On the other hand, conflict becomes negative when it is left to escalate to the point where people begin to feel defeated, and a combative climate of distrust and suspicion develops (A. F. Bowditch, 1997)Nelson (Nelson, 1995) cautions that negative conflict can (a) destroy a team quickly, and often arises from poor planning, (b) leading to crucial information being withheld and to work patterns being disrupted, (c) diverting team’s energy towards destructive ends, and (d) undermining their credibility in the eyes of outsiders and clients. Some high potential areas from which negative conflict issues commonly arise: (a) administrative issues, (b) people resources, (c) cost overruns, (d) schedules, and lastly (e) responsibilities. Team members can and should attempt to avoid negative conflict to occurring. With this information, negative conflict will therefore result to possible productivity and motivational loss to all employees. An effective charter covers areas such as the team’s purpose, goals, methods, resources, boundaries, commitments, and process checks. Properly constructed, it can provide a basis to work through the normal issues encountered by new teams and help them deal more effectively with the conflicts that are certain to arise (Thompson, Aranda, Robbins et al 253). In addition to the charter, the team should develop a good set of ground rules to guide the expectations for interaction of the group and the resolution of any conflict in the team. The ground rules should be clear and agreed upon everyone on the team. There are lots of more going on beneath the surface – with the organization, between and within teams and within individuals. The first step is to clarify the causes of the conflict. In other to identify these, some questions such as; Are there unclear accountabilities? Are there mismatched expectations? Are leaders clear at communicating what they expect? And have leaders provided the appropriate resources and sources to meet the expected organizational goal? should be considered. In ICRA Learning Resources(Fuente : Oomkes and Team, 1992) , it reviews the stages of conflict as (a) Nervousness – debate begins to get heated and opponents take different position, (b) Neurosis – views become fixed, opponents become the â€Å"enemy†. To â€Å"give in†at this stage means loss of face. Threats are made. ; and lastly (c) Combat- enemies becomes faceless, threats are often carried out, coalistion form, fighting may become physical. Conflict Resolution Nevertheless, if conflict arises, there are methods or key principles in resolving conflicts (a) take shared responsibility for the conflict, (b) recognize and appreciate differences among people, (c) preserve individual dignity, (d) listen carefully and with empathy, listen to understand, communicate, don’t debate, (e) be calm, don’t give in to emotional outburst or reactions, (f) vulnerability is the key to successful resolution, therefore open up and share your feeling, (g) don’t assume people are being difficult intentionally, (h) choose a safe place or person with whom you can vent and clarify the issue for yourself, (i) generate solutions and find agreement, and lastly, (j) follow up to assure resolution and modify as necessary (Conflict). Effectively managing conflict allows teams to stay focused on their goals. When it comes to teamwork, a persons ability to build relationships, work with others, and communicate effectively can be more important than his or her technical expertise (Dawson, 2005) Rayeski and Bryant (E. , 1994) recommended that we use Team Resolution process when conflict arises. Conflict should first be handled on an informal basis between the individual involved. This, they say, allow time for resolution or self-correction by the individual. But if this doesn’t solve the conflict, a mediator can be brought in to help resolve the situation. If resolution is not achieved the dispute should be openly discussed in a team meeting. A formal discipline process needs to occur, if resolution is not achieved after being addressed at the team level. The escalation process of the Team Resolution is as follows : a) collaboration –handling the new problem person to person(one on one)-Handle the new problem person-to-person. Use as many facts as possible and relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest and conduct the session in a private setting. Document the concerns or issues, the dates, and the resolution, if any, and have both parties sign it. (b) mediation one on one with mediator, If collaboration did not work or was inappropriate, handle the problem with a mediator. The mediator must be trained in conflict resolution, understand policy and ethics, be trusted by the team, and have the ability to remain neutral. Gather facts and talk over the issue with the people involved. Bring up as many facts as possible and relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest and conduct the mediation session in private. Document it and have all parties sign. A mediation is a process by which the conflicting sides call on a third party to help resolve their conflict. However, it is not the same as arbitration. Mediation can only occur if both parties are wiling to find a solution and if the mediator is respected by both of them. The role of mediator is then to make them aware of their shared interests. The conflicting parties keep control of the decision making process. c) team counselling handle the conflict at a team meeting; put the problem on the next agenda and invite the necessary individuals. The conflict is now a definite issue to the team. Collaboration and/or Mediation could not be done, were not appropriate, or did not work. Handle the conflict at a team meeting; put the problem on the next agenda and invite the necessary individuals. Again, bring up the facts, relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest, discuss it in a private setting, document it, and have all parties sign it. Anyone on the team can put an issue or problem on the team agenda, however, this step should be used only after Collaboration, and Mediation has been ruled out. Another method approach to conflict management is Endelburgs 4 Rs Method as presented below: 1) Reasons- The causes or reasons for the conflict are explored and openly, yet respectfully discussed. 2) Reactions. Team members look at their own reactions to the conflict. If those reactions are destructive, rather than constructive, individuals can self-correct and take the necessary steps to recommit to team success. 3) Results. If the conflict is not resolved, what might happen? How might the team work together to resolve the conflict in a constructive manner? 4) Resolution. Which approach to conflict resolution could be used to effectively resolve the conflict? (Engleburg, 2003). On the other hand, ICRA Learning Resources also suggested Ways of Dealing with conflict: (a) Ignoring the conflict and living with consequences; (b) going into confrontation and fighting; (c) giving in, freely or under pressure; (d) negotiation –this is the best method when both parties stand to gain something, when both have some power and when they are interdependent; (e) calling in respected intermediaries as mediators; and lastly (f) referring to arbitration: this disempowers the team and may weaken it; always try to solve the conflict within the team first. Arbitration is done by an outside authority figure. They are called in to decide how conflict is to be solved. This is usually based on facts and the conflict parties’ rights. It is formal process. The conflicting parties relinquish all control on decision making process. This process is needed when some of the conflicting parties feel they stand to gain because of their rights concerning the issue and when other methods have failed. However, arbitration by outsiders have some disadvantages: (a) time may be wasted waiting for a suitable arbitration to become available; (b) someone form outside the team will only be concerned with the facts. They are not likely to know the deeper emotional factors, and lastly (c) communication can become strained within the team and members could take â€Å"side† which makes agreement difficult to reach. Leadership demands a delicate balance between sensitivity and authority, between the whole and the parts, between loose and tight leadership styles, between functional expertise and cross-functional excellence (width of knowledge), internal (creating value for organization and employees) and external (creating value for investors, customers, and society). † (Kotelnikov, 2008, p. 27) Understanding and appreciating the various viewpoints involved in conflict are key factors in its resolution. The best way a good leader resolves conflicts is with communication, allowing everyone to express themselves, be open to criticism, and processes the ability to encourage compromise and negotiation. Another way leadership skills are amplified is by the leader’s behaviour when problems arise and how conflict is handled. One minute the team leader may be a referee, the next minute, the role changes to coach, all in all, the group is looking for the leader to handle the conflict fairly. Maintaining the groups cohesiveness is an indirect reflection of the teams leader and conflicts can determine the effectiveness a leader has on the group. The ideal leader will â€Å"make people believe they have benefited from the conflict when â€Å"(1) a new solution is implemented, the problem is solved, and it is unlikely to emerge again, and (2) work relationships have been strengthened and people believe they can work together productively in the future. † (Bateman Snell, 2004, p. 443) Recommendation: Based on the above information, it is recommended that an effective leader is required to be a coach, provide a positive criticism, back off if necessary, try to be positive and values group ideas. An effective leader should also be able to be resolve and address conflicts within his team members. Not all conflicts are destructive, if resolved effectively it can lead to personal and professional growth. Team resolution process recommended by Rayeski and Bryant is a formal discipline process which an effective leader can use if resolution is not achieved after being addressed at the team level. Conclusion/ Remarks Leaders are people who write down goals and strive to achieve them. They understand the importance of goal setting and the example that they are teaching by doing this. We often hear the words â€Å"Great leaders are made, not born†. There are many well-educated and motivated people who lack the knowledge of how to lead people. You can test the effectiveness of a leader once conflict arises in his organization. An effective leader should be able to identify, manage, inspire and resolve the dispute to regain the stability of his organization. Thus, this is why leadership is a very challenging task. A good team leader should be able to articulate and communicate the team’s rules, goals and expected duties clearly and persuasively, while also being able to be diplomatic in the face of any conflict. By correctly positioning the individual member strengths and compensating for weaknesses, the leader can bring the team into a productive balance and harmony.

Gun control is an important part of controlling violence in our Research Paper

Gun control is an important part of controlling violence in our society - Research Paper Example It is important to place a balance between opponents and supporters of stringent gun laws. I neither support nor oppose this debate just like few Americans and the rest of the World. It is a fact that most people are used to gun culture and, I point this to the biased manipulation of the National Riffle Association, and at the same time discouraging that most Americans are placing gun ownership as a top priority. I do not deem someone must own a gun in order to be safe. Most of people who are civilized believe that possessing a gun poses them and their families a great risk. Unfortunately, a criminal is more likely to use your personal gun against you in the event of a squabble with him. People who are intelligent believe that it is even safer to dial 911 than own a gun. It is important to train with your gun regularly, or spend a full day shooting with a qualified instructor. Although this is a time consuming and expensive practice, it is the responsibility of the gun owner to follo w these simple but vital directions. As a student I need adequate security, and have owned guns for many years. The reason as to why I possess guns is to protect myself and family since the police may not respond quickly when called. Guns are important for self-defence given that it may not be possible for the police to arrive quickly if someone raids your premises or attacks you. Although you will blame the police for lack of co-operation, but this is not their problem. I possess a gun as well and really understand the significance of a gun to an individual. I do not believe there is any one who would wish for a world without guns. The world without guns could only be suitable if there could be no violence. Guns protect people from aggressive men who are always striving to do anything they want. This is where a man can commit a serious crime without the intervention of any one. Guards who are not armed are the most people at risk; a few weeks ago a prison guard was stabbed to death by an armed lone prisoner. This is an ultimate proof that gun ownership is very imperative for self defence. Another incident of lack of gun ownership is an attack involving several assailants. I can confidently conclude that a world without guns is not safe to both the rich and poor. It is a reality that owning a gun goes along way with responsibility, but regrettable that most guns kept in the home are most likely used by the owners to threaten family members or to commit suicide instead of self-defence. Gun control is increasingly creating serious attention from the United States of America government and the rest of the world after the appalling mass execution that took place in Connecticut many years ago. I do believe the most important factor to consider when focusing on this particular policy is the magnitude of damage caused by guns and its risks to people. Numerous people have died due to gun violence in the past. Currently the united states of America accounts for approxi mately 8,000 murders with firearms every year .According to the World Health Organization’s Global Burden of Disease, it states about 1,100,000 years of vigorous life is lost every year due to deliberate brutality. The research further states that approximately two thirds of this are equivalent to 650,000 years, which is about 1% of the entire trouble of disease and grievance in the United States. The research also suggests suicide accounts for years of healthy life lost than murder. According to Wiblin,

Market Plan and Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Market Plan and Strategy - Coursework Example Goal: The objective of this business is to reduce the fright or anxiety of individuals regarding their surgery or any sort of medical treatment by providing them personal, professional, friendly and confidential consultation. Customers see the services of different providers as similar and do not care about providers as compare to the price. The solution of this price competition is to create differentiation. â€Å"Medical tourism† will give its customers proper services they do not need to worry about their reports’ result as the company will not just guide them, but the company would also resolve their translation issue of reports. Company will set complementary product pricing. This strategy would allow the company to charge a high price for its complementary services. The basic services of â€Å"Medical Tourism† is to guide customers and make appointments with required or suitable physician. Additional price will be charged for translating and interpreting services (Rao, 2009). There are many questions of patients and their relatives regarding health. Therefore; there is an identified need for medical consulting firms. The consulting business would consult patients for surgical decisions or medical diagnosis. The promotion of services is a challenge in comparison to the products because people cannot touch or feel these services until they buy them (Lovelock, and Wirtz, 2011). Therefore, promotion will be done through the distribution of brochures at different places. For promotion, medical tourism would work with local businesses such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, churches, taxi-cab services and bus stations. Medical tourism would distribute its brochures to all places including homes boxes. Website of the company would provide all information related to the services and it will help in educating people. The most important promotion tool for such businesses is â€Å"word of mouth†. Company will hire experienced people who will give the complete

