Organisational Dynamics The Times Of India Business Essay

Organisational Dynamics The Times Of India Business Essay The Times of India is a daily, English language broadsheet of India. It has been certified as being the most selling and widest circulated English daily in the world by the Audit Bureau of Circulation. The average circulation of The Times of India for the year 2010 was 34.3 lakh copies. The Times of India has a readership of 70.3 lakh readers daily, as per the Indian Readership Surveys 2010 figures. It is hence the top English daily in India in terms of readership as well. The Times of India has been in existence since 1838, when it was established as the Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce, headquartered in Mumbai. In the mid-19th century, it was renamed as The Times of India. After independent, the newspaper passed into the hands of the Dalmiya family, and later went to the Sahu Jain family, who are the current owners. Todays The Times of India is published by Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited (BCCL). This media house also publishes various other newspapers, such as Economic Times, Mumbai Mirror, Maharashtra Times, etc. Culture of Times of India Given below is the culture of Times of India newspaper is described based on interviews conducted with employees of the organization. Bureaucratic: It is gathered from these interviews that TOI is a bureaucratic organization. There are formalised rules, procedures and processes in place to manage the organisation. The division of roles is formal and complete. There are clearly defined hierarchies as well, with a clear line of authority. This is primarily because it is a big organisation, and having commonly established practises makes managing it easier. Less propensity to risk taking: The organization does not believe in taking big risks, or chances that could mar the image of the organization. The employees are encouraged to conform to fixed codes of conduct and play safe, rather than thinking out of the box. Experimentation is therefore not a part of the organizational culture. Rigidity: In keeping with its bureaucratic structure, the organization follows an established and rigid way of functioning. It is hierarchical, and there are strict rules, regulations, codes of conduct and job profiles, so that every employee has a very specific job description and the areas of overlap are also defined. Hence, there is very little room to allow for individual cases or issues that the employee may have. This rigidity also makes the organisation less open to experimentation or change. Individuals, not teams: The work of departments, and within the department, each individual, is clearly outlines. Hence, because every employee has a differentiated job, the focus is on individual performances and roles rather than a team is an integral part of the organization. Also, most of the jobs are such that only one person can do them at a time-only one person can write an article, conduct an interview or do a graphic. However, despite this division of labour, the final product should look like one. Ethics held supreme: Ethics are valued above everything else. TOI has a Journalistic Code of conduct that deals with ethics. Any violations of this code are dealt with severely. The paper has a huge reputation to protect in the market, and its current status is primarily due to this reputation. Task oriented: The newspaper industry is highly volatile. Employees readily change jobs. The contract system is operational, and hence changing jobs is easy. Further, there are constantly new media options, and employees have more and more offers from outside. Hence, the focus at TOI is on the task and not the employee. Essentially, the position and the job are more important than the person occupying the post. This is interestingly seen in the way that the HR addresses employees: By their designation (position) first, and then their name. This order speaks a lot. Large power distance: Because the organizational structure is hierarchical, there is a large power distance between employees at higher levels and their subordinates. Power at higher levels is acquired through experience, and the inequality in power is seen as acceptable. Further, the subordinates almost never interact with their much higher-ups. Conformity: The culture is conserving in nature as it encourages conformity to already established norms and values. This ties in with other elements of the organisational culture as well, namely focus on playing it safe rather than experimentation and the rigid and bureaucratic structure of the organisation. Less openness: There is less openness and confrontation within the organization as employees are not very comfortable with expressing themselves to their superiors. Further, the organisational culture encourages that conflicts be resolved through diplomacy and tact rather than open confrontation. Confidentiality valued: This is also an important characteristic of the culture of TOI. Confidentiality and mutual commitments are honoured in the internal and external dealings of the organization. The employees who were interviewed refused to share the evaluation processes that are carried out within the organization. Traditions and rituals: TOI, being an old and established organisation, has a lot of traditions. These include events such as celebration of festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi and Makar Sankrant. The organisation also builds its culture using stories and narrations from the past, which embody the TOI culture. Inter-departmental distance: There is a large distance between the departments and also, the various newspaper publications. The editorial and business sides of the newspaper are constantly in conflict due to their seemingly contrasting roles. Less politics: Unlike most large organisations, TOI does not have a lot of petty politics at play. This is primarily because the promotions happen on basis of seniority and experience in the organisation, and are not subjective. Appraisals also happen through more than one person, and hence are not completely one-sided and prone to bias. Also, since the organisations culture focuses on the profile and not the person, the importance of personal politics is greatly reduced. Autonomy: TOI has clearly defined roles and profiles for all its employees; hence division of labour is complete. Within their designated roles, employees are given a fairly free hand with quite a lot of autonomy. The editors and superiors are available for consultation or collaboration, but the employees are encouraged to get the work done themselves. They can also make key decisions related to their roles. Information flows freely: Due to the large organisational size, employees are not always consulted in decisions-the decision making happens at the top and is not participatory. Even so, employees are always informed of decisions, events, change that is imminent, etc. TOI, as a media house, has good intra-organisational communication channels as well-by means of an intranet, e-fliers, in-house newsletter, etc. TOI Mission Statement: To be the leading provider of news, by providing timely, accurate and multi-dimensional news. To be the first paper the reader reads today and every day, by delivering consistently high standards of journalism. Functional aspects of culture: Organisational pride: The members of the group take pride in the organisation; it gives them a sense of identity for organization members. This increases loyalty to the organisation. Less politics: This is a functional aspect of the culture, because it helps deliver consistently high standards of journalism. Politics often leads to bickering, gossip, formation of factions, partiality, etc. As a result, often the best person is not chosen for a task due to bias in the selection process, or there is unnecessary conflict forming between individuals and groups. High levels of politics make the work environment extremely volatile, and are unwelcoming for new employees. Politics also discounts the importance of good and hard work, merit and dedication, and encourages a culture of power play, schemes and sucking up. Control and uniformity: Culture serves as a sense making and control mechanism that guides and shapes the attitudes and behaviour of employees. Autonomy: Autonomy is a functional part of the organisational culture because it helps achieve the mission of timely news. Employees are empowered to act autonomously within their designated roles, without the constant interference of their colleagues or superiors. This makes the delivery extremely fast and efficient, and timely. Diversity and multiple perspectives: TOI seeks to be a media mega mart that informs the customer, creates community value, delights the smart shopper, provides cutting-edge solutions to the advertiser, and believes in the magic of the idea.  