Critical thinking process Essay Example for Free

Critical thinking process Essay Critical thinking often involves the creation of alternative plans, solutions, approaches, etc. , then comparing original with the alternatives. Creative thinking requires some critical evaluation during and after the creative phase. Critical thinking depends upon that little known and seldom discussed characteristic of the human nervous system—self-reflexiveness. Usually it also depends upon that remarkable human creation and tool—self reflexive language. Humans not only know about their environment, they know that they know; they can think about how they think, evaluate their evaluations. Languages, too, have this self-reflexive characteristic. They enable us to talk about talk, to make statements about statements, to write books about writing books. The self-reflexiveness of language and the human nervous system provide us with an open minded system: we can make statements about statements, indefinitely; we can react to our reactions to our reactions indefinitely. At no point can we say, â€Å"That’s the last word on the subject† or, â€Å"No further reaction is possible† (since, in doing so, we have said more, reacted further). However, believing that we have said the last word may cut of the self-reflexive process. This open ended, self reflexive system makes it possible for us to conduct scientific research, write poetry, plan enterprises, spin out complex tales of fiction—or spread rumours, spin webs of delusion and talk ourselves into insanity or war. Which we will do depends in part upon our motivation, but also upon our understanding of the thinking process and some aspects of the working of the nervous system. General semantics provides a meta-linguistic or ‘second order’ approach to critical thinking. It enables us to use self-reflexiveness systematically to monitor on-going evaluations. The principles and devices it provides call attention to either-or and ‘allness’ statements, to inferences treated as facts, to overgeneralizations, to statements unrestricted in time, to overly-simple statements of causality, etc. The tools work, whatever the order of abstraction, whatever the source of the statement (Johnson, 1991). How language empowers or limits the expression of our thoughts. Along with most of his contemporaries, Blair defines language in terms of a relationship between signs and thoughts: â€Å"Language signifies the expression of our ideas by certain articulate sounds, which are used as the signs of those ideas† (cited 1:98). Elaborating on this interdependence, he asserts that â€Å"when we are employed in the study of composition, we are cultivating reason itself. True rhetoric and sound logic are very nearly allied. The study of arranging and expressing our thoughts with propriety, teaches to think, as well as to speak, accurately so close is the connection between thought and the words in which they are clothed† (Ulman, 1994). Language can empowers and limit the expression of our thoughts. Talking about something that reinforces it, therefore say what you want to be true. Language has power, and by knowing this, you can select words that allow others to hear and understand you. Certain words provide a way of maintaining the focus of what you want. They can assist you to be in the state of mind that you desire. Looking for positive language patterns, gives your brain the opportunity to find alternative ways expressing your experiences to yourself and others. These tools get you off automatic pilot and in control. Having choice means you can regulate how an experience will affect you. You can choose to use your old patterns of expression which produces certain results, or use empowering language to give you different results. Now it can be you who decides. Labels limit is another concept that we’re dealing with here. When we label something or someone, we put a meaning on it that can limit our awareness, experience, and understanding. Labels are a form of beliefs, and like all beliefs, they filter our perceptions. Our beliefs only allow us to be conscious of things that are in agreement with them, and we unconsciously filter everything else. It can be tremendous evidence of the opposite to penetrate the belief filters. But with negative labels, the effects can be very destructive (Kaufman, 1998). The role of critical thinking in persuasion. What is the value of critical thinking? When someone else writes or speaks a peace of reasoning, they are trying to persuade us of something. Persuasion is an attempt to get us to believe something. People want us to believe things so that we will act in certain ways. Action requires some effort. There are choices involved. We could be doing something else. Because of this, it is very useful to be able to evaluate reasoning, for some pieces of reasoning should be accepted while others should not be accepted. If persuasion occurs in advertising, we could be doing many other things with our money. Take buying a car, for example. A lot of money can be involved, so what kind of car to buy can be a pretty big decision. Whether to marry a certain person or which of a couple of job offers to take are still bigger decisions. Almost every reader will eventually get some serious illness. There may be several different treatments available. One’s comfort, health, even ones life may depend on the decision as to which treatment to undertake. To make these decisions well, we will need to gather our own reasons to support various alternative conclusions. At that time, we could make an irrational decision, or a sheep like decision to follow some other person’s advice. The values of critical thinking, specifically how to recognize and evaluate reasoning, are the following: †¢ It help us arrive at true conclusions and therefore †¢ it increases our knowledge. †¢ It should help us make better decisions. †¢ It should help us persuade others and †¢ explain truth to them. †¢ Contribute to a happier life (Cogan, 1998). References Johnson, K. G. (1991). Thinking creatically: a systematic, interdisciplinary approach to creative-critical thinking. Englewood: Institute of General Semantics. Kaufman, R. A. (1998). Anatomy of Success. New York: Ronald A Kaufman. Robert Cogan. (1998). Critical thinking: step by step. Boston: University Press of America. Ulman, H. L. (1994). Things, thoughts, words, and actions: the problem of language in late eighteenth-century British rhetorical theory. New York: SIU Press.

