Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Business Associate Degree Single Moms Prefer University of Phoenix Online Programs 2019

Education is a ticket out of poverty and to gaining self-respect, says Evelyn Dutch, a single mom. However, sitting in a classroom after a long work day, and finding childcare, are real obstacles for single moms. How are women like Evelyn Dutch earning a business associate degree while maintaining their parenting responsibilities? Single Moms Find Flexible Business Associate Degree Program at University of Phoenix With online degree programs and campus locations throughout the U.S., University of Phoenix offers a flexible Business Associate degree for single moms. Moms can schedule classes according to their needs or even choose to take classes entirely online. In addition to the business associate degree, University of Phoenix offers other flexible degrees, including: Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Bachelor of Science in Communications. Master of Business Administration (MBA) . University of Phoenix Offers Affordable Business Associate Degree Program for Single Moms Single mothers often feel the financial burden of a one-income household. At University of Phoenix, staff members are considerate of the unexpected financial difficulties faced by single moms. Students are given a 100% refund if they must cancel prior to the first day of instruction. Single moms can also apply many sources of federal financial aid to the University of Phoenix Business Associate degree. .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4:active, .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4 .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u6ef70e6bbbf64c2c03ee7c413c1dcfd4:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Employment Opportunities With an Associate's Degree in Criminal JusticeUniversity of Phoenix is helping single moms boost earnings and expand their career options. Prospective students may request additional information from the University of Phoenix Business Associate degree program by filling out an information request form. For a complete list of degree programs offered at University of Phoenix, visit College-Pages.com, the leading education and career resource website. Related ArticlesAssociate Business Degree More Single Dads Achieving Educational Goals through University of PhoenixCriminal Justice Bachelor Degree Single Parents in Colorado Find Convenience at Kaplan UniversityNursing and Health Care DegreesOnline Postgraduate Business Administration DegreesBSB 5 Ways to Earn a Bachelor of Science in Business in as Little as 12 MonthsThe Doctorate in Education Educational Leadership

Monday, December 23, 2019

Lasting Legacies Essay - 2901 Words

Katrina Nguyen Victor Magagna Political Science 113A 8 December 2012 Lasting Legacies The impact of Confucianism in East Asia continues to mold and shape individuals’ actions so they can lead better lives that will have a positive effect on society. This can be achieved once the individual reaches a better understanding about their mutual obligations – that a proper society is revolved around give and take. It is the individuals who keep the lasting legacies of Confucianism through their patterns of knowledge and belief by understanding how the world actually works. The lasting legacies of Asian political thought and practice are also seen through moral reasoning and moral values, political thought and action, the economy and the†¦show more content†¦In East Asian tradition, one does not just simply reject an idea, but to tolerate it and incorporate into their tradition. This is simply the idea of interpenetrating boundaries because setting boundaries is to set one’s own limits. Human nature is also an aspect that helps humans to understand the patterns of knowledge and belief. According to East Asian traditions, they believe that human nature is not fixed at birth but a potential that could be developed. Our human nature is only a tendency, at best; we are improvable so it cannot be taken for granted. Humans are improvable through self-cultivation. Self-cultivation consists of will and sincerity. Humans must have to have the will and sincerity to improve themselves. Without sincerity, one will simply fail. This poses a political debate that if humans are cultivated and rational, then what should the role of government be in unlocking human nature. Whether government should be strong in its role or weak in terms of allowing its citizens to control and organize their own lives. It is inarguable that only a government with proper order can facilitate the development of human beings into self-cultivation. To be human, one must start with the personal cultivation of one’s own character, and then be in harmony with others by extending one’s virtue to others (de Bary, 179).Show MoreRelatedThe Lasting Legacy of Thomas Jefferson948 Words   |  4 Pagesthomas Jefferson The Lasting Legacy of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson is one of the most influential presidents of the United States. Along with his successes and failures he proved to be a great president by leaving his legacy’s behind. A legacy is something someone has had handed down or left for future generations. Thomas Jefferson is one of the most influential people that left their legacies behind because his presidency commenced the quarter century rule of the Virginia Dynasty. He wasRead MoreHenry Ford s Lasting Legacy1483 Words   |  6 PagesHenry Ford’s Lasting Legacy â€Å"Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.† (Henry Ford). Henry Ford is one of the world’s most renowned leaders for the automobile industry. The son of a farmer, Ford has always been interested in how things worked. He has improved the models of his cars to make manufacturing them faster and more efficient by using assembly lines. He also set a balance between his employees’ wages and hours worked. Ford never stopped innovatingRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s A Good And Lasting Legacy822 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare William Shakespeare left a good, lasting legacy that we see almost every day and we don t even know it s there. A legacy is something that you leave behind weather good or bad, Shakespeare s left a legacy of books and being thought as one of the greatest writers in the world. In William’s life he created many pieces of literature and words that people use everywhere today. We may not know a whole lot about William Shakespeare’s life but we can see that he was a veryRead MoreThe Lasting Legacy Of The Tuskegee Syphilis Study1752 Words   |  8 PagesThe Lasting Legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study Passed down from generation to generation, African Americans have recounted the horror stories concerning the humiliation and abuse endured from the American medical community. The institution of systematic racism and discrimination leads Blacks further into a culture of untrusting those who have taken the sacred Hippocratic Oath. In the book Medical Apartheid author Harriet Washington (2006) uses the term â€Å"Black iatrophobia† to define the AfricanRead MoreEuropean Colonialism : A Lasting Legacies On Many Countries1062 Words   |  5 PagesEuropean colonialism has a lasting legacies on many African countries. European colonialism started in the late 1900’s and continued until after World War II. Colonialism is a system in which one country takes control of the political and economic affairs of another nation, and imposes policies to control another nation. In the 17th century colonizing parts of Africa became popular European countries. In the year 1677, France c olonized their first African country, Senegal. Specifically, an areaRead MoreJohann Sebastian Bach, And His Legacy And Lasting Impact After His Death1120 Words   |  5 Pageslimits of the time, and are of such a quality that they are still performed and enjoyed today, two hundred and sixty-three years after his death. In this paper, I will be writing about two main points: the life of Johann Sebastian Bach, and his legacy and lasting impact after his death. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in the town of Eisenach, which was the capital of Saxe-Eisenach , on March 21st, 1685. Bach was born into a musical family, his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, serving as the director ofRead MoreLegacy Admission Should Not Be Allowed Since World War I1477 Words   |  6 Pages Legacy Admission As Peter Schmidt of the chronicle says, legacies originated after World War I to support the immigrant students, particularly Jews. When it became harder to control Jewish enrollment, in 1920’s most respected universities such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton considered legacy status. Since then it has raised the concerns for lower class families who did not attend good universities and their children wantedRead MoreAmerica Should Not Be Allowed Since World War I1525 Words   |  7 Pages As Peter Schmidt of the chronicle says, legacies originated after World War I to support the immigrant students, particularly Jews. When it became harder to control Jewish enrollment, in 1920’s most respected universities such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton considered legacy status. Since then it has raised the concerns for lower class families who did not attend good universities and their children wanted to attend but ended up not getting admission. In 2003, Se nator Edward KennedyRead More Software Maintenance Essay2606 Words   |  11 Pagessuch legacy systems remain, many are â€Å"mission-critical† whereby their failure may lead to the collapse of the business or industry in which they serve.   In such cases, it is ultimately not possible to decommission the system in question.   The present report investigates the nature of such systems and examines why legacy systems cause problems to Software Maintenance Managers?   This report also provides a brief overview as to how such problems can be minimised and controlled. Keywords: Legacy systemsRead MorePresident Carter Was A Good Guy1032 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican president, they are guaranteed remembrance. However, the main concern becomes how will their presidency be thought of? Will a positive or negative light reflect on their pages of the history textbooks? The last six presidents have left lasting legacies for the American people. Whether for good or not so good, these presidents have shaped the future of America. Jimmy Carter was a good guy. Unlike so many presidents before him, Carter came from a humble background with solid Southern Baptist

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Education in India Free Essays

