Understanding Interpersonal Intelligence

Can you pick out the student who gets along with everyone in the class? When it comes to group work, do you know which student you pick to work well with others to complete the assignment? If you can identify that student, then you already know a student who displays the characteristics of interpersonal intelligence. You have seen evidence that this student  is able to discern the moods, the feelings, and the motivations of others. Interpersonal is the combination of the prefix  inter-  meaning between   person  Ã‚  -al. The term was first used in psychology documents  (1938) in order to  describe behavior between people in an encounter.   Interpersonal intelligence  is one of Howard Gardners nine  multiple intelligences, and this intelligence refers to how skillful an individual is in understanding and dealing with others. They are skilled at managing relationships and negotiating conflict. There are some professions that are a natural fit for people with interpersonal intelligence: politicians, teachers, therapists, diplomats, negotiators, and salesmen. Ability to Relate to Others You wouldnt  think that Anne Sullivan—who taught Helen Keller—would be Gardners example of an interpersonal genius. But, she is precisely the example Gardner uses to illustrate this intelligence. With little formal training in special education and nearly blind herself, Anne Sullivan began the formidable task of instructing a blind and deaf seven-year-old, Gardner writes in  his 2006 book, Multiple  Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice. Sullivans showed great interpersonal intelligence in dealing with Keller and all of her profound disabilities, as well as Kellers doubting family. Interpersonal intelligence builds on a core capacity to notice distinctions among others—in particular, contrasts in their moods, temperaments, motivations, and intuitions, Gardner says. With Sullivans help, Keller became a leading 20th-century author, lecturer, and activist. In more advanced forms, this intelligence permits a skilled adult to read the intentions and desire of others even when they have been hidden. Famous People With High Interpersonal Intelligence Gardner uses other examples of people who are socially adept are among those with high interpersonal intelligence, such as: Tony Robbins: Though he grew up in a chaotic and abusive household and without any educational background in psychology, according to Fortune magazine and Wikipedia, Robbins became self-help coach, motivational speaker and best-selling author whose seminars have attracted thousands.Bill Clinton: Once a relatively little-known governor of a small state, Clinton was convincingly elected to two terms as U.S. president, due largely to his personality and ability to relate to people.Phil McGraw: A psychologist and well-known talk show host, Dr. Phil has advised and counseled thousands of people on improving their lives using a tough love approach.Oprah Winfrey: Arguably the countrys most successful talk show host, Winfrey built an empire largely based on her skill at listening, talking and relating to others. Some might call these social skills; Gardner insists that the ability to excel socially is actually an intelligence. Regardless, these individuals have excelled due almost entirely to their social skills. Enhancing Interpersonal Intelligence Students with this type of intelligence can bring a range of skill sets the classroom, including: Peer to peer work (mentoring)  Contributing to discussions in class  Problem-solving with othersSmall and large group workTutoring Teachers can help these students showcase their interpersonal intelligence by using some specific activities. Some examples include: Class meetingsCreating group projects, both large and smallSuggesting interviews for class assignmentsOffering students an opportunity to teach a unitIncluding community service activities if applicableOrganizing surveys or polls that extend outside of the classroom Teachers can develop a variety of activities that allow these students with interpersonal skills to interact with others and to practice their listening skills. Since these students are natural communicators, such activities will help them enhance their own communication skills and also allow them to model these skills for other students. Their ability to both give and receive feedback is important to the classroom environment, in particular in classrooms where teachers would like students to share their different perspectives. These students with interpersonal intelligence can be helpful in group work, especially when students are required to delegate roles and meet responsibilities. Their ability to manage relationships can be leveraged especially when their  skill set may be needed to resolve differences. Finally, these students with interpersonal intelligence will naturally support and encourage others to take academic risks when given the chance. Finally, teachers should take advantage of every  opportunity in order to model appropriate social behavior themselves. Teachers should practice to improve their own interpersonal skills and give students the opportunity to a practice as well. In preparing students for their experiences beyond the classroom, interpersonal skills are a top priority.   Sources: Gardner, Howard E. Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice. Basic Books, 2006.

