Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank

Background of the Study Employee absenteeism is considered one of the most detrimental occurrences facing employers. Personnel from different organizations across industries report different patterns of absence behavior. There’s need for managers to understand the relationship existing between job satisfaction and rate of absenteeism. This is since the consequences of this aspect affects organizations negatively leading to great financial losses.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Most organisations agree on the fact that employee absenteeism is one of the factors affecting productivity. However, research reveals that one of the causes of absenteeism is the level of job satisfaction. There are three types of absence; ‘sick absence’ where the employee misses work due to health issues, ‘authoris ed absence’ where the employee acquires permission and ‘unexcused absence’ where employees absent themselves for unrecognized reasons. The understanding of the relationships provides good platform for designing effective policies capable of providing conducive work environment to the employees. Studies reveal that workers who are less satisfied with their work shows frequent rate of absenteeism compared to those experiencing job satisfaction. Absence is a function of an individual and situation hence can either be described as â€Å"voluntary or involuntary†, where voluntary is based on conscious decision by the employee while involuntary absence incorporates situations that are beyond immediate control of the worker such as sickness. This study focuses on the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) which was founded in the year 1968 and is considered to be amongst the top performing banks in the United Arab Emirates. The bank has extensive network within UAE op erating 120 branches within Abu Dhabi and 50 branches across four continents of the world. Global Finance magazine ranks NBAD’s as one of the safest banks in the world and specifically in the Middle East. The bank offers various services ranging from retail, investment and also provides Islamic banking services. At the same time the bank appears in the Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX) listings. Employers like NBDA bank face some of the common challenges at work place one of which is absenteeism. The bank operates its working system under the country’s labor Law which requires employees to report any form of illness within a period of two days before being granted leave.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employees are required to produce medical records and evidences of illness covering absence within consecutive days. In dealing with absenteeism, NBDA adopted an d enforced the use of medical certificate policy. All employees are entitled to a leave of 90 calendar days annually with pay as prescribed by the bank’s policies which denies any payment to employee on sick leave if the illness resulted from the employee’s misconduct. Any absenteeism from work without reasonable cause is countered by disciplinary sanctions. The employee is not paid any salary for the day of absence; the fines vary depending on the frequency of the offense. Statement of the Problem Absenteeism is associated with no clear cause since the concept is influenced by a host of interrelated factors. This makes the concept very expensive for organizations as well as individual employees. In most cases, studies have focused on employee attitude as major cause of absenteeism. However, managers and employees tend to view absenteeism from different perspectives. Managers focus on absence as a category of behavior while to employees, the concept comes as a result o f perception, feelings and social phenomenon. Research reveals that persistent absenteeism has negative impact on overall productivity as well as morale. Most researchers argue that job dissatisfaction is directly proportional to the number of days absent therefore necessitates the need for the employee to feel rewarded. Studies also show that absenteeism can be brought about by personal characteristics for example marital status with the unmarried reporting more absenteeism predominantly married females. It is in this respect that this research seeks to evaluate and address the concept of absenteeism within institutions such as NBDA. Aims and objectives Aims To place rules and policies to manage absenteeism among employees at ABU DHABI National Bank To establish the major causes of absenteeism among the employees of ABU DHABI National Bank To propose a model which can be utilized in testing the proposition that personal characteristics, situational factors and satisfaction are key causes of absenteeism To develop a strategy that is beneficial to both the employer and employee in order to improve productivity Objectives To examine the relationship between individual characteristics, situations, job satisfaction levels and absenteeism for employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank in Dubai To investigate the relationship between personal characteristics of age, gender, marital status, education and source of income and rates of absenteeism To establish a programme that will help manage and control absenteeism at Abu Dhabi National Bank. To establish a reward system that will help deal with absenteeism at Abu Dhabi National Bank Scope of the project The study seeks to discuss absenteeism amongst employees focusing on causal mechanisms and reasons as to why employees absent themselves from work. Also knowing the relationship between job satisfactions, personal characteristics i.e. age, marital status, income level and absenteeism. This study also seeks to establish the effects of absenteeism to the bank’s productivity and profitability levels which in the long-run affects the country’s economy. The research also gives insight to the management of the bank concerning necessary prescriptions capable of handling absenteeism.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This study also tries to establish whether the management is capable of adopting modern systems used in regulating the number of sick days. There is also discussion on the existing relationship between reward, punishment and absenteeism. Focus of the Study The study focuses on establishing the major causes of absenteeism and consequent effects on productivity within organizations such as NBDA. The focus is on the nature of working environment offered and individual reactions towards work in general. This paper e mphasizes on personal characteristics relationship to absenteeism and also relations between job satisfaction and absenteeism. The paper also analyses the various types of absenteeism and seeks to analyse several models which have been proposed for the purposes of establishing and testing levels of job satisfaction. This has generally resulted in different results and findings of which this paper seeks to explain such differences. Significance of the Study Frequent employee contributions represent some of the important aspects within an organization. The level of effectiveness with which absenteeism is managed within organizations determines organization’s performance in the long-run. Whether ‘voluntary’ or ‘involuntary’, absenteeism should be managed using appropriate policies aligned to defined labor laws of specified regions. Work should not be viewed by employees as form of punishment but as a means of fulfilling one’s purpose in life, hen ce should be performed based on company’s underlined policies, principles, vision and mission statements. 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Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Essay Example

Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Essay Example Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Paper Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Paper The counseling profession has experienced a great deal of change, especially during the 1990s. Several of those changes occurred in 1992; these include the changing of the AACDs name to the ACA (American Counseling Association), the adding of counseling as a primary mental health profession into the health care human resource statistics of the Center for Mental Health Services and National Institute of Mental Health, and the writing of the multicultural counseling standards and competencies, which was done by Sue Arredondo and McDavies. Another major change that occurred in the 1990s was the inclusion of counselors as providers for managed health care organizations. Two of the major trends being faced by counselors in the new century include having to serve an increasing number of clients recovering from violence, crisis situations, and trauma, and helping clients cope with loneliness and isolation. The negative characteristics of the first trend are that crisis situations and acts of violence have become more deadly and prevalent in society since the 1990s, examples of these being the Columbine massacre and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder have also become prevalent as a result of these terrible events. The positive characteristics to emerge from this trend are that counselors have begun receiving specialized training in crisis counseling in order to better serve clients, and they have been able to develop practical and well-focused action plans and strategies towards helping clients of all ages to recover. The negative characteristic of the second trend is that more individuals today are experiencing extreme loneliness and isolation than ever before. The positive characteristic is that counseling relationships have helped these individuals significantly overcome their loneliness. For their part, counselors can rise to the challenge by realizing how important they are in their clients lives and by coming to regard their profession as a calling that they are willingly answering. The five most important qualities a counselor should possess are to have the ability to listen because clients more often desire to be listened to than to be spoken to, to display empathy and understanding in order to show clients that the counselor realizes the gravity of their situation, to display emotional insightfulness so that one can tolerate and expect all types of emotions to come forth, to have the ability for self-denial so that one learns to take care of others before treating ones own needs, and to possess tolerance of intimacy which is essential since most counselor-client relationships are often long-term and very personal. In order to improve themselves professionally throughout their careers counselors must first realize that competency within the profession is directly related to how they function on a personal level. Due to this counselors should become self-aware of their personalities and attitudes, learn from their own emotional experiences while maintaining emotional stability and maturity, successfully integrate whatever counseling techniques and knowledge they acquired into their own lives, and learn to prevent or treat stress and burnout on the job. The developmental/wellness approach emphasizes that people engage in certain patterns of behavior through the various ongoing developmental stages in life. Counselors using this approach, therefore, would view a client based upon which stage his/her problem is emanating from. Oftentimes, these counselors believe that behaviors that are suitable for one stage may not be so for another. In contrast a counselor who abides by the medical/pathology approach would view a client based upon what symptoms, listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, of psychological problems he/she displays. Another point of comparison reveals that both do share the notion that external environmental and social factors must be taken into consideration when diagnosing and treating clients problems. The benefits of ethical codes are that they can serve as guidelines for helping counselors to arrive at solutions to ethical dilemmas, they demonstrate the increasing level of professionalism that the field of counseling has recently experienced, and they keep counselors liable for any misfired attempts towards solving ethical dilemmas without consulting the codes first. The limitations of these codes are that they cannot resolve certain issues, are often unenforceable, contradictions may exist within the codes, legal and ethical codes may come into conflict, and they often do not address cross-cultural issues, among other things. For making ethical decisions counselors can use the codes listed by the professional counseling associations to which they belong to and consult with colleagues, legal professionals, casebooks, or principles. There are three instances in which a counselor may be sued for malpractice; the first one is when a counselor may have to face civil liability malpractice suits for supposed invasion of privacy. The second instance of a counselor facing a civil liability malpractice suit is when a counselor is accused of defamation. The third instance of a counselor facing a malpractice suit, this time for criminal liability, is when he/she is accused of serving as an accessory to a crime. The steps that counselors can take in order to avoid malpractice suits are to familiarize themselves with those elements of the law that are shared by both the mental health and legal professions, to recognize those elements of the law that are not to be found in the mental health culture, to continuously review the ethical codes of the professional counseling associations, and finally to consult with colleagues and legal professionals over ways to overcome certain ethical-legal dilemmas.

Major Real Estate Development Risk management and Insurance from the Research Paper - 1

Major Real Estate Development Risk management and Insurance from the developers position - Research Paper Example I will also look at the insurance factors that affect a real estate developer’s position. Various literatures offer a different understanding of the concept of real estate development with some looking at it as being similar to property development, while others looking at them differently. Basically, real estate development refers to a process that makes it possible for land use to be intensified for the purpose of coming up with housing structures for occupation. Real estate is also looked at as a concept that makes it possible for construction and necessary access of infrastructure, and at the same time allows legal subdivision of property for the purpose of vertical construction. Real estate itself is looked at as a projection that takes in the aspect of money, space and time. Through real estate, creation and management of time and space is enabled with the aim of generating specific estimated cash flows over a particular period of time. A developer refers to and individual or a corporate organization that develops land and buildings to increase their value to specified amounts over time. Developers in the real estate industry are therefore individuals or organizations who bring together land, labor and capital and plan how to manage and facilitate the market in a way that the requirements of the users are sufficiently met. In addition to this basic definition, the real estate industry is characterized by various types of developers who may be classified on the basis of their strategic capital role, geographic scope and ownership structure or the type of products they deal with (Davis 89). Real estate developers may therefore be classified in three most common categories: trader developer refers to the type of a developer who assumes the entire risk of the project until it’s completed. A trader developer then makes a complete sale of the land and property which results to the main goals as being exploitation of

The Impacts Employee Motivation has on Organisationalperformance Dissertation

The Impacts Employee Motivation has on Organisationalperformance - Dissertation Example A highly motivated employee is hugely productive in the context of the company. However on the other hand employees who are less motivated works less effectively (Management help, n.d.). The purpose of the study is to underpin the fact that how employee motivation helps an organization to get success in the market place. In other words the primary intention behind the study is to uncover the impacts employee motivation has on organizational performance. The topic was chosen on assessing the factors that are significant for an organization. Nevertheless the study revealed motivation as one of the crucial factor for an organization. ... A primary research will be also carried out to get better insights of the topic. The report will be divided into five sections. The first section will be about the introduction to the vital concepts of the study, in the second section a literature review of the topic will be carried out. Once the literature review ends, the report will clearly depict the methodology to be followed for doing the research. The next section will be about data collection and analysis. In this section mainly primary data will be collected, analyzed and meaningful information will be portrayed. Finally the report will conclude, by answering the research questions and addressing the research objectives. 1.1 Defining Motivation Motivation is imperative for an organization as it offers large number of benefits. Some of the evident benefits of having a motivated workforce within the organization are increased productivity and improved efficiency, helps in achieving the organizational goals, creates a friendly relationship within the organization, makes the workforce stable, and it also assists in utilizing the resources properly. Furthermore it also offers other benefits in the context of an organization. It leads to high performance, reduces the employee turnover rate, decreases the rate of absenteeism, portrays a better organizational image, industrial relations become superior and it also helps the organization to get adapted with the changing business environment (Singla, 2011, p.389). Different employees join an organization with diversified needs and demands. The background of the employees such as education, culture, attitude, perception, values, beliefs and location and the way of their upbringing are different. The objective of every

CONTRACT MANUFACTURING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

CONTRACT MANUFACTURING - Essay Example This enables these organizations to dedicate their resources, time and workforce to the tasks that are central and pivotal to their primary business and at which, they are really good at (Krekora 2008). These companies approach the potential contract manufacturers with a specific process, design or prototype. The contract manufacturers quote their price, while taking into consideration, the procedures, tools, labour, costs and inputs requisite for the product under consideration. In that context, the customer firms do prefer to procure multiple quotes from varied contract manufacturers. This enables them to maximize their profitability and quality, by selecting a bidder that is most capable and competitive in terms of price and technology. Once a contract manufacturer is selected, one takes care of all the procurement, manufacturing, logistics and supply chain issues associated with the assigned task. The task may involve the manufacturing of a complete product, to the assembly of specific components. Thus, contract manufacturing is one form of outsourcing. There exist many reputed and established brands that opt to go for contract manufacturing, instead of maintaining their own pl ants and logistics facilities. Since 2005, this business practice has gained a solid foothold in the international pharmaceutical industry. Varied pragmatic and strategic reasons have contributed to this trend. In the current scenario, the international manufacturing industry affiliated to pharmaceuticals and drugs has exhibited an extensive growth. Major pharmaceutical companies in the developed and the developing world have finally come to the conclusion that they stand to reap massive benefits by going for outsourcing and contract manufacturing. Resorting to contract manufacturing enables these pharmaceutical companies to build on their overall production capacities, without incurring the commensurate