This is ensured by diversity in the employees of the organisation, and helps achieve the multi-dimensional goal of its mission statement. Regular feedback: The employees are given regular feedback from their superiors. This is extremely motivating, as employees feel their work is being marked / noticed. This motivation will lead to better and higher quality output. Further, if any employee is delivering quality that is not appropriate of the TOI standards, the feedback mechanism can bring this to his notice. Hence, regular and comprehensive feedback is a suitable manner of ensuring and sustaining quality of the output-consistently high standards of journalism. Ethics: TOI insists on very high ethical standards. Dodgy and underhand journalistic practises are disallowed and against the organisations culture. This helps maintain the accuracy of the news, as well as ensure its multidimensionality. Because collection of news has been done ethically, accuracy of news is guaranteed. Also, the journalist must speak to all persons involved in the issue, and give a balanced, non biased view. Hence, all dimensions of the issue are considered fairly. Free flow of information within the organisation: Information flows freely in TOI. There are good intra-organisation communication channels, such as the intranet, newsletters, etc. Hence, employees are always kept up-to-date about the managements decisions and imminent changes. This has a positive, binding effect on the organisation, and inculcates a sense of oneness in the employees. Feelings of alienation are averted. This improves the individuals loyalty to the organisation and dedication to their job, which again positively affects the output. Dysfunctional Aspects of culture: Interdepartmental discordance: There seems to be discordance between the different departments of the organisation, especially the business and editorial departments. This is a dysfunctional aspect of the culture, because both need to work together to achieve the best possible output. Both are dependent on each other, and none can work in isolation. Mutual understanding will ensure a more harmonious relationship and overarching organisational unity. Large power distance: The hierarchical structure is fairly rigid. Hence, the lower levels do not interact with the higher levels at all. This can lead to a sense of alienation. The higher-ups may be out of tune with the prevailing problems or mood at the lower organisational level. The large power distance can affect the organisations cohesiveness. Low scope for experimentation: TOI does not really encourage experimentation, preferring that employees play safe and stick to tried-and-tested options. This is an age of change and media explosion. If TOI wants to survive in these times, it is necessary that it inculcate a sense of experimentation and risk taking. This will help it remain the first paper that the reader reads, because even the reader wants novelty and something new. Limited recognition: TOI does not really recognise achievements of its employees formally and publically. Informal feedback and praise by the superiors does happen. But formally, it does not. To motivate employees and get from them the best possible output, it is necessary to recognise them publically as well. Rigidity: Rigidity comes through the prevailing bureaucracy. This acts as a barrier to change. Consistency of behaviour is an asset to an organisation when it faces a stable environment, however it can burden the organisation and make it difficult to respond to changes in the environment. Lower levels are intimidated to make suggestions: Some of the best suggestions in corporate history have come from those in the lower hierarchies, simply because they deal with the paper and the target audience on a direct basis. However, the lower level employees at TOI often feel intimidated to make suggestions to the higher ups, because of the size and history of the organisation. There is no easy, fast-tracked system to make suggestions without going through the hierarchy. This means that the newspaper is not as good as it could be, because there may be some excellent suggestions which have not been heard yet. Role, rather than person oriented culture: Over-emphasis on the role rather that the person performing the role makes the employee less loyal to the organisation. TOI needs to start building better relationships with its employees, so as to retain them. Constant turnover of employees affects the organisations stability and may lead to reduced quality of output. Further, employees motivation levels will be higher if the organisation culture starts focussing on the person as well. Action Plan for change: We have adopted the Kotters eight-step plan for implementing changes and improving the work culture of Times of India by doing away with the dysfunctional aspects of the internal working of the organisation. Step 1: Theres a need to create urgency for change among the employees. People tend to procrastinate and let things be as they are if not made to realize a need for urgent changes. For that, we need to give them a genuine reason that compels them change. As we have listed down in the dysfunctional elements, we need to bring these to the notice of employees to evoke an urge for change in them. Essentially, the employees of TOI need to realise that these are all dysfunctional elements, and the manner in which each of these is having a negative impact on them and well as the entire organisation. This can be done by organising a large meeting of the employees and the management, where the Chairman or any such respected and distinguished individuals lays out the dysfunctional elements and asks for the employees allegiance to organisational change. The Chairman should also outline how times have become very competitive, and that it is only on changing these negatives that the paper will continue to grow from strength to strength. Step 2: One needs to form a coalition with enough power to lead the change. In any real time organization, there would be advocates as well as opponents of change. Hence it becomes important to convince enough people for change that one is able to form a coalition that drives the whole process of change. One person cannot bring about a change; he can only show the direction. Hence, TOI could form a coalition consisting of a cross section of employees, management representatives, etc. These should represent all the various publications, departments and also all hierarchical levels. The coalition should be powerful enough to bring about the change, have respected members so employees believe in it, and also represent all sections of the organisation. By including even lower level employees, the change can be inclusive rather than forced. Step 3: It becomes important to create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for achieving the vision. People need to have a reason to support change. If theres no proper vision that