Saturday, August 31, 2019
Martha?S Vineyard – Labov
1. 0      Introduction 1. 1     Martha? s Vineyard – where old traditions are still of value Martha? s Vineyard is a small island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, USA. The island has a permanent population of about 6000 inhabitants. It is separated from the mainland by the Atlantic Ocean and there are no big businesses or any McDonald to be found on the island. Here, life is not as hectic as on the mainland and old traditions are still of value. The inhabitants have a way of showing their connection and dedication to their homeland, which is also a way of identifying themselves.This term paper will be about sound changes in connection with social identity. I will examine the innovative study of language variation and change in the islands community, observed and examined by William Labov (1963). I will analyze and discuss the study made by Labov. Labov? s study is based on the characteristic sound pattern discovered while listening to the inhabitants of Martha? s Vineyard. This sound change has a focus on the centralization of diphthongs. Centralization is the phonological change in which a vowel becomes more central than normal (Lawrence Trask 2000 : 53).Diphthong is a vowel sound which is pronounced by quickly moving from one vowel position to another (Deckert, Vickers 2011 : 33). The sound changes made by inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard, observed by Labov were: /ay/ as in fight, right and sight and /aw/ as in loud and about. Labov? s observations exposed that the centralized diphthongs only occurred in a particular linguistic context. Some groups used the sound change more than others. The group of fishermen was among these. Labov also observed that some inhabitants purposely did not pronounce the diphthongs differently to people from the mainland.Having looked at different social factors, as for example, age, ethnic group and occupation it became obvious that the attitude towards the island was an essential aspect to explain this phenomenon. The decision whether or not to use the island or the mainland pronunciation depended the attitude towards Martha’s Vineyard, whether or not being positive or negative. Labov named this phenomenon â€Å"island identity†(1963). To understand what â€Å"island identity†is it is important to define the term â€Å"identity†. What is identity and how do we identify ourselves?Can there be a connection between identity and speech? In this term paper I will attempt to answer these questions. 2. 0 The study, sociolinguistic pattern and meaning 2. 1 Background knowledge Martha’s Vineyard is divided into two parts, which are the up-island and the down-island. By the time Labov made this study, the island had approximately 6000 inhabitants. The majority lived in an area of the down-island which contains of three small towns, called Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The remaining inhabitants lived in the rur al up-island area with only a few villages (Labov 1972: 5).The inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard were divided into four major ethnic groups. The main group was the descendants of old families with English origin. The second major group was descendants of Portuguese origin who migrated from the Azores and the Cap Verde Islands. The third group was descendants of remnant native Americans. The last group consists of inhabitants of various origins, who were of no relevance for this study (Labov 1972: 6). Another group became relevant for this study. This was the group of summer visitors who came in large groups in June and July.There would be around 42. 000 visitors on the island every summer (Labov 1972: 6). It could be a possibility that the summer visitors brought the sound change from the mainland to the island, which would mean that this group would have the major influence on the pronunciation of the diphthongs /ay/ and /aw/ but it becomes clear that the influence of visitor s are not as obvious as it might seem, since Labov only mentioned that this group had an indirect influence. To clarify this, it is essential to have a look at the economic situation of the island.In 1960 Martha's Vineyard was the poorest of all countries of Massachusetts and this was not only due to the high unemployment rate in Massachusetts back then (Labov 1972: 27). The islands? major industry was the fishing industry on the up-island. The large-scale of fishing went out of New Bedford on the Grand Banks and as a result it became harder to keep this industry going (Labov 1972: 27). It became almost impossible for the fishermen to make a living from their wages and their families became dependent on two earnings. Another problem forced the economic and psychological pressure.Convenience goods were at a very high price (Labov 1972: 28) and the goods were brought on the island with ferry from the mainland. This transport was expensive and permitted the salesmen to expand the price s of their goods. Some would say that the constantly growing tourism came as a blessing for the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard, but at the same time it also became a curse, especially for the fishermen who felt very connected to the island and the traditions connected to it. For them it was difficult to accept the increasing dependence on tourism.The following observations and results are of importance in order to understand the connection between the above mentioned background information and the language variation in this study. 2. 2 Accomplishment by Labov and its meaning for the inhabitants In 1963, as the study of Martha’s Vineyard was relized, Labov observed a striking way of pronouncing words such a fight, right and sight, and words such as loud and about. This striking ways of pronunciation clearly diverged from the near parts of the mainland (Meyerhoff 2006: 16f. ). The inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard pronounced the diphthongs /ay/ and /aw/ in a more entral position which is a phonological change termed centralization. In order to figure out why many inhabitants used the centralized diphthongs, Labov deliberated an interview schedule in which /ay/ and /aw/ frequently occurred (Labov 1972: 12). Here Labov did not only put his focus on the linguistic aspect but on the social aspect as well. This means that Labov did not only put focus on the language but furthermore he wanted to examine the reasons for this sound change and in which way it was used in a social context and by whom. Why did some speakers use the centralized diphthongs more than others?This is why this study by Labov is not just of study of linguistics but also counts as a sociolinguistic study (Deckert, Vickers 2011: 1). Labov started asking inhabitants questions concerning their lives on the island. He also recorded them while they were reading lists of words naturally containing /ay/ and /aw/ sounds out loud (Meyerhoff 2006: 17). He interviewed 69 inhabitants of different ages, occupation, ethnic groups and from different geographical distribution. The table underneath is taken from Labov? s study and shows age levels and numbers of inhabitants using the centralized vowels /ay/ and /aw/:Table 1 (Labov 1972: 22) |age |(ay) |(aw) | |75- |25 |22 | |61-75 |35 |37 | |46-60 |62 |44 | |31-45 |81 |88 | |14-30 |37 |46 | Having a look at this table, it appears that inhabitants from the age of thirty-one up to age forty-five frequently tended to centralize the diphthongs. However, inhabitants younger than thirty-one and older than forty-five, did not have a high use of the centralized diphthongs.This means that the sound change could not only be dependent on the age of inhabitants being interviewed. Therefore Labov focused on other social factors which might have an effect on the production of this sound change. He interviewed inhabitants from different parts of residence, hereby people form the up-island as well as people living at the down-island. T he statistics shown below demonstrates different cities on Martha’s Vineyard. It also shows the numbers of inhabitants from these cities using the centralized diphthongs: Table 2 (Labov 1972: 25)  |(ay) |(aw) | |Down-island |35 |33 | |Edgartown |48 |55 | |Oak |33 |10 | |Bluffs                    | | | |Vineyard Haven            |24 |33 | |Up-island                   |61 |66 | |Oak |71 |99 | |Bluffs                    | | | |N. 35 |13 | |Tisbury                    | | | |West Tisbury                |51 |51 | |Chilmark    |100 |81 | |Gay Head                     |51 |81 | This t able clearly shows that the inhabitants living on the up-island used the sound change more frequently than inhabitants living on the down-island, especially the inhabitants of the town Chilmark. In Chilmark they were shown o have a unique tendency of centralized diphthongs. The up-island was more of a rural area and it was known for its fishing industry. Most fishermen were living and working in Chilmark. The following table shows the centralization by the different occupational groups observed by Labov. . Table 3 (Labov 1972: 26) | |(ay) |(aw) | |Fishermen |100 |79 | |Farmers |32 |22 | |Others |41 |57 |According to this table which shows the usage of centralized diphthong by fishermen, farmers and other occupations, shows it becomes clear that the fishermen were the one group who most frequently made use of centralization. Some of the farmers and people of other occupations also used this sound change but their numbers were strikingly low compared to the numbers of fishermen us ing the centralization. When comparing the results of all three tables it becomes obvious that the Chilmark fishermen in the middle working age level were using the centralization more frequently than any other groups on the island.However, hereby it is still not revealed why this group of inhabitants at this age and living and working in that one place where the fishing industry still played a big role in the island economy (Labov 1972: 29), were using the sound change more frequently than the other groups of inhabitants. It is central to understand the meaning and importance of the fishing industry for the inhabitants and the island itself to fully understand the interaction of social and linguistic patterns. Most of the fishermen from Chilmark felt deeply connected to the island since most of them were descendants of the old families (Labov 1972: 28).The fishing industry used to be a major part of the economy, before the large-scale fishing went out of New Bedford on the Grand Ba nks (Labov 1972: 27). The fishermen were proud to be independent, to stand on their own feet and earn their living with their own bare hands. Fishing was an old tradition on this island (Labov 1972: 29) but as an ever-growing number of summer visitors came to the island a big part of the fishing industry moved away and the inhabitants became forced to be more dependent on tourism. Chilmark changed from the traditional fishing industry to modern tourism.Many of the inhabitants accepted but the fishermen had a hard time acknowledging this change (Labov 1972: 28). They made their living from fishing. For these men fishing was not just a job, but it was also a way of living and an old tradition they did not want to give up. Two brothers from Edgartown which were also fishermen were among the interviewed. They both had a tendency to centralize the diphthongs very frequently (Labov 1972: 30). These two brothers were the last decendants from the old families (Labov 1972: 30).If they were t o leave the island, there would be no descendant left in Edgartown and there would be no one to keep up the traditions of the old families. These two brothers are another example that clarifies the importance of the fishing industry. It also clarifies that the Chilmark fishermen as well as the fishermen from Edgartown shared social orientation. They felt deeply connected to the island which was their home. For this reason they also both shared an aversion to the many summer visitors. The summer visitors would invade the cities of Martha’s Vineyard, and thereby the growing tourism would invade ajor a part in the economy. Though many of the inhabitants appreciate the tourism, the fishermen suffered more and more under economic as well as psychological pressure (Labov 1972: 28). The dependence on summer visitors grew and thereby the independence of the fishermen was reduced. The more inhabitants lived a traditional way of life the more they used the centralization. This fact dem onstrates the relationship to the diphthong centralization and the social orientation. Labov learned that another social factor had an outstanding influence on the sound change.He observed attitude towards the island, whether it was positive or negative, was of reason for the usage of this sound change. Labov found out that high school students and their use of the centralization depended on their plan whether or not to stay on the island. He therefore interviewed students from Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. The students who wanted to stay on the island showed a much higher use of the centralized diphthongs than the students who wanted to leave the island after finishing school (Labov 1972: 32).Not only inhabitants from the old families had a high use of the centralization, but Portuguese at the age of thirty-one to forty-five revealed to have a very high use of the sound change in comparison to the other age groups (Labov 1972: 26). The Portuguese of this age group belonge d to the third and fourth generation. This generation was the first one which had entirely adopted the ways of life on the island (Labov 1972: 33). They too felt deeply connected to the island, their home.The middle aged Portuguese showed a higher use of centralization than the younger Portuguese, even though the younger Portuguese showed a higher centralization than the young inhabitants with English origin (Labov 1972: 26). This phenomenon can be explained by the attitude towards the island. Most of the young inhabitants with English origin wanted to leave the island opposed to the majority of the young Portuguese who wanted to stay on the island (Labov 1972: 26). This proves that social attitude towards Martha’s Vineyard was to blame for the use of the centralization.In relation to the social attitude the term â€Å"island identity†becomes important. To fully understand this term it is important to explain