Curriculum for Teaching Social Skills

Teaching social skills to young children is a difficult task under any circumstance however when the children are suffering from emotional or behavioral problems it seems to interfere with this process and make it much more difficult. There are several known answers through curriculum that can help educators to be able to work on social skills with students who are facing either emotional or behavioral problems or both. Through the use of these curriculums there can be great benefits to both the students and the teachers.The teachers will benefit in being able to work on social situations with the students in their classrooms and in being able to communicate the strong need for social interaction in life. The students will benefit by being able to work on building friendships, trusting others and really finding a way to communicate how they are able to do these things. Curriculum Options for Teachers One of the problems that have often faced teachers who are working with children who have emotional or behavioral problems is that they are unable to communicate their social needs to the teacher.These students have a hard time being able to express their need for friendship, the need to describe feelings or the ability to be able to communicate any of this to others. Through information that has been gathered by researchers it has been concluded that these students need direct intervention into their ability to socialize with others. There have been multiple suggestions as to how this can happen and what would be a good way of introducing social skills to these students. There are many different methods and ways that this can be done.One way that has been shown to be successful is one on one interaction with the students and role play into specific situations. Obviously the situations have to be mild and can not be too involved or too intense but rather something that is on the same thinking level as the students involved (Vaughn, Sinagub, and Kim 2004). Success f or the students who were experiencing these emotional and behavioral problems has drastically depended on the type of curriculum that was used to introduce and teach social skills.One study looked at story problems as a way to teach these skills to students who were suffering from emotional problems and this study showed a drastic improvement in these students having the ability to communicate with each other. The students were better able to understand through the story the idea of how one might feel or how reactions of theirs can be harmful to others. However, the students were unable to comprehend these same ideas and beliefs when they were just discussing them and not hearing them in a story (Rahill and Teglasi 2003).There could be many conclusions drawn from these examples and this type of curriculum. The idea is that the students have the ability to understand and comprehend what is being said about things and how they are interacting with others. When the student is not force d to look at the whole picture and is used to just getting glimpses they are unable to realize the overall impact of issues, however when they are exposed to the entire story or belief then they are able to understand the entire story and can reason as to why the others are feeling the way that they are.Without this ability to reason the student would be unable to successfully communicate with others and could not be thought of in the same social light and category as if they were able to understand these issues. Another great option for teachers to use in the classroom to teach social skills is to be trained in how to incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into the curriculum. By using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT the student is learning how to control their own behaviors and emotions.This is probably one of the best options for students who have behavioral or emotional problems as it is a way for them to learn how to be able to control things themselves without warnings o r discipline. There are a number of ways that this treatment can be integrated into the classroom. One thing is for sure though that teachers need to be aware of the therapy and how to properly integrate it into the classroom prior to using it in the classroom setting.If they are not competent and they try to use it there are many things that could go wrong and the children could be emotionally damaged in some way as with all therapeutic processes. This subject has been widely researched. â€Å"During the past two decades, researchers have found that cognitive strategies can decrease disruption/aggression and strength pro-social skills† (Daunic, Smith, Brank and Penfield 2006, 123). To better understand the benefits of CBT being integrated into the classroom it would be important to understand some basic facts about CBT.CBT is basically a way of self control where the student is taught how to control their negative behaviors or emotions in order to prevent behavioral issues. Through CBT the student would learn how to understand when they are reaching a point where they are going to react in an inappropriate way and they would be able to monitor themselves and talk themselves down. For younger students this would prove to be more difficult to learn but by learning the process young the students would be able to carry it over into their current lives and how they react in most situations.With this process being taught in the classroom there might even be further benefits in the student’s home and other extracurricular activities as the student would apply some of the same lessons and principles to the situations that they were involved in at these locations. All of these advantages could be gained and getting needed training is not difficult for educators and something that they can discuss with their superiors and