The Issue of Death and Cormac McCarthy - 1101 Words

Cormac McCarthy wrote a visually stunning picture of how it looks at the end to two pilgrims on the road to nowhere. Color in the world—except for the red of fire and blood—exists mainly in memory and dream. Fire has consumed forests and cities, and from the fall ash and soot the land is monotone, the rivers black. Hydrangeas and wild orchids stand in the forests, sculptured by fire into â€Å"ashen effigies† of themselves, waiting for the wind to blow them into dust. Intense heat has melted and tipped city buildings, and window glass hangs frozen down their sides. On the Interstate â€Å"long lines of charred and rusting cars† are â€Å"sitting in a stiff gray sludge of melted rubber. ... The incinerate corpses shrunk to the size of a child and propped on the bare springs of the seats. Ten thousand dreams sepulchered within their crozzled hearts.† McCarthy has said that death is the major issue in the world, and that writers who dont address it are not serious. Death reaches very near totality in The Road. Billions of people have died, all animal and plant life is no more: â€Å"At the tide line a woven mat of weeds and the ribs of fishes in their millions stretching along the shore as far as eye could see like an isocline of death.† the survivors of the barbaric wars that followed the initial event wear masks against the perpetual clouds of soot in the air. Blood cults war against one another. Cannibalism has become a major enterprise in the days after readily available food. DerangedShow MoreRelatedThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1708 Words   |  7 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy is set in an apocalyptic world filled with hopelessness, mental fatigue, and few instances of happiness. Throughout the story, the man and the boy are looking for hope in anything and everything. Unfortunately every turn they take they co ntinue to fall further into despair until they find a Coca-Cola. This soda has a unique meaning to the boy and the man. The Coca-Cola in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road symbolizes the world’s regression and gives hope to the man and boy byRead MoreEssay on Flight in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses1845 Words   |  8 PagesFlight in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses In an enticingly realistic novel, contemporary western writer Cormac McCarthy tells the coming-of-age story of a young John Grady Cole whose life begins and, in a sense, ends in rustic San Angelo. Page by page, McCarthy sends his protagonist character creation on a Mexican adventure, complete with barriers, brawls, and beauties. The events which bring about John Grady’s adventure and the reasons behind his decision to flight familiarity areRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy Essay examples2349 Words   |  10 Pages In the novel, The Road, Cormac McCarthy illustrates the expressions, settings and the actions by various literary devices and the protagonist’s struggle to survive in the civilization full of darkness and inhumanity. 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Other categories of anxiety are test anxiety, stage fright, stage fright, and somatic anxiety. Stranger anxiety and social anxiety occur when a person is around strangers (Karam 193). Anxieties and its effects evident in Cormac McCarthy s, The Road are both short term and long term and in clude food shortage, repercussions of war, and extreme fear. Unlike trivial anxieties in the day to day world, those of a post-apocalyptic situation are long lasting and some never end and requireRead MoreEffect of Colonialism and Modernization on Old and Traditional Culture1577 Words   |  7 Pagestraditional culture? Throughout history the result of new cultures or traditions always created problems for old ones. Sadly, this results in the destruction of the old one. Barbara Kingsolver’s, The Poisonwood Bible, as well as Cormac McCarthy’s, All The Pretty Horses, deals with this issue through its plethora of themes and symbols. The underlying theme of The Poisonwood Bible throughout the novel is the idea that arrogance makes westerners indifferent to how third-world countries are affected by colonialismRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy and Blindness by Jose Saramago Essay3315 Words   |  14 Pagesrest, one able to hold onto their morals, one that would rather d ie than give in to immorality. However, given certain circumstances; even these people turn to pure barbarianism in order to survive. The Pulitzer Award-Winning novel, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, details the numerous obstacles a man and his son face, in an attempt for survival, in a post-apocalyptic world. The man, the protagonist in the novel, hesitates to help any random strangers who he and his son encounter along their path. MeanwhileRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1962 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"The Road† by Cormac McCarthy. The novel tells a story of the nameless protagonists as they traverse through a post-apocalyptic land in an attempt to reach the warm coast before winter. McCarthy’s story also covers many dark and heavy topics - primarily death. He has said himself that death especially is a major issue in the world, and that writers who do not address it are not serious. As a man of his word, McCarthy has written â€Å"The Road† with imagery and metaphor alluding to how death stays as a heavyRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy, Ray Bradbury, And 19842199 Words   |  9 Pagesit as mass poverty, public mistrust, police state, or oppression. This genre was chosen because it allows for readers to feel better and thankful for our society’s current state. The works that I used to investigate this genre were The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and 1984 by George Orwell. All of these books are categorized in the dystopian genre but have very different symbols, styles, and implications. Each of these novels have different styles because some include aRead MoreAmerican Violence – a Critical Film Analysis of No Country for Old Men1940 Words   |  8 PagesCountry For Old Men A violent contract killer, a blue-collar welder, and a weary sheriff are all players in the ensemble No Country for Old Men. The Coen Brothers adaptation of the novel written by Cormac McCarthy is a multi-genre, visual buffet about a man’s strength of will and dedication. It’s about death, fate and American violence. It is set in 1980 and centers around the chaos of questionable decision making and killing without a purpose or at the very least killing without ethics. Every Coen

Socio-Economic and Demographic Features of Kidnapping in...

SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF KIDNAPPING IN NIGERIA: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY Abstract This study analyzed and reviewed the Nigerian print media coverage of kidnapping cases between 2005 and 2011. The focus of the study was to determine socio-economic and demographic features of kidnapping in Nigeria. Content analysis was adopted for the study as well as use of frequency tables for analysis of data. Anomie theory of crime based on Robert K. Merton’s analysis of Durkheim’s theory provided our theoretical frame work in this analysis. The study argued that a plethora of factors have been implicated as the causes of kidnapping in Nigeria. This paper recommends that some drastic measures be taken to nip in the bud the menace of†¦show more content†¦Kidnapping has of recent assumed alarming dimension in the states in Niger Delta region opening up opportunities and avenues for dangerous socio-political degeneration. This has implication on the social, economic and political development for not only the Niger Delta region in particular but also for the N igerian state in general. The degree of deprivation suffered by the Niger Delta people and the complexities that characterize their problems made them adopt the various strategies at different times. By 1990s resistance groups began to emerge. They had a broad ethnic base an epitomized by the Movement for the survival of the Ogoni people ( MOSOP) and the Movement for the survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND). They organized rallies, civil disobedience, boycott of state programmes, violent protests, vandalisation of oil pipelines and wells, hostage takings and sabotages. These groups later discovered kidnapping as one of the strategies in agitating for their rights. OBJECTIVES The central objective of this study is to analyze socio-economic and demographic features of kidnapping in Nigeria. Specifically, the study seeks to: 1. Examine the categories of people that carry out kidnapping. 2. Categorize the kind of the people being kidnapped. 3. Analyze the bases for causes of kidnapping in Nigeria. 4. Determine the trend of kidnapping within Nigeria. RESEARCH QUESTIONS In order to achieve theShow MoreRelatedCase Study148348 Words   |  594 PagesAcknowledgements Introduction Using this Manual Planning Your Approach Designing the Teaching Scheme A Guide to Using the Work Assignments A Guide to Using the Case Studies Strategy Lenses The Exploring Strategy Website A Guide to Using the Video Material Exploring Strategy Teachers’ Workshops Teaching Notes for Student Work Assignments Case Study Teaching Notes 6 7 8 8 12 19 20 25 27 27 28 28 29 Chapters 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Introducing Strategy The Environment StrategicRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagessocioeconomic circumstances and dynamics rather than standard but arbitrary chronological break points. In the decades that followed the Great War, the victorious European powers appeared to have restored, even expanded, their global political and economic preeminence only to see it eclipsed by the emergence of the Soviet and U.S. superpowers on their periphery and a second round of even more devastating global conflict. The bifurcated international system that resulted from the cold war standoff

