Parental Involvement and Students Success

Parental Involvement and Students Success Free Online Research Papers Parental Involvement and Student’s Success:The effects and lack thereof in lower-socioeconomic schools The action research paper presented will explore the effects of parental involvement in lower-socioeconomic schools on student achievement and reinforcement. Research currently defines socioeconomic status as a combination of variables, including occupation, education, income, wealth, and place of residence. Sociologists often use socioeconomic status as a means of predicting behavior. A familys socioeconomic status is based on family income, parental education level, parental occupation, and social status in the community. Families with high socioeconomic status often have more success in preparing their young children for school because they typically have access to a wide range of resources to promote and support young childrens development. They are able to provide their young children with high-quality child care, books, and toys to encourage children in various learning activities at home. Also, they have easy access to information regarding their childrens health, as well as social, emotional, and cognitive development. In addition, families with high socioeconomic status often seek out information to help them better prepare their young children for school. McNeal (1999) states, tha t parental involvement is generally a salient factor in explaining behavior, but not cognitive outcomes. Findings indicate that specific dimensions of involvement have greater effects for more affluent and white students, providing empirical evidence to support Lareau’s (1989) contention that the greater levels of cultural capital possessed by members of the upper class magnify the parental involvement’s effect for advantaged students. In this action research the teacher will focus on non- parental involvement for a specified period of time to see the adverse effect on student achievement. The teacher will keep a log of parental communication, signed agenda, and returned-homework. Chapter 1: Purpose Setting The school in research is a public school in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia. The school is part of the Fulton County School System. The school is centered in an urban setting occupied by lower to middle class families. The school is surrounded by homes that were built over 15 to 20 years ago. The community is growing daily as individuals affected by natural disasters, hurricane Katrina, move and settle in the city. Many of the students are displaced students who are enrolled for a limited time before withdrawing from the school. As the community continues to grow developers continue to purchase land and develop the massive amount of undeveloped land. The demographics of the school are consistent with your typical lower socioeconomic setting. The current enrollment count is 719 students. The ethnicity breakdown of students is as follows: 95% African American, 1% Hispanic, and 1% Asian, and 3% race identified as other. The school has increased its enrollment in two years by more than 150 students. A school that was built in the early 1900s and served a small number of students now serves more than 700 students. The school is a historical site; it represents one of the oldest schools in the area. However, the school was not built to accommodate students of the twentieth century. Many of the classrooms are not equipped with windows, the halls are extremely small, and the gym does not provide adequate space for the students. Consequently, there are requests for additional remodeling to bring the school to a current state. Minor remodeling projects have been done, but there are key areas that need immediate attention. The classrooms ha ve chalk-boards and there are limited outlets to accommodate the technology powering source needed to integrate technology into the classrooms. Each classroom has three computers and there is one lab with thirty computers for all grade levels to share. The student-teacher ration was 12:1 in 2005 as stated on the school based website. Currently, the teacher-student ration is 20:1. The student-teacher ratio has grown to eight students per class. The increase in student population is increasing at a rapid rate. The turn-over rate for teachers has increased from three per year to 10 to12 per year. This year the school replaced 13 new teachers in grade K-5. The school has a Pre-kindergarten; (Pre-K) program that serves 60 students. The ratio for Pre-K is 10:1. Each Pre-K teacher has an assistant. The Pre-K students are enrolled on a first come, first serve basis, and students are accepted regardless of district. Administratively, the school has retained the same principal for six years. The principal is very distant from the employees and the assistant principal is the exact opposite. The Assistant Principal is extremely friendly and embraces the staff. This mixture of leadership styles tends to divide the staff. The turn-over rate is extremely high and the micromanagement style tends to form cliques in the workplace. The school currently is meeting adequate yearly progress on the CRCT- Criterion Referenced Competency Test with additional hours added to the school day, Saturday school, and efforts from the school. The school promotes parental involvement; however, the parents rarely support the efforts of the school. The school meets monthly for the Parent-Teacher-Association meeting; the average parent attendance is thirty attendees out of a student enrollment count of 740. Administrators require that teachers and staff attend PTA meetings. This increases the enrollment count, but the majority of attendees are employees. The school provides extended day tutoring three days a week to assist students with preparing for the CRCT assessment administered in mid-April. The PTA meetings include student performances, valuable information for preparing students for the CRCT, school finances, and upcoming events. The Writer’s Role The researcher for this study is a third to fifth Curriculum Support Teacher (CST). As the curriculum support teacher it is the role of the support teacher to support classroom teachers in their quest to educate all students. The CST provides assistance with curriculum issues, materials needed to complete a specified lesson, and support with low to average students. The CST can assist with pulling small groups within the classroom to assist with teaching a standard. The CST also analyzes data after testing to see weak areas of achievement, after analyzing the data; the CST will host a mini-workshop on re-teaching standards that are weak across the spectrum of all grade levels (3-5). The researcher also participates in the extended day tutoring program by tutoring a group of 12 students in math. These students have been identified as working two grade levels below and are in need of assistance in preparing for the CRCT. The researcher works directly with students by serving as Chairpe rson for the School’s Safety Patrol Team, with assistance from members of the Safety Patrol Committee, the safety patrols are very successful. The researcher also is a member of the Math Committee, and participates in various math forums, workshops, and conventions to assist with bridging the gap between what is and what should be. Target Population The target population for this study is third grade students. There are a total of 83 third grade students. The researcher will utilize two of the four classes and work directly with two classroom teachers to collect data on the effects of lack of parental involvement. Discrepancy Statement Currently, two out of every five parents sign and return daily agendas, communicate with the teacher, attend conferences, and attend parent meetings. The discrepancy between the two of every five students who participate is three. Research states that schools should have typically 80-90% parental involvement in order to see higher success rates. Currently, if 2 out of every 5 students have parent participation in a class of 20, the participation rate is 40%, at least 40% more participation is needed to see adequate success from students. There is a need to double the level of participation from parents to at least four students out of every five. There is a need to increase the level of participation from parents by four students out of every five. Therefore, the school needs to see more participation from four out of five, instead of the current state, two out of five. Statement of Purpose The purpose of this action research is to increase the level of parental involvement and participation to achieve higher success rates from students. Possible Casual Factors Crnic and Lamberty discussed the impact of socioeconomic status on childrens readiness for school: The segregating nature of social class, ethnicity, and race may well reduce the variety of enriching experiences thought to be prerequisite for creating readiness to learn among children. Social class, ethnicity, and race entail a set of contextual givens that dictate neighborhood, housing, and access to resources that affect enrichment or deprivation as well as the acquisition of specific value systems†, (Crnic and Lamberty 1994). There are many casual factors that contribute to lack of parental involvement as stated above. Across all socioeconomic groups, parents face major challenges when it comes to providing optimal care and education for their children. Families in poverty struggle to meet basic needs, when basic needs are lacking, parents must place priority on housing, food, clothing, and health. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs basic need must be met before any other need can be built upon. Educational games, books, may appear as luxuries, parents may not have the knowledge to find innovative ways to teach skills at home. Parents quite often lack the time and energy to participate in their child’s school events. Nonetheless many children in lower income families are raised by grandparents who are raising children for the second time in their life and struggle to participate like they did when they were younger. Many times this presents a challenge, especially if the guardian lacks education . In multiple sibling homes, the siblings are responsible for helping to raise the child and quite often the sibling finds interest outside of helping a younger sibling. Even in families with above-average income, parents often lack time and energy, and therefore invest in high-quality childcare where students learn skills outside of the home. A survey completed by kindergarten teachers throughout the country reported that children are increasingly arriving at school inadequately prepared (Campbell and Ramey 1994). Rationale Families with low socioeconomic status often lack the financial, social, and educational supports that characterize families with high socioeconomic status. Poor families also may have inadequate or limited access to community resources that promote and support childrens development and school readiness. Parents may have inadequate skills for such activities as reading to and with their children, and they may lack information about childhood immunizations and nutrition. Research states that low maternal education and minority-language status are most consistently associated with fewer signs of emerging literacy and a greater number of difficulties in preschoolers (Zill, Collins, West, and Hausken, 1995). Having inadequate resources and limited access to available resources can negatively affect families decisions regarding their young childrens development and learning. As a result, children from families with low socioeconomic status are at greater risk of entering kindergarten unp repared than their peers from families with median or high socioeconomic status. Goal and Outcome Objectives The ultimate goal is to increase parental involvement utilizing simple means of communication such as agenda, daily communication, and parent-teacher meetings. The result should increase student achievement which is the ultimate goal of educators and educational systems throughout the world. Over a 3-month period, ten students will receive parent communication; parents will sign and respond with comments 90% of time, as measured by the communication log completed by the teacher. During the 3-month period, a conference will be held once every four weeks and the parent will attend 100% of time, as measured by the parent-conference form. Over a 3-month period, 8 out of 10 parents will attend 80% of the time, as measured by the PTA Sign in Sheet. Chapter II Research has repeatedly proven that students who have more parental involvement or a support system in place are more successful than students whom do not. Research found in various forms support the theory that education in the United States is dependant upon parental involvement. Society has a great effect on many of the school-aged children. As a result, parents must monitor very closely the connection and dedication to achieving success in school. The idea that parental involvement has an affirmative influence on student’s academic achievement is so instinctively appealing that society in general have considered parental involvement an important element to solve many problems in education. Fan and Chen (2001), states the vast portion of the literature in this area is qualitative and non- empirical. A meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize the quantitative literature about the relationship between parental involvement and student’s academic ability. It was revealed that parental aspiration for their off-spring’s education has the strongest relationship, whereas parental home supervision has the weakest relationship, with student’s academic achievement. Fan and Chen (2001) continue to state that the affiliation is stronger when academic achievement is represented by a global indicator (GPA) than by a subject-specific indicator (Math). Fan and Chen based on current writings do not argue that parent al involvement does not play an important factor on children’s academic achievement, instead their findings reveal a small to moderate, and practically meaningful, relationship between parental involvement and student’s achievement. Hashima and Amato (2004) documented that economic hardships influence how parents interact with their children. Many studies have revealed that as economic hardships deteriorate, parents exhibit less nurturance and more inconsistent discipline. The researcher finds a connection between the study that Hashima and Amato completed and the current state of several lower socio-economic schools. Extremely high levels of discipline and administrator referrals are written, but low levels of participation in Parent-Teacher-Associations or school related activities. Annette Lareau (2001) in Social Class Differences in Family-School Relationships explores the many significant ways economic inequality and social class has impacts on education. Lareau (2001) reviews theories of poverty effects on education, analyzes the research base for those theories, and offers suggestions for change that would reverse those effects. Lareau suggests elimination of child poverty as a preliminary point. In addition, he discusses increased funding and different programming for schools with populations of students’ disadvantaged backgrounds. Lareau poses numerous contradictions and paradoxes (e.g., between rhetoric and reality, private and public, democracy and capitalism) in society and education that marks the production and reproduction of inequality. Research documented in Social Class, Poverty, and Education, states that poverty does affect ability and achievement, but large effects on behavior, mental, and physical health have not been found. Research continues to support the need for parental involvement in American