what â€Å"identity†really means. To define what â €Å"identity†really is, is easier said than done. Identity can be a name of a person but it can also be a way of behaving or other details like gestures or mimics. In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English by Langenscheidt, there are more than a few explanations. For example: â€Å"The qualities and attitudes that a person or a group of people have, that make them different from other people†(Langenscheidt 2006: 805).The term â€Å"national/cultural/social identity†is listed in this dictionary as well and is defined as â€Å"a strong feeling of belonging to particular group, race, etc. †(Langenscheidt 2006: 805). After having studied Labov`s observations, his results and defining the term identity, it becomes clear that the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard used the sound change to identify themselves. They created an access to their identity with the help of language, and used the centralization as a way to differentiate themselves from sum mer visitors. This strong bond to their home, the island, is termed by Labov as â€Å"island identity†. Island identity†describes the use of the centralization as an expression of the strong connection, the inhabitant? s ancestry and their home land. Inhabitants who used this sound change also revealed their attitude and connection to the island. The ones using the sound change were the ones who felt deeply connected and identified themselves with the island. Thereby the sound change became an indicator of the inhabitant's attitude. The inhabitants who showed a negative attitude towards the island the ones who did not feel connected to it and wanted to leave, did not use this centralization.They simply did not identify themselves with the island. On behalf of those inhabitants who had a positive attitude towards the island the language variant hold prestige. For some inhabitants the sound change had a higher status than for others, although the speakers were not always aware of the importance of the sound change. This is the reason why there are two types of prestige which are termed overt and covert prestige (Meyerhoff 2006: 37). Overt prestige is linked with language variants that speakers use for special reasons.The speakers using the overt prestige have the motive of sounding, for example, politer or even more educated, which means that they obviously are aware of using that variant (Meyerhoff 2006: 37). For the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard the covert prestige played a central role. The speakers who were using the centralization did not want to sound nicer or better than other people on the island. This pronunciation was not the standard or the general norm but it was based on group identity and the way the inhabitants differentiated themselves from other inhabitants and summer visitors. 3. 0 ConclusionThrough the study of Labov, he demonstrated that social factors play a role in how people speak and he also clarified the deep soci al function language has to define sn identity. Labov? s study was of importance for the social linguistic. The centralized diphthongs observed by Labov were most frequently used by the thirty-one up to forty-five age group and was typically observed used by people who lived and worked on the island, who felt deeply connected to the island. The connection between the positive attitude towards life on the island and the usage of centralization was outstanding.The inhabitants who lived a traditional way of life, had the highest degree of centralization. Since being a fisherman was a traditional occupation, this means that the main part of the inhabitants on the up-island had a higher use of the sound change since that was the place where the fishing industry was based. The down-island was the area where less people were using the centralization. It consist of small towns and these towns were the attraction for the increasing number of summer visitors.Consequently, it can be said that the centralization is an indicator of solidarity. A way of showing where you belong and that you are proud of your home and its traditions. For the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard it was also a way to oppose to the people of the mainland and the new service economy. This sound change made them stand out. By centralizing the diphthongs the inhabitants of island created a way to connect their social identity to language. The language functions as a tool to stick out of the crowd. It is as a reminder of their roots. . 0 Bibliography Deckert, Sharon K. ; Vickers, Caroline H. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. 2011. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Labov, William. Sociolinguistic Patterns. 1972. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Langenscheidt. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. 2006 Meyerhoff, Miriam. Introducing Sociolinguistics. 2006. Abingdon: Routledge Trask, Robert Lawrence. The Dictionary of Historical and Comparative Linguistics. 2 000. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd
Friday, August 30, 2019
MHS Reflection
The most impressive part is having interview with one of the employees-Yin Pong. She is an ex-mentally ill person but she is confident and cheerful. During the interview, she repeatedly expresses that she enjoys working in bakery and feels an immense gratitude that she can be employed. At that moment, I think the role of social enterprises is essential in Hong Kong society as they can provide opportunities of self-reliance to the disadvantaged. In Hong Kong, many disadvantaged are seeking for these helps and it can also decrease the ruder of the families and society.I find that their products are valuable although the prices of the products are quite expensive as they use high quality of ingredients for their baking to achieve quality assurance. It is also an essential element helping them to compete in the market. Besides, I appreciate the spirit of bakery. They hope their customers keep patronizing are because of the appreciation of their baked product, but not the sympathy for the employees with disabilities or the support to their organization (Ting Way Group of Hospitals).The employees completely get good senses of fulfillment from successful work. It is no doubt that training employees with disabilities is a difficult job as they need to give much patience, care and time for their employees. To help bakery to survive in the market, it is not just their well-handled management, but also their selflessness to employees. The role of social enterprises is one of the steps to lead Hong Kong to be a caring socio ¶y'. Our supports are dispensable.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Buying a House Vs Renting an Apartment
Buying a House Vs Renting an Apartment Buying a home can be an exciting experience for anyone. However, in some cases you just might be better off continuing to rent your home. There are many advantages to buying a home. However, it is not for everyone and buying varies from individual to individual. Currently more people are leaning towards renting but this could change in the near future. After doing the research and looking at all the options; Buying a House is the best way to go. When someone makes the decision to buy or rent a home they must consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. In buying a home the primary advantage is that you actually own it. You can do whatever you want with it. Also, you are building equity as the years go by. However, when they buy a home, the money they put down for a down payment is an investment. When the person sells the home they get back the down payment and the amount the property has appreciated in value. When looking at the advantages of renting it is easy to see the disa dvantages of buying for some people. Even though you don’t get the money back that you spend. Renting vs. buying really just depends on your personal needs. Both have advantages, but neither is the perfect choice for everyone. The first list applies to renting an apartment and the second list is for home buyers. Keep in mind that there are many things to consider when choosing between the two, but this list just touches on a few of the differences. Much of it is just personal preference, so it’s important to figure out what’s right for you. Advantages to Renting an Apartment: If you move frequently, or you’re unsure of how long you’ll be staying in the area, renting could be the better choice. People in the military are often better off with renting an apartment, since they could be stationed somewhere else at any time. When you rent, you don’t have to worry about things like mowing the lawn, repairing a leaky roof, buying a new hot wa ter heater, or most other things that require maintenance. Renting can also be the first step towards buying a home, since you can get to know the area before you buy a house. It would be a shame to buy a house, then a few months later, wish that you lived a few miles away. Advantages to Buying a House: When you buy a house, it’s generally a good investment that will increase in value. This might not be the case if you plan on moving right back out shortly after moving in, though. It’s yours to change as you see fit. Want to add a bathroom? Put a shed in the back yard? Paint it a different color? It’s nice to feel like you can do what you want because it’s actually yours, rather than having to read the fine print of your rental lease before doing something as simple as putting up a shelf. Having a yard is one of the obvious advantages, where you can soak up some sun while enjoying some privacy, rather than hanging out at a crowded public pool ar ea. The yard advantage is also important for people with large pets that might not be allowed in an apartment. Home equity loans often come in handy for people that want to redecorate or put an addition on their home. Privacy is nice and having your own yard is great if you have kids, or just like to sit outside and enjoy some peace and quiet. When you live in some communities, whether you buy a house or live in an apartment complex, some have strict guidelines that you have to follow. In some subdivisions, certain things like the height of your grass in lawn, car repairs in the driveway, leaving garage doors open, or even what you can have in your yard are not allowed. These rules can seem like a lot to some, but they can also be nice if you end up next to a neighbor whose every action lowers property values in the area. When does it make sense to buy? People, who have generally rented their whole lives, purchase a home for various reasons. Owning something of value with a ch ance of
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL INTERPRETATION Essay
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL INTERPRETATION - Essay Example This is a symbolic statement where the tongue that does not settle could be used to symbolize the people who kept hiding from the reality of their native language and as result they would use other languages to communicate even amongst themselves just because they were ashamed of their language and native culture. â€Å"but I could get a whiff of the stench when I gasped†this is a phrase that remind the culture escapists that they would still have the remains of the same culture that they disregarded. After all they would still have their Mexican accent even if they used English. Deep inside they knew they were Chicanos. Another case of symbolism is in the second page of the text where she writes â€Å"our tongues have become dry, the wilderness has dried our tongues and we have forgotten speech†here the wilderness represents the diverse linguistic jungle that the world is and trying to fit it drains you of your language. The writer uses multiple stories to pass the message about how Chicanos are disregarded and also to emphasis on her pride in her true identity. For instance she states that when caught speaking in Mexican while in school she get punished ,†gets three licks on the knuckles with a sharp ruler†and sent to sit at a corner for speaking back at a teacher. Her mother is also not confide about her daughters fluency n communication and keeps reminding her the â€Å"I want you to speak English’ since she had the Mexican accent even when she spoke
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
The Young Victoria (Movie, 2008) as an example of Symbolic Activity Essay
The Young Victoria (Movie, 2008) as an example of Symbolic Activity and Performance Theories - Essay Example He then realizes that the Queen exerts little influence over her daughter, something that makes him have Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, his nephew seduce Victoria. King Leopold 1 then ordered Baron Stockmar to help Prince Albert learn Victoria’s interest such as her favorite music, opera and novels (Vallà ©e 08:58). The King’s family is then invited into the Duchess household where Albert and Victoria eventually develop an interest for one another. The rest of the movie then revolves around Queen Victoria’s reign and her marriage to Prince Albert. Therefore, this paper primarily focuses on illustrating how this film is as an example of symbolic activity and performance theories. According to Burke, life is a drama that involves conflict and division, which threatens some existing order (Wood 104). This idea applies to a number of scenes in the film. For instance, little Victoria is deeply unhappy with her lifestyle and strict rules imposed on her. She claims that the palace itself seems to be a prison (Vallà ©e 01:44). This is because of the chill that fills the rooms and coldness that largely emanate from her close adviser and the duchess. She is also isolated from other children with her company mainly comprising of servants. She is trying to amuse herself as much as she can through watching TV and playing with the dog, but this only seems to be limited entertainment. It seems that Victoria is not satisfied with the things happening in her life at that stage. This led to a series of conflict between her mother, close adviser and herself. From the film, there is a scene when Victoria tells Sir John Conroy that she is currently too smart to be controlled. However, Sir Conroy uses force to make Victoria obey her pieces of advice. In this scene, Victoria is trying to pursue perfection, which makes her guilty.