How you act affects what grade you get Essay Example for Free

How you act affects what grade you get Essay The Impact of Student Behavior on Student Learning is an important subject. There are varying issues that affect student behavior, and a students ability to learn and perform efficiently. This paper will discuss some of the behaviors that are commonly demonstrated when students face one of the most common symptoms; stress. It will also cover how stress, a symptom of student behavior can affect student learning. Student behavior can be categorized two different ways. A determining factor is if the behavior is negative or positive. These behaviors can be overt or covert and can play a big part in determining a student grade in a particular class. Students demonstrating poor behavior have a tendency to get lower grades. Poor behavior, which is a symptom of stress, can be linked to lack of sleep. According to The Franklin Institute Online, â€Å"Disrupting routines and interrupting sleep-all have a cumulative effect on your brain, especially its ability to remember and learn† (Franklin, 2004). The brain is a precious organism and if it is stressed it will not perform to capacity. Stress can cause ones behavior to fluctuate in a manner that can be destructive to productivity. If a student’s behavior fluctuates and causes them to react poorly in a class room setting they may not be able to retain the information needed to qualify for the grades necessary to complete their degree (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). According to the Webster online dictionary, the definition of behavior is â€Å"the manner of conducting oneself; anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulation† (Webster, 2011). Human beings have the capability to conduct themselves in a manner that may or may not help their capacity for learning. The wrong type of stimulation can alter the student’s ability to perform simple tasks that under normal circumstances would be easy for the student to perform. The behavior displayed by students affects the outcome of the amount of information the student retains. The more information a student can retain the better the grades that student is likely to receive. By definition, behavior is ‘the manner in which one conducts oneself’, and cannot be measured as good or bad because it is a matter of opinion (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). Behaviors can be changed or altered to fit the mood of the person. â€Å"The term stress is short for distress, a word evolved from Latin that means to draw or pull apart. The Romans even used the term ‘districtia’ to describe a being torn asunder (Franklin, 2004). To be torn from your normal routine of good study habits, exams, and team work would be understandable in the case of a stressed student. Since the student has limited, or no control over the stressors in their life; they cannot always be held responsible for their behavior. A behavior can be harmful to the outcome of a situation but does not have to mean that the person with the behavior is bad or good (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). In the same since that negative and positive behavior don’t equate to bad or good. Negative behavior is any behavior that harms the student’s learning ability (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). An example would be a student that shows signs of stress. That student may be edgy or not seem like a team player. The student may grasp the main concepts during class but not seem to put the effort forth to get good grades where tests are involved. This student may understand concepts and be able to explain to others with ease how they work. This student may also miss deadlines, or not post assignments on time. This negative behavior is harmful to the student, but due to stress the student is not able to control the negative behavior. The student may not be aware of the way their behavior is disrupting their school life and will not recognize the affect on their grades (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). â€Å"Overt behaviors are more open and observable and would include students talking during class, using their cellular phones, or eating or drinking noisily. Covert behaviors are more passive and include sleeping during class, arriving to class late, leaving class early, or generally acting bored and disengaged.† (Seidman, 2005) Demonstration of these behaviors may be done together or separately. A student can demonstrate just covert behavior and still seem defiant. Both covert and overt behaviors can be a sign of stress. The student who demonstrates these behaviors may not recognize that they are being a distraction to the class or to themselves. They can also attribute to poor or no study habits. Both behaviors can cause problems for the student because they can hinder the student’s ability to perform in a class setting. For example: A student can understand the concepts in a course but have trouble staying awake during class and miss important notes or assignment deadlines. When this student post an assignment too late to receive full credit their grade is affected. The student has shown signs of overt behavior but did not intend to be seen as disruptive. Often students have no idea that the outcome of their behavior can lead to poor grades. Some students are able to correct their poor grades with good grades by a change in their behavior. The symptom that will show in lieu of stress would be happiness or a since of calm. Students who demonstrate negative behavior will have a hard time retaining information or keeping up with their courses. Students with positive behavior will have a better chance of retaining the maximum amount of information possible. Positive behavior helps the student to create an environment within themselves that is conducive to learning (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). Students who are stress free in mind, body, and soul are free to work at full capacity to achieve their academic goals. When a student feels comfortable with their surroundings and is freed from worrying about the outside world, the student will have a higher level of concentration on school work as all other distractions have been managed or eliminated. They will be able to focus their energy on studying , and processing the information studied. (K. White, personal communication, June 29, 2011). Behaviors can be changed or altered with help of others. Most schools have an academic advisor who is able to handle student issues. They may not be able to completely assist in matters of home life but may have some good suggestions and or referrals that may help the student get back on track. A change in student behavior for the good can impact student learning in a positive way. â€Å"Bear in mind that an appropriate stress response is a healthy and necessary part of life. It improves mood. Problems feel more like challenges, which encourages creative thinking that stimulates your brain to grow new connections within it.† (Franklin, 2004). In conclusion, student behavior can be a symptom of underlying issues that can affect student learning for different reasons and in many different ways. Poor behavior, which is a symptom of stress, can be linked to lack of sleep. The wrong type of stimulation can alter the student’s ability to perform simple task that under normal circumstances would be easy for the student to perform. Since the student has limited to no control over the stress in their life they cannot always be held responsible for their behavior. The student may not be aware of the way their behavior is disrupting their school life and will not recognize the affect on their grades. A happy, content students mind, body, and soul are free to work at full capacity to achieve the goal of good paper writing, testing, and team work. Both behaviors can cause problems for the student because they can hinder the student’s ability to perform in a class setting. Some students are able to correct their poor grades with good grades by a change in their behavior. A change in student behavior for the good can impact student learning in a positive way. References The Franklin Institute Online. Retrieved on June 29, 2011 at 7:47 PM from Web stream at http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html#how The Learning Killer: Disruptive Student Behavior in the Classroom. Journal article by Alan Seidman; Reading Improvement, Vol. 42, 2005 Webster Dictionary online. Retrieved on June 29, 2011 at 3:43 PM from website http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behavior, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Human Resources in Sri Lankas IT Sector