string(126) " contains the National System of Education, which ensures some uniformity while taking into account regional education needs\." Education in India has a history stretching back to the ancient urban centres of learning at Taxila and Nalanda. Western education became ingrained into Indian society with the establishment of the British Raj. Education in India falls under the control of both the Union Government and the states, with some responsibilities lying with the Union and the states having autonomy for others. We will write a custom essay sample on Education in India or any similar topic only for you Order Now The various articles of the Indian Constitution provide for education as a fundamental right. Most universities in India are Union or State Government controlled. India has made a huge progress in terms of increasing primary education attendance rate and expanding literacy to approximately two thirds of the population. [2] India’s improved education system is often cited as one of the main contributors to the economic rise of India. [3] Much of the progress in education has been credited to various private institutions. [4] The private education market in India is estimated to be worth $40 billion in 2008 and will increase to $68 billion by 2012. [4] However, India continues to face challenges. Despite growing investment in education, 35% of the population is illiterate and only 15% of the students reach high school. [5] As of 2008, India’s post-secondary high schools offer only enough seats for 7% of India’s college-age population, 25% of teaching positions nationwide are vacant, and 57% of college professors lack either a master’s or PhD degree. [6] As of 2007, there are 1522 degree-granting engineering colleges in India with an annual student intake of 582,000,[7] plus 1,244 polytechnics with an annual intake of 265,000. However, these institutions face shortage of faculty and concerns have been raised over the quality of education. [8] Three Indian universities were listed in the Times Higher Education list of the world’s top 200 universities — Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, and Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2005 and 2006. [9] Six Indian Institutes of Technology and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science – Pilani were listed among the top 20 science and technology schools in Asia by Asiaweek. 10] The Indian School of Business situated in Hyderabad was ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010[11] while the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has been recognized as a global leader in medical research and treatment. [12]Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Overview 2. 1 Primary education 2. 2 Secondary education 2. 3 Tertiary education 2. 4 Technical education 3 Literacy 4 Attainment 5 Private education 6 Women’s Education 7 Rural education 8 Issues 9 Initiatives 10 Central government involvement 10. 1 Budget 10. Public Expenditure on Education in India 10. 3 Legislative framework 11 Notes 12 References 13 External links [edit] History Monastic orders of education under the supervision of a guru was a favored form of education for the nobility in ancient India. [13] The knowledge in these orders was often related to the tasks a section of the society had to perform. [14] The priest class, the Brahmins, were imparted knowledge of religion, philosophy, and other ancillary branches while the warrior class, the Kshatriya, were trained in the various aspects of warfare. 14] The business class, the Vaishya, were taught their trade and the lowest class of the Shudras was generally deprived of educational advantages. [14] The book of laws, the Manusmriti, and the treatise on statecraft the Arthashastra were among the influential works of this era which reflect the outlook and underst anding of the world at the time. [14] Apart from the monastic orders, institutions of higher learning and universities flourished in India well before the common era, and continued to deliver education into the common era. 15] Secular Buddhist institutions cropped up along with monasteries. [14] These institutions imparted practical education, e. g. medicine. [14] A number of urban learning centres became increasingly visible from the period between 200 BCE to 400 CE. [16] The important urban centres of learning were Taxila and Nalanda, among others. [16] These institutions systematically imparted knowledge and attracted a number of foreign students to study topics such as logic, grammar, medicine, metaphysics, arts and crafts. [16] By the time of the visit of the Islamic scholar Alberuni (973-1048 CE), India already had a sophisticated system of mathematics and science in place, and had made a number of inventions and discoveries. [17] With the arrival of the British Raj in India a class of Westernized elite was versed in the Western system of education which the British had introduced. [18] This system soon became solidified in India as a number of primary, secondary, and tertiary centres for education cropped up during the colonial era. 18] Between 1867 and 1941 the British increased the percentage of the population in Primary and Secondary Education from around 0. 6% of the population in 1867 to over 3. 5% of the population in 1941. However this was much lower than the equivalent figures for Europe where in 1911 between 8 and 18% of the population were in Primary and Secondary education. [19] Additionally literacy was also improved. In 1901 the literacy rate in India was only about 5% though by Independence it was nearly 20%. [20] Following independence in 1947, Maulana Azad, India’s first education minister envisaged strong central government control over education throughout the country, with a uniform educational system. [21] However, given the cultural and linguistic diversity of India, it was only the higher education dealing with science and technology that came under the jurisdiction of the central government. [21] The government also held powers to make national policies for educational development and could regulate selected aspects of education throughout India. 22] The central government of India formulated the National Policy on Education (NPE) in 1986 and also reinforced the Programme of Action (POA) in 1986. [23] The government initiated several measures the launching of DPEP (District Primary Education Programme) and SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan,[24] India’s initiative for Education for All) and setting up of Navodaya Vidyalaya and other selective schools in every district, advances in female education, inter-disciplinary research and establishment of open universities. India’s NPE also contains the National System of Education, which ensures some uniformity while taking into account regional education needs. You read "Education in India" in category "Papers" The NPE also stresses on higher spending on education, envisaging a budget of more than 6% of the Gross Domestic Product. [23] While the need for wider reform in the primary and secondary sectors is recognized as an issue, the emphasis is also on the development of science and technology education infrastructure. [edit] Overview The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is the apex body for curriculum related matters for school education in India. 25] The NCERT provides support and technical assistance to a number of schools in India and oversees many aspects of enforcement of education policies. [26] In India, the various curriculum bodies governing school education system are: The state government boards, in which the majority of Indian children are enrolled. Th e Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board. The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) board. International schools affiliated to the International Baccalaureate Programme and/or the Cambridge International Examinations. Islamic Madrasah schools, whose boards are controlled by local state governments, or autonomous, or affiliated with Darul Uloom Deoband. Autonomous schools like Woodstock School, Auroville, Patha Bhavan and Ananda Marga Gurukula. In addition, NUEPA (National University of Educational Planning and Administration)[27] and NCTE (National Council for Teacher Education) are responsible for the management of the education system and teacher accreditation. 28] [edit] Primary education The Indian government lays emphasis to primary education up to the age of fourteen years (referred to as Elementary Education in India. [29]) The Indian government has also banned child labour in order to ensure that the children do not enter unsafe working conditions. [29] However, both free education and the ban on child labor are difficult to enforce due to economic disparity and so cial conditions. [29] 80% of all recognized schools at the Elementary Stage are government run or supported, making it the largest provider of education in the Country. 30] However, due to shortage of resources and lack of political will, this system suffers from massive gaps including high pupil teacher ratios, shortage of infrastructure and poor level of teacher training. Education has also been made free[29] for children for six to 14 years of age or up to class VIII under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009. [31] There have been several efforts to enhance quality made by the government. The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched in 1994 with an aim to universalize primary education in India by reforming and vitalizing the existing primary education system. 32] 85% of the DPEP was funded by the central government and the remaining 15 percent was funded by the states. [32] The DPEP, which had opened 160000 new schools including 84000 a lternative education schools delivering alternative education to approximately 3. 5 million children, was also supported by UNICEF and other international programmes. [32] This primary education scheme has also shown a high Gross Enrollment Ratio of 93–95% for the last three years in some states. [32] Significant improvement in staffing and enrollment of girls has also been made as a part of this scheme. 32] The current scheme for universalization of Education for All is the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan which is one of the largest education initiatives in the world. Enrollment has been enhanced, but the levels of quality remain low. [edit] Secondary education The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, has provided for environment awareness, science and technology education, and introduction of traditional elements such as Yoga into the Indian secondary school system. [33] Secondary education covers children 14-18 which covers 88. 5 million children according to the Census, 2001. However, enrolment figures show that only 31 million of these children were attending schools in 2001-02, which means that two-third of the population remained out of school. [34] A significant feature of India’s secondary school system is the emphasis on inclusion of the disadvantaged sections of the society. Professionals from established institutes are often called to support in vocational training. Another feature of India’s secondary school system is its emphasis on profession based vocational training to help students attain skills for finding a vocation of his/her choosing. 