Leadership and Ethics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership and Ethics - Coursework Example The integrated model provides numerous benefits to major organizations. The transformational model applies in departments that have a high level of communication. In this model, the leaders encourage their employees to enhance their productivity as well as their efficiency in production through communication of tasks to be performed and thereafter providing rewards when they accomplish the set goals. The rewards take the form of bonuses, salary increments. Alternatively, when employees fail to meet their goals they are given lenient punishments (Starratt, 2004). The leadership style often requires full participation of all levels of management to ensure success. The top management is in charge of decision-making and policy formation. The middle and lower level management are in charge of providing necessary recommendations to top management to facilitate decision-making. Moreover, they are in charge of training employees, evaluating employee performance and correcting any production problems. In most cases, the low level management delegates authority to employees as well as group employees into production teams to evaluate their group performance (Walter, 2009). Ultimately, the leadership style focuses on organizational goals and delegation of small tasks employee group leaders to accomplish them. Successful organizations have therefore integrated sustainable excellence in their business strategies. Most successful leadership policies have implemented the V model in developing internal sytsems. In this regard, the organization focuses on p roduct/project life cycle where results are obtained during the product development. This involves integrating the project definition and project testing and implementation within limited time. Project definition involves conception of operations, identification of project requirements and

Music and Movement (one full page reflection) Essay

Music and Movement (one full page reflection) - Essay Example The transition from static to dynamic balance should be gradual. Likewise, the transition from independent balancing to balancing with objects should be staged. Once a child has gained perfection in stationary balance, only then he/she should be made to practice balancing with rubber rings. Finally, practices with unstable equipments should commence. To make the session all the more interesting for the children, songs with good beat must be played. Songs that qualify include but are not limited to Everybody Dance, I’m a Little Tea Pot and Incy Wincy Spider. The child’s skill should be judged by testing his/her balancing on different levels, places and positions. Music and movement is a wonderful session for the cognitive, social, emotional and physical development of children. This activity â€Å"incorporates many basic math skills, including matching and comparing; patterning and sequencing; and counting and addition. When you add moving to the beat, you involve both body and mind† (Church, 2001). Such exercise helps the brain grow. Movement and learning are processes together in the same part of the brain. It increases the flow of blood and oxygenates the brain. This, in turn, enlightens the mood and makes an individual agile and active and enhances his/her social, emotional, physical and cognitive

Innovation and Design Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Innovation and Design Management - Case Study Example Required Capabilities for International Launch Developing a decentralized model for costing similar to a "in-country" model. Access multiple markets by developing a strong public relations and customer connect campaigns through effective training and promotional strategy. Comply with requirements pertaining to sales, quality assurance and marketing in an international scenario to attract larger customer base. Proactive plan for conducting press tours in multiple languages, seminars on the specific product features of Lazy-Dizzy tooth brush by effective product presentations and training sessions Conduct continuous tests to ensure the quality of the product and establish distribution channels for easy availability of the product. Key Resources Content developers for promotional campaign in international languages. Distributors and franchisees for effective sales Product experts for effective manufacturing of the Lazy-dizzy tooth brush. Recruitment professionals and advertisers for staffing and marketing. Competent Sales force and business development professionals Effective Communication experts using latest technologies Voice of the customer as feedback Key obstacles Competition Due to the changing customer preferences on tooth brush design, the competitor toothbrush companies are especially eager to put promising innovative designs onto store shelves as quickly as possible. Competitors offer tooth brush at minimum price to attract customer base with a less profit margin. International Product Launch The major challenge in an international product launch is to ensure that the performance of current product is rated as an accurate product. Another challenge is to provide... It is observed that there has been a drastic increase in the usage of power operated toothbrushes as the customers prefer to swift from traditional tooth brush which is operated manually. This justifies that there is scope of attractive and developing market for the innovative design of Lazy -Dizzy tooth brush. Lazy-Dizzy toothbrush designs allows for an option that sets the power of the brushing action of the brush to either a "high" or "low" level. In most cases the effectiveness of the brush will be greatest when it is set to its higher setting.

Brave new world Essay Example for Free

Brave new world Essay Lenina, Foster and the Director all have been pre-conditioned to think of themselves better and more intelligent than Betas, Delta, Gammas, and Epsilons, as do all Alphas. And with good reason as Alphas are pre-conditioned to be more intellectual and socially better. This portrays a capitalist society with the different classes. Huxley deriving from an upper-middle class family this is understandable. In contrast to 1984, everybody is relatively the same. Proles and Party members are all treated the same and are regulated with telescreens and thought police moving amongst them. The views of Orwell have been diffused into the subject matter of 1984 as well as Huxleys into BNW, the difference and contrast being their views. Huxleys views of a class system and Orwell views that a socialist Britain was going to develop in light of Soviet Russia. When further comparing the authors style and subject matter of thinking for their characters, it is clear that they share relatively the same principles. Orwells language and style shows that the Party members and proles are sub-consciously trained to believe the ideals of the Party by propaganda. Posters, the two-minute hate, books, songs and newspapers all enforce the Party ideals and the people believe them for they have no other principles or ideals with which to compare. They assume that the Party is right in what it says. This refers back to the proles not having an individual consciousness away from party principles, as stated by Winston in the extract. Their thinking is basic and un-intellectual. Similarly, the thinking process in BNW is a result from training and conditioning. This time people are taught in their sleep (again sub-consciously like in 1984) what to think and what ideals/principles to hold. Their thinking is mechanic and standardised which holds parallels with the mechanic factories they were produced in. Again it is the case of two different methods producing the same result. The subject matter of the BNW extract shows humour which 1984 does not. The fact and process that leads to the Rocket Engineers only ever being truly happy when standing on their heads and that Decanting trauma can occur in comparison