schools. Parental involvement in schools in a national priority for both educators and researchers to promote the successful schooling of inner-city youth; Research has produced some promising findings, but parental involvement efforts with inner-city youth are currently limited by problems of research methodology and programs. Certain research studies do, however, demonstrate that children living in poverty have responded positively to parental involvement programs, empowerment, outreach, and indigenous resources (Abdul-Adil and Farmer, 2006). Additional research by Scott and Nufeld (2002), discusses why parent involvement is important for student achievement. Scott and Nufeld provide several recommendations for the implementation of an effective parent involvement program in schools, including early and ongoing assessment for effectiveness. Trevett and McMillian (1998), discuss the three sections of parental involvement in urban schools. First, the types of parental involvement, secondly, practical involvement activities found in successful urban school programs, and third characteristics of successful urban school parental involvement programs. The research reports and surveys reviewed clearly indicate that the majority of parents do want to be involved in their children’s education, but many do not know they can help. Most teachers desire to have involved parents; it makes the process of educating a reachable task. Several examples from the research indicate that problems in promoting parent involvement are not insurmountable. Jeynes (2007) completed a meta-analysis that consisted of 52 studies to determine the influence of parental involvement on the educational outcomes of urban secondary school children. Statistical analyses are done to determine the overall impact of parental involvement as well as specific components of parental involvement. The possible differing effects of parental involvement by race and socioeconomic status are also examined. The results indicate that the influence of parental involvement overall is significant for secondary school children. Parental involvement as a whole affects all the academic variables under study. The positive effects of parental involvement hold for both white and minority children. Solution Strategy Research supports the theory that parental involvements play a significant part in academic success. Hashima and Amato (2004) documented that economic hardships influence how parents interact with their children. Many studies have revealed that as economic hardships deteriorate, parents exhibit less nurturance and more inconsistent discipline. In the current action research, the researcher would provide a questionnaire to evaluate the economic hardship. In poverty stricken schools, typically the rate of single parents are extremely high; on average the number of students receiving free or reduced lunch are above 90%. The total household income usually falls well within the poverty or below-income level. An economic hardship questionnaire would help to disaggregate data to determine the cause of low-parental involvement or lack of. In addition, Statistical analyses are done to determine the overall impact of parental involvement as well as specific components of parental involvemen t. Certain research studies demonstrate that children living in poverty have responded positively to parental involvement programs, empowerment, outreach, and indigenous resources (Abdul-Adil and Farmer, 2006). The researcher would have an opportunity to evaluate outreach programs to assist the parents in the community; consequently, parental involvement would increase. Chapter III Schools today are expected to be more tech-savvy, computer literate, advanced in curriculum, and achieving standards that are well above expectations. However, in many schools this is simply just not the case. In many of our inner city schools, there is a struggle to achieve the same as schools with rarely similar resources. The question that prevails in the minds of many, including educators, is simply why? How is possible to have a school with equivalent resources, educators with similar rankings, and equal student-teacher ratio achieving at such different levels? Research provides many possibilities to this dilemma; environmental causes, background education, etc. The problem that seems apparent is the issue of parental involvement or lack thereof. Permissions Preceding the initiation of this research, permissions will be acquired from all subjects. Approval will be requested from the district office, Research and Evaluation’s Department. Next, consent from the building administrator, the Principal, will be required. Finally, the stakeholders, parents and students’ approval will be acquired. The consent of the parents and students is extremely valuable, due to the fact that they are the subjects in the research study. This consent will be in written form and will include an explanation of the actions that are required to successfully complete the research with minimum error. Required Resources The action research in development will require resources that will be provided by the school where the study is completed. These resources are minuscule and are part of daily materials required or instructional educators. The required resources needed are as follows: First, two classrooms consisting of an equal amount of students, which will also be used to enter in daily data and file necessary documents for the study. Second, a personal computer to enter date, create flyers, surveys, etc; the lap-top provided individually to instructional educators will be used for the study. Third, pre-printed school envelopes will be used to send home notifications and flyers. Fourth, a personal telephone with an individualized extension for parental involvement will be required to maintain open lines of communication with parents. Lastly, office supplies in generous amounts will be requested. The office supplies include, but are not limited to, a stapler, staples, paper-clips, copy paper, ink, thumb tacks, post-it’s, etc. Procedures The study will be set in motion through obtaining consent from all subjects. After verification of consent two classes will be selected to participate in the study. The classes will be chosen by lowest level of parental participation. This information will be collected through a random Parent Teacher Association meeting sign in sheet. In the classes chosen the instructor will select five students who have the least amount of parental participation. The instructor will be very specific when recommending the student for this study. Recommendations must include students who are unlikely to return parent documentation, parents are unlikely respond to request for conferences, or it is difficult to obtain parent communication via telephone or mail. The grade level chosen will receive reading material on Parental Involvement. All readings selected by the researcher will be research based. A pre-survey will be administered on level of knowledge on the effect that parental involvement has o n school age children. The study will last three months and the data collected will include agenda booklets, signed forms, and sign-in sheets for conferences and meetings. Each week the subjects will receive information that is expected to be returned. Each subject (student) will have an individualized folder where all documentation will be kept. The parents will receive a copy of the final outcome of the study. Week One-Student will begin the first day of their study with an agenda booklet. The agenda booklet will contain homework, parents are expected to sign and return this agenda booklet daily with comments. If the agenda booklet is signed, returned, and include comments, the subjects will receive a three points for Monday. Each action is worth one point. If, for any reason the agenda is not signed, returned, and includes comments the participants will receive zero points. The pattern will continue for five days, Monday through Friday. The subjects can earn fifteen points each week, which will represent one-hundred percent participation. Once a month each parent will participate in Parent Conference Night. Parent Conference Night will be held on Thursday evening for two hours. Each study will receive a twenty minute conference. The conference will include details of grades, overall performance, and future activities. Each study that participates in the conference with the researcher and instructor will receive twenty points. Twenty points will indicate one-hundred percent participation. Finally, the most informative meeting parents can attend is the Parent-Teacher-Association meeting held once monthly. Parents can receive information on student performance, school based budget, district based budget, standardized testing, principal’s expectations, etc. Each subject will be expected to attend the monthly meetings. At the conclusion of each meeting, the parent log will be checked. Each subject that attends will receive twenty points. Twenty points will indicate one-hundred percent participation for this action. All information relating to school related activities will be sent home with the student and an additional copy will be mailed. The subjects will also receive a courtesy phone call to remind parents of events. Parents will have an opportunity to volunteer for additional events during Parent-Teacher-Association meetings, and conferences. At the end of the third month, all points will be added together. Each subject has an opportunity to earn three-hundred points. Daily agendas are worth fifteen points a week, sixty points a month. Monthly meetings are worth twenty points each, a total of forty a month. The ultimate goal is for parents to earn over two-hundred fifty points. This point mark is over eighty percent which is the overall goal of this study. Research indicates that when parents are more involved in their child’s education, there is a genuine interest to satisfy the parents, as a result motivation increases. At the conclusion of the research, the researcher will analyze all data. The researcher will hold a conference with the instructor to discuss the student’s performance. Students and parents will have exhibited a level of participation that is well beyond the average. Parents will complete a post survey; the researcher will compare the results of the pre-survey and the post survey. Matrix of Activities Week Objective Activity Materials Person(s) Responsible 1 1 Returned Agenda, Signed Agenda, Comments Attached Agenda Booklet, Log Sheet Instructor, Researcher 2 1 Returned Agenda, Signed Agenda, Comments Attached Agenda Booklet, Log Sheet Instructor, Researcher 3 1 Returned Agenda, Signed Agenda, Comments Attached Agenda Booklet, Log Sheet Instructor, Researcher 4 1,2,3 Returned Agenda, Signed Agenda, Comments Attached, Parent-Teacher-Association, Parent Conference Agenda Booklet, Log Sheet Instructor, Researcher Matrix repeats weekly for three months. Chapter IV: Evaluation Plan The overall goal of the action research is to increase parental involvement in effort to increase student achievement. If, over a three month period, 5 students sign and respond with comments 90% of time, as measured by the communication log completed by the teacher, then the objective will be met. Parents will increase level of communication and involvement in the area of academics. If, during a three month period, the parent attends 100% of time, as measured by the parent-conference form, then the objective will be met. Parents will become more aware of their child’s academic ability. The parent will then be more responsive in providing assistance, if needed. The parent will be able to seek adequate resources to assist or provide enrichment for the child. If, during a three month period, 4 out of 5 parents participate through attendance 80% of the time, as measured by the PTA Sign in Sheet, then the objective will be met. Parents will become aware of the resources the school has to offer the student as well as the family. The link between home and school will connect. The measurement tools in this evaluation plan are experimental and reliability and validity have not yet been established. Chapter V: Conclusion Conclusively, the importance of parental involvement can not be denied. It is a key factor in the success of a child. The metaphor, it takes a village to raise a child, is one that is well known and holds true in the world of education. Research states the relationship between parental involvement and urban schools is necessary for the majority to achieve success (Jeynes, 2007). It is the researcher’s heartfelt opinion, that parental support reinforces the importance of education, without this missing element, the project remains incomplete. The researcher hopes to increase awareness of the issue that heavily weighs on our urban schools. Attention is often directed toward lower socioeconomic schools for their lack of success. Research indicates that the number of students receiving additional services and individualized education plans are immensely large at urban schools (Jeynes, 2007). Students are students; the environment should not play a major part on their academic ability, should it? As this question repeats in various forms and word usage, the fact remains, the question remains unanswered. The researcher believes this may be one solution to the problem; parental support plays a major role in the life of any child. References Abdul-Adil, J. K., Farmer, A. D. (2006). Inner-City African American Parental Involvement in Elementary Schools: Getting Beyond Urban Legends of Apathy: School Psychology Quarterly, 21(1), 1-12. Retrieved April 04, 2007 from ERIC database. Cambell, F.A. Ramey C. T. (1994). Effects of Early Intervention on Intellectual and Academic Achievement: A Follow-Up Study of Children from Low-Income Families. Child Development, 65(2), 684-698. Retrieved April 02, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org. Farmer, A.D. (2006) Inner City African American Parental Involvement in Elementary Schools: Getting Beyond Urban legends of Apathy. Educational Review, V21, 1-12. Retrieved April 04, 2007 from the Wilson Education Database Hashima and Amato (2004). Poverty, Social Support, and Potential Behavior. Family Relations, 56(1), Page 80. Retrieved April 05, 2007, from the Wilson Education Database. Huebner, Colleen. E. (2000). Communities Based Support for Readiness Among Children in Poverty. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 5(3) 291-314. Retrieved April 21, 2007 from www.leaonline.com. Jeynes, William. The Relationship between Parental Involvement and Urban Secondary School: Student Academic Achievement. Urban Education, V42. Retrieved April 09, 2007 from the Eric database. Lareau, Annette. (2001) Social Class Differences in Family-School Relationships: The Importance of Cultural Capital. Sociology of Education, 60(2) 73-85. Retrieved April 01, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org. McNeal. R. B., (1999). Parental Involvement as Social Capital: Differential Effectiveness on Science Achievement, Truancy, and Dropping out. Social Forces, 78(1) 117-144. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from http://links.jstor.org. Trevett, S. McMillan, J. (2001). Enhancing Parental Involvement in Urban Schools: Types of Programs and Characteristics of Successful Programs. Retrieved April 04, 2007 from www.google.com Fan, X. Chen, M. (March 2001). Parental Involvement and Support: Educational Psychological Review, 13(1), 1-22. Retrieved April 12, 2007 from JSTOR Research Papers on Parental Involvement and Student’s SuccessStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesHip-Hop is ArtPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenResearch Process Part OneGenetic Engineering19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Killer Whale Dorsal Fin Collapse