directs the efforts for a change, then its like absence of an aim or goal which people might want to achieve. TOI should outline a new vision-a vision of a functional culture, where the existing dysfunctional elements have been reversed. This vision should be one of optimism and inclusion. It should stress the advantages to all the members of the organisation, as well as the paper itself. The vision should at the same time be specific, realistic, achievable and come with a specific timeline for implementation. Step 4: Only creating a new vision would not help until and unless it is communicated throughout the organisation. All the employees in the organisation should know the reason of so much efforts being put in the process to bring about a certain changes. The vision itself might act as a driving factor for many who wish to see themselves and the organisation at that level sometime in the future. This vision can be communicated through the organisation using verbal communication channels such as speeches, addresses by the management; informally by the superiors to their teams; or through the prevailing intra-organisational communication channels such as the in-house magazine, intranet, e-fliers, etc. The role of informal channels such as the grapevine should not be discounted. Step 5: Empowering others to act on the vision also becomes very important. For this, barriers to change should be removed and risk taking and creative problem solving should be encouraged. Like in the case of TOI, we saw that lower level employees are too intimidated to make any suggestions. Thus, these employees need to be empowered and should be listened to, to make the best of their knowledge. Hence, TOI can organise suggestion boxes, or a fast-track suggestion process whereby the lower level employees can make their views heard. Focus group meetings or participatory sessions with employees can also be conducted, to involve them in the change. All employees should be encouraged to be dynamic, experimentative, build relationships and understand the working of other departments. Step 6: Short term plans should be given as much importance as long term plans. There should be a reward system for short term wins. This helps to reward people at regular intervals and that acts as a motivating factor for more hard work in future. As we saw in case of TOI that the level of experimentation is very low, the employees should be encouraged to experiment more, and in case of any successful results, they should be awarded suitably. Step7: During the change process, it becomes necessary to consolidate the improvements brought about and reassess the effect of changed on the organisation so that necessary adjustments could be made in the new programs. For example, if the changes made in the internal functioning of TOI are focussed on more team works than individual performances, and if the results of that are not those desired or expected, then necessary changes should be brought about as soon as possible so that the organisation does not suffer through any losses. The HR can also hold sessions that involve members of the business and editorial departments, where they can bond and understand each others roles, so as to reduce conflict. To cement the dynamism in the organisation, and to make the higher-level managers more accessible to the lower level employees, mixers and informal sessions can be organised. Step8: It becomes important to reinforce any change that has brought about a success in the organisation. Hence, the new vision of the organisation should be consistently communicated on every occasion. Short term rewards should be complemented with long term rewards. Interview 1 Interview with Pooja Bhaktal, junior copy editor, TOI How long have you been working at TOI? I have been working at TOI for the past eleven months. I joined directly after my graduation; this is my first full-time job. Do you enjoy working at TOI? I do enjoy my work. It is a good place to work because there is a lot of history to the organisation; it is one of Indias oldest and best known papers. If you have a problem or a suggestion, how comfortable are you to approach your seniors? I am quite comfortable approaching my immediate superior, the senior copy editor. However, beyond that, I am not comfortable approaching the higher-ups. To be honest, the interaction with them is also limited. What has your interaction been with your higher-ups? Well, I was interviewed by the editor-in-chief of TOI. Occasionally, I receive mass mails for them, with certain guidelines or instructions for an on-going project. They sit separately from us; they have their own elevator, and even their own dining areas. So meetings are basically chance ones. They do not really mix around at the HR events either. Are your suggestions taken seriously, or even implemented? I have made a few content suggestions to my senior editor, but nothing too big, because I am still fairly new. I think I need to spend some more time and learn many more things before I am in a position to make suggestions. However, if I make a good suggestion, I do think it will be implemented. However, the sheer size and history of the organisation makes it very intimidating for a newcomer. Are there a lot of politics at TOI? Politics are everywhere! But the entire water cooler culture is not as much at TOI. I think that is because the organisation is very open with the employees, so there are not too many rumours or opportunities for speculation. We receive constant updates from HR, have our own intranet, have monthly in-house publications, briefings, etc. Also, promotions are strictly made on basis of experience. The evaluation process also seems very fair to me. Hence, the regular bitching-backstabbing routine does not exist here. Does the organisation encourage you to take risks? Although TOI is trying to change, it is predominantly an old school newspaper. So no, risk taking is not actually part of the culture. We are always encouraged to play safe, even if that may cost u a good opportunity. Does the organisation provide opportunities for employees of different departments to interact? Yes, the HR department often organises events. Recently, we have a New Years party. We also have celebrations for various festivals, an office picnic every six months, outings, joint training programmes, etc. Is there a lot of inter-departmental conflict or distance? The editorial and the business sides of the paper dont get along all that well, to be honest. Nether actually understands the other. The business wants to maximise profit, sell more ad space, put out news that is popular and will sell. The editorial wants to maintain the quality, keep more articles. Obviously there is bound to be regular tension. Even I deal with this on a daily basis. Does TOI encourage team work or individual work? How are assessments done? The stress is on individual work. Everyone has their own tasks and jobs to be done. Most of these are independent of others, even in the same department / editorial section. I cannot talk about the assessment procedure. Is there a fair amount of autonomy? Autonomy is there, it increases as you climb the ladder. No one interferes with your work; the editors are more like guides. You can approach them for help at any time. Once your story has been approved, it is all yours. Collaboration, however, is always available. Does the organisation encourage assertiveness or diplomacy? The focus is on diplomacy. Even if you have a problem with someone, you cannot go tell them directly. It has to be done tactfully. In my opinion, TOI encourages employees to discard their individuality and behave as TOI employees first. Is the organisation people-oriented or job-oriented? I would say job-oriented. It is a highly dynamic industry, people come and go. The jobs are constant. Do you get regular feedback, recognition for achievements, etc? We get annual evaluation reports. The