Bendigo Education Plan Project Management

Question: Describe about the Stakeholder communications management, Project Management Information System, and Project monitoring and change control of Bendigo Education Plan? Answer: Executive Summary Project management has different processes and aspects. To carry out a project successfully, those are to be understood in details. For bigger projects like BEP, (BEP, 2006)collection, processing, sharing of project related information manually is not possible. It is time consuming and prone to errors. PMIS or Project Management Information Systems help in this context. Those works efficiently in managing projects coherently with the project life cycle. Project life cycle is asset of phases, the project development process goes through from the initiation to closure. It is needed to integrate different processes and aspects of project management. This integration is done and managed by project integration management process. Then there are change control and management. As it is almost impossible to carry out project management process without change control management, so this is carried out in parallel to the project execution process. Project closure is also very important. It wraps up the whole project into a single phase. Thus there are various checklists to be followed before delivering the final deliverables to the project owner. BEP projects have undergone through these processes also. There are very little information about details of the BEP project life cycle, and managerial aspects. BEP project is analyzed to find out the roles of PMIS, stakeholder management, project life cycle, project integration management, project change control management and project closure in the context of BEP. (BEP, 2006) Introduction Bendigo is the second largest municipality area in Victoria. The city has significant socio economic importance in Victoria and in Australia. There is a huge part of the total population of Australia and of Victoria that comes from Bendigo. Thus the lives of the people from the Bendigo Community is important for the government. Education in Bendigo is facing a few challenges for quiet sometime. The city has 1 primary, four secondary and 1 senior secondary schools other than several private school. The futue of the youth from Bendigo is largely dependent of these school. The Government had taken an initiative in 2005, to upgrade the educational infrastructure of the schools and blend technology, innovation and personalized learning processes with better student-teacher relationships. They want to bridge the gap between the expectations of the community and the current infrastructure of the schools, coping up with problems related to attendance and retention of the students. Bendigo Education Plan had 39 recommendations. There were multiple projects under this plan. These projects had interdependencies, schedule, risks etc. In this report the Bendigo Education Plan project will be analyzed. Focus will be given on the stakeholder communication management, use of PMIS or Project Management Information System in the project, project life cycle, critical success factors of the project, project monitoring and change control etc. Stakeholder communications management Stakeholders are the people whose lives are supposed to be affected by the outcome of the project. In the Bendigo Education Plan project, the project sponsor was the Government. Other stakeholders are the students, parents and teachers, the project management teams, core teams, etc. (Eskerod Jepsen, 2013) For any project there should be clear and adequate communication among the stakeholders of the project. Continuous involvement of the stakeholders bring s continuous improvement in the stakeholder communication management. The first step of stakeholder communication management is to carry out a stakeholder analysis, identification of the potential stakeholders, their roles and impact on the project. And then the second step in stakeholder communication management is to ensure effective engagement of the stakeholders in the project. (Roeder, 2013) There are several factors behind a successful stakeholder communication management. Insufficient communication and involvement are the two critical issues behind the success of stakeholder communication management. Some important things are, While deciding the scope and objectives of the project, the stakeholder management issues should be focused on. Identification of the stakeholders and their relations to the project is needed to be done in this stage. Then the stakeholders should be engaged into the project. Their active participation and interest can boost up the project management process. The management needs to communicate with the stakeholders about the project. This is not a one time activity, rather, they need to follow the process throughout the entire life cycle of the project. The stakeholders are needed to be agreed on the deliverables of the project. Otherwise there are high chances that, in the project completion phase, the deliverables will fail to meet the expectations of the stakeholders. (Friedman Miles, 2006) Also it needs to make sure that the stakeholders has a clear understanding of the project, it project management plan etc. Some of the issues that may rise up due to poor stakeholder management may include, Late communication with the stakeholders. Having very little knowledge about the expectations of the stakeholders or not even considering their views in the project. Early engagement of the stakeholders in the project too early and that creates a chaotic conditions in the reality. Rather than some fruitful outcome, it makes the project management process tougher. Wrong identification of stakeholders at the first place will introduce wrong stakeholders into the project. Misconception of management about the stakeholders and their participation. In many cases, management finds the participation of stakeholders in not necessary at all. So, a proper stakeholder communication management plan will have the following, (Kimmich, Janetschek, Meyer-Ohlendorf, 2012) Stakeholder analysis A stakeholder communication plan Implementation of the communication plan Evaluation of the communication plan Project Management Information System PMIS or Project Management Information System organizes the information that are required by an organization to run some project properly. It is a collection of software, processes and methodologies that are required to collect and process data related to a project. The electronic PMIS system components helps in planning, execution and closing of project management and its goals. There are various types of PMISs that differs in the context of scopes, features, designs and the operational requirements of the organization. Normalized methodologies like PRINCE2, PMP or Project Management Professional etc. can be used for collection and organization of project related data. Various project management knowledge like integration, scope, time, quality, human resource, risk, communication, stakeholders and procurement management, are supported by any PMIS software. A PMIS software is generally a multi user software. There are variety of such software for different platforms like on-premise solution, cloud based solution etc. (Heldman, 2011) PMIS is usually used by project managers for collecting, processing, combining and distributing of the project related data. Other than project manager, managers from other levels can also use PMIS for communication, planning, execution and closing of project. (Forbes, 2000) In case of project planning phase, a PMIS can help in preparing budget based on different frameworks, cost estimation, scheduling, defining baselines of project scopes etc. In the project execution phase, all information collected by the project management team is stored into a single database. Then the database is connected to the PMIS. The baselines are compared with the accomplishment of those activities in reality, materials, financial data, record keeping process, reporting processes. (Sanghera, 2007) While closing a project, a PMIS needs to review whether the goals of the project have been successfully accomplished or not. Then the final report on closure of the project is created. There is a lot of scopes of use a suitable PMIS in the Bendigo Education Plan project. There are 39 recommendations, and a number of projects under this plan. Each of these projects has different sets of input and deliverables. So, there is a huge volume of project related information to be shared with a number of stakeholders like the school managements, teachers, students, community parents, government offices etc. A well set up and managed PMIS will help to collect different types of information about the stakeholders, their requirements, project planning etc. During the project Execution Phase, it will help in to store and manage all information into a database. This will integrate the schools and the project into a single place. The integration will help to reduce redundancy, provide higher level of availability of information etc. (Heldman, 2011) The PMIS diagram is, PMIS diagram Source:(Raymond, 1987) At any time instance the information of the PMIS used in the project will provide accurate, timely, integrated, precise, reliable and accountable. (Cleland, 2004) Project life cycle Project life cycle is the detailed process including all phases of the project, from inception to completion. Any project will have project initiation, planning, execution and evaluation as different phases of the project life cycle. The execution phase includes monitoring and controlling. Bendigo Education Plan also has different phases in the project life cycle. The initial phase in project planning. Then it has execution, evaluation, monitoring and controlling. The initiation phase of the project will start right from the identification of the scopes, objectives, purposes, resources, required timeframes, structure and different sets of deliverables from the different projects under BEP. (BEP, 2006) Then it will build different solution approaches and will check cost and benefits for each of those. To decide the risks associated with a project, it needs to have a feasibility study of the project. It will ensure that the approach taken for the solution of the project is feasible and the level of risks associated with the solution are under acceptable level. Before appointment of the project team, the terms of references of the project should be defined. Next comes the planning phase in the project life cycle. During this phase, a detailed project plan is created. This project plan is an important document for the rest of the project, this will be used as a reference documentation for the project. It may be referred frequently during the execution and evaluation of the project. Three important factors of project management, cost, quality and control, are defined clearly in the project plan. Based on the project plan, further plans for resources, quality, financial information, risks and acceptance may be developed. (Westland, 2007) The assessment of the deliverables produced so far, can be done at any point of the execution phase. During this phase, the project team delivers different types of deliverables and the project manager will be responsible for monitoring and controlling the delivery details and delivery of the entire project. During this phase, different management processes like time management, cost management, quality management, risk management, human resource management, risk management, communication management, procurement management, change control management etc. start falling into pieces, if the project is moving to the right direction. (PMBOK, 2013) When the deliverables are accepted by the intended clients of users and the phase review process is completed successfully, then the project goes to project closure phase. In the project closure document every actions related to the project are documented. After approval of the same, the resources acquired for the project are released, the project deliverables are submitted to the higher authority. Just after the closure of the project, the evaluation or post implementation review of the project is started. It determines the overall success of the project. It is checked that whether the project has met all benefits as expected in the project initiation. According to PMBOK, the project life cycle diagram is, Source: PMBOK The critical success factors of the project are, Realizing the requirements of the students, community, teachers and schools. During