The Role Of Academic Classes On The Classroom - 837 Words

would not consider themselves in poverty, they would think they were middle class.† He also noted that districts that have markedly higher scores across America have a few things in common and affluence is one of them. He expressed an interest in looking at ways to educate the parents when we had captive audiences, such as an open house, to some of the Ruby Payne professional development. We tabled the discussion and moved forward with the agenda to identify the areas of concern from the data. Based on the data collected respect was not an issue across the school but it was interesting to see that students graded themselves more disrespectful than other stakeholders. The academic classes were perceived to be most important to all stakeholders as opposed to the extra-curricular activities and supplemental programs offered. Across all groups of stakeholders rigor was only seen in some classes and not all. Almost 90% of the teachers indicated this was an issue. All stakeholders ex cept the parents were satisfied overall with SCHS. Identified Needs The identified needs were: 1. Parental involvement- further identified as a lack of value of education and not wanting their children to have more than they have. There is also a level of low satisfaction with our parents for the high school. 2. Policies at the school were identified as an area which needed improved by the students. 3. Career Prep was in the top two in the needs improvement category for three of the four identifiedShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of A National Study By Add Health1485 Words   |  6 Pageslives makes all the difference. A national study by Add Health found that children who feel a connection with their school are less likely to engage in deviant adolescent behavior (Blum Rinehart 1997). Students may have the same state regulated academic standards and may have similar funding but school districts can have vastly different learner outcomes. Neighborhood schools can bring together students, parents and community. Teachers can be responsive to their student’s needs by being knowledgeableRead MoreThe Importance Of Physical Inactivity In School1355 Words   |  6 Pagesstudents calls for more innovative interventions to effectively alter student PA behaviors. Given that students spend most of their awake time studying, in classrooms, libraries and seated activities, the project aimed to change the classroom culture for healthy behavioral promotion by examining the barriers concerning PA promotion in classrooms. Perspective(s) or theoretical framework: As It is widely known, many lifestyle related illness can be easily reduced and/or eliminated by simply increaseRead MoreMulticultural Education : Issues And Perspectives1422 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction It is to be said that each student comes into a classroom with a particular set of unique behaviors and characteristics that will contribute to their academic success. The article Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives by McGee Banks states, Behavior is shaped by group norms ... the group equips individuals with the behavior patterns they need in order to adapt (2005,13). Students will develop a cultural identity through the social groups he/she is involved in through raceRead MoreOnline Education Vs Online Education1052 Words   |  5 Pagesdigital classes. Online schooling fails to educate students to the same standard as classroom teaching. Furthermore, flexibility should not be more important than results. Digital schooling fails to foster the personal connections between educators and students that are vital to education. Likewise, students taking online courses lack organized social interactions that are critical for maximal cognitive development. Additionally, the open nature of the Internet prevents the honest academic assessmentRead MoreA Reflection On Classroom Management1704 Words   |  7 PagesMrs. Amanda Williamson of Forest Hills High School. Her Algebra II and Algebra II Honors classes were observed from 8:35 to 10:04 and 1:55 to 2:42 on Tuesday October 6th, 2015 and from 8:35 to 10:50 on Thursday October 8th, 2015 respectively. The regular Algebra II classes observed included both a forty-six minute lecture period as well as a forty-six minute laboratory period. The regular Algebra II classes were divided this way in order to cover both the lower levels of Bloom’s cognitive domainRead MoreTaking Ownership Of Your Learning935 Words   |  4 PagesStudents Stressed by Too Many Classes by The Pauw Wow. Velda Goldberg, the Academic Dean of Saint Peter’s said, â€Å"I see students overextending themselves on a regular basis,† she said. â€Å"In the process, not only do they become stressed out, but their studie s suffer as well.† I realize that the University of the People has a different academic plan than most Universities. .Because of the nature of the University of the People course load recommendations are only two classes, whereas at other universitiesRead MoreThe Future Of Special Education1624 Words   |  7 PagesEducation In today’s classrooms we are seeing an increase in students with IEP’s and 504 plans. The rise in students with special needs and accommodations creates an interesting challenge for teachers today. Teachers strive on a daily basis to create a fair and appropriate education for all students in their classroom. However, with the need for increasing accommodations, how do we best meet these needs for all students? When we think of a typical classroom, we picture a classroom full of 20-25 studentsRead MoreOvercrowded School Is The Reason Student1703 Words   |  7 Pageshave not put in place sustainable measure to put the education quality in check. The smaller the classes, the more the difficult it is for student to access teachers. School size The school size will determine the number of students needed at a given time. For this