Analysing Different Teaching Syllabus

Analysing Different Teaching Syllabus In the domain of language teaching, many teaching syllabuses have emerged which can be classified according to their goals. Examples are the grammatical or structural syllabus which focuses on teaching grammar; the lexical syllabus of which the goal is to teach students lexis and the orthography of the target language; the situational syllabus which is concerned with teaching language related to certain situations; the topic-based syllabus, which has as its goal the teaching of specific topics, for example, geographical topics such as global warming. There is also the skills-based syllabus which takes into account the four skills of language learning, namely, listening, speaking, reading and writing; the task-based syllabus, in which the task is the key to acquiring language and the integrated syllabus, which attempts to integrate all types of syllabus into one syllabus. This kind of syllabus is central to the Headway series of books. The focus of the teaching syllabuses in schools and colleges used to be on the grammar of the target language. Priority was given to structural categories, such as word class, and to mastering these categories. It was noted, however, that learners using the structural syllabus lacked the ability to communicate fluently in the target language, because they had little practice in expressing themselves communicatively, even though they had mastered the grammar. They were able only to memorise the structural categories and never engaged in communicating with others. This problem, therefore, could be solved only by producing a new syllabus which could meet learners needs and improve their communicative ability. As a result, a notional-functional syllabus emerged, with new goals and procedures. This paper examines the notional- functional syllabus. In the first part, a brief section seeks to define the word syllabus, followed by a section about the general meaning of a notional-functional syllabus. The second part considers the approach taken in this kind of syllabus and discusses it. The third part focuses on an important aspect in the notional-functional syllabus, namely, needs analysis. The fourth part highlights the strengths and weaknesses of this syllabus. The fifth part shows how the notional-functional syllabus has been influenced by theories of language and learning. The final part, attempts to describe the teaching situation best suited to this type of syllabus and some of its most important aspects. The Notional- functional syllabus: Before we embark on describing and discussing the notional-functional syllabus, we should provide a definition for the word syllabus. What is a syllabus? It is noteworthy that many writers such as, (Brumfit: 1984; Nunan: 1988; Richards: 2001) have sought to define this word. For example, a syllabus is defined as: a specification of the content of a course of instruction which lists what will be taught and tested (Richards: 2001:2). It is defined also by Nunan (1988:159) as: a specification of what is to be taught in language and the order in which it is to be taught. Furthermore, it can merely lay down what is to be taught, or attempt the harder task of organizing what is to be learnt (Brumfit: 1984). Accordingly, it is noted that they agree that a syllabus should be a specified by a plan which leads teaching aims. White (1988) agrees with Nunan (1988), in addition, that a syllabus may include such aspects as, structure, functions, topics, skills and situations. The choice of priority among these aspects will specify the type of syllabus. 1.2. What is a notional-functional syllabus? The first appearance of this type of syllabus was in the 1970s, when sociolinguists and language philosophers first tried to reflect the functional aspects of language in the teaching syllabuses (Nunan: 1988). It is worthy mentioning the the notional- functional syllabus is based on two important aspects, namely, a conceptual or notional aspect and a functional aspect. The first, takes into consideration concepts such as, cause and effect, time, movement and space. The second describes and classifies the intentions behind language use. In fact, neither of these aspects was new for language teaching. They always been of much concern in the language teaching field, yet what was new was the adoption of notional-functional categories as principles in syllabus organisation. As a result, the great stress on grammatical considerations was relaxed, because the communicative categories were taken into account (White, 1988). It is, however, worth mentioning that the Threshold syllabus (Van Ek: 1975) and the Waystage syllabus (Van Ek and Alexander: 1977) are prototypes of notional-functional syllabuses prepared by the Council of Europe. The content of these syllabuses includes notions such as those mentioned above and functions such as are found at the Threshold level ( Ek and Trim: 1990), ( see, Appendix:1). D.A.Wilkins (1976) was the keenest advocate of the notional- functional syllabus. He notes that this type of syllabus should encompass three categories of meaning: first, semantico- grammatical meaning , in which grammatical form is taught by semantics, such as, time, which consists of point of time, duration and relations; second, modal meaning, in which there is a concern with the nature of the speakers attitudes, such as, the scale of certainty, including: conjecture, doubt, conviction and disbelief; and third, the communicative function, in which speakers are expected to provide communicate infor mation, such as, requests and complaints (Wilkins: 1976). The approach applied in the Notional- functional syllabus: It is important to note that there is a contention among such writers in the language teaching domain as, (Wilkins: 1976; Nunan: 1988; Richards: 2001). This contention is about whether the approach taken in a notional- functional syllabus is analytic or synthetic. In fact, Wilkins (1976) is the first writer who has paid attention to the difference between synthetic and analytic approaches in teaching syllabuses (Nunan: 1988). The distinction lies in the fact that the strategy of language teaching in a synthetic approach relies on the process of acquiring language through a gradual accumulation of language parts. These different parts are taught separately until the complete linguistic structure is built up. In contrast, with the analytic approach linguistic control of the learning environment is not important, because language components are not viewed as building blocks. In other words, they are not gradually accumulated. Furthermore, the important forms of language are isolated fro m the contrasting context in which they probably occur. Therefore, the focus of learning is significant aspects of the language structure (Wilkins: 1976). Wilkins goes on to propose that a notional-functional syllabus maybe considered an example of the analytic approach to language teaching. This is because it entails no compulsory exposure to grammar, although we will probably be able to separate particular forms from their language environment in order to learn the grammatical system adequately (ibid, p 19). It emerges that (Nunan: 1988; Richards: 2001) disagree with Wilkinss view that the approach of a notional- functional syllabus is analytic; they consider it synthetic. The reason is that the functional-notional syllabus was an attempt to replace the structural syllabus, yet ultimately, it remained similar to the latter, because, the type of exercise and the content which learners need to master is altogether similar to those of the structural syllabus ,although, the units in the notional-functional syllabus have functional labels(Nunan: 1988). Moreover, it is noted that the notional -functional syllabuses continued to be the same as the structural syllabuses, because they failed to get rid of the need for linguistic control and gradually forms accumulated (Richards: 2001). It is, therefore, agreed with the views of Nunan and Richards, because functional-notional syllabuses are not different enough from structural syllabuses. For example, in structural syllabuses learners have to lear n the different verb tenses gradually. In notional- functional syllabuses, they have to create sentences according to the type of function in a sequence way. Hence, the approach tends to be synthetic rather than analytic. Needs analysis: This term refers to a set of procedures used to collect information about learners and their communications tasks which might help in syllabus design. The question why learners need to learn the target language is not solely the concern of needs analysis. Syllabus planners, however, will need information about such aspect as, the social expectations placed on learners and the possibility of resources to help implement the syllabus. Syllabus designers, therefore, use two different types of needs analysis. The first is learner analysis and the second, task analysis. Learner analysis is concerned with the learners purpose in learning the language and with many other questions through which a great deal of information can be amassed through, for example, data collection forms (Nunan,1988). In needs analysis a syllabus plan is derived from the specifications which syllabus planners or teachers derive from determining the sort of language required. This specifies the ends which the learner s desire (White: 1988). White seems to have considered a needs analysis similar to a blue print for a house build since, in order to drew up plan, an architect needs to look at another house to collect information about the design. The architect, therefore, is similar to a syllabus planner or teacher (ibid, p83). Wilkins, on the other hand, drew attention in notional-functional syllabuses to the learners needs. He proposed that the categories to apply in syllabus should be relevant to the particular population of learners (Wilkins: 1981:84). Consequently, notional-functional syllabuses are based on the learners needs, which are known through needs analysis, for example, from interviews asking learners what they require to learn (see, Appendix: 2). Strengths and weaknesses of the notional-functional syllabus: One of the positive aspects which characterises the notional-functional syllabus is the focus on communicative factors as a starting point in a syllabus plan. For example, in this syllabus, there is a concern for the linguistic elements which learners need in order to communicate. Furthermore, the grammatical and situational factors, on the one hand, are not neglected in this syllabus, because communicative competence will be produced and learners will be motivated by the use of language. On the other hand, all types of language functions could be covered in functional notional syllabuses not solely the typical language functions that might emerge in certain situations (Wilkins, 1976). It is worth clarifying the difference here between grammatical competence and communicative competence. According to Richards (2006), grammatical competence involves a concentration on the sentence as a unit of analysis and the ability of language learners to analyse the form of the sentence in order to create their own sentences in the target language. Communicative competence, however, means a state in which learners can use the language in meaningful communication. Another positive aspect of a notional-functional syllabus according to Widdowson, is the improvement which it represented over grammatical syllabuses, because this syllabus allows an authentic and communicative use of language in the context in which the forms are presented (Widdowson: 1978). However, Finocchiaro and Brumfit (1983) praise the syllabus for giving the communicative purposes of students highest priority. Moreover, adopting a functional-notional syllabus in the language teaching domain provides distinct benefits: First, no compulsory exposure to language grammar; second, the provision of concrete learning tasks; third, the chance for teachers to be guided by some principles of psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and educational theory; fourth, the insistence on the need for language learners to have a real purpose in speaking. Fifth, the widespread progress of target language courses is provided by this kind of syllabus. Sixth, modular and flexible courses could be improved by this syllabus. Moreover, listening and reading activities which are also called receptive activities are provided in this. Furthermore, the communicative abilities of learners will be motivating due to the basic communicative functions which existing in this syllabus (ibid, p36). Hence, we could see that notional-functional syllabus takes into account the importance of communicative activities in language teaching. As Littlewood (1981) indicates, the purposes of communicative activities are, first, to give whole-task practice, whereby students in the target language classroom get practice in completing a whole task with its varied communicative activities. Second, they improve motivation, in that the important target for is to communicate with others; consequently if they recognise that their classroom can serve this target their motivation to learn seems to give