35] A significant new feature has been the extension of SSA to secondary education in the form of the Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan[36] A special Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) programme was started in 1974 with a focus on primary education. [25] but which was converted into Inclusive Education at Secondary Stage[37] Another notable special programme, the Kendriya Vidyalaya proj ect, was started for the employees of the central government of India, who are distributed throughout the country. The government started the Kendriya Vidyalaya project in 1965 to provide uniform education in institutions following the same syllabus at the same pace regardless of the location to which the employee’s family has been transferred. [25] [edit] Tertiary education Our university system is, in many parts, in a state of disrepair†¦ In almost half the districts in the country, higher education enrollments are abysmally low, almost two-third of our universities and 90 per cent of our colleges are rated as below average on quality parameters†¦ I am concerned that in many states university appointments, including that of vice-chancellors, have been politicised and have become subject to caste and communal considerations, there are complaints of favouritism and corruption. – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2007[38] Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. India’s higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States. [39] The main governing body at the tertiary level is the University Grants Commission (India), which enforces its standards, advises the government, and helps coordinate between the centre and the state. 40] Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by 12 autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission. [41] As of 2009, India has 20 central universities, 215 state universities, 100 deemed universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 13 institutes which are of national importance. [40] Other i nstitutions include 16000 colleges, including 1800 exclusive women’s colleges, functioning under these universities and institutions. 40] The emphasis in the tertiary level of education lies on science and technology. [42] Indian educational institutions by 2004 consisted of a large number of technology institutes. [43] Distance learning is also a feature of the Indian higher education system. [43] Some institutions of India, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), have been globally acclaimed for their standard of education. [43] The IITs enroll about 8000 students annually and the alumni have contributed to both the growth of the private sector and the public sectors of India. 44] Besides top rated universities which provide highly competitive world class education to their pupil, India is also home to many universities which have been founded with the sole objective of making easy money. Regulatory authorities like UGC and AICTE have been trying very hard to ex tirpate the menace of private universities which are running courses without any affiliation or recognition. Students from rural and semi urban background often fall prey to these institutes and colleges. [45][dead link] [edit] Technical education From the first Five Year Plan onwards India’s emphasis was to develop a pool of scientifically inclined manpower. [46] India’s National Policy on Education (NPE) provisioned for an apex body for regulation and development of higher technical education, which came into being as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in 1987 through an act of the Indian parliament. [47] At the level of the centre the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology are deemed of national importance. 47] The Indian Institutes of Management are also among the nation’s premier education facilities. [47] Several Regional Engineering Colleges (REC) have been converted into National Institutes of Technology. [47] The UGC has inter-university centres at a number of locations throughout India to promote common research, e. g. the Nuclear Science Centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. [48] [edit] Literacy Main article: Literac y in India According to the Census of 2001, â€Å"every person above the age of 7 years who can read and write in any language is said to be literate†. According to this criterion, the 2001 survey holds the National Literacy Rate to be around 64. 84%. [49] Government statistics of 2001 also hold that the rate of increase in literacy is more in rural areas than in urban areas. [49] Female literacy was at a national average of 53. 63% whereas the male literacy was 75. 26%. [49] Within the Indian states, Kerala has shown the highest literacy rates of 90. 02% whereas Bihar averaged lower than 50% literacy, the lowest in India. [49] The 2001 statistics also indicated that the total number of ‘absolute non-literates’ in the country was 304 million. 49] [edit] Attainment World Bank statistics found that fewer than 40 percent of adolescents in India attend secondary schools. [2] The Economist reports that half of 10-year-old rural children could not read at a basic level, over 60% were unable to do division, and half dropped out by the age 14. [50] Only one in ten young people have access to tertiary education. [2] Out of those who receive higher education, Mercer Consulting estimates that only a quarter of graduates are â€Å"employable†. [51] An optimistic estimate is that only one in five job-seekers in India has ever had any sort of vocational training. [52] [edit] Private education According to current estimates, 80% of all schools are government schools[30] making the government the major provider of education. However, because of poor quality of public education, 27% of Indian children are privately educated. [53] According to some research, private schools often provide superior results at a fraction of the unit cost of government schools. 50][54][55] However, others have suggested that private schools fail to provide education to the poorest families, a selective being only a fifth of the schools and have in the past ignored Court orders for their regulation[56] In their favour, it has been pointed out that private schools cover the entire curriculum and offer extra-curricular activities such as science fairs, general knowledge, sports, music and drama. [53] The pupil teacher ratios are much better in private schoo ls (1:31 to 1:37 for government schools and more teachers in private schools are female. 57] There is some disgreement over which system has better educated teachers. According to the latest DISE survey, the percentage of untrained teachers (paratechers) is 54. 91% in private, compared to 44. 88% in government schools and only 2. 32% teachers in unaided schools receive inservice training compared to 43. 44% for government schools. The competition in the school market is intense, yet most schools make profit. [53] Even the poorest often go to private schools despite the fact that government schools are free. A study found that 65% of schoolchildren in Hyderabad’s slums attend private schools. 55] Private schools are often operating illegally. A 2001 study found that it takes 14 different licenses from four different authorities to open a private school in New Delhi and could take years if done legally. [55] However, operation of unrecognized schools has been made illegal under the Right to Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act[31] which has also significantly simplified the process of obtaining recognition. [edit] Women’s Education Girls in school near Baroda, Gujarat. See also: Women in India Women have much lower literacy rate than men. Far fewer girls are enrolled in the schools, and many of them drop out. [58] According to a 1998 report by U. S. Department of Commerce, the chief barrier to female education in India are inadequate school facilities (such as sanitary facilities), shortage of female teachers and gender bias in curriculum (majority of the female characters being depicted as weak and helpless)[59] The number of literate women among the female population of India was between 2-6% from the British Raj onwards to the formation of the Republic of India in 1947. [60] Concerted efforts led to improvement from 15. 3% in 1961 to 28. % in 1981. [60] By 2001 literacy for women had exceeded 50% of the overall female population, though these statistics were still very low compared to world standards and even male literacy within India. [61] Recently the Indian government has launched Saakshar Bharat Mission for Female Literacy. This mission aims to bring down female illiteracy by half of its present level. Sita An antha Raman outlines the progress of women’s education in India:Since 1947 the Indian government has tried to provide incentives for girls’ school attendance through programs for midday meals, free books, and uniforms. This welfare thrust raised primary enrollment between 1951 and 1981. In 1986 the National Policy on Education decided to restructure education in tune with the social framework of each state, and with larger national goals. It emphasized that education was necessary for democracy, and central to the improvement of women’s condition. The new policy aimed at social change through revised texts, curricula, increased funding for schools, expansion in the numbers of schools, and policy improvements. Emphasis was placed on expanding girls’ occupational centers and primary education; secondary and higher education; and rural and urban institutions. The report tried to connect problems like low school attendance with poverty, and the dependence on girls for housework and sibling day care. The National Literacy Mission also worked through female tutors in villages. Although the minimum marriage age is now eighteen for girls, many continue to be married much earlier. Therefore, at the secondary level, female dropout rates are high. [62] Sita Anantha Raman also maintains that while the educated Indian women workforce maintains professionalism, the men outnumber them in most fields and, in some cases, receive higher income for the same positions. 62] [edit] Rural education A primary school in a village in Madhya Pradesh. Following independence, India viewed education as an effective tool for bringing social change through community development. [63] The administrative control was effectively initiated in the 1950s, when, in 1952, the government grouped villages under a Community Development Block—an authority under national p rogramme which could control education in up to 100 villages. [63] A Block Development Officer oversaw a geographical area of 150 square miles which could contain a population of as many as 70000 people. [63] Setty and Ross elaborate on the role of such programmes, themselves divided further into individual-based, community based, or the Individual-cum-community-based, in which microscopic levels of development are overseen at village level by an appointed worker:The community development programmes comprise agriculture, animal husbandry, cooperation, rural industries, rural engineering (consisting of minor irrigation, roads, buildings), health and sanitation including family welfare, family planning, women welfare, child care and nutrition, education including adult education, social education and literacy, youth welfare and community organisation. In each of these areas of development there are several programmes, schemes and activities which are additive, expanding and tapering off covering the total community, some segments, or specific target populations such as small and marginal farmers, artisans, women and in general people below the poverty line. [63] Despite some setbacks the rural education programmes continued throughout the 1950s, with support from private institutions. [64] A sizable network of rural education had been established by the time the Gandhigram Rural Institute was established and 5, 200 Community Development Blocks were established in India. [65] Nursery schools, elementary schools, secondary school, and schools for adult education for women were set up. [65] The government continued to view rural education as an agenda that could be relatively free from bureaucratic backlog and general stagnation. 