Monday, August 26, 2019
Geology 3-8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Geology 3-8 - Essay Example The motion of plates situated here is continuous and earthquakes occur frequently because California is located in the middle of a fault segment. This means that it is a Transform-Fault Plate type. A tsunami is defined as a strong ocean wave that is the result of mostly an earthquake or at times a volcanic eruption. ( Hamilton, 2005). The causes of Tsunamis are basically earthquakes that cause the sea floor to rise or fall. This happens when plates strike with each other again and again at the border of a plate. Tsunamis occur when the earth’s crust becomes deformed due to earthquakes and the original position of the plates gets disturbed ( Tankut, 2009). Plates try to overlap each other and the heavier ones move under the less dense ones again causing the lithosphere to deform. Other than that, when the sea floor gets elevated or misshaped, a tsunami can be created even then. The Great Pacific Garbage patch, as it name implies is a huge patch of garbage in the northern region of the Pacific Ocean. The size of the patch is still not very clear but it is in the northern portion of the Pacific Ocean. This is due to the fact that plastics do not get destroyed but get converted into harmful substances that keep polluting the air and water around them hence making it dangerous for people who live or travel from there. It has also been damaging submarine and under water equipment as well as wild life. Green House Effect is defined as a process related to physics that captures and traps heat in the atmosphere of the earth. It is a result of the interface between the atmosphere and the sunlight. Basically, the carbon dioxide that the atmosphere contains absorbs the heat which raises the temperature of the atmosphere. It is not a layer of carbon dioxide in the sky that reflects heat back down as it radiates from the Earths surface. Heat is absorbed by the
Autobiography Fictionalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Autobiography Fictionalized - Essay Example I was a good obedient girl, thus I took my Barbie doll and a box filled with patchy handmade doll clothes I made from time to time during flushes of childish creativity and went to my room. Dad still wasn’t at home. Mom kept ironing bedlinen and his office shirts. â€Å"Honey, have you brushed your teeth?†I heard while I was diligently putting all my coloring books, pencils and dolls together (I was seven, but I was already clever and sedulous enough). I was naively thinking that father was always at home at the time I went to do my toilet in the evening. Scrubbing my teeth with one of those funny toothbrushes with hippo-shaped caps, I saw mom sitting at the table and crying over her cellphone. I’d never seen a tear shed by her – she’d always been so adult and strong and wise to me. My childish logic didn’t tell me anything better than to come over and hug her as a sign of comfort: We couldn’t sleep well that night. I was hugging my mother, while she lay with her back to me and held the phone in her hand. The phone was ringing continuously, but she wouldn’t answer, except for once, when she picked up the call and yelled haltingly: I was a little bit scared and puzzled, my childish mind didn’t want to admit that it was my father, though it was him. He must’ve hurt mommy or did something wrong, I thought. I hoped that there wasn’t my fault in their quarrel. The next morning, mom didn’t want to talk to me – or to anyone – at all. She cooked my usual Sunday pancakes, dressed them amply with blueberry jam and informed me that we were going for â€Å"a very long†walk in the park. Well, it was strange, for we always spent Sundays together with her and father either making some barbeque or going on one-day trips to some picturesque places. Well, dad never participated in our entertainment too actively: he’d rather walk around silently, smiling from time to
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Community Health Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Community Health Nursing - Essay Example state of Columbia. It is the major center for researches and development. Maryland is known as third largest nexus in the field. Demographic Data Total Population 5,615,727 In Maryland, Asthma is a disease from which Maryland’s people are suffering. Asthma is a curable chronic lung disease categorized by inflammation of the excuses mucus secretion, reversible airway and constriction. This bounding of the airway outputs in decreased airflow that may cause effects of coughing, wheezing and tightness of the chest, and patient’s usually safe difficulty in breathing. Asthma attacks on both adults and children and is considered as the most common chronic disease of in early ages. In 2007, around 9.6 million (13.1%) U.S. children under 18 years had been suffered from asthma at some stage in their whole life. Approximately 6.7 million (9.1%) children recently had diagnosed with asthma. An estimated 24.4 million (11.0%) U.S. mature population have been identified with asthma dur ing their lifecycle, and around 16.2 million (7.3%) currently suffering from asthma. In the end of 2006, asthma was considered responsible for 443,600 hospitalizations countrywide (Bule & Golosinsky, 2006). In 2002, the Maryland State Legislature announced the MACP in statute. This mandate, In conjunction with the CDC funding, has published the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), and the MACP to facilitate leadership for minimizing morbidity and mortality because of asthma in Maryland, specifically for its most valuable populations. Fig 1: Current Asthma Prevalence Windshield Survey A windshield survey depends on the observation of data instead of asking direct questions from the participants. It needs to develop survey questions and getting answers of them. A windshield survey was performed in a posh area of Maryland. There were hundreds of multi story houses with a very short distance (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2000). The target audience was between the ages of 30-45 and the survey focused on their income, free access to the hospital and good medicine availability issues. The main issue was people’s income, access to medical center and ability to bear doctor’s fee. There are hundreds of popular names who expired due to improper care of themselves. Education and prevention is required in order to spend a healthy and disease free life (Pleis & Lethbridge-Cejku, 2009). PO 1). Decision making is an integral part of nursing. Quick and strong decision making skills help a lot in nursing practice. One should be capable of quick decision and an absolute of judgment for finding the best options for his patients. Clinical judgment is considered one of the vital and essential skills for nursing. In the community, as there is a very short list of people who can afford doctor’s fees and medical treatment charges. Nurses should be more accurate and fast in decision making for the community people. PO 2) Communic ation and excellent people skills are required for nursing. There are several collaborative techniques like ability to answer questions and advice; nurses spend more time with patients than a doctor. Patients are always curious to know and discuss about their disease so nurses must have ability to co-operate with them at every stage of their disease. PO 5) Accountability helps in identifying and recognizing the
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Analysis of eBays Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Analysis of eBays Business Strategy - Essay Example eBay uses online auction-based marketing strategy to expand business across the world. The company has developed community value concept among users while core essence of the concept lies in trusting people. They are trading thousands of dollar daily via online community and the business process is based on faith in online community members. The marketing strategy of the company can be entangled with business strategy. They implemented the concept of e-commerce to create the online platform for buyers and sellers to do the transaction. They did not limit themselves in the USA but designed online platform for international buyers and sellers. They successfully created an environment complemented with mutual trust for traders and ultimately fosters the concept of e-loyalty among them. The company has established a strategic relationship with more than sixty websites to attract new customers and their partnership with America Online helped them access large internet user base. This Move helped them to create an entry barrier for AOL to enter online auction market. Business Exchange program of the company added local dealers to participate in consumer auction market and this strategy helped the company domestic auction market of the country. eBay has rightly analyzed trading behavior of local customers and hence they have developed fifty-three local sites for the country. They expand distribution channel across the country and designed transaction site in accordance with consumer behavior of local users. They have entered more than thirty countries with establishing hundreds of transaction sites. Customers across the globe can get transaction support on a real-time basis. The company did not invest a single dollar on marketing in the initial years and the relied on time-tested viral marketing and word of mouth strategy to promote the brand among customers. Then they shifted to below the line promotion like electronic display, ambient advertising to increase brand visibility, and customers. They shifted their focus to e-marketing after digital marketing revolution. They used a web browser, social media platform, emails to generate response among online users.