Principles of Entrepreneurship class, Extra credit case study

Principles of Entrepreneurship class, Extra credit - Case Study Example s market segment based on their discretionary incomes (pertaining to the young professionals which constitute a significant portion of 40% of the target market segment). Some financial data can also be obtained on the rest of the target market, which are the college students (40%) and the local music scene enthusiasts (20%) on how much they can spend on some of these discretionary entertainment expenditures, which can evaporate if there is a recession. The business environment section of this case study is too brief and gives only a very cursory approach to the whole entrepreneurial venture. Perhaps more information should be a necessity of the project proponents, especially if they intend to raise venture capital or will likely borrow additional working capital from commercial banks. All additional information should be a plus, since it would show they had done their homework and in turn will convince potential investors in the future. An example is actual population figures that comprise the so-called younger generations and their percentage to the entire local population. Another example will be a more detailed copy of the revitalization plans of the city, which can affect traffic routes and congestion or availability of parking areas. Zoning regulations also need to be looked into, so as to determine the most favorable location for the new bar. What is its competitive advantage? The only combined bar, music venue and specialty liquor lounge within the area. The closest competitor is the Sub-Zero Bar, which incidentally also offers vodka, similar to the Noiz Vodka Bar in terms of its specialization in the liquor industry as the main form of client offering. However, this type of competitive advantage supposedly enjoyed by the Noiz Vodka Bar once it opens is something that is not easily defensible, as any other local bar within its immediate vicinity can change their strategy and also offer a similar type of packaging of products and services for their

Marketing E-Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing E-Business - Essay Example The e-businesses should adopt a differentiating strategy. They should differentiate the services that they offer and create a whole new experience that they should offer to the end users of their product. As the new technology emerges, the e-businesses need to catch up with the technology and they also need to innovate and focus on their customers. The e-businesses need to keep their core focus as their customers. They need to offer value-added services to the customers that no other portal or B2C business is offering. In providing the consumers with these value added services, the e-businesses should also consider the fact that these value-added services are also agreed upon by the sponsors. The e-businesses need sponsors as well to support them which, again is an important factor to consider for the e-businesses. Thus, in short, what the e-businesses need to focus on is creating their own brands, focusing on the customers needs, providing them with a total new experience not offered by others, providing value added services and also taking along the sponsors agreement. Google's strategy of brokering of media types is a unique strategy that no other competitors of Google have adopted up till yet. This strategy is inline to what Google actually need to define its brand in the way. The strategy will help Google continue with what it actually does and will support the running strategy of Google. Google's strategy that it has adopted is an effective and an efficient one. The actual strategy of Google is targeting its target audience in small market niches. When Google will acquire YouTube then this will result in the ability for Google to cover the market niches and advertise more effectively. Advertising issues relating to Google will probably come to an end and Google will be able to advertise its upcoming value added services to its customers in a more efficient way. This strategy of Google is a 'differentiating strategy' that will help Google differentiate itself from its competitors. Especially in the U.S., this strategy has not been adopted by any of the competitors of Google. The media industry and Google has good ties. This is evident from the Google Ads that we see on every other site and almost all the websites support Google in it's this strategy. Thus, the strategy of brokering of media types is an effective strategy that will help Google differentiate itself from its competitors and Google can achieve a uniqueness competency through this strategy. The strategy also serves as a solution to the media ads and advertising problems of Google and also is inline with Google's current strategy. 3. What must a brick and mortar company do to transform its strategy when it decides to transform into an e-Business Brick & Mortar Company Transforms to E-Business -Strategy Transformation When a brick and mortar company decides to transform into an e-business, the first and foremost thing it needs to do is project its target audience and then change its strategy according to the type its target audien

Winning customers for life with relationship marketing Essay

Winning customers for life with relationship marketing - Essay Example Marketing was quite interesting me due to the fact that relationship marketing is a technique that can increase the sales figures of a company. Many companies are able to generate first time sales, but retaining customers is the key to having a successful business model. It is said that 80% of your sales are generated by 20% of your customers. Finding and retaining good customers can help companies build a business that can succeed in the long run. The use of a relationship marketing plan can help companies identify customers that are valuable to the firm. When a firm can identify its best customers companies can create targeted marketing campaigns. An interesting finding from the article was the fact that marketing has become processized. Using technology can help marketers analyze information better which can help firms achieve greater results. Marketing automation can be used in order to analyze data faster and to obtain update data and information. This can help companies make be tter operating and strategic decisions. The ten steps require for executing relationship marketing automation are: build your database, segment your list, design your communication, build your microsite, include a survey, schedule and send your campaign, follow-up on leads, nurture prospects, analyze campaign results, and repeat the process (Vtrenz, 2007). The purpose of marketing is to is to satisfy the customers’ needs better than the competition. ... The ten steps require for executing relationship marketing automation are: build your database, segment your list, design your communication, build your microsite, include a survey, schedule and send your campaign, follow-up on leads, nurture prospects, analyze campaign results, and repeat the process (Vtrenz, 2007). Chapter Five Summary The purpose of marketing is to is to satisfy the customers’ needs better than the competition. Companies that are able to serve the needs of the customers are the ones that are achieve greater market penetration and a higher level of success. Customer behavior can be defined as the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations select, buy, sell, and dispose of goods, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and desire. Customer behavior is influenced by a variety of factors. Both marketing and environmental stimuli enter into the buyer’s consciousness. Cultural factors are very influential in customer’s decisi ons. Culture is considered the fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behavior. Cultures are composed of different subcultures that provide specific identification and socialization for their members. There are different social classes within the different societies across the world. They are relative homogenous and enduring divisions in society. There are seven ascending levels of social classes. The seven levels are: 1) lower lowers; 2) upper lowers; 3) working class; 4) middle class; 5) upper middles; 6) lower uppers; 7) upper uppers. People from the same social class tend to behave similarly then people from different social classes. Some of the things that differentiate social classes are dress, speech patterns, and recreational preferences.

The Object-oriented Analysis - OOA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Object-oriented Analysis - OOA - Essay Example The School of Technology at Oxford Brookes University is undertaking the computerization of the process for preparing question papers for its various departments. The process involves communication between the Examination and Conferment Unit (ECU), module leaders, teaching staff, internal checkers, the exam secretary, and external examiners. The computerization project aims to improve the current system, which is considered quite tedious by the different parties involved. The new system, which shall be named â€Å"School of Technology Modular Examination and Coursework Preparation† (STMECP System), must address the issues associated with the current system while meeting quality assurance requirements in the preparation of question papers. An initial Requirements Elicitation and Specification has already been conducted. The project team elicited and analysed users’ requirements for the new system and identified both functional and non-functional requirements, as well as identified and analysed use cases and scenarios. The next step is to produce detailed requirements specifications using requirements modeling tools which help control the complexity, risk, and scope of the project. Requirements modeling also help and define goals and success criteria in an unambiguous manner for all the parties involved in the development and eventual use of the system. Complex requirements can be modeled with full traceability provided from each requirement, through to the final deliverables and system behavior (Sparx-Req Mgt, 2008). As defined during Requirements Elicitation and Specification, the functional requirements of the new system are divided into two areas: 1) the preparation of questions, solutions and other exam and coursework materials, and 2) the preparation and update of the TEO forms.Use cases are goal-oriented sets of interactions between actors and the system. For the STMECP system, the actors are the exam secretary (ES), module leaders (ML), memb ers of the teaching staff (TS), internal checkers (IC), and external examiners (EE).  

Dell's Product Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dell's Product Policy - Essay Example This translates to their system having low cash conversion cycle hence cash is generated steadily. However, the system has its limitations. The low inventory held means shortage is a possibility in cases where manufacturers delay in supplying the PC chips, like in 1996. The very high dependence on on-time component supply by manufacturers poses a major threat to steady supply. In addition, changes in product means an overhaul in processes which is an expensive venture. This means that working capital can be funded through the management of inventory and cash flow cuts (Ruback & Sesia 2003). Working capital is the measure of efficiency and liquidity in a company. To obtain the computation, one needs to subtract current liabilities from the firm’s current assets. Inventory process For comparison, we assume that the cost of goods sold by the competitors remains constant. We observe that the carrying costs only depend on the DSI (Ruback & Sesia 2003). For 1995, the cost of sales = $2737, equivalent to a daily COS of 2737/365= $7.5% We make a comparison with the highest observed DSI of the competitor, Compaq, 73. Hence the inventory Compaq holds over dell is (73-32)*75=$307.5 m This means that for Compaq to acquire new goods, it has to sell its old inventory. Since new technology is 30% cheaper, Compaq incurs and an opportunity loss, given by 0.3*307.5=$92.25m Cash funding This provides a simple way for the company to grow its assets in the short term without borrowing long term. Assume we want to grow the cash by 52% for 1996 internally. The total assets denoted TA for 1995 is computed as follows: TA (1995) =1594-484=1110. As a fraction of sales, 1110/3475=0.3194 or 31.94%. Assuming that they want to hold this for 1996, the required increase in the total assets without long term investment is given by 0.3194*0.52*3475=579.37m. This should be done without the increasing account payables (as this is an external means). This means that the cumulative liabilities should be computed excluding these payables, i.e. for CL (cumulative liabilities) for 1995=1594-403 and for 1996=2184-466. The change in current assets not factoring in accounts payable is the difference in the two values, yielding a value $491m. Assuming the company adopts the same strategy of maintaining the profit generated, the net profit to sales ratio should remain constant. This value computed as 149/3475=0.0429 or 4.29%. We can determine the cash flow from net profit for 1996 by holding the sales value constant, computed as shown, .0429*1.52*3475=$226.89m, surpassing the debt level as the total cash inflow which is the sum of the net profit and the increase in liabilities against the cash outflow required for 1996 Fund growth for 1997 The increase in total assets, TA for 1996, 2148-591=1557 as ratio of sales, 1557/5296=0.294 or 29.4 %.Assuming a growth of 50% is desired, the increase in 1997 is given by 0.294*0.5*5296=778.51m. For cumulative liabilities, CA as a ratio of th e sales value is given as (2148-466)/5296=0.316 or 31.6%. Hence the cash flow from the change in the current assets in 1997 is given by 2523-(2148-466) =841m. The net profit as a ratio of sales in1996 =272/5296 = 0.0514 or 5.14%. Hence the cash flow from operating profit for 1997 is given as 0.0514*1.5*5296=408.32m.This means that Dell Corporation has the ability to fund itself in 1997 internally without external injection of capital. (Ruback & Sesia 2003) Aventis