them close attention. Moreover, they can create a context which supports learning, because communicative activities encourage positive relationships between learners and their teacher. As a result, these relationships contribute to a propitious learning environment. But, despite its positive aspects, this type of syllabus still has some limitations. One of these limitations is the difficulties which syllabus designers have with respect to grading and selection, because a notional-functional syllabus has much concern for communicative factors. To illustrate, grading is the process of arranging the content of a syllabus from easy to difficult (Nunan, 1988). The items, which should be included in this syllabus, are not chosen on linguistic basis only, but also on the communicative purposes with which learners embark on a course (ibid, p37). Furthermore, because in a functional framework syllabus planners have no empirical evidence to build their selection of exponents and structures, it is thought that their selection is based merely on intuition (White, 1988). In an attempt, however, to solve the problem of grading and selection in the notional-functional syllabus, hybrid syllabuses emerged. These syllabuses combine the structural and notional cat egories in one syllabus, yet even these models of syllabuses have proved problematic, because, as White indicates, there have not been enough evaluate them (ibid, p82). Another shortcoming, with this type of syllabus is that there is no compatibility between function and form, because, in order to decide which function is being explained, we need to know about the context. For instance, in the following sentences: We are thinking of going to see the new Woody Allan film tonight. How about going to see the new Woody Allan film tonight. (White, 1988:76). In these examples, there is confusion whether they should be seen as forms of invitation or function ways of making a suggestion (ibid, 77). Moreover, Widdowson in his critique the notional-functional syllabus notes that the methodology of dress rehearsal results in the activities which aim to produce authentic communication in the classroom. This methodology may enable learners only to convey the items learned in the situations which they can rehearse, but not in new situations (Widdowson: 1987). The notional-functional syllabus also lacks a rigorous use of needs analysis. According to Richards (2001), the term needs is not identified clearly because needs may identified on the basis of intuition and the interests of the syllabus planners. Therefore, the criteria for this term in the syllabus are not clear-cut. Hence, from the limitations of notional-functional syllabus discussed above, it could be seen, that such a syllabus tends to be product- based syllabus, which focusing on what language is learnt rather than process-based syllabus which focuses on how language is learnt. The consequence is that the list of items which a notional-functional syllabus offers is presented to be learnt, yet how they will be learnt is not specified. The influence of language theories and learning on the notional-functional syllabus: Theoretical views of language teaching varied in their ideas. Fore example, there is the structural view in which language is considered a structural system connected with elements for the coding of meaning. This view is considered traditional in language teaching. The functional view, therefore, came as a reaction to it, on the one hand, and an attempt to improve it, on the other hand. Language in the functional view is considered a means of conveying functional meaning (Richards and Rodgers: 1986). Nunan (1988), however, draws attention to the way in which the communicative view was integrated by syllabus designers in the 1970s and at that time attracted a great deal of concern. This view, which is allied to the functional view, asserts that the communicative and semantic dimensions of language are as important as the grammatical characteristics of language. Thus, the content of language teaching is specified and organized by its communicative and semantic dimensions through meanin g and function categories instead of, structure and grammar elements (Richards and Rodgers, 1986). As a result, the notional syllabuses adopted by Wilkins in 1976 came as an attempt to apply this view of language in teaching syllabuses. Hence, the notional syllabuses comprised not solely grammar elements and lexis, yet also specification of the notions, topic and concepts which learners require in communication (ibid, p17). It is noted, moreover, that the functional view tends to be with views such as Hallidays view (1970) which believes that: linguistics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is concerned with the description of speech acts or texts, since only through the study of language in use are all the functions of language and therefore, all components of meaning, brought into focus ( Halliday:1970:145). Hence, it seems clear that the notional-functional syllabus is heavily influenced by functional and communicative views of language. It is important to note, however, that the notional-functional syllabuses are influenced not only by theories of language, yet also theories of learning. Because, as Richards and Rodgers (1986) observe, the models of structural, functional and interactional approaches in language teaching are considered incomplete in themselves, because they provide only theoretical frameworks for teaching language. Thus, they need educational theories of language learning in order to be complete. According to Richards and Rodgers, there are two types of learning theories, namely, process-oriented theories and condition-oriented theories. The first, is built on the processes of learning namely, habit formation, induction, inferencing, hypothesis testing and generalization (ibid, p18). The second concentrates on language learning from the perspective of human nature and the physical context. Therefore, it is should be noted that communicative meaning comes under the umbrella of condition-oriented theo ries, because, learners need to learn how they can transfer their communicative meaning through language. They could do it through a notional approach to language teaching, because the basis of this approach comes from the belief that what learners need in the domain of language is significantly more important than language mastery as unapplied system (Wilkins, 1976). As a result, it could be seen that a notional-functional syllabus relies heavily on the functional view of language and condition-oriented theories of learning. As Wilkins (1981) emphasizes, what links the notional approach with the communicative language teaching movement is the knowledge of language learning in which the communicative purposes have a great deal of concern. The teaching situation best suited to the notional-functional syllabus: Since, the focus of a notional-functional syllabus is on the development of communicative competence such as language learners need for communication in the target language, Furthermore, this kind of syllabus provides for the teaching of every day language in the world beyond the classroom. It could, therefore, be argued that the notional-functional syllabus is suitable for English for Specific Purpose (ESP) or short English courses. Such as, courses in Business English taught in an oil company. Courses of this kind would be suitable for those who want to visit an English speaking country for a business trip or holiday, where they will need to interact in different situations. This syllabus benefits those who want basic communicative functions, for instance, greeting, asking for directions, or expressing feelings. As Wilkins (1976:71) indicates, actual language courses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ regarded by some learners as complete in themselves but by others à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a basis for further learning. I would argue that a notional syllabus is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦can meet defined communication needs while at the same time it is constructing a more widely based linguistic competence. It is, however, important to note that there are some aspects which should be taken into account in the teaching situation suited to the notional-functional syllabus, including the following: 6.1. Language level: Linguistic proficiency among language learners is classified into levels, such as, beginner, elementary, pre intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced. It could be, therefore, argued that notional-functional syllabus seems to be suitable for intermediate or advanced learners rather than beginners. The reason is that learners in the early stages attempt to concentrate on vocabulary learning before learning how to express themselves communicatively through functional meanings. Accordingly, it is thought that this syllabus seems to be un suitable for beginners, because intermediate or advanced learners already possess the core vocabulary, however, their focus will be on producing sentences communicatively. Thus, it seems more appropriate for them. 6.2. Class size: It could be argued that since a functional-notional syllabus focuses on learners needs, as Wilkins(1976) indicates, in his notional syllabuses that the categories which need to be applied in this kind of syllabus should be individual to a particular group of learners. It is thought, therefore, that large classes which are composed of dissimilar learners are not suitable for the functional-notional syllabus. This type of syllabus needs a specific group of learners, for instance, when it comes to English for Specific Purpose (ESP) courses. In them are particular groups, such as, Business English learners, engineering English learners or medical English learners. These groups of learners will be suitable for this kind of syllabus. 6.3. Assessment: Since, the goal of a notional-functional syllabus is to improve the communicative language ability of learners, in other words, their ability to use language in their communications. There seems, therefore, to be no need for formal assessment. The reason is that the assessment will focus on the way in which learners can achieve this ability through expressing concepts such as, possibility or affirmation. For instance, in the case of business English courses, the assessment is based on the learners performance in communicative language with customers; that is, how well they can communicate with their customers for instance, in making requests or offering business. Conclusion: Syllabuses in the language teaching domain have varied in their goals and procedures. The traditional ones are structural or grammatical, with a focus on finding ways of learning the grammar of the target language. But this syllabus neglects ways of acquiring competence in communicative language. Hence, as can be seen in the above, the notional-functional syllabus emerged as a way for learners to improve their communicative abilities which would be motivated through its basic communicative functions. It all depends on what we use language to do. Furthermore, we can conclude that the notional-functional syllabus is based on the learners needs, which are discovered through a needs analysis strategy. This syllabus has two main aspects: functions which deal with such the communicative abilities as, requesting, grading, arguing and expressing feelings and notions related, for example, to space, location, time and quantity. It is noted, however, that the main in designing this kind of syll abus comprise: first, the situations in which learners will use the target language, broken down into the place, the time and people who engaged in these situations; second, the topics which are found in every day communication, such as, asking for directions, offering help or shopping. Admittedly, the notional-functional syllabus possesses negative as well as positive aspects. Some of the positive aspects are its focus on communicative factors as a starting point and in its high motivating power, because it enables learners to express their ideas and feelings more easily. Moreover, all types of function could be covered in functional- notional syllabuses, not solely the typical language functions which might emerge in certain situations. It is noted, however, that some of the negative aspects which are highlighted in the present paper are the difficulties in selecting and grading, the functions and forms and there lack of compatibility between function and form, because, in order t o decide which function is being explained, we need to know about the context. Furthermore, needs analysis strategy is not identified clearly, because the identification of learns needs only on the basis of intuition on the part of syllabus planners. We could see, however, that the notional-functional syllabus has been influenced heavily by functional and communicative views of language and condition-oriented theories of learning. Finally, we can conclude that, although this kind of syllabus has some limitations, it is widely used in many countries, because it is effective for learners with special purposes, such as, learners of ESP ( English for specific purposes).