school boards. There are other forms of intervention that could be used in the classroom curriculum.With students who are suffering fro m autism there are special skills and curriculums that could be offered to help with their behavioral difficulties. There is a call for a new curriculum that would be an advantage to all students with emotional and behavioral difficulties and not just those who were suffering from autism. For the most part articles that are written on this subject point out that no current curriculum is available for this issue and that there are some key components that would need to be featured if there were to be a curriculum.Of the many key components that would need to be considered one is to â€Å"make the abstract concrete. † Students who are suffering from emotional and behavioral problems often have a hard time being able to understand the abstract thoughts that are often a part of teaching social skills. By making concrete examples that these students can understand there is a higher likelihood that they will apply these principles to their own interactions on a social level. Anothe r area that is needed is â€Å"structure and predictability.† Having a classroom with a set routine is something that is important as when students are taken out of a routine situation they often have anxiety and with behavioral issues anxiety often ends in the student not being able to communicate his or her needs and having a breakdown in the classroom. By having â€Å"engaged transactions† the students would be able to learn what their overall needs were and would be able to practice communication and social skills with one another.Through â€Å"scaffolded language support† the students would be able to work on better using language and communication in a way that all people would understand. â€Å"Multiple and varied learning opportunities† might seem as though it would be repetitive or boring for the students however for students who are suffering from emotional or behavioral problems this might just be exactly what is needed for them to understand. By planning â€Å"’other’ focused activities† in the classroom it would allow the students a break from learning social skills and could promote a better understanding of the skills during future lessons.Looking at â€Å"fostering self awareness and self esteem† is also important as it would show each child that he or she is special and would encourage them to believe in their own self worth. Another area that needs improvement is that the teachers need to focus on having â€Å"select relevant goals. † When teachers try to teach students with emotional or behavioral difficulties too many things it threatens to worsen their condition and can cause them to have multiple additional problems with what they are already having.Some other teaching methods like â€Å"sequential and progressive programming† are also a huge advantage as are â€Å"programmed general and ongoing information. † All of these practices and initiatives can be easily added to most curriculums in the classroom and could really have great advantages to the students who have emotional and behavioral issues (Krasny, Williams, Provencal, and Ozonoff 2003). Benefits to Teachers for Using a Curriculum to Teach Social Skills There are many benefits that can be seen by teachers who are choosing to teach social skills and social skill improvement to students who suffer from emotional and behavioral problems.Some of these are that there is an increased focus on the student being able to perform and being able to interact with others in a positive manner. Through this the student would be able to interact with the teacher in a more positive manner as well. These skills would also help there to be fewer disturbances and disruptions in the classroom which is a great benefit for the teaching in her ability to control her classroom. Benefits to Students for Using a Curriculum to Teach Social Skills There are also many advantages for the students who are working on learning social skills.The students are able to take advantage of these skills and these areas because they are learning how to communicate better with others. Communication is such an important part of our world and the world around us and without communication one would suffer in many areas of life. Also there are valid reasons why friendships can really aid in a student’s overall behavioral and emotional issues and students who have more friends are less likely to have these types of problems. If a student learns these new social skills they are likely to have more friends, do better at home and in school and overall be in trouble less often.Conclusion In conclusion, it is important that teachers be taught the necessary skills needed to integrate certain behaviors into the classroom. The teachers need to be able to integrate programs into their curriculum that will teach students with emotional and behavioral difficulties the much needed social skills. These much neede d social skills will improve the student’s lives in so many ways and will help the students to be able to be better behaved and more successful in a number of areas of their lives. References Daunic, A. P. , Smith, S. W. , Brank, E. M. , and Penfield, R. D. (2006).Classroom-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention to Prevent Aggression: Efficiency and Social Validity, Journal of Social Psychology, 44(2), 123-139. Krasny, L. , Williams, B. J. , Provencal, S. , and Ozonoff, S. (2003). Social Skills Intervention for the Autism Spectrum Essential Ingredients and a Model Curriculum, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 12(1), 107-122. Vaughn, S. , Sinagub, J. and Kim, A. (2004). Chapter 10 Social Competence/Social Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities: Interventions and Issues, Learning about Learning Disabilities, (3rd ed. ), 341-373.