How To Tell a True War Story Essay Example for Free

How To Tell a True War Story Essay The chapter â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story† tells various stories by different characters, on which the author, Tim O’Brian comments through metafictive statements such as â€Å"a true war story is never moral†. Through this short story within the book, the author offers the opportunity to understand the art of writing about War. The story with the â€Å"baby buffalo† is an excellent example of the sophisticated implementation of O’Brian’s ideas about â€Å"how to tell a true war story†. I will examine each of the author’s instructions with regard to the story and analyze why this story is a â€Å"true war story† according to the author. â€Å"The [author has] told it before -many times, many versions’, but [now tells] what actually happened†. This immediately raises the question, why the author failed to tell the true story before: it might be the case that it was too embarrassing for him to tell. After all a soldier tortured an innocent animal, while the others were watching him without intervening. In this sense O’Brian’s metafictive statement about embarrassment proves to be accurate in this case. Furthermore the fact that Curt Lemon played â€Å"catch with Rat† and â€Å"was dead† instantly after it, indicates emotional detachment of the author and the reader is left with many questions about this single sentence: How did this happen so quickly? Why is the author so emotionally detached from his death? Is it really what happened or is it what seemed to happen? After all if somebody dies in a war, it seems so quick and the factual and emotional truth is hard to separate. It might very well be the case that the description about Lemon’s death is â€Å"skewed† because â€Å"what seems to happen becomes its own happening†: since Lemon died so unexpectedly, the author tells it in a way he â€Å"felt it to happen†. One moment alive another moment dead already. After Rat’s best friend died, he deals with his sorrow and emotional pain by torturing a harmless animal, a baby buffalo. His motivation: â€Å"wasn’t to kill, it was to hurt†. After â€Å"opening a can of C rations† for the buffalo, â€Å"he took careful aim and shot off an ear†. Then â€Å"he shot twice in the flanks†. At the end â€Å"he shot off a tail and shot in the left front knee†. Although this is â€Å"evil and obscene† human behavior, â€Å"nobody said much†. Even the author describes the event emotionally isolated, without â€Å"having a moral or suggesting proper human behavior†. He merely explains what happened, â€Å"without offering abstractions or analysis†. While Rat’s deeds seem to be morally wrong and very cruel’ â€Å"it is hard to extract the meaning†. One really has to â€Å"look under to surface to unravel the deeper meaning†. Seemingly the torture of the animal is unnecessary but it is the only way Rat can deal with the loss of his best friend. He is angry at the whole world for loosing him; after all he is only a â€Å"kid†. The story in this sense is not about war at all: we had no description of the enemy who killed Rat or any combat action. We are left with the sorrow and pain that the war caused. In this sense â€Å"a true war story is never about war. It’s about sunlight†¦love and memory†. All in all it is clear that almost every statement about â€Å"how to tell a true war story† is implemented in this single story.

History of Aluminum Essay Example for Free

History of Aluminum Essay Aluminum as a metal came to its existence only 200 years ago. However, Dmitry Eskin noted that almost 2000 years ago, Pleny the Elder â€Å"mentions a strange, light, and silvery metal in his Historia Naturalis which might indicate that aluminum may have been discovered accidentally and then forgotten† (Eskin 2008, p. 1). Citing the work of Pleny the Elder, Eskin puts it: â€Å"One day a gold smith in Rome was allowed to show the Emperor Tiberius a dinner plate of a new metal. The plate was very light, and almost as bright as silver. The goldsmith told the Emperor that he had made the metal from plain clay. He also assured the Emperor that only he, himself, and the gods knew how to produce these metal from clay. The emperor felt immediately, however, that all his treasures of gold and silver would decline in value if people started to produce this bright metal of clay. Therefore, instead of giving the goldsmith the regard expected, he ordered him to be beheaded† (p. 1). The existence of this young metal was established by an Englishman H.  Davy in 1808 which he called â€Å"aluminium,† but this name was later changed to Aluminum (USA). Thus, both aluminium (U. K. ) and aluminum continues to be use to call this metal. Nevertheless, it was not until 1825 that pure aluminum was extracted by the Dane N. C. Oerested, though actually, he was only able to produce tiny amounts. Eskin pointed out that between 1827 and 1845, the German F. Wohler â€Å"developed the first process to produce aluminum powder by reacting potassium with anhydrous aluminum chloride† (p. ). It was also Wohler who determined some physical properties of aluminum such as its density which according to Eskin, â€Å"appeared to be the most remarkable characteristic of the new metal† (p. 1). Citing the description of Jules Verne about this newly discovered metal in his â€Å"From the Earth to the Moon† in 1865, Verne wrote: â€Å"This valuable metal possesses the whiteness of silver, the indestructibility of gold, the tenacity of iron, the fusibility of copper, the lightness of glass. It is easily wrought, is very widely distributed, forming the base of most rocks, is three times lighter than iron, and seems to have been created for the purpose of furnishing us with the material for our projectile† (p. 2) By 1854, a French chemist by the name of Henri Etienne Sainte-Claire Deville improved the method used by Wohler which facilitated the aluminum commercial production that resulted to the dropping of price from approximately $1200 per kilogram in 1852 to just about forty dollars per kilogram in 1859. But aluminum’s price remained costly for voluminous use. Not long when Charles Martin Hall discovered an inexpensive method for the aluminum production. Mary Bellis noted that extracting pure aluminum was not easy as it is never found free in nature. This difficulty made aluminum a precious metal during this period, but with Martin hall’s invention of aluminum processor which was patented in 1888 had made aluminum processing easy that brought aluminum price down to an even lower at eighteen cents a pound (Bellis, Mary). According to the American society for metals, aluminum is the most â€Å"abundant metal in the earth’s crust† (ASM, ASM International Handbook Committee 1990, p. 35) was a development of this century. It derives its name from the Latin alumen meaning bitterness. The ASM International stated that aluminum was first exhibited in 1855, but it was difficult to obtain during this period that it was more expensive than gold. During this time, companies producing aluminum had difficulty attracting buyers due to its high cost at $2 a pound. It was only after one manufacturer discovered, it made good, inexpensive tea kettles that the price declined at cents a pound, and by the 1900 it was down to 32 cents per pound (p. 35). Production of aluminum however, was low until World War II, but in 1963, the aluminum industry which was undreamed of during the 1900, employed 35, 970 people in 951 plants with payroll of $221, 567,000. Thus in the first seven months of 1968 alone, more than 412,000 Mg (450 tons) of aluminum were cast in the United States. John Gilbert Kaufman and Elwin L. Rooy pointed out that the first important market for aluminum were the castings following the commercialization of the Hall-Heroult electrolytic reduction process (p. 1). Kaufman and Rooy stressed that at first application were merely â€Å"limited to curiosities such as house numbers, hand mirrors, combs, brushes, tie clamps, and decorative lamp housings that emphasized the light weight, silvery finish, and novelty of the new metal† (p. 1). Furthermore, Kaufman and Rooy cited that cast aluminum cookware was invented and was a welcome alternative to cast iron and brass pots, pans, and kettles (p. ). As the production of aluminum increases, its cost steadily declined, and by the end of the 19th century, â€Å"important engineering application became economically viable† (p. 1). From this point onward, the use of aluminum in some industry features prominently. Kaufman and Rooy stated that the use of aluminum played important role electrification. Aluminum was well suited to the electrification demand of a low-density, corrosion resistant, and high-conductivity wire and cable. Aluminum was also suited to transmission towers and cast installation hardware, and was also in demand to automotive pioneers who â€Å"sought innovative materials and product forms to differentiate the performance and appearance of their products† (Kaufman Rooy, p. 1). More importantly, Kaufman and Rooy noted that when the Wright Brothers succeeded in powerful flight, engine and other parts in cast aluminum â€Å"represented the beginning of a close collaboration with what would become the aviation industry† (p. 1). The earliest design rules for aluminum structures according to Randolph Kissell and Robert L.  Ferry were developed at Alcoa around 1930 and were used â€Å"to design the aluminum deck and floor beams installed on the Smithfield street Bridge in Pittsburg in 1933 (Ferry 2002, p. 217). After the publication of the American Society of Civil Engineers of an article entitled â€Å"Specification for Structures of a Moderate Strength Aluminum Alloy of High Resistance to Corrosion† in 1952 and similar other publications in 1956, major aluminum producers led by Alcoa as the number aluminum producer, followed by Reynolds and Kaiser began to developed structural design books for their product (Kissel Ferry, p. 17). From this point on, aluminum has become important components of the construction manual series which included the following: Section 1: Specifications for aluminum structures; section 1A: Commentary on Specifications for Aluminum Structure; section 2 Illustrative Examples of Designs; Section 3: Engineering Data for Aluminum Structures; and, section 5: Specification for Aluminum Sheet Metal Work in Building Construction (p. 18). From its humble beginnings, the use of aluminum has evolve from simple curiosities such as house numbers, combs, pins, and other small items made from aluminum, to become an important material in almost business industries from automotive to aero space industry, to construction industry. Below is a classification table for aluminum which characterizes its description and its properties.