organisation does not really give any other recognition or awards. We get regular feedback from our immediate superiors, and occasionally one level above. Are you a part of decision making processes of the organisation? No, employees, especially at the junior levels, are not involved. Thats because it is a very big organisation. Are you consulted or at least properly inform of changes? We are not consulted, but we are informed, usually in good time before the change happens. We also get relevant details and may approach the HR if we do not understand the change or have any sort of concerns. How important are ethics and morals in the organisation? Are they more important than results? Ethics are very, very important. We have an Ethics Handbook which we must follow at all costs, else risk being fired. This high value on ethics makes the organisation a very good place to work, because we follow the journalistic principles of honesty and integrity in letter and practise. This also translates into our behaviour at the workplace. Interview 2 Interview with Gauri Mane, Editor, Time N Style How long have you been working at TOI? I have been here for about six years, give or take. Do you enjoy working at TOI? I do enjoy working here. Thats why Ive stuck on for so long! There is something very honest about this organisation and what it stands for. There is also a lot of scope for growth and opportunities to learn because it is a huge media conglomerate. If you have a problem or a suggestion, how comfortable are you to approach your seniors? As an editor, it is my right and privilege to make suggestions and highlight issues. Are your suggestions taken seriously, or even implemented? Very often. I recently suggested that the website for my paper be revamped, which was approved by the Editorial board. Does the organisation encourage you to take risks? TOI is not really a risk-taking organisation. We are already established as the number one paper; hence the need to take crazy risks is minimal. Also, if we take a risk and that does not work out, it means that we are in trouble Does the organisation provide opportunities for employees of different departments to interact? Yes, the HR organises many such events that are for mixing and meeting. Is there a lot of inter-departmental conflict or distance? The legendary divide between the editorial and business departments exists too. It is a strange paradox. Both departments want the same objective-the success of TOI. Only the means to achieve them are different. The editorial sells the paper, but the ads sustain the paper. Who is to say which is more important? Sometimes, I feel employees of these two departments do not understand each other, and view each other as competitors rather than collaborators. Does TOI encourage team work or individual work? How are assessments done? Most of the work is individually done, that is simply the nature of the work. Plus, journalists are such free souls with strong, diverse views. Often, it is best to let them work individually. Do you not miss out on the advantages of collaboration? Collaboration also happens. No one can produce a full newspaper alone. It is just that the roles are properly divided. Division of labour, so to speak. Does the organisation encourage assertiveness or diplomacy? Diplomacy. The organisation does not like people who kick up the dust or yell themselves hoarse. There is a method to doing things diplomatically, which should be respected. There is no need to shake up the peace of the organisation. Is the organisation people-oriented or job-oriented? The newspaper industry used to be very people-oriented till the mid 1990s. Now it is job-oriented. People fill jobs, and not the other way around. Hard fact but true. Most of us here are on contract, and not employees for a lifetime. If we get a better opportunity elsewhere, we are free to leave. Of course, we do value the employees a lot! Do you get regular feedback, recognition for achievements, etc? We have our annual appraisals. I make sure I give my team regular feedback. There is no formal, pan-organisational recognition programme really. Are you consulted or at least properly inform of changes? I am consulted if it affects my paper or department. I am also informed of it properly through official channels. How important are ethics and morals in the organisation? Are they more important than results? Ethics are supreme at TOI. We value them above all else. We are a paper of values, morals and ethics. We do not resort to cheap stunts and gimmicks like other papers just for short term wins.

How does this opening prepare the reader for what is to come in the novel? Essay

Throughout the opening chapter of ‘Lord of the Flies’ there are many events which foreshadow later events of the novel. Golding sets the beginning of the novel at the site of the plane rash, the scar. The scar had been ‘smashed’ and had ‘shaken tree trunks’. The boys’ presence on the island has already imprinted the island. It foreshadows the future corruption the boys will make on the previously uninhabited island. There are also hints of the dangerous side of the island. A bird described as a ‘vision of red and yellow’ – nature’s warning colours for danger – sounded a ‘witch-like cry’ The ‘witch-like’ description of the cry foreshadows the ritualistic, savage and tribal state most of the boys will descend to. The potential danger is also shown by the twigs and thorns having ‘scratched’ Piggy. Additionally, the fruit is obviously inedible and causes Piggy ‘pain’, a further demonstration of the island’s ‘bad’ side. This foreshadows the island’s many features that help contribute to the boys’ future: the pigs descending the choir into savage hunters; the rock and cliff edge contributing to Piggy’s death; its location isolating the boys from civilisation. Another event prepared by the opening is Piggy and Ralph’s relationship. The contrast between the two characters is noticeable from the start. Piggy is shown to be rational and intelligent, an incredibly useful trait in the future. Whilst Ralph shows a childish innocence and optimism – ‘He’ll be back’. Ralph originally ignores Piggy; he is ‘obviously uninterested’ in Piggy’s rambles. However, he gradually begins to respond to Piggy’s questions and he ‘looked interested’. This foreshadows how Ralph and Piggy’s friendship will develop in the novel and how Ralph will come to value and appreciate Piggy’s thoughts and contributions. Additionally, Piggy ‘took off his glasses and held them out to Ralph’. This is a significant moment for many reasons. Firstly, it shows the trust already in their friendship; Piggy is reliant on the glasses to see and, without them, would be vulnerable. Secondly, the glasses come to be of great importance in the novel. They are the only piece of help from the outside World and are a necessity for starting the fires which get the boys rescued in the end. Lastly, they symbolise Piggy’s clear-sightedness and insightful thinking which he gives to Ralph in later chapters when he is chief which proves to be invaluable information for Piggy. The line, said by Piggy: â€Å"I can hardly move with all these creepers† Could be a hint towards the littluns misinterpretation of the creepers being the Beast. The creepers restricting Piggy’s movement could be a reference towards how the boys stayed primarily on the beach, the safest and most civilised place, away from the mysterious and potentially dangerous hidden depths of the forest. In conclusion, I think Golding used a range of significant details in the opening of ‘Lord of the Flies’ which are parallels of events which occur in later chapters. This provides an endearing journey with the boys’ life with ‘no grown-ups’ and no impending rules of civilisation.

Business Analysis Part Iii Essay - 1297 Words

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Behaviourist Theory Cognitive Developmental Theory, And...