The height of the power of Roman Empire

The height of the power of Roman Empire was at vast. Over one quarter of the world’s population lived and died the rule of the Caesars. Emperor Marcus Aurelius was in twelve-years of campaign against the Barbarian Tribe in Germania that was drawing to an end. His final wish before he dies is that to have a stronghold stands in the way of Roman Victory and the promise of peace throughout the empire. The film begins at the Roman battle for Germania, then a backwards land of barbarians. General Maximus Decimus Meridus leads the Roman Army to a decisive victory against the Germanic Tribes at Vindobona. The long war got ended on the Roman frontier and he earned the esteem of the elderly Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He has a male heir named Commodus. The dying emperor wished to grant temporary leadership to Maximus hoping to return the power to the Roman Senate. He saw Maximus’ abilities to lead and serve as an Emperor in Rome because Maximus is a principled man and he can command the loyalty of the army. Marcus wants him to end the corruption and to save Rome from partition. Marcus wants Rome to be a Republic again. Analyzing the Roman Society can undergo into these different kinds of perspectives, namely, Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interaction Perspective. First up is the Functionalist Theory. A Functionalist Theory explains phenomena through functions. It has two elements which are the view from the society as a system of interrelated parts that are interdependent and the general values among society members. So how can we relate Functionalist Theory to the Society? There is only one word for that – Change. Change plays a big role to Functionalist Theory. Society is seen as integrated whole. A change in one part of a society leads to change in other parts as well. Society may change over time, but functionalist believe that it will return to stable state. In the movie Gladiator, the people there are asked to become gladiators. They fight for their lives inside the arena. Many gladiators get wounded or die. That serves as an entertainment to the higher class. The gladiators are there for the glory of the Empire. The manifestation of this is that they don’t have rights. They can’t help it but to follow the rules of their ruler. It all comes to one label which is – slavery. The latent is that they are powerless. They have to follow the rules of their emperor because he is in the top. He is the highest among them. Which means that the gladiators and the other slaves are the peasants who they need to work for their emperor and to earn a living. And lastly, the dysfunction to this is that they are being abused. They are being asked to fight inside the arena. It’s a matter of life and death situation. The Conflict Perspective here is that the society is composed of distinct groups with opposing interests. The power and inequality are found systematically in the society. In the movie, there is an inequality between the slaves and the higher class. The slaves are forced to work for them and to become gladiators and fight their lives in the arena. The power is that the Emperor can dictate. They give command to the military, the government, and the people simultaneously. There should be a social balance to the Roman Empire. And last perspective is the Symbolic-Interactionism Perspective. This uses symbols to analyze the society well. An interaction between individuals is negotiated through shared symbols, gestures, and nonverbal communications. The symbolic-interactionism in the movie is that through clothing. The higher class can wear beautiful clothing while the slaves cannot. In all, there is still a question between the powers of the Emperor to the Senate. There is a large scale of happenings to the Roman Empire. The function of the gladiators within that society is to put forth a microcosm of the struggle. There is dictatorship and criticism among them. A Republic is a form of government in which the country is considered as a â€Å"public mater†, not the private concern or property of rulers, and where offices and states are subsequently directed or indirectly elected or appointed rather than inherited. The proposed solution to this class disparity is to give the power of government to the senate, which is elected by the working class, not to the Emperor.