Assessment Brief No1 Operations Strategy Business Essay

Assessment Brief No1 Operations Strategy Business Essay There are lots of research and studies about the functions of multinational retail companies in all over the world. All these studies mainly focused on the operations strategy and performance analysis of these big companies. Yet, no studies in this area specifically discussed the operations strategy contributions of small to medium sized companies operating in the retail industry and other industries as well. The main objective of this report is to give an understandable, well structured and interesting management of operations management as it applies in a UK based family owned SME named Azam Super market. The report gives the logical path through the performance of operations management and perceptive of their strategic context. The purpose of this report is to critically analyse and evaluate of the current operations strategy of Azam Super market, with respect to operations typology (4vs). The three methods of analysis utilized in this report include trend, horizontal and vertical analyses as well as current situation like implementation of new changes, issues and organisational performance. Results of case study not only confirmed that the smaller UK retailers have the potential to challenge the big players successfully by utilising the IT facilities, new ideas and possibilities of internet and inventory management, but also provides the selected company owners are not old fashioned and they are ready to utilise the service of information technology such as designing company own website and online shopping etc. Azam super markets organisational performances are above industry averages. In particular, comparative performance is good in medium sized company sector. The most important thing is the company owners are aware of the new trends and the immense opportunities of the implementation of information technology in their business. A review of the academic literature on the obstacles of the functioning of the formulation of competitive role, position and objectives and operations strategies in general and particularly related to retail SMEs, recommended that significant difficulties can be found in implementing operations strategies. The study suggests that performance of operations strategy in an SME should have sizeable impact on operational performance if the progression for implementation is well structured. Introduction Azam Super market is a newly opened family business owned by siblings Jaswindher singh, Pervindher and Hardeep Kaur based in UK. Azam Super market is mainly focuses on grocery, offering a wide variety of Indian food and dairy products. The organisation has got 5 full time employees and 2 part time employees under the administration of Hardeep Kaur, as she looks after administrated related activities. At the mean time Jaswindher singh support the business related activities like marketing and advertising and Pervindher singh responsible for purchasing or approving of goods and services needed by the organisation. Within short span of time Azam super market gained the trust and value of the community around the area and become a strong SME in that particular area. Now business is going up to next level with a constant increase in number of customers. The owners are really busy with business promotion and the increasing number of customer becomes a difficult task for them to satisfy eac h and every customers need and to operate in their traditional way. This report discusses how operations management were selected and then implemented in a small to medium enterprise named Azam Super market. It then goes on to which stage of performance contribution has been reached. Little attention has been paid to the strategy-making processes of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs), or to the effectiveness of strategic planning in the SME sector. Planning often fails because of implementation problems often associated with SMEs lack of capability to determine and overcome potential barriers to strategic planning (Ghobadian A O Regan N , Effective Strategic planning in small and medium sized firms, Journal: Management Decision, Volume-40, Number-7, year- 2002, pp 663-671, Online www.emeraldinsight.com ). During this research it is obviously clear that Azam super market owners are not different from strategy making processes of compared to other SMEs, they clearly lack knowledge in information technology that affect the strategic planning of the firm and there is a little attention has been paid to the operations planning of the company. The tremendous growth in the nature of the industry demands to look up into different areas in which the business is operatin g. It has become very clear to accept more long term planning than short term strategy for the long run of the company. In the long run of the business it should become less competitive with its competitors and unable to develop the business until they revolutionize their present business operation of traditional way in the changing global environment. It has become more necessary for Azam Super market to recognize the importance of academic approaches to the operations management. Azam super markets formulation of competitive role, position and objectives Operations management is a management of the way organisation manage all activities directly related to the products and services (Slack et al. 2010 p-2). The term operations management also offered in a selection of areas which includes production and operations management, analysis for production systems and design and engineering of production systems (Shim J K and Siegel J G, 1999 pp 1-4) According to Slack et al (2006 p-8) Operations management has got a vital role in small organisations as it is in large one. Apart from their size, every organisation needs to have and deliver their products and services efficiently and successfully. The most basic function of operations management has to implement new strategies within the organisation. Azam super market is planning to open 2 more retail outlets with in the areas where Asian communities are living together. The owners of the organisation are really passionate about the business and they are now realized the importance of the e commerce and other internet related opportunities to improve the business operations and explore new opportunity in the complex global environment. Innovative ideas, planning and control should increase organisation performance like dependability and flexibility. It definitely leads improved customer service and customer satisfaction. It will help the firm to retain customers in long term. In addition, many researchers argues that the utilize of personal connections, an innovative selling focus, a strong understanding of some characteristics of formal marketing as the key features of what can be termed SME marketing. The main workforce in the SMEs scrutinized emerges to demonstrate normally entrepreneurial behaviour in the absence of founding owners. These characteristics of SME marketing are not well recognized or investigated and subsequently formed the basis of this study (Hill J, Online 1995). A General model of operations management Operations Strategic Objectives The operations competitive role and position Design Operations Strategy Input transformed resources Output Products and services Materials information customers Improvement Input resources Customers Facilities Staff Planning and Control Input transforming resources Environment Source: Kalathummarath A N 2010 in Slack et al., 2004 p-5 Above model clearly shows how it works in an organisation. The main objectives of operations management are to reduce operational cost and to increase organisation performance. In operations strategy 3 basic things are being considered vital such as design, improvement and planning and control. By considering the current set up of Azam Super market it is obvious that hosting website and other online facilities will bring more customers and eventually that gives Azam super market a competitive edge in this industry. The introduction of website and online purchasing or other online services will place organisation in a strong position in their industry. It will also help to increase internal performance of company such as facilities of employees will improve that also affect the performance of the organisation. Hypothetically, operations management is similar in any size of companies. Though, in practice, organizing operations in a small or medium size company has its own set of problems. Small organizations like Azam super market have exactly the same operations management problems as large ones but they can be more problematical to split from the collection of other issues with in the organization. On the other hand, small operations can also have considerable advantages. It means that smaller firms can keep up their viewpoint of excellence amongst everybody in the company and it means that they can respond very rapidly when the market demands it. (Slack et al. 2010 pp 7-11) Operations Typology (4 Vs) Volume: more than average number of customers from a special ethnic group and average number of customers from other ethnic group. Variety: Medium-high since Azam Super market introduce new Indian products that is not available in the UK and also exploring new opportunities by opening 2 other retail outlets and launching of new website. Variation: It purely based on the demand pattern of the customers. For example if customers demand for more traditional Indian foods product in a special occasions like diwali. Ramzan or other religious festivals or special parties or marriage functions it is likely to be higher than normal season. Visibility: High visibility and medium contact skill. Even though, Azam Super market is a new organisation their owners are well experienced in business and their customer contact skills and personnel interactions with the customers and other people should be an asset for the company. The implications of 4vs in Azam super market All these 4Vs operations have implications for the cost of generating the products or services. To some extend position of an operation in the four dimensions is determined by the demand of the market it is serving. However, most of the operations have some discretion in moving themselves on the dimensions. (Slack et al. 2010 p-22) Figure below show the implication of such positioning. Volume High Low Variety High Low Variation High Low Visibility High Low Source: Slack et al. 2010 p-23 Rising demand of Indian foods or SME super market in the UK Financial crisis severely hit the  £3 billion Indian food industry but Indians continued to be hooked on the quality ready meals and other Indian products from super markets or corner stores. Other ethnic group people are also like spicy Indian food so it has got a tremendous potential in UK retail store industry. The industry figures shows that demand for Indian meals or other grocery items increasing rapidly and super market chains are struggling to meet the demands of consumers (Anon, Online, 2009). According to wiki it is estimated that about 2% of total population of UK are Indians or Indian origins. Major cities like London, Birmingham and Leicester consist of big Asian communities it gives SMEs like Azam Super market a great opportunity to expand their business in that particular industry. Operation strategy perspectives Operations strategy concerns the pattern of strategic decision and actions which sets the role, objectives and activities of the operation (Slack et al. 2010, p-62) While, the operations strategy content is about What the key decision areas that need to be addressed in developing an operations strategy are (Slack et. al., 2010, pp 62-63). According to Slack and Lewis Operations strategy is the total outline of decisions which figure out the long term capabilities of any type of operations and their contribution to the overall strategy, through the reconciliation of market requirements with operations resources (Online, Wiki books) The four perspectives on operations strategy Different authors have slightly different opinions about Operations strategy. Operations strategy is undoubtedly part of an organisations total strategy but this topic has slightly different views and definitions. Operations strategy might come out in a top-down or a bottom-up method with look upon to business and corporate strategies. Likewise, an operations strategy can be built up in reaction to market needs or be based on the capacity of its operations resources (Slack and Lewis, 2002). Each perspective places a different emphasis on the nature of the operations strategy process. Below shown chart of 4 perspectives not giving the full picture of what operations strategy is. But together they provide some idea of the pressure which goes to form the content of operations strategy Top-down Perspective What the business wants operations to do What day to day experience suggests operations should do Bottom-up Perspective Operations resources perspective What operations resources can do? Market requirements Perspective What the market position requires operations to do Operations Strategy Source: (Slack et al. 2010, p 65) In the top down perspective shows that what the whole group or business wants to do? In the bottom perspective where operations improvements cumulatively build strategy. Operations strategy involves translating market requirements into operations decisions. Operations strategy involves exploiting the capabilities of operations resources in chosen markets. Source: (Slack et al. 2010, p 65) In this case study about Azam super market a SME, many researches reveals that the IT offers exciting new opportunities for SMEs to develop their customer base into the global environment (Tetteh E Burn F, Online). In order to achieve these advantages in global strategy Azam Super market needs to implement a completely different approach to the strategic planning and management. This will comprises what type of new ideas the management wants to adopt and what parts of the areas in the UK to operate and to open new retail outlets and how to allocate the finance in different areas of business. This case study reveals that Azam super market is going through top-down perspective of operations strategy. According to this perspective, the task for operations would be determined logically from the business strategy. Using five operations performance objectives is one way of articulating the operations task (Slack Lewis, 2002). Azam super market should adopt bottom-up perspective of operations strategy. The bottom-up perspective is one in which the organization learns from its experiences, developing and enhancing its operational capabilities as operations managers try new things out in an almost experimental fashion using their workplaces as a kind of learning laboratory (Slack Lewis, 2002). They already been in the market for some years and got valuable experience from the particular industry. So it has been recommended that to adopt bottom-up perspective of operations strategy. The management in the system is well aware about the opportunities of internet based business. Experience from this industry is a massive advantage for them to take up their business in to next level. The only problem they are facing is Azam super market is targeting mainly a particular ethnic group. It might be a problem for them to develop more areas in future. Operational stage diagnosis Two professors named Hayes and Wheelwright have developed four stage models which should be helpful to evaluate the competitive role and contribution of the operations function of Azam super market. Stage 1 Internal neutrality When evaluate with other stages of operations it is crystal clear that this is the poorest level of contribution by the operations function. This is inward looking and very little positive to donate towards competitive success (Slack et al. 2010, p 63). Stage 2 External neutrality In this second stage this function is least helpful for the companies to instantly get in to the market in first stage, but it could be evaluating itself against the competitors performance and trying to adopt suitable ideas from them. By taking the best ideas and norms of performance from the rest of its industry, it is trying to be externally neutral (Slack et al. 2010, p 63). Stage 3 Internally supportive In stage 3 operations they have almost reached the initial division in their market. They may not be superior to their competitors but they are generally up with the best. The operation is trying to be internally supportive by providing a credible operations strategy (Slack et al. 2010, pp 63-64) Stage 4 Externally supportive In stage 4 companies are one which observes the market operations function as giving the base for its competitive success and operations appear to long term (Slack et al. 2010, p 64). According to these theories, Azam Super market stands in stage 3 operations and they are among the best in that particular segment. . Yet stage 3 operations still aspire to be clearly and unambiguously the very best in the market. They achieve this by gaining a clear view of the companys competitive or strategic goals and supporting it by developing appropriate operations resources. The operation is trying to be internally supportive by providing a credible operations strategy (Slack et. al., 2007). They been in this business for few years and got very good knowledge and experience. But they neither comes up in the top performers category nor in the under performers category. These arguments show that Azam Super market clearly comes in Stage 3 internally supportive operations. Management decision to utilise the opportunities of internet related service and to open new branches with in the selected ethnic majority areas brings them to stage 4 operations. A stage 4 company is one which sees the operations function as providing the foundation for its competitive success. Operations look to the long term. If forecasts likely changes in markets and it develop the operations-based capabilities which will be required to compete in future market conditions. Stage 4 operations are innovative, creative and proactive and are driving the companys strategy by being one step ahead of competitors (Slack et. al., 2007) Conclusion The implementation of Information technology related services operations in SMEs brings them forward in to the global economy and it eventually gives them courage to face the competition from their opponents. Electronic related services and effective organising competence are shaping the competitive performance of SMEs in global economy. The internet has become a vital role in every part of human activities like education, business, advertisement, and communication with massive innovative technologies and ideas of human interactivity. Meantime, SMEs in the UK has increased their operations in internet to expand their business with the help of its global reach. The main findings in this case study are some positive approach from the management to accept and utilise the massive opportunities of internet related services and to open new branches in other areas to develop their business. Some limitations have been faced during the case study: Forecasting statistics are not provided nor do the current economic stability of the organisation. Recommendations Focus on other minority ethnic group ( Mainly Asian community) More focus on chilled or ready meal traditional foods

Religion in James Hogg’s The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justi

Religion in James Hogg’s The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner and J.G. Lockhart’s Adam Blair â€Å"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death† (Romans 8:1-2). Given the highly charged religious environment of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Scotland, the above passage must have been discussed many times in Christian circles then. Some of the Reformed faithful, perhaps, took the first part too seriously, to the expense of any normal sense of morality, while others might have forgotten their freedom from condemnation and fallen into despair. Either way, both views pervert the orthodox Calvinistic view of guilt laid out in the teachings of the doctrine’s namesake and the standard confessions of the church at the time. While they may not make very good theology, these dogmas at least provided material for two nineteenth-century character studies, James Hogg’s The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner and J.G. Lockhart’s Adam Blair. Written when much (but not all) of post-Enlightenment Scotland had taken an anti-clerical, anti-religious stance, these novels explore the faith of the previous generation and how fundamentalist Presbyterianism may have gone horribly wrong. The protagonists of each book react in completely opposite ways to their sinful acts; Lockhart’s eponymous character has a nearly legalistic view of his own sin, while Hogg’s Robert Wringhim follows a more antinomian path. Oddly enough, it is the former who ends up redeemed and the other damned, but their respective journeys toward those ends follow much of the same path. Robert Wringhim, Hogg’s cen... ... Studies Review Vol. 5 (2004): 9-26. Hogg, James. The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1969. Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Ed. J.I. Packer et. al. London: HarperCollins Religious, 2002. Lockhart, J.G. Some Passages in the Life of Mr. Adam Blair, Minister of the Gospel at Cross-Meikle. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1963. Mack, Douglas S. â€Å"‘The Rage of Fanaticism in the Former Days’: James Hogg’s Confession of a Justified Sinner and the Controversy over Old Mortality.† Nineteenth Century Scottish Fiction: Critical Essays. Ed. Ian Campbell. Manchester: Carcanet New Press Limited, 1979. 37-50. Richardson, Thomas C. â€Å"Character and Craft in Lockhart’s Adam Blair.† Nineteenth Century Scottish Fiction: Critical Essays. Ed. Ian Campbell. Manchester: Carcanet New Press Limited, 1979. 51-67.