65] However, in some cases lack of financing balanced the gains made by rural education institutes of Ind ia. [66] Some ideas failed to find acceptability among India’s poor and investments made by the government sometimes yielded little results. [66] Today, government rural schools remain poorly funded and understaffed. Several foundations, such as the Rural Development Foundation (Hyderabad), actively build high-quality rural schools, but the number of students served is small. [edit] Issues One study found out that 25% of public sector teachers and 40% of public sector medical workers were absent during the survey. Among teachers who were paid to teach, absence rates ranged from 15% in Maharashtra to 71% in Bihar. Only 1 in nearly 3000 public school head teachers had ever dismissed a teacher for repeated absence. [67] A study on teachers by Kremer etc. found that ‘only about half were teaching, during unannounced visits to a nationally representative sample of government primary schools in India. ‘. [67] Modern education in India is often criticized for being based on rote learning rather than problem solving. BusinessWeek denigrates the Indian curriculum saying it revolves around rote learning. [68] and ExpressIndia suggests that students are focused on cramming. [69] A study of 188 government-run primary schools found that 59% of the schools had no drinking water and 89% had no toilets. 70] 2003-04 data by National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration revealed that only 3. 5% of primary schools in Bihar and Chhattisgarh had toilets for girls. In Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, rates were 12-16%. [71] Fake degre es are a problem. One raid in Bihar found 0. 1 million fake certificates. [72] In February 2009, the University Grant Commission found 19 fake institutions operating in India. [73] Only 16% of manufacturers in India offer in-service training to their employees, compared with over 90% in China. [74] [edit] Initiatives Boys seated in school near Baroda, Gujarat. The madrasah of Jamia Masjid mosque in Srirangapatna. Following India’s independence a number of rules were formulated for the backward Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes of India, and in 1960 a list identifying 405 Scheduled Castes and 225 Scheduled Tribes was published by the central government. [75] An amendment was made to the list in 1975, which identified 841 Scheduled Castes and 510 Scheduled Tribes. [75] The total percentage of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes combined was found to be 22. 5 percent with the Scheduled Castes accounting for 17 percent and the Scheduled Tribes accounting for the remaining 7. 5 percent. [75] Following the report many Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes increasingly referred to themselves as Dalit, a Marathi language terminology used by B. R. Ambedkar which literally means â€Å"oppressed†. [75] The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are provided for in many of India’s educational programmes. [76] Special reservations are also provided for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in India, e. g. a reservation of 15% in Kendriya Vidyalaya for Scheduled Castes and another reservation of 7. 5% in Kendriya Vidyalaya for Scheduled Tribes. [76] Similar reservations are held by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in many schemes and educational facilities in India. [76] The remote and far-flung regions of North East India are provided for under the Non Lapsible Central pool of Resources (NLCPR) since 1998-1999. [77] The NLCPR aims to provide funds for infrastructure development in these remote areas. [77] The government objective for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), started in 2001, is to provide education to children between 6–14 years by 2010. [78] The programme focuses specially on girls and children with challenged social or financial backgrounds. [78] The SSA also aims to provide practical infrastructure and relevant source material in form of free textbooks to children in remote areas. [78] The SSA also aims at widening computer education in rural areas. [78] SSA is currently working with Agastya International Foundation – an educational NGO – to augment its efforts in making science curriculum current and exciting. However, some objectives of the SSA, e. g. enrollment of all children under the scheme in schools by 2005 remain unfulfilled. 78] Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education are components of the SSA. [78] Women from remote, underdeveloped areas or from weaker social groups in Andra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnat aka, Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, fall under the Mahila Samakhya Scheme, initiated in 1989. [79] Apart from provisions for education this programme also aims to raise awareness by holding meetings and seminars at rural levels. [79] The government allowed 340 million rupees during 2007–08 to carry out this scheme over 83 districts including more than 21, 000 villages. [79] Currently there are 68 Bal Bhavans and 10 Bal Kendra affiliated to the National Bal Bhavan. 80] The scheme involves educational and social activities and recognising children with a marked talent for a particular educational stream. [80] A number of programmes and activities are held under this scheme, which also involves cultural exchanges and participation in several international forums. [80] India’s minorities, especially the ones considered ‘educationally backward’ by the government, are provided for in the 1992 amendment of the Indian National Policy on Education (NPE). [81] The government initiated the Scheme of Area Intensive Programme for Educationally Backward Minorities and Scheme of Financial Assistance or Modernisation of Madarsa Education as part of its revised Programme of Action (1992). 81] Both these schemes were started nationwide by 1994. [81] In 2004 the Indian parliament allowed an act which enabled minority education establishments to seek university affiliations if they passed the required norms. [81] [edit] Central government involvement [edit] Budget As a part of the tenth Five year Plan (2002–2007), the central government of India outlined an expenditure of 65. 6% of its total education budget of Rs. 438250 million, or (Rs. 287500 million) on elementary education; 9. 9% (Rs. 43250 million) on secondary education; 2. 9% (Rs. 12500 million) on adult education; 9. 5% (Rs. 41765 million) on higher education; 10. 7% (Rs. 7000 million) on technical education; and the remaining 1. 4% (Rs. 6235 million) on miscellaneous e ducation schemes. [82] According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), India has the lowest public expenditure on higher education per student in the world. [83] See also: Education in India Five Year Plan Expenditure [edit] Public Expenditure on Education in India In recent times, several major announcements were made for developing the poor state of affairs in education sector in India, the most notable ones being the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. The announcements are; (a) To progressively increase expenditure on education to around 6 percent of GDP. (b) To support this increase in expenditure on education, and to increase the quality of education, there would be an imposition of an education cess over all central government taxes. (c) To ensure that no one is denied of education due to economic backwardness and poverty. (d) To make right to education a fundamental right for all children in the age group 6–14 years. (e) To universalize education through its flagship programmes such as Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Mid Day Meal. However, even after five years of implementation of NCMP, not much progress has been done on these promises or announcements. The public expenditure on education has actually declined from around 3. 23 percent of GDP in 2000-2001 to 2. 88 percent in the recent times. As a proportion of total government expenditure, it has declined from around 11. 1 percent in 2000-2001 to around 9. 98 percent during UPA rule. A policy brief issued by [Network for Social Accountability (NSA)][84] titled â€Å"[NSA Response to Education Sector Interventions in Union Budget: UPA Rule and the Education Sector][85]† provides significant revelation to this fact. Due to a declining priority of education in the public policy paradigm in India, there has been an exponential growth in the private expenditure on education also. As per the available information, the private out of pocket expenditure by the working class population for the education of their children in India has increased by around 1150 percent or around 12. 5 times over the last decade]. [86] [edit] Legislative framework Article 45, of the Constitution of India originally stated:â€Å"The State shall endeavour to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years. [21]† This article was a directive principle of state policy within India, effectively meaning that it was within a set of rules that were meant to be followed in spirit and the government could not be held to court if the actual letter was not followed. 87] However, the enforcement of this directive principle became a matter of debate since this principle held obvious emotive and practical value, and was legally the only directive principle within the Indian constitution to have a time limit. [87] Following initiatives by the Supreme Court of India during the 1990s the Ninety-third amendment bill suggested three separate amendments to the Indian constitution:[88] The constitution of India was amended to include a new article, 21A, which read:â⠂¬Å"The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in a such manner as the State may, by law, determine. [89]† Article 45 was proposed to be substituted by the article which read:â€Å"Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years: The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of sixteen years. [89]† Another article, 51A, was to additionally have the clause:â€Å"†¦ a parent or guardian [shall] provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, [a] ward between the age of six to fourteen years. [89]† The bill was passed unanimously in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, on November 28, 2001. [90] It was later passed by the upper house—the Rajya Sabha—on May 14, 2002. [90] After being signed by the President of India the Indian constitution was amended formally for the eighty sixth time and the bill came into effect. 90] Since then those between the age of 6–14 have a fundamental right to education. [ 91] Article 46 of the Constitution of India holds that:â€Å"The State shall promote, with special care, the education and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of social exploitation’. [49]† Other provisions for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes can be found in Articles 330, 332, 335, 338–342. [49] Both the 5th and the 6th Schedules of the Constitution also make special provisions for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. [49 How to cite Education in India, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Critical Thinking Assignment free essay sample