The theories/approaches established by historical and contemporary pioneers provide valuable insight, underpinning the understanding of how children develop, allowing teachers to enhance the holistic development of every child. This essay will analyse the: behaviourist theory; cognitive-developmental theory; and socio-cultural theory. Behaviourist Theory Behaviourists regard behaviour as a response to a stimulus; pioneering the belief that internal cognitive processes are unnecessary when explaining behaviour. This view is supported by the behaviourist John Locke who proposed that children are born as ‘blank slates’ (‘tabula rasa’) whereby children are shaped by experience (Neaum, 2010). The behaviourist approach assumes that the process of learning is the same in all species; therefore concluding that human and animals learn in similar ways. Early behaviourists include Edward Thorndike, Edward Tolman and Edwin Guthrie conducted experiments on animals, under carefully observed conditions (Collin, 2011). However the three theorists, most associated with behaviourism are: Ivan Pavlov, John Watson and B.F. Skinner. These theorists identified two types of associative learning: classical and operant conditioning; these methods underpin the behaviourist perspective. Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) was a Russian psychologist who inadvertently discovered classical conditioning; a way to view the functioning of the nervous system, this remains his greatest psychological contributionShow MoreRelatedSocio Cultural Theory And Piaget s Cognitive Development Theory1493 Words   |  6 PagesThe two theorists that I have chosen to compare are Vygotsky for his work on the socio-cultural theory and Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory. The socio-cultural theory focuses on how norms, culture, beliefs and values are passed onto the next generation in a society (Berk, 2007). Piaget was the first psychologist to study cognitive development and described his work as genetic epistemology. He was concerned with how essential concepts such as the idea of time, numbers, justice etc. arose (SieglerRead MoreChildren Are Wearing Christmas Hats And Doing Cooking797 Words   |  4 Pagesof childhood so that children are given time and space to participate in different activities and learning. In this imaging of the child, we allow children to participate in cooking which can promote their fine motor skills and cognitive development. From the developmental perspective, cooking is one of the ideal activities that benefit children to engage in as it stimulates all the senses and each area of development (Beaver Brewster, 2002, p.39). In the image, children are using a rolling pinRead MoreExplain the Principal Psychological Perspectives Applied to the Understanding of the Development of Individuals7716 Words   |  31 Pagespsychological perspectives applied to the understanding of the development of individuals * D1 Evaluate the principal psychological perspectives applied to the understanding of the development of individuals There are numerous debates in regards to developmental psychology. One of the main debates to begin with is nature vs nurture; some individuals believe that we are products of our environment while others regards us while others believe that we are products of our genetics. John Locke believes thatRead MoreNormative Development3160 Words   |  13 Pageslaws were devised, and objective and quantitative measurements of isolated variables analysed. Theories of development emerged and have continued throughout history, providing organization, and â€Å"a lens through which researchers can interpret and explain any number of specific facts or observations† (Sigelman amp; Rider, 2012, p. 32). In postulating what is seen as ‘normative’ development, these theories provide a model or map from which science and society are largely influenced. Normative developmentRead MoreThe Main Components Of Language Development981 Words   |  4 Pageslanguage s sound system and the importance of certain sounds for conveying meaning†. Maturationalists state that language occurs when the child has reached biological readiness, unfolding in a predetermined fashion (Fellowes Oakley, 2014, p. 50). Behaviourists believe children learn to understand language through classical conditioning, children learn to associate objects or actions with words within their environment. When repeated, links are formed assisting the association with speech (Fellowes Read MoreThe Processes by Which Genes and Environment Operate Together to Influence Development1597 Words   |  7 Pagesor environment. The British philosopher John Locke (1632 –1704) proposed one of the first theories in the seventeenth century. Locke believed that a child was born with an empty mind, tabula rasa (meaning â€Å"blank slate†) and that everything the child learns comes from experience, nothing is established beforehand. Years later, Charles Darwin (1809 –82) brought forth his theory of evolution, which argued that human behaviour is best understood through knowledge of itsRead MoreTo What Extent Do the ‘Grand Theories’ Discussed in Book 1, Chapter 2 Take Account of the Role of Social Experiences in Child Development?2467 Words   |  10 Pageswhat extent do the ‘grand theories’ discussed in Book 1, Chapter 2 take account of the role of social experiences in child development? Ask any parent about their child’s development, and they’ll often talk about speech and language development, gross motor skills or even physical growth. But a child’s social development—her ability to interact with other children and adults—is a critical piece of the development puzzle. Children’s Development is a social and cultural as well as a biologicalRead MoreInclusion Of Children With Disabilities1979 Words   |  8 Pagesaffected by the way we approach our working lives with the children, the community and the families. Many educators have their own theories, some will be based by Montessori (Developmental), Piaget and Vygotsky (Psychosocial Developmental), Steiner (Developmental), Bowlby, Erikson (Cognitive) Bronfenbrenner (Socio-cultural), Rogoff (Socio-Cultural), Skinner (Socio-Behaviourist), Habermas (Critical) or Focault (Post-Structuralist). All of the mentioned above theorists have a different outlook or meaningRead MoreLiteracy Is The Foundation Of Every Student s Learning Essay1956 Words   |  8 Pages comprehensive, integrated, and dynamic, in that it empowers teachers and specialists to respond to the individual assessed literacy needs of children as they relate to their appropriate instructional developmental levels of decoding, vocabu lary, reading comprehension, motivation and socio-cultural acquisition, with the purpose of learning to read for meaning, understanding and joy (as cited in Nugent, Gannon, Mullan O’Rourke, 2015, p. 9). A balanced literacy approach to reading requires that studentsRead MoreFirst Relationships Essay1804 Words   |  8 Pagesinfant. Meshing can be seen to have strong links with behaviourism because of the influence of the environment. The mother reinforces and the child’s actions are rewarded, praised and encouraged to some extent and this is a major theory of behaviourism. Behaviourism sees the importance of the child being tutored as in meshing when the mother tutors her child. Although behaviourism does not explain the internal processes of learning on the part of the child’s own interpretation

Essay on Book Report for Rifleman Dodd - 956 Words