with real life birth trauma. Both of these examples from the extract are illustrations of the humour that Huxley injects into the novel at several intervals. With 1984 there are no humorous comments at all and so the subject matter keeps, at all times, an air of seriousness, whereas with BNW this air of seriousness, as a revolutionary novel, is broken from time to time by the humour. A main contrast that the two extracts highlight is the ideal of what both worlds are striving towards and are. In 1984 Winston describes the Partys ultimate aim as; The ideal set up by the Party was something huge, terrible and glittering a world of steel and concrete, of monstrous machines a nation All thinking the same thoughts, shouting the same slogans, perpetually working, fighting, triumphing and persecuting three hundred million people all with the same face. This holds extreme parallels to the world that Huxley creates in Brave New World. A world where everyone has the same face paralleling with the mass producing of people that all look alike; shouting the same slogans, paralleling with the sleep taught sayings that everyone has a version of, whether youre an Alpha or Epsilon, a world of steel and concrete paralleling with the vast huge cities of BNW. It seems that 1984 is a world where a government is attempting to change the past and achieve a different world, whereas BNW is a world proud of its past and of sustaining its world. The two are exact opposites; BNW being what the Party is trying to create. The importance of the two extracts in the novels is high in that they are meant to shock the reader. Huxleys description of the manufacturing of people and Orwells description of a world that controls everything (even the past) and makes its people think whatever they like. Both extracts create a world in which the story is allowed to develop, they are the soil from which the seed is meant to grow. The 1984 extract has an added level to its importance as it shows that already Winston is part of the undead. It shows that Winston is doing exactly what hes not supposed to be and that if/when he is caught, the Party have got grounds on which to vaporise him. It shows the re-occurring principle in the novel that death is certain, and life is not. It shows that any chance of Orwells world changing, the Party being overthrown, is non-existent as any chance must lie in the proles but: Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious. This parallels with BNW as no-one there either wishes to change things, as they are content with their current life. Both extracts create these two worlds of unimaginable oppression whether its inhabitants realise it or not and the theme that runs throughout the comparison of the two novels and extracts is the same; that Orwell and Huxley both achieve relatively the same thing through different methods. They both achieve worlds of oppression and shock simply through different actual environments; as they did with making it that everyone thinks what the authorities wants them to think and that they have no interest in challenging this or any other aspect of their world. This being the case and both authors creating these future worlds of shock and astonishment are vital to the novels as this is what makes the novels so revolutionary for their time.

Body as a form of capital

Body as a form of capital Baudrillard writes that Beauty is such an absolute imperative because its a form of capital (1998: 132). Analyze the role of the body as a form of capital (addressing the specific practices and implications) with reference to one particular form of body work (e.g. an occupation, a consumer practice e.t.c). This essay would focus on the body form of a bodybuilder as a form of capital. Bodybuilding being a form of capital is said to add value to an individuals body. This value could be economic, social, cultural and symbolic (Bourdieu 1986). Physical capital is most usually converted into economic capital (money, goods, services), cultural [for example] education and social capital (social networks which enable reciprocal calls to be made on the goods and services of its members) (Bourdieu 1978, 1984, 1986) in Shilling 2003, p. 111. Our conception of beauty is shaped by the media. Bourdieus analysis of the body involves an examination of the multiple ways in which the body has become commodified in modern societies in Shilling 2003, p. 111. This is why Bourdieus theory of social reproduction would be used intensively to explain why Baudrillard wrote that beauty is such an absolute imperative because its a form of capital (1998: 132). This would be done in relation to Bourdieus physical capital to the body. It was stated by Bourdieu that This refers not only to the bodys implication in the buying and selling of labour power but to the methods by which the body has become a more comprehensive form of body capital; a possessor of power, status, distinctive symbolic forms. (In Shilling 2003, p. 111). So in relation to bodybuilder the practices of the bodybuilder would be taken into account, e.g drug taking to enhance the muscles and the implications of such behavior. Beauty is an absolute essential in our society; it allows for individuals to feel really confident with themselves and hopefully in their endeavors to be able achieve success, as in our current environment greater emphasis is placed on peoples physical appearances. This could make a huge difference between failure and success. This aspect can be linked to Marchands parable of the first impression, which states first impressions brought about immediate success or failureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the reason one man gained a promotion or one woman suffered a social snub had become less explicable grounds of long-standing favoritism or family feuds (1985, p. 217). This could be related to bodybuilding as if one is not muscular enough; they might not enter for a show or competition. This idea of presenting ones self in an acceptable manner in a bodybuilding sector of society would have made individuals feel good and helped increase their self esteem amongst their peers thus ensuring happiness; this could hence be linked to the social capital as they would gain increased connections. The implication and practices of being a bodybuilder would most probably be the idea that they are trying to make themselves feel confident in the body they are in. The ideal of feeling confident could be said to be on a personal level, on an economic level for these bodybuilders, they would be able earn money, earn a living for what they do. And on a social capital level, they would be able to earn a status amongst their peers because according to Klein image is everything (1993, p. 3) and that the goals of competitive bodybuilders are not simply to be champions but to become Mr. Olympias and Mr. Universe (Ibid, p. 3). This could also link to the symbolic capital. Contributors to the recently established sociology of the body (e.g. Nettleton and Watson 1998, Shilling 1993) reference Giddens (1991) when contextualizing a burgeoning social scientific interest in bodily matter. According to Giddens, contemporary society (what he terms high or late modernity) is a post traditional order where the self, like the broader institutional context in which it exists, has to be reflexively made (1991: 3) in Monaghan 1993, p. 4. So in relation to the body builders it could be suggested to what Monaghan calls striving to create the perfect body (1999a in Monaghan 1999, p. 708). So in the case of the bodybuilders, they practice using body enhancement medication so that they could work and reach that potential. This can be illustrated again by Monaghan bodybuilding, a project like activity (Bloor et al 1998) adopted by the denizens of the late modernity, represents one choice (among many) for sustaining a coherent narrative of self (Giddens 1991). It can be a rgued that in a post traditional world there is confusion, as science has taken over