Friday, August 23, 2019
Apple's marketing strategy in China Literature review
Apple's marketing strategy in China - Literature review Example The competitiveness of the global environment has been made possible by technological advances that have leveled the playing field for international businesses to penetrate cross-border markets (Friedman, 2007). Modern means of communication, which facilitates information gathering and business transactions, â€Å"allowing people around the world to compete, connect, and collaborate†(Cherunimal, 2010). Nor is the globalization trend limited to commerce and trade, such that â€Å"No institution, whether a business, a university or hospital, can hope to survive, let alone to succeed, unless it measures up to the standards set by the leaders in its field any place in the world†(Peter Drucker, 2007, p. 66). Several frameworks for international marketing planning have been conceptualized to capture its nature and scope, although the specific nuances of the process continues to evolve with the changing dynamics of globalization. Li and Li (2009) proposed an Internet-enabled , multi-agent-based hybrid framework, which was designed to address the three types of uncertainty conditions identified by Ashill and Jobber (2001), namely: state uncertainty, or the inability to forecast future events in the global marketing environment; effect uncertainty, which results from failure to understand the causes and effects of the changing environment; and response uncertainty, or the inability to predict how the market will respond to the changes. The framework is graphically portrayed in the following diagram: Figure 1: The Internet-enabled multi-agent-based hybrid intelligent support framework (Li & Li, 2009). The decision-making framework synthesizes the processes identified in earlier academic literature. Environmental scanning and monitoring involves the continuous observation of political, economic, social and technological events, and competitors’ moves (Jain, 1990). Strategic analysis assesses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, evalu ates the principal criteria or factors which the firm must address. Management identifies the strategic intention, risk, synergy effects, and market attractiveness, and thereby defines the firm’s competitive advantage. Go versus no-go decision under uncertainty is a pass/fail test conditioned by fulfillment of the Go condition and failure of the No-go condition (Cohen, Rolph & Steffey, 1998). The decision-makers decide the course of action and possible alternatives to take, with cognizance of the state, effect, and response uncertainties. Entry mode selection under uncertainty is the choice of the manner in which the firm enters the target market, given the degree of risk and the level of market control (Chee & Harris, 1998). Finally, formulating marketing strategies is concerned with the means of achieving the defined marketing goals and objectives towards creating the competitive advantage defined for the firm. These processes will be more closely described in the following sections. In the hybrid model, the processes are carried out by multiple software agents, working in an Internet-enabled system through a suitable software architecture and underlying integration method (Li & Li, 2009). Table 1: International marketing envir
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Relativism and Morality Essay Example for Free
Relativism and Morality Essay There are moral choices made on a daily basis, no matter the culture or race, people make these types of choices. The moral choices we make based on our cultures can be viewed on a scale of right and wrong by other cultures. In the writing of â€Å"Some Moral Minima†, Lenn E. Goodman views several aspects of morality and relativism, and argues that certain things are just wrong. I must say that I agree with her when she says some things are just wrong, and in this paper I will state my opinions on some of the challenges Goodman presents to relativism. The first topic I am going to speak on is terrorism. In the article â€Å"Some Moral Minima,†Goodman asked the question why is terrorism wrong. Of course I think that terrorism is wrong. There are so many reasons that we the people that terrorism wrong and that it should be against the law. â€Å"Terrorism is willful targeting of non-combatants, aiming to intimidate and attract attention. It is a war crime, since war, if just at all, seeks only to block an enemy’s ability to make war. †(Goodman,2010) No one should be targeted because of a war that is happening, killing innocent people just because of their race, or because of their culture. According to Goodman, â€Å"Terrorism today is a manufactured claim to authority and authenticity, ethnic or regional autonomy, or the imposition of Shari ’ a law and haqq penalties on diverse and diversely inclined populations. †(Goodman,2010) Other than the topic I just finished discussing, Goodman also addressed more areas in her articles. Just to mention a few, she discussed, (1) hostage taking and child warriors, (2) Slavery, Polygamy, and Incest, (3) Rape and female genital cutting , and (4) genocide, politically induced famine, and germ warfare. These areas that she discussed are some major problems areas for many nations and cultures around the world. I am going to discuss these areas more in depth beginning with genocide, politically induced famine, and germ warfare. If you are like me I really did not know what the term genocides meant. I had to look up the word and came to the conclusion that genocides mean that violent crimes committed against groups with the intent to destroy the existence of the group. While discussing genocides, Goodman asked the question, â€Å"Why is genocide uglier than murder? †She also answered the question by saying that, â€Å"The answer lies in the intent, not just the scale of the crime. Clearly, more dreams are broken and more futures cut short when more lives are taken. But genocide targets individuals as members of a group, seeking to destroy a race, a culture, a linguistic or ethnic identity, even a class. †I agree with Goodman because I do not think it is up to us to determine whether a group or a specific individual should not be in existence. We do not have the right to kill people because of the group they belong to or because of their beliefs. I think we all were put on this earth for a purpose and a reason and it is not up to man to kill off the group members or destroy a race or culture. Even though it is happening around the world, I do not think that it should. That’s why I solely agree with Goodman on the things she said concerning this topic. Genocide, politically induced famine, and germ warfare are acts of murder and murder is wrong because it is the destroying of a human subject. A right that human beings have is to be alive and to live at our own free will. The next issue I am going to touch basis on is rape and female genital cutting. Rapes happen every day, not only are females but males are raped as well, but it happens more to the female population. Rape is a violation of another person’s will. A person does not have to be touched to be raped and there is more than one kind of rape. Even though I feel all cases of rape are bad, but in my opinion statutory rape is the worst. To harm a young person that has no power to stop their predator is just plain sad. Rape is wrong because it stands at the extreme limit of a continuum of sexual acts, from the most committed to the least so, and the most alienating. Rape is exploitative, objectifying, and, yes, again violative. (Goodman,2010) The last issue I am going to address is slavery, polygamy, and incest. Theses last acts are very bad and may be the worst in my book. Slavery is an issue that I really hate to discuss because as I have done plenty of research I would find myself in tears due to some of my findings. But slavery keeps its victim alive while stripping her of agency, assigning it to others who do not share her projects, hopes, or interests, but subordinate her capabilities to their wants. (Goodman,2010) I think beating people and discriminating against them because of the color of their skin is a very cruel act that should have never happened. Then there is polygamy. I do not like to talk about other cultures but I think polygamy is wrong as well. I think a marriage should have only two members and no more. Being married to more than one person should not be allowed no matter what culture you come from. The bible says that, â€Å"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing†(Proverbs 18:22) not whoso findeth many wives or husbands. Again I say I do not think that polygamy should not be happening. In conclusion to this paper, I think that Lenn E. Goodman made some very good points in her article, â€Å"Some Moral Minima†. I can conclude this paper by saying that I agree with her opinions and I think that this article was very helpful. References Mosser, K. (2010). Introduction to ethics and social responsibility. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Goodman, L. E. (2010). Some moral minima. The Good Society, 19(1), 87-94. Retrieved from the EBSCO Host database in the Ashford Online Library Proverbs 18:22 King James Version.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Public Relations Campaign American Girl Brand Essay Example for Free
Public Relations Campaign American Girl Brand Essay In a very competitive market, today most organizations are relying on public relations departments to create interest and manage the overall public perception. Publicity determines the people willingness to buy a product, invest in a company, and general interest of the association with the company in question mostly through employment. Companies use public relations to create publicity. The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which America Girl can use PR to promote the new brand, Graceâ„ ¢ doll. American Girl brands are owned by Mattel, Inc that is registered on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Mattel family specializes in design and production of toys and family products (Business Wire, 2015). The American Girl brand was introduced in 1986, and has been committed to products that suit girls aged 3 to 12 years such as movies, clothes, high-quality dolls, unforgettable experiences and high-quality dolls. The newest product of the American Girl is an 18-inch â€Å"doll†named Grace Thomas. She is a fanatic baker and also desires to start a baking business. She is motivated to pursue her entrepreneurial spirit. The â€Å"doll†has accessories, toys and outfits that reflect her interests including premium French Bakery set comprised of more than 60 pieces. Mattel Inc plans on producing product Grace Thomas doll for a period of one year, and the purpose of this paper is to create a publicity plan for the new product. Based on both demographic and psychographic information and factors such as age, gender and interests, the target audience for this campaign is g irls in the age group 3 to 12 years. The discussion in this paper focuses on reaching the target audience through the most effective means, which are screen media and social media. The target audience also has the influence on the family pocketbook and can influence the spending patterns of their families CITATION Cal08 l 1033 (Calvert, 2008). Goals        To increase the number of American Girl Facebook followers from 947 likes to 2000 likes, targeting girls aged 3 to 12 within a period of three months To increase the number of American Girl Instagram followers from 830 followers to 