China, India, and Wal-Mart: Issues of Price, Quality, and Sourcing Essay

1. What are the ethical issues associated with Wal-Mart’s extensive sourcing of low-cost products from China? Wal-Mart pricing is too low. As the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart leverages its huge orders to convince factories to sell goods at low prices that are not sustainable. This puts pressure on other brands to pay less, thereby setting a dangerous industry precedent. According to Correspondent Hedrick Smith: â€Å"We heard that story again and again from American manufacturers in sectors as diverse as electronics, apparel, bicycles, furniture, and textiles. They expressed private dismay at the relentless pressure from the likes of Wal-Mart and Target to cut costs to the bone in America and then, when that did not satisfy the mass retailers, more pressure to move production to China or elsewhere offshore. But most did not dare to go on camera and tell their story publicly for fear of jeopardizing their remaining sales to Wal-Mart.† (Smith) Another ethical issue is safety of the products we receive and the working conditions of the outsourced employees. From the Wal-Mart routinely turns a blind eye to poor conditions in supplier factories unless investigations are made public. â€Å"Retailer admits fire safety aspects are not adequately covered in ethical sourcing audits†. (Yardley) Wal-Mart needs more transparent ethical sourcing efforts. â€Å"Wal-Mart buys more than $1 billion in garments from Bangladesh each year, attracted by the country’s $37-a-month minimum wage, the lowest in the world.†(Yardley) 2. Based on your experience, does Wal-Mart sacrifice product quality in order to offer customers low prices  ¾ always? Yes. I don’t really shop at Wal-Mart anymore. I don’t believe the price you pay is for a quality product. I would rather save up my money and buy it from another retailer with a good reputation. I believe in the saying â€Å"You get what you pay for†. I have a problem with how they treat employees and when you go in the stores these days there are definite operation issues: Customers and analysts have noticed the operational problems in the stores, Wal-Mart associates have felt the impact most acutely. In the first national independent poll of Wal-Mart associates, conducted by Lake Research Partners in May and June of 2011, concerns about staffing levels were broadly cited by associates among top three things they would change with the company, after higher pay and more respect on the job. Among the other findings: * Nearly  ¾ say understaffing has created problems such as stock-outs, messy stores and poor customer service; * In contrast to company statements regarding high levels of employee satisfaction, 84% say they would take a better job if they could find one *  ½ say they are living paycheck to paycheck; only 14% describe their household as living comfortably. Across the country the reductions in staffing have translated into significantly increased workloads. A few examples convey the scale of the changes: * An associate in the electronics department in Southern California: â€Å"There used to be four or five people in consumer electronics at any given time, now it’s one or two;† * An associate in overnight stocking in Southern California: â€Å"I used to do five pallets a night, now they say I have to do 12;† * A former assistant manager in Seattle: â€Å"Our store used to have about 600 employees, now it’s about 350.† (Marshall) What advice would you give to critics of Wal-Mart in order to enhance their impact on the company? To enhance their impact on governmental and regulatory agencies? To enhance their impact on society in general? I can’t seem to think of anything or in my research, it has all been negative. I would love to hear what others in our class had to say on this subject and the problem lies that I am not a fan either.