An Interpretation of Emily Dickinsons Poem I Felt a Funeral in My Brain :: Dickinson I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain Essays

An Interpretation of Emily Dickinson's Poem I Felt a Funeral in My Brain Emily Dickinson was a reclusive individual that was rarely seen by anyone outside of her immediate family and few close friends. This solitude emerges in her poetry in the form of doom and gloom depictions. Dickinson seems to have a fascination with death as if death is a friendly character rather than a horrible image. It has been stated that Dickinson's obsession with death was a sign to others around her and her readers that she was struggling internally. In the poem "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" Dickinson seems to be describing a delusion of a person that is contemplating what will happen to him/her when he/she dies. This poem also seems to be an affirmation of heaven and hell and a personal battle within the narrator to come to terms with his/her own mortal existence. In the first stanza Dickinson describes "feeling a funeral in her brain". This could be a metaphor for her own personal death and the reference to "sense breaking through" tells the reader that only through death can a person ever understand and/or value life. This could be viewed as a retrospection on the narrators life and a telling poem about where she was at in her existance around this period of time. If this interpretation is justified then in stanza two the funeral proceeds with the narrator hating to be there as she/he says: "And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum- Kept beating-beating-till I thought My Mind was going numb-" This stanza shows that the narrator is still bored with the living world even in death. The third stanza continues the theme of a struggle between heaven and hell in the last line when the narrator states, "Then space-began to toll". This reference to a bell tolling, or time running out seems to suggest the impending judgment for the narrator. Heaven is discussed in the forth stanza and compared to a bell: "As all the Heavens were a Bell And Being, but an Ear, And I, and Silence, some strange race