2000 followers targeting the girls in the age 3 to 12 years within three months Objectives        To increase the awareness of the Graceâ„ ¢ doll in the age group 3 to 12 years by 77% within a period of three months To increase the acceptance of the Graceâ„ ¢ by the adult population, especially parents, by 30 % within three months To motivate an action by the target audience specifically to try Graceâ„ ¢ and increase public interest by 25% within three months. The set goals and objectives can be achieved by integrating the services of traditional media. One of the most effective ways of achieving a successful campaign is through production of a pitch in a television show that promotes Graceâ„ ¢. In order to make the pitch successful, it has to be accompanied by a captivating and visually-oriented story. The story has to be pitched by a person who can effectively connect to the target audience. The pitch has to go suit the target audience’s needs, just like they way a TV producer can choose the programs that suit the target audience. The use of pitch can also be applied in the radio stations, where the radio host can help in reaching out to the target audience. Brochures, coupons, and Graceâ„ ¢ flyers are some of the traditional media that can be used in this campaign. The use of can also use direct mailing services to send promotional materials directly to the target audience. Summarily, public relation is a vital part of marketing. The goals and objectives set up in a PR campaign should be achievable. Since a public relations program is cheaper to ramp up than marketing, companies have shifted attention to public relations. A successful PR campaign needs to be unique, and entice the target audience. Traditional media can be integrated with a PR campaign to increase awareness of a product. References Business Wire. (2015). American Girl’s 2015 Girl of the Year â€Å"Bakes†a Difference and Helps Girls Find Their Own Recipe for Success. Retrieved from http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150101005003/en/#.VOKyBCyAHK8 Calvert, S. L. (2008). Children as Consumers: Advertising and marketing. The future of children, 18(1), 205-234. Source document
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Theories of Leadership in Tata Group
Theories of Leadership in Tata Group Introduction: Leadership is integrated part of our life. According to corporate chief and former US presidential candidate Ross Perot, the principles of leadership are timeless because, in a rapidly changing world, human nature remains a constant. We all experience leadership in our life from early childhood in our families, through friendships, social and sports activities, school higher education, to politics government and of course in our work, we all recognize leadership in other people and often in ourselves. In government, global corporations and small businesses alike, the leadership role is becoming more demanding, more open to scrutiny and more difficult [Roger Gill]. The development of leadership theory also parallels the development of organizational theory. The bureaucratic form of business organization is characterized by laissez-faire leadership whereby so-called leaders tend to avoid taking a stand, ignore problems, not follow up, and refrain from intervening or transactional leadership, in which leaders practise management by exception, focusing only on deviations from what is required, and contingent reward, rewarding people (either materially or psychologically) for achieving what is required. The emergence of the post-bureaucratic form of organization in the late nineteenth century reflects the development of the concept of transformational leadership. Theory Approaches to Leadership: Many Leadership theories and approaches have been evolved around Style, Trait, Behaviour, Situational and Charisma. Many researchers made efforts linking some of the theories across these leadership approaches. However each leadership model has its merit, assumptions and limitations. Most recent researches are conducted on Situational Transformational leadership styles. Various leadership Gurus presented new models as variations to the already existing models. Max Weber, MacGregor, Bass, Bennis Nanus are some of the most important researchers in the area of transformational leadership. However the difference between transactional and transformational leadership is vital in getting the whole concept of transformational leadership theory. In general, a relationship between two people is based on the level of exchange they have. Exchange need not be money or material; it can be anything. The more exchange they have the stronger the relation. Managers expects more productivity from emp loyee in order to give good rewards. In this way, if something is done to anyone based on the return then that relation is called as Transactional type. In business, leaders announce rewards in turn to the productivity. These relations are all about requirements, conditions and rewards. In life, at one point of time, things happen without expectation from other side. Transformational Leaders work toward a common goal with followers; put followers in front and develop them; take followers to next level; inspire followers to transcend their own self-interests in achieving superior results [wordpress.com]. Table 1, given below shows Basss full range model of leadership. Table 1 Leadership Approach in TATA Group: TATA Group founded in 1868, is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai, India. The Group has more than 500,000 employees spread over six continents (more than 80 countries). TATA Group current market capitalization estimated worth $80bn and is the largest private corporate group in India. TATA Group is biggest employer in UK, employing more than 50,000 people. TATA Group has main interests in communications, IT, engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products and chemicals. Its current chairman, Ratan Tata is the most influential business leaders in Indias and the worlds most influential person right now. The Tata Group is known for its valued business ethics and corporate governance. Leadership Development in TATA Group: TATA Group has long standing leadership program in its system. Their leadership program is based in British administrative service model. TATAs leadership development programme aims at grooming the managers of today into the leaders of tomorrow. The leadership development programme conceived by JRD Tata, the late chairman of TATA group in 1950s. The idea behind the leadership programme known as Tata Administrative Services (TAS) was to select and groom young managers, provide them opportunity for professional growth, and make them leaders of tomorrow. This is TATAs in-house programme and has goal is to provide training to high performers, act as a cradle of change and develop the leadership qualities. Most of the TATA Group companies are traditionally led by these groomed leaders. Evident Leadership in TATA Group: The TATA Group leadership style has been quite consistent since its existence way back to 1868. The TATA Group has incorporated more leadership changes which are essential in current environment to drive towards to be more competitive. In terms of leadership style, TATA Group has adopted a team-led culture and collective approach. With Ratan Tata as leader of the Group, the management style of the entire TATA Group has changed considerably; trust became a huge facet and theme of the group. Ratan Tata has put a complete organisational restructuring when he took over in 1991 as leader of the TATA Group, by taking a more matrix-style approach building teams. These changes would have obviously transformed a lot in the business, senior managers would have had to be on their toes and flexibility and adaptability became essential qualities to have. The leadership changed from a centralised, command centre to a much more distributed form with employees and all managers enjoying greater respo nsibility and knowledge about the Group, which would have in turn; motivated them to work harder and as a group. From distinctive leadership models available such as the McGregor Theory X and Y; where a theory X manager believes workers dislike work, are not creative and avoid all responsibility while a theory Y manager believes that workers get as much enjoyment from work as they can derive with leisure, accept responsibility and are creative; it can be seen from this, that Ratan Tata wanted all his managers to be modelled as closely to Theory Y and he himself could be called a Theory Y manager. He encouraged managers to be innovative and share all their ideas, consulting actively with them and giving them more responsibility and importantly encouraged team-working. Five Factor Model (Big Five): Emotional Stability: Ratan Tata has very low anxiety within him and has great sense of security with his future leadership. Extraversion: Even being a bachelor Ratan Tata is very sociable. He has produced very positive affect on future leadership of TATA Group. Openness: He believes in originality and versatility. By making  £1200/- car he has shown his great interest with and innovation seeking personality. Agreeableness: Within his management team Ratan Tata is well trusted and very friendly. Conscientiousness: He is very dutifulness. He spent most of his life working for TATA Group without any self-interest. He is very well organised as well. Style (Behaviour) Theory in TATA Group: As per style theory, there are three types of leadership models are evident in leadership. These are as follows. Autocratic Democratic Laissez-faire Ratan Tata is a leader who engages more democratic style of leadership approach. However at previous occasion has used other two kind of style as well. He is more democratic because he always encourages his group leadership to be creating good communication and participation. Future leadership are well informed about future strategy and they are very well engaged in decision making process. Most of the group long-term and short-term strategies are formulated by the lower rank of the leadership. They are treated as stake holders. Until now TATA Group has got leadership within them. Ratan Tata has occasionally shown some form of autocratic style of leadership. Sometimes when needed especially when quick and informed decisions have to be taken, but he is never too commanding in his nature, being a man of few words and being more of a man of action, this is evident from the manner he aggressively pushes for bold international deals, such as during the global acquisitions of business powe rhouses such as Corus, Jaguar and Land Rover, and Tetley Tea. One of his senior leadership team member, Muthuraman( Executive Director) refers him Ratan was the chief architect of the Corus deal. I was worried about the magnitude and the amount of money. But he instilled confidence. In daily routine matters and in developing the leadership, Ratan Tata also uses facets of the Laissez-Faire model such as the delegation of important duties and decision-making, he also does not in any way interfere with any managers functioning, he might make a broad strategic assessment but he does not interfere in operational issues and details, this shows that he has complete trust and faith in his managers and believes in their ability, this quote from Gopalakrishnan, an executive director of the company, shows how much value Ratan Tata places on his trust, this can be highly motivating for managers and workers alike, I remember what Ratan told us at a meeting. He said that he will continue to trust all