project planning, a detailed project management plan is to be created that will cover all critical aspects of the project management. Considering factors including project cost, time and quality (Atkinson, 1999). These three criteria is the Iron Triangle for measuring project success. But, actually these are nothing but two types of guesses and one phenomenon. Delivery and post-delivery phase of a project is also important to consider while deciding project success. Other than doing something wrong there may something that have not been done well in the project. Both of these are types of errors in the project management. So, these are needed to be considered while estimating success of the project. Scope creep a type of problem that can be there in the project management life cycle. This is unwanted. The project management life cycle phases should stick to the scope management and nothing should go beyond the scope. (PMBOK, 2013) Risk management is another critical success factor in project management. Proper risk management helps to bypass a bunch of possible unwanted situation and threats to the project. Efficiency, skills and experiences of the project managers and the team members play important role in project management. Leadership is also a factor here. Communication management across the project stakeholders is also critical factor. Monitoring and controlling of the project progress is necessary to do during the project life cycle. Project integration management Project integration management is a set of process and activities that helps in identifying, defining, combining, unifying and coordinating the activities within the process group of the project management. For successful completion of the project, unifying, consolidation, articulation and integration are needed for very much. It also needs to manage the expectations of the stakeholders, requirements of the project etc. Project integration management is involved in deciding a tradeoff among the competitive project objectives, interdependencies among the project objectives and different knowledge areas. (PMBOK, 2013) As already said, there are different types of processes in project integration management. There are inputs to the processes. In most of the cases, assets of the organizational processes are the input to the processes of project integration management. Other than that there are other types of inputs like environmental factors. In the closing phase of the project, the inputs differ than the environmental factors. Project integration management is needed to deliver seven key knowledge areas in the project. Those are, Development of project charter during the project initiation phase. The key deliverable from this process, is the project charter. Development of project management plan in the planning phase. The key deliverable from this process is the project management plan. Directing and managing project work during project execution phase. There are different types of deliverables depending on what type of work is being done. Monitoring and controlling project work during the project execution phase. The key deliverables from the process are the change requests. Performing integrated change control during the project execution phase. The key deliverables from this phase are the status updates of the change requests from the previous process. Closing the project during project closure phase. The key deliverable from this process are the final products from the project. Project integration management helps in coordinating resources across the project activities, ensuring right selections of tradeoffs made during the project life cycle. It helps in directing the project towards successful completion. The project integration management diagram is, Source: (Schwalbe, 2004) The project plan for BEP contains details of the project initiation, execution, risk management and governance. In a standard project plan, there should be details about the project integration management, scope management, time management, quality management, human resource management, risk management, communication management, and procurement management. Every details of the project like project charter, schedule, stake holder details, and risk analysis details, etc. should be a part of the project plan. According to PMBOK, a project plan is a formal, approved document used to guide both project execution and project control. The primary uses of the project plan are to document planning assumptions and decisions, facilitate communication among stakeholders, and document approved scope, cost, and schedule baselines. A project plan may be summarized or detailed.. (PMBOK, 2013) Project monitoring and change control In project management, change control is an important part. It is highly likely that during the project life cycle, there will be requests for changes in the activities of the project. The requested changes may range from smaller changes to significant changes. Thus it is needed to manage those changes so that those are aligned with the project management process and the project. Change control is needed in project management as it ensures that each and every proposed change will be defined, evaluated and approved/ denied during the project life cycle and all these will be done before the implementation process. Change control also ensures that there will be no unwanted or unnecessary change, there will be no disruption in the services and all resources will be utilized efficiently. (Gudda, 2011) There are five components in the monitoring and change control management system of the project. Those are, Proposal of a change Summary of the possible impact of the change Decisions taken for the change Implementation of the change Closure of the change request Usually there are two types of documentation in the change control and monitoring process. Those are the, Change log, it is used for recording all requested changes and the decisions taken for those changes. Change request form, it is used for documenting details of the change and its context. In the summary of the impact of a change, a number of factors to be considered. Those are, the cost savings and benefits that are quantifiable, estimated cost for implementation of the change, impact of other projects, resources required for implementation of the change, impact of the schedule, if there is new risks from the change. (PMBOK, 2013) A decision on a change can be either of, an acceptance, an acceptance with conditions, deferral or rejection. According to PMBOK, the Monitoring and Control Process Group consists of those processes performed to observe project execution so that potential problems can be identified in a timely manner and corrective action can be taken, when necessary, to control the execution of the project.(PMBOK, 2013) During the life cycle of the project management, monitoring and controlling changes in the project runs in parallel to the project execution process. The reason is, if there is a change request during the execution of the project, then that will be monitored, evaluated and controlled as soon as possible. There are a number of processes under monitoring and change control. Those are, (PMBOK, 2013) Monitoring and controlling the activities of the project by collecting, measuring and disseminating information related to performance of the project. Carrying out integrated change control throughout the project life cycle. Ensuring acceptance of the deliverables according to scope verifications. Ensuring and controlling changes to the scopes of the project. This is carried out by proper scope control. Controlling the changes to the schedule of the project. Controlling changes to the cost of the project. Ensuing monitoring and controlling quality according to different standards. Tracking and managing the performance of the project team members. Managing stakeholders Carrying out proper project closure. Project closure Project closure is the final stage of the project life cycle. During this phase the deliverables are delivered to the project owner and the post implementation review phase starts. Project closure process should ensure that the objectives of the project are met in the final deliverables, the deliverables are within the scopes of the project, and all documentation of the project are available and reviewed. All activities in the project are stopped during project closure. These are archived for auditing then. Project manager should take care of the project closure phase. The stakeholders are to be informed and ensured about the operational and maintenance details of the project deliverables. (Westland, 2007) Conclusions In this report, the analysis of the stakeholders, use of PMIS, project life cycle, project integration management, project monitoring and change control, project closure have been discussed from literature and in the context of BEP. There is very little information available on the BEP projects. So, critical analysis of the project was difficult. Details of PMIS, like what is PMIS, role of PMIS, diagram etc. are discussed in details. Then there is discussions on project integration management. Project integration management is important for any project. There is information about project integration management, its roles etc. Changes are inevitable. So, change control is necessary for any project. The role of the change control in the project has been discussed in details. Finally there is a discussion on project closure. Project closure includes a lots of checklist activities to ensure right set of deliverables are being delivered to the project owner and those meet the objectives a nd scopes of the project. Recommendations The case study lacks information about use of PMIS, change control, integration management, project closure etc. In spite of that, different aspects of project management like stakeholder analysis, details of PMIS, project integration management, project life cycle, change control etc. have been learned from the report. PMIS plays an important role behind any project. Details of PMIS and how it is connected to the life cycle of the project that is an important lesson. Other than that details of change control, project closure etc. are also learnt from this report. References Atkinson, R. (1999). Project management: cost, time and quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, its time to accept other success criteria. International Journal of Project Management, 337- 342. Barber, R. B. (2005). Understanding internally generated risks in projects. International Journal of Project Management, 23, 584590. BEP. (2006). Bendigo Education Plan: Project Plan. BEP. Binder, J. C. (2007). Global Project Management. Gower Publishing, Ltd. Carroll, J. (2012). Effective Project Management in Easy Steps. In Easy Steps. Cleland, D. 2. (2004). Project Management Information System. In D. Cleland, Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation (p. 349). Singapore: McGraw-Hill International . Eskerod, P., Jepsen, A. L. (2013). Project Stakeholder Management. Gower Publishing, Ltd. Forbes, D. E. (2000). Project Management Information Systems. Transportation Research Board. Friedman, A. L., Miles, S. (2006). Stakeholders : Theory and Practice. Oxford University Press. Gudda, P. (2011). A Guide to Project Monitoring Evaluation. AuthorHouse. Heldman, K. (2011). PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide. John Wiley Sons. Horine, G. (2009). Absolute Beginner's Guide to Project Management. Pearson . Kerzner, H. R. (2013). Project Management. John Wiley Sons. Kimmich, C., Janetschek, H., Meyer-Ohlendorf, L. (2012). Methods for Stakeholder Analysis. BoD. Kloppenborg, T. (2011). Contemporary Project Management. Cengage Learning. Meredith, J. R., Samuel J. Mantel, J. (2011). Project Management. John Wiley Sons. PMBOK. (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Project Management Institute, Incorporated. Raymond, L. (1987). Information systems design for project management: a data modeling approach. Project Manage Journal, 94-99. Roeder, T. (2013). Managing Project Stakeholders. John Wiley Sons. Sanghera, D. P. (2007). PGMP Program Management Professional Exam Study Guide . John Wiley Sons. Schwalbe, K. (2004). Information Technology Project Management. Thomson. Shenhar, A. J., Dvir, D. (2013). Reinventing Project Management. Harvard Business Press. Tudor, D. J. (2010). Agile Project and Service Management. Stationery Office. Westland, J. (2007). The Project Management Life Cycle. Kogan Page Publishers. Young, T. L. (2013). Successful Project Management. Kogan Page Publishers.