Indian boy Essay

The next characters to enter the play are the Mechanicals. The play is a romantic comedy. A lot of the play’s comedy comes from the Mechanicals. They are a group of actors that want to fulfil a dream. This dream is to write a play good enough to perform for the Duke, which would get them their pensions. The Mechanicals are a subplot to the play and take the action away from the chaos and gives the play a wider variety. The Mechanicals are all portrayed to be ambitious but most of all Bottom. His enthusiasm lightens up the mood of the play. For example, as the parts are being read out, Bottom is asked to play the part of Pyramus. He enthusiastically quizzes Peter Quince about the part. When the rest of the parts are being read out, Bottom continuously interrupts and requests that he plays other parts as well as Pyramus. On one occasion, Bottom pleads, ‘And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too’. He then starts acting out Thisbe’s part in a squeaky voice, which is quite humorous. Peter Quince appears to be a leader, as he takes the leading role of the Mechanicals. He also seems quite intelligent, as he has written a whole play. He is also directing it, showing his leadership qualities. The other Mechanical that stands to me, even though he says little, is Snug the joiner. This is because of his studying inequalities and his inability to realise that a lion does not speak. This is also quite humorous. The Hoffman version of the film shows slapstick humour at the very first sighting of Bottom. As Bottom is acting out one of the parts that he would like to play, a crowd gather around him. Whilst he acts, he has a huge grin on his face. As the crowd grows bigger he starts acting to his audience. Two drunken men on a balcony above Bottom tip red wine over Bottom. This provokes a laugh from the audience and wipes the grin off Bottom’s face. After reading the play, this does not appeal to me as Bottom, as he is not one to get upset over a practical joke. I think that the Noble version shows more slapstick comedy than the Hoffman version. The most noticeable event being the moment that Titania and Bottom share on Titania’s huge umbrella. Bottom makes noises of an ass and I found this very funny. I prefer the Bottom on the Noble version of the film, as he is louder and more active. He is what I would call a slapstick comedian. He has more character about him. On the Hoffman version, Bottom gets upset about a practical joke. I could not see this happening with the Bottom on the Noble version. Athens is a society that believes in law and order, which an Elizabethan audience would feel comfortable viewing. Law and order are mainly demonstrated in the first scene of the play, where Hermia is being told to respect her father’s wishes or face the consequences. Hermia’s father was willing to see his daughter die if she did not respect his wishes. This also demonstrates power, as Hermia’s father has the power to control her. In the Hoffman version, powerful clothing is also used to show who is the more powerful. The need for power in the fairy world causes trouble in the mortal world. What ever happens in the fairy world has a direct effect on the mortal world. For example, when Titania and Oberon are arguing over a small Indian boy, there are storms in the mortal world. Oberon demonstrates his need for power by requesting that he has the small Indian boy. He does not need the boy for anything but wants to take the boy from Titania to prove that he can and show that he is more powerful than her. The fairy world seems to be disordered in the way that Puck fails to carry out Oberon’s instructions correctly, as he put the love juice on Lysander’s eyes rather than Demetrius’. Also, disorder is shown by Oberon doing anything he can to get the Indian boy, not caring what harm he is causing. For example, Oberon is willing to make Titania fall in love with Bottom, with an ass’s head, in order to get the Indian boy. In the Noble version of the film, when Titania and Oberon are arguing, bubbles are transporting fairies around. The boy is blowing these bubbles into the toy theatre, which has reappeared in his dream. One of the bubbles shows a reflection of this boy dressed as an Indian. To me, this implies that in the boy’s life, his parents represented by Titania and Oberon, could be arguing over him. In this case Titania and Oberon are arguing over an Indian boy, which appears to be the boy whose dream it is. Shakespeare uses language to create the fairy world by describing nature’s beauty. Describing nature creates the feel of a world we do not know much about. Shakespeare uses phrases such as, ‘Swifter than the moon’s sphere’ and ‘To dew her orbs upon the green’. Orbs create the feeling of jewels, like jewels of a king or queen. Orbs also create the feeling of power, which is shown so much in the fairy world. Moonlight re-affirms the night and dreamy theme of the play. We only see the fairy world during times of darkness in the two film versions of the play. The orbs and green to me create little fairies sparkling like orbs in a green forest. Such description is important because in Elizabethan times, special effects and settings were unavailable. Shakespeare must concentrate on the power of the mind. He uses such descriptive words so that the audience can imagine the set, scenery and feeling of the play. Adrian Noble meets the challenge of creating another realm by implementing surreal situations. He starts off by using bubbles to carry fairies. He also uses light bulbs to create stars. Because this isn’t what we are used to seeing, it makes us feel like we have entered something different to our world.