his managers, but once they lose that trust, he will go after them. I think that is a very fair deal. Max Webers Leadership Model in TATA Group: Looking at Max Webers Transactional and Transformational Leadership models, where a leader is classed in three forms which are Bureaucratic, Charismatic and Traditional, where a bureaucratic leader is one who is always bound by the set rule and does not want to go beyond them; a Traditional leader is one who does and follows everything from a long past or history and always loyally obeys these traditions; a Charismatic leader is one who uses his own laurels or abilities to inspire and is one who can be described as radically opposed to administrative rules and legal principles. From these models, Ratan Tata falls into the Charismatic form because he is one who leads by example, coming up with highly innovative ideas such as  £1200 (Rs. One Lakh) car the Nano, budget hotels or low-end watches, he brought radical change to the Tata Group as a whole, changing it from its Traditional mindset to new more flexible and adaptive cultural mindset. Bennis Nanus Transformational Leadership Model in TATA Group: We can see from Bennis and Nanuss Transformational Leadership model that the transformational leaders groom their followers into self-empowered leaders and their main focus is to articulate vision and values clearly so the newly self-empowered leaders know where to go. Their traits include logical thinking, persistence, empowerment and self-control. Benniss and Nanus has evolved the model which emphasis on the four Is of Transformational leadership, which are Idealised Influence (being a role model) Inspirational Motivation (creating a team spirit, motivating and provide a challenge) Intellectual Stimulation (innovation and creativity) Individual Consideration (mentoring and providing support for followers) Ratan Tata, Chairman of the TATA Group has been proved a true transformational leader. We can see all Is built-in in Ratan Tata. He is the leader with great vision hence he knows right approach to groom future leadership. He has implemented the team spirit in whole group at every level. He empowers all his managers and executives and has complete faith in them, he is extremely innovative and is credited for much of the Groups new products, he places a great deal of importance to his RD department and he definitely cares deeply about the welfare of all his employees and managers. During the Mumbais terrorist attack in Taj Hotel, he took front line in leading at the time of crises. In his vision statement he articulated One hundred years from now, I expect TATA Group to be much bigger, of course, than it is now. More importantly, I hope the Group comes to be regarded as being the best in India. Best in the Manner in which we operate, best in the products we deliver and best in our valu e system and ethics. Having said that, I hope that a hundred years from now we will spread our wings far beyond India, that we become a global group, operating in many countries, as Indian business conglomerate that is at home in the world, carrying the same set of trust as we do today [www.tata.com]. As a leader of a global business group, Ratan Tata knows the fierce competition experienced by his business empire. He makes all effort to make his business competitive at global level. Through transformational leadership process TATA Group has made their processes and technology up to date. Once Ratan Tata said to his managers in his vision speech A company or business which remains static is a business that will die; a company that constantly changes and accepts that there are better ways to do things than the way they are done today, is a company that will survive in the global market that we face. From this statement we can infer that he knows the importance of developing a good leadership within group to take TATA Group to new heights. Ratan Tata involves strategy in leadership. He is a deep thinker and a brilliant strategist as is described by one of his Executive Directors, Alan Rosling, He is a deep thinker and extremely strategic. He is always 2-3 steps ahead. Ratan Tata is a man of strong integrity, ethics and valued principles. He cultivated the same across the TATA Group companies. One of his companies CEO said Tata has shown that there is no other way he will do business other than do it ethically. He believes in strong value based leadership approach in doing business. Ratan Tata has led the TATA Group to transforming from local business group to become a global leader. Conclusions: Ratan Tata of the Tata Group is a more kind of transformational leader. He made Tata Group as global brand. He has provided inspiration to leaders within his own company. In Tata Group leaders are engaged in decision making at every level. Ratan Tata has successfully led and motivated its CEO/MD of the group companies to be ambitious. He has always adopted a ethical approach in group business. Ratan Tata has adopted a management by consensus style. He stated once When a number of persons are involved I am definitely a consensus man, but that does not mean that I do not disagree or that I do not express my views. Basically it is a question of having to deal with individual men heading different enterprises. You have to adapt yourself to their ways and deal accordingly and draw out the best in each man. If I have any merit it is getting on with individuals according to their ways and characteristics. I have dealt with a hundred top directors and I have got on with all of them. At times it involves suppressing yourself. It is painful but necessary. To be a leader you have got to lead human beings with affection. Ratan Tata has ability to spot the talent. And once he has confident that a manager will perform, he gave him a long rope. Leading a large group of companies in the days of fast changing business scenario of changing regulations, increasing competition and opening up of economy could be an arduous challenge for many. Leading the firm through these times and four-folding the groups revenues could be a dream. Doing this requires clear vision, innate conviction, ability to inspire and guide along the way. Ratan Tata established himself to be the right leader who has helped the company sail through the turbulent waters and reach the desired lands. These targets never existed or were thought not feasible by the company earlier. This all achieved because of the inspiring leadership. Reference List DBS Managing People Lecture Notes Roger Gill, Theory and Practice of Leadership, Sage Publication, 2006 Robins, S.P Judge T.A (2010) 10th Edition, Essentials of Organizational Behaviour, Pearson, ISBN 0-13-815763-4 http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/transactional-leadership-vs-transformational-leadership/ http://business.outlookindia.com/inner.aspx?articleid=682editionid=22catgid=70subcatgid=464 http://www.tata.com/company/Articles/inside.aspx?artid=YJbf7uiUY0M= Visionary Leadership: Creating a Compelling Sense of Direction for Your Organization (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series): Burt Nanus Tata Group Annual Reports (1991 -2011)
Monday, August 19, 2019
Macbeth Essay :: essays research papers
Macbeth A Comparison of the characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth      The play Macbeth, written by the playwright William Shakespeare, has two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is a general of Duncan’s army, and Lady Macbeth is his wife. Each of these two characters have different personalities and traits, however they are married to each other and appear to be in love.      Macbeth first appeared in the play in (i.ii). He is a Scottish general fighting under Duncan’s rule. He is portrayed as a valiant soldier and a powerful man with honor and allegiance to his country. Duncan, the king of Scotland, also gave him the title of the Thane of Cawdor, which is a high honor.      However, as the play proceeds, the reader becomes aware that Macbeth has some other personality traits as well. When Macbeth first meets with the three witches, and they tell him their prediction of him becoming a future king, the first characteristics that the reader learns now coincide with some new ones, self-doubt, and the realization that others can easily influence Macbeth.      Lady Macbeth first comes across to us as an evil person. When the reader first comes into contact with Lady Macbeth (i.v), she receives a letter telling her about the witches’ prophecy of Macbeth becoming king; she immediately begins to plan Duncan’s murder. She believes that by making Macbeth kill Duncan, she would be able to get closer to the throne of Scotland, which then would give her an immense power. Lady Macbeth appears to be driven by the longing for power throughout the first two scenes of the play, and also comes across with tons of power over her husband.      When Macbeth first speaks to Lady Macbeth about the prediction that the three witches had of him becoming king, she encourages him to kill Duncan. Macbeth, on the other hand, is nervous about the consequences and the repercussions of committing murder, and almost decides not to do it. Lady Macbeth then proceeds to almost make fun of Macbeth by questioning his purpose as a man.
Critical analysis on Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers
[A]nd as we struck into town and up through the middle of it--it was as much as half-after eight, then--here comes a raging rush of people, with torches, and an awful whooping and yelling, and banging tin pans and blowing horns; and we jumped to one side to let them go by; and as they went by, I see they had the king and the dike astraddle of a rail--that is I knowed it was the king and the duke, thought was all over tar and Feathers, and didn’t look like nothing in the world that was human--just looking like a couple of monstrous big soldier-plumes. Well, it made me sick to see it; and I was sorry for them poor pitiful rascals, it seemed like I couldn’t never feel any hardness against them any more in the world. It was a dreadful thing to see. Human beings can be awful cruel to one another. In the above passage from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, Tom and Huck walk through the middle of a town and see two con artists (the king and duke) who they had encountered earlier in their adventures. The king and duke have been captured and are being carried "astraddle of a rail" (369), which websters.com defines as being â€Å"on or above and extending onto both sides,†covered with tar and feathers through the town. The above passage displays why Huck disagrees with the public mistreatment and humiliation of others. According to the online encyclopedic website, www.wikipedia.org, tarring and feathering was a typical punishment used to enforce justice, with roots dating back to as early as 1191 with Richard I of England. The goal of tarring and feathering was to hurt and humiliate a person enough so that they would leave town and not cause any more mischief. Hot tar was poured onto a criminal while he was immobilized, then feathers were either thrown onto the criminal from buckets or the criminal was thrown into a pile of feathers and rolled around. The criminal was then taken to the edge of town and released in the hopes of him never returning. The feathers would stick to the tar for days making the person's sentence clear to the public. Tarring and feathering was eventually abandoned because it did nothing to rehabilitate the criminal. Huck tells his readers that after the king and duke are tarred and feathered that they look ".