Human Resources in Sri Lankas IT Sector CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION For an organization to survive and expand in the rapidly competitive environment dominated by several players, it is paramount for an organization to perform. The organization performance would be measure according to several variables such profitability, sales, production quality and market share, however, few organizations give prominence for the most important factors which is human resources performance. According to HRM commentators retention and development of the organization employees are pivotal for organization performance. The overall purpose of human resource management is to ensure that the organization is able to achieve their success through people. Ulrich and Lake (1990) states that: ‘HRM systems can be the source of organizational capabilities that allow firms to learn and capitalize on new opportunities. But in the other hand HRM has an ethical dimension as well, which means it should also concern the rights and needs of people in an organization. With the increased competition, globalization, boundless technological advances, -companies are forced to think about the factors like HRM, environment†¦etc to run the extra mile ahead of the others. Therefore nowadays employers consider investments on the HRM functions are very significant and effective, rather than seeing it as just a cost. As it shown above, HRM should be incorporated with each and every function with in an organization. Starting from the recruitment process to the training and development, performance appraisal, performance incentives, promotion system , design of work and working environment†¦etc should aligned with effective HRM practices as it will reduce the direct indirect employee grievances which results in a highly motivated and pleased workforce, which in turn influences on the overall organization performances. When considering the structure of the Human resource management, there are two categories; 1. Managerial Functions 2. Operative functions Functions of HRM Managerial Functions Operative Functions Planning Employment Organising Human Resource Directing Development Controlling Compensation Human relations Recent trend in HRM 1. Managerial functions It include Planning, organizing, directing and controlling.  · Planning is the main activity that a manager has to consider. The management has to decide what to do and how to do to achieve the objective of the organization. Management uses this process to plan the future of the company, decide what actions they are going to make to avoid difficult problems etc. (Bateman, Snell, 2007).  · Organizing is established in the internal structure of the organization. It mainly concerns the flow of information within the company, division and coordination. Manager has to know what the subordinates can do and what kind of training they need. To achieve the objectives set in the planning process there should be a proper organization of work. In here the management set the tasks, responsibilities and authorities to the employees. The manager has to discuss the tasks with the employees and has to clarify what to do, how to do and make them understand about the job (Allen, G, 1998). Then it is easy to achieve the objective.  · Directing is the next stage after completing planning and organizing. This is to execution of the plan. It influences the people to achieve the objectives in a correct way through motivation, communication, and leadership. The proper direction of employees will affect the achievement of the objectives. The manager has to have a proper relationship with the employees in the company, and then they can easily direct the employees to achieve the target.  · Controlling involves checking, verifying and comparing of the actual with the plan that the company set. Actions and operations are adjusted to identified plans and standards through control. The training programs, conducting interviews, analyzing labor turnover details are some of the controlling functions that a manager can work out. Controlling allows setting the performance standards within the groups and to do the proper communication. 2. Operative functions These activities are related to specific activities such as, employment, human resources development, compensation, human relations and recent trends in human resource management.  · Employment This means securing and employing the people with the relevant qualifications to achieve the organizational objectives. The functions include in employment are, Job analysis, human resource planning, recruitment, selection, placement and induction.  · Human resource development This is the process of improving skills, knowledge, attitudes, aptitudes, commitment etc. depending on the organizational requirements. The functions include in human resource development are; Performance appraisal, training, management development, career planning and development, promotion, demotion and change and organization development.  · Compensation This is the process of providing sufficient, equal and fair reward to all employees. The functions include in compensation are; Job evaluation, incentives, wage and salary, bonus, fringe benefits, social security and measures.  · Human Relations It is the process of interaction between people. The management can practice different human resource policies to interact with the people. Good relationship will motivate people to do a better job In the organization. The functions in human relations include; Motivating the employees, developing the communication skills, developing leadership skills, providing comfortable work environment to the people, improving quality of work life of employees and boosting employee morale.  · Recent trend in human resource management This area is always developing. It is advancing at a fast rate. The recent trends in human resource management is; Quality of work life, recent techniques of Human resource management and total quality in human resources. In 1989 David Guest describes a human resource model according to what he thought. . This model consists of four elements; Human resource policies and practices Human resource outcomes Organizational outcomes Leadership 1. Human resource policies and practices when an organization is introduced there are many policies available in a company. They are; Organization and job design Management of change Recruitment, selection and socialisation Appraisal, training and development Reward systems Communication According to this model human resource policies are design to achieve the four key human resource outcomes which explains as the second element of this model. 