traditional authority, so it can be argued that bodybuilders take risks. It was stated by Monaghan that bodybuilders who are steroid users, are engaging in chemical, not just social constructions (Bloor et al 1998: 41); hence the beneficial possibilities of science and technology become double edged, creating new parameters for risk (1999, p. 726). Advertising is said to have given rise to why so much importance is placed on the human body. It has always proposed the idea that it can fix any imperfection of the body and that such solutions are available to anyone who is ready. This can be related to Marchands Democracy of goods. Maguire Stanway stated images of ideal bodies seem to be very important in contemporary society (2008: 1). This is why Liess et al 1997: 7 argued that advertising is one of the great vehicles of social communication and Williams [1961] 1993:321 stated that advertising is an institutionalized system of commercial information and persuasion. This may be why it was suggested by Hitzler 1988 that the individual has to recognize and acknowledge the body and self as flawed, inadequate or at least incomplete, and identifying areas for transformation and the appropriate tools, practices and experts to perform that work. The self, in other words, becomes a do-it-yourself project (in Beck and Beck-Gernsheim, 200 2: 3). Consequently, the advertizing system dictates to society what the body should look like. The implication of a bodybuilder, it is the idea of the drug taking. They do not think of the negative consequences that these drugs would have overall on their wellbeing. That is why Giddens argues that the conditions of late modernity have important implication for psychic processes as well as the body. The reflexivity of the self extends to the body, where the body is part of an action system rather than merely a passive object (Giddens 1991: 77) For him the body is reflexively mobilised, available to be worked upon by the influences of high modernity (1991: 218) in Monaghan 1993, p. 5.The advertising system needs conforming/passive individuals so as to achieve their goals. They look for the weaknesses that individuals dread on and use that to their advantage, and those who conform not would most probably not achieve their potential goals. The advertising system makes it a norm that pe oples body is meant to look a certain way, and if you dont look that way that which the system proposes, then the individual would be picked on. With advertising practices constantly being portrayed to the public and the increasing idea given to the public that they can fix whatever faults they have on their body. The more likely individuals are exposed to these ideas, the more they are to succumb to this culture of paying so much attention on their body. Consequently be looked on as being self obsessed. Laschs book called The culture of narcissism describes the major changes that occurred in the 1970s explained by Cashmore 2006: 101, It describes the apotheosis of individualism, in which self centered feeling or conduct reached its highest state of development. After the turbulent 1960s in which people all over the world challenged and subverted traditional ideals, values, and norms [] Their rebellious efforts changed hearts and minds, but not the material facts. So, they retreated to purely personal pre-occupation, according to Lasch, getting in touch with their feeling, eating health food, taking lessons in ballet or belly dancing [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]overcoming the fear of pleasure. (1980:4) Thus advertising and marketing would constantly be producing the tools for reshaping appearances (Maguire Stanway 2008: PAGE). In the context of bodybuilding, these tools could be the use of drugs/steroids to make their muscles bigger. Bloor et al. 1998 Bodybuilding, perhaps more so than others athletic pursuit, is a socio-cultural environment which normalises the instrumental use (as opposed to abuse) of steroids and accessory drugs (Monaghan 1999, p. 707). Moreover, the implication of bodybuilders would continually change their body so as to continually fit with what the bodybuilding system and advertising has in trend as a result fit in society and feel a sense of belonging. This can be further illustrated by Arnold and Price who stated that the second mode of self-making is the authoritative performance in which feeling of community, acceptance and belonging arise from shared participation or shared rituals (20 00: 155 cited in Maguire Stanway 2008, p. 9). This could be related to the related to the symbolic and the economic capital. The symbolic capital in the sense that society accepts bodybuilders using drug so, when these individuals achieve that body, they would be more likely to get jobs so, it works in a two way advantage, they get the job they want (economic capital) and the bodybuilding industry get the labour that they pay for. In contemporary society, greater emphasis has being placed on the body as well as beauty and being beautiful as its seen as part of forming ones identity. This can be illustrated by Shilling (2003) who argued that there is tendency for the body to become increasingly central to the modern persons sense of self-identity. People are starting to think more and be concerned of how others view and perceive them. This could be said that their body is for other to gaze at it, an example could be given from Pumping Iron 2: The women, the scene at 3 minutes 07 seconds where they all had to show off their body, to an admiring audience who were all applauding. This could be related to the narcissistic self as Cashmore stated the narcissist depends on others to validate his self esteem, observed Lasch. He cannot live without an admiring audience à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ for the narcissist, the world is a mirror (1980: 10 in Cashmore 2006, p. 102). This could be said to a certain extent that these bodybui lders need society to approve of their body. They want their body to be adored. The act of thinking of ones body on how people perceive them could be said to link to the other directed self. (WHICH LINKS TO PARABLE OF FIRST IMPRESSION (EWEN 1999, MARCHAND 1985) this could link to the body form of body builder in the sense that the first impression that one gets from them is that they are very strong. Woodward further stated that one only has to think of the rewards received by professional sports people across the world, to see how bodily performances can be exchanged for financial rewards. Nightclubs and discos frequently employ body-builders as bouncers, while prostitutes use their bodies to earn a living Woodward 1997: 88. It can be argued that different classes treat their bodies differently, as Shilling stated according to Bourdieu that the working class tend to develop an instrumental relation to their body as they have little time free from necessity. The body is a means to a n end à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 2003, p. 114. It was also argued that workers who use their bodies all day in heavy manual labor tend to have little time for what they see as pretension of jogging and health and fitness centres [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the working class are concerned to spend their efforts on weightlifting and activities directed towards strength, both field in which manual dominance can be asserted (ibid: 114). So in relation to the body form of a bodybuilder, according to Bourdieus theory, they would be classed as a working class, as they are only wanting to survive and strive through life with what their body can achieve for them financially. Whereas it can be said in relation to Bourdieus theory that the dominant class differ such gratification, the dominant class, used their body for cultural, social capital etc this can be illustrated by Shilling who stated that dominant classes have the time and resources to treat the body as a project with variants according to whether the