In the article â€Å"The Emotional Intelligence of Leaders†, Goleman (1998) believed that â€Å"emotional intelligence† is paramount in leaders of modern organizations; even more important than actual skills related to their job functions. Since we are hardwired to feel, the author stated that it is impossible to separate our emotions when we go to work. He articulated the importance of self-awareness in leaders. Goleman suggested that â€Å"selfawareness is essential to realistic self-assessment† (22), and self-awareness also leads to self-confidence which is essential for leaders. However, unlike regular intelligence that we are born with and cannot be change d, the author explained several ways successful leaders can utilize emotion and develop their emotional intelligence. He noted that leaders often lose their jobs if they cannot lead or adapt to changes; both of these reasons are directly related to emotions. His research in U. S. hildren discovered a positive correlation between one’s ability and success in controlling his or her emotions, particularly impulses, early on in childhood and his or her future academic success. Furthermore, Goleman pointed out that optimism is a vital emotional trait in leadership. It allowed optimists to handle rejections and motivating others when there are setbacks in the organization. The author suggested that even though emotional intelligence is important; it has actually declined because we are spending less time in developing it in recent years. The advent of digital communication and the accompanied technologies means we are using less time to interact with one another on a more personal level, he asserted. Moreover, Goleman concluded that leaders Critical Thinking 3 cannot be effective unless they understand emotions and utilize them to their advantage, especially in the modern fast changing organizational environment. Summary of McCrimmon In the article â€Å"Thought Leadership: a Radical Departure fromTraditional, Positional Leadership†, McCrimmon (2005) presented a new leadership pproached he termed â€Å"thought leadership. † (1065) He defined thought leadership as â€Å"championing of new ideas. † (1066) McCrimmon used a myriad of examples in different organizational environment to point out theusefulness of thought leaders and one of his main points which is thought leaders are not necessarily managers thus no managerial skills are even required. Take it one step further, the author explained that thought leaders do not even have to be in the same company, let alone inside the company’s leadership structure. Since every person has the opportunity to become athought leader, McCrimmon noted, this type of leadership is not controlled within any existing leadership positions and no appointment is necessary. He indicated that thought leadership is neither not top-down nor bottom-up; it has no particular directions within the organizational structure. The author pointed out that these thought leaders can arise from anywhere, anytime in an organization. McCrimmon used Martin Luther King as an example to show that thought leaders can even be dead and continue to have effect. McCrimmon explained the key features of thought leadership which mostly centered on situation around innovation and new ideas; therefore, technical skills of the leaders are more important actual interpersonal skills they possess. He claimed that â€Å"emotional intelligence is not essential for thought leadership† (1068). McCrimmon explained that the willingness or the urge champion new ideas is not learned while traditional leadership skills that can be learned. The author concluded that thought leadership best described what really transpire in organizations that depends on new ideas or innovations. Discussion Characteristics of any leader in any modern organizations mightinclude intelligence, confidence, optimism, inspiration, proficiency, and communication. Goleman (1998) included many of these traits in his article and explained how emotion intelligence relates to them. However, although McCrimmon (2005) provided a myriad of examples of thought leadership in different industries, he failed to link thought leadership to the common characteristics one usually associated with leaders; therefore, I prefer Goleman’s approach and his discourse on emotional intelligence. In this discussion, I will point out why Goleman’s discussion is more convincing in modern organizational environment. First, Goleman correctly asserted that emotion is part of being human thus cannot be separated out at workplace. Having understood the reality that emotions do exist in the workplace, we can better understand the Critical Thinking 5 relationships between our emotions and emotional intelligence. This created the basis of which one can develop emotional intelligence and utilize it to lead others. While every leader should possess basic level of intelligence and basic competency in their related field, not every leader have mastered their emotions or have sufficiently developed their emotional intelligence. Since many of the leadership traits often go together, understanding the relationship between them can help leaders make improvement. For example, a confident leader is often optimistic or an inspired leader is often a great communicator. Goleman’s explanation of how one start with self- awareness to self-assessment, then self-assessment leads to self-confidence is an example of how these traits develop together. In the course of my employment, I have the opportunity to interact with several government agencies. Within those highly structured agencies, I can clearly observe that leaders with higher emotional intelligence are more effective in getting positive results. People in leadership positions that have lower emotional intelligence are less likely to deliver positive outcomes even though they are fully competent in their job. Secondly, Goleman also correctly pointed out the effect of digital communication and related technologies have on our emotional intelligence. In my work, I was provided with a wide choice of communication methods. However, I often prefer digital communications such as emails and instant messages. While these methods may seem more convenient, there are also less personal. Therefore, it is likely that I can go without talking to an actual person for hours at a time. This is my personal example where the opportunities to develop emotional intelligence can be limited by modern communication technologies. Furthermore, Goleman suggested ways to increase leaders’ emotional intelligence while traditional intelligence cannot be readily increased. This part of the article is particular useful to both current and prospective leaders. It provided insight that people can turn into action to improve themselves. On the other hand, although McCrimmon’s examples of thought leadership were useful in explaining what thought leadership is; it did little to convey how thought leaders came to be. Because he suggested that this type of leaders can be anyone from anywhere, it is difficult to identify in the present time. Many of the author’s examples can only be identified after the fact. The example of Martin Luther King is particularly interesting because Dr. King is undoubtedly a thought leader; however, I would assert that Dr. King possesses great emotional intelligence before he became a thought leader. I would suggest that without emotional intelligence and exceptional interpersonal skills, Dr. King might not be as effective in delivering his message. While I concede that organizations where innovations are integral, there are a lots of thoughts leaders. However, thought leaders are actually necessary for those organizations. People that work with or within these organizations often possesses those specialized skills, creative approaches Critical Thinking 7 and even the right personalities for them to become thought leaders. Since the qualities of thought leaders cannot be developed, thought leaders can only be identified and not developed. McCrimmon’s article did not provide readers with adequate information on how to become effective thought leaders or for organization how to acquire thought leaders. In conclusion, both emotional intelligence and thought leaderships are relatively modern concepts in management that provide unique insights. While emotions play an important part in our lives, the unique quality of thought leadership should not be easily discount; especially when innovations and new ideas are important in many modern organizations. Goleman (1998), in this article explains with illustrations how leadership should be construed and how one’s emotions play a huge role towards an effective style of leadership. The way you feel the type of person you are and the actions you take are essential in leadership skills. Leaders in top positions in various organizations have great credentials to show for it but like Goleman pointed out, there are some that lead mainly on what they have studied, that is, their technical expertise. Hence, they are not open to emotionally leading that organization. Our emotions are who we are, they are imbedded in us. Goleman, goes further to give in-depth illustrations as to how the human brain is linked to what feelings we feel, be it happy or sad, regret or anger. Thinking your actions through before voicing them out has a lot to do with our emotions. Our thinking faculty and the emotional part of our brain (known as the amygdale) work side by side and these two are essential for an effective leadership style, they cannot work single handedly. We learn that through the amygdale, emotional decisions can be eliminated by paying attention to our feelings. Self awareness allows our decision making come from our core values; making a decision that will affect the goals we are making for our tomorrow is a typical example of self confidence. Leaders that have made an impact on their employees have done so because they do not act on impulses and they can handle their emotions when they have a negative or positive feeling to convey. Pessimists are reluctant to change what they cannot see but optimists go for it, regardless of the obstacles they have come across or the obstacles they will come across. Goleman stresses that leaders should have this as a vital part of their day to day motivational ability. In the study mentioned by Goleman on motivating others, the end results are rooted in the emotions of the group of sales people. The optimists were more persevering and that led to succeeding in their goals. Employees feed their emotions off of their leaders/managers reactions to occurrences in the work place. Some individuals who are in leadership positions care solely about them and their own successes and companies are run to the ground by such leaders. A group of people in an organization, who get no support from their managers during and after a task delegated to them, will feel let down and disrespected and these concerns are usually not voiced out to their managers. One the other hand, managers who show support, create a more conducive environment for everyone to work in, making employees more receptive to coaching and development. Positive emotion begets positive emotion. A leader, who has a positive attitude, even in the most daring situations, exudes that emotion to his employees and one who doesn’t creates a negative and uptight environment. Goleman goes on to explain that emotions have no barriers when it comes to being contagious; it flows from manager to employee or employee to employee. The way a leader settles disputes should be done in manner that show cases employees’ best ability. In Goleman’s illustration about the three levels of team performance, he emphasizes that a group coming together with a positive mindset can outdo that one individual that has been tagged by the organization as the best. Goleman describes this kind of team as a superlative team. From the famous study at Stanford University, he points out that the emotional intelligence starts from a young age into adulthood. With this knowledge, children stand a better chance of emotional intelligence as they grow older. You can use what you have learned in childhood to create a positive impact on a negative pattern you come across in your adulthood. It does not happen automatically, it takes a conscious effort from the parties involved. Efforts have to be made and the willingness to achieve the goal they have set is essential. Before sky scrapers and office buildings around the world, people earned a living from home and people were more in tune with their emotions. Wherever you are, your emotions are with you. Goleman concluded with the notion that leaders should be willing to take out time to teach employees to channel their emotions in positive directions. This will lead to exceptional development for the employees and also for the organization. Summary 2 McCrimmon, M. (2005, January) Thought leadership: a radical departure from traditional, positional leadership. Management Decision, 43 (7/8), 1064-1070 McCrimmon (2005) in this article proposes to convey his take on the best form of leadership. The successes of organizations are from thought leadership and he goes ahead to compare it with shared leadership with a concentration on their differences and not their similarities. His explanation of thought leadership boils down to how much leverage we have over the ideas that we think of on a daily basis. Basically, your position doesn’t make you a leader. He illustrates thought leadership by using examples in several different organizations and life styles. There is no one way of becoming a leader and you don’t need a superior to tell you how much of a leader you can be. From his examples, these individuals had skills that they did not know they had till they were able to share that skill with someone else or a group of people. This isn’t always the case, he points out. There are situations where thought leadership has been turned down within organizations but those ideas where useful outside of that organization. In his key characteristics of thought leadership, there is no process to how it should come about. An associate can let a vice president know that she has thought of a new idea to better the development of an organization. This might either work in or against her favor. Once the idea has been shared, she either stands a chance of moving up within that company or handing the baton to someone higher in rank. There is no structure for thought leadership. An individual working in ‘Company A’ can be a thought leader for ‘Company B’ without ‘Company B’ having inkling as to who the idea came from. McCrimmon gives a true example using internet developers. We use information off the web, not considering who created it, or where the information was derived. He mentions Martin Luther King and Churchill, both of whom, even after death have effects on society and the decisions that are made today. Thought leadership is not about team members in a board room, it’s a global group of people/organizations. Emotional intelligence, he says, is not necessary for thought leadership. You do not have to be a people person but are able to come up with genius ideas. In the long run, it’s the idea you can come up with that counts, not how long you can hold a conversation. Traditional leaders learn their way of leadership, whereas thought leaders come up with their own original ideas and when it boils down to it; classroom thought leadership stands no chance against thought leadership. Thought leadership cannot be coached or forced on anyone. Rewards are granted to people who are in compliance with what they have been told to do, on the other hand, you cannot tell a thought leader what to do or how to change her thoughts. McCrimmon goes on to conclude that though leadership is the back bone of organizations with innovative ideas, unlike shared leadership. Discussion I found the Goleman article an interesting read. He had so many real life situations that I can personally relate to. I truly believe our emotions play a big part in our everyday lives, especially when it comes to our jobs. I always hear, â€Å"leave your personal problems outside of the work place; we have a business to run here. † How about an employee who just lost a family member, how is she supposed to work with that? Leaders in so many organizations these days are so involved with themselves and how they are going to make that bonus. I worked for a manager who did not care about the feelings of his employees. He would yell all day and when the job was done, he would not recognize the effort that was made. Goleman describes this as having a lack of empathy. There was no willingness from any member of my team to keep doing better because there was no encouragement whatsoever. While every leader may claim to have the basic understanding of how to lead a team, not everyone knows how to do so emotionally. Training or coaching without emotion will not lead to an excellent sales or service team. Goleman states that emotionally intelligent leaders have huge opportunities to make n impact in the life of their employees. The digital world is causing less interaction amongst people. I have an opportunity to call and speak with another associate or better still, ask a question but I always find myself sending an email, avoiding the interaction. He mentions parents as well and that is so true. I consciously turn off my phone as soon as I come home and anyone that has to reach me know they can by calling my home phone. I don’t want to be so involved with checking my email when I should be playing with my son and spending time with my family. I enjoyed the part of the article about emotional intelligence. I am working on that and definitely sharing with my colleagues. After reading the McCrimmon article, my take away is that thought leadership is definitely any organization that wants to keep growing should strive to encourage harness and personal development. The revolutionary nature of thought leadership is what pushes us beyond our comfort zone or status quo; it’s that concept that says there is always room for improvement and that we should always challenge ourselves to continue to come up with better and efficient ways to do things. Most firms or organizations often encourage their people to come up with better ways of doing things, it’s usually top down, take marching orders and execute without questions, do not challenge the authority. I know that I have been in those kinds of organizations where I tried to recommend positive changes but I was told to concentrate on my job the way I was trained. The article pointed out that thought leadership could come from different levels in the organization or even outside the organization. And usually the ideas or the products that comes out of thought leadership are compelling and its easy for other to the value in it, and may will quickly adopt doing things the same way. Thought leadership should not be confused with management style or system. It’s simply based on the power of ideas to transform the way we think ideas for new product, new ways of delivering better services and better ways for organizations to prosper.