2. Human resource outcomes The model include followings; Commitment Quality Flexibility Strategic integration Quality is not only concern about the quality of manufacturing product or the services provided by the company, it includes the quality of the workforce, the management of the workforce and the human resource policies used in the company. Flexibility is the facility to change the jobs people are doing, working arrangement such as number of hours they are working and the nature of employees contract. Strategic integration is the link between human resource strategy and business strategy. Guest explains that integration requires an organizational culture where managers work or share. The commitments have a direct relationship with valued business consequences. He says that commitment is confused and that the relationship between commitment and the performance is difficult to establish. When an employee commitment is higher means that employee is satisfied about the facilities and the way the company treat to employees. When they are satisfied performance will be automatically higher in the organization. 3. Organizational outcomes The organizational outcomes include following; High job performance High problem solving High innovation Low turnover, absence High cost effectiveness 4. Leadership Leadership is the most important element to make all these outcomes success. With the understanding of importance of the involvement of HRM for the betterment of an organization, this paper is about the effect of HRM development to the IFS business success. 1.1 Aims and objectives of the study During the recent years IT sector began to bloom and many leading IT professionals fortified the future of their companies by investing in Sri Lanka. Within few years it begins to expand and now a days it has become a major business sector which support the economy and which provides enormous career opportunities to the younger generation. Latest s show that, over 175 software developments companies are actively operating in Sri Lanka, which are originated from both national and international grounds and they are providing services for both the export and domestic markets. Some of these companies and their products are already well recognized and performing extremely well in the IT sector by competing with other foreign markets. Among these, companies like,Millennium Information Technologies- who not only turned the Colombo stock exchange in Sri Lanka into the worlds first ever event-driven exchange but with their versatile automated trading system have powered the Boston stock exchange among several other clients in the United States, as well as exchanges in Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa;Virtusa Corporation- one of the fastest growing software services firms in the US with seven years of consecutive growth and the largest technology center based in Sri Lanka and; Informatics- a local company whose telecom product is in operation at the regional sites of some of the worlds leading telecom operators, such as Cable Wireless of UK and Millicom of Luxembourg, are leading the way, marking the name of Sri Lanka in the world. Furthermore international names likeIFSfrom Sweden have set up their research and development center employing over 700 people and recently MicrosoftandOraclehave also opened offices in Sri Lanka. graph1 This is an effort to find out the involvement of human resource to the success of Sri Lankan IT sector and how well they are managed for them to get ready to face the future challenges in ever changing world. Taking the IFS Sri Lanka Ltd as the Reference point, the research will focus on interpreting the influence of Human Resource Management on the companys success. Research as a whole, is a process to find an answer to a specific question. The initial objectives of this study are to formalize the necessary procedures and questions to be answered, in order to gather the intended information, which will be desirable in finding an answer to the core research question. To achieve the above objectives, following are the outline of the information that will try to gather, to be used in developing proper evaluations conclusions. Actions taken to motivate the employees. Established procedures on providing job satisfaction to the employees. The process of developing employee skill and how the company utilize it. How strong is the employee-employer relationship Level of performance of the company and how the employees contribute its success. 1.2 Company Background IFS, is one of the worlds leading providers of component-based business software developed using open standards. Since 1983, IFS has been a provider of business applications focused on meeting the needs of selected industries. Basically, IFS operates in two areas: lifecycle management, where asset and product lifecycle management are critical issues, and mid market ERP (Enterprise resource planning), which covers distribution and manufacturing in midsize companies. Mainly company operates in Europe, the US, the UK, Australia and Asia with the head office situated in Linkoping, Sweden and having the employs about 2,723. Today, IFS is a global software company that helps leading enterprises improve efficiency, cut costs, react swiftly to market conditions, and take advantage of new business opportunities. IFS Applications, IFS suite of more than 60 web-based components, is the only true component-based business solution on the market, allowing deploying the software step by step as companys needs and budget dictate. Using open standards, IFS makes it easier to stay up-to-date with technology and integrate with legacy systems. And only IFS offers total lifecycle management, enabling their customers to maximize profitability over the lifecycles of your products, customers, and assets. IFS superior technology, functionality, and Industry focus have won praise from some of the worlds leading analyst firms. Gartner recognizes IFS as either a visionary or a leader in all four of its ERP and asset management Magic Quadrants. Most important, IFS legendary commitment to customer service has never wavered. Tod ay, IFS has an impressive roster of satisfied customers, ranging from mid-size companies to global industry leaders such as PepsiCo, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, DuPont, Volvo, BMW, Deere Co., and Rockwell Automation. Since the day, IFS was founded, they have given a greater importance for the customer service. Therefore today, IFS has become the only enterprise software provider that offers a global product for the mid-market together with local support. IFS has support centres in each country in which it operates, ensuring that you will receive the best customer support anywhere in the world. IFS keep track of your unique component configuration; patch levels, and customizations, ensuring that the information is available globally to all IFS support centres. Therefore it has become the huge network of all the information required to solve the customer issues without any unnecessary delays. Within the huge IFS network, office in Sri Lanka has a major importance, as it is one of the two IFS R D centres in world and major part of software development is done there, with having more than 700 employees in two local country offices. The focus group for the study is mainly taken from Sri Lankan offices and depending on the opportunities employees from the other locations were involved in the study. 