reason, education stakeholders have held numerous debates to assess whether the size of an institution influences the academic performance of students in an institution( howley et al. 59). It is evident that big schools areRead MoreI Learned Useful Information That Helps Me Become A Successful Student Athlete1105 Words   |  5 Pages Throughout this semester in USC 103, I learned useful information that helps me become a successful student athlete. I heard about topics such as time management, organization, the classroom setting, majors, degree audits, the Change of Degree Application (CODA), goal setting, learning styles, and much more. By learning about these topics, I feel that this semester has gone very smoothly. The information that I learned will be useful throughout the remainder of my time in college. Many of the topicsRead MoreBenefits Of The Inclusive Classroom Model1287 Words   |  6 PagesInclusive classrooms are general education classroom in which students with and without disabilities learn together. It is essentially the opposite of an isolated special education classroom, where students with disabilities learn only with other students with disabilities. Inclusion represents the philosophy that students with disabilities should be integrated into regular education classrooms whether they can meet traditional curricular standards or not. This philosophy brings diverse students

All the light we cannot see Anthony Doerr - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 781 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/08/15 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: All The Light We Cannot See Essay Did you like this example? Marie-Laure Leblanc lives in Paris with her dad. Marie has went blind at the age of 7 because of a disease in her eyes called cataracts. Her father works as a locksmith for all types of precious items for the museum of natural history. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "All the light we cannot see Anthony Doerr" essay for you Create order Shes having a rough time dealing with her blindness so her father goes out and buys her some adventure novels for her birthday. These books are special because they are meant for the blind because they are written in Braille. The novels are called Jules Verne. Every day after work while Marie reads her father gets to work on making a wooden model of the part of town she lives in so she can navigate through the streets alone if needed to. He also made special puzzles for her on her birthday to solve and it has a prize in it. As rumors of Germans spread that they will overtake paris, the museum gives Maries father a 22k diamond named the Sea of Flames, A diamond told to have a curse that is said to give anyone who holds it a never ending life but terrible things will happen around them. This jewel was said to be given to the God of the Sea from the God of Earth as a love offering. He and Marie-Laure leave their home in Paris to give the stone to an affiliate of the museum. But the man has fled to london so now her father cant give him the Sea Of Flames, They both had to escape to her great uncles house in Saint Malo, his Name is Etienne. When they got there they were greeted by Madame Manec, the house keeper of Etiennes house. She spoils them with food and tells Marie that Etienne has some problems with hallucinations of war so he is mostly locked up in his room not eating, moving, or making noise, so she doesnt get to see him right away. Once they get settled in her father builds her another model of a town but this time is of Saint-Malo. He makes the interior of the model house hollow so he can fit the diamond so it would be difficult to find. Maries Great-uncle finally sees her and shows her a hidden radio in his attic behind a secret door. The next day germans s end out papers to collect all the radios in Saint-Malo for an unknown reason, but Maries Great-uncle keeps the one in the attic a secret since no one else knows but them. Maries father is told to come back to the museum, but while on his way back hes arrested and is sent to a prison in Germany where he is questioned. After Maries father is sent to the prison Madame Manec is arranging a group of women to try and resist the germans coming and liberating them, they called themselves the French Resistance. Madame dies of pneumonia. Right before she died Madame Manec attempted to make Maries uncle a part of the group so they could have access to his radio to send information to their allies but he declined because of the danger of being heard and tracked and putting their lives at risk. After grieving Marie and her uncle choose to carry on her efforts in her memory. Marie gets the information from a friend and a group member, Madame Ruelle who hides small slips of paper into dough of bread then bakes it, which contain information for their allies,then is transmitted via their radio system which is hidden in their attic. They find out their allies will be coming on d-day so Maries uncle tries to broadcast the location of the Nazis artillery and broadcast it to their allies The day has come. D-Day arrives and Marie has been commanded to wait down inside the cellar until she hears the bombs stop dropping. While Shes down there she finds two cans of food. Marie is thirsty and needs to use the bathroom, she gets tired of waiting so long so she leaves the cellar and heads upstairs to where to bathroom is located. She drinks from the faucet and when she is up there she hears a German outside of the house. That German is an Office named von Rumpel. As soon as she hears him she runs and hides in the attic. Von Rumpel wants the Sea of Flames (because he i s an avid collector of precious gems and stones). He then enters the house looking for the diamond searching everywhere. He searched frantically tossing everything around the house searching for secret compartments, but he came up short and returned everyday to keep on looking.