1 BOOK REPORT Name: Smith, Stephen Grade: LCpl Date: Section: . Book Title: Rifleman Dodd Author: C.S. Forester Why I chose this book: Originally this book was given to me by on of my combat instructors in Marine Combat Training(MCT). I wanted to read it but soon found it impossible due to certain time constraints. I lost the book during the transition from M.O.S. school to my current residence. Just recently, I obtained another copy of this book from a fellow Marine who currently works in the same shop. Give a brief description about this book: â€Å"Rifleman Dodd† is a novel written on the account of a certain British foot soldier of the â€Å"Ninety-Fifth Foot† named Matthew Dodd who encounters†¦show more content†¦While sabotaging the city he was able to sneak through its gates undetected and set fire to the bridges ropes. Tactical lessons learned from this book: A few of the tactical lessons I learned from rifleman Matthew Dodd include proper concealment, guerrilla warfare-like maneuvers, keeping a safe distance from enemy forces, absolute military bearing, and choosing your targets wisely, as well as, knowing when to fire at those targets. Furthermore, Dodd was very successful with remaining undetected at opportune moments, as well as, knowing exactly when to increase the distance from the enemy. What impressed me most was his ability to successfully communicate with allied forces who didnt necessarily speak his language. He used hand and arm signals to pantomime and gesture what it was he was trying to get across to his comrades. This trait would definitely fall under adaptability. Leadership lessons learned from this book: Dodd, as well as the French, possessed some good leadership skills which could easily be learned from. First of all, Dodd was capable of leading the Portuguese rebels when he was English-speaking and they knew only Portuguese. He used the correct body signals to instruct his fellow comrades besides the fact that they had such a huge language barrier. He was meticulous in his planning making, even when there was only a split second to decide. Dodd posted sentries even when his troops were in no

Irish Proverbs Free Essays

Studying proverbs from different cultures can help us understand the similarities and differences of other cultures compared to our own. The proverbs of some different cultures can be used to illustrate the differences between cultures. Whether called maxims, cliches, idioms, expressions or sayings, proverbs are small statements of general truths about people’s values and beliefs, which may be applied to common situations. We will write a custom essay sample on Irish Proverbs or any similar topic only for you Order Now Values like ambition, virtue, generosity, patience, etc, are addressed in sayings in almost every culture.Still each culture have proverbs that are unique to it. The saying, â€Å"If you want to know a people, know their proverbs†, illustrates this. From this we can decipher that when it comes to understanding a culture even better, knowing their proverbs are likely to be quite helpful, because most of these proverbs are generated from different aspects of that particular culture. For this paper, I have chosen to take a good look at some Irish proverbs and investigate a bit on each of them with the purpose of trying to find out as to what part of their culture have inspired each of the proverbs.Irish sayings and proverbs were based on the reality of the peoples lives, no more so than in any culture. Before going any further though, it is crucial to have a some idea on the Irish language itself. Irish (Gaeilge) is a Goidelic language, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language but only by a small minority of the Irish population but is also used as a second language by a larger and expanding minority. The first proverb, that will be discussed now, relate to Ireland ’s weather which is usually damp, cold and very windy. Thus, it can be understood as to why so many proverbs were inspired in relation to their chilly weather. One such proverb is, â€Å"Gaoth na scratai Bothair†, which can be translated to, â€Å"The wind of a thousand chills†. This basically means that Ireland’s weather is not only very windy but the wind itself is very cold. Very often the Irish way of saying things seem to be about animals and birds, but in reality they are actually an observation on human characteristics or nature. For example there are many Irish expressions that describe character traits.One such proverb is as follows, â€Å"Breeding will break out in the eyes of a cat†, which means, â€Å"The true nature of somebody’s character is revealed through their eyes†. Some of other examples include, â€Å"One beetle recognizes another† which means that ‘it takes one to know one’ , or, â€Å"As the old cock crows the young cock learns† which means Ã¢â‚¬Ë œthe son always learns from the father’. The Irish people love to drink and enjoy themselves a lot. It has been a part of their culture for a very long time. Thus a lot of proverbs were developed over the years, that features the nature of their drinking.For example, the proverb â€Å"When the drink is in, the sense is out. â€Å", gives us an understanding of how much Irish people love to drink, because as the proverb suggests, once they start drinking they keep on drinking till they are senseless. Other examples related to drinking include, â€Å"When the drink was gone the fun was gone† shows how to the Irish having fun is directly proportional to their drinking habit, or â€Å"It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for†, again indicates their love for drinking but they are usually not happy with the consequences of to much drinking, etc.When comes to work or job related issues, the Irish have derived many proverbs involving that too, since work is very important to them. For example, the proverb â€Å"A good start is half the work†, which means, when a person starts a job with great enthusiasm and actually starts it well, that person has a good chance of doing the full job well too. Some more examples include, â€Å"A bit of hard work never killed anyone,† which suggests how much the Irish believe in hard work, or, â€Å"A lazy man’s best day is tomorrow†, which is directed towards people who are least interested in work and who just love to be a procrastinator when it comes to any job.The Irish hate this kind of people. The last example that I will highlight in relation to Irish proverbs are proverbs that relate to death. One such example include, â€Å"Death is in front of an old person and at the young person’s back†, which means that when it comes to death it is more evident for an old person than for a young person. Some other related examples include, â€Å"When death comes it will not go away emptyâ € , meaning that nobody can escape death, or â€Å"Many a day we shall rest in clay†, meaning that some day we all have to face death and also accept the fact that then, after our death, we will be surrounded by clay in our graves.Thus, from all the above examples, we can now understand how proverbs can help us to have a general idea about any culture in terms of people’s values and beliefs, about certain topics, which include, virtue, work, people’s character traits, etc. Sharing these proverbs can be one way of learning about other cultures – their similarities and differences compared to our own. Through this sharing we can reinforce these similarities and differences of people everywhere. How to cite Irish Proverbs, Papers

Purchasing Management Click to Get Sample Report