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Simpsons Movie Essay Example

The Simpsons Movie Paper In The Simpsons Movie, director David Silverman and his team of producers: James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike Scully and Richard Sakai use humour to incorporate other relevant messages into the film. Three of the most important factors are environment, government and family relationships. At the beginning of the Simpsons Movie, David Silverman uses GreenDay to make the audience aware of the social issues surrounding the environment; not only because of their famous songs, but because the band name itself promotes the environment. When the band is shown singing off a barge on Lake Springfield, their main singer is just singing from a script saying Da Da again and again. David Silvermans use of humour sends a message mocking singers for singing off scripts and also implies crowds are easily pleased. However, the musical sensation is suddenly put off when he says: We have been playing for 3 and a half hours, now wed like to say something about the environment! ~Billy Joe Armstrong, GreenDay lead singer, the Simpsons Movie We will write a custom essay sample on The Simpsons Movie specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Simpsons Movie specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Simpsons Movie specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The crowd is then suddenly put off by the message and turns to violence. This is a cleverly made scene, due to the crowd reacting in the opposite way by throwing rubbish and pollutants at them; this makes it easier for the audience to see the contrast between both groups of society. The band then picks up violins and re-enacts the final moments of the Titanic before the barge corrodes and sinks; this humour is focused on nowadays ignorance to the environment, and makes the audience aware of not only the acidic water that is made by waste, but by the lives lost to the mistreated environment. The United States produces approximately 547 thousands of metric tonnes of household waste per annum. That is 22.2% of the worlds total emission of household waste per annum. Using the history of Titanic, the audience is also reminded of the icebergs and icecaps which are being melted due to pollution. Silverman used this scene to make the audience aware of the ignorance in American society for the environment considering the sad history of the Titanic and the terrible household waste statistics produced by America. In my opinion, this scene would have never been successful without the use of Greenday and the acidic lake, due to all the clever subconscious messages sent through the humour. Later in the movie, Lake Springfield gets so polluted that Lisa Simpson decides to take action. She runs a meeting at the town hall, where all adult members of society turn up. When she tries to describe the seriousness of the situation, people always brought up other things. Am I getting through to anyone? ~Lisa Simpson, the Simpsons Movie But someone in the audience suggests that a new scissor lift should be bought, and a vote is passed by the mayor. Silverman uses the humour in this scene to show how easily distracted society can be to the real problems. However, the mayor takes this seriously and makes everyone in the town clean up the lake. Initiate code black Mayor of Springfield, the Simpsons Movie Silverman uses the seriousness of the situation to add some humour into the scene: Black..thats the worst colour there isno offence Carl! Lenny, the Simpsons Movie This humour not only expresses the dreadful state of the environmental situation, it makes the audience aware of racism and the common use of it in everyday life, despite how sensitive the issue is not only in America, but worldwide. Using Carls cheerful attitude, Silverman turns the racism into a joke therefore not having a bad impact on the audience as it couldve. However hard the towns efforts are to restore the cleanliness of the lake, Homer Simpson dumps a silo of his pets waste in the lake in hurry for free donuts. Soon the government gets involved, and Springfield alerts the EPAs attention (environmental protection agency). Silverman uses this plot to introduce the main evil character in the Simpsons Movie. I have made you 5 easy choices ~Russ Kargel, the Simpsons Movie I pick number 3 ~President Schwarzenegger, the Simpsons Movie You dont even want to read them sir? ~Russ Kargel, the Simpsons Movie I was elected to lead, not to read ~President Schwarzenegger, the Simpsons Movie In this conversation, Arnold Schwarzenegger shows he knows a lot about being a president; however he makes the wrong choice. Choice number three results in Springfield being sealed into a dome, and all the people who live there trapped. Silverman uses this ridiculous idea of being sealed into a dome as a governmental plot. This use of comedy makes the audience think of life being trapped in 1 area, and subconsciously makes the audience grateful to be able to explore around the world. In my opinion this scene is 1 of the main climaxes of the movie due to the whole of Springfield being trapped. This also makes the audience more aware of the evil governmental plots going on around the world. This scene made me think of all the attacks on other countries such as Iraq, and that maybe they were cover-ups and misunderstandings. We pay every resident $1000 so the government can ravage our states natural beauty ~ Man who greets the Simpsons into Alaska, the Simpsons Movie In this quote, the audience is reminded of this present time; the US government says it will offer exploration right for oil and gas in a north-western region of Alaska, but environmental groups fear the effects on wildlife in the region, including the polar bear population. In my opinion, this scene works well to inform the audience well and make them more aware of the events going on in Alaska. No Lisa, its not like the government is listening to our conversation ~Marge Simpson, the Simpsons Movie Silverman cleverly uses humour, when Lisa warns her mother to talk quietly because the government may be listening looking for them. This ends up being true; the train conductor is a robot that listens in to their conversation and a government employee in the NSA (National Security Agency) tracks them down. The government actually found someone! ~NSA employee, the Simpsons Movie This statement mocks the US government for their inadequacy of being unable to find people they are looking for. Silverman cunningly uses this humour to imply that the government is spying on everyones conversation. This is makes the audience more aware of the government tapping in on conversations. I think this scene adds great humour to the movie, and is a vital part of the movie to show the evil governmental schemes. It takes real courage and leadership to make choices without knowing them ~Russ Kargel, the Simpsons Movie In this quote, Silverman uses Russ Kargel to show how persuasion is easily used politically by fusing it with pride. However, president Schwarzenegger picks number 3 again. But Russ Kargel makes the president pick Number 4 by manipulating his answer. Silverman uses humour here to show how easy the presidents words can be manipulated. Soon after the plot to destroy Springfield is confirmed, the government hires Tom Hanks to create propaganda on TV so the people of the US support the government. The US ran out of credibility, so they borrowed mine ~Tom Hanks, the Simpsons Movie In this quote Tom Hanks admits that the government are just using him as propaganda. A boy then asks Tom hanks to tussle his hair. Silverman uses this humour to show how easily pleased people are. Silverman also shows the audience how corrupt the government can make society, just by using popular figures to their advantage. I think this scene is very important in telling the audience not to always trust political figures and famous people. While all these things in the movie are going on, Silverman uses humour to show family problems and relationships with modern Americans. The Simpsons family represents an average modern American family. And during the movie, Silverman makes the family go through hard times. At the start of the movie, the Simpsons are late for church and Homer starts saying things not knowing people inside are listening: Those pious morons probably arent listening anyway ~Homer Simpson, the Simpsons Movie Silverman always makes the opposite things happen to create humour. When inside the church Homer says praise Jeebus instead of Jesus. This humour is cleverly used to show how American families go to church but arent actually religious. Inside the church, Bart Simpson starts to play a handheld game, but Maggie takes it away from him. This furthermore stresses the point through humour that American families only believe in their religion for show. Then when his neighbour Ned Flanders wants to confess, Homer crosses his fingers hoping that he is gay. This shows that the relationship between American families is very bad, and that neighbours are always saying bad things behind each others backs. This humour implies that American families dont always have good relationships. This makes the audience more aware of the life of an American family. I think this scene is very important in the film, for Bart starts to take more of a liking to Flanders than his own father. Later when Homer is doing his chores, Silverman shows Homers relationship for Flanders, when he is told to dispose of a bee hive, he jams it into Flanderss mailbox. Although Flanders is a good hearted religious neighbour, Homer doesnt like him, and always tries to cause trouble for Flanders. Silverman tries to give off the message that Americans are always trying to cause trouble with their neighbours. In my opinion, this scene is also quite important to furthermore show Homers disaffection for Flanders. When Bart and Homer have a daring contest, Homer dares Bart to skate to Krustys burger bar and back naked. This results in him being handcuffed to a pole outside the shop by police officers while they went inside and ate. Silverman shows the American police officers dont care about the fugitives, and would rather have their lunch break. The audience is made aware of these dirty police officers, and they are subconsciously made more aware of this situation in America. We all dont want to wear our clothes sometimes ~Police officer outside Krustys Burger Bar, the Simpsons Movie A police officer says this to Bart to convince him to put his clothes back on. However the officer doesnt realise that Homer dared Bart to do this. Using humour Silverman shows that American parents dont accept the consequences in what they tell their children to do. I think this scene is very important, it shows the audience how Bart slowly starts to hate his father. If you know a greasier burger than this, youre in Mexico ~Krusty the clown in advertisement, the Simpsons Movie In this quote, Krusty states that Mexico has the greasiest burgers. America is known as the spiritual home of the super-sized meal, more than 119 million adults or 64.5% of the adult population are either overweight or obese. Silverman cleverly made this scene to make the audience aware of obesity in the US. Later on, Homer grows attached to a pig he rescues, and starts to forget about his family. Silverman uses this stereotype to show how forgetful fathers can be of their own family. As Homers bond with this animal starts to strengthen, he starts to forget about the rest of his family. Silverman uses this humour to tell the audience how parents can start to forget, and favour other children/things more. Come on guys it will be really great fun, and Ive really come to like you guys ~Homer Simpson, the Simpsons Movie In this quote, it shows Homer doesnt take his family serious. In this scene Homer wants to go to Alaska, but Silverman makes it as if Homer has maybe already had a family before this, and doesnt take families serious. Also, in this scene Homer convinces them to come to Alaska by going over their wedding vows. Through this is a funny statement, Silverman informs the audience of fathers in America abandoning there families. Near the end of the movie, Homer apologises to Bart for being a bad father. Bart doesnt want to accept his apology, but when Homer mentions that he could hold the bomb, Bart forgives him. Silverman uses this humour to show how father and son are both simpleminded and alike. What a great mistake you turned out to be Maggie ~Homer Simpson In this quote, Homer confesses that Maggie was a mistake. Silverman uses this humour to show how a lot of families in general are started of as mistakes. In my opinion, this humour was very informative for the audience, but subliminally made them to think about the consequences of sex. At the end of the movie, Homer and Marge kiss in the woods riding on a motorbike. After kissing Marge says that was the best kiss of her life. But after learning many thing in his quest to save Springfield, Homer alters her words to say it was the best kiss of her life so far. Silvermans uses this moment to sum up the movie and show how Homer progresses throughout the movie. This message tells the audience to cherish what they have, and look forward to the future. Using all these different techniques such as subliminal messaging and sarcasm, this is how Silverman of the Simpsons uses humour to incorporate other relevant messages into the film. But did he mean all the messages? Or were some just a coincidence?