Global Warming and the Kyoto Treaty - 586 Words

Global Warming and the Kyoto Treaty Global warming is the increase in temperature of Earth’s atmosphere, and the Kyoto Treaty was made to reduce greenhouse gases, and have the climate that all living things have come to rely upon, back on track. After decades of ongoing research and debate, scientists have not been able to figure out what causes global warming. The only conclusion that has been made is the fact that greenhouse gases emitted by humans have led to deadly consequences. Thus, 189 United Nations member states have signed an agreement aimed at combating global warming. However, some countries have not ratified the treaty, leading to political dispute over global warming. Gases in the earth’s atmosphere help control Earth’s temperature. It all starts off with sunlight that is absorbed by land and water. The earth’s surface warms up and gives out energy called infrared radiation. The energy is eventually released back into space, and then trapped by greenhouse gases. It is important to remember that some greenhouse gases are needed, or else Earth would be too cold for plants and animals to live. The problem is extra carbon dioxide and other gases. As extra greenhouse gases trap more heat, the whole planet becomes warmer. As the greenhouse effect is stronger, Earth’s natural balance is upset. The problem is huge and happening only because greenhouse gases are overloading the atmosphere (epa.gov). It is unfortunate that humans are mainly responsible for globalShow MoreRelated Global Warming and the Kyoto Treaty Essay2786 Words   |  12 Pageseach. Unfortunately, the weather does not work that way. Hurricane Katrina alone may have cost one hundred billion dollars (Tucker 13). What could be causing these devastating storms? Many atmospheric scientists like Kerry Emanuel believe that global warming is the cause of the increased ferocity of the hurricanes (Nash 38). With the polar temperatures increasing the icecaps are melting. Without the ice to reflect the suns light, the water absorbs the heat. This creates a vicious cycle. The oceanRead MoreThe Kyoto Protocol Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagespaper examines the Kyoto Protocol and the United States position on their participation in the Kyoto Protocol. To understand the underpinnings of the Kyoto Protocol one must agree that our planet is warming, and we (its citizens) are contributing to its warming. Any general argument abou t global warming has to address at least the following five questions: 1. Is global warming really occurring? 2. If global warming is occurring, are humans responsible for it? 3. If global warming is occurring, whatRead MoreKyoto Protocol And Its Effect On The Earth s Natural Cycles999 Words   |  4 Pages20th century, global changes were measurable. This marked the beginning of the â€Å"Anthropocene†, and era where human activity became a force affecting the Earth’s natural cycles. One of these changes is a global planetary warming, causing more frequent droughts or heavy rains depending on the locations, ice cap melting at the Earth’s poles and rising sea levels, triggered by the emission of massive amounts of man-made greenhouse gases, mostly carbon dioxide (Holland 2015). This warming impacts everyoneRead MoreGlobal Warming And The Kyoto Protocol1470 Words   |  6 Pagesthe global warming agenda and tackle the issues surrounding the Kyoto Protocol. The second part will look at climate change and the protocol from the respective lenses of realism and liberalism. I will argue that while none of the theories precisely covers the entirety of the issue, each provides helpful analysis falls short of clarifying the entire climate change picture. Can states cooperate effectively through the structure of the Kyoto protocol to solve an international problem of global warmingRead MoreGlobal Warming Is The Heating Of The Atmosphere870 Words   |  4 Pages Global warming is the heating of the atmosphere through the increase or surplus of greenhouse gases. Acting as a blanket trapping heat that would normally escape the Earth. These greenhouse gases are a result of excessive burning of fossil fuels, to fuel our technological dependent lives. This results in an increase in Earth’s average temperature which causes the melting of the polar ice caps, rising sea levels,longer and more damaging wildfire seasons,more frequent and intense heat waves, heavierRead MoreUnderlying Problems of the Kyoto Protocol1481 Words   |  6 PagesFor the past years, global warming and climate change became important issues of science and the environment. However, with the realization of the possible threats it poses to humankind in general, global warming gained international significance. Climate change is a global problem that requires a global response embracing the needs and interests of all countries (Boer, 2008). Countries around the world, convinced by the threats of the global warming, choose to act hand-in-hand to face to the issueRead MoreKyoto Protocol : Global Climate Change1146 Words   |  5 PagesKyoto’s Consequences After growing concern over global climate change, the Kyoto Protocol was proposed in 1997 and ratified in 2005. The protocol was created to address the issue of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, specifically aiming to reduce these emissions globally by giving each country specific goals and percentages of reduction by 2012 relative to 1990 GHG levels1. The need for a global policy stems from the systemic type of environmental problem being dealt with2. Although GHGs are createdRead MoreThe Kyoto Protocol: An Attempt to Manage Global Warming Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe Kyoto protocol is one of the most important treaties signed in contemporary days. It has great limitations and is yet to evolve to another level, but it addresses an issue that affects not one, two or ten countries – it affects the entire world. That is why countries have to work and cooperate to create a binding legal document that sets specific standards to greenhouse gas emissions. In recent decades we have witnessed a gradual change in our environment. Our planet is heating up very quicklyRead More Global Warming: Climate Change is Happening Now Essay1098 Words   |  5 PagesI believe the world is being faced with a serious issue of global climate change due to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process in the Earths atmosphere that warms the planet. Without the greenhouse effect, on average, the Earths surface would be about 60oF colder. The greenhouse effect occurs when visible light from the sun passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by the Earths surface. Some of that energy is then sent back to the atmosphere as heatRead MoreKyoto Protocol : A Global Problem917 Words   |  4 PagesKyoto Protocol: Introduction: 1. The problem of Global Warming has been one that has increased dramatically throughout the past 150 years. This is thought to be due to increased industrialisation throughout the world in this time and this is backed up by the fact that approximately 97%(NASA, n.d.) of scientists worldwide believe that it is strongly likely the increasing global climate is due to human activity. International cooperation is required in order to solve the problem of global warming