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 34

Reflection paper - Essay Example The lecture explores various Chinese dynasties and how people migrated and settled within China and beyond. First, West discussed the Han Dynasty, which was organised around the emperor. During this era, there was massive movement of people into the empire, spreading out into Central Asia. There was a significant resettlement in the area. West then advanced to the Tang Dynasty, where he gave a clear talk about how the dynasty displaced the Turks, who originally occupied Central Asia, pushing them further to the north into Tibet and to the south of Vietnam. The Silk Road, which passed along steppes and deserts, provided a channel that the Turks used to reach their new areas of settlement. West also proceeds to the Song dynasty, which existed from 960-1126, marking the end of medieval period and the birth of capitalism. It is from this lecture that it became clear to me that the Manchus emerged from the Southern Song. West argued that the largest migration in the history of China included migration from North to South to the lowlands. The lecture revealed that the Chinese had their expansionist ideology and strategy thwarted in Northern Asia as well as Central Asia. In the process of continuous displacement of the Chinese deeper into south, there was extensive interaction of cultures. Despite the fact that Europe was expanding during this time, the only people who interacted with the Europeans were the Mongols. The Monkey King displays qualities such as endurance, which enables him to successfully manoeuvre through his journey to the West. His smartness can be witnessed in the cases where he explores various means to get to the West, where he even uses clouds as automobile to cover 180, 000 miles in the in an epic span of one somersault. The professor’s lecture is an eye opener into the highly ritualised Chinese society, which the â€Å"Journey to the West† focuses on. West exposed the thinking of the

600 case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

600 - Case Study Example Often patients with ischemic stroke develop should be assessed for a wide variety of medical physiological symptoms. Recent literature suggests that one of the greatest predisposing factors to ischemic stroke often related to cardiac problems and diseases; which as a result give rise to characteristic neurological problems. Symptoms of ischemic stroke varied and attributed to many factors. As Feigin (2005) points out, one or more of the observed risk factors may increase the chances of development of the disease, for most patients, there is no sure sign that a stroke would occur. Subsequently, Bharucha et al, (1988) also claimed that the most common risk of stroke is family history and age. Other studies also suggests that other important predisposing risk factors to the disease include, patients with high blood pressure, which has since then been reported in 70% of medical patients, high level of cholesterol in blood, frequent cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular diseases in patients with history of occurrence of heart attack, vascular malformation and alcoholics. (American Heart Association, 2009) Equally, Sridharan, (1992) notes that acute stroke is a severe disease and as such 40% of the patients with stroke especially in acute stage often develop symptoms that are associated with speech difficulties or even difficulties in food swallowing experienced in varying degrees. George’s diagnosis revealed that he had speech related problems that could explain why his stroke would were at an acute stage and such fell into a coma. Despite these physical complications resulting from damage to brain tissue, other resulting complications cause by stroke include constipation, blood clot formation in the lower limbs, depression, pressure sore, swallowing disorders among others. Besides looking at the clinical symptoms characteristic of the disease, an examining doctor will look at the presence of predisposing risk factors of the disease

Freud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Freud - Essay Example It is worthy, first, to understand the need for civilization and its importance in qualitative measures and quantitative measures. Civilizations were established to improve modes of relationships among human beings. This was because, in the prehistoric times, an action of an individual was guided more by his instincts and wishes. Apart from that, civilization was meant to improve material prosperity of individuals. This was obtainable through improvement of science and technology, which in turn increased their economic productivity. Freud argues that the objective of such changes was due to the inherent human trait of search for happiness. The search for happiness is achieved by what he describes as utility and yields of pleasure (Freud 41). However, he states that such an effort is always a futility, as an increase in happiness is never achieved. Civilization is thus not responsible for human happiness. Friedman’s main argument primarily focuses in religion. He describes religion as an imposed delusional feeling that seeks to detach individuals from reality. This feeling, however, cannot be depicted scientifically. It operates in the idea that suffering of the human community can only be alleviated by a trust to an external source of help. In trying to achieve this, individuals escape the reality of their lives. The problem of religion in this case is that it imposes only one way of attainment of happiness. In reality, ways of attaining satisfaction should be many and, thus, the individual is tied to his misery if that one way fails (Freud 32). Second, Friedman also discusses art as a source of unhappiness among individuals. Art’s affectivity relies on the imagination of creative people who release their pieces of work for consumption by these individuals. Through art, individuals try to master reality by creating images of how it

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Criminal Justice - Essay Example It is important to note here that among the said guarantees are the right to confront accusers and answer charges brought against one. The defendant has the right to be present when charges are brought against him/her. It is, thus, and as shall be argued through reference to the due processes of the law, civil liberties and constitutional guarantees, that the absence of defendants from Grand Jury hearings is a violation of the defendant's right to hear the charges brought against him/her. The dual concepts of substantive and procedural due processes are integral to any proper understanding of criminal law. As Fletcher (1998) explains, they concern both the how and the why of law. In direct relation to criminal procedure, substantive and due processes are expressive of defendants' constitutional rights and importantly, outline the means by which these rights are guaranteed or implemented. Within the context of the stated, procedural due process refers to the how of the law and as pertains to the US criminal justice system, how defendants are presumed innocent until otherwise proven and how the said presumption, which is a Constitutional guarantee, is embraced by the criminal justice system.