Killer Whale Dorsal Fin Collapse For some time, theres been a heated debate about why  killer whales in captivity have dorsal fins that are flopped over or collapsed. Animal-rights activists say that these fins collapse because the conditions under which killer whales - or  orcas - are held in captivity are not healthy. Others, such as water parks that keep killer whales in captivity and use them in theme-park shows, argue that there are no health threats to killer whales held in captivity and that dorsal fin collapse is natural. The Lowdown on Dorsal Fins All killer whales have a dorsal fin on their back, but the males dorsal fin is much taller than a females and can grow up to 6 feet tall. Despite the fact that the dorsal fin is very straight, it is supported not by bone but a fibrous connective tissue called collagen. All males in captivity have collapsed dorsal fins, but the condition, also known as dorsal fin collapse, flaccid fin, or folded fin syndrome, ​does occur in many captive females. Scientists are not certain why orcas have dorsal fins or what purpose the appendages serve. But, there is some speculation.  Whales Online  says that the large dorsal fin enhances the hydrodynamics of killer whales: (The dorsal fin) helps them slip through the water more efficiently. Similar to the ears of elephants or the tongues of dogs, dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins also help eliminate excess heat during intense activities such as hunting. Orca Live  agrees that the fins help regulate a killer whales body temperature: Excess heat, generated as they swim along, is released into the surrounding water and air via the dorsal fin - much like a radiator! Though there are different theories about their specific purpose, its a fact that dorsal fin collapse is far more prevalent in whales that are held in captivity. Dorsal Fin Collapse A wild orca often travels far, and quickly, in deep water. The water provides pressure to the fin, keeping the tissues inside healthy and straight. One theory as to why dorsal fins collapse in captivity is because the orca spends much of its time at the water surface and doesnt swim very far. This means that the fin tissue gets less support than it would if the orca were in the wild, and it starts to fall over. The whales also often swim in a repetitive circular pattern. Other potential causes for fin collapse may be dehydration and overheating of fin tissue  due to  warmer water and air temperatures, stress due to captivity or changes in diet,  reduced activity that causes low blood pressure, or age. SeaWorld of Hurt, a website operated by animal rights organization PETA, takes this stance, noting that dorsal fins of captive whales likely collapse Because they have no space in which to swim freely and are fed an unnatural diet of thawed dead fish. SeaWorld claims that this condition is common - however, in the wild, it rarely ever happens and is a sign of an injured or unhealthy orca. SeaWorld announced in 2016 that it would stop breeding whales in captivity immediately and  phase out killer whale shows  at all its parks by 2019. (In San Diego, the shows ended in 2017.) The company has said, however, that the shape of a killer whales dorsal fin is  not an indicator of its health. The dorsal fin is a structure like our ear, said Dr. Christopher Dold, SeaWorld’s head veterinarian: It doesnt have any bones in it whatsoever. So our whales spend a lot of time at the surface, and accordingly, tall, heavy dorsal fins (of adult male killer whales) without any bone in it, will slowly bend over and assume a different shape. Wild Orcas While less likely, it is not impossible for a wild orcas dorsal fin to collapse or become bent, and it may be a trait that varies among whale populations. A study of killer whales in New Zealand showed a relatively high rate - 23 percent - of collapsing, collapsed, or even bent or wavy dorsal fins. This was higher than that observed in populations in British Columbia or Norway, where only one male from the 30 studied had a fully collapsed dorsal fin, the study said. In 1989, the dorsal fins of two male killer whales collapsed after exposure to oil during the  Exxon Valdez  oil spill- the whales collapsed fins were thought to be a sign of poor health, as both whales died soon after the collapsed fins were documented. Researchers have theorized that dorsal fin collapse in wild whales may be due to age, stress, injury, or altercations with other killer whales.   Sources Matkin, C. O., and E. Saulitis. 1997. Restoration Notebook: Killer Whale (Orcinus orca). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.  National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Regional Office. 2005. Proposed Conservation Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales, ). orcaOrcinusVisser, I.N. 1998. Prolific Body Scars and Collapsing Dorsal Fins on Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in New Zealand Waters. Aquatic Mammals  24.2,71-81.