A Comparison of The Matrix and Platos The Allegory of the Cave Essay

A Comparison of The Matrix and Plato's The Allegory of the Cave In the movie The Matrix we find a character by the name of Neo and his struggle adapting to the truth...to reality. This story is closely similar to an ancient Greek text written by Plato called "The Allegory of the Cave." Now both stories are different but the ideas are basically the same. Both Stories have key points that can be analyzed and related to one another almost exactly. There is no doubt that The Matrix was based off Greek philosophy. The idea of freeing your mind or soul as even stated in "The Allegory of the Cave" is a well known idea connecting to Greek philosophy. The Matrix is more futuristic and scientific than "The Cave" but it's the same Idea. Neo is trapped in a false reality created by a computer program that was created by machines that took over the planet. Now the story of course has many themes such as Man vs. Machine, Good vs. Evil, and our favorite Reality vs. Illusion. Neo is unplugged from the matrix and learns the truth and becomes "the one" who is to s ave the humans from their machine oppressors. "The Cave" is similar in that it has humans trapped in a cave and chained up to only face one direction. The "puppeteers" then make shadows against the wall the humans face using the fire from the outside as a light source. One big difference is that "The Cave" is about two philosophers conversing about the cave as one explains what needs to happen and that the prisoners must free their souls to find truth. The Matrix is the actions of what the philosopher describes actually happening. The comparing of the two stories will show how things said in "The Cave" are the same as in The Matrix, of course with the exception that one is futuristic ... ...nplugged and becomes "The One." He is freed so he can bring freedom to the humans in the "visible world" or real world. In conclusion both stories are similar in their ideas. The stories are about people searching for the truth so they can be free. At the end of Neos phone call is something that could have been said to the "puppeteers" in "The Cave." That he's going to show the people what they don't want them to see, A world without rules or control, a world without borders or boundaries and most importantly a world without them. There were many key points that I was able to relate and analyze in this story. I still have no doubt that this movie was based off Greek Philosophy and a great piece to choose. In the end both "The Allegory of the Cave" and The Matrix were both great stories or truth and freedom and what a person will do to find the truth and be free.

Ernest Hemingway Essay -- essays research papers

Ernest Hemingway: A Literary Marvel â€Å"One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever . . . The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose . . . The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits . . . .All the rivers run into the sea; ye the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.† (Ecclesiastes 1:4-7)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway’s style of writing is a unique form. In almost all of his novels the protagonist is a war veteran, which he himself was. He was known to travel the world. These places sparked the imagination to create novels that led to a Nobel Prize for literature. To better understand the impact of Ernest Hemingway as an American author, one must have a description of his background, a critical analysis of his work The Sun Also Rises, and his impact and importance upon the literary world. Ernest Hemingway was known as a simple, creative writer and person. Leonard Unger wrote, â€Å"He had an extraordinary reputation as a colorful human being.† He was born July 2, 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. His father Dr. Clarence â€Å"Ed† Hemingway was a physician, and his mother, Grace, taught piano and voice lessons. He spent summers in upper Michigan, where he found a passion for hunting and fishing. After graduating from Oak Park High, ...