Immorality of Abortion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Immorality of Abortion - Research Paper Example Contrary to popular belief that abortion is a modern operation, there is retrospective evidence that it was practiced as long ago as the 5th century BC by ancient civilizations. Even in biblical times, a form of abortion was practiced, as is evidence in the book of numbers where a woman accused of infidelity would be made to drink â€Å"the bitter water† which would bring out the â€Å"curse† (Fox). Other recorded cases of abortion were in ancient Egypt (1550 B.C.E.) and China in the 5th century where among other things used to induce it was mercury (Fox). Notably, many the methods used in the past were dangerous and could have killed the mother just as easily as induced the abortion. In the recent past, abortions were illegal for moral, religious and health issues. However, after the 20th century, women rights groups and doctors have been often able to repeal this ban and as a result, many countries, especially in America and Europe, have legalized it to the chagrin of the pro-life groups. The issues that have made abortion such a controversial and pertinent issue include the fact that apart from the guaranteeing the unborn child’s death, it also jeopardizes the life of the mother; in addition, several of those who undergo abortions are underage girls who are pregnant and have no one to support them or the baby. Bearing in mind that it is the moral duty of the strong to protect the weak and comparably pro lifers consider it their duty to protect the life and rights of the unborn child. While the modern methods of carrying out the operation are mostly safe and performed by qualified doctors, from an objective perspective the action is immoral. Nonetheless, in view of the fact that a woman has agreed consciously and actively to end the unborn life in her is immoral in itself (Lee and Robert 13). Proponents of abortion have been trying to justify abortion and paint it with a moral brush for as long as the pro-lifers have been condemning it. O ne of the principal arguments put forward to humanize abortion and portray it in a moral light is that the fetus is not yet human being. They claim that if the pro-life side agrees a sperm and ovary are not considered human, yet they have potential to become human then the same should be said of the fetus. Therefore, should the pro choice concede it is human, they will go ahead and claim for one to be recognized as a person; thus, they would need to be self-aware. As such, anything in the womb is not self aware, ergo, cannot be human and the same argument has been proposed by advocates defending suspects of infanticide (Lee and Robert 15). However, these arguments are untenable and illogical at best; therefore, comparing the sperm to the fertilized egg flies in the face of logic since the sperm will only have potential for life if it is merged with the egg. On its own, it does not have a chance to generate life, the fertilized egg, on the other hand, in an autonomous genetic unit on ly requires the parent to host it and supply it with nourishment for the duration of the pregnancy. This is no different from when a child stays with its mother fully dependent on her for the first few months. However, at this point, even the diehard pro-choice people will not agree that the mother is free to terminate

ITM 501 MoD 5 SLP Information networks as enterprise glue Essay

ITM 501 MoD 5 SLP Information networks as enterprise glue - Essay Example Problem Identification It can be stated that as technology is running on high tech products backed up with trained IT professionals, there always exist a probability to create problems or even threats while performing various significant operational functions (5 Star Support, 2012; Edwards, 2012). However, the basic problem that seems to affect the whole of the operational processes in relation to information systems is continuous threats associated with virus attacks. The information systems are much prone to be attacked with a varied number of viruses that can permanently damage a system or a computer program (Lawson, 2005). And the worst part about these computer viruses is that these malwares do not get identified every time in the computer system, and affect the computer programs as well as systems incessantly (Pour, 2003). The affect of viruses in computer programs or systems can be duly considered as quite grave resulting in slowing the overall process of the systems (Gizmoâ⠂¬â„¢s Freeware, 2013; Kim & Solomon, 2010). ... In relation to this particular question/aspect, it can be stated that Free Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Software manufactured by the one of the best technical supports sites i.e. 5-Star Support can be taken into concern for solving the problem. This particular site can be considered as it possess the capability to provide numerous benefits to its users in terms of delivering online services that are free of cost. Moreover, the users can find this particular tech-support site to be quite convenient in relation to its utilization by the users. It is worth mentioning that the aforesaid software comes with various important features that tend to provide the users with error free computing experiences. In this similar concern, the facets comprise easy to use and possessing the capability to save the computer systems from being attacked with viruses (The SANS Institute, 2011; Whitman & Mattord, 2010). Moreover, the other characteristics include identification of different errors that arise in the computer systems or programs, recognition of various symptoms of viruses, determination of possible amount of infections in the systems and most vitally collection of valuable information that can be effectively utilized for ensuring greater protection of the systems. Certain other extended benefits of 5-Star Support can also be apparently observed that the users can avail. These broad benefits include gathering information pertaining to corrupted files, identification of unsolicited emails and developing booting options among others (Gizmo’s Freeware, 2013; Grimes, 2001). Assessment Report The Free Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Software which manufactures by 5-Star Support might prove to be quite beneficial for resolving all major problems or complexities that arise