1.2.1 Financial Highlights Based on the IFS Annual report 2008, it illustrate that the company is having growth in every section. Mid 2008, IFS has announced long-term financial targets entailing that, in the next five years, product revenue will double through organic growth and acquisitions, the operating margin will increase to15 percent, the dividend will rise to 50 percent of earnings after tax and surplus liquidity will be used to repurchase shares. Furthermore, report says that IFS has signed 10 largest license agreements during the year had an aggregate value of SKr 141 million where as the corresponding for 2007 was SKr 103 million. A total of 20 license agreements valued at more than US$ 0.5 million each were signed. And In all, 215 (177 in 2007) new customers were added, and 760 (778 in 2007) customers either upgraded or expanded their existing solutions. Annual Net Revenue Annual Earnings Before Interest Tax (EBIT) Value Net Debt In order to summarize the success I have extracted the above three from the report which explains the key factors of companys growth. Net revenue (: 7) amounted to SKr 2,518 million (2,356 in 2007), an increase of 7 percent, which is the highest revenue the company achieved per year for the last 4 years. EBIT (Earnings before Interest Tax) value turns out to be Skr, million 154, which is a great turn over compared to the value, SKr million -128 in 2004. Furthermore, as the : 9 shows, IFS have succeeded in diminishing their debts. They have being able to reduce the debts from Skr, million 363 to Skr, million 3, which is a sole evidence for the success of the company. Variation of Total Assets Number of employees While concerned of their financial growth, IFS seems dedicated to the expansion of the company. From 2004 to 2008, their asset, as well as number of employees has increased continuously in a similar rate. 1.3 Significance of the research Success and development of any company is depends on the level of human resource involvement. Therefore it is most important to maintain motivated and satisfied workforce to obtain the very best results of its investment. Skill development, employer employee relationship, grade pay structure employee benefits are some of the key factor which directly related with the motivation of the work force. Purpose of study is to find out how well the importances of above factors are absorbed in the Sri Lankan IT sector; within IFS Sri Lanka Ltd. The research will try to extract the information related to the specific factors and analyze them with the every aspect of the companys performances. 1.4 Structure of the Research work With having the text divided in to the several sections, the dissertation starts with an introduction, which provides the basic understanding of HRM and its functions. It concludes with an overview of the whole thesis including the information helpful for the reader to understand the topic and related facts, we are going to discuss about. The next section is the literature review, which explains relevant theories that will help to support the topic and it is followed by the research methodology which explains the research approach, and how the aims and objectives are planned to achieved. Moreover it, clearly explain the methods that used to collect the relevant data and explained the reasons why there are chosen. The result section provides the actual results I have obtained, carrying out the research, and within the analysis section, it exploits the information gathered, and structured a comprehensive analysis. Conclusion and Recommendation sections conclude the research with interp reting the gathered data and results obtained in Analysis section, along with the aims and objectives discussed at the beginning and provide the necessary recommendations based on the live facts and exhibit the virtue of the research. 1.5 Limitations of research The main limitation of this research is getting the access to the employees within the selected company. The results would be much meaningful if the researcher is succeeded in involving many individuals as possible. Therefore it would be a greater challenge to formalize an easy and simple method to acquire the relevant information from the employees, to make sure that they dont feel it as an extra burden. Time can be considered as the other major issue since I have to formalize the whole process with in a very short time period and to make sure it has grasp many individuals as possible. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is one of the most important aspects related to the employee management as it is directly related to the performance of an organization. Because of humans tends to listen to the feelings deep in their thoughts, its not enough to full fill every other things, if the employee is not satisfied with what he/she does. Job satisfaction is not same as the motivation but it linked. Job design is aimed to enhance job satisfaction and performance by using different design methods such as Job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment etc. Job satisfaction can be viewed as â€Å"a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job experience† (Lock 1976). When someone is satisfied with his/her job that is job satisfaction, or when any job is fulfilled ones expectation that is job satisfaction. Job satisfaction mainly considers the attitudes and feelings that people have about the work. The Guion (1958) defines morale as ‘the extent to which an individuals needs are satisfied and the extent to which the individual perceives that satisfaction as stemming from his total work situation. However there are some features of job satisfaction identified by Paul Spectors (1985) such as, Pay- amount and fairness or equity of salary, Promotion-opportunities and fairness of promotion, Supervision-fairness and competence at managerial tasks by ones supervisor, Benefits- insurance, vacation, and fringe benefits, Contingent procedures-sense of respect, recognition and appreciation. According to While Luthan (1998) there are three important views to job satisfaction; Job satisfaction is an emotional thing related to a job that cannot measure. It is determined by how well outcome is achieved or exceeds expectations It shows some attitudes which can be used to identify how employees think about their job and how they achieve their targets. The factors that affect the job satisfaction of an employee can be divided in to three main areas; Internal factors External factors Individual factors Internal, external and individual factors which affect to the job satisfaction are listed in the table. Internal factors are the factors that linked to work but those are not the only factors affecting job satisfaction. External factors are related to work or to the working environment and individual factors mainly consider a person and the persons family and network of friends. Job satisfaction factors Description Internal Factors  · Job variety Number of skills and depth of knowledge required to do the job  · Autonomy The freedom that the employee get to control their own work  · Goal determination The freedom that the employees get to set their own targets and the criteria to achieve those targets  · Feedback and recognition The private and public comments that they achieve for their performance External Factors  · Achievement The persons success on their job. The trainings, improved equipments, proper education may be the way to increase the achievement and the job satisfaction.  · Role ambiguity and role conflicts Knowing the position of the work place, responsibilities and agreement between roles. Clarifying the tasks in the job, and the position in the organization. When reduce role ambiguity it lead to job satisfaction  · Opportunity The opportunities with the current and the other employers. If employees feel they have fewer opportunities in the current position, then job satisfaction decrease.  · Job security The assurance that employees get to their job  · Social interaction The way they deal with the others. The quality and the quantity of the interaction.  · Supervision Herzberg explain this as a hygiene factor. The quality of management is affect to the job satisfaction. If the quality is lower, worker can become dissatisfied.  · Organizational culture Culture and management style can increase/decrease job satisfaction.  · Work schedules Match between work schedule and the employees schedule. Flexitime may increase the job satisfaction by allowing employee to interface between work life and personal life  · Seniority The time duration that a person has held a position. When people are respect to the seniority, it will increase job satisfaction  · Compensation The rewards and the role of money Individual Factors  · Commitment This is the dedication that a person is doing to his/her job. If the actions of researching, selecting and the way he/she doing the job is visible to friends and others, then the person is satisfied.  · Expectations Every person has some expectation. Basically what people expect in return for work.  · Job involvement How important a job in someones life. More the person involved more satisfaction.  · Effort / reward ratio This is the balance between the amount they worked and rewards received  · Comparisons How a person can rate the job with someone else jobs. If a person has a good job compared to others they are satisfied.  · Age How old someone, the people who old have more work experience, they understand what are the best thing to do, but sometimes they cannot satisfy with their job. Younger people have no previous experience which to compare with the current job. So they are satisfied. Table 1 There are two main theories of job satisfaction, Variance theory and the model of job characteristics. According to Hackman and Oldham (1975) the variance theory explains that if you want X from your work then you are satisfied to the extent that it provides you with X. The second model explains the causes of job satisfaction are objective characteristics. When the employees are satisfied with their work they tend to work more, they are become more committed to the organization, and they are more productive than previous, they try to achieve their targets in a better way. (Bravendam Research Incorporated, 2002). However job satisfaction association with organizational commitment that was not mentioned in most of the studies was noted by Elangovan (2001). A negative association between the job satisfaction, stress and commitment was indicated in his study. According to his study, higher stress leads to lower job satisfaction and this in turn results in lower commitment. Petty et al, ( 1984) explains that there are three possible links between performance and job satisfaction. 1. Satisfaction generates performance 2. Performance generates satisfaction 3. Satisfaction and performance link indirectly 1. Satisfaction generates performance When designing the job it should aim to produce job satisfaction. Then it will optimize worker performance. 2. Performance generates satisfaction When a person perform well that achievement generates job satisfaction. He/ she feel to do more for their job. So the effort should be made to improve performance then it will increase job satisfaction. 3. Satisfaction and performance link indirectly These two are linked but under certain conditions. Apart from the above theories, there are successful studies proving the importance and impact of maintaining a satisfied workforce. The analysis by Vroom (1964) covered 20 studies, in each of which one or measures of job satisfaction or employee attitudes were correlated with one or more criteria of performance. Low salaries, lack of status and social security affect the motivation. When the motivation is low, job satisfaction is low. Lack of job satisfaction is a sign of turnover in an organization. The salaries and benefits which employees can achieve are related to job satisfaction. Motivation â€Å"Management is nothing more than motivating other people†, is one of the most popular proven principle followed within any kind of organization. Motivation is concerned with the strength and direction of behaviour and the factors that influence individuals to behave in certain ways. Individuals are motivated to perform in a specific method based on their perception of the situation. Motivation primarily concerned with what energizes human behaviour, what direct or channels such behaviour, how this behaviour is maintained. Motivation concerns energy, persistence and direction. According to Arnold et al (1991) there are three components of motivation, 1. Direction -what a person is trying to do 2. Effort how hard a person is trying 3. Persistence how long a person keeps on trying According to the diagram felt need creates tension for people. Tensions motivate people to avoid it. The environment will influence to shape people needs and expectations influence the effort. Management can influence employees expectations in a different ways, by offering incentives and setting them specific goals. The persons effort and results can influence the level of performance. The rewards / outcomes are the results achieved. Outcome can come from internal / external environment. Outcomes are always not positive; it can be negative as well. If it is negative, they tend to result in employee dissatisfaction / de motivation. There are number of motivation theories which are complementary to one another. The content models in motivation mainly focus on the needs that individuals are trying to satisfy in a situation. The process models focus on how managers can change the situation in a better way to tie satisfaction to performance. Reinforcement theory is as developed by Hull (1951) suggests that successes, in achieving goals and rewards act as positive incentives and reinforce the successful behaviour, which is repeated the next time a similar need emerges which is coincided with the theory by Taylor (1911), who wrote: â€Å"It is impossible, through any longer period of time, to get workmen to work much harder than the average men around them unless they are assured a large and permanent increase in their pay†. In this theory there are four principal techniques available, 1. Positive reinforcement If someone encourages the people when they done something they are utilising positive reinforcement. 2. Escape/avoidance reinforcement (Negative Reinforcement) This is a form of a reinforcement. It increases the behaviour of a person by taking away something bad. The negative reinforcement is not same as punishment. It is not a form of a punishment. 3. Extinction (repeated non reinforcement) Elimination of behaviour 4. Punishment Most of the people are not expected to take this kind of an experience. The main idea of punishment is to withhold rewards. Motivation is only likely when a clearly perceived and usable relationship exists between performance and outcome, and the outcome is seen as a means of satisfying needs. This theory was developed by Porter and Lawler (1968) in to a model that follows Vrooms ideas by suggesting that there are two factors determining the effort people put in to their jobs. First the value of the rewards to individuals that they satisfy their needs for security, social esteem, autonomy and self actualization, and the second is that rewards depend on effort, as perceived by individuals. According to Latham and Locke (1979) motivation and performance are higher when individuals are set specific goals, when goals are difficult but accepted, and when there is feedback on performance. Abraham Maslow developed the Hierarchy of needs model in 1940s and still it valid today to understand motivation, management training and personal development. This model explains the responsibility of employers to provide the work place environment which is encourages employees to fulfill their requirements. At the same time he explains needs are interrelated with some other needs that are less understood. Those are, Knowledge needs, understanding needs and aesthetic needs. The relationship of Maslows other needs The need for knowledge is defined as the desire to build up facts and s. The need for understanding is an extension of the need for knowledge. This involves search for the relationships between things and what they know and it includes the search for meaning. The aesthetic needs are the beautiful things need to be surrounded. According to Maslow all these need