Monday, November 25, 2019

Everyone is left behind essays

Everyone is left behind essays The reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Act, ESEA, crafted by Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy and recently signed into law by President George Bush with the wide and bipartisan support of Congress, The "No Child Left Behind Act" or NCLB is a monumental law that will affect virtually every aspect of public education for many years to come. The goal is pure and simple: to ensure that every student in the nation receives a good education. Keeping that promise is a tall order, and the president's supporters are fervent in their belief that the only way it can be done is by enforcing higher standards for all students through increased testing and tougher accountability for schools. To accomplish this, the NCLB addresses four principlesaccountability for students' academic achievement, local control of federal education dollars, parental involvement, and the implementation of scientifically proved programs and teaching methods. Schools will be held accountable for the academic achievement of all students. This year, states must create their own academic standards for what children in grades pre-K12 should know in mathematics and reading. Students' progress in these subjects will be monitored by standardized tests. In 200203, tests are required in three grade spans: grades 35, 69, and 1012. Starting with the 200506 school year, mathematics and reading tests will be administered annually in grades 3 through 8. NCLB also requires schools to submit annual state and district report cards. Administrators, teachers, parents, and policymakers, as well as state and local leaders, will receive this critical information. Schools that fail to meet state academic performance standards may be required to offer supplemental services and transportation to other schools, or may even face restructuring. States and local communities will have more flexibility to direct feder...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Supervisor Interview Assignment II ( Is there someone who has Essay

Supervisor Interview Assignment II ( Is there someone who has Supervisor friends or contacts or you can be a interviewee if you are a supervisor.^^ ) - Essay Example Before taking on the responsibilities of a supervisor, this candidate had 4-years experience in same process that he is currently supervising. Upon being recognized as a potential candidate for supervisory role, he was selected for an in-house front line leadership training workshop. According to the interviewee, the three most important qualities of a good supervisor include knowledge of the work, coaching skills and ability to build strong interpersonal relationships. Knowledge and expertise related to the concerned work and tasks will help in training and guiding the executives; secondly, these will also help in monitoring their progress and providing the correct and constructive feedback so that the executives can continuously improve their performance. In order to train and continuously improve the team members’ performance, the supervisor needs to earn their trust and confidence which is possible only when the team members believe that their leader has the knowledge of the work and is aware of the challenges and issues related to their work. This will help the supervisor and the team members to work together without any conflicts. The second most important quality is coaching ability because it is their responsibility to coach their executives on wo rk, on attitude and behavior, as well as provide constructive feedback. Thirdly, the supervisor feels that the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships is essential for executing effective leadership. Supervisor’s functions also involve empowering individuals with tasks according to their skills and abilities; motivating the staff through appreciation, promotion, and meeting their expectations as much as possible; managing the smooth running of work processes; handling conflicts and influencing team members to perform as per organizational expectations. All these functions require an understanding of the executives’ needs and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Minamata Bay in Kumamoto Japan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Minamata Bay in Kumamoto Japan - Research Paper Example The pollution was suspected to have been caused because Hyakken Habour released the poisonous mercury from the Chisso Corporation. This not withstanding, Minamata Bay has its own unique geographical and natural make-up, that makes the bay distinguished. Minamata Bay is part of the bigger Shiranui Sea but it is locked up in the middle of the Kyushu coast and the Island of Kumamoto and Nagasaki prefectures. From afar, the bay presents beautiful scenery of nature’s popular sea color, which is sea blue. The bay is generally calm with no heavy tides that randomly break its banks. The bay is shallow, yet possesses every thing that a regular sea area should possess. To the north of the bay is the Ariake Sea and to its south is the East China Sea. This means that Minamata Bays share a lot of common features with the East China Sea and the Ariake Sea. †¢ Climate Precipitation and temperature in the Minamata Bay varies significantly during different times of the year. However compa ratively, because of the presence of the sea, precipitation in Minamata Bay is generally low when compared with other parts of the country such as Tokyo. The graph below gives a pictorial difference in temperature and precipitation of Minamata in General as compared with Tokyo. Source: Travel Friend (2011) Precipitation is generated from the clouds. According to the Frondriest Environmental Inc (2011), precipitation is any form of water that falls to the earth’s surface. This includes snow, rain, sleet, freezing rain and hail†. From the graph we see that because of the presence of the Bay and sea in general, Minamata has a very high precipitation as compared to Tokyo. The highest precipitations of the year are recorded in June and July when precipitation can go as high as rising beyond 15mm. January, February and December however records very low precipitations because at those times of the year, there is relatively low levels of water in the air. As far as temperature is concerned, Minamata records temperature levels that are not very much different from that of Tokyo. Temperatures also vary a lot in the course of the year. Whereas temperatures can go as low as below 5 °C in the months of January, February and December, it at times rises high above 30 °C in August and September. To this effect, it can be said that Minamata Bay has a temperate climate. The specific values of temperature and precipitation for the various months are given in the table below: Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average High Temperature ( °C) 10.5 11.3 14.8 19.9 23.8 26.6 30.1 31.1 28.1 23.5 18.3 13 Average Low Temperature ( °C) 2.7 3.1 6.3 10.4 14.6 19.3 23 23.3 20.2 14.3 9.5 4.5 Average Precipitation (mm) 74 78.2 158.5 147.5 190.3 409.8 417.5 228.6 198.8 95.8 80.4 52.6 Source: Travel Friend (2011) †¢ Human Presence, Activities and Alternations People live all around the Minamata Bay and are involved in active regular activities. Accord ing to the GeoNames geographical database, Minamata Bay, Japan has a population of 29,428 people. Majority of the working class of the people living in Minamata Bay are involved in factory work. This is because Minamata itself is tagged as a factory town. Most of the people in Minamata depends on the presence of factories to make a living. There are some who also take advantage of the presence

Monday, November 18, 2019

Anishinaabe Change Maker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anishinaabe Change Maker - Essay Example As an aboriginal, Campbell was born at a time when the native populations were still struggling to live in the highly diversified Canadian society. At the same time, it was a period when women had no place in the society (Mandel, 2005). However, as a focused person, Campbell beat all the odds to accomplish her goals in life. The issue is that she was did not sit back and watch. Instead, after struggling to pursue her education, she dedicated her life to serving the people. She was really concerned about the plights of her people that she did her best to resolve using her writing, filming, broadcasting and advocacy talents. Surely, Campbell must have been so passionate about her people. As already highlighted, Campbell qualifies to be my change maker mainly because of the numerous achievements that she made in the society. The first major achievement was to become a renowned playwright. This was proven when she published a lot of books that later received the approval of the society and become so popular not only in Canada, but also in other countries like France, Italy, Germany, China and USA in which her publications were translated into a number of foreign and local languages. Her other achievement is that she inspired her people when she became the very first film maker in the history of the Aboriginals. This is something that no woman could think of doing during then (Johnston, 2009). Later, she made other achievements when she joined activism to advocate for the rights of the Aboriginals ands the women folk. These are very great achievements that made Campbell to inspire a lot of people who not only admired, but also considered her as a change maker. With all these achievements, Campbell has had a rich legacy. The first legacy for which she will be remembered is that she was the first Aboriginal woman to found and establish an active and fully functioning production company in Canada. This was evidenced when she established

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Research The Interpretivism Philosophy Management Essay