Technology Essay Example for Free

Technology Essay It is always a controversial issue whether technology separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. From my point of view, technology has done more to bring people together than to separate or alienate them. Therefore, I disagree with the statement. Here are some reasons why. First of all, technology has brought about a revolution in the way we communicate with each other through the use of cellular phones and the Internet. Thanks to these new mediums of communication, people are brought closer together. With access to cellular phones or the Internet, I am now only seconds away from communicating with distant friends. With access to these devices, the geographical distance between acquaintances matters much less than it did in the past. I can still maintain close contact with my family and friends, even if they are on the other side of the world. Evidently, technology makes people become closer than ever. In addition, technology has given us the means to travel great distances in relatively short periods of time for a relatively cheap price. Imagine having to travel overseas to visit your parents had you all lived a mere hundred year ago. Think of both the time and money such a trip would have cost! Now compare the difficulties of this trip a century ago with the relative ease and comfort of the same trip today. The technical innovations in transportation, as well as in communication, have only served to bring us closer together. In summary, I strongly disagree with the worn-out idea that technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. To the contrary, technology improves our ability to talk to each other. Also, it improves our ability to travel and see each other. Apparently, technological innovations in both transportation and in communication that were noted in the preceding paragraphs unite people in different locations. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. There have been many debates regarding the impacts of technology on people’s relationships. While many people argue that technology obviously separates and alienates people, some of others hold a belief that technology brings people together. As far as I am concerned, I strongly agree with the latter point of view, but I think that those who hold the former belief have their own sound evidence. Admittedly, proponents to this claim may argue that new technologies, such as the Internet, televisions, or computers, destroy humans’ relationships. Lots of people around the world have /been getting/BECOME/ addicted to watching televisions, playing online games, surfing and wandering AROUND the Internet, to name but a few. This has proveN to be very detrimental to their relationships. For example, in my country, Vietnam, many children, at the age of 8 to 14, are very interested in playing online games. They spend most of their free time sitting in front of their computers screen and doing something separately. This may result in the lack of socializing and contacting with others. On the other hand, technology has been a wonderful aid that can bring people together, or, in many cases, back together. To bolster this claim, I can say that I have connected with quite a few people all over the world via email, and some of them I have never known before. Furthermore, thanks to modern technologies such as the Internet or mobile phone, I can contact with my friends and relations living in other countries, far away from my homeland, very easily and conveniently. Giving and receiving a call, or chatting via Skype or Yahoo Messenger are some common ways that people often make use of, in order to keep contact with one another, as well as maintain and strengthen their relationships. Another way that technologies support people in socializing with each other is through the so-called ‘virtual worlds’ in the Internet. There are many such virtual worlds in the Internet, such as Facebook, Twitter, and a great numbers of forums and websites, in which people can share their common interests and make contacts with one another. Such contacts may be ephemeral, but they can be A great source of information and amusement. as well. For example, I have joined in English-test.net Forum and enjoyed many relationships in here. It CAN not only can make me feel relaxed, but also can ALSO bring me many benefits in terms of study. In sum, it seems clear to me that technology has done more to bring people together than to isolate them. If they use technologies appropriately, they can gain many benefits from them. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. The question in hand it to determine if Technology separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together As with many issues related to technology, we cannot say that it is fully true or false, but both the perspectives can co-exist. In my opinion, technology does more to bring people together than to alienate them. The primary reason of my opinion is a look at history. A century ago, people in America did not interact with the Asians the way they do today. Neither did they interact with their own countrymen to the extent they do today. The technological advances in communication made it possible for the world to shrink into a global village. The internet explosion of the late 1990s especially lead to a networked world, where there is a very strong business relationship between various parts of the world. With this business relationship and a subsequent personal relationship, people are now more closely knit than they ever were. Today, an American gets his leather jacket, with its raw material coming from Myanmar, manufacturing done in China and branding done in Europe. This one chain has linked people from various nations. The second reason I base my opinion on is the advances in travel technology. It took people 77 days to go around the earth a century ago, but today this can be done in less than 2 days. The tourist population of the world is at its historic high now. When people go to a new land, they get an opportunity to interact with the natives of that land. On the flip side, there is a limited human-to-human personal interaction in many developed nations due to these technological advances. A survey in the US points out that a typical teenager spends more time to watch television than to talk to his parents. This situation would not have been there a century ago. Infact the Amish people who live in Pennsylvania and Ohio states of the US do not have any televisions in their houses because they believe that it breaks up the family. They also have limited technology in their houses for having their families more closely knit. In conclusion, technology has been of tremendous help in bringing people across the world together, but it has made the smallest units of the society like the family less closely knit. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. Technology and Humane touch, in most cases donot gel together. It is indeed, a complex issue. One school of thought says, it is the ultimate tool to stay connected with people which otherwise is not possible.Technology comes as a rescue to the users, which they would find it difficult without it. At the same time, the division and the alienation which it brings along with it, has brought a negative reputation. However in my opinion, technology if placed at the right time and right place, it is the most effective tool to bring in smiles between scattered people over the globe. Let take a step further at the analysis of both sides. What was started as a communication tool, internet was not welcomed in the initial stages, or it was used only for military purposes. Today, with the changing times and the various needs of the people, it is slowly taking over the other medium of communication. Though there is always some issues with the implementation of it, speed, connection, network issues etc, it has to be accepted that it had made the world look smaller than what it was in one decade ago. Having said that, if noticed, internet also brings in some kind of alienation and it has its own disadvantages. It sometimes disturbs the privacy of the people and in turn it discourages the users from further usage. Whenever there is a system of new technology introduced in a society, it is always welcomed with some opposition and finally it works well. Even though technology needs some kind of additional knowledge of how to use, and other issues, with proper guidance it could turn into a great tool of communication and therefore it would connect people with humane touch, which is the differentiator point. Todays generation is more active and keep changing places instead of those times where they would stick to one place and one job. With these changing times and needs, technology is the only solution which bring back smiles over the people and nothing else. Therefore with the above analysis, and with humane differentiator, technology if used at the right place and right time, it would bring in more smiles to the users. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. The opinion that technology separates people more than it serves to bring them together is one that is causing much debate. The issue is of even greater importance at this point in time as technology has become a crucial part of our everyday functions. The strongest supporters of the above claim argue that technology has provided instruments that have facilitated separation, however in saying so they overlook the ways in which technology has brought people closer together. In this essay I will put forward arguments that illustrate how technology has brought people together. Firstly, lets consider how technology has brought people closer together by providing better means of communications. The telephone, internet, mobile phone and other modern telecommunications wonders are all important delvelopements that have allowed people to communicate with each other. This access to different and convienient modes of communcating has brought a feeling of closeness. As we head towards the future further technological advancements such as video conferencing will further facilitate bringing people closer together. Additionally, technology has allowed those people to interact with each of that could not have with technology, thus reducing their feeling of alienation. Take for example the residents of a rural village in India. Without technological advancements this group of people were separated and alienated from the rest of world. However with advances in transporation and communication this village can now feel closer to the rest of its global neighbours. In this case technology has facilitated the connecting various separated and isolated people. Further, looking from the perspective of social alienation and separation, that is when various people in a society feel that they are separated from society because of their financial status, or lack of oppurtunity. Consider a family living below the poverty line, its members so not have access to resources or opportunites and this often leads to a feeling of being alienated. Technology allows us to take steps to reduce this social separatness and alienation by providing better opportunities, by providing cheaper access to information, greater acecss to opportunities. Without technology people needed to have money to buy expensive Encyclopedias to access valuable information, however the internet now allows acces to information at a fraction of the cost. Therefore, it can be seen from the above examples that technology has played a powerful role in bringing people together socially, economically and in spirit. Although technology may allow ways to work in isolation it will continue to provides ways in which alienation and the feeling of separatness is further reduced.