Observation essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Observation - Essay Example The merit of the preceding statement might be verified in terms of a carefully lead investigation on the issue in two countries United States of America and Saudi Arabia. Umm Abdullah a die-hard animal lover and a Saudi national, expresses her experience with great regret. She saw a group of kittens dying bereft of food on a roof after they have lost their mother from poisoning. She made a call to the civil defence and asked to get them down with a ladder only to get refused and advised to call the municipality for further help. Adding to her agony the municipality told her that they would get them down only when they are dead. The inhuman nature of some of the residents of the same locality gets highlighted when she refers to a local man who is responsible for the death of the kitten’s mother. Umm Abdullah also blames the waste management strategy of the municipality that has boosted the population of such stray felines. Lana Dunn a veterinarian expressed severe regret on the repeated violation of animal rights in Saudi Arabia. According to her, lack of education among the population, negligence of the government and lack of a central authori ty catering and monitoring the interest of the animals are the main causes that have put the country into a bleak state regarding animal right and protection. She refers to a particular incident regarding iguanas sold in a pet shop â€Å"â€Å"He told me to give it only water since iguanas don’t eat, and he also said that iguanas don’t live for more than a few months†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ This is awful. Not only are they starving the iguanas to death but they’re telling buyers to treat them same way.† (Lakkdawala) Naeem an animal lover states that fate of exotic animals like cheetah is no exception as they soon gets thrown on the road all caged after the responsibilities involved with the possession get revealed to the owner. The same happens to be true for other exotic animals like â€Å"vultures, porcupines, monkeys, and baby

Motivation Plays a Major Part in Second Language Acquisition Research Paper

Motivation Plays a Major Part in Second Language Acquisition - Research Paper Example As the paper outlines, there are some people who seem to patronize their own language so much that they refuse or find it hard to learn a second language. As every individual talk with ease in their native tongue, learning to communicate in a second language becomes more difficult particularly if the learner's environment is unsupportive. If the learner's family, workmates, and friends are not proficient at the new language the learning process would be hard to attain as the learner will not be able to apply the second language in everyday life.  Motivation is one of the keys to acquiring a second language. A number of students are motivated to learn a second language with their desire to travel and have a better future, or when a student has developed a particular liking in knowing about the customs and language of a country of interest. The educators also play a vital role in keeping the second language learner motivated.  Recently, discussion on the role that motivation plays in second language acquisition is prevalent. In this paper, I would like to present the arguments for and against the idea that motivation indeed plays a major part in learning a second language.  Motivation can lead to language acquisition when done in a manner which is higher than what would be the case when it would be inexplicably missing. In such circumstances, there is a need to inculcate the right kind of attitude and feelings in individuals who want to acquire a second language for their own betterment that they understand the need to be motivated at all possible times [Dornyei, Csizer & Nemeth, 2006]. It is for this reason that Gardner and Lambert (1972) opined that there are in essence a couple of different types when one talks about motivation in the related segments. These could be attributed to the integrative motivation and instrumental motivation. The difference between these is that integrative form of motivation is more inclined with the establishment of the secon d language within the environs of a particular individual; on the other hand, a learner who has an instrumental motivation aims to learn the second language due to the sound performance of a single function or reason for that matter. Thus, there is a huge difference as far as their overlapping methodologies are concerned. In the integrative form of motivation, the learner has generated positive vibes and feelings with the purpose; but in the instrumental sense of motivation, the feeling is just present to capture the functional basis than anything else. The role here is to integrate the language that is being learned rather than use it for a functional reason and then discard when the intent was consummated. The second language acquisition process thus becomes more significant when the need is to seek it from the integrative stance rather than the instrumental basis. The integrative motivation of second language learning does wonders to the learner than instrumental motivation since the individual's interest grows beyond the mere curiosity of mastering the new lingo; the student/learner also delves into the various cultural ideologies, the people, and the set of customs that surround the new language learned.

The Two Burials In Beowulf Essay Example for Free

The Two Burials In Beowulf Essay The focal point of this essay is to present a clear and original argument in relation to the two burials that begin and end Beowulf. Scyld ScÄ“fing’s burial at sea in lines 24-46, and Beowulf`s burial in lines 2755-2796. It would be evaluated and analyzed the difference of these two funerals and probable reasons behind the difference and the details of two methods of burial that depict about the two men and about their cultures. However, it would also be ascertained whether these differences are just aspects of two different cultures of the basically same landscape but modified over a huge period of time frame. The journey undertaken by Beowulf is not only personal journey of self-discovery, but journey that establishes the values of the culture. While the personal adventure and situations are unique, the travels of Beowulf are representative of each human’s quest to find meaning and purpose in life. As epics of the oral tradition, Beowulf did not appear in writing until many years after the stories originated. Through the many retellings of the tale, probably changed significantly over time; however, the essences of the society and the culture have survived. In many ways, Beowulf is not only epic and myth from their time period, but also serves as historiographies of the society and culture of the time and the funeral ceremonies depicted in the epic, first the incident of Scyld ScÄ“fing`s burial at sea and then the narrative of Beowulf`s burial, are enlightening enough for understanding the nature of customs and funeral rituals. (Lamb, 378, 2-4) At the time of the earliest telling of Beowulf, the people were pagans. With the acceptance of Christianity, â€Å"God† provided the people of Beowulf’s time with an explanation for good and evil and an afterlife for the souls of those who followed God. As Breizmann points out that later generations attempted to incorporate their Christian beliefs, the text â€Å"abounds with inserted narratives† (Breizmann 1030). When Grendel terrorizes the mead hall, the explanation is that, â€Å"He was spawned in that slime, /Conceived by a pair of those monsters born/ Of Cain† (104-106). This Christian theme reappears several times in the epic, and when Beowulf is dying, he says, â€Å"I can die, here,/ Knowing the Lord of all life has never/Watched me wash my sword in blood/Born of my own family† (274-43). . Because he has been good and has served his god and his people, when Beowulf dies, â€Å"Almighty God Himself, was moved, / To let him enter† (3056-7). This influence alone drifted initial purity of the epic from its initial cultural originality. The funeral of Scyld ScÄ“fing appears to be more concerning the original ritualistic rites of the actual time when the epic was composed. In Scyld ScÄ“fing’s case it was found that the rituals includes placing various arms and armors with other valuables with the dead and drifting the body in the sea on a boat or burn it. In this case, the boat was drifted away. This is specifically a Scandinavian ritual and was well in practice when the epic was conceptualized. We can find this funeral rite in lines 24-46 of the epic. The text reads. â€Å"His people carried him to the sea, / which was his last request. / In the harbor stood / a well-built ship, / icy but ready for the sea./ They laid Shield there, / propped him against the mast / surrounded by gold / and treasure from distant lands./ Ive never heard / of a more beautiful ship, /filled with shields, swords, /and coats of mail, gifts / to him for his long trip.† (Naik, ed. 182-183) this is in stark contrast with the funeral rites of Beowulf. Here we find that â€Å"Wiglaf ordered / the brave warriors / to carry wood / from far and wide / to the funeral pyre / for the great leader†¦. There they laid / the famous prince / and lamented / that beloved lord. / Warriors then built / the greatest of fires. / Wood-smoke ascended, / dark black over the flames.† (Naik, ed. 294) This form of funeral is basically aligned with the Roman concept of ritual ceremony that the Christian community initially took and implemented in this epic. Thus it is obvious that this part was changed and incorporated in a much latter stage. (Lamb, 379, 5) While the rituals and adventures of Beowulf are pleasant tales of quests, the real value of the epic is the glimpse they provide of ancient cultures and peoples. In addition, Beowulf is links between the past and the present and between the values all cultures seem to share. Although the cultural and historical contexts change, certain human truths do not, and in the end, like Beowulf, all men leave their earthly existences, perhaps with the hopes that the myths they leave behind will provide lessons for those who come after them. This is more aligned to the Christian learning than ancient pagan thought process. These incorporations result in the intermingled format of affairs in terms of cultural identifications. (Lamb, 380, 1-3) Thus in the ultimate conclusion it can be well ascertained that the influence of different culture and religion affected the original epic with various additions making it juxtaposed within the different cultural aspects spread over a huge time period. The funerals depicted in the epic are just result of these changes and thus it is unable to tell us anything specific on the topic of funeral rituals during the era when this epic was composed initially. References: Breizmann, Natalia. â€Å"Beowulf as Romance: Literary Interpretations as Quest.† MLN 113.5; (1998): 1022-1035; JSTOR; Retrieved on 23 February 2007 http://www.jstor.org Naik, S; The legends of the North: A compilation of ancient epics; National Book Trust; 2006 Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; National Book Trust. 2004