Question: Write a report about the purchasing management. Answer: Introduction: The study shows the conceptualization of the various techniques used in purchasing management. The discussions of the report involves the process of selection of the suppliers and relative sourcing of the suppliers such as single, multiple, local and overseas sources. The study further shows the details of the purchasing costs involved in the project and implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) for the purpose of managing activities related to purchasing operations. The study shows the justification of the order cycle of the customers and supplier selection criteria The organization selected for the purpose of study is Rolls-Royce Limited. The company is known for its elite class of British car models. The company later on started with the manufacturing of aero plane engines. The main operating areas of the company lies in civil defense, power systems and areas related to nuclear resources. Due to presence of wide variety of segments of the company, suppliers need to cope up with the variety of requirements of the company. The supply chain division of Rolls-Royce buys various commodities such as combustion and casings, compressors, turbines, corporate service and facilities management. The supplier of the company is based on the most potential individuals who engage themselves in fair trade policies along with transparent selection of the manufacturing parts. The company also engages in issuing notice to the suppliers regarding fair trade policies related to prevention of counterfeit parts into its products. The marine supply chain of the compan y is based on offshore supply service. Rolls-Royce is known for manufacturing one of a kind engine used in its Olympus and Concorde models. The primal competitor of the company is General Electric which is leading the market due to the cost effectiveness, efficiency and speed in their car models. Some of the other competitors of the company include UTC aerospace, Honeywell and Pratt Whitney. The goals and vision of the company is to provide the most advanced technological solutions in air as well as sea (The Rolls-Royce Story. 2016). Selection criteria of the suppliers According to Chai Ngai (2013), a company selects the suppliers based on the following criteria: Identification Process: This stage involves the preparing the list of potential suppliers. Performance assessment: The next stage followed by identification of the suppliers is based on the comparison of the available suppliers and selection of the potential supplier based on the information gathered. Approving the suppliers: This factor identifies the suppliers which are appropriate to take the orders. The sourcing of the eligible suppliers of the company is based on the nature of commodity which is being ordered as per requirement. Surveillance: The real time surveillance of the activities of the suppliers ensures improvement in the performance level. The rating system top select the suppliers is based on scorecard. An example of vendor scorecard and criteria for selection of the suppliers has been shown below as follows: Scorecard Dimension Explanation Weight A 100% B 75% C 50% D 25% F 0% Vendor Scores Costs/Pricing 30% 18% Terms of payment Vendor ranked based on terms of payment 15% B Pricing of products Comparing the pricing based on alternatives 10% 3.5% Less Than Average Average +/- 1.5% 3.5% More than Average 6% More Than Average 11% More Than Average C Pricing Metric Cost/Pricing 5% D Supply Chain 30% 17% Weighted Average Lead Time Duration from point of acceptance 15% D Response time of email for purchasing Time to respond to the emails 3% A Communication Quality - Purchasing Quality communication through mail 3% Clear Communication Moderate understanding of the responses Response difficult to understand A Flexibility Accommodation of additional business request 3% Ease of handling Special requests Moderate handling of special requests Special request not accepted C Late Orders Late purchase orders 6% 0 1+ A Quality 20% 10% QC Issues Definition of QC Issues Metric 10% A Quality Metric 2 Definition of Quality Metric 2 10% F Product Development 20% 17% PD Metric 1 PD Explanation 1 10% A PD Metric 2 PD Explanation 2 5% B PD Metric 3 PD Explanation 3 5% B Total 100% 62% Supplier Risk and implication on value The high risks are associated with the unique requirements of the products, irregular availability of the same are essential. The technology level of the supplier acts as a bottleneck to the company. The risk of storage of materials is also a matter of concern. According to Heese (2015), based on the variety of products of the company in several departments it will be most appropriate to select multiple sourcing of the suppliers. This form of sourcing is considered to be less risky and assures a continuous flow of the supply of required materials. This particular form of practice will ensure that multiple suppliers are dealt efficiently thereby avoiding the dependence on a single customer. Multiple sourcing also offers greater flexibility in terms of volume ordered for supply. As Rolls-Royce requires the products to be prepared for different segments, this form of sourcing ensures availability of core raw materials for the unique requirements. The new entrants in the supply market are given an opportunity with this particular form of sourcing (Dotoli Falagario 2012). Karljic Model The Kraljic matrix is a useful tool for making purchasing decision based on strategic positioning. The purchasing portfolio based on the Kraljic matrix is shown below as follows: Figure 1 Source: B.V. (2016) Purchasing goals and Internet communication technology The purchasing goals of Rolls-Royce are based on the best industry practice. The purchasing operations are worked together in global teams. The purchasing team ensures that the values are not compromising on the quality aspect. In order to effectively deliver the values, the company spends billions for the service and quality aspect. Rolls-Royce puts an augmented focus on the economic forces abiding the market before placing purchasing orders. The strategies are aimed to focus on a lean supply chain solution with significantly reducing the waste and adaptation of the most advanced technologies to stay cost competitive throughout the supply chain process (Purchasing, 2016). The process of communication at various levels of the purchasing decisions is driven by the Internet communication technology (ICT). The importance of ICT is due to three main factors. The first being it allows the companies to exchange important information with the trading partners in a foster and easier way than the traditional means of media. The second most important aspect of ICT has been seen in the cost-effectiveness of electronically enabled communication techniques such as facts and electronic data interchange. The aforementioned technology also allows the company to customize the availability of information that is relevant to the specific trading partners. This allows the trading partners to obtain the most relevant knowledge on the computer systems (Prajogo Olhager 2012). The Internet communication model to facilitate the purchasing performance has been shown below as follows: Figure 2: Internet Communication Model (Source: Bascand, 2013) According to Wisner Leong (2015), the use of Internet communications technology for the purpose of effective supply-chain management in Rolls-Royce the participants involved in the purchasing decision can effectively communicate about the orders. It is considered as more convenient, cheaper and the trading partners can shared the real-time information without mentioning about specific time, date and type of information shared between them. The use of Internet communications technology in Rolls-Royce important integrated the various supply chain activities through enterprise resource planning, customer relationship manager and supply relationship model (Sharif et al., 2013). As discussed by Prajogo Olhager (2012), the enterprise resource planning refers to the amalgamation of the various departments of the supply chain such as procurement of raw materials, purchasing, planning and vendor sourcing. With ICT the aforementioned activities becomes not only easier to implement but also monitor the same. Hence managing of resources, operations, logistics and customers requires immediate access to data and information that only information technology can offer. Supply-chain of Rolls-Royce needs to meet the challenges of the present and future. Some of the important