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Philosophy of Existentialism :: Papers
Philosophy of Existentialism From what I understand reading Jean-Paul Sartre's work the Existentialism is philosophy that places emphasis on individual existence, subjectivism, and freedom of making choice. According to Sartre, Existentialism is philosophy that states that "if God does not exist, there is at least one being in whom existence precedes essence." It seems that Sartre's theory rests on this thesis that 'existence precedes essence' and therefore it should be basis for any further discussion or understanding of this philosophy. To prove this Sartre uses example of man or human being, he says that man first exist, where he is nothing, and then afterwards he defines himself, where he himself will have made what he will be. So if I understand this correctly this means that you need to have existence in order to have essence, so there is no predetermined 'true' thing, it has to already exist in order to become what it is. Therefore man is fully in charge of creating himself as a person, and creating his own future. Subjectivity is also important to Existentialism, and by subjectivity Sartre means that while choosing his own self, man also chooses all man. And he states this idea in this citation "to choose to be this or that is to affirm at the same time the value of what we choose, because we can never choose evil. We always choose the good, and nothing can be good for us without being good for all." I'm not sure if I can agree with this, because knowing myself, sometimes I consciously make decisions that I know are not good for everyone. But what I think Sartre is trying to say is that those passionate choices and actions that every individual makes, are influencing choices and actions of others. Third and last thing that makes up my definition of the Existentialism is freedom of choice. "The boy was faced with the choice of leaving for England joining the Free French forces-that is, leaving his mother behind-or remaining with his mother and helping her to carry on. He was fully aware that the woman lived only for him and that his going off-and perhaps his death-would plunge her into despair, whereas every effort he made toward going off and fighting was an uncertain move which might run aground and prove completely useless.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
International Language Essay
Across 294 countries in the world, there are about 6,500 languages are commonly using in the daily life. The domination of English has been proved as an international language all across with the coming of globalization in future, English is the language of diplomacy and international communications for the use of business, tourism, education, science, computer technology, media, Internet and etc. Without language, all the things couldn’t happen and stay in place like today. People nowadays who stand in the marketplace ordinarily using English as an international language for the purpose of fulfilling communicative needs, a common language to facilitate trade and communication seems unavoidable. Some people think that globalization will become a big threat to the national, cultural and even religious identities as using only a single language and ultimatum to the development of a country. Posses single language may lead to cultural corrosion, a loss of local linguistic knowledge, and mainly will cause to losing of own language which is the carrier of all their cultural values identity is the first thought of conservative minded while they firstly expose to the word of globalization. However, in my opinion, it is possible to use an official international language and still retain theirs own languages with their own cultures values identity. I presented to support that having a single language as an international official language not only provides the opportunities for social mobility and modernity but also removes the probability of losing the national language the carrier of identity by helping people to be identified to the whole world as they are given voices. It is getting involved in international interactions and communications is required. Therefore, to be an active participant in globalized relations, it is necessary to adopt the international language. Using an international language provides opportunities for people to make contributions to the formation and development of that language to lead to scientific and cultural independence. Language is only the instrument of communication for people around the world. Many countries had been adapted to the cultural with an official language or languages. In any country where there are innumerable languages spoken, there is a need for official languages to ensure the flow of communication between different sections of the population and the different states. Above all, international language is important as a common language for people, without language, there will be absence of interaction between people, while there will be a link occurred to no communication to no trading and etc. It’s also important in every aspect for the world. Nowadays, English is considered the universal language for business, international communications, entertainment, tourism, trade and technology. The majority of all resources on the internet are all in English, affecting people to learn English to take full advantage of it. More important, learning English is significant for human to being able for information exchange and connecting to others. In the prevalent globalization there is no doubt that an international language is unavoidability. While trading a business, language is playing an important role of people, if human found difficult in the activation of a common in language spoken, they cannot trade in business. In this sense, not only is an international language inevitable, but also a necessary for trading, commerce and economic expansion by the turn of the century. The criticism to opposing the using of an international official language contends that it would lead to cultural corrosion and a loss of cultural values identity. However, the use of an international official language does not mean that their local languages will disappear. If English already functions as a kind of unofficial international language but this doesn’t mean that people only converse in using English or they ignore their own languages. English is used in specific contexts such as trade, business, etc. and native languages are used for everyday instruction.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Burned Alive: a Victim of the Law of Men Essay
Burned Alive is the devastating story of a young Arabic girl named Souad living in a small West Bank village that is run by the law of men, where women are practically worthless. Women here are beaten almost daily, and are used mostly for labor purposes, but most importantly, to produce sons. Not only do women go through horrible abuse and mistreatment, but they also live with the risk if being killed for committing even the smallest sin which brings embarrassment to the family. In order to restore the family’s honor, they get a man, normally the girls’ brother, to perform a torturous honor killing Souad begins noticing a man that lives nearby, named Faiez. After gaining his attention, they use signals to communicate from afar, since a girl must be married before she can speak or even raise her eyes to a man besides her father or brother. They eventually start meeting in private every day, they begin discussing marriage, even though Souad knows it is unrealistic at the time, since her older sister must marry before she can. Soon, Faiez starts to question Souads loyalty to him, and wants her prove her loyalty by letting him have her virginity. As badly as Souad does not want to do this, she knows that he will leave if she does not, so she lets him do what he wants. It’s not too long until Souad realizes that she is pregnant, and when she goes to tell Faiez, he has left the village, and will not return. Soon after, her stomach starts to grow, and her secret is out. The family decides that Hussein, Souads brother-in-law, will perform the honor killing. Hussein attempts this by pouring gasoline on Souads head while washing clothes in a pot above a fire. Souad runs screaming out of the garden and into the street where two women began beating her with scarves trying to put the fire out. The next thing she knew, she awoke in a hospital. Shortly after this, while still in the hospital, her mother tried to poison her with a drink. Luckily, a nurse came in just in time, and stopped Souad from drinking the poison and banned any of Souads family from coming back to the hospital. Several weeks later, Souad was awakened by a sharp pain between her legs. She had her baby, and didn’t even realize it. The doctors took her son, and she thought she would never see him again. A woman named Jacqueline, who was working in the Middle East with a humanitarian organization, heard of Souad’s story, and immediately started working to save her. She met with Souad, and tricked her parents into giving permission to take Souad to another country for better care. She got Souad’s son Marouan back and flew both of them to Switzerland, where she was given proper treatment. Once Souads burns were healed, she flew to Europe with Marouan to live with a foster family. When Marouan was five years old, their foster parents adopted him, and though she felt guilty about it, Souad needed to learn to live life on her own. She eventually adjusted to Europe, and went on to live on her own, get a job, get married, and even have two daughters. She later reunited with her son when he was about 18. After reconnecting with her and forming a great bond with his sisters, Marouan moved in with the family. Souad and Jacqueline stayed in touch, and when Souad was emotionally strong enough, she began bearing witness for the SURGIR association and shared her story with hundreds of men and women. I believe the author’s objective in writing this book was to inform the readers that not all cultures and beliefs are the same, and in some societies, what they believe is normal or right is actually very unfair. This story was written to open the reader’s eyes to the way woman are grossly unequal to men in some societies. They are sometimes not allowed to speak or look at a man, and they are often mistreated, abused, or even killed without any regard to their life. The book Burned Alive has many universal themes. One, for example, is acceptance. Souads husband in Europe, as well as her three children, still loved and accepted her despite her past and her scarred skin. Another is fear. â€Å"I’ve realized in adulthood that the memories that remain of my childhood are all linked to fear,†says Souad. Souad, her sisters, and every other woman and man around the world has felt fear. One last universal theme in the book is guilt. Everyone feels guilt at some point in their life, including Souad when she gave Marouan up for adoption. â€Å"I feel guilty, many years later, for making this choice,†she said. Considering Burned Alive is a true story, many parts of it can tie into human geography. For example, culture; it is typical of the cultures of the Middle East to treat women in what we in the western part of the world consider being a derogatory way. They require women to live by the men’s law and treat them basically as salves. Also in their culture, women are not allowed to get married until their older sisters do, women cannot go into a shop, wear jewelry, or pluck her eyebrows until she is married, a man can have several wives, and, of course, performing honor killings is very normal. The book also talks about the culture of Europe, and how tremendously different it is from the culture of the West Bank. In Europe, women were allowed to get an education, to choose who they marry, and to wear makeup and dresses that show their knees. Although it is not elaborated on, religion is another aspect of human geography mentioned in Burned Alive. It does not specifically say Souads religions, but it does mention that she prays twice a day with her brother and sisters and that the people in her village were taught to hate the Jews. One last geographic theme in Burned Alive is political development. The book does not actually say anything about political development, but if their country was more developed, these horrible crimes would not be tolerated. Also, in countries such as the ones in the West Bank, religion and politics are linked, and since their religion and culture believe that treating women that way is the right thing to do, their government allows it. Burned Alive was an amazing book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was hard for me to put down. The fact that it was a true story made it even better. In my opinion, it was a complete story and was not really missing anything. It talked about all she could remember, and her life after the tragedy in full detail.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Gulf War between Iraq and Kuwait Essay