Reincarnation in Eastern Religious Traditions Essay Example

Reincarnation in Eastern Religious Traditions Essay Eastern religious traditions are the spiritual believes prevalent in Asia. These traditions are mostly evident in India, Japan and china. They are most common in India revealing the reason why the term eastern religion is also used to refer to the Indian religion. The most common eastern religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. These four religions have a number of aspects that cuts across them. Some of these elements are dharma, karma, samsara and maya (Atkinson, p.25). One of the doctrines that are common among the eastern religions is reincarnation. Reincarnation is a concept that refers to the coming back of the soul or the spirit after death.They believe that after the body dies, the soul returns back to the earth in a new form, depending with the kind of life the person led before death. Reincarnation is also known as the transmigration of the soul. Apart from the Indian religions, the idea of reincarnation was also evident in the ideologies of the Greek philosoph ers. It is still evident in some few regions around the world such as Siberia, North America, Australia and West Africa. While the eastern religions have upheld their belief in reincarnation, most of the Christians, Judaists and Muslims have completely done away with it. While majority in the East still believe in the doctrine of reincarnation, only about 20% of the West still believe in it. Whenever this concept is referred to, eastern or Indian religious traditions are what come to mind. It is a doctrine that is almost characteristic to the religious beliefs of the west (Markham and Ruparell, p.18).DefinitionThe term reincarnation emanates from a Latin term. The term in Latin means â€Å"entering the fresh again.† There is also a Greek equivalent of the term that relates to the English version, â€Å"transmigration of the soul.† All these phrases represent the idea of coming back to life or reincarnating after one dies. Reincarnation refers to coming back to life as either a human being or animal. The emphasis of this doctrine is the continuing of the soul, rather than the body. The general process that produces the cycle of dying and being reborn, controlled by karma is known as Samsara in the eastern religious traditions. Birth is the state that a person is reborn into. The term also refers to the single process of coming back to the earth. According to the eastern religious traditions, even gods can die and become reborn again. In this case however the term reincarnation is not firmly appropriate. Nevertheless, Hindus claim that their gods do reincarnate. For example, Lord Vishnu whom they claim has reincarnated ten times. Celtic religion also tends to believe that their gods also reincarnate. Most of the Christians tend to believe as a holy incarnation. These Christians and majority Muslims hold to the belief that Jesus and some of the prophets may be incarnated again (Coogan, p. 34).Origin of reincarnation doctrineReincarnation is a concep t that is central to human life. The origin of this doctrine is not very clear, as it is not evident in the world’s oldest religious traditions. The doctrine is not as old as some of the other doctrines in religion like deity, nor is it a current concept. It is most common in the history of India and Greece. The recorded history of the term is in the first millennium BCE. The doctrine is likely linked to the early eremitical (sramana) era in India. The concept was later used by the Brahmin orthodoxy. In India the concept was employed along with others like karma, Samsara and Moksha. The term was later developed in various ways and applied in many traditions both in India and other parts of Asia. It was used by Upanishads, Mahavir and in yoga sutras (Atkinson, p.52).There are scholars who claim that the dourine in India might have its origins in the pre-Aryan non-Vedic culture. Other scholars claim that the doctrine has a connection between Druid, Vedic culture and ancient Gre ek. They suggested that the doctrine was there in proto-indo-European religion. Diodorus Siculus believed that the Druids might have had influence from the ideas of Pythagoras. One contemporary philosopher has claimed that some missionaries of Buddhism went to Britain as an order from king Ashoka. Some ancient literatures have confirmed that Pythagoras argued that he has reminiscence of his past life. This is the ancient revelation of the fact that there might be existence in more than one life. Some of the philosophers have claimed that Buddha found out the idea for himself (Coogan, p. 67).The characteristic structure of reincarnation was developed in India. This took place not prior to the ninth century BC. This is the time when the Brahmana writings were established. The concept was properly defined between the seventh and the fifth century BC. After the definition of the term it was adapted in majority of the eastern religious traditions. After the use of the concept spread in I ndia, it was later accepted by Taoism in china. This is probably later in the third century BC (Atkinson, p.83).Reincarnation in HinduismThe source of this doctrine is accredited to Hinduism. There were no ideas of reincarnation in the Vedic Hymns. During the time there was the belief in continuity of life in the same body after death. There was a clear distinction between human beings and gods. This was the reason why the dead were buried with everything they would require in the afterlife. There was also the belief that the dead would be reunited with their relatives who were already dead. They also believed that the dead has some form of influence on the living (Markham and Ruparell, p.74). The whole person was also preserved after death and this is the reason why as a ritual the family members addressed the dead as though they were listening and understanding. The god of death, Yama received the offerings of the relatives in place of the dead. These offerings were offered as a p lea for pardon on behalf of the dead. This god was believed to be the ruler over the souls. The idea of reincarnation in Hinduism began with Brahmana writings. This is where the idea of penalty and reward in a new form on earth came up. The writings revealed restricted heavenly immortality which depends on the kind of life that one led. Still in heaven, one has to die the second time, after which he would come back to earth again. The answer of this to this destiny came to be deemed obscure knowledge that would only be attained in the life on earth (Coogan, p. 123).The writings that moved the idea of the second death from heaven to the earth were Upanishads. This is what the writings deemed right according to the understanding of the atman-Brahman identity. In this writings it was believed that one becomes what he behaves. The person who does good becomes good, and the one who does evil becomes evil. According to these writings reincarnation is the definite way where people receive the fruits of their actions. The soul is made to enter into another form into existence until such a time when all the debts are paid. Depending on the kind of actions of the person, the self enters into various forms depending with the circumstances. Hinduism believed that reincarnation was a way of man paying for the kind of life he lived in the previous life (Coogan, p. 102).Reincarnation is explained as a process of life that is inevitable. This is the explanation offered in the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna says in verse 2: 13 â€Å"Just as the self advances through childhood, youth and old age in its physical body, so it advances to another body after death. The wise person is not confused by this change called death† (Valea, 1999, para 15). In verse 2:22, â€Å"Just as the body casts off worn out clothes and puts on new ones, so the infinite, immortal self casts off worn out bodies and enters into new ones† (Valea, 1999, para 15). The Laws of Manu (12, 54-69) establish es the fact that it is as a result of large karmic debts that one life cannot be sufficient in repaying it. As a result many lives become essential so that one can be freed from the debts. There is the belief that nothing can liberate one from coming back to repay karmic debts. Any form of intervention from gods or gurus it unnecessary for it would go against the work of karma (Markham and Ruparell, p.84).According to Upanishads and Vedanta ideology, it is atman that is involved in the reincarnation. Atman refers to the impersonal permanent self. It can be described solely through counteracting personal attributes of a being. This element of a being does not carry any spiritual progress. This is recorded by karma or by a certain amount of karmic debt. The whole being is reconstructed during reincarnation according to karma. It is at this point that the new being is ready to repay its karmic debt. From this point a human can do everything possible to avoid a repetition of the cycle. This can be achieved by payment of all the karmic debts (Atkinson, p.105).Reincarnation in BuddhismUnlike Hinduism, Buddhism does not support the idea that there is an impersonal permanent self that keeps on reincarnating. The idea of a permanent self is brought about by the existence of five elements: the body (rupa); feeling (vedana); cognition (sanna); mental constructions (sankhara); and consciousness (vijnana). The five are not constant and have no permanent uniting factor or self. Due to the fact that they are always changing, they cannot be identified with the unchanging self. Buddha argues that it is only karma that moves from one life to the next. This means that according to the Buddhists there is no self that undergoes reincarnation. This is explained as reincarnation without passage of self from one form to the next. There is a somewhat detailed explanation of reincarnation in the Tibetan Book of the Dead. This book explains that the dead retains some human attributes as he reincarnates. In Buddhism, there is no reminiscence of the past life. This is due to the fact that there is no psych-mental attribute that is passed from one form to the next (Coogan, p. 83).Reincarnation in TaoismReincarnation in the Chinese religious beliefs, might have appeared later in Taoism. This is why there is no teaching in the Tao-te Ching concerning the doctrine. However, the doctrine is not properly explained, for example the element that reincarnates is not known. What is clear is they believe that there is something that passes from one life to another. Chuang Tzu, scripture of Taoism reveals this. In Chuang Tzu 23, â€Å"Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. There is existence without limitation; there is continuity without a starting point. Existence without limitation is space. Continuity without a starting point is time. There is birth, there is death, there is issuing forth, there is entering in. That through which one passes in and out without seein g its form, which is the Portal of God† (Valea, 1999, para 28).Modern view of reincarnationThe meaning of reincarnation changed once the idea reached Europe. During the middle ages, it was an idea that was common with a few sect traditions like Hermetism and Catharism. In the west the concept of reincarnation began gaining popularity in the nineteenth century. During the time of the New Age Movement, there was a wide approval of the doctrine. Regardless of the fact that the idea of reincarnation has gained roots in the modern society, it is not similar to the ideas adapted in the eastern religious traditions. The current notion of reincarnation is the progress of the soul to a higher degree of religious understanding. From this point of view, the element that reincarnates is the soul. While trying to marry reincarnation with the western religious traditions, the idea of atman was too obscure to be accepted. As a result the western regions accepted the milder notion of reincarn ation. This is why they adapted the idea of the soul as the element that underwent reincarnation (Markham and Ruparell, p.92).SummaryReincarnation explains the kind of differences that are evident in people. People are different in many aspects and there has never been any satisfying explanation of these differences. While some people are born health, others have deformities. While some are rich, others live in poverty. Some people are successful while unreligious, and others are always suffering despite the fact that they are religious. The eastern religious traditions have provided answers to these questions. They have explained that people are born the way they are as a result of how they lived their past life. It is their life, either good or bad, that determine how they are reborn through the process of karma. From this point of view, reincarnation offers a perfect explanation of punishment and rewards for one’s actions, without acceptance of the almighty God as the fina l reality (Coogan, p. 25).ConclusionThe concept of reincarnation is one that provides a very interesting explanation on the origin and destiny of man.   Knowledge of the fact that one lives many lives before the current one and that there are many more lives that one will live, is definitely an interesting point of view. Additionally, reincarnation brings comfort in knowing that death is not the end of life. It offers a consolation in continuity of life and thus providing liberation. It is also a way of opposing the idea of final judgment by the almighty, whose likely consequence is eternity in the fires of hell.