The Importance of Teacher’s Part in the Disruptive Behavior

The Importance of Teacher’s Part In the Disruptive Behavior In the Classroom Prepared by Aclan, Olga Enriquez, Zarah Mae Salazar, Aprilyn Prepared to: Mrs. Rose Mae Ann LUmanglas Instructress Table of Contents I. Introduction a. Statement of the Problem b. Significance of the Study II. Body a. Conceptual Literature b. Research Literature III. Summary and Recommendation IV. Bibliography a. Books b. Journals c. Unpublished Materials d. Web Resources I. Introduction Disruptive behavior can be defined as any behavior that disturbs, interferes with, disrupts, or prevents any normal operations and functions.It is the most common reasons children are referred for  mental health  practitioners  for possible treatment. However many children with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder are found to have neurologically related  symptoms  over time, the primary problem is behavior. Study  has known both biological and environmental causes for disruptive behavior diso rders. Young people most at risk for oppositional defiant and conduct disorders are those who have low birth weight, neurological damage or attention deficit.For treating this disorder used behavior therapies to teach young people how to control and express feelings in healthy ways and coordination of services with the young person’s  school  and other involved agencies. Disruptive behavior disorder, characterized by aggression, noncompliance, and negative emotionality, remain a mental health priority. Parents require an arsenal of coping strategies to lessen the behavioral problems at home. Children attend school to become educated members of society, capable of making informed decisions and increasing future career possibilities.However, some children have difficulty adjusting to the classroom environment and act out with disruptive behaviors. Disruptive classroom behaviors not only detract from a child's education experience, but may also lead to social isolation. Unde rstanding the types of disruptive classroom behaviors, and the possible causes and solutions, may help to solve a child's behavior problems, and reduce the likelihood that he will suffer from social isolation. One teacher considers disruptive, another teacher may not. No set criteria or definition exists to determine which behavior qualifies as disruptive.However, some behaviors generally qualify as unacceptable no matter which teacher runs the classroom. Disruptive classroom behaviors include aggressive behaviors, defiant behaviors, social disruptions and emotional disturbances. Aggressive behaviors include intimidating peers, engaging in physical altercations or damaging property. Defiant behaviors include blatant and sometimes vocal disregard of rules, as well as devaluing the teacher's expertise and judgment. Examples of social disruptions include interrupting discussions with off-topic information, engaging in private conversations or passing notes during instructional time.Emo tional disturbances are temper tantrums. A chronic pattern of disruptive behavior may indicate a mental health disorder. Possible disorders indicated by such behavior include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder. ADHD, characterized by an inability to pay attention and impulsive behaviors, often causes behavioral problems in class. The symptoms of ADHD clash with the expectations of the classroom environment. Children with ADHD may talk out of turn, have difficulty staying seated and find it challenging to maintain focus during instructional time.Children with oppositional defiant disorder exhibit behaviors of negativity, defiance, disobedience and hostility toward authority figures. These symptoms may lead to problems in school, temper tantrums, aggressiveness toward peers and other disruptive classroom behaviors. Different factors may cause a student’s disruptive behavior and these factors will depend on the surroun ding a student lives in. As this disruptive behavior occurs inside the classroom, this is the time a teacher needs to do his/her part. These are the following examples of disruptive classroom behaviors: Usage of Electronic Devices Using cellular phones, text messaging iPods, MP3 players, laptops, etc. while class is in session Unexcused exits †¢ Leaving to retrieve a soda or other snack items †¢ Leaving to engage in a conversation (i. e. person-to-person or by phone) †¢ Leaving before class is finished for any reason without prior permission from the instructor Non-Permitted Communication During Classroom Instruction †¢ Talking while the instructor is talking †¢ Talking before being recognized by the instructor (i. e. blurting out information) †¢ Talking without permission during classroom instruction (i. . side conversations with an individual or in a group) †¢ Mimicking and/or consistently repeating an instructor’s words Personal Attacks à ¢â‚¬ ¢ Engaging in abusive or mean spirited criticism of another student or an instructor †¢ Questioning an instructor’s authority in front of the class †¢ Continuing to insist on speaking with an instructor during classroom instruction †¢ Telling an instructor to â€Å"shut-up† Threatening Behaviors †¢ Verbally abusing an instructor or student (i. e. cursing or extremely loud talking directed at a particular person) Threatening to physically harm an instructor or student through verbal or body gestures †¢ Intimidating through body gestures and/or posture or persistent staring at an instructor or student Overt Inattentiveness †¢ Sleeping in class †¢ Preventing others from concentrating on classroom instruction †¢ Reading a newspaper, doing homework from another class, etc. Other Distracting Behaviors †¢ Arriving late to class, especially on test dates †¢ Persistent Tardiness †¢ Creating excessive noise from packing up before class has ended †¢ Dressing inappropriately as to cause other students or instructor to be distracted (i. . wearing pajamas, indecent exposure, or offensive words on clothing) Statement of the Problem This study aims to find out the importance of teacher’s part in the disruptive behavior in the classroom. Specifically, this sought to answer the following questions: 1. What are the factors of the disruptive behavior in the classroom? 2. How does the teacher respond to the disruptive behavior in the classroom? 3. What implication can be drawn from the study conducted/ 4. What recommendation can be proposed on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom?Significance of the Study Lots of students now are having disruptive behavior in the classroom. Most of the time they use their cellular phones, iPods or any other electronic devices during class discussions. There are times that students have unexcused exits during clas s discussions like leaving to retrieve a soda or other snack items, leaving to engage in a conversation whether it is person – to – person or by phone, leaving before class is finished for any reason without prior permission from the instructor, etc.Other examples of disruptive behavior in the classroom are talking while the instructor is talking, talking before being recognized by the instructor like blurting out information, sleeping in class, reading a newspaper, doing homework from another class, arriving late on class especially on test dates, persistent tardiness, threatening to physically harm an instructor or student through verbal or body gestures, and a lot more. Teachers begin to have problems due to the misbehaviour of the students and it is important for them that they should know how to handle the disruptive behavior of the student in the classroom.Teachers are now aware that this new generation of students could be more disruptive inside the classroom an d even outside. And this misbehaviour could lead them to trouble or worst could bring them to prison. To prevent this thing to happen, teacher’s disciplinary action should be implemented. They should talk to their students, a heart – to – heart talk, for the students to release what’s inside of them that may cause them to have such disruptive behavior. It is important for the teachers to know the reason why students act like that so that they could know the preferred action that they will do.This study will help not only teachers but also students to know the factors of disruptive behaviors and how to prevent it. This will give them more knowledge regarding this disruptive behavior. Students will be educated about the wrong things that they do inside the classroom which they think is not a wrong thing and it is just a common thing. Shown also in this study how important the teacher’s part will be in the disruptive behavior in the classroom. They wi ll be given tips and recommendations that they could use in disciplining a student’s disruptive behavior.II. Body Conceptual Literature * According to Karen Hollowell of eHow Contributor, teachers deal with classroom discipline issues every day. â€Å"Classroom management skills are essential for all teachers. Supervising a group of children with different personalities and backgrounds is a challenging task. You are responsible for their academic growth while ensuring that the learning environment stays welcoming and secure. Establish a discipline plan the first week of school and implement it fairly and consistently.Clearly explain your definition of appropriate classroom behavior as well as your system of rewards and consequences. Be sure your behavior management plan reinforces the school's code of conduct regarding disruptive behavior. † Talk to the student publicly and privately. When students disrupt the classroom with incessant talking or getting out of their se ats, tell them immediately to stop and inform them of the consequences per your class rules and expectations. Talk to them again separately after class or in a conference with the principal if disruptions continue.Determine causes of misbehavior and address them if possible. If a student suddenly starts disrupting class after being quiet and studious all year, the behavior may indicate a problem at home or at school with peers. Talk to your school's counselor about meeting with the student to find out additional information. If you have a rapport with the student, talk to him yourself and offer assistance if appropriate. Meet with the student's parents if disruptions continue. This allows you to collaborate with caregivers and discuss ways to help the child conform to classroom expectations.Ask parents for their input and advice. Do not use a parent conference as a forum for your opinions about how bad their child is or to criticize their parenting style. Establish a behavioral plan and contract for repeat offenders. A counselor or behavioral interventionist at your school can help you with this. A behavior contract outlines specific ways the student will act in class. It also lists possible rewards for meeting behavioral goals. Get the student's, parents' and your signature on this document as a way to demonstrate that this plan is a team effort.Enforce school and classroom rules as stated. If a student continues to display disruptive behavior after enacting a behavioral plan, follow your discipline plan in the order you presented it at the first of the year. Do not let anger and frustration cause you to exact a more severe punishment than the offense warrants. When students see that you treat everyone fairly and respectfully, it can have a positive impact on future behavior. Karen Hollowell gave tips to teachers on how they would handle a student’s disruptive behavior.She gave five steps and instructions on how a teacher should handle a studentâ€℠¢s disruptive behavior inside the classroom. Her first step was teacher should talk to his/her students. Second was teachers should determine the causes of misbehaviour done by a student. Third was teachers should meet with the student’s parents if his/her disruptive behaviors continue. Fourth was teachers should establish a behavioral plan and contract for repeat offenders. And the last one was teacher should enforce school and classroom rules as stated.According to Rosalind Reed Ph. D. Department of Health and Community Services College of Behavioral and Social Sciences California State University, Chico, there are different strategies for dealing with troublesome behaviors in the classroom. For talking and inattention, teachers should make direct eye contact, stop talking or stop whoever has the flood and hold, don’t start talking until have full attention, physically move to that part of the classroom, vary the methods of presenting the content, and speak to the st udent or students privately.For unpreparedness, missed deadlines and tests, and fraudulent excuse making, design class so there are logical consequences to this behavior. Follow through, be consistent. Don’t rescue and don’t enable. Teachers should require evidence of preparation for class like notecards, 2 minute written/on-spot reflective feedback (quiz) on assign and call on students for input. Teachers should also be a good role model. They should consistently meet your agenda deadlines with class.When there are excuses making, clearly state policy at beginning of semester about excuses with regard to absences, missed exams, etc. For example: validate certain excuses, no make-up exams, all make up exams vary, one day in semester only to make up. For lateness and inattendance, teachers should establish a policy and expectations from the beginning. You expect them to be on time and leave on time. As what you expect on them, teachers should start the class on time and finish it on time too, be a good role model to them.If a student is going to absent tell them that they should call and inform ahead of time. Teachers could also have rituals at starting at time especially in large classes. They should also speak to chronically late students. A student could have logical consequences for being late in class. Instructor does not own the problem. And teachers should not reteach the topic due to that late comer student. Students are the one responsible for getting missed assignments and material. Teachers should not rescue the student and let him/her be responsible enough for his/her mistakes.Overt hostility from a student or verbally aggressive students, students usually become verbally abusive in frustrating situations which they see being beyond their control; anger and frustrations becomes displaced onto others; fear of rejection and feeling of righteous indignation are frequently with patterns like talking to student privately. Teachers should ta lk to student in neutral setting and try to find a common ground. Write letter to student describing his/her behavior, how behavior disrupts you and others, restate expectations and request behavior change.Setting classroom norms at the very beginning of a class is one of the best methods of classroom management. Hang a flip chart or poster, or dedicate a section of white board if the room has the space, and list expected classroom behaviors. Refer to this list when disruptions occur. Using a flip chart or white board can be especially useful because it can involve students in the construction of the list on the first day and in that way get buy-in. Start with a few of a teacher’s own  expectations  and ask the group for additional suggestions.When they all agree on how a teacher wants the classroom to be managed, disruptions are minimal. It’s always a good idea to address questions of any kind when disruptive behavior occurs because curiosity provides fabulous tea ching moments, but sometimes it just isn’t appropriate to get off track. Many teachers use a flip chart or white board as a holding place for such questions to ensure they’re not forgotten. Call your holding place something appropriate to the topic. Be creative. When a question being held is eventually answered, mark it off the list.Unless the teacher got a completely obnoxious student in his/her classroom, chances are good that disruptions, when they do occur, will be fairly mild, calling for mild management. Disruptive behaviors like chatting in the back of the room, texting, or someone who is argumentative or disrespectful. It’s generally unprofessional to share frustrations about individual students with other teachers who may be influenced toward that person in the future. This doesn’t mean that teachers can’t consult with others. A teacher could choose confidants carefully.The different strategies and method used by teachers in disciplining a student’s disruptive behavior could be a great help to lessen the disruptive classroom behaviors. As the teachers explain to their students the importance of having good moral values inside the classroom, students may lessen or the best part was they could have no disruptive behaviors done inside the classroom. Teachers are very important in disciplining a student disruptive classroom behavior for they could do a lot of things to make their students a good and effective one.Students would be able to remember the lessons their teachers told them and through it they could make themselves a responsible one as they grow. Research Literature It is important to differentiate between disruptive classroom behavior (that which directly interferes with the ability of the instructor to teach or the ability of other students to benefit from the classroom experience) from behavior that is merely rude or uncivil. While the latter may become disruptive when it is repetitive or persistent, it usually is best addressed by example and influence.Disruptive student behavior is detrimental to the academic community because it interferes with the learning process for other students, inhibits the ability of instructors to teach most effectively, diverts university energy and resources away from the educational mission, and may indicate a significant level of personal problems or distress on the part of the disrupter. Common Types of Disruptive Classroom Behavior Grandstanding: Use the classroom for them by monopolizing class discussion, speaking protractedly and bombastically on favorite subjects with no regard to relevancy to the discussion.Sleeping in Class: While passively disruptive, it sends a message to the other students about the quality of the class or teaching. It is disrespectful to the instructor and the other students. Prolonged Chattering: Small cliques of 2-3 students who engage in private conversations or pass notes to each other. Excessive Lateness: Students who not only come in late, but make an entrance speaking to friends, walking in front of the professor, arranging their belongings. Noisy Electric Devices: Beepers and pagers going off in class or students talking on the telephone uring the class. Disputing the Instructor’s Authority or Expertise: Students may be disappointed or frustrated over a grade and may debunk or devalue the instructor’s