e mphasis is placed on the intrinsic functioning of the body as an organism, which leads to the macrobiotic cult of health, or on the appearance as a perceptible configuration, the physique, i.e. the body for other (Bourdieu, 1978: 838; 1984: 212- 13). The dominant class tend not to be overly concerned with producing a large, strong body, but with a slim body better suited to the world in which economic practice is constituted more strongly by the presentation of self (Wilkes, 1990: 118) in Shilling, p. 114 The body is also said to have possessed power and freedom in our current society whereas in previous society (Traditional Society) there were restrictions and people did not have the choice to do what they wanted. The personality rather than character has come to be much more important in contemporary society which was stated by Warren 1979: 212-26 in Ewen 1999). Thus great power is placed on the individual, as a result, they are allowed to do what they want with that power, consequently, citizenship duty and work no longer seem to be important rather attractiveness, creativity and a fascinating personality is much more preferred in the society. As it was further argued by Shilling from Bourdieus angle that in traditional societies, power is exercised more directly by one embodied individual over another, whereas in contemporary society the modern body has a far more complex role in the exercise of power and the reproductions of social inequalities (2003). That power in relation to t he bodybuilder is the possession of medicine. Monaghan stated Empirical data on perceptions of the medical profession, risk, and bodybuilders various sources of ethno-scientific knowledge, suggest that medicine is simply one authority among many in the construction of the self and the body within late modernity'(1999: 707). This refers to the muscle enhancement drugs. Baudrillards point of view, he suggests that the body has today become an object of salvation (Baudrillard 1998). This further illustrates how the body is viewed in contemporary society and portrays the amount of freedom that individuals possess thus bodybuilder take pride in themselves and worship their body as they believe it is the way they would be able to achieve their goals. This can be related to the culture of narcissism based on the individuals point of view as Cashmore stated that there are two dimensions of the culture of narcissism: on one hand swatches of people abandoned their collective endeavours and co ntented themselves with individual quests for satisfaction and happiness: yet, on the other, they depend on each other for confirmation that they are looking and feeling good (2006: 102). This therefore means that, although they have this individual power, they still need other people to validate them. Baudrillard (1998), the body is no longer flesh [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] but is taken up again in its materiality as narcissistic cult object so in relation to body building, it could be seen that individuals who take part in these activities are vain and think too much about themselves. Cashmore in relation to the narcissistic self that these individuals are getting in touch with their primordial sense of self (2006) According to Shilling 1993 the idea of physical capital is easily grasped by thinking of ways in which sports men and women convert physical ability into income or the ways that models, or even prostitutes use their bodies for material gain (www.aare.edu.au.01pap/lig01450.htm). Of course the ways in which the opposing classes of our society use their body would be totally different. And it could be said they view beauty differently because of the way the body is treated, to illustrate this idea Shilling argued that bodies are also formed through the development of taste [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] preferences, lifestyles which are rooted in material constraints (2003: 113). Bourdieu also argued that the act of labour are required to turn bodies into social entities and that these act influences, people develop and hold the physical shape of their bodies and learn how to present their bodies through styles of walk, talk and dress in Shilling 2003: 112. Thus it can be argued that both types of b odies are a source of physical capital. Consequently, the body bears the indisputable imprint of an individuals social class (Bourdieu, 1984) in Shilling 2003, p. 112. Thus, people develop preferences for what is available to them Shilling 2003, p. 113 Lasch saw no harm in any of these pursuits in themselves, but he rued the break with history, the turning away from collective activity, and the switch from trying to change society to changing oneself. Personal well-being health, and psychic security became the motivating goal for the generation that had earlier wanted to change the world (Cashmore 2006: 102) From a theoretical stance one could posit that it is only within a deregulated and essentially postmodern world, where people have the freedom to explore the self and the body in new ways (Kelleher et al. 1994: xxii) that such activity is possible. An empirical illustration of the thesis that the body is less and less an intrinsic given, that we perceive them to be more pliable and are actively seeking to alter, improve and refine them (Giddens 1991, Nettleton and Watson 1998) in Monaghan 1999, p. 708 This is because an individuals body is never fully finished. While the body is implicated in society, it is constantly affected by social, cultural and economic processes (Bourdieu, 1985) in Shilling 2003, p. 116 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. With the resources, to treat the body as a lifelong project. 2003, p. 112 Bourdieu states bodies are involved in the creation and reproduction of social differences, more specially, they bear the imprint of social class because of three main factors: an individuals social location; their formation of their habitus; and the development of their taste in Woodward (1997). This can then be said as to why Bourdieu believe that the body is a bearer of value in contemporary society in Shilling 2003, p. 111. And that the body is in continuation of many changes this is why Bourdieu emphasized The body is an unfinished entity which develops in conjunction with various social forces and is integral to the maintenance of social inequalities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in Shilling 2003, p. 113 WORD COUNT 3,067

Research skills and techniques education essay

Research skills and techniques education essay This report highlights and evaluates my personal, academic and professional reflections throughout this course and applies the learning to consideration of my professional practice and ongoing future development. It explores opportunities for career paths within and outside of the prison service and how my range of skills can advance my aspirations as well as enhance the environment in which I work. To this end, I have critically evaluated my transferable skills and their development through this learning journey together with opportunities to enhance these further. In looking to the future, a revised Professional Development Plan (PDP) for ongoing future development has been compiled and included in Appendix I. Many of the learning outcomes have been already been covered in some depth within my PPD5 assignment and I have sought to elaborate on key areas of these within this paper. Background When first offered the opportunity to undertake further education through a Foundation Degree, I was initially excited at the prospect. However, this soon gave way to dismissive thoughts of successful completion as unattainable and self doubt about my ability to pursue such a venture which resulted in me not collecting the application form. It was only when a colleague, who had done so but decided not to take this forward, passed it to me, that I took the plunge. A lot of self talk was required to consider how valuable this