Teachers pay Essay Example For Students

Teachers pay Essay Teachers should be paid according to student performances. Teachers that I have encountered on a high school classroom level do not care about the kids and how much they are learning. They only care about the paycheck. Some of my Good teachers are not rewarded. Incompetent teachers are protected. Whats best for the kids is not even factored into the equation. Its all about seniority. Nowhere is that more obvious than when lay-offs occur. When a reduction in staff is required, do schools keep the best teachers? The answer may surprise you. Thanks to collective bargaining contracts the teachers union has forced down the throats of every school district in the state, schools automatically keep the teachers who have been there the longest; even if they are the least competent, and even if some of the brightest and best must be laid off to protect those with seniority. That really is how it works. We will write a custom essay on Teachers pay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now No reward for a job well done. Just pay and job security based on seniority. Sure, teachers get an extra thousand bucks or so each year for extra college courses or degrees. But even that policy is a farce. Thanks once again to the teachers union, extra college classes dont have to be related to subjects the teacher actually teach. Math teachers can get paid extra for taking college courses in Modern Feminist Philosophy or Medieval Basket Weaving. Thats really how it works. Nothing in the current system is designed to improve the quality of the education our kids receive. The current system is designed merely to reward seniority. Teachers would be paid based on the increase in the appropriate knowledge of students under the teachers instruction. For teaching. And if lay-offs occur, school districts would keep the best teachers, not just those who have been there the longest. Its that simple. For once, there would be some accountability in public education. Some reward for a job well done. Our current system of paying teachers is designed to reward teachers for one thing: seniority. The longer theyve been there, the more they get paid. When you reward something, you tend to get more of it. If you dont reward something, you get less of it. Thats exactly whats happening in our schools. The teachers who have been there the longest get more money and more job security regardless of whether they are doing a good job. What we arent getting more of is student learning. Studies consistently show that how long a teacher has been teaching has no relationship to student learning. What that means is we are rewarding something that has nothing to do with the purpose of our schools! Its pretty obvious that the best way to get more student learning which is the purpose of our schools is to tie teachers pay to student learning. In other words, the more students learn, the more the teachers will be paid. And, in fact, where this has been tried it has worked! North Carolina, which offers financial incentives to teachers for improved student learning, has shown the greatest student improvement in math and reading in the nation over the past ten years. Bibliography: .

E.E Cummings Essays (469 words) - Poetry, Literature, E. E. Cummings

E.E Cummings Essays (469 words) - Poetry, Literature, E. E. Cummings E.E Cummings The uncountable love poems of e.e. cummings have reached the ears and hearts of many. since feeling is first, You and tired and somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond, all conclude that somewhere people really do love each other. The speaker in these poems loved the subject so much that he is ready to give up everything for her. A poem full of love, somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond, demonstrates the love a man has for a woman. The passage, (i do not know what it is about you that closes and opens; only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) illustrates only a fragment of the love he has for this woman. Mentally he can not comprehend the love he has for her. Only a feeling inside of him completely understands what is happening. The woman in this poem communicates with her eyes. None of the roses in the world could ever measure up to the depth of her eyes, so unbelievably romantic. Another extremely romantic poem, since feeling is first, declares how much a man loved a woman. lady I swear by all flowers. Dont cry the best gesture of my brain is less than your eyelids flutter which says we are for each other; then laugh, leaning back in my arms e.e. cummings creates a setting with flowers, a very romantic gesture. Romantic gestures bring romantic feelings, the speaker then proclaims his deep emotions for this woman. The very flutter of her eyelid becomes far greater than the deepest thought he has ever had. He is humble to her, for he sees all the greatness in her and realizes he cannot do without her. Lines fourteen through eighteen demonstrate the romantic theme of love in You are tired. But I come with a dream in my eyes tonight, and I knock with a rose at the hopeless gate of your heart open to me! For I will show you the places Nobody knows, And, if you like, the perfect places of Sleep The woman in this poem is getting tired of her life and of things being broken. The man shows up at the door to her heart. He has a dream of taking her away from this world that breaks so easily. He wants to show her places that she does not know. When he says the perfect places of sleep, he means that when they fall asleep in each others arms, it will be perfect. The very romantic poet e.e. cummings captures the hearts of many with just a few lines of poetry. Through these three poems, people find words to express their emotions of love towards each other. Most people have a hard time just saying three little words.