Administrative assistant Free Essays

I am actively seeking an executive assistant opportunity in a demanding, fast-paced multi-tasking office. I possess years of executive experience, which have equipped me with a multitude of skills, and I would like to continue my growth at AB Volvo’s Group Accounting Department. I am a college graduate and am proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of software (MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint). We will write a custom essay sample on Administrative assistant or any similar topic only for you Order Now Throughout my career I have demonstrated for my employers an exceptional facility for meeting organizational objectives and demands. In addition to my secretarial skills, I am an adept event planner, and am proficient in administrative work regarding the Sarbanes Oxley Act. I am also well versed in financial related communication due to my having worked in accounting environments previously. Furthermore, my current and previous employers have regarded my secretarial skills in planning meetings, taking minutes, filing and documentation as high quality. I am certain I would prove to be an asset at AB Volvo as well. If my abilities meet the needs of AB Volvo’s Group Accounting Department, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity of speaking with you personally at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Jane Smith How to cite Administrative assistant, Papers

Elements of Culture free essay sample

Culture has been defined by Lederach (1995) as shared knowledge and schemes created by a set of people for perceiving, interpreting, expressing and responding to the social realities around them. Simply put, it is the learned and shared behaviour of a community of people. These behaviours are considered the correct way to feel, think and act, and are passed on to new members. Culture determines what is acceptable or unacceptable, important or unimportant and right or wrong. South Africa is a nation that is very accepting of people of different cultural persuasions allowing businesses and religious institutions to promote a wide variety of exciting shopping and religious experiences. 1. 2 The Seven elements of culture There are a number of issues that businesses need to consider when internationalising and expanding their operations into new cultures. They may need to reconsider their marketing and human resource management, or even reconsider their product in order to comply with social-cultural norms. A contemporary approach to cultural issues in management divides culture into the following aspects: Source: Hannagan (2005) Social organisation This is when a culture organises its members into smaller groups. These smaller groups could include families, friends, religious groups, social classes, occupation and interest groups. Family is considered the most important unit of social organisation and can be organised either into a nuclear family or an extended family. Social classes rank people in order of status, depending on what is important to that particular culture for example ancestry, or education. Religion This is a system which helps people answer questions about the meaning and purpose of life. Religion supports values that cultures feel are important and also influence how people behave toward each other. Traditionally, religions have been categorised as one of three types: monotheistic (a belief in one god), polytheistic (a belief in many gods) and animistic (traditional, with a belief in the divine forces in nature). Language Language is important for communication and passing on traditional beliefs. It is the cornerstone of culture, as all cultures have a spoken language, and people who speak the same language often share the same culture. Law and politics People form governments in order to provide for their common needs, keep order within society, and protect their society form outside threats. Government can be defined as the people or person who holds power in a society. Types of governments include democratic (people have supreme power), republican (people choose leaders who represent them) and dictatorships (ruler holds power by force). Values and attitudes Values are measures of worth or importance people attach to something, and are often reflected in the way people live their lives. Attitudes are the ways in which people express or apply their values, mainly through words and behaviour. If attitudes are based on incorrect assumptions, they may create inflexibility and stereotypes. Values can either be personal, or social, and government by constructs such as morals, taboos and folkways. Technology and material culture Technology is the combination of physical objects and the rules for using those objects. Material culture is a term used to describe the objects produced by human beings- including tools, weapons and utensils in society. These are aspects of culture that appear as physical objects. Humans impress their culture on the things they make and in the ways in which they do things. Technology therefore becomes an expression of culture (Carroll (1983). Aesthetics Aesthetics are the principles governing beauty at any given time or place. It is a judgement of value based on the appearance of an object and the emotional responses it evokes. Perceptions of aesthetics tend to be influenced by the culture a person grows up in. Hannagan (2005) argues that the framework he proposes above provides an alternative means of understanding the different elements that make up a culture by extending the understanding to customers and different markets. 