opportunity was for me. I considered that several of my peers would have similar experiences and feelings which would make a natural and powerful support network meaning that I would not be learning in isolation. Later, I was able to reflect and realise that procrastination is a particular trait and pattern of behaviour for me, deep rooted in negative schema (Beck 1967:233) which I have been able to reflect on and write about at some length throughout my further e ducation. Even coming towards the end of the Honours Degree (which I undertook with greater enthusiasm), it is still evident and something to guard against. This has been particularly important in considering what has held me back from pursuing advanced career development until recently. Reflective Practice: Applying a range of reflective models throughout my further education studies, I now appreciate how analysis of my skills can help towards the goal of professional advancement and, importantly that of job satisfaction. I apply Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle readily to areas of my personal and professional life developing skills of evaluation and analysis, both of self and situations which has led to effective problem solving and informed conclusions as will be illustrated below. Doing this effectively, I have found, can widen the scope for a more in-depth and wider encompassing plan for ongoing development which hitherto, has been somewhat narrow in its view. In other words, from being resigned to thinking this is my lot, Ill just get on with it, to an active desire to apply new learning, seek more and become motivated for career progression. Straker (2008:172) whose work builds on the research of Gardner (1983 and 2006) summed up the importance of purposeful reflection for me Knowing yourself includes knowing that there are parts of yourself that you do not know and being ready to listen and explore these. It also means considering what parts of yourself you should expose or hide, based on how it will help your purpose rather than simply based on personal preference. The danger of reflection is that, for a procrastinator such as myself, one can get stuck in self analysis without doing anything about it or use the results of ones analysis to stay within a comfort zone. Kolb (1984) helped to evaluate my experiences and test hypotheses about myself, values and work ethics but it did not spur me on to action whereas Gibbs sets out the plan for ongoing development which is crucial for me so as not to remain procrastinating. In PPD5, I considered how Moon (2004) has been a useful resource on reflective practice, in particular reminding me that reflection is important but it must always lead to action and the making of positive changes. She stresses the importance of experiential learning which includes reflection but qualifies this to incorporate active learning, ensuring intent to learn and mechanisms of feedback to ensure the whole process is effective and meaningful for development (p.122). SchÃÆ'-n (1983) explains how, as one becomes more experienced, it becomes increasingly possible to reflect in action rather than simply after action. This is something I am becoming more accomplished at and is particularly evident in critical incident situations in my role as a hostage negotiator where this has immediate and practical as well as personal value. Interestingly the Cycle of Change by Prochatska and Diclemente (1982), illustrated in Appendix II, highlights the phases which I can identify with through my learning, professional and personal journey. I can often remain in contemplation and need to find the drivers and motivators to avoid lapses but, I am encouraged that these now exist more in abundance which are sourced from many areas and the Honours Degree has been one of these. I am mindful that the grades and feedback I have received throughout my further education have been of a consistently good standard and this has served as a source of encouragement and measurement of progress and achievement. I must maintain measurements and goals for my future development and there are means in place such as the Staff Personal Development Record (SPDR), in Appendix III and Professional Development Plan (PDP) which I can use as signposts and yardsticks. It is important that, as the current period of study draws to an end, this motivation to achieve continues and I now feel best placed to ensure this happens. . As mentioned in my PPD5 essay, in the past I have questioned the decision making processes of management though this is being reshaped into a desire to gain a holistic overview of the work environment. Overcoming objections to understanding others, for fear that this might disprove our own theories about ourselves and the world, are key hurdles for which I must continually be mindful. (Elliott, 2011) This has also enabled me to evaluate what I can offer to roles to enhance the establishments performance. In my first Reflective Essay from January 2007 (Appendix IV) I described schema theory and the work of Beck (1967). From this I have developed an interest, not only in interpretation of situations which influence our beliefs but, particularly, how to develop the stimuli and positive emotional and cognitive drivers for professional and personal well-being. In observing what gets in the way, rather than being stuck in analysis, to move beyond and set goals for positive development has been essential learning for me and reading this first essay shows how far I have come. The focus of this paper is skills evaluation but moreover, the action phase of my development, identifying opportunities and the practical steps required for ongoing development. Employability Skills and Development Needs A range of self analysis tools have proved helpful in ascertaining and evidencing personal skills which pave the way for ongoing professional satisfaction. This has involved being critical as to what is and may realistically be attainable as well as widening the scope for a range of career advancement opportunities. Using a range of self analysis tools I have been able to evaluate my employability skills and an example is in Appendix V. Examining these proved personally gratifying and formed the basis for an in-depth critique in a personal SWOT analysis (Appendix VI) which I had only ever previously applied to businesses within the scope of the Honours Degree. On completion of this, it seemed logical to me that the values which businesses ascribe to should find their roots in the personnel employed by the organisation as, ideally, they should embody the same corporate beliefs, ethics and work practices. As I will highlight later, this has brought me into conflict with my own work establishment where, using newly honed skills of assertiveness and corporate awareness, I am more readily able to challenge what I may perceive to be unsafe practices. This has been possible through balancing my potential weakness of being mission-focussed and developing this alongside effective and robust empathy towards management decisions At the time of writing my Performance and Development record for this year has not been recorded but as my SPDR for last year (Appendix III) illustrates, I can remain pleased that I continue to meet targets set and work collaboratively with others to ensure that the benefits of development are felt personally and by the organisation. I have expanded this further with creation of a new Development Plan (Appendix I) in order to maintain continuity and ongoing development. In order to consider the range of skills necessary to achieve my goals and aspirations, I completed a Career Values Tool and the report can be found in Appendix VII. To help with this I referred back to a Personality Type Questionnaire competed for the PPD5 assignment. This was an important analysis as it accurately highlighted the potential careers which fitted my profile. The role of Counsellor featured prominently which is something I have long been interested