Virtual Teams. Eastern Europe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Teams. Eastern Europe - Assignment Example A good way to determine which are best investment locations within Eastern Europe is by comparing the gross domestic product per capita of the Eastern European countries. The countries with the top three gross domestic products per capita in Eastern Europe are Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The corresponding gross domestic product per capita of each of these countries is illustrated in the table below. Country Gross domestic product per capita Slovenia $27,149 Czech Republic $21,028 Slovakia $17,630 (Globalpropertyguide). The country with the highest gross domestic product per capita could be considered the most attractive location by a lot of business analyst because the customers in that country have higher buying power. Another important variable to consider are the market and industries that the country has to offer. In Slovenia the service industry accounts for 64% of Slovenia gross domestic product and manufacturing and mining are key economic sectors (CultureGrams). T he majorities of companies in Slovakia are state control which leads to a lot of inefficiencies. Tourism in the Czech Republic is a booming industry. The Czech Republic is the best selection among the different Eastern European nations. This country has a diversified industry segment which includes glass, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and armaments (CultureGrams). The use of virtual teams can help companies achieve better business results. The target country the company selected is the Czech Republic. Since the company does not have any experience in the Czech Republic marketplace the firm should contract a consultant to help them in the process of selecting the virtual team. A local firm that specializes in human resources would be very helpful to access the local talent for the virtual team. The team is going to be composed of 8 people. The company is going to include two managers from its corporate headquarters. The remaining six members will be selected amo ng the local population. Each member will have different academic backgrounds. The six professionals the company will select for the virtual team include an engineer, accountant, marketing specialist, researcher, lawyer, and a scientist. The virtual team will work together to analyze the best business opportunities available in the Czech Republic. The goal of the firm is to achieve market growth by expanding into other markets. The virtual team will utilize multiple technological tools and devices to communicate with each other. The online service Skype will be used as the primary communication tool for team meetings. Skype allows people to communicate while at the same time seeing a video stream of the person. All team members will have smartphones. A smartphone such as an Iphone enables its users to transfer data files from phone to phone. One of the cultural differences between the United States and the Czech Republic is the fact that in the United States the official language is English and the Czech Republic the official language is Slavic. It is important for the American members of the virtual team to understand the customs and traditions of the Czech Republic. For instance in the Czech Republic it is customary go greet a person by shaking hands firmly and saying their last names. In the virtual setting the managers must remember to use the last names of the person. First names are only used among relatives and family members. Another sign of respect in the workplace is addressing both men and women by their professional title. The probability of success of the team depends on a lot of factors. One of the most important aspects of the virtual team project is to have excellent communications among the team

The nature of perfectly competitive markets Essay

The nature of perfectly competitive markets - Essay Example The paper is objective to present two ways of observing at what the perfect competition mean in terms of neoclassical economics. The very first focus should be on the lack of ability of one agent for affecting prices. This matter can be justified by the fact that one consumer or firm is very small if compared with the entire market and the presence or absence of the firm or consumer does not affect the equilibrium price. The hypothesis of impact of each and every agent on the equilibrium price was done by Aumann in the year of 1964. There are some differences between the approach of Aumann and the normal textbooks (Robert, 1966). The firms or consumers have their own power to decide the prices of their own products but the thing is it does not affect the market. Secondly, the consumers and agents consider the price as their parameters. The results of both the approaches are almost same. Another approach of perfect competition can be achieved in terms of the consumers taking advantage by eliminating the some exchange opportunities that are profitable. The competition in market increases when the arbitrage takes place in market faster. The average market price can be adjusted if the market is more competitive. It also depends on the supply and demand of the products. According to this approach, the meaning of perfect competition is the adjustments occur instantly in perfect ways. Firstly, the notion of the perfect competition needs to be understood. The following properties must be ensured so that a "perfect competition" is possible: many buyers and sellers homogeneous goods full market transparency prevails all market participants are "price taker" market participants have no influence on the price of the goods No transaction costs No taxes free market access In a perfect market, supply equals demand. Thus, there is only one price where the market is cleared. This is called the equilibrium price. On the basis of market transparency, it is not possible to achieve excess profits. This means no profits on the pay related factors (rent, interest, and wages) beyond production. The provider cannot rate any higher price because they would find no buyers and the buyer can not demand a lower price because no company in the market would offer a lower rate. A market consists of potential buyers, who determine what amount of a commodity should be brought into the market (O'Sullivan, 2003). The demand from retailers determines the supply of goods. The market is not tied to a particular place but can be seen as abstract. There are different considerations which are provided in a perfect competition market. The problem with perfect competition markets is that after the companies have entered or left the market, equilibrium sets in. This does not let profits to increase and all the companies involved are stuck in a situation with no improvement. A demand curve can be used to explain this. The following demand curve D shows the relationship between commodi ty prices and the quantity demanded by the consumer. The demand is determined by the price of the goods. Price is on the Y axis and quantity is on the x axis. Law of demand curve states that other things being equal; the demand decreases if the price rises and if the price drops. Thus, the negative demand depends on price. Demand curve refers to a single company, and measures the correlation between output and market price. The demand curve is not only dependent on the

Training Effectiveness (Human Resource Management) Essay

Training Effectiveness (Human Resource Management) - Essay Example The main question thus arises, how can one measure the effectiveness of training in organizations, yet training is an intangible and unquantifiable expense? One of the highly used methods is the visual confirmation. The visual confirmation aspect, hence considers various aspects that include the changes in behaviors, an increase in productivity and the overall level of expertise each of the people who have undergone training exhibit. This measure of training effectiveness is usually observed by the training manager or the HR head in charge of training. Another measure of training effectiveness is the aspect of social ownership. Social ownership is the ability of a trainee to disburse this knowledge to other people, acting as a trainer. Social ownership can be packaged an analysis of peer-to-peer teaching moments or commanded training by manager, whereby the trainee would have to share his or her learning from the training program (Eades, 2014). Even so, the most used and reliable method is skill assessment. After training has been conducted in the organization, a periodical monitoring and assessment of skills can be conducted to ensure that the training was effective in imparting such skills. Of all the mentioned methods, the most appropriate is the skills assessment module. Skill assessment is the preferable measure of training effectiveness that can be used in this organization. Primarily, one of the key reasons why skill assessment is the most appropriate, is the fact that a statistical quantification can be implemented. By assessing the skills, a manager can understand the effectiveness of the training. As such, it is arguable that skill assessment is one of the best approaches of measuring training effectiveness in any given