mummies :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you think of a mummy what comes to mind? Most of us usually picture an Egyptian mummy wrapped in bandages and buried deep inside a pyramid. While the Egyptian ones are the most famous, mummies have been found in many places throughout the world, from Greenland to China to the Andes Mountains of South America. A mummy is the body of a person (or an animal) that has been preserved after death. Normally when we die, bacteria and other germs eat away at the soft tissues (such as skin and muscles) leaving only the bones behind. Since bacteria need water in order to grow, mummification usually happens if the body dries out quickly after death. The body may then be so well preserved that we can even tell how the dead person may have looked in life. Mummies are made naturally or by embalming, which is any process that people use to help preserve a dead body. Mummies can be dried out by extreme cold, by the sun, by smoke, or using chemicals such as natron. Some bodies become mummies because there were favorable natural conditions when they died. Others were preserved and buried with great care. The ancient Egyptians believed that mummifying a person's body after death was essential to ensure a safe passage to the afterlife.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Last updated February 4, 1997 by CHICO WHAT IS A MUMMY Mummification in ancient Egypt was a very long and expensive process. From start to finish, it took about seventy days to embalm a body. Since the Egyptians believed that mummification was essential for passage to the afterlife, people were mummified and buried as well as they could possibly afford. High-ranking officials, priests and other nobles who had served the pharaoh and his queen had fairly elaborate burials. The pharaohs, who were believed to become gods when they died, had the most magnificent burials of all. In the case of a royal or noble burial, the embalmers set up workshops near the tomb of the mummy. The art of Egyptian mummification consisted of many steps. First, the body was washed and ritually purified. The next step was to remove the deceased person's inner organs. A slit was cut into the left side of the body so that the embalmers could remove the intestines, the liver, the stomach and the lungs. Each of these organs was embalmed using natron, which served to dry out the organs and discourage bacteria from decaying the tissues.

Politics and Politicians :: essays research papers

In politics it would be novel to have a gracious rival. Modern political campaigners might take a lesson in graciousness and kindness from the great British statesman, Edward Campbell . Once when Campbell was opposing Thackereay for a seat in Parliament, the two contenders, in course of their campaigning, met and engaged in friendly conversation. On taking leave of his rival Thackereay remarked, 'May the best man win!' 'Oh, no,' replied Campbell, 'I hope not, I want to win!' E.J. Dionne Jr., author of They Only Look Dead, ascertains that politics in America today are nothing more than 'politics of moral annihilation'. As an example of this he refers to the presidential election of 1992. Normally , press conferences are called when political matters arise. The conference mentioned was called by the conservatives. Paula Jones came forward and accused Bill Clinton of sexual harassment; apparently Mr. Clinton made 'unwelcomed sexual advances" . He continues to point out that these are the same conservatives that only a few years earlier had denounced the idea of sexual harassment as 'feminist invention'. It is acts like this that are aiding in the 'moral annihilation' of politics. The overall impact of such politics is undermining the intelligence of the American populous by turning political campaigning into a childlike power struggle. Both the Democrats and Republicans have reverted to a state of guerrilla media warfare.Every time election year rolls around we begin to hear the usual complaints of how politics is morally corrupt. It typically means we get to see the superficial image-oriented campaigning, negative attacks against one's opponent, and the thirty-second spot commercials that intrr upt our favorite sitcom. Experts note that the rates of political participation in the United States, as measured by the percentage of eligable voters who register and actually cast their ballot, has been dropping for years, in part due to the fact that citizens are disgusted with the conduct of political campaigns. From this we can clearly see overall impact of this type of politics does infact undermind how the populus acts in 3 ways: 1)don't watch televison2)don't care and 3)don't vote.This then brings us to the second point of how this is harmful to democracy. As I stated before it turns political campaigning into a chi ldlike game for power. Author Daniel O'Connell once said: 'A politican doesn't stand on his own record; he jumps on the other fellows. Politics and Politicians :: essays research papers In politics it would be novel to have a gracious rival. Modern political campaigners might take a lesson in graciousness and kindness from the great British statesman, Edward Campbell . Once when Campbell was opposing Thackereay for a seat in Parliament, the two contenders, in course of their campaigning, met and engaged in friendly conversation. On taking leave of his rival Thackereay remarked, 'May the best man win!' 'Oh, no,' replied Campbell, 'I hope not, I want to win!' E.J. Dionne Jr., author of They Only Look Dead, ascertains that politics in America today are nothing more than 'politics of moral annihilation'. As an example of this he refers to the presidential election of 1992. Normally , press conferences are called when political matters arise. The conference mentioned was called by the conservatives. Paula Jones came forward and accused Bill Clinton of sexual harassment; apparently Mr. Clinton made 'unwelcomed sexual advances" . He continues to point out that these are the same conservatives that only a few years earlier had denounced the idea of sexual harassment as 'feminist invention'. It is acts like this that are aiding in the 'moral annihilation' of politics. The overall impact of such politics is undermining the intelligence of the American populous by turning political campaigning into a childlike power struggle. Both the Democrats and Republicans have reverted to a state of guerrilla media warfare.Every time election year rolls around we begin to hear the usual complaints of how politics is morally corrupt. It typically means we get to see the superficial image-oriented campaigning, negative attacks against one's opponent, and the thirty-second spot commercials that intrr upt our favorite sitcom. Experts note that the rates of political participation in the United States, as measured by the percentage of eligable voters who register and actually cast their ballot, has been dropping for years, in part due to the fact that citizens are disgusted with the conduct of political campaigns. From this we can clearly see overall impact of this type of politics does infact undermind how the populus acts in 3 ways: 1)don't watch televison2)don't care and 3)don't vote.This then brings us to the second point of how this is harmful to democracy. As I stated before it turns political campaigning into a chi ldlike game for power. Author Daniel O'Connell once said: 'A politican doesn't stand on his own record; he jumps on the other fellows.