judgment, authority, and expertise. This may take the form of comments in the class or memos to department chair or dean. Verbal or Physical Threats to Students or Faculty: Some verbal threats are veiled while others are more explicit. A threatening student may approach the instructor or fellow students menacingly, or actually shove the individual, or worse, physically assault them. Levels of Response Prevention – setting standards for behavior in class, developing a process for notifying students of the standards, developing a process to respond to violations of class s tandards as well as university standards, and responding to violations in a consistent and fair manner. †¢ Intervention by the Instructor. †¢ Reporting behavior to Department Chair for consultation/intervention. †¢ Reporting behavior to Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action. †¢ Reporting behavior to University Police for immediate action. Reasons Why Instructors Don’t Respond to Disruptive Acts by Students â€Å"Benign† Inaction:Some instructors believe if they take no action, that somehow the disruption will stop on its own. They believe that at some point the student will see the error of his/her way and stop the behavior. The instructor may think that the student will see such action as being a â€Å"good guy†, generous and kind and will therefore be grateful to the instructor. However, many students interpret this as fear, naivete, or indifference to their conduct. If this is a highly disruptive student, they often take further advanta ge of their power and the behavior may escalate. Fear of Receiving Inadequate Administrative Support:Some instructors are afraid of receiving adverse reactions from administrators in their department. They may be afraid that the administrator may believe that there had been malice or ineptitude on the part of the instructor. It can happen that the administrator may devalue the instructor’s assessment of the seriousness of the disruption. This is most difficult for instructors who are part-time or untenured. Fear of Harming the Psychologically Fragile Student: Often reports by instructors include reference to the students’ state of mind or psychological status.However, once they convince themselves of the students’ psychological frailty, they think it would be inappropriate to use the discipline process with them. However, many of these students need the direction and limit-setting from others that the discipline process can provide. Fear of Physical Reprisals: I nstructors are often afraid to respond or report disruptive behavior because of real or perceived threats from students. If a real threat has occurred, the instructor may not only be afraid of the student, but may convince themselves that reporting would incite the student to physical action.It is always best for the instructor to take threats or threatening behavior seriously and consult with the appropriate administrator about the appropriate course of action. However, as an agent of the university, all faculties have a duty to report threats of violence. Fear of Legal Reprisals: Instructors sometimes fail to act because they are afraid of being sued. While we live in a litigious time where anyone can sue anyone, if instructors follow the university due process procedures, the likelihood of having to deal with a lawsuit is diminished.Misperceiving the Nature of Discipline: Many instructors attach very negative connotations to the role and nature of discipline and choose not to pla ce themselves the role of disciplinarian, nor want to report to an office that they perceive is punitive. Essentially, determining what constitutes disruptive activity lies at the discretion of each instructor. Behaviors such as routine tardiness, speaking without being recognized, harassing instructors through email, and overt acts of violence are all examples of the range of unacceptable behaviors.According to University policies, disruptive activity is behavior in a classroom or instructional program that interferes with the instructor’s ability to conduct the class or the ability of others to profit from it. Why don’t faculty members report disruptive behavior? Research suggests that instructors do not report disruptions because they hope for a spontaneous resolution; they fear they will not be supported by the administration; they fear it will reflect poorly on their abilities, and/or they fear retaliation.Since there has been an increase in the reporting of probl ems, and in many cases, in the severity of the problems, we would like to remind all faculty and instructors that the academic and Student Affairs staff are committed to ensuring that your decision will be met with support and expeditious resolution. How do I handle disruptive activity? Include on your syllabus the guidelines and consequences regarding behaviors, attendance, and punctuality; repercussions for academic dishonesty.On the first day of class, clearly state behavioral expectations and consequences; discuss protocols for discussions/debates, including how to be recognized; state (or negotiate) what you will allow in class (gum, hats, snacks, etc. ); role model expected behaviors. When it occurs, remain calm and in control, identify and acknowledge the issue; offer a solution or recommend a continuation of the discussion after class or during office hours; document the incident; follow up with the student verbally and in writing. Copy the Dean of Students Office on any cor respondence. f the situation escalates: Dismiss the student from class or dismiss the class entirely; Document the incident with the Dean of Students Office. Remember to never raise your voice, argue with the student, threaten the student, get too close to the student, touch the student, use abusive language toward the student, or put yourself in danger! Generally, classroom teachers can use the same disciplinary practices to manage the disruptive behavior of students with disabilities that they use to manage the behavior of students without disabilities.Much of the undesirable behavior exhibited by both groups is similar in nature. The differences, however, may originate in the teacher's selection of the particular behavioral intervention. When selecting behavior interventions for students with disabilities, teachers should ensure that the strategies are developmentally appropriate and take into consideration the student's disability and due process rights. Here are 10 questions th at may help you diagnostically analyze situations that foster disruptive behavior in students with disabilities.These discussions may provide guidance as you select behavior-reduction strategies. Question 1. Could this misbehavior be a result of inappropriate curriculum or teaching strategies? Inappropriate curriculum and teaching strategies can contribute to student misbehavior – but not all misbehavior is attributable to these factors. Some misbehavior may arise as a function of the teacher's inability to meet the diverse needs of all students. Consider these factors: * Group size. * Group composition. * Limited planning time. * Cultural and linguistic barriers. Lack of access to equipment, materials, and resources. If the misbehavior evolves as a result of inappropriate curriculum or teaching strategies, redress the content and skill level components of your curriculum, its futuristic benefit for the student, and the formats you use in instructional delivery. When you iden tify the instructional needs of students within the context of the classroom, using a diagnostic prescriptive approach, and make curricular adaptations both in content and instructional delivery, you can greatly reduce the occurrence of student misbehavior. Question 2.Could this misbehavior be a result of the student's inability to understand the concepts being taught? When there is a mismatch between teaching style and the learning styles of students, misbehavior inevitably results. Incidents of misbehavior may also result when students refuse to learn concepts because they are unable to see the relationship between the skills being taught and how these skills transcend to the context of the larger environment. In these situations, you should employ strategies and tactics that show students how component skills have meaning in the classroom and in the community.If you find that the cause of the inappropriate behavior is related to the student's lack of prerequisite skills or abilit ies to acquire concepts, you can use a simple procedure known as task analysis. By using this procedure, you can pinpoint specific functional levels of students on targeted skills and provide sequential instructional programs that will move the student with disabilities toward mastery of a targeted goal at a pace appropriate for the student (Moyer ; Dardig, 1978). Question 3. Could this misbehavior be an underlying result of the student's disability?Some disruptive behavior may be a result of the student's disability (e. g. , emotional/behavioral disorders). Meanwhile, other behavior may result from deliberate actions taken by the student to cause classroom disruption. Determining the underlying cause of a student's disruptive behavior involves a careful analysis of the behavior, as follows: * Try to clarify what kinds of behavior are causing concern. * Specify what is wrong with that behavior. * Decide what action should be taken to address the behavior. -Specify what behavior you desire from the student. Implement a plan to correct conditions, variables, or circumstances that contribute to the problem behavior (Charles, 1996). You should analyze the disruptive behavior and render a professional judgment as to its cause. Redl and Wattenberg (cited in Charles, 1996) suggested that teachers employ a procedure of â€Å"diagnostic thinking† when faced with incidents of student misbehavior. These procedures include forming a first hunch, gathering facts, exploring hidden factors, taking action, and remaining flexible. While such a task is not easy, having a knowledge base of the general characteristics (e. . , academic, behavioral, social/emotional, learning, physical) of students with disabilities and the associated etiologies (causes) can be helpful. Question 4. Could this misbehavior be a result of other factors? Many aspects of classroom life may contribute to students' misbehavior: the physical arrangement of the classroom, boredom or frustration, tran sitional periods, lack of awareness of what is going on in every area of the classroom. Remember, however, that classroom climate and physical arrangements can also encourage desirable behavior.You should regularly assess your teaching and learning environment for conditions or procedures that perpetuate or encourage misbehavior. Because inappropriate behavioral manifestations of students can also stem from certain types of teaching behavior, teachers need to become more cognizant of the kinds of behavior they emit and the relationship between their teaching behavior and the resultant behavior of students. Examine your instruction and interactions with students in ongoing classroom life, as follows: * The development of relevant, interesting, and appropriate curriculums. The manner in which you give recognition and understanding of each student as an individual with his or her unique set of characteristics and needs. * Your own behavior as a teacher, and characteristics such as thos e identified by Kounin (1970 – withitness, overlapping – that reduce misbehavior, increase instructional time, and maintain group focus and movement management of students. Question 5. Are there causes of misbehavior that I can control? As a teacher, you can control many variables to thwart undesirable behavior.You may modify or change your curriculum; make adaptations in instruction to address multiple intelligences; and make changes in your communication style, attitude toward students with disabilities, and expectations of these students. Analyze how much positive feedback you give students. If you find that you use limited feedback (encouragement or praise), which accentuates positive behavior of students (and also communicates respect and promotes self-esteem and self-confidence), you may be contributing to behavior problems.Feedback (both verbal and nonverbal) is an important factor in the learning paradigm that is too often neglected, overlooked, or haphazardly orated. Question 6. How do I determine if the misbehavior is classroom based? This is a difficult question. Conducting a self-evaluation of teaching style and instructional practices – as in the previous questions – may provide some insight into whether the behavior is related to the disability or is classroom based.You may find a classroom ecological inventory (Fuchs, Fernstrom, Scott, Fuchs, ; Vandermeer, 1994) helpful in determining cause-effect relationships of student misbehavior. The classroom ecological inventory could help you assess salient features of the learning environment of your school or classroom. In such analysis, you can gather specific information about the student, the behavior, and the environmental conditions and settings associated with the behavior (Evans, Evans, ; Gable, 1989).By taking into account the learning ecology, you can be more decisive and selective in your use of resources for managing student behavior and, at the same time, obtain a more accurate and complete picture of a particular student for developing a more appropriate and comprehensive behavior-change program. Classroom ecological inventories can be useful for collecting information about a wide range of events, variables, and conditions that can influence and affect a student's behavior.Conducting a functional analysis or functional assessment can also be useful in examining cause-effect relationships of students' behavior. Functional assessments can also help you address serious problem behavior displayed by â€Å"target† students. These analyses examine the circumstances or functional relationships between, or surrounding, the occurrence or nonoccurence of the challenging behavior. The assessments can help you identify variables and events that are consistently present in those situations (Dunlap et al. , 1993; Foster-Johnson ; Dunlap, 1993).You may identify events, variables, and circumstances that contribute to the problem. In addition, you may devise a comprehensive, individualized approach to designing interventions logically related to the target behavior – and, in the process, better meet the student's specific needs. Question 7. How do I teach students to self-regulate or self-manage behavior? You can teach students to self-regulate or self-manage their behavior by teaching them to use the skills of self-management: * Self-instruction, self-recording, or self-monitoring. * Self-reinforcement, self-evaluation, and self-punishment. Multiple-component treatment packages (Carter, 1993; Hughes, Ruhl, & Peterson, 1988; Rosenbaum & Drabman, 1979). Many studies (e. g. , McCarl, Svobodny, & Beare, 1991; Nelson, Smith, Young, & Dodd, 1991; Prater, Joy, Chilman, Temple, & Miller, 1991) focusing on self-management techniques have shown the effectiveness of self-management procedures in behavior change and academic productivity. These studies included students from many different populations, ranging from average achiev ers to students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities.Teachers have found many advantages in using self-monitoring procedures: These procedures improve target behavior, stress the student's role in behavior change, allow generalization to non-school environments, free teachers for other tasks, and teach students responsibility and self-determination (Frith ; Armstrong, 1986). Furthermore, these procedures are relatively simple to implement; they quickly reach a point in which little supervision is required; and, they help students become more successful and independent in their classroom and in everyday life (Dunlap, Dunlap, Koegel, ; Koegel, 1991).Of course, teaching students self-management skills should not be regarded as a substitute for a high-quality curriculum of instruction (Dunlap et al. , 1991) that emphasizes academic and social learning skills. Here are some steps for teaching self-management skills: * Defining the target behavior. * Defining the desired behavior. * Developing the data-collection system. * Teaching the students how to use the self-management system. * Implementing the system. * Evaluating the effectiveness of the system (Carter, 1993). * Additional steps may include identifying functional reinforcers and fading use of the self-Question 8. How do I determine what methods of control are appropriate without violating the rights of students with disabilities mandated under P. L. 105-17? Determining which behavior-reduction methods to use with students with disabilities is not as difficult as you may think. As mentioned previously, the behavioral interventions typically used with students without disabilities can also be used with students with disabilities – with a few exceptions. Yell and Shriner (1997) provided a comprehensive account of major issues effecting the discipline of students with disabilities addressed in Section 615 K of P.L. 105-17 (the IDEA Amendments of 1997): * Disciplinary procedures. * Behavior-interv ention plans. * Manifestation determination. â€Å"Manifestation determination† refers to a review process (conducted by the student's IEP team and other qualified personnel) to determine the relationship between a student's disability and misconduct. This review process is conducted when school officials seek a change of placement, suspension, or expulsion for more than 10 school days. * Interim, alternative educational settings. * The â€Å"stay put† provision. * IDEA protection for students not yet eligible for special education. Referral to law enforcement and judicial authorities. When applying behavior-reduction techniques, use a common sense approach and be reasonable in your application. * Regardless of the behavioral infraction, before you discipline any student with disabilities, you should talk to administrative officials (e. g. , principal, special education supervisors, school attorney) about the rules, policies, regulations, and procedural safeguards outl ined in the IDEA Amendments of 1997 that govern the discipline of students with disabilities. Question 9.How do I use reinforcement strategies to reduce disruptive behavior? Teachers can use many types of reinforcers to teach desirable behavior. Madsen and Madsen (1983) identified five categories of responses available for teaching desired behavior: the use of words, physical expressions, physical closeness, activities, and things used as rewards or positive feedback (see box, â€Å"Positive Feedback†). Remember that the effectiveness of such reinforcers is contingent on continuous, systematic use across time. Also, consider the appropriateness