Strategic analysis and marketing strategy for Samsung

Strategic analysis and marketing strategy for Samsung 1. Introduction and Company overview The consumer electronics industry is a versatile and competitive business environment (Porter, Consumer behavior, retailer power and market performance in consumer goods industries, 1974). Rival companies in this industry regularly attempt to surpass their contenders through innovative promotional methods, developing and reassessing their strategies regularly in light of external and internal factors affecting the business (Teece, 2010). Marketing departments of companies focus their efforts on identifying and anticipating the needs and desires of customers and designing products and/or services that meet all expectations of their client base (Gummesson, 2002). Industry leaders are usually companies that have excelled in research and development (RD) and marketing functions alongside their operational capabilities, utilising the information available to them to develop products that appeal to their target audience and communicate to their clients in a timely and relevant manner. Founded in 1938, Samsung is one of the industry leaders in a multitude of industries from power generation through to smart phones (Kovach, 2013). Each of their business units adhere to the same vision of becoming the preferred supplier of products and/or services to their clients, but the methods used to achieve this vision are tailored to suit the specific market focus, therefore demonstrating the adaptability of the company. This paper will analyse the marketing strategy and business environment of Samsung Electronics, focusing particularly on their TV production and sales functions. Therefore, this report intends to explore the various internal and external factors which shape the business strategy and tactics of the retailer, through the use of analytical business tools, namely PESTLE, SWOT, Value Chain and 5 forces analyses. 2. PESTLE analysis A PESTLE analysis is a tool used to examine the macro environment external to a business and highlight the aspects that impact on the chosen organisation (Teece, 2010). The letters in the acronym stand for the main structures (political, economical, social, technological, legal and environmental) which affect the business, as presented below for the Samsung case study. 2.1. Political One political aspect which influences corporations’ income is the level of corporate tax and customer taxation (HM Revenue Customs, 2013). Any fluctuations in the corporate tax percentage can impact on the operations of a business and many companies chose to move their business headquarters in countries where the corporate tax is beneficial to their profit purposes. However, many corporations do not understand that this could potentially impact on the overall reputation of the corporation. Samsung Electronics operates as a South Korean based and owned business and in one year from 2010 to 2011 the company has seen an increase in taxes and dues of 11.7% (Samsung Electronics, 2012). In spite of this, the company chose to remain loyal to its country of origin and, in turn, this has a positive impact on the ethical reputation of Samsung. In addition to this, the headquarters location of Samsung in South Korea is also a political factor that has to be factored into its strategic development, as the tensions with its neighbouring country North Korea and the threat of a military conflict in the Korean Peninsula is a pressing reality (Sang-Hun, 2013). Another political aspect is imposing tariffs and trade barriers, which aim to protect the local employment and producers through increasing the price of imported products into the country (Lee Swagel, 1997). This protects a country’s overall economy and Samsung has integrated local sourcing tactics into their Corporate Social Responsibilities activities, with locally focused RD departments and a focus on using and developing the skills of local labourers. 2.2. Economical The economic stability and growth of a region has a direct and significant impact on the profits of a business. Economic stability of a region provides high standards of living and high employment rates leading to an increase in consumers’ disposable income and a close analysis of growth trends determine the market focus of Samsung (Meyer, 2009). The consumer electronics market has experienced an increase in sales due to the growth of individuals’ spending power, which is expected to rise over the next decade, due to a steady recovery from the economic downturn of the past few years (Savitz, 2012). At the same time, the economic strength of a region (or the disposable income of the region’s inhabitants) is an indicator for the saturation of the market in regards to electronic products. As such, Western economies are areas where Samsung has a well-established brand name, but is experiencing potential resistance from the customers who are overly exposed to marketing messages from all consumer electronics sellers (Long, 2014). At the opposite end of the spectrum, growing economies are a great market for Samsung’s expansion, as the demand for upmarket consumer electronics is on the rise and the reputation of the company can be utilised to position it in a good competitive position (Lev-Ram, 2013). 2.3. Social Demographic variables influence a business’ focus, their product or service offerings and ultimately impact on the sales and the survival of a business in its market. Studies reveal that an aging population is less likely to purchase furniture items and the latest technological devices, which is relevant in determining the areas of focus (Jaimovich Siu, 2008). Comprehensive analysis of the demographics and cultural trends are needed in order to ensure that a company maximises its profits (Curtis Cobham, 2008). Samsung has local centres for RD in the different geographical areas, such as Samsungs Electronics China, Samsung Poland RD Centre or Samsung RD Institute India (Maniwa, 2010). This ensures that the company has a clear view of the customer demand and expectations and, although Samsung operates on a global basis, they can benefit from the local knowledge developed by these RD centres. Labelled as glocalisation, the strategy of mixing the global focus of a company with the local demands of the market is the way forward in establishing a company like Samsung as the industry leader in all the geographical areas where it operates (Svensson, 2001). Defeating the local competitors is only possible if a global retailer understands the strategies required to position itself as a market leader in a particular area. Samsung invests at least 9% of their sales revenue in the RD function, proving that the company has a clear understanding of the importance of the culture and demographics of its markets (Samsung, 2014). 2.4. Technological Another technological factor which increases awareness and reach amongst the target market of retailers is social media. The interactive online platforms allow companies to engage in meaningful communication with their customers and helps build a company’s reputation through customer reviews and feedback (Kaplan Haenlein, 2010). Whilst technology can be leveraged by companies to become more relevant to their targeted consumer market, mobile devices that allow access to the Internet on the go have empowered customers, who can compare and contrast the offerings of competitors with minimal effort (Simmons, 2008). Individuals can use webpages that are specifically designed to compare the technological specs and the prices of similar products from distinct brands in order to obtain the best value for money for the product they are looking to purchase. As such, Samsung’s influence in regards to marketing has been increased by the presence of smart technology but the marketing messages relevance has been negatively influenced by customers’ access to multichannel shopping environments. Due to technology, companies are also able to cut down production and promotion costs and improve the quality of their products. Samsung’s digital TV’s have evolved from black and white back in 1970 to the LED 3D TV sets currently available (Warman, 2013). In addition to this, the sale channels used by Samsung have diversified to cater to every need of the customer, with online shopping as well as in store options available. 2.5. Legal Electronics companies, particularly those who have diversified their product offerings to include smartphones and tablets are in fierce competition in the retail market (Brien, 2014). From a legal standpoint, companies have started to file lawsuits for patent rights in order to increase their competitive edge. After three years of corporate hostilities between the two market leaders in smartphone sales. Apple and Samsung, the companies have reached an agreement to drop all litigations between the two companies outside of the US (Swanson, 2014). Although less publicly spoken of, Samsung is currently facing another patent lawsuit from the chipmakers Nvidia, over the use of graphics which are patented to Nvidia and have been used in mobile and TV devices by Samsung over the last years (Rubin Tibken, 2014). The risk that a company is usually faced with when it comes to the legal macro environmental element is the precedent created by a lawsuit, as other competitors will attempt to find ways to affect a company’s cash flow and their reputation through claims. In addition to the patent lawsuits, Samsung is facing a controversial legal battle regarding compensation for factory workers who suffered from cancer and the company has officially accepted to compensate those affected (Simpson, 2014). Although the official statement of the vice-chairman of Samsung, Kwon Oh-hyun is an official apology to the affected families and individuals, Samsung clearly states that the payment and official apology do not concede a link between the chemicals used in the company’s semiconductor assembly plants and the cancer cases (Associated Press, 2014). However, the public might be inclined to believe that the payment is indeed an admittance of the company’s fault, affecting its reputation in regards to the ethical employment promoted by the Korean company. 2.6. Environmental Over the last decades, the importance of environmental sustainability has gradually increased, and successful companies are regularly scrutinised with regards to their carbon emission, recycling and supplier behaviour. Businesses are compelled by national and international standards to conduct their operations in a manner which limits their negative impact on the environment (McWilliams Siegel, 2001). Samsung’s design team matches the demand for new products with environmental standards and tries to make use of recyclable and eco-friendly materials. To exemplify, the LED TVs are made without the use of mercury or spray paint which are considered hazardous to the environment. In terms of manufacturing, the company has reduced greenhouse emissions by 47% through innovative production processes (Brownlee, 2009). In addition to this, Samsung has wind-powered facilities across the US, therefore utilising renewable energies, further reducing the negative impact on the environment at large (Samsung, 2007). 3. Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis Porter’s 5 forces is an analytical tool used for determining the profit potential of a company in its industry, in relation to all parties involved, from competitors to customers (Porter, 1986). 3.1. Industry rivalry The majority of industry rivalry in the retail business revolves around price competition. The consumer electronics industry is currently oversaturated and consumers are spoiled for choice in any given product category (McGoldrick, 2002). Therefore this is a very high threat, particularly for Samsung, as the competitors Sony, Panasonic and LG are able to match the product offerings of Samsung. 3.2. Threat of new entrants The threat of new entrants in the industry that Samsung Electronics operates in is generally low, because of the oversaturation of the business and because the existing competitors have established some barriers to entry, particularly the well established reputation of the existing brands. 