in (incidentally, Musician and Actor which are personal interests and also featured high in the analysis). My roles in offending behaviour treatment over the years have been the source of immense personal satisfaction as they met the values and skills which I have enjoyed developing the most. Using the Career Values Tool, I input Counsellor as an alternative career choice and it was interesting to note how this featured against the profile which had me as balanced between intuitive and logical in my approach to work. Feature d highly were communication skills and my ability to work alongside people and knowing that my work benefits others. When seen alongside my white knight mission schema of wanting to help others, which can potentially be unhelpful, the balance of taking a logical, measured approach to problem solving is something I now know I possess and is to be worked on continually. The development of analytical skills in my reflections and projects throughout this last year have helped to redress this balance whereas before, if I had taken the Career Values Tool, I might have been much further along the intuition side of the continuum which, is not healthy or helpful for one seeking to develop a managerial role. As well as reflective and study skills, it is important to develop the practical skills required for current and potential roles. At my SPDR review later this month I can explore the options for this with my line manager. The need to develop business awareness, in order to understand corporate strategy in the workplace and enable promotion prospects, is ongoing and the last few months have proved to be a testing time in that regard. This has largely been due to having to take a grievance procedure against the Programmes and Psychology management for what I perceive to be discriminatory and unethical behaviour against myself. Having weighed up the options over the last 12 months or so, this action was the only possible course and has required a measure of focus, assertiveness and an analytical overview of the situation to make this decision and take this forward. Without this, I would have reverted back to how I was prior to undertaking further education and left the situation unresolved and dwell in unhelpful rumination which would have affected my work and well being. The grievance is proceeding at the time of writing this report and, whatever the outcome, I can be satisfied that I have taken appropr iate steps to ensure best ethical practice and well being for the workforce and organisation as a whole. This has not been without an emotional response (acknowledging this is a strength identified in Gibbs Reflective Cycle, 1998) as I dont like conflict or rocking the boat but then, appropriate levels of assertive management and effective analysis are crucial management skills which I have developed over recent years and is ongoing. This is particularly important as I consider options for my future and it is gratifying that I can take the positive skills development learning from even the most testing of circumstances. The best measure of how appropriate ones actions are in the workplace, I have found, is ones own values of decency, ethics and responsibility and, in the above situation, to have these confirmed and used as my yardstick for decision making and professional integrity, has proved rewarding and strangely comforting. No one should ever consider themselves to be the finished article and being confident in pursuing continued development is a positive trait. In my case, this helps to overcome the schema driven low self-esteem and has certainly enhanced a more positive belief for the future. Among the key learning experiences for me, alongside the above, are a recognition of the roles of others, networking and effective communication. My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. In Appendix X I have conducted my own skills self appraisal which covers a range of academic and professional areas. This was motivated by a definition of entrepreneurship by Rothstein and Burke (2010) as one who is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦skilled in recognizing opportunities, exploiting those opportunities and creating value (p.217). Whilst I will never be an Alan Sugar or Duncan Bannatyne, I can be just as entrepreneurial in my skills base so as to add value to the organisation. The fact that funding was made available to allow this period of study serves as a reminder that, to some degree, this has already been recognised and how I choose to utilise this for mutual benefit is now being considered. Career Appraisal and Development During the Foundation Degree I was able to undertake and pass the selection examination for Senior Officer though I was unsuccessful in role play assessment. I was, however, able to take that experience and, rather than berate or chastise myself and dwell in self-doubt as I previously would have, I have decided to take the step of applying for and undertaking the assessment again later this year. For this, I will seek to use my Line Manager as mentor together with the training department as immediate point of reference and begin to research prison policy, security and management skills. I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in this not only from a practical, self-development perspective, but also the pride and sense of achievement this will bring. Following the disappointment of having to step down from Sex Offender Treatment work last year, I have reappraised my personal development and, using reflective skills developed on the degree studies, particularly Kolb (1984) to help evaluate the experiences and Beck (1967) to understand how I was interpreting them. Having specialised in Drug offender rehabilitation for the last twelve months I can take the benefits of new learning and role experience forward as I return to Sex Offender therapy later this year. Drawing together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. This is encouraging and, in this period of change, I have come to realise the importance of job satisfaction as a key motivator for me. Pursuing a Counselling qualification would serve as a path to an alternative career should personal circumstances change for me in the future. This could be due to cutbacks in the public sector or an establishment transition to the private sector. This could also potentially be utilised in my current role should a counselling or mediation function become available which I can argue would value to the establishment. A significant area of personal development has been in key skills of assertiveness and negotiation. These were identified early on in my reflective practice as things I needed to work on. I was able to negotiate a role within drugs support having originally offered an office based assessment position which I would have found unfulfilling. Alongside this, within my current grievance procedure, I have assertively requested a clear professional development path from senior management which also ensures that all officer grades in the Programmes team are offered the same which has, hitherto, been lacking. Learning and Continuing Professional Development The Honours Degree has been immensely challenging and rewarding and, despite early fears, has worked in with my social and work life and has encouraged me to ongoing learning and consideration of developing career prospects. There has been useful overlap of the various modules of this course in which the learning and reflections from each have been transferable. An example is in studying Effective Management Decisions has been important for my dissertation which evaluates Crew Resource Management. Learning to examine the former, in an objective way, has enabled a critical approach for the dissertation ensuring the focus remains on the advantages to business performance and not just to areas of personnel safety which I might otherwise have concentrated. It has been gratifying that I have been able to use the modules of