This paper that in intensively researched, will examine on the reasons that led the Gulf war between Iraq and Kuwait, Saddam Hussein war invasion to Kuwait, Relations between Kuwait and Iraq, causes and effects of the war, the characteristics of Saddam Hussein, and the reason why he need money. According to the western sources especially from the USA, Saddam Hussein, a complex political leader, is portrayed as the â€Å"axis of Evil†in the Middle East. . He practiced cruel methods of leadership skills, his motivations, perceptions and decision making on behalf of the Iraq’s and his country neighbors for example the Kuwaitis. He has been pursing the development of weapons of mass destruction, despite the UN sanctions and terrorizing his associates especially in Kuwait. This information was gathered through the following sources. Information about â€Å"The Gulf Syndrome†www. geocities. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Information about â€Å"The profile of Saddam Hussein†www. mideastnews. co. Retrieved on 6th April 2009, Majid K. â€Å"War in the Gulf 1990-1991†, Information on â€Å"Persian Gulf War†www. encarta. msn. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009, Jerrold M. (2002), â€Å"Saddam Hussein of Iraq: Apolitical Psychology profile†and Information on â€Å"The characteristics of Saddam Hussein†www. qrmapps. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 The historical background of Iraq and Kuwait Iraq was created under the British rule in 1932. The formation of this state under single administration resulted to third pole power in that region leading to unstable combination of people with collective influences that might lopsided its neighbors to the south. State of Kuwait northernmost emirate of Arabian isthmus dates its history as a take apart geopolitical body back to the founding of Kuwait City in 1710. It became independent from British. Following the 1973 oil crisis, the soaring oil prices brought with it extraordinary wealth to this small country. Relations between Kuwait and Iraq As Kuwait was declared a sovereign state, Iraq voiced objections to its admission to the Arab league but instead declared it an Iraq territory. In 1963 Iraq dropped the objectives and in 1980 they enjoyed close ties during war against Iran as Kuwait supported Iraq. Causes of the war The border between these two counties has been in question. Nominally, Kuwait was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 18th century. In 1899, it asked for and received British protection in return for autonomy in its local affairs. It was granted independence in 1961 and this lead to Iraq claiming that Kuwait had been governed as part of the Ottoman province in southern Iraq and was rightfully Iraq’s. It only recognized Kuwait in 1963. But since then, there have been occasional clashes between the two nations. The Iraq troops invaded Kuwait in August 2nd 1990 taking the emirates by one day headed by the strongest leader in this region, Saddam Hussein. The 150,000 of his troops from Iraq overwhelmed the 20,000 Iran’s troop staking control of the capital city of Kuwait and then controlled the whole country. Effects of war It had a vast impact to the oil industry and affects the future of the civilians in Iraq. This has reduced it from affluence to a third world status. This led to a large number of the US and British forces stationed in Kuwait and other gulf states as well as Turkey. There is an increasing rate of a multinational task force of warships patrols the red sea and the Persian Gulf which tries to prevent the illegal export of oil from Iraq. The war led to many environmental hazards such as the destruction of marshes, burning of hundreds of oil wells, hence polluting the global environment. Characteristics of Saddam Hussein He is a dictator who saw Iraq as a great country and as an extension to himself. He saw himself as the successor of Nebuchadnezzar. He once said that â€Å"Our nation has a message,†he once proclaimed. â€Å"That is why it can never be an average nation. Throughout history our nation has either soared to the heights or fallen into the abyss through the envy, conspiracy and enmity of others. †He is self-centered. He saw the Iraq treasury centered to himself. During the Gulf war, the Kuwaitis investigated on Iraq’s assets by Kroll Associates, a New York firm and the detected that he had $2. 4 controlled deposits which spread among 50 banks which were controlled by Hussein’s family. He used to skim five percent of the Iraq’s annual oil income and did business with other external firms in foreign territory. He is an exalted self concept. â€Å"Saddam is Iraq and Iraq is Saddam†. He made sure that he built a cult of himself allover Iraq. This can be proved by his images everywhere in Iraq. His name is linked to hundreds of public works projects. For example the Saddam housing companies and also the â€Å"Saddam Line†in Iraq. He named part of Kuwait to himself the moment he took over Kuwait. When he appears in public, he has created an environment where people cheer, clap, and even kiss his hand when he appears in a public gathering. He killed whoever who did not show enthusiasm to the great leader. He killed by imprisoning them, helicopter crashes, tortured to death, sealing their bodies to the coffins. He used a secret police unit to achieve his ordeals. He used his Messianic to achieve his ambition of political power. He is malevolent. He has cold canning behind his every action. His ruthlessness was found to be terrible leading to cruelty, for fun, leadership style of Vlad the Impaler. He was stupid because the boasts were proved to be hollow. His lies were proven false quickly His is also portrayed as the madman of the Middle East and his name means the one who confronts. He is a paranoid in decision making His achievements were the transformation of the country where he built new roads, improved housing standards; food was brought to the people’s tables, cut illiteracy by 11% according to the official estimates. The cultural aspects of Muslims were relaxed allowing women equal pay for equal work. Reasons as to why he needed money The oil money allowed him to accumulate the largest and best equipped military machine in the Arab world. Most of them were Soviet, French and from other nations. Most of them were first rated. He had an annual budget of $12. 9 billion which was an average f $721 per Iraq citizen ye the average annual per citizen was $1950. He therefore equipped his army to distress the regional balances by ruthless mass killings, He was the veteran in army in the region. According to Jordanian newspaper ad-Dustour, Saddam â€Å"awakened the desire in every Arab soul for a glorious Arab stand,†Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator who was used to terrorizing his neighbors and gassed his own subjects. He normally followed his mafia rules which were not well understood by many in the world including the United States of America. He grew up as a thug and a hired gun, yet he has a soaring popularity in the Arab world. The differences between a Totalitarian and Authoritarian leader A totalitarian political power is in the hands of a few groups while the authoritarianism refers political power is in the hands of one person. Hence Saddam Hussein can be equated to both an authoritarian leader and a totalitarian according to the definitions and his leadership skills. Reference Information about â€Å"The Gulf Syndrome†www. geocities. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Information about â€Å"The profile of Saddam Hussein†www. mideastnews. co. Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Majid K. â€Å"War in the Gulf 1990-1991. New York: McMillan. Information on â€Å"Persian Gulf War†www. encarta. msn. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Jerrold M. (2002), â€Å"Saddam Hussein of Iraq: Apolitical Psychology profile†New York: Pearson’s Education. Information on â€Å"The characteristics of Saddam Hussein†www. qrmapps. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Essay on Montessori Language
Language lies at the root of that transformation of the environment that we call ‘civilization’. The child’s language developments during his or her early years are freely remarkable. Describe how does the Montessori environment aid the child’s com/b-f-skinner-theories-of-language-development/">language development? What is civilization? â€Å"Civilization is a term used to describe a certain kind of development of a human society†(2). In ancient Egypt, writing was first discovered in the form of paintings on the walls of caves, structures and many artifacts.These ancient forms of writings are a form of communication within the ancient Egyptian society. The paintings on the walls were later transformed into writing on papyrus. Paper was first discovered in China and later papermaking spread throughout Asia. Many languages were developed. As the result of advancement in reading and writing, economic, political and social developments were possible. Th rough the development of languages it leads to the transformation of the environment we call ‘civilization’.An infant is first exposed to language through sounds generated by the environment and languages spoken by the adults surrounding him. He babbles words such as ‘da da, ma ma’ and utters intentional word like ‘milk, mum mum ‘when he gets hungry. At the age of 1. 5, he realizes that everything has a name. This is a crucial period whereby Montessori understands that any form of education imparted at this age has to be indirect as â€Å"Montessori’s enormous respect for the mysterious powers that form the child from the moment of conception led her to fear any direct interference with their unfolding†(1, page 121).Before a child begins to learn how to read and write, there are four fundamental preparatory activities that will indirectly enhance their learning. Story telling is a great way to impart new words to a child. It is imp ortant for the story to be short and interesting as children have very short attention span. It spurs imagination in a child to create emotional attachment to goodness as â€Å"when a moral principle has the power to move us into action, it is often because it is backed by a picture or image. †(3, page 7).Secondly, music and movement is important to help children to express their emotions. This will help them to gain confidence in their own abilities to express themselves in language. Also, they are developing gross motor skills and good body posture when they are dancing with the music. Thirdly, speech and drama exposes the child to learn a wide range of appropriate and inappropriate ways of communicating. They learn to project their voices and to speak words clearly. Indirectly, the child is learning new vocabulary and is enhancing the concept of social grace and courtesy.Lastly, picture talk can be introduced to children to allow them to express words through what they see and imagine. Practical life exercises help the child to develop control of movement and hand-eye coordination which prepares him for future writing. Activities such as pouring beans or water from one jar to another, lacing on the dressing frames and polishing build fine and gross motor skills. The child learns to develop inner discipline to see through the activities to completion. He also develops the sense of writing from left to right.During the activities the teacher introduces the names of the activities and the verbs involved such as â€Å"buttons, zip, unzip†which indirectly builds the child’s vocabulary. In social grace and courtesy activities the child learns to ask questions among themselves using words like â€Å"May I†and â€Å"Can I†which further develops their self-image and communication skills. In sensorial activities, the child is developing the sensitivity to order. For example, the child is expected to carry all the blocks to the ta ble one-by-one for the pink tower exercise.The teacher conducts three-period lessons to expose children with certain words like â€Å"cylinder, thick, thin, light, heavy†that further builds vocabularies. When a child practices on the knobbed cylinders, besides learning on different sizes and shapes, he is also developing his pincer muscles of his thumb and index fingers. This prepares him for a stronger pincer grip for writing in future. Once the child has shown readiness and interest, he is able to move on to direct preparation of reading and writing. In Montessori environment, the child learns to write before he learns to read.By the age of 4, teacher may start making phonetic letter sound for the child such as ‘mmmmm’ then pronounce words with that sound – mother, someday, drum. The child traces the shape of the letter using sandpaper letters. â€Å"By tracing the letter with the index finger of his dominant hand, the child builds a muscular memory of the shape of the letter he will one day write. †(1, page 129). He also learns to build words using large moveable alphabets (LMA). If the child faces some difficulties, the teacher is there to help him to decode the word.When he is competent with this activity, he is given small phonetic objects and pictures which represent the words he needs to build. At this stage the child can move on to reading words by reading with object or picture boxes. To further build the phonetic words bank of the child, he can practice reading with sheets of pictures and cards, the 5-vowel wordlists and 5-vowel booklets. The child by now is exposed to reading and teacher should help him to build sentences using pictures and object boxes.Teacher asks open-ended questions to allow the child to express what he sees from the picture. The child learns about articles, big capital and full stop as part of the component s of a sentence. In another words, when reading came to him, â€Å"it came in a full form†(1, page 136). Not only the child knows the meaning, he has a good grasp of grammar, position in the phrase and sentence. Teacher can further cultivate his reading habit by introducing to him interesting reading materials from the book corner or a visit to a local library.The teacher plays a very important role in a child’s language development. She should see herself as a friendly and encouraging facilitator than an â€Å"authoritarian knowledge giver†. (3, page 48). She can start by encouraging a freedom of expression and to bring the children’s ideas and background into the class learning activities. She much be prepared to listen responsively and not past judgment to quick that could potentially dampen the child’s enthusiasm to learn. Most importantly, the teacher has to have a great passion and love for children.
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