Jack Kerouac Essay -- Writer Author Jack Kerouac Biography Essays

Jack Kerouac   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning Jack Kerouac lived a wild and exciting life outside the realm of everyday "normal" American life. Though On the Road and The Dharma Bums were Kerouac's only commercial sucesses, he was a man who changed American literature and pop-culture. Kerouac virtually created a life-style devoted to life, art, literature, music, and poetry. When his movement grew out of his control, he came to despise it, and died lonely on the other side of what he once loved and cherished above all else. But, on the way he created a style of writing which combined elements of all the great writers, with speed, common language, real people, and the reality of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a public junior high school he began to read feverishly. In English classes he flourished, but socially he did not. Impressed deeply by Mark Twain and Jack London, Kerouac created his own imaginary world, which he recorded in hand-written "newspapers." These led to his first "novel" Jack Kerouac Explores the Merrimack, which he wrote in a notebook at the age of twelve (Clark, 22).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Skipping classes at Lowell High School, in Lowell Massachusetts, Kerouac was exposed to the work of Thomas Wolfe by a fellow student Sammy Sampas. They encouraged writing in each other, and Kerouac began writing seriously. Since the Kerouacs could not afford college, a local priest suggested he try for a football scholarship (Clark, 32). He was offered two; one from Colombia University and the other from Boston College.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kerouac opted for Columbia and first spent one year, by the request of the university, at the Horace Mann School for Boys. Here he didn't fit in with the rich prep- school crowd, but he was exposed to Hemmingway (Clark, 37). Here, also, in a school publication his work was first printed (Clark, 39).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After two years of school at Columbia Kerouac made a decision that would change his life. He always believed he learned more outside of the classroom than in; and so after a series of arguments with his coach, he quit the team. Not long after he dropped out of school as well. He served briefly in the navy, and drinking heavily, was discharged on psychiatric grounds(Clark, 52). Upon his return home he got a job with as a Merchant Marine. When he wasn't working he spent his time with Allen Ginsberg, Lucien Carr, William S. Burroughs, and Neal Cass... ...ectric...). Kerouac, though, was a conservative at heart and avoided the psychedelic drug movement (Clark, 193). This eventually to Kerouac being despised by even those who's careers he began, and lives he had changed. In one meeting one of the Merry Pranksters had covered a couch with a flag. Ginsberg watched Kerouac slowly fold it up and "marveled sadly... history was... out of Jack's hands now," (Clark, 201).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neal Cassady died of a drug overdose in Mexico in 1968. Not long after, Jack Kerouac died of an abdominal hemorrhage and cirrhosis of the liver, he had literally drunk himself to death. He was only 47. He died a lonely death. A sad ending to the sad writer who gave so much of himself in his belief that "writing was his duty on earth." Works Cited Clark, Tom. Jack Kerouac: A Biography. Paragon House. "Jack Kerouac." 3 Oct.1998 <http://www.charm.net/~brooklyn/People/JackKerouac.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  html> Kerouac, Jack. Big Sur. New York: Viking Press, 1959. --- The Dharma Bums. New York: Viking Press, 1958. --- On the Road. New York: Viking Press, 1957. Wolfe, Tom. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. New York: Bantam Books, 1968.

Consumer Traits and Behaviors Essay

Consumer behavior involves the psychological processes that consumers go through in recognizing needs, finding ways to solve these needs, making purchase decisions (e.g., whether or not to purchase a product and, if so, which brand and where), interpret information, make plans, and implement these plans (e.g., by engaging in comparison shopping or actually purchasing a product). Companies to determine the best, and useful marketing of their product and services must study consumer traits and behaviors. By doing this extensive research, companies are sure to develop marketing plans directly aimed to the customer base they would like to attract. Sources of influence on the consumer. The consumer faces numerous sources of influence. Often, we take cultural influences for granted, but they are significant. An American will usually not bargain with a storeowner. This, however, is a common practice in much of the World. The cultural influence can also impact the actual things people feel are needs versus wants. The American culture, unfortunately is a greedy culture that can at times take for granted the fact that all of their needs are met and often times confuse them with their wants. The cultural impact makes a fancy new sports car a need when there are children in third world countries that need food and water. Physical factors also influence our behavior. We are more likely to buy a soft drink when we are thirsty, for example, and food manufacturers have found that it is more effective to advertise their products on the radio in the late afternoon when people are getting hungry. There are also documented instances where a person’s obsessive want of an it em can physically make a person ill when they cannot have them. A person’s self-image will also tend to influence what he or she will buy—an upwardly mobile manager may buy a flashy car to project an image  of success. Self image issues can also be closely related into cultural issues we all can face also, leading consumers to adopt an image of beauty that is not obtainable such as larger women developing a complex to become super model thin, and in return cause people to develop self hate towards the things about themselves and others that cannot be changed. Often times a person’s self worth is measured in the things they have versus the content of who they are on the inside. Social factors also influence what the consumers buy—often, consumers seek to imitate others whom they admire, and may buy the same brands. The social environment can include both the mainstream culture (e.g., Americans are more likely to have corn flakes or ham and eggs for breakfast than to have rice, which is preferred in many Asian countrie s) and a subculture (e.g., rap music often appeals to a segment within the population that seeks to distinguish itself from the mainstream population). Thus, sneaker manufacturers are eager to have their products worn by admired athletes. Something as simple as a Facebook like can take a product from obscurity to relevancy just like being listed on Oprah’s favorite things. Finally, consumer behavior is influenced by learning—you try a hamburger and learn that it satisfies your hunger and tastes good, and the next time you are hungry, you may consider another hamburger. We are also a culture of people to purchase the things that our family customarily purchased our band loyalty can be passed down from generation to generation. Consumer Choice and Decision Making: Problem Recognition. One model of consumer decision-making involves several steps. The first one is problem recognition—you realize that something is not as it should be. Perhaps, for example, your car is getting more difficult to start and is not accelerating well. The second step is information search—what are some alternative ways of solving the problem? You might buy a new car, buy a used car, take your car in for repair, ride the bus, ride a taxi, or ride a skateboard to work. The third step involves evaluation of alternatives. A skateboard is inexpensive, but may be ill suited for long distances and for rainy days. Finally, we have the purchase stage, and sometimes a post-purchase stage (e.g., you return a product to the store because you did not find it satisfactory). In reality, people may go back and forth between the stages. For example, a person may resume alternative identification during while evaluating already known alternatives. Consumer  involvement will tend to vary dramatically depending on the type of product. In general, consumer involvement will be higher for products that are very expensive (e.g., a home, a car) or are highly significant in the consumer’s life in some other way (e.g., a word processing prog ram or acne medication). It is important to consider the consumer’s motivation for buying products. To achieve this goal, we can use the Means-End chain, wherein we consider a logical progression of consequences of product use that eventually lead to desired end benefit. Thus, for example, a consumer may see that a car has a large engine, leading to fast acceleration, leading to a feeling of performance, leading to a feeling of power, which ultimately improves the consumer’s self-esteem. A handgun may aim bullets with precision, which enables the user to kill an intruder, which means that the intruder will not be able to harm the consumer’s family, which achieves the desired end-state of security. In advertising, it is important to portray the desired end-states. Focusing on the large motor will do less good than portraying a successful person driving the car. Attitudes Consumer attitudes are a composite of a consumer’s (1) beliefs about, (2) feelings about, (3) and behavioral intentions toward some â€Å"object†Ã¢â‚¬â€within the context of marketing, usually a brand, product category, or retail store. These components are viewed together since they are highly interdependent and together represent forces that influence how the consumer will react to the object Consumer attitudes are both an obstacle and an advantage to a marketer. Choosing to discount or ignore consumers’ attitudes of a particular product or service—while developing a marketing strategy—guarantees limited success of a campaign. In contrast, perceptive marketers leverage their understanding of attitudes to predict the behavior of consumers. These savvy marketers know exactly how to distinguish the differences between beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors while leveraging all three in the development of marketing strategies. beliefs or feelings toward a product or service. A behavioral intention is defined by the consumer’s belief or feeling with respect to the product or service. The cellular phone industry is one of the rare bright spots in Asian business (Roberts, 1998). China’s cell phone market has increased at an annual growth rate of 80% since 1990 (Statistics of CMII, 2005). In 2001, China’s cell phone market  grew into 130 million users, exceeding the U.S.’s market for the first time An attitude in marketing terms is defined as a general evaluation of a product or service formed over time (Solomon, 2008). An attitude satisfies a personal motive—and at the same time, affects the shopping and buying habits of consumers. Dr. Lars Perner (2010) defines consumer attitude simply as a composite of a consumer’s beliefs, feelings, and behavioral intentions toward some object within the context of marketing. A consumer can hold negative or positive (Robertson, 2001). Chinese cell phone user population reached 335 million (25% of the total Chinese population), 65 million more than 2003 (Statistics of CMII, 2005). Social and Cultural Settings Influence Consumer Behavior The study of consumers helps firms and organizations improve their marketing strategies by understanding issues such as how the psychology of how consumers think, feel, reason, and select between different alternatives (e.g., brands, products, and retailers). The psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment (e.g., culture, family, signs, media); The behavior of consumers while shopping or making other marketing decisions; Limitations in consumer knowledge or information processing abilities influence decisions and marketing outcome; How consumer motivation and decision strategies differ between products that differ in their level of importance or interest that they entail for the consumer; and How marketers can adapt and improve their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies to more effectively reach the consumer. Consumers Interpret Marketing Messages Differently Consumers’ interpretations of advertising messages have long been an important and controversial topic in advertising research (Jacoby and Hoyer 1982a, 1982b, 1987; Mick 1988b; Russo, Metcalf, and Stephens 1981; Shimp and Preston 1981). [The terms comprehension and interpretation are used interchangeably here. Readers who question the synonymy of those terms are also likely to believe that denotation and connotation are separate constructs- -likely because they associate comprehension with denotation and interpretation with connotation. This article seeks to defy the  denotation/connotation distinction with respect to advertising illustrations. Comprehension itself is conceptualized generally in this article from a level of processing perspective, specifically as a cue-induced spread of activation of semantic concepts (knowledge structures). Inference is the basic mechanism of this activation and also accounts for the meanings constructed as a function of bridging two alread y – activated concepts.] Historically, most empirical work has centered on consumers’ processing of linguistic information; recently, researchers have paid increased attention to nonlinguistic features (e.g., Childers and Houston 1984; Edell and Staelin 1983; Johnson, Zimmer, and Golden 1987; Richards and Zakia 1981; Rossiter and Percy 1980; Zakia 1986). Lengthy theoretical writings on visual communication in advertising have also appeared (Rossiter and Percy 1983). Despite this trend, few have actually studied the semiotic substance of consumers’ interpretations of advertising illustrations. For instance, Thematic Apperception Tests remain widespread in the advertising industry for Pretesting visual content. Yet, advertising scholars have exerted little effort to employ such semantic -unveiling methods to inform theory and assess propositions about consumers’ interpretations of nonverbal ad information. Conclusion In this document, we have been able to showcase the psychological processes and presented three social processes that impact and influence consumer behavior. As we explore the fabulous relationships between traits and behavior we can establish the marketing and tools that are needed to develop effective marketing strategies that will influence the way people buy the products that are purchased. Understanding these consumer traits and behaviors can make the company a very successful and profitable company. Understanding or a lack there of, this relationship between consumer traits and be the making or breaking of any corporation. This class and the training of being able to understand just how important it is to be able to interpret the messages that are being sent both to and from the consumer. References Retrieved From: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2571413 Retrieved From: http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-internal-influences-lifestyle-attitude.html Retrieved From: http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/ (2011, 04). A Structural Equation Model of Perceived Price on Value Perceptions: a Consumer Psychology View. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 04, 2011, Retrieved From: http://www.studymode.com/essays/a-Structural-Equation-Model-Of-Perceived-6608