this course to look at areas which I find personally interesting and challenging which included designing projects to create best practice in offender management. Also, I have long been interested in the commercial aviation industry and to explore competitive advantage of an airline was good fun, whilst also rewarding in the study skills that were required. Similarly, the dissertation which looks at human factors in critical incidents arising from aviation accidents takes that same personal interest but analyses the learning points from that sector and explores what the prison service can benefit from this within its own operations. This seamless learning extends to the previous Foundation Degree which I frequently refer to including the module on ethics, cultural awareness and diversity where the strong principles I ascribe and have documented, are continually evaluated and applied to my work practice. It forms the basis of my mission statement for development as recommended by Covey (2004) where focussing who you want to be and what you want to do should be on the values you ascribe to each (p.106). I am currently exploring options for Higher Education such as a Masters Degree as well as qualifications in counselling. At this stage, I am unsure as to whether I should these at the earliest opportunity and continue the momentum of learning or have a year break in order to spend time focussing on my personal life which does need some attention. Whether I choose immediate and specific training at this time or not, I can develop and enhance the skills required for possible future roles in my current position utilising the training department, mentors and line management. All of these are part of my ongoing Professional Development Plan so I can maintain the motivation to keep personal and professional aspirations at the forefront of my future work. I am now certain that my further education will continue as will the depth and breadth of my career development. With the ongoing role in Drugs Support, a move back to Sex Offender Treatment later this year, together with the Senior Officer assessment in October and exploring accelerated promotion prospects in the prison service, I have much to keep me motivated and stimulated. These are key drivers for me as I have learnt in my four year journey and I can now realistically consider a managerial position and explore such options. The Honours Degree is regarded as a valuable qualification both for its relevant content to the Criminal Justice System and Business and Management but also symbolises the desire and commitment I have and have shown for continued self development. For me, this highlights how seamless the transition has been through the learning journey and that it will continue to be so. This awareness has made further education and career progression options less of a mountain to climb but a gentle path to enlightenment as some learned and revered man of faith probably once said. A helpful resource has proved to be www.CIPD.co.uk which I have accessed throughout my studies. This organisations definition of learning is a self-directed, work-based process leading to increased adaptive capacity. http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/learning-talent-development-overview.aspx [Accessed 18 February 2011]. This highlights the importance of personal responsibility in using employer resources to develop an ever-widening scope for career development. Appendix VIII shows an extract which proved helpful in critically evaluating my development plan and ensured it was appropriate to my needs and abilities as well as offering value to the workplace. Conclusion: I regard my new Curriculum Vitae (Appendix IX) as a valid working document whereas I had considered my old one, prior to commencing Further Education, to be somewhat archaic, irrelevant and out of date. The core skills I have developed over the years and significant achievements are included which serve as a reminder that, just as I have now added the Honours Degree (final result permitting), more is to come. As I look over it now, the transition and learning process which has brought me to this point in my life now is clearly evident. I can see the journey of learning and experience I have been on and, with a renewed and positive view of myself and professional development potential, I will enjoy and apply myself to the opportunities that lie ahead. Appendices: I. Personal and Professional Development Plan II. Cycle of Change (Prochaska and Diclemente, 1982) III. Staff Performance and Development Record (SPDR) IV. Reflective Essay (Jan 2007) V. Study Skills Self Assessment VI. SWOT Analysis VII. Career Values Tool VIII. Extract from CIPD website IX. Curriculum Vitae X. Research and Employability Skills Appendix I Personal and Professional Development Plan Appendix II Cycle of Change (Prochaska and Diclemente, 1982) Appendix II The Cycle of Change: Prochatska and Diclamente (1982) This example is taken from the internet and the source is in the bibliography. The cycle of change has 6 phases and, for me, this diagram highlights well the areas at which I can lapse, particularly contemplation and, therefore am encouraged to maintain motivation. In pre-contemplation, the person does not see any problem in their current behaviours and has not considered there might be some better alternatives. In contemplation the person is ambivalent they are in two minds about what they want to do should they stay with their existing behaviours and attitudes or should they try changing to something new? It is this area which I need to be particularly on my guard to as not to lapse. In preparation, the person is taking steps to change usually in the next month or so. In action, they have made the change and living the new set of behaviours is an all-consuming activity. In maintenance, the change has been integrated into the persons life they are now more enterprising. Relapse is a full return to the old behaviour. This is not inevitable but is likely and should not be seen as failure. Often people will Relapse several times before they finally succeed in making a (more or less) permanent to a new set of behaviours. Appendix III. Staff Performance and Development Record (SPDR) Appendix IV. Extract From My First Reflective Essay (Jan 2007) Extract From My First Reflective Essay (Jan 2007) My earliest employment from leaving school was within the travel industry. From the outset, I sought to improve my practical skills base and enjoyed the challenge of meeting the needs of customers, budgetary targets, training of staff, problem solving, through to the opening and management of a travel agency branch several years later. Apart from the GCSE qualifications gained at school, any further academic or professional learning has been gained whilst in employment. Copies of certificates attained, both school and work based can be found in the appendix. The skills and achievements I have attained in my personal life are equally transferrable to my work life. For example, as Chairman of a genealogical society for several years and public speaking engagements both serve as reminders that I have organisational, research and presentation abilities which I can and should be utilising and developing along my career path. I have had no formal management training, yet gained significant supervisory experience through showing aptitude and dedication to task, client base and personnel. It is important for me to demonstrate, through the Foundation Degree and subsequent training that I can learn management and personal development skills, but also show I am able to apply this learning in my work and personal life. At the same time, I need to focus on a specific career path which includes, in the first instance, promotion to Senior Officer. The next logical progression will, therefore, be to apply for and undertake the senior Promotion Examination later this year. For this, I need to obtain details of the main job requirements for this role