1. 3 Market places in terms of the seven elements South Africa has an interesting mix of both formal and informal markets. Each of these represents different cultures and operates in different contexts. The markets under scrutiny based on the elements discussed above are Capetown’s Longmarket Square (informal) and Bayside shopping mall (formal). Social organisation Long market is an open air African market, selling textiles, handicrafts and artwork from all over Africa. Surrounding the area are many outdoor coffee shops and restaurants. It is a one-stop market for consumers interested in handicrafts and art. The emphasis on African culture attracts a certain class of consumers- usually affluent tourists on holidays, or affluent members of society who are interested obtaining unique art pieces as an interest. Bayside mall, on the other hand, is includes most of South Africa’s retailers, as well as a variety of eateries. The shopping atmosphere is casual. The main social groupings to be seen are families (mostly middle class to upper class), who visit in order to shop for household products, and to spend â€Å"family† time in facilities such as the cinema, or restaurants. Religion A number of vendors in the Longmarket sell objects of art that represent their traditional religions, such as masks. Many of them dress in their cultural dress to emphasise what their business is about. This market is therefore attractive to consumers who find interest in learning more about other religions. Bayside mall can be described as an urban culture temple. It is a sanctuary where people try to fill up their emptiness through the shopping experience, and acquiring products. The colours and shapes persuade consumers to buy, and consumers worship and adore trends and fashion. Language At Bayside mall, English language is the first language of communication, with most of the consumers having English as a first or second language. This means that communication is relatively easy, and that the culture is relatively low context (relying more on what is said and written). Longmarket, on the other hand, brings together nationals of many different countries, some of whom do not speak English as a first language. The culture is inherently â€Å"high† context, with gestures and moods being an important part of the shopping experience. An example is of the vendors, who smile at approaching consumers to indicate a warm welcome (as opposed to verbalising it). Law and politics As both informal and formal markets operate in the South African context, both markets are subject to government regulations such as obtaining business permits and returning taxes. Technology and material culture Bayside mall embraces the use of modern technology- from the building design, flooring and facilities. The building is air-conditioned, as is the culture in many modern shopping centres around the world. Technology enables people to navigate easily between floors (using elevators and escalators), and the products on offer represent the latest technological advancements in the lobal market. Longmarket, on the other hand, has a more traditional set up. It is surrounded by trees, which give good shade, and colourful umbrellas. There is always music, and a carnival atmosphere. This makes it very popular with foreigners, who are seeking a different experience from what they are accustomed to (e. g. a modern shopping mall). Values and attitudes Consumers at Bayside seem to value c onvenience and quality of services and products. The price and perceived value should have a match, in order for the buying decision to be made. At Longmarket, the consumers value the whole experience of shopping, and will sometimes pay large sums of money for a product that has an inherent low value (e. g. handbags made from recycled tin cans). Value is not just about the product itself, but is placed on the process of production, origins, and even ethnicity of the vendor. Aesthetics The consumers at Longmarket see beauty in traditional items, or items they view as authentically African. The more â€Å"African† an object is, the more beautiful it becomes. Consumers in the modern mall, on the other hand, see beauty in the appearance of an object, and how trendy it appears. Objects that reflect current trends most accurately are perceived to be more beautiful. 2. 0 Religion and Culture An observation of the rituals and motions of the Seventh Day Adventist church service (at Goodwood, Capetown) illustrate the culture in the church. The Sabbath The Seventh-day Adventist Church keeps the Sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, because they believe God set apart the seventh day of creation week to be a day of rest and a memorial of creation. On this day, families join together on Friday evenings to celebrate the Sabbath. The family institution is therefore there cornerstone of social organisation in this religion. Dress Adventists dress modestly, although they do not adopt an antique style of dress. They seem to prefer to wear conservative styles that are common to the current fashion period. They are not the first to adopt the new styles of dress, or the last to lay the old aside. Profuse ornamentation- such as the wearing of earrings and necklaces is unacceptable. Adventists do not wear jewellery, other than a wedding ring. Music Adventists shun the use of music such as jazz and rock in their worship services, preferring to use instruments such as the classical piano, guitar and organ to accompany their music. Social dancing is not permitted. They songs used in worship are derived from a common hymn book. Social events Social events are usually held in family homes, rather than commercial places of entertainment. The church has a code of practice for social events. Communion service These normally take place four times a year. Only unfermented grape juice and unleavened bread are used for communion, and any Christian may take communion, not just Church members. Adventist communion services also include the ordinance of foot-washing before the communion. This ritual conveys a message of forgiveness, acceptance, assurance, and solidarity, primarily from Christ to the believer, but also between the believers themselves. Most importantly it symbolises an overall purification a cleansing of the heart.