Historical Development of Hr Manager (Ireland)

Historical Development of Hr Manager (Ireland) In explaining the historical development of the personnel function of the Hr manager, I will begin by giving a brief description of the 6 different types of personnel manager: The Social Reformer Before personnel emerged as a specialist management activity at the beginning of the 20th century there were those who intervened in industrial affairs to support the severely under privileged factory workers. The Acolyte of benevolence The first people appointed with specific responsibility for improving the lot of the employees were welfare officers who saw there role as dispensing benefits to the deserving and unfortunate employees. The motivation was the christian charity of paternalist employers who provided these comforts, partly because employees deserved them, but mainly because he was willing to provide them. The Humane Bureaucrat The first 2 phases were concerned predominantly with the physical environment of the work and the amelioration of hardship among â€Å"the workers† . As organisations increased there size, specialisation was emerging in the management levels as well as on the shop floor. This led to the growth of personnel work on staffing the organisation, with great concern about role specification, selection. Training and placement. The consensus negotiator Personnel managers next added expertise in bargaining to there repetoire of skills. Where the personnel manager could at best be described as a remembrancer of the employees the trader union official could be their accredited representative. Organization man Then came a development of the humane bureaucracy phase into preoccupation with the effectiveness of the organization as a whole, which should have clear objectives and a wide spread commitment among organisation members to those objectives. The approach was also characterised by candour between members and a form of operation supporting the integrity of the individual and providing opportunities for personal growth. Manpower Analyst The last distinct historical stereotype was the manpower analyst. The humane bureaucrat was concerned to get a good fit between a particular worker and a particular job: Employees were individuals. Next I will give a brief outline of the different eras in the development of the Hr manager in Ireland. 1940s and 1950s: The Welfare Stage It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when personnel management first appeared in Ireland. Barrington (1980:90) indicates that a personnel function had been established in the civil service after the First World War, but its official recognition in the private sector is probably best dated from the setting up of an Irish branch of the Institute of Labour Management, the forerunner of the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM), in Dublin in 1937. The meetings of the Institute of Labour Management were held in the recreation hall attached to the Jacob's Biscuit Factory and were attended by a small group of individuals, mainly women, who acted as welfare supervisors in Dublin factories such as Wills, Maguire and Patersons, Williams and Woods and Jacob's. These companies had strong Quaker traditions and were concerned with the health and well-being of their employees. The second issue which emerges from an analysis of the foundations of personnel management is its dominance in the early years by women. This appears to have resulted in difficulties for both men and women intent on careers in personnel management. For men there was the worry of developing a career in a profession with a female image. However, for many men this dilemma was resolved by the industrial relations focus which was to emerge in the 1970s in which bargaining and negotiating with trade unions became very much a male preserve and one with a much more dynamic image. For women the incursion of men into personnel management has created long-term problems. The 1960s: Growth and DevelopmentPersonnel management grew slowly in the 1950s and 1960s in Ireland; then as now the fate of personnel function was inextricably entwined with economic developments The 1970s: The Industrial Relations EraPersonnel management grew steadily during the late 1960s and early 1970s. A survey by the Irish Management Institute (Gorman et al. , 1974) estimated that the number of personnel managers working in firms with over 20 employees increased from around 100 to about 400 between 1964 and 1973. Throughout the 1970s this growth continued so that by 1981 there were an estimated 770 private sector firms with a designated personnel office. The main areas of activity associated with the personnel function were outlined in a submission by the IPM to the Commission: manpower planning; recruitment and selection; employee evaluation, training and development, career development promotion etc. ; remuneration and benefits; industrial relations (i. e. policy and practices in relationships with unions and union representatives, procedure agreements covering recognition, disputes, grievances, redundancy, etc. negotiations with full-time officials and with shop stewards); employee communications and consultation; organisation development (i. e. organisation and job design, various approaches to securing higher employee involvement and motivation, opinion surveys and survey feedback, etc. ); personnel administration – contracts, attendance, turnover, medical and welfare facilities, safety at work, employee performance indices etc. The 1980s: Cost CutterBy the 1980s, personnel departments were well established in Irish organisations. A survey by Murray (1984: 21) of 141 manufacturing firms found that 74 per cent had a personnel function and that the status of the personnel function appeared confirmed with many personnel managers having access to top management decisions. The economic difficulties of this decade are reflected in the themes of the IPM's annual conferences. In 1983 this was ‘Survival Management'; in 1984 it was ‘Job Loss: the Price of Being Competitive'; in 1985: Social and Political Change: the Implications for Personnel Management; in 1986 ‘The Uncertain Future'; and in 1987 ‘Meeting the Challenge'. The 1990s: Strategic Planner and Business ManagerThe 1990s have seen attention turn to the roles that the personnel practitioner might play as business manager and human resource specialist, these roles involving an active contribution to ‘competitive advantage'. The historical analysis of the development of the personnel management role raises several critical issues. Is there a dominant role in Irish organisations in the mid 1990s? Do the roles which have developed over time co-exist or have some disappeared? Are some roles better than others and, if this is the case, better for whom? A superficial analysis of the situation suggests that there has been a great deal of continuity in personnel management over the years and that the issues that have concerned the personnel manager and the personnel profession have remained remarkably constant, although perhaps portrayed using very different language. The analysis has revealed that many of the challenges facing the personnel practitioner have remained constant and the need to manage the employment relationship, no matter the terminology that is used to describe this relationship, is one which is central to the personnel role. The management of the psychological contract as a critical issue for the 1990s may represent for the personnel profession a return to its roots. Now we’ll examine the emergence of the Hr manager as a professional. Some industry commentators call the Human Resources function the last bastion of bureaucracy. Traditionally, the role of the Human Resource professional in many organizations has been to serve as the systematizing, policing arm of executive management. In this role, the HR professional served executive agendas well, but was frequently viewed as a road block by much of the rest of the organization. The importance of the human resource function has become evident especially with the onset of global competition. Not only do human resource managers have to think more strategically and in step with corporate planning managers, they have had to address real and hard issues about the impact of intense competition on employment stability. It is one thing to think with executives on how the human resource section can support corporate activities. It is another to actually implement cost-savings policies with regards employment. The role of the Hr manager must parallel the needs of his or her changing organization. Successful organizations are becoming more adaptive, resilient, quick to change direction and customer-centered. Within this environment, the HR professional, who is considered necessary by line managers, is a strategic partner, an employee sponsor or advocate and a change mentor. HR directors, and occasionally HR managers, may head up several different departments that are each led by functional or specialized HR staff such as the training manager, the compensation manager, or the recruiting manager. Human Resources staff members are advocates for both the company and the people who work in the company. Consequently, a good HR professional performs a constant balancing act to meet both needs successfully. The role of the HR professional is changing. In the past, HR managers were often viewed as the systematizing, policing arm of executive management. Their role was more closely aligned with personnel and administration functions that were viewed by the organization as paperwork. When you consider that the initial HR function, in many companies, comes out of the administration or finance department because hiring employees, paying employees, and dealing with benefits were the organization's first HR needs, this is not surprising. In this role, the HR professional served executive agendas well, but was frequently viewed as a road block by much of the rest of the organization. The role of the HR manager must parallel the needs of his or her changing organization. Successful organizations are becoming more adaptable, resilient, quick to change direction, and customer-centered. Within this environment, the HR professional, who is considered necessary by line managers, is a strategic partner, an employee sponsor or advocate and a change mentor. At the same time, especially the HR Generalist, still has responsibility for employee benefits administration, often payroll, and employee paperwork, especially in the absence of an Hr assistant. Depending on the size of the organization, the HR manager has responsibility for all of the functions that deal with the needs and activities of the organization's people including these areas of responsibility. David O'Callaghan Carrigaline 2009