Lesser Known Planning Tools Ansoff, Boston, and the Strategy Clock

Lesser Known Planning Tools Ansoff, Boston, and the Strategy Clock These tools are still widely taught but have largely fallen out of favor over time, as better and more detailed planning and strategic management tools have been developed. Nevertheless, these tools do offer some frameworks for assessing various kinds of strategies, and being familiar with them can serve as a good starting point for developing effective strategic planning methods. Remember, it doesnt matter how difficult your task is, our writers are ready to  help you with any writing assignment you need! The Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff Matrix was developed in the mid-1950s by Igor Ansoff, a Russian-born applied mathematician described by The Economist as â€Å"the father of modern strategic thinking†. Ansoff’s original work was not actually concerned with business management at all but was developed to aid NATO in strategic problem-solving at the height of the Cold War in the early 1960s (Ansoff was an analyst for the Rand Corporation and a Vice-President at Lockheed before moving into the academic field). In practice, various potential alternatives for growth strategies developed by planners are arranged in the matrix according to the generic strategies they represent, where they can then be analyzed in a systematic way through other methods. The biggest shortcoming of the Ansoff Matrix is that it is actually more an information-management tool than a planning or analytical tool; that makes it very helpful for assessing businesses from an external perspective (such as part of a competition analysis), but of limited use in strategic planning. A market penetration strategy is one in which business markets existing products to existing customers. The options available to the company in this strategy would involve promoting the product, adjusting the price, updating or repositioning the brand, and so on; no new product is introduced, and the business is simply cultivating its present customer base. A product development strategy is one in which new products – but products that are still natural evolutions of existing products, rather than being something totally unrelated – are marketed to the existing customer base. A market development strategy is when new markets are sought for existing products. A diversification strategy involves the development of new products and new markets at the same time. Market and product development strategies are opposites of each other, as are market penetration and diversification strategies. The Boston Consulting Group Product Portfolio Matrix (Boston Matrix) The Boston Matrix was developed by the Boston Consulting Group in the 1970s as a tool for assessing a company’s product portfolio and is based on two variables, market share and market growth. Each product is placed into one of four categories: Stars  are products with high market share in high-growth markets. These products generate high levels of revenue, though not always high margins. Cash cows  are products with high market share in low-growth markets. These products generate stable revenue and high margins because they require little investment to maintain their competitive position. Question marks  (in some versions, they are called problem children) are products with low market share in high-growth markets; they have potential because of that but are currently generating poor revenues and margins. Dogs  are products with low market share in low-growth markets. They do not generate worthwhile income (and may actually be losing money for the company) and do not have prospects for improving. In general, a company would want to rid itself of any Dogs and keep its Stars and Cash Cows; Stars may eventually become Cash Cows, and Cash Cows provide the source of funds to support promising Question Marks. Some Question Marks can become Stars, others will not, and become Dogs. One additional advantage of using the Boston Matrix is that the format (in most cases, with the amusing graphics excluded) can be used to plot a competitor’s products alongside a company’s own products, thus creating a simple, clear competitive analysis. The biggest inherent disadvantage of the Boston Matrix is that it tends to lead to oversimplification because it has only two variables; it is best used as a tool that provides input to a larger portfolio analysis, rather than the sole basis of the analysis. Another problem of the Boston Matrix, which is not really a problem with the tool itself but rather the way in which it is used, is that it is often misapplied; using it as a tool to assess entire strategic business units has for reasons that are not entirely clear become somewhat of a management fad. In this  usage, the oversimplification almost always leads to a bad decision, because business units are not products, but are rather more complicated. The Strategy Clock Unlike the Ansoff and Boston Matrices, which are designed for product and marketing planning,  the strategy clock is a firm-level competitive analysis tool  along the same lines as Porter’s Generic Strategies or Five Forces analysis. First published in 1996 (C. Bowman D. Faulkner,  Competitive  and Corporate Strategy), the strategy clock presents options for competitive positioning according to price level (cost advantage strategy) or the level of perceived added value (a differentiation advantage strategy): Of the eight options on the clock, options 6, 7, and 8 are almost certainly doomed to failure, so in practice, the company would want to determine first if it is following or is heading towards one of these strategies. Option 6, increasing the price of a standard product, can only be successful if competitors do the same, or lower the value of their products. Option 7, a high price on a low-value product, can only be successful in a monopoly situation. Option 8, offering a low-value product at a standard price, is an automatic failure because it provides the competition two opportunities to take away market share, either through lower prices or higher-value products. The three most successful strategies, options 3, 4, and 5, can be best illustrated with some well-known examples, auto manufacturers: Toyota  pursues a hybrid strategy, maintaining relatively low prices while offering a high level of value, mainly through having a very wide range of products. BMW  pursues a differentiation strategy, dividing it between providing high value at moderate prices at the lower end of its product range, where the value added comes mostly in the form of brand equity and product quality, and high value through premium pricing at the upper end of its product range. Ferrari  pursues a strategy of focused differentiation, providing high value at premium prices to a specific market segment. The only real drawback to the strategy clock is that  it only provides any useful information when it includes more than one competing company; like the Ansoff Matrix, this makes it perhaps more useful as a case study or competition analysis than as a reflective strategic analysis and planning tool. We hope that this article has been of help to you. However, we are not ignorant of the depth and width of the field of strategic management. If you would like to know more about anything we have discussed in this article or a related topic just get in touch with us. We would love to write you an informative and unique article on any topic of your choice. Place your  order NOW. More tools (ADL Matrix, Gap Analysis, and Directional Policy Matrix) can be found  here.