Performance management Essay Example For Students

Performance management Essay A local council has just received approval for 15 million from the National Lottery to build a new Arts, Media and Cultural Centre but it needs to find the matching capital Money for the project. It has also to find the annual running costs of 1 million for the new facility at the same sound as it needs to reduce its total Leisure and Arts budget by 5 million. How can performance management and review processes assist with this complex decision and ensure that effective delivery of the project if agreed?The local council has three main problems to resolve from this scenario. These are:1. Matching the capital money and running costs of the proposed project. 2. Significantly reducing the leisure and arts budget, the sector in which the proposed project is in. 3. Keeping all major interest groups internally and externally from the project, relatively content. However, the problems involving the interest groups are virtually impossible to resolve. This is due to peoples contradicting needs; this creates the task of catering for each individual group’s needs, which is unobtainable. Therefore, the council must take an interest in the most significant party, the public; this includes the implications of the other major problems. Performance management and review can be an aid to this project, by analysing the various options and solutions and deciding on the best course of action. Each of the three main problems may be divided into a list containing various sub problems, which create the overall problems. Each of these problems must be solved by prioritising in order of importance, in order to produce the most effective solution to the project. Performance management has been defined as â€Å"a strategic and integrated approach to delivering sustained success to organisations by improving the performance of the people who work in them and by developing the capabilities of teams and individual contributors: (Armstrong and Baron 1998). Another definition however is that performance management is the systematic design, collection, analysis and review of information. In order to manage there is a need to establish and quantify what may be managed and how. For the ability to use performance management within the project, it needs to be segmented into various sections that can possibly be measured over the duration of the project. The project has multiple objectives that need defining. These objectives are usually defined and the outcomes normally judged using the five E’s:Economy: The effective acquisition of inputs, largely a value for money concept. Efficiency: The ratio of inputs to outputs. The efficiency level will be increased if the output is consistent while input levels fall, or output is raised while input while input remains consistent. Effectiveness: The extent of goal acheivementEquity: Observance of criteria of fairnesss. This is probably the most significant condition for good performance. Electability: Political affirmation of good performance that will prove essential for survival. These five factors aid in providing parameters for judging performance. To enable measurements of the performance, the project needs to be subdivided into various sections known as milestones. To achieve the various milestones, the manager will need to create an action plan. This is a breakdown of what, where and when various activities are going to occur. There are many problems associated with public sector performance management. Some of these problems are as follows:? There are not enough targets to attain. ? There tends to be too many indicators. ? There is a lethargic reporting style, however the reporting systems tend to be loose. In the case of this project for the local council there needs to be a hierarchy of objectives, these must range from corporate to individual objectives. The corporate objectives for the local council may be as follows:1. To design, build and tender for the centre within the budget allocated and within any time frame allocated by the capital provider. 2. To allocate appropriate funds from the local authority budget to enable the project for the centre to proceed. 3. To increase, restructure or divert the revenue budgets of the local authority to accommodate the running of the centre. The examples of the objectives above are broad in context. This is deliberately to enable any changes through revenue and allocations of funds to the centre to be accommodated for within the objectives. There may be political issues involved within the development of obtaining these major corporate objectives. These may include the raising of tax, the proposed centre having to match the running costs or possibly the allocation of funds from other local authority departments. These objectives are not as narrowly defined as those from the private sector or if it were a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) project, this is due to the need to insure that all stakeholders may be taken into consideration. Although these objectives are corporate, they usually are allocated to an individual to oversee. This method within the public sector could cause problems within the board; these problems are due to the possibility of one-upmanship. Within the local authority, there are other objectives which must be satisfied, these link and are interdependent with the corporate objectives. An example may be that