How to Figure Out What SAT Math Questions Are Really Asking

How to Figure Out What SAT Math Questions Are Really Asking SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips SAT Math questions often hit you with a lot of jargon. Some types of questions are prone to being pretty wordy, and many problems just don't make sense- they simply don't click in your brain. Well, this state of affairs simply will not do. There's got to be a better way of hammering away at these problems. And, lo and behold, the post that follows has arrived to illuminate this path. This article will walk you through how to figure out what an SAT Math question is really getting at- what it's trulyasking under all that banter. The SAT Math Question Method This process applies to all types of math problems, from word problems to algebra problems to geometry problems (and all the rest of it). The point of this procedure is to find out what the problemisreally asking so you can avoid solving for the wrong variable or answering the wrong question. A lot of it comes down to staying calm and returning to the information you know. Panicking won't help you, andyou can always build off of the information that you understand. Step 1: Give the Problem a Fair, Level-Headed Read The point here is to assess, calmly, where you are with the problem. Some problems are easy to understand, and some are not, but you won't know until you do some reading. Take a look at this question: Now, depending on how handy you are with systems of equations, this might look likean easy problem or a harder problem. The question, though, is pretty clear: "What is the value ofx?" That's what this question is asking at its very core. Not all questions will be that direct: This question has so many words that it's pretty easy to get lost in the jumble of what it's trying to say. At least, though, if we've read the problem, we know something about its general topicand we know to be very careful as we identify what it's asking.At this point, it may seem unclear: do we want Jessica's initialdeposit? Or how much money Jessica has at the end? Or else Tyshaun? The answer is none of the above, as it turns out- read on to see why. At least Jessica and Tyshaun have wisely invested their money instead of gambling it away. Step 2: Find Your Given Information and Your Question or Command Question and command terms give you crucial information about what you want to find. In the question involving Jessica and Tyshaun, I see the words, "how much (more)." That's ahuge clue to tell you what you're looking for: you want to know, in the test's words, "After 10 years,how much more money will Tyshaun's initial deposit have earned than Jessica's initial deposit?" In this example, "how (much)" is easily identified as part of a question, but be on the lookout for non-question command terms, likefind,identify, ordetermine. These, along with traditional question words likewho/what/where/when/why, are key to understanding what the problem wants you to do or to answer. Quantities are also relatively easy-to-identify pieces of given information. With Jessicaand Tyshaun, I see quantities $100, 2%, 2.5%, and 10 years. Don't skimp out on those units! The number 10 isn't much help unless I know we're talking about years. Labels are important, too. For instance, I see that Jessica and Tyshaun are earning "interest compounded annually." All this information will help you solve the problem. Not everything in every problem will help, though, so be sure to eliminate anything that seems extraneous at this point.There's not a whole ton of slack when it comes to Jessica and Tyshaun; all of that information really does pertain to the problem.Take a look at this problem, though: We don't really care that this is a storage silo being used by a dairy farmer. We can cut straight to "right circular cylinder" and go from there. Step 3: Take a Look at the Answers If the question is multiple choice, see how the answers differ. What changes from one to another? Is it the quantities involved? The arrangement of variables? The units? Check to see what stays the same and what doesn't. That'll give you some hints as to what to pay attention to. Ask yourself, what are these answer choices answering, exactly? That should be a good indicationwhere, generally, you should be looking- eliminate answers that don't answer what the question asked. Or, if they all answer the same question, that's a strong indicator of what question you should be examining. Hints may come from the units. The question, "How much milk does the dairy farm produce in a month?" would never beenanswered with a quantity of miles or cows. Gallons, maybe. Liters, maybe. But not kilometers or degrees. Why isn't "I don't know" a possible answer on the SAT? I mean, it's a true statement, right? Step 4: Rephrase the Question in a Way That Makes Sense to You You've picked out the interesting points in the problem. You've isolated the question/command. You've considered what the answershave to say. Now, bring everything together and try to express it in your own words. With Jessica and Tyshaun, I might say, "How much more money does Tyshaun earn in 10 years than Jessica?" Your version might sound a little different- that's fine, as long as we're working off of the same concept. More Helpful Tips for Understanding SAT Math Problems What follows is a smattering of other principles you can apply to math problems that are giving you trouble. Apply them often. #1: Remember There Are a Ton of Ways to Rephrase the Same Information You can word anything about a million different ways, switching from verbal to numeric and back again. Know which methods of expression jive best with you; are you more about the words or the symbols (and so on)? #2: Take Things One Step at a Time Remember that facts often flowfrom each other, one following another. You may not be given the information you need to find the answer directly, but you'll be given the information you need to findthe information you need to find the answer. If you're not sure, just take the next step you know how to take given what you know; it might lead somewhere! #3: The Test-Makers MustGive You Enough Information Again, you may need to take several steps to reach the answer, but, unless there's an answer choice which specifies that not enough information was given, there has to be enough there to find an answer. Line up all the information you've been given and ask, what bit of information is missing? And how could I find it? It's all about assembling clues. #4: IfDoesn't Mean Optional When you see the wordif, don't think of it as expressing an uncertain contingency:if means, "Be confident that it is so in the world of the SAT." In the silo problem above, "If the volume of the silo is 72Ï€ cubic yards..." means, "The volume of the silo is 72Ï€ cubic yards. Period." #5: NoteMeans"Pay Attention!" When you see the wordnote at the end of a problem, it's time to take its message to heart. Itmight be a unit conversion, as in, "Note: 1 mile - 5,280 feet," or else some other such necessary information, but it will certainly be worth, well,noting. Conclusion A lot of solving strangelyworded SAT Math problems comes down to staying calm and returning to what you know. First, give the problem a fair read. Next, dissect what it's really telling you, and what of that might be useful. If you're stuck, try working backwards. Keep the big picture in mind. Don't be afraid to tinker with problems- get that pencil moving, and do whatever looks possible: it's worth seeing what happens. What's Next? First of all, make your peace with the fact that you'll get stuck sometimes, and learn how to overcome it when it happens. Then, get going on some practice problems, including a set of real whoppers assembled for you with care. You may also be interested in paying some special attention to word problems, as these are often the toughest to interpret. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Attempting to bring an earlier end to World War II, U.S. President Harry Truman made the fateful decision to drop a massive atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. On August 6, 1945, this atomic bomb, known as Little Boy, flattened the city, killing at least 70,000 people that day and tens of thousands more from radiation poisoning. While Japan  was still trying to comprehend this devastation, the United States dropped another atomic bomb. This bomb, nicknamed Fat Man, was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people immediately and another 20,000 to 40,000 in the months following the explosion. On August 15, 1945, Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced an unconditional surrender, ending World War II. The Enola Gay Heads to Hiroshima At 2:45 a.m. on Monday, August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber  took off from Tinian, a North Pacific island in the Marianas, 1,500 miles south of Japan. The 12-man crew  was on board to make sure this secret mission went smoothly. Colonel Paul Tibbets, the pilot, nicknamed the B-29 the Enola Gay after his mother. Just before take-off, the planes nickname was painted on its side. The Enola Gay was a B-29 Superfortress  (aircraft 44-86292), part of the 509th Composite Group. In order to carry such a heavy load as an atomic bomb, the Enola Gay was modified: new propellers, stronger engines, and faster opening bomb bay doors. (Only 15 B-29s underwent this modification.) Even though it had been modified, the plane still had to use the full runway to gain the necessary speed, thus it did not lift off until very near the waters edge.1 The Enola Gay was escorted by two other bombers that carried cameras and a variety of measuring devices. Three other planes had left earlier in order to ascertain the weather conditions over the possible targets. The Atomic Bomb Known as Little Boy Is on Board On a hook in the ceiling of the plane, hung the ten-foot atomic bomb, Little Boy. Navy Captain William S. Parsons (Deak), chief of the Ordnance Division in the Manhattan Project, was the Enola Gays weaponeer. Since Parsons had been instrumental in the development of the bomb, he was now responsible for arming the bomb while in-flight. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight (3:00 a.m.), Parsons began to arm the atomic bomb; it took him 15 minutes. Parsons thought while arming Little Boy: I knew the Japs were in for it, but I felt no particular emotion about it.2 Little Boy was created using uranium-235, a radioactive isotope of uranium. This uranium-235 atomic bomb, a product of $2 billion of research, had never been tested. Nor had any atomic bomb yet been dropped from a plane. Some scientists and politicians pushed for not warning Japan of the bombing in order to save face in case the bomb malfunctioned. Clear Weather Over Hiroshima There had been four cities chosen as possible targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Nagasaki, and Niigata (Kyoto was the first choice until it was removed from the list by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson). The cities were chosen because they had been relatively untouched during the war. The Target Committee wanted the first bomb to be sufficiently spectacular for the importance of the weapon to be internationally recognized when publicity on it was released.3 On August 6, 1945, the first choice target, Hiroshima, was having clear weather. At 8:15 a.m. (local time), the Enola Gays door sprang open and dropped Little Boy. The bomb exploded 1,900 feet above the city and only missed the target, the Aioi Bridge, by approximately 800 feet. The Explosion at Hiroshima Staff Sergeant George Caron, the tail gunner, described what he saw: The mushroom cloud itself was a spectacular sight, a bubbling mass of purple-gray smoke and you could see it had a red core in it and everything was burning inside. . . . It looked like lava or molasses covering a whole city. . . .4 The cloud is estimated to have reached a height of 40,000 feet. Captain Robert Lewis, the co-pilot, stated, Where we had seen a clear city two minutes before, we could no longer see the city. We could see smoke and fires creeping up the sides of the mountains.5 Two-thirds of Hiroshima was destroyed. Within three miles of the explosion, 60,000 of the 90,000 buildings were demolished. Clay roof tiles had melted together. Shadows had imprinted on buildings and other hard surfaces. Metal and stone had melted. Unlike other bombing raids, the goal for this raid had not been a military installation but rather an entire city. The atomic bomb that exploded over Hiroshima killed civilian women and children in addition to soldiers. Hiroshimas population has been estimated at 350,000; approximately 70,000 died immediately from the explosion and another 70,000 died from radiation within five years. A survivor described the damage to people: The appearance of people was . . . well, they all had skin blackened by burns. . . . They had no hair because their hair was burned, and at a glance you couldnt tell whether you were looking at them from in front or in back. . . . They held their arms bent [forward] like this . . . and their skin - not only on their hands, but on their faces and bodies too - hung down. . . . If there had been only one or two such people . . . perhaps I would not have had such a strong impression. But wherever I walked I met these people. . . . Many of them died along the road - I can still picture them in my mind like walking ghosts. 6 The Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki While the people of Japan tried to comprehend the devastation in Hiroshima, the United States was preparing a second bombing mission. The second run was not delayed in order to give Japan  time to surrender but was waiting only for a sufficient amount of plutonium-239 for the atomic bomb. On August 9, 1945, only three days after the bombing of Hiroshima, another B-29, Bocks Car, left Tinian at 3:49 a.m. The first choice target for this bombing run had been Kokura. Since the haze over Kokura prevented the sighting of the bombing target, Bocks Car continued on to its second target. At 11:02 a.m., the atomic bomb, Fat Man, was dropped over Nagasaki. The atomic bomb exploded 1,650 feet above the city. Fujie Urata Matsumoto, a survivor, shares one scene: The pumpkin field in front of the house was blown clean. Nothing was left of the whole thick crop, except that in place of the pumpkins there was a womans head. I looked at the face to see if I knew her. It was a woman of about forty. She must have been from another part of town I had never seen her around here. A gold tooth gleamed in the wide-open mouth. A handful of singed hair hung down from the left temple over her cheek, dangling in her mouth. Her eyelids were drawn up, showing black holes where the eyes had been burned out. . . . She had probably looked square into the flash and gotten her eyeballs burned. Approximately 40 percent of Nagasaki was destroyed. Luckily for many civilians  living in Nagasaki,  though this atomic bomb was considered much stronger than the one exploded over Hiroshima, the terrain of Nagasaki prevented the bomb from doing as much damage. The decimation, however, was still great. With a population of 270,000, approximately 40,000 people died immediately and another 30,000 by the end of the year. I saw the atom bomb. I was four then. I remember the cicadas chirping. The atom bomb was the last thing that happened in the war and no more bad things have happened since then, but I dont have my Mummy any more. So even if it isnt bad any more, Im not happy.- Kayano Nagai, survivor 8 Sources Notes 1. Dan Kurzman,  Day of the Bomb: Countdown to Hiroshima  (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1986) 410.2. William S. Parsons as quoted in Ronald Takaki, Hiroshima:  Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb  (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1995) 43.3. Kurzman,  Day of the Bomb  394.4. George Caron as quoted in Takaki,  Hiroshima  44.5. Robert Lewis as quoted in Takaki,  Hiroshima  43.6. A survivor quoted in Robert Jay Lifton,  Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima  (New York: Random House, 1967) 27.7. Fujie Urata Matsumoto as quoted in Takashi  Nagai, We of Nagasaki: The Story of Survivors in an Atomic Wasteland  (New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1964) 42.8. Kayano Nagai as quoted in  Nagai, We of Nagasaki  6. Bibliography Hersey, John.  Hiroshima. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985. Kurzman, Dan.  Day of the Bomb: Countdown to Hiroshima. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1986. Liebow, Averill A.  Encounter With Disaster: A Medical Diary of Hiroshima, 1945. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1970. Lifton, Robert Jay.  Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima. New York: Random House, 1967. Nagai, Takashi.  We of Nagasaki: The Story of Survivors in an Atomic Wasteland. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1964. Takaki, Ronald.  Hiroshima: Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1995.