and, using my Line Manager as mentor and the training department as immediate point of reference, begin to research prison policy, security, management skills and training opportunities. Whilst I have considered undertaking this before, I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in this not only from a practical, self-development perspective but also the pride and sense of achievement this will bring. On successful completion of this examination, I can seek to specialise in either offender rehabilitation or staff training which I would relish. This draws together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years and keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. It is important for me to develop assertiveness skills and, whilst these have been improved upon over recent years, I am aware there is a continued need for development in this area. I need to be pro-active in my own learning, seeking opportunities and not over-relying on others to simply recognise my needs or opportunities and make recommendations. Part of this includes my need to develop and seek out management training and practice/demonstrate the skills I have. It is equally important for me to enlist the help of others in my development. My personal statement highlights how I can become too self-reliant when I perceive no one understands my needs or are genuinely interested in my development. Seeking a more collaborative approach to my learning will not only engender positive belief in myself and others, it will make the next stage of my career more rewarding, satisfying, creative and productive as well as opening up a wider range of opportunities in all areas of my life. The Study Skills Self-Assessment which I completed on 23 October 2007 (Appendix) highlighted three main employability skills I need to develop as: Improving own learning and performance Application of number (data collection and interpretation) Information and technology proficiency Alongside these, to develop, are my personal attributes of Self confidence Flexibility and adaptability Judgement In this self assessment I also reflected on my own specific weaknesses which include being too self-critical and not praising my own achievements enough which can affect my ability to be objective about my performance. I have a strong underpinning need to defend others and leap to their rescue which I have come to see as a hindrance to my own development and of those I seek to help. This is a particularly important area for me to address as future management roles will require me to allow others to take their own personal responsibility and only offer guidance as appropriate. This rescuer style I have is schema-related and I will write a piece for my portfolio on schema theory and how this applies to me. Beck, 1967 described a schema as ..a cognitive structure for screening, coding, and evaluating the stimuli that impinge  on the organism. In short, schemas are the filters or core beliefs we have about ourselves or the world around us and, thereby, how we interpret different situat ions in our lives. The nature of the work I do in offender rehabilitation requires me to undertake regular de-briefing, supervision, yearly health reviews and bi-monthly counselling. This, together with schema theory and other therapy models I use with prisoners, which I have also applied to myself, means I spend a lot of time being introspective and sharing this with colleagues. Add to this, the personal development elements of the Foundation Degree, means I need to be mindful of balancing this wealth of introspection with practical steps for a successful future. One of the handouts for self-appraisal from this course has helped me consider what can get in the way of things I want to do. These include poor time management and a lack of structure and balance in and between my work, study and private life. This is important as I can become frustrated by unnecessary last minute attempts to meet deadlines. By having a clear coherent plan I can plan my work and life more effectively and, this alone gives me a sense of excitement and motivation. Appendix V. Study Skills Self Assessment Dowson, Paul., (2004) Study Skills Self Assessment, Leeds Metropolitan University Appendix VI. SWOT Analysis Appendix VII Career Values Tool Report Appendix VIII. Extract from www.CIPD.co.uk {Accessed 18 February 2011) Possible benefits of development planning Relevant learning and development is more likely to happen in practice when you are goal directed. Learning that is planned is more efficient. Unanticipated learning opportunities are more likely to come to your attention when you are prepared for them. The choices of learning methods are more likely to be appropriate following completion of a development plan and their use can be designed and managed to provide a tailored fit with your needs and interests. Motivation and confidence in taking responsibility for ones own learning can be enhanced. Possible limitations of development planning The quality of a completed development plan can suffer without timely and relevant diagnostic information from others. The creation of a valid and useable plan is particularly difficult to achieve without the active support and agreement of others who are relevant to you in your current role. The successful implementation of even a well-crafted plan is not guaranteed without continuing support and challenge from others. Operating hints Ensure that there is ready access to relevant and valid diagnostic data in the identification of learning needs. Ensure t

Schindlers List :: essays research papers

Schindler’s List   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I knew the people who worked for me. When you know people, you have to behave towards them like human beings.† This was a quote from Oskar Schindler. However, throughout the movie, it didn’t quite seem like he felt that way the entire time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie began in 1939, and Schindler was very into alcohol, womanizing, and making money. He bought a Jewish factory in Krakow called Deutsche Email Fabrik. In order get the resources necessary; he talked to his key contact throughout the entire movie, a Jewish accountant by the name of Itzhak Stern. Stern informed him that Jewish labor was cheaper than Polish Labor. Schindler, of course being interested in having a higher profit, went and hired the Jews, thus beginning his relationship with them. The produced pots, pans, basins, and other items as such, and then later on, munitions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At certain points in the movie, it was hard to tell that he was changing. At certain moments, it seemed like he was, but then the next second, he would turn around and act the same as he always did. Such as when Stern brought in the one-armed Jew to thank him for giving him a job, and while he was there, he seemed happy to be able to be helping this man, but as soon as the man left, he turned around to Stern and said, â€Å"Don’t ever do that to me again. That man has one arm, he is of no use.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were many other moments in the movie though when you could tell that he was changing, such as when he was convincing that Nazi soldier friend of his’ slave/mistress that he actually does care about her and then kisses her on the forehead and tells her that everything will be okay. He eventually then buys her from him to save her. Another scene was the girl in the red coat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once the â€Å"liquidation† of the ghetto occurred in 1941, and they took all of his workers, I think that was when you could see him change the most, because he then spent millions of dollars of his own money to get them back, in order to save them from being killed at Auschwitz. And then when they couldn’t produce the munitions correctly, he bought them himself to be sent to the German army so they couldn’t shut down the factory.