the Arts and Leisure Director needs to set out his objectives for achieving the design and building requirements. Example – Objective Carry out the Tender procedure within 6 months: Activity or milestoneActionDeadlineA.Appoint ConsultantBy End of Month 1B.Approve BudgetBy Start of Month 2C. Finalise DesignBy End of Month 2D.Send spending specificationBy Start of Month 3for TendingE. Evaluate TendersBy End of Month 4F.Appoint ContractBy End of Month 5G.Complete ContractBy End of Month 6The Milestones are time related, they can be measured and if slippage occurs, action can be taken to bring the plan back on schedule or negotiations can take place to approve an extension. Another example may be that of the Director of Finance or the treasurers objective, such as the following: 1. Reassign budget areas and make alterations to the allocations / Negotiate the Leisure and Arts Budget. The Church of Scientology EssayIf the project is successfully implemented the Performance Management does not stop as it can continue with the development of the Arts, Media and Culture Centre. With the evolution of the facility, new Performance Indicators can be introduced for further review. Examples of this are as follows. A performance indicator as a standard may be set for attracting X number of clients per Day/Week/Month etc. So X people per month could be the Performance Indicator to compare with the actual figure. The actual and the Performance Indicator can be compared and if they are not in sync, action to bring it into alignment can be devised and implemented. Similarly revenue/income can be considered as a performance indicator, based on collecting the 1million running costs. This again can be monitored routinely to see if the assumptions were completed, what the time of year effect is etc. Excessive use of Performance indicators, particularly those published externally, may encourage particular actions by public sector managers: 1)Tunnel Vision refers to the idea of managers being so concerned with reaching performance targets that they exclude other important areas. 2) Suboptimization is the problem of managers pursuing their own objectives and ignoring opportunities for the organisation. 3) Myopia is the problem of concentration on the short term with lack of concern as to what might happen in the long term due to simply trying to meet current performance targets. 4) Convergence – this is the problem of the objective being set as simply not to stand out as being a bad performer, rather than to try and do the best. 5) Ossification – the practice of avoiding innovation. 6) Gaming – This is altering the organisations behaviour so as to gain a strategic advantage. 7) Misrepresentation – This involves trying to ‘fix’ the figures, using such methods as creative accounting and fraud. Managers are also made sensitive to the indicators with which the electoral representatives are held to account. The idea that managers of public services leave their political views etc. at home, is widely discredited. People working in public sector organisations are not neutral, and tend to develop their own goals that may or may not be compatible with the goals of the organisation. There are also other problems with this approach that must be taken into account. There are a number of problems with comparability with other authorities in terms of the breakdown of standardisation of any performance management approach, the fact that ‘inputs’ vary between authorities (also different items under managerial control), the fact that if budget does not allow for maximum capacity it will lead to different unit costs for the outputs and it being hard to judge the true intangible ‘value’ of services. There are specific problems generated by an organisational resistance to stretch. After it has been laid down a while, staff learns to â€Å"fool the system† and creative accounting may also be used. These are further examples of staff pursuing self-interests rather than the interests of the organisation. Performance Management is a subjective means of managing projects using performance indicators and performance review. There are a number of interest groups and their views and interest are an important part of Performance Review. The key to successful implementation of Performance Management and Review Techniques to assist with the complex decision implementation of the new Lottery Funded Arts, Media and Cultural Centre and ensure effective delivery are as follow: (a) Ensure the objectives are realistic(b) Ensure all objectives link together(c) Ownership of the objective is paramount(d) Should not be used as a stick to control someone(e) Ensure all milestones are measured(f) Ensure the recipient of the objective knows how, when and where reviews will take place(g) Don’t review too often too quickly. Despite the mentioned problems, there is still a great deal of potential for performance management and review systems. A great deal of effort needs to be put into constructing a performance management system, but as long as the users are aware of the potential difficulties, many problems can be overcome. BibliographyArmstrong, M and Baron, A (1998) Performance Management: The New Realities, London Institute of Personnel and Development. Nutley, S and Osborne, S (1994) The Public Sector Management Handbook, London: Longman. Bevard, T, Davis, P and Green, J (1998) More For Less: Practical coping strategies for managing limited resources.