Social work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social work - Essay Example The beauty of both theories is that both, almost in the same way, believe in the clients’ desire to solve the problems, and both aim to improve the problem solving skills of the clients, thus promoting independence instead of dependency. The Applicability with Diverse Groups The beauty of these two approaches, according to Hepworth, Rooney and GD Rooney et al (2009, p. 364) is their applicability with different groups, especially the poor, minority and ethnocultural groups. This is largely because they emphasise on the right of clients to identify issues and focus on empowering the marginalised clients. In addition, they are helpful in removing the barriers to multicultural clinical practices as they largely accept the clients’ view of problems. However, the advantage of crisis intervention strategy and task centered approach is their use with different populations. Researchers like James (2008, p. 39) are of the belief that crisis intervention has universal application to people of color as it is common for people of color to experience crisis and due to barriers of culture, ethnicity, and racism. By the time they seek help, the issue will be in a chronic state. This approach has six stages namely: defining the problem, ensuring client safety, providing support, examining alternatives, making plans, and obtaining commitment (ibid). Now, it becomes evident that both the approaches are highly beneficial tools in social work as both believe in the centeredness of individuals and both are based on the theory of empowering the clients to manage their situation themselves, thus promoting independence instead of dependency. Below are certain features that make these approaches more preferable in social situations. The Patient Centeredness Both the approaches are patient-centered in nature. The task centered approach believes in the ability of the clients to solve their problems themselves or to ameliorate their issues to a tolerable level. The task cent ered approach is based on the assumption that most people possess adequate skills and resources to solve their problems themselves. In addition, it is believed that people have their innate desire to solve their problems. Problems arise in individual, family or social spheres that can block the resolution of problems. The task centered approach believes that people have the inborn capabilities to solve their problems or to remodel the situation to a tolerable level. Similarly, crisis intervention method too is based on the assumption that intervention becomes necessary when an individual is not able to manage the disorganisation and confusion caused by a crisis. This too accepts the fact that crisis can arise in families, groups, communities, and nations. In fact, both the approaches concentrate on empowering the patient, improving the level of functioning, and developing a place for handling crisis. In addition, both believe in the active participation of clients and both are short -term in nature. The purpose of the two approaches is to regain the lost equilibrium in the client’s life. The specialty of these approaches is the total participation of the clients in the procedure, and the success of the approaches is fully dependent on the client’s readiness to perform the tasks they are assigned. In both the cases, once the tasks and goals are set, there are regular meetings to monitor progress and to offer support in the effort to achieve the goals. The skills at this juncture required for a social

Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Leadership - Assignment Example Toffler’s (1970) conception of â€Å"transcience† was way ahead of its time. Looking forward more than 3 decades ahead, he has painted a frightening picture of how weary the situation will be if one will not be able to adapt to the ongoing acceleration of change. Transcience is the feeling of temporariness and impermanence which is what Toffler predicted would be the adjustment mechanism of contemporary man. In terms of employment, transcience may be seen in how employees cannot stay put in one job as they grab as many opportunities as they could just to get ahead. They may jump from one job to another, eager to try out the latest job openings in the newest companies. Such restlessness evades the development of loyalty to the current employer and even hinders the formation of strong bonds with co-workers. Ideally, young workers seek jobs related to their interests. However, when the need for a job is at hand, they may forsake their interest and take whatever job is avai lable. They find out more about the job in the early days, and get to gauge if they have chosen well or not, a job that they can establish their career on. As employees vacillate from job to job, they try to find what is in it for them†¦ is it challenging enough? Does it tap into their skills? Does it pay better? Hence, managers should make job offers as attractive as possible to recruit the best candidate for the position. Transcience significantly impacts an organization’s performance, as the frequent loss of employees to other companies can paralyze operations. Recruiting and training new staff involves a great deal of time, effort and resources that may drain the organization and hamper its smooth flow. Managers would prefer to work with a steady group of workers that would grow with the company. Providing an orientation to the job at hand is crucial in an employees’ decision to stick with a company for a long time. As in most situations, the first impression usually sets the expectations of people. Managers must prepare well for such an orientation because it is one way to send a clear signal to the employee that the organization is committed to his success. Organizational-level orientation intends for employees to feel welcomed and that they are now part of the organization; learn more about the organizational mission and vision, culture, language, history and structure. Employees come to better understand the basic workplace principles and policies. It prevents unwanted employee turnover is the provision of an effective orientation program to guide new hires through their jobs and the company in general. Even an experienced professional can be vulnerable to feeling abandoned when he is left on his own to survive unaided in a new and strange work environment. Apart from a standard employment contract, employees may also wittingly or unwittingly expect a â€Å"psychological contract† with the employer that includes open and hones t communication, managerial support and challenging and interesting work. Employees are becoming increasingly aware of the non-monetary rewards that companies can provide them. It is generally important that the job not only fulfills their economical needs, but their socio-emotional needs as well. This means a discussion of compensation and benefits should go beyond the concrete rewards of the