buy custom Psychological Disorders essay

buy custom Psychological Disorders essay Schizophrenia refers to a psychotic disorder, in which patients experience loss of contact with their environment, detectable deterioration in the degree of functioning, and disintegration of personality, whose characteristics include disorder of feeling, behavior, thought, and perception (Birchwood, and Jackson 47). Individuals start to show this kind of psychotic disorder in their early adulthood. According to Birchwood and Jackson, about 1 percent of the population across the world is suffering from schizophrenic disorders (51). There is evidence that genetic factors contribute substantially to the development of schizophrenia. The current treatments of schizophrenia include supportive interpersonal therapy, and antipsychotic medication (Barrett 36). Currently, the prognosis is good, with about 60 percent of the patients recovering fully. In this discussion, I will consider the behavioral changes that the schizophrenics experience under various conditions, and the significance of the behavioral changes. It has always been simple to identify a person suffering from schizophrenia, because of some unique behaviors that he/she exhibits in various situations. There is a wide range of behaviors that schizophrenics display under certain conditions. Some of the behaviors, which I have found common with schizophrenics, include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized behavior, disordered speech, and tendency of harming oneself (Birchwood, and Jackson 49). In most cases, schizophrenics exhibit their psychotic problems by becoming withdrawn socially, loss of interest in various fields, acting unmotivated, use of odd language structures, jumping from one topic to another, giving irrational, or strange statements (Fink 41). Therefore, I strongly believe that a close study of a persons behaviors can be very significant in diagnosing schizophrenia among human beings. A delusion refers to a firmly held thought that an individual has, despite obvious and clear evidence that it is not true (Birchwood, and Jackson 47). This kind of behavior is very common in schizophrenia, because it occurs in about 90 percent of the schizophrenics. Often, the delusions involve bizarre or illogical fantasies, or ideas. Common types of delusions that schizophrenics exhibit include delusions of reference, delusions of persecution, delusions of control, and delusions of grandeur (Fink 43). I believe that most schizophrenics exhibit delusions of reference, as they believe that neutral environmental events are special, and have a significant personal meaning. For instance, a schizophrenic may believe a person or billboard in the TV advertisement is delivering a message that specifically involves their lives. A person, suffering from schizophrenia, may relate the signs and symptoms of a different disease to thoseof a disease he or she is suffering from, which can make them nervous that the other disease is terminal (Birchwood, and Jackson 52). A schizophrenic can exhibit delusions of grandeur by believing that he or she is an important and famous figure in the society. I have personally seen people vying for seats in the government without knowing that they cannot win, because they are not famous. Some schizophrenics develop delusions of persecution, through which they believe that someone wants to kill them. Such beliefs can lead to self-defense, by becoming watchful and carrying deadly weapons. Schizophrenics, who possess delusions of control, believe that an alien force is controlling his or her actions and thoughts (Barrett 36). They appear to be afraid of doing things openly, because people can copy and rob them of their ideas. Hallucinations refer to those sensations that an individual experiences as real, when they exist in the individuals mind only. Hallucinations are very common in schizophrenia, and they usually involve the sense of hearing and seeing. Research has shown that auditory hallucinations take place when individuals misinterpret their own talk, as coming from other people (Fink 43). A hallucination is very significant in diagnosing schizophrenia, because individuals appear to be very disturbed in their environment. A schizophrenic can accuse other people of having malicious intents, when he or she hears the hallucinated voices behind the back. Personally I have witnessed people exhibiting schizophrenic hallucinations as they accuse others falsely. Schizophrenics commonly exhibit disorganized behavior, which appears in various ways. Daily functioning declines, individuals lack impulse control and inhibition, exhibit inappropriate or unpredictable emotional responses, and their behaviors appear to be unusual and without purpose (Fink 41). Therefore, individuals suffering from schizophrenia develop impairments in their abilities to take care of themselves, to work, and socialize with other people. Some schizophrenics develop disorganized speech, due to fragmented thinking. Externally, people identify individuals, who possess fragmented thinking, by hearing their speeches. Schizophrenics tend to have difficulties in concentrating, and maintaining organized thoughts. They may provide irrelevant solutions to some queries, start a sentence with one topic, and conclude it with a different topic, say illogical things, or speak incoherently. Late detection and treatment of schizophrenia can lead to exhibition of some behaviors, such as committing suicide among the schizophrenics. Though not very common, personally I have noticed some cases of suicide with schizophrenics. This happens when individuals stay with schizophrenic disorders, such as delusions, for a number of days until they undergo deppression. Individuals with depression are likely to develop feelings of committing suicide. I have not noticed any case where schizophrenics intend to harm other people around them. However, when they feel that people are mistreating them, schizophrenics can revenge severely, especially through murder (Fink 51). Therefore, early detection and treatment of schizophrenia is extremely crucial in avoiding harmful consequences. SIGNIFICANCE OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGES I believe that behavioral changes that occur in schizophrenics are very significant in number of ways. Diagnosis depends on the abnormal behaviors that schizophrenics express outwardly. Once a psychiatrist diagnoses an individual with schizophrenia, he or she should employ immediate treatment strategies to ensure that the schizophrenic do not develop other complications that have a close relationship with schizophrenia (Fink 53). Studies have shown that the introduction of treatment at the earliest stages of schizophrenia brings significant health improvement. If psychiatrists fail to detect the symptoms of schizophrenia earlier, the schizophrenics may not recover fully after the late medical or psychological interventions; thus, most of the symptoms will persist throughout their lives (Barrett 44). Behavioral changes due to schizophrenia can also make other people aware of those who are suffering from schizophrenia, and thus treat them well. I have personally experienced that mistreatment can encourage schizophrenics to cause serious crimes, such as murder. However, when they experience mistreatment, schizophrenics tend to hide away from other people. It is important to take care of schizophrenics, once their schizophrenic conditions have become apparent, because their behaviors and actions are unpredictable. According to Fink (55), it is always hard to understand the intentions of those people, whose behaviors and actions are unpredictable. Schizophrenia is a disturbing and harmful psychological disorder. Individuals suffering from schizophrenia exhibit a number of symptoms that enable psychologists to detect the schizophrenic conditions. Most of the schizophrenic symptoms are observable. Some of the schizophrenic symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized behavior, and disordered speech. These outward behaviors are significant, because they enable psychologists to diagnose people with schizophrenia, thus timely treatment. I strongly believe that timely detection and treatment of schizophrenia can result in improved outcomes. Behaviors changes of schizophrenics are also significant, because they can make people aware of those suffering from schizophrenia, thus treat them well. I have proved that the mistreatment of such individuals is very dangerous, because schizophrenics possess unpredictable behaviors Buy custom Psychological Disorders essay

How useful is the concept of ideology for media analysis Discuss in Essay

How useful is the concept of ideology for media analysis Discuss in relation to soap operas - Essay Example As the strength of the British army grew weak in confronting an imposing German hostility, the military administration had to resort to Conscription as a means of restoring its strength. But a glimpse at the history of media in the backdrop of public administration and consumerism will show that the positive application of ideological propaganda is an exception than the rule. Almost every known media type is susceptible to ideological undercurrents, whether as a result of design or accident. The Television as a medium of communication and entertainment allows sophisticated application of ideological persuasion. It has to be remembered that television is a product of the twentieth century. The centuries prior to its invention were not devoid of prevalent ideologies or their imposition on the masses. However, the imposition of the desired set of beliefs and habits were achieved through brute force. These centuries saw colonialism at its peak; and where imperialism exists violence follows. But the twentieth century is different in that empires were giving way to independent republics, especially after the Second World War. Soap Operas, which form the bulk of cultural programming, are truly representative of the rest of the electronic media. A careful study of soap operas helps us understand media in general and media’s role as vehicles of ideological propaganda in particular (History Today, 10). The soap operas serve as vehicles of ideology in two different ways. The more obvious way is through advertisements and sponsorship. Advertisements are essentially messages to the target audience as to what is good for them, what is it they should aspire for, what it that will gain them respect, etc., is. Of course, the process is not based on force but manipulation and exploitation. In a study conducted by Cynthia Frisby for the Journal of Advertising Research, the relationship

Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presentation - Essay Example Lis poetry has survived through the years and has gained imperishable popularity not only in China, but also developed a good influence in the Western world through translations. This discussion will be about the literary components and illustrations of Li Bai’s poems, particularly focusing on the way he has handled each of his poems, depicting its theme and primary images. The aesthetic sense in his poetic descriptions along with his recurring theme of nature is discussed in detail. Li Bai was born in Sichuan province, in what is now Central Asia, in 701 A.D. In his early years, he led a carefree life as an itinerant wandering throughout China with his companion and co-poet, Du Fu. Living during the mid-Tang Dynasty, which was called the ‘Golden Age of China’, he was influenced by Taoist thoughts. He wished of becoming an official in the dynasty but his family heritage did not provide enough opportunities for it. However, in 742 A. D., he was introduced to the emperor Xuanzong, as a fabled carouser who fascinated the public and aristocrats through his poetic skills. Even though he had little academic knowledge, he was appointed to the Hanlin academy by the Emperor. As a prestigious poet to the ruler, he settled with the Emperor making poetry for him and the academy. However, the revolt, which occurred soon after his elevation, exiled him out of the position. Being a superfluous imaginative poet, his death was also romanticized by a fable in which h is attempt to catch the moon’s light in a river led to his drowning. But, actually he is believed to have died because of his excessive drinking. Li Bai was indeed a legendary poet, with fanciful thoughts and inimitable adeptness in poetry skills. His poems covered a wide spectrum of human emotions and life with in-depth expressions through powerful language delivery. He was indeed a prominent figure in Chinese poetry