Research The Interpretivism Philosophy Management Essay Firstly, it is the research philosophy. There are two main types of philosophy and they are positivism and interpretivism. In this research the interpretivism philosophy will be applied to adopt the nature of theories on the factors influencing the project management performance. Secondly, it is the research approach that includes deduction and induction. In this research, the induction approach is considered the appropriate approach for the project management when the researcher examines three factors influencing the project management performance at BORDA Vietnam. Thirdly, it is the research strategy. There are three categories of research strategy such as exploratory, descriptive and explanatory. To pursue the purpose of this research is to explore the understanding of the concepts of project management and the impacts of factors on the project management performance at BORDA Vietnam, the exploratory strategy is selected to use. Fourthly, it is research methodology. There are two methods when conducting the research generally. They are quantitative and qualitative. With each method there are advantages and disadvantages duing application. In this research, the qualitative method is chosen to apply due to its appropriateness for the topic of factors influencing the project management performance at BORDA Vietnam. Fifthly, it is the data collection and data processing that describes how the primary and secondary data will be collected and how the collected data will be analysed to have findings for the next chapters. Last but not least, it is ethical issues of the research. 3.1 Research philosophy Sauders at al. (2009) emphasises that the research philosophy relates to the development of knowledge and its nature. It will reflect the researchers view of the world and underpin the research strategy. There are different philosophies of the research such as positivism, realism, interpretivism and pragmatism and these belong to the research philosophy which is the first layer of the research onion (Sauder et al., 2009). Depending on the type of research topic which philosophy will be adopted in the research? 3.1.1 Positivism Positivism reflects the philosophical stance of the nature scientist (Sauder et al., 2009). The positivism philosophy is applied to the research for generating the existing theories to develop the hypotheses and these hypotheses will be tested with highly structured and large samples relating to the observation and numeric data. However, when observing the social reality (Sauder et al., 2009), the researcher is independent from which is observed. 3.1.2 Interpretivism In the management research, the interpretivism refers to the understanding difference between the human as social actors (Sauder at al., 2009:16) and the objects. It focuses on the subjective meanings and the interpretation of the meanings behind the social phenomena. By applying the interpretivism philosophy for the research, the qualitative methodology is more appropriate to help the researcher conduct the small sample with in-depth interview and focus group interview. Project management performance plays an important role in the success of the project. However, there are many factors but the research focusing on three key factors influencing the project management performance. The factors are leadership style, teamwork and staff motivation. For conducting the research, the interpretivism philosophy is selected to help the researcher interpret the meanings of contextual observations and collected information from interview. 3.2 Research approach Research approach relates to the theory of the research. It explicit the concerned questionnaires for survey or guidelines for interview. There are two different kinds of research approaches, deduction and induction. Sauder et al. (2009) pointed out that the deductive approach is when to develop the theory and hypotheses and the research strategy is designed to test those hypotheses. The deductive approach is believed to be more appropriate with the positivist philosophy. Other way round, it is inductive approach in which the data is collected and theory is developed as the results of data analysis. The inductive approach is considered more appropriate with the interpretivist philosophy. 3.2.1 Deductive approach Deductive approach involves in the development of theory and hypothesis. The data or findings from questionnaire survey, guideline interview and secondary sources are the results to be tested to confirm or reject the hypotheses (Gill and Johnson, 2010). This approach is suitable with large sample from the quantitative method. 3.2.2 Inductive approach Inductive approach allows the researcher to develop the theory base on analysis of the phenomena. The theory is developed based on the result of data analysis. Sauder et al (2009) suggested that the small sample conducted for the research is suitable with the inductive approach. The research on factors that influence the project management at BORDA is to pursue the purpose of identifying and analysing three burning factors really affecting the performance of project management at BORDA Vietnam. The small sample of interview with the managers and staffs of BORDA office and involved partners will be conducted. Therefore, the inductive approach is considered more appropriate to conduct this research. 3.3 Research strategy Research strategy plays an important role during conducting the research. According to Sauders at al. (2009:141) the research strategy helps to guide the research questions, objectives, the extent of existing knowledge, the amount of time, other available resources and to underpin the research philosophy. There are three categories of research strategy such as (1) exploratory, (2) descriptive and (3) explanatory (Yin, 2003, cited in Sauderset al.2009:141). Each category is valuable with different research purposes. However, it is pointed out that the purpose of enquiry may change over time (Robson, 2002, cited in Sauders et al, 2009:139). 3.3.1 Exploratory The exploratory strategy is useful to clarify the understanding of the phenomena by finding out what is happening, to seek new insights, to ask questions and to assess phenomena in a new light (Robson, 2002: 59, cited in Sauders et al., 2009:139). There are three principal ways of conducting the exploratory research: A research of the literature Interviewing experts in the subject Conducting focus group interviews (Sauders et al. 2009:140) 3.3.2 Descriptive The object of descriptive research is to portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations (Robson, 2002:59, cited in Sauderset al.2009:140). It means that before the data is collected, it should be a clear picture of which data should be collected. However, the descriptive research is as one piece of exploratory research and also the explanatory research. 3.3.3 Explanatory Explanatory research focuses on explaining the relationship between variables (Sauderset al.2009:140) of a situation or a phenomena. This strategy is more quantitative in the research methodology. In addition, it can be a combination between the quantitative and qualitative methods in the research methodology by collecting the qualitative data for explanation of the reason to the phenomena or problem. The purpose of the research is to gain the understanding about the concept of project management and impacts of factors influencing the project management performance in BORDA Vietnam. In view of the foreging, the exploratory strategy is chosen to use in this research that helps the researcher to interpret the findings to the meanings of this research. 3.4 Research methodology There are two main types of research methods: (1) qualitative and (2) quantitative. Each method will be selected to use depending on specific research topic and analysis sample. 3.4.1 Qualitative method According to Sauders et al.,(2009:480) the qualitative data refers to all non-numeric data or data that have not been quantified and can be a product of all research strategies. There are many things in human life which may not be quantitative. They are no worse for that. If they are of non-quantitative nature, they can be investigated in terms of their own categories and such investigation is no less scientific than measurement (Michell, 1999:14, cited in Giorgi A, 2005:80). When conducting the qualitative research, the purpose is to understand the meanings expressed through words (Sauderset al.2009:482) of the problem or phenomena from real world settings (Golafshani N, 2003:600). The qualitative research means such methods like interviews and observations are dominant in the naturalist (interpretive) paradigm and supplementary in the positive paradigm ((Golafshani N, 2003:600). The qualitative data after being collected is inputed into the analysis process through three main types: Summarising (consideration) of meanings; Categorisation (grouping) of meanings; Structuring (ordering) of meanings using narrative. (Sauderset al.2009:490). 3.4.2 Quantitative method According to Ponterotto J.(2005:128), the quantitative method focuses on the strict quantification of observations (data) and on careful control of empirical variables. This method needs the large sample and uses of statistical procedures to examine the meanings and variables (Ponterotto and Grieger, 1999, cited in Ponterotto, 2005:128). The quantitative research helps the researcher familiarize with the problem or phenomena to be studied and develop the hypotheses to be tested through the quantitative techniques. The categories of quantitative method include (1) the emphasis is on facts and causes of behaviour (Bogdan and Biklen, 1998, cited in Golafshani N, 2003:597); (2) the information is in the form of numbers that can be quantified and summarised; (3) the mathematical process is the norm for analysing the numeric data and (4) the final result is expressed in statistical terminologies (Charles, 1995, cited in Golafshani N, 2005:598). From the different above definitions and concepts of research methods, the researcher select the qualitative method that is considered the most suitable and conceptual analysis shall be applied via observation of daily management work at BORDA Vietnam and the in depth interview to all staffs and managers of BORDA office and partners involving in the project. It is small sample. The qualitative method will help the researcher find out the key crucial factors affecting the performance of the project management. The qualitative method will be described through the research process in the figure below: Research objectives Theories relating to the project management Qualitative method, data collection: + Primary data: in-depth and group focus interview, daily observations + Secondary data: desk research Discussion and analysis of findings Identification of weaknesses corresponding causes in PM Recommendations solutions for improving PM performance Figure 3.1: Research process (Source: Authors design) 3.5 Data collection The data used for this research comes from both primary and secondary sources. 3.5.1 Secondary source Secondary data collection: the data will be collected from the books, articles, journals publication, reports, annual working plans, desk research, evaluations. These resources provide the information and data on the activities and project implementation at BORDA Vietnam. 3.5.2 Primary data In-depth interview: the in-depth interviews will be conducted with 15 staffs of BORDA office and involved partners, 2 focus group interviews for staffs and managers to collect their opinions, comments and assessments on current project management performance and the factors influencing the project management performance at BORDA Vietnam. The contents of the in-depth interview guideline shall be flexible and subject to the persons interviewed to be able to get the best results for analysis, summarising and consolidation. The tentative duration for the interviews shall last from 15 October to 31 October 2012. The primary data collected through the interviews is used to give insights into the main factors influencing the project management performance within the implementation progress. Observation from daily management work: The researcher is a part of this team, so that the daily management work at BORDA Vietnam will be observed. 3.6 Data processing The information and data from the interviews shall be collected, summarised, consolidated and analysed to see the problems of project management and examined whether the factors such as leadership style, team work and staff motivation have an effect on the performance of the project management at BORDA Vietnam or not. The feedback from the interviewees is also considered the useful inputs for the recommendations and solutions of the researcher. 3.7 Research ethics In the scope of this research, the researcher focus on examining the practices of financial and human resource management to the project management performance at BORDA Vietnam in the period of 2011 2013. Because of time limits, the research cannot be conducted for other factors such as the role of management of quality, information system, knowledge, relationship, etc. to the project management performance. The research will use both the secondary and primary data, especially the in-depth interview questions for information collection. Before interviewing, the researcher will ask the potential interviewees directly or through emails and telephones for their convenience and agreement of spending time and providing the information, opinions. Without agreement, the researcher will not provide the name of interviewees in the research or any sensitive information will be kept confidentially for the researcher only. Moreover, this is an independent study from the point of view of the researcher. The findings and recommendations will be proposed to the high management level of BORDA to help improve the project management performance of project implementation in Vietnam. Chapter summary Through this chapter, the researcher describes the picture of how the research will be conducted and how data is collected and analysed. After studying about the different types of research philosophy, approach, strategy, method the researcher select: Research philosophy: interpretivism Research approach: inductive Research strategy: exploratory Research method: qualitative The findings from the in depth interviews with individuals of 15 interviewees and two focus group interviews for staffs and managers of BORDA Vietnam and involved partner VAWR/ CTIC and from the daily observation of the management work as well as from the desk research of the secondary data, the meanings shall be summarised, categorised ans structured (Sauders et al., 2009:490) The research ethics are mentioned at the end of this chapter. The researcher will ask for acceptance of using the personal information from the interviewees. Without the agreement, it will be considered the confidential information and will not be displayed in the research.