of each response for your individual students.Other reinforcement-based intervention strategies may also be effective: differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL); differential reinforcement of other behavior(s) (DRO), also referred to as differential reinforcement of zero responding; differential reinforcement of incom patible behavior (DRI); and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior(s) (DRA). Many teachers have found such strategies effective in developing alternative response behavior to inappropriate, disruptive, or undesirable behavior.Even though these procedural alternatives use a positive (reinforcement) approach to behavior reduction, teachers have found both advantages and disadvantages in the use of such procedures. In deciding whether to use differential reinforcement procedures, you should review the works of Alberto and Troutman (1995) and Schloss and Smith (1994). Question 10. Is it appropriate for me to use punishment? Punishment, the most controversial aversive behavior management procedure, has been used and abused with students with disabilities (Braaten, Simpson, Rosell, ; Reilly, 1988).Because of its abuse, the use of punishment as a behavioral change procedure continues to raise a number of concerns regarding legal and ethical ramifications. Although punishment is effective in suppressing unacceptable behavior, it does have some limitations: * The reduction in disruptive behavior may not be pervasive across all settings. * The effect may not be persistent over an extended period of time. * The learner may not acquire skills that replace the disruptive behavior (Schloss, 1987). A decision regarding the use of punishment as a behavior reduction technique is an individual one.Some professionals suggest that punishment-based interventions should be eliminated, whereas others favor a variety of behavior-control procedures, including punishers (Braaten et al. , 1988; Cuenin ; Harris, 1986). Inasmuch as the use of punishers inhibit, reduce, or control the future occurrence of an unacceptable behavior, the effects of punishers are limited. By itself, punishment will not teach desirable behavior or reduce the desire of misbehavior (Larrivee, 1992). Whereas the use of punishment remains a matter of individual choice, currently used punishers by classr oom teachers include the following: * Response cost. Time out. * Overcorrection. * Contingent exercise. * Aversive conditioning (Braaten et al. , 1988; Cuenin ; Harris, 1986). Questions such as whether, when, or if you might use punishment will always be tainted with controversy. Whatever decision you make, keep the following cautions in mind: * Punishment should be used discriminately, rather than routinely. * It should be combined with positive procedures. * Punishment should be used only in response to repeated misbehavior for students who persist in the same kinds of misbehavior. It should be employed consciously and deliberately as a part of a planned response to repeated misbehavior. * Punishment should be used only when students are not responsive to reward-based interventions or praise/ignore strategies (Larrivee, 1992). * Punishment should be used only as a â€Å"treatment of last resort† (Larrivee), and only after you have taken appropriate steps to ensure that the due process rights of students will not be violated and that the procedures will not cause psychological or emotional harm to the student.Final Thoughts There is no â€Å"one plan fits all† for determining how teachers should respond to the disruptive behavior of students with disabilities in inclusion settings. An initial starting point would include establishing classroom rules, defining classroom limits, setting expectations, clarifying responsibilities, and developing a meaningful and functional curriculum in which all students can receive learning experiences that can be differentiated, individualized, and integrated.Many publications describe effective classroom-based disciplinary strategies (Carter, 1993; Schloss, 1987), but few (Ayres ; Meyer, 1992; Carpenter ; McKee-Higgins, 1996; Meyer ; Henry, 1993; Murdick ; Petch-Hogan, 1996) address effective classroom-based disciplinary strategies for students with disabilities in inclusion settings. Classroom teachers can use a variety of strategies to discipline students with disabilities in inclusion settings.The approaches most likely to be successful combine humanistic and cognitive behavioral attributes and take into consideration the teacher's diagnostic-reflective thinking and choice-making skills regarding the following: * Student's behavior. * Student's disability. * Curriculum. * Instructional program. * Classroom environment. * Due process rights. In formulating a discipline plan, teachers must first clarify personal values in terms of acceptable and unacceptable classroom behavior.By setting classroom rules, defining limits, clarifying responsibilities, and developing a meaningful and functional curriculum, teachers can begin to build a system of discipline that will accentuate the positive behavior of all students. Finally, classroom teachers should contact appropriate administrators and seek information on administrative policies, rules, and regulations governing disciplinary practices for students with disabilities. Data Analysis Used The weighted mean (WM) was used to obtain how the respondents agree about the different disruptive behavior in the classroom.It is also used to determine how effective are the recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom, while the composite mean (CM) was applied to determine how the respondents perceive all the disruptive behaviors and recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom. The scale used to analyze different disruptive behaviors in the classroom is presented here. Table I Raw ScoreWeighted Mean RangeVerbal Interpretation 32. 00 – 2. 5Always 21. 50 – 1. 9Sometimes 11. 00 – 1. 49Never The scale used to determine the best recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom. Table II Raw ScoreWeighted Mean RangeVerbal Interpretation 54 . 50 – 5. 00 Very Effective (VE) 43. 50 – 4. 49Effective (E) 32. 50 – 3. 49Undecided (U) 21. 50 – 2. 49Ineffective (I) 11. 00 – 1. 49 Very Ineffective (VI) Interpretation of Data 1. Different disruptive behaviors inside the classroom The following are the different disruptive behaviors in the classroom.Table I utilizes the weighted mean (WM) and composite mean (CM) to find out the most used/unused disruptive behavior inside the classroom. Table I Different Disruptive Behaviors inside the Classroom Different Disruptive Behaviors inside the Classroom| WM| VI| R| 1. Using cellular phones, iPods, MP3 players, laptops, etc, while class is in session| 1. 94| Sometimes| 1| 2. Leaving to retrieve a soda or other snack items| 1. 66| Sometimes| 7| 3. Leaving to engage in conversation (i. e. person-to-person or by phone)| 1. 68| Sometimes| 6| 4.Talking while the instructor is talking| 1. 92| Sometimes| 2| 5. Talking before being recognized by the instructor ( i. e. blurting out information)| 1. 86| Sometimes| 3| 6. Talking without permission during classroom instruction (i. e. side conversations with an individual or group)| 1. 76| Sometimes| 4| 7. Sleeping in class| 1. 26| Never| 10| 8. Reading a newspaper, doing homework from another class, etc. | 1. 72| Sometimes| 5| 9. Arriving late on class, especially test dates| 1. 34| Never| 9| 10. Persistent tardiness| 1. 46| Never| 8| Composite Mean (CM)| 1. 66| | |As shown in the table the most used disruptive behavior in the classroom is using cellular phones, iPods, MP3 players, laptops, etc, while class is in session with a highest weighted mean of 1. 94, followed respectively by talking while the instructor is talking with a weighted mean of 1. 92, talking before being recognized by the instructor (i. e. blurting out information) with a weighted mean of 1. 86. While the most unused disruptive behavior in the classroom is sleeping in class with a weighted mean of 1. 26, followed respectivel y arriving late on class, especially test dates with a weighted mean of 1. 4, persistent tardiness with a weighted mean of 1. 46. Also the table shows that the respondents also agree to the all above mentioned disruptive behavior inside the classroom with a composite mean of 1. 66. 2. Teachers Way in Disciplining the Disruptive Behavior inside the Classroom The following are perceived best recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom. Table II utilizes the weighted mean and composite mean to determine the most effective recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom.Table II Teachers Way in Disciplining the Disruptive Behavior inside the Classroom Teachers Way in Disciplining the Disruptive Behavior inside the Classroom| WM| RI| R| 1. When caught using cellphone or other gadgets, confiscate it and after a week return it back to their parents| 3. 74| E| 8| 2. When eating, teacher should send the student outside and let him/her stay outside for the whole class| 3. 44| U| 10| 3. While the teacher is discussing his/her topic and he caught his/her students talking, teacher should stop talking and let that student talk. 3. 86| E| 5| 4. When a student is always late, give him/her extra tasks| 3. 6| E| 9| 5. Teacher should talk to his/her students about their disruptive behavior| 3. 94| E| 4| 6. Make direct eye contact to your noisy student| 4. 08| E| 2| 7. Teachers should talk to the parents of their students who did consistently disruptive behaviors| 3. 78| E| 7| 8. Teachers should make agreements with his/her students regarding their disruptive behaviors| 4. 1| E| 3| 9. Teachers should give their expectations at the beginning of the school year| 3. 4| E| 6| 10. Teachers should give punishments appropriate to the disruptive behavior done by the student| 4. 22| E| 1| Composite Mean (CM)| 3. 86| | | As shown in the table the most effective recommen dation on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom is teachers should give punishments appropriate to the disruptive behavior done by the student with the highest weighted mean of 4. 22, followed respectively by make direct eye contact to your noisy student with a weighted mean of 4. 08.While the very ineffective recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom is when eating, teacher should send the student outside and let him/her stay outside for the whole class with a weighted mean of 3. 44, followed respectively by when a student is always late, give him/her extra tasks with a weighted mean of 3. 6. Also the table shows that the respondents considered the all above mentioned recommendations as effective as how teachers should discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom with a composite mean of 3. 86. III.Summary and Recommendation This chapter present s the summary and recommendations profounded by the researcher in the light of the findings of this sudy. Summary This study dealt with the different disruptive behaviors in the classroom and recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom. Specifically, this sought to answer the following questions: 1. What are the factors of the disruptive behavior in the classroom? 2. How does the teacher respond to the disruptive behavior in the classroom? 3. What implication can be drawn from the study conducted/ 4.What recommendation can be proposed on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom? Findings The following are the different disruptive behaviors inside the classroom that a student usually does. Items| WM| 1. Using cellular phones, iPods, MP3 players, laptops, etc, while class is in session| 1. 94| 2. Leaving to retrieve a soda or other snack items| 1. 66| 3. Leaving to engage in c onversation (i. e. person-to-person or by phone)| 1. 68| 4. Talking while the instructor is talking| 1. 92| 5. Talking before being recognized by the instructor (i. e. lurting out information)| 1. 86| 6. Talking without permission during classroom instruction (i. e. side conversations with an individual or group)| 1. 76| 7. Sleeping in class| 1. 26| 8. Reading a newspaper, doing homework from another class, etc. | 1. 72| 9. Arriving late on class, especially test dates| 1. 34| 10. Persistent tardiness| 1. 46| The following are the recommendations on how teachers would discipline the student’s disruptive behavior in the classroom. Items| WM| 1. When caught using cellphone or other gadgets, confiscate it and after a week return it back to their parents| 3. 4| 2. When eating, teacher should send the student outside and let him/her stay outside for the whole class| 3. 44| 3. While the teacher is discussing his/her topic and he caught his/her students talking, teacher should stop talking and let that student talk. | 3. 86| 4. When a student is always late, give him/her extra tasks| 3. 6| 5. Teacher should talk to his/her students about their disruptive behavior| 3. 94| 6. Make direct eye contact to your noisy student| 4. 08| 7. Teachers should talk to the parents of their students who did consistently disruptive behaviors| 3. 78| 8.Teachers should make agreements with his/her students regarding their disruptive behaviors| 4. 1| 9. Teachers should give their expectations at the beginning of the school year| 3. 84| 10. Teachers should give punishments appropriate to the disruptive behavior done by the student| 4. 22| Recommendations The following are the recommendations make in the light of the findings of this study: 1. Teachers should send the student to the guidance councilor due to the mistakes they commit. 2. Teachers should be strict and serious on the disruptive behavior that a student causes inside the classroom. . Teachers should make an effective mot ivation for his/her student in able for them to lessen the disruptive behavior in the classroom. 4. Teachers should mark the student absent when the student is caught texting while the discussion is going on. 5. Teachers should give time to his/her students and talk about the disruptive behaviors they commit. He/she should explain to them the effects of the disruptive behavior that the students did inside the classroom. IV. Bibliography a. Books * Disruptive behavior: Disorders in Children Treatment – Focused Assessment By: Michael J.Breen and Thomas S. Altepeter * Behavioral Approach to Assessment of Youth with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: A Handbook for School-based Practitioners Michael J. Breen,  Craig R. Fiedler * Treatment of Childhood Disorders Eric J. Mash,  Russell A. Barkley * Disruptive Behavior Disorders in Children and Adolescents, Volume 18,Issue 2 Robert L. Hendren * Defiant Children: A Clinician's Manual for Assessment and Parent training Russell A. Bar kley b. Journals * The Modern Teacher. Manila: Association Of the Philippines, Inc. , 1986 * Journal for Research in Disruptive Behaviors.April 1986 c. Unpublished Materials Ocampo and Perez. Different Disruptive Behaviors Done by the Student inside a Classroom During the School Year 1991 -1992. Unpublished Thesis. University of Santo Tomas: 1992 d. Web Resources * http://www. teachervision. fen. com/classroom-discipline/resource/2943. html? * http://childparenting. about. com/od/disruptivebehaviorproblem/a/disruptivebehav. htm * http://www. livestrong. com/article/147291-what-is-disruptive-behavior-in-the-classroom/ * http://www. udc. edu/ccdc/disruptive. htm * http://oregonstate. du/studentconduct/faculty/disruptivebehavior. php * http://www. ehow. com/how_2181266_handle-disruptive-students-classroom. html * http://www. fullerton. edu/deanofstudents/judicial/New%20Content/Faculty%20Resources/Disruptive%20Classroom%20Behavior. pdf * http://saweb. memphis. edu/judicialaffairs/pdf/Di sruptiveClassroomBehaviors. pdf * http://www. uky. edu/StudentAffairs/NewStudentPrograms/UK101/pdf/Disruptive. pdf V. Appendix Colegio ng Lungsod ng Batangas An Action Research on the Importance of Teacher’s Part in the Disruptive Behavior in the ClassroomDear Fourth Year Students: This is being conducted in order to determine the importance of teacher’s part in the disruptive behavior in the classroom. The researchers are appealing for your consideration to finish this study. Answer the following honestly and truthfully, then return to us this questionnaire after answering. Rest assured that your information given here will be kept confidentially. Part I Directions: Fill up the following personal information Name: Section: Gender: Age: Address: Part II Directions: Tell how you frequently do the following disruptive behavior in he classroom. Answer this truthfully, put a check mark ( ) on the column that corresponds your answer. Questions| Always| Sometimes| Never| 1. Using cellular phones, iPods, MP3 players, laptops, etc, while class is in session| | | | 2. Leaving to retrieve a soda or other snack items| | | | 3. Leaving to engage in conversation (i. e. person-to-person or by phone)| | | | 4. Talking while the instructor is talking| | | | 5. Talking before being recognized by the instructor (i. e. blurting out information)| | | | 6. Talking without permission during classroom instruction (i. e. ide conversations with an individual or group)| | | | 7. Sleeping in class| | | | 8. Reading a newspaper, doing homework from another class, etc. | | | | 9. Arriving late on class, especially test dates| | | | 10. Persistent tardiness| | | | Part III. Directions: Tell how effective the teacher’s way in disciplining a student’s disruptive behavior. Answer this truthfully using the scale below. Put a check mark ( ) on the column that corresponds the number of scale. 5 – very effective2 – uneffective 4 – effective1 â€⠀œ very uneffective 3 – undecided Questions| 5| 4| 3| 2| 1| 1.When caught using cellphone or other gadgets, confiscate it and after a week return it back to their parents| | | | | | 2. When eating, teacher should send the student outside and let him/her stay outside for the whole class| | | | | | 3. While the teacher is discussing his/her topic and he caught his/her students talking, teacher should stop talking and let that student talk. | | | | | | 4. When a student is always late, give him/her extra tasks| | | | | | 5. Teacher should talk to his/her students about their disruptive behavior| | | | | | 6. Make direct eye contact to your noisy student| | | | | | 7.Teachers should talk to the parents of their students who did consistently disruptive behaviors| | | | | | 8. Teachers should make agreements with his/her students regarding their disruptive behaviors| | | | | | 9. Teachers should give their expectations at the beginning of the school year| | | | | | 10. Teachers sho uld give punishments appropriate to the disruptive behavior done by the student. | | | | | | Part IV Directions: Write at least three recommendations that a teacher could use to discipline the disruptive behaviors inside the classroom that was not stated above. 1. 2. 3