The Righteous Hester Prynne of Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter

The Strong and Righteous Hester of The Scarlet Letter       "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us," stated Oliver Wendell Holmes. This eventually proves to be especially true for Hester Prynne, the main character in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne, a fair young maiden whose husband had disappeared two years prior to the opening of the novel, has an affair with the pastor of her Puritan church, resulting in the birth of her child Pearl. Because of this act of adultery, Hester Prynne is branded by the scarlet letter "A," which she is forced to forever wear upon her attire. The plot thickens as Hester's former husband returns to New England and becomes fixated upon the idea of revenge towards Hester's anonymous partner in sin. At the same time, the feeble pastor slowly begins to waste away towards the gloomy gates of death. However, as those around her grow ever weaker or morally decayed, Hester grows ever stronger. Hester grows so strong and morally righteous that it appears that she is actually favored by Hawthorne despite her "sin." The qualities which cause Hester to be favored are her traits of helpfulness towards others, her intense maternal love towards Pearl, and her defiance and pride demonstrated towards those who attempt to impose their values upon her.    Even as those she assisted were cruel towards her, Hester remained generous and helpful towards others. For example, after becoming recognized as a talented seamstress and gradually beginning to earn fairly large sums of money, "Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wretches less miserable than herself, and who not unfrequently insulted the hand that fed them."... ... compared with a person's true nature. For Hester Prynne, though she had sinned in her past, she came across as strong and admirable because she was a benevolent person on the inside. She sought purity and truth to compensate for her unalterable past. Therefore, her wrongdoings were eventually overlooked in enlightenment of her better qualities. A coward can hind in the shadows of reputations and prejudgments, but only a hero can overcome these and manage to step into the daylight.    Works Cited and Consulted: Canby, Henry S. (1996). "A Skeptic Incompatible with His Time and His Past." Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne (pp. 55- 63). San Diego: Greenhaven. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: St. Martins, 1991. Scharnhorst, Gary. The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. New York: Greenwood, 1992.      

Khazars and Judaism

In his essay entitled â€Å"O dvoystvennosti verkhovnoy vlasti u khazarov†, Vasili V. Grigoriev described the Khazar as follows: â€Å"The Khazar people were an unusual phenomenon for Medieval times. Surrounded by savage and nomadic tribes, they had all the advantages of the developed countries: structured government, vast and prosperous trading, and a permanent army.At the time, when great fanatism and deep ignorance contested their dominion over Western Europe, the Khazar state was famous for its justice and tolerance. People persecuted for their faiths flocked into Khazaria from everywhere. As a glistening star it shone brightly on the gloomy horizon of Europe, and faded away without leaving any traces of existence.†This paper introduces to a reader who the Khazar people are and their role in Jewish history.Khazars and JudaismOriginally, the Khazars practiced Shamanism and phallic worship with the sky god Tengri as the focus. Subordinate Gods whom the Khazars worship ped include fertility  goddess  Umay,  Kuara, a thunder god, and  Erlik, the god of deathDue the persecution of Jews under Heraclius, Leo III, Justinian II and Romanos I, Jews fled to Khazaria. The Mazdak revolts also caused Jews from Persia to flee to Khazaria. It was said that Jewish merchants from this age regularly traded in Khazaria. They may have wielded strong econimic relations in Khazaria.Sometime in the 8th century or 9th, the Khazar royalty converted to Judaism and the most of the population followed. The reason for the conversion, as some historians say is that the King cannot anymore endure the nasty forms of sexual excesses of his people. King Bulan abolished shamanism and the worship of phallic objects. He decided against Christianity and Islam and selected Judaism.The King and his nobles were converted immediately by the rabbis from Babylonia. Phallic worship was then forbidden. Kings requested for rabbis to open schools and synagogues in the nation. Judaism has become the religion of Khazaria.The conversion of King Bulan started the new policy that only a Jew can occupy the Khazar throne. The kingdom became a theocracy where the leaders imposed religion as the guide to everyday life. Judaism provided not only religious but also civil laws.