aspects of supply-chain decisions influence the sustainability, consumer safety, and supply chain security, legal and ethical behaviors. These are not only expected or demanded by consumers and the government worldwide, these are the factors which can only be effectively managed, monitored and realized through effective use of Internet communication technology. Even at the lowest levels of Rolls-Roy ce the individual supply-chain managers are tested for measuring performance, improving supply chain visibility and managing relationships with the vendors are dependent on the information technology. Therefore it is crucial for the company to maintain a healthy relationship with the information technology department of Rolls-Royce for making the supply-chain more responsive globally. The most important aspect of the Internet communication technology is related to the fact that ensures the company to make the fastest purchasing decisions (Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons 2013). Cost analysis Total cost ownership Cost analysis of the company is done with various cost management tools. Total cost ownership (TCO) is one such concept which can identify the several costs related issues. This allows the company to know about the requirements of the cost involved in the supply chain activities. This approach of costing not only considers the purchasing price but it also includes cost related inbound transportation, follow-up, administrative expenses and expediting. it also takes into consideration cost related to inspection and testing of the raw materials before it arrives for assembling. Several other factors such as downtime, storage, warranty, customer returns and service cost is also estimated in this particular approach. The main objective of the total cost of ownership is not only to compare the prices but it also determines areas to minimize the cost and lowering the cost of each cost element as much as possible (Monczka et al., 2015). According to this model the total cost of ownership is only a part associated procuring a service. The major focus of this approach is to identify those costs, which directly affect the decision-making process in the supply-chain activities. Hence, this particular model is applicable to highlight the cost reduction opportunities and improve the evaluation and selection criteria of the suppliers (Al-Alawi Bradley, 2013). Activity-based costing This particular costing system is most appropriate for meeting the costing requirements of the diversified segments existing in Rolls-Royce. The traditional approach of cost accounting ideally considers only the direct costs, which are associated to the actual expenditures. Activity-based costing method identifies the cost drivers for the various indirect costs and tries to translate them into direct costs. The main challenge of this approach lies in identification of the various indirect costs and putting them into cost activity pool of the cost drivers. The manufacturing costs of the company are segregated costs, which respond to the changes in unit level activities i.e. changes based on the quantity produced. It also comprises of the batch level activities which are directly related to total number of batches of the units produced. Lastly the manufacturing overhead takes into account the product level activities, which proved to be beneficial for all the units of the equipments (S chulze Ewering, 2012). The models of activity-based costing based on the transformation process of the various indirect costs are shown below as follows: Figure 3: Activity Based Costing (Source: Activity Based Costing Knowledge Beyond, 2016) Activity-based costing can be beneficial for facilitating a better marketing mix, accurate prediction of costs, tracks the requirement based on the changes in quantity produced, changes in cost due to organizational structure and identifying the cost activities of the different work processes. This particular method of costing is often useful to know the reason behind poor financial performance of an organization (Mansor et al. 2012). Conclusion The purchasing activity discussed in this report has a critical role for achieving a sustainable future for Rolls-Royce limited. The ease of procurement and selection of suppliers will ensure that the organization is able to achieve the best manufacturing process in the car making industry. Due to the variety in the services and strategic considerations multiple sourcing is best suited to meet the procurement goals. From the various findings of this can be stated that the sourcing criteria of the company gives a major focus on the quality of the parts used in its manufacturing process. Internet communication and technology can further enhance the decision-making process the purchasing operations. The advent of advanced technologies such as RFID tags and GPS tracking system ensures a real-time communication with the suppliers and electronically monitor the enterprise resources. The cost analysis section of the report considers two major costing tools. The total cost of ownership appro ach is not only useful track the opportunities for cost reduction but also aids the selection criteria of the suppliers. The activity-based costing ensures the appropriate translation of the indirect expenses of the various supply chain costs thereby providing a fair cost analysis. Reference list Activity Based Costing | Knowledge Beyond. (2016). Knowledge Beyond. Retrieved 11 June 2016, Al-Alawi, B. M., Bradley, T. H. (2013). Total cost of ownership, payback, and consumer preference modeling of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Applied Energy, 103, 488-506. Bascand, G. (2013). Household use of information and communication technology: 2012. B.V. (2016). Kraljic Model - Knowledge Center. 12manage.com. Retrieved 11 June 2016, Chai, J., Liu, J. N., Ngai, E. W. (2013). Application of decision-making techniques in supplier selection: A systematic review of literature. Expert Systems with Applications, 40(10), 3872-3885. Dotoli, M., Falagario, M. (2012). A hierarchical model for optimal supplier selection in multiple sourcing contexts. International Journal of Production Research, 50(11), 2953-2967. Fitzsimmons, J., Fitzsimmons, M. (2013). Service management: Operations, strategy, information technology. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Heese, H. S. (2015). Single versus multiple sourcing and the evolution of bargaining positions. Omega, 54, 125-133. Mansor, N. N. A., Tayles, M., Pike, R. (2012). Information Usefulness and Usage in Business Decision-Making: An Activity-Based Costing (ABC) Perspective. International Journal of Management, 29(1), 19. Monczka, R., Handfield, R., Giunipero, L., Patterson, J. (2015). Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Prajogo, D., Olhager, J. (2012). Supply chain integration and performance: The effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration. International Journal of Production Economics, 135(1), 514-522. Prajogo, D., Olhager, J. (2012). Supply chain integration and performance: The effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration. International Journal of Production Economics, 135(1), 514-522. Purchasing. (2016). Rolls-royce.com. Retrieved 10 June 2016, Schulze, M., Seuring, S., Ewering, C. (2012). Applying activity-based costing in a supply chain environment. International Journal of Production Economics, 135(2), 716-725. Sharif, A. M., Alshawi, S., Kamal, M. M., Eldabi, T., Mazhar, A. (2013). Exploring the role of supplier relationship management for sustainable operations: an OR perspective. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 65(6), 963-978. The Rolls-Royce Story. (2016). Rolls-roycemotorcars.com. Retrieved 10 June 2016, Wisner, J., Tan, K. C., Leong, G. (2015). Principles of supply chain management: a balanced approach. Cengage Learning.