The Future Of Life In Organisations Business Essay

The Future Of Life In Organisations Business Essay When the future life and well being of a business organisation is pre-planned at the present time using proper projections, strategic planning comes into play. Hence, strategic planning entails some of the steps and procedures which can be put in place in an organisation so that it can experience face lifting in the near or distant future (Samson Daft, 2009). Each division within a company ought to craft its own strategic plan which will focus on growth and performance. This is necessary because the impressive growth of a business organisation is entirely dependent on laid out plans. Nevertheless, whether in a small or big company, a strategic plan should be in a simplified version which is easy to understand, interpret and implement. Complicated elements in a strategic plan document may not be helpful at all especially when the same is to be implemented. As already mentioned, strategic plan should be in form of a document which implies that it has to be written for the sake of futu re reference. The written plan should be clear as much as possible and equally based on the actual state of the business organisation at the present time. Although strategic planning is generally considered to be the way forward for organisations which desire growth, it has its own demerits and pitfalls. However, the inevitable pitfalls should not hinder an organisation from projecting into the future by planning in the present (Goodstein, Nolan Pfeiffer, 1993). To begin with, a strategic plan may not materialise as expected bearing in mind that the operational environment of the plan can be very dynamic while the set objectives are static. Such changes which can sometimes be unavoidable may negatively affect the attainability the original plan leading to significant failures. Challenges facing an organisation at the present time cannot be sorted out or addressed by a piece of strategic plan. Therefore, this plan is only useful at a later date and only if the strategies are achieved. If the process of planning has loopholes, the outcome of the plan itself may also go below par and then lead to further failures. When an organisation jumps from formulating a mission to developing the strategic plan within a very short and inadequate period of time, it can lead to a major pitfall of the plan. When developing the strategic plan, a business management is supposed to bear in mind all the critical details of the mission statement of the organisation so that no single development proposal is crafted void of the companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s mission. In addition, sufficient time should be allocated in the creation, formulation and implementation of the strategic plan (Fogg, 1994). There are some instances when the top organisational leadership may fail to incorporate the subordinate employees in the creation of the strategic plan. Involving workers from all levels of the organisation in the process of strategic plan and decision making is necessary and cannot be ignored at all. It should be recalled that all the employees in an organisation are part and parcel in the implementation of the strategic plan (Samson Daft, 2009). Another likely pitfall to strategic planning arises when the top management resort to adopt intuitive decisions which are not in agreement with the formal planning of the organisation. This can also confuse employees within a company. They will not be in a position to point out which strategies to follow in the course of delivering their services (Mintzberg Waters, 1982). Unless the strategic plan is used as a basic unit for quantifying performance, the plan may not be worthy. Assessing the performance index of an organisation is necessary in the process of tracking down the initially proposed strategies. A planning consultant plays an important role in making sure that the laid down strategies are well formulated and also attainable within the given period of time. The consultant also counterchecks resource availability and allocation for each plan and then gives the necessary counsel. In spite of these invaluable roles played by the planning consultant, the management should still take control of the entire strategic framework. Delegating the planning duties fully to the consultant is a serious pitfall. The management must still possess the plan and oversee its implementation to the latter. A strategic plan usually passes through different phases before it can finally be articulated and its outcomes realised. For example, it begins by the process of preparing the plan itself. Key development issues are identified at this stage. Secondly, the strategies identified are developed, evaluated and re-evaluated to ensure that they fit within the mission and vision of the company. Finally, the plan is put on the implementation phase (Mintzberg Waters, 1982). These are complex procedures which requires the all the key employees to be partakers of the process. Failure to do so may as well as lead to the pitfall of the strategic plan. Furthermore, if the management does not create an operating environment which is conducive for cooperation and also resistant to market dynamics, the strategic plan may not record significant success. Small businesses too need to formulate strategic planning in their operations much more than the big firms which are well established and running. In fact, in order for a business organisation to grow, a business plan alone is not sufficient, it is just a replica of ideas which the management has in mind but not strategically devised to improve performance. It is imperative to underscore that small firms have a higher demand for growth than big businesses which have already taken root. Besides, small businesses often faces a myriad of market risks compared to elaborate organisations and in case of any eventuality, they are bound to lose greatly. It is against this backdrop that small companies need o prepare, develop and formulate very strong strategic plans for the sake of sustainability in the dynamic and hostile business environment. As mentioned earlier, the success story of strategic planning in a business is largely dependent on quite a number of factors. Regardless of the size of the business, the outcome of a strategic plan will be influenced by the procedures and modalities used in the preparation and implementation of the plan. Therefore, strategic planning can lead to improved performance in small companies if the following cardinal principles are adhered to by both the management and employees of a company. Although most small companies rarely transit into elaborate corporations, the concept of strategic planning is one way out of transforming small firms into large companies. There are several case studies which have noted down that small companies can only experience growth if they are merged or acquired by market leaders. This may not be universally true because if small firms purse and implement strategic planning to the latter, they can always grow by leaps and bound into giant companies (Steiner, 1979). This begins with grass root planning on the development of the young company. Strategic planning will provide the right path for the company to take. In addition, it will lay the foundation for contingency planning which is much needed in the heart of the small organisations. Small scale enterprises may sometimes fail to enforce the process of implementation of the strategic plan developed. If the devised models are put into action, improved performance of these small scale enterprises will definitely be achieved (Goodstein, Nolan Pfeiffer, 1993). This is also the clear cut difference between small and big enterprises. The latter will rarely ignore to implement a strategic plan toolkit mainly because it has been heavily invested on. If small enterprises communicate to workers on the formulation and implementation process of the strategic plan, positive growth will be on the way due to support received from employees. Workers in any business organisation form the backbone for growth. A company cannot succeed when it ignores or does not uplift the performance of employees. A small company which is unanimously run by a director and collaborating employees will often achieve the contents of a well crafted strategic plan. This process also entails involving e mployees in the day-to-day decision making and goal setting procedures. Commitment is an essential ingredient in strategic planning of a small firm. If both the executive arm of the organisation and the subordinate staff are committed in ensuring that the plan works, then the size of the firm does not matter at all; the objectives will still be achieved. It is also worth noting that commitment stems from goal setting theory. Employees will be committed if the goals which are set in the strategic plan are well understood. Moreover, the plan is bound to succeed if the management instils commitment to the employees in two ways. Firstly, workers should be made to understand the importance of the entire strategic plan and the goals set in it (Steiner, 1979). Without a sense of importance in the written document, there will be lack of commitment and irrespective of the size of the organisation; the strategic plan will not be functional. Another way of enhancing commitment is by ensuring t hat employees can actualise the benefit of the strategic plan on their part and not just on the general well being of the organisation. For instance, they can be promised additional fringe benefits in addition to such motivating factors like higher salaries and promotions. Small firms which adhere to such measures will often succeed in their quest for growth into market leaders (Fogg, 1994). Similar to any other aspect of planning, strategic planning also requires significant inputs. This includes elaborate intrinsic and extrinsic research to ascertain the ability of the small company against the trends in the current and future market. In this regard, the competitive analysis of the firm should be brought into consideration in addition to the ability of the organisation to undertake certain planning measures based on resource availability (Steiner, 1979). Strategic planning developed by small firms can often sail through if the two mentioned elements are critically analysed. Hence, whether a business enterprise is small or expanse in size, conscientious strategic planning followed by meticulous implementation can improve performance.