3.3. Bargaining power of suppliers Another low threat is the bargaining power of suppliers, due to the same reason as above, as suppliers are not able to negotiate prices, as they are competing amongst themselves to become the preferred suppliers for the industry leaders, as a guarantee of constant profits. 3.4. Bargaining Power of buyers The bargaining power of consumers is one of the highest threats to Samsung, as the competition is fierce in the industry, and customers are overwhelmed with the promotional messages directed at them. Therefore, it is important in the retail industry to gain the loyalty of a customer (Macintosh Lockshin, 1997). Also, apart from the fact that consumers are price-sensitive, they are also becoming oversaturated with generalised promotional messages so, in order to gain potential customers, Samsung needs to invest time and budget into researching their target audience and developing relevant and appealing messages, which in turn increases the chances to boost the profits of the firm. 3.5. Threat of substitutes The threat of substitutes is a relatively high one, as an increasing number of individuals are using their laptop, PCs, tablets or smartphones to watch programmes that they would traditionally watch on TV. However, Samsung Electronics has diversified its product offerings to include any of the products that could potentially replace TVs, whilst also evolving towards more sophisticated and interactive models of TV, which offer seamless integrations with web applications and external devices. 4. SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis is a framework used to categorise internal and external factors that influence the operations of an organisation. Unlike the PESTLE analysis, this tool clearly requires a delimitation of negative and positive factors that influence a company and whether these factors are internal or external to the organisation. External Internal Positive Negative Strengths Weaknesses Product range Ownership of market share Brand reputation Awards and industry recognition Low cost productions Local teams in all locations Investment in RD Pricing tactics – lower price is usually interpreted as low quality Not niche focused Relies on external software for products Distribution channels costs for products Patent litigations with Apple Opportunities Threats Increased market demand in growing economies (particularly India) Increase in disposable income after economic downturn recovery Demand for innovative products Reputation of competitors Decline in demand for TVs Political instability in South Korea Aging population 5. The marketing mix (4Ps) 5.1. Product The variety of TV sets offered by Samsung ensures it keeps abreast of the competition in the consumer electronics market. Their product offerings are suitable to a wide array of customers, from those requiring basic TV sets through to large display 3D TVs with interactive features for those potential clients who are interested in the latest gadgets (Katzmaier, 2011). The consistency in high performance and stylish designs for their products ensures the brand recognition of Samsung TVs. 5.2. Price Pricing strategies are dependent on a variety of influencing factors. Despite popular belief, the lowest prices are not the most attractive to all customers, as the demands of the market in general has become more sophisticated and consumers have become aware of the concept of value for money (Ba Pavlou, 2002). As such, clients are prepared to pay premium prices if they are comfortable in the belief that they will obtain a high quality product. As such, Samsung uses the competitive pricing strategy for their TVs, devoting time to comparing their prices with the ones of their main competitors like LG or Sony in every geographical market (Woollaston, 2013). The Samsung TV prices reflect the quality that the customers can expect from the product. 5.3. Placement Through a thorough market research Samsung places their products in the best retail seller locations in each of the countries where they operate. For example, Samsung TVs can be found in John Lewis, Tesco or Argos stores across the UK, which are some of the best known British retailers. At the same time, Samsung operates independent showrooms and have partnered with numerous other companies from all industries that display Samsung TVs in their headquarters in order to increase the market presence of the brand (Kershaw, 2012). Overall, the placement of products in all the retail locations ensures that the brand maintains its leading market position, as the catalogues of stores where Samsung TVs are sold feature the newest TV models released by the company, promoting the brand even further. 5.4. Promotion Samsung often uses promotional pricing tactics in order to maintain its competitive edge over the other industry leaders. Specifically designed to attract customers, price reductions, such as the ones available in John Lewis online stores, with free delivery and 5 year guarantee and added care for all Samsung TV sets, these promotions are particularly available around the Christmas holidays in order to attract customers at a time when their disposable income is used to make more generous purchases, including new TVs for the house (Moore, 2011). In 2011, when Samsung launched their new generation of 3D TVs, they were offering two free pairs of 3D glasses with the purchase of selected TVs, an attractive offer for the potential customers, particularly as none of the other Panasonic or LG 3D TVs were benefiting from this offer (Katzmaier, 2011). 6. Conclusion Although the quality, design and technological specifications of consumer electronics remain important characteristics in the decision making process of a consumers’ purchase, marketing strategies and tactics have a crucial impact on the perception of existing and potential customers. The reputation of a company, including their ethical behaviour, from human resources to their impact on the environment at large and the perception of industry innovators in their specific market can influence the profits of a company in a significant manner. This paper has presented how the external environment can influence the marketing strategy of a company and how Samsung Electronics’ current practices are in line with the demands and realities of the consumer electronics market across the globe. Although the competition is fierce and Samsung’s rivals in the TV market share are other well-known global brands such as LG, Sony or Panasonic, the ethical behaviour of Samsung has helped the company increase their revenue each year, through launching products that attract the technological savvy customers, as well as launching promotional offers for the customers who are more price sensitive. Samsung’s ambition to become a global leader in the consumer electronics industry is complemented by their investment in research and development and marketing functions of the organisation, as well as adapting a strategy of glocalisation, using their recognisable brand name but becoming aware of the needs and desires of customers in each local market. All in all, this paper proves that time and resources invested in developing a strategy that focuses on the needs and desires of customers across the distinct markets that a global leader operates in translates into increased profits and reputation building. Bibliography Associated Press. (2014, May 14). Samsung promises to compensate factory workers who suffered cancer. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/14/samsung-compensate-factory-workers-cancer Ba, S., Pavlou, P. A. (2002). Evidence of the effect of trust building technology in electronic markets: Price premiums and buyer behavior. MIS Quarterly, 26(3), 243-268. Brien, M. (2014, March 1). Samsung versus Apple: Dueling business models. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from Domicity: http://www.domicity.com/2013/04/samsung-versus-apple/ Brownlee, J. (2009, January 7). CES: Samsung announces Luxia LEDs, Palm Theater P3, 64GB SSD Digicam and more. 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How Samsung Executed its Premiun Notebook Strategy. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from Gap Intelligence: http://gapintelligence.com/blog/2012/04/13/how-samsung-executed-its-premium-notebook-strategy/ Kovach, S. (2013, February 9). How Samsung Went From A Dried Fish Exporter To One Of The Top Names In Tech. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-samsung-2013-2?op=1 Lee, J.-W., Swagel, P. (1997). Trade barriers and trade flows across countries and industries. Review of Economics and Statistics, 79(3), 371-382. Lev-Ram, M. (2013, January 22). Samsungs road to global domination. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from Fortune: http://fortune.com/2013/01/22/samsungs-road-to-global-domination/ Long, J. (2014, October 25). Stop Marketing Without An Integrated Marketing Communication Plan. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from Steam Feed: http://www.steamfeed.com/stop-marketing-without-integrated-marketing-communication-plan/ Macintosh, G., Lockshin, L. 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Consumer behavior, retailer power and market performance in consumer goods industries. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 419-436. Porter, M. E. (1986). Competition in Global Industries. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Rubin, B. F., Tibken, S. (2014, September 4). Nvidia patent suits target latest Samsung devices. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from CNet: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/nvidia-alleges-samsung-qualcomm-infringed-gpu-patents/ Samsung. (2007). Samsung Electronics Environmental Social Report. Seoul: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung. (2014, October 27). Research and Development. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from Samsung: http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/samsung_electronics/business_area/rd_page/ Samsung Electronics. (2012). Global Harmony with people, society environment. Gyeonggi-do: CSR Liaison Office Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Sang-Hun, C. (2013, April 5). Tensions With North Korea Unsettle South’s Economy. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/06/world/asia/tensions-with-north-korea-unsettle-souths-economy.html?pagewanted=all_r=0 Savitz, E. (2012, January 8). CES Live: Global Gadget Biz To Be $1 Trillion In 2012 . Retrieved October 27, 2014, from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2012/01/08/ces-live-the-state-of-the-global-consumer-gadget-biz/ Simmons, G. (2008). Marketing to postmodern consumers: introducing the internet chameleon. European Journal of Marketing, 42(3/4), 299-310. Simpson, C. (2014, April 10). Samsungs War at Home. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from Bloomberg Businessweek: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-10/deaths-at-samsung-alter-south-koreas-corporate-is-king-mindset Svensson, G. (2001). â€Å"Glocalization† of business activities: a â€Å"glocal strategy† approach. Management decision, 39(1), 6-18. Swanson, B. (2014, September 2). Apple v. Samsung Highlights Unfinished Work In The Patent Reformation. 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The Effect of Humour in Galloway’s the Cellist of Sarajevo

People of all ages and cultures respond to humour. Riddles and jokes have been told for centuries to make light of situations and to make people laugh. Humour is the tendency of particular experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. People are able to be amused, laugh, or smile at something funny, and therefore they are considered to have a sense of humour. To find something humourous depends on the person and their taste in humour and there are many instances when humour does not result in laughter because of the mood of the surroundings or the context. Humour is an emotion that enables us to experience joy even when faced with adversity. It can be seen that in Galloway’s The Cellist of Sarajevo, humour is used in a dark way to lighten the mood. This is done so that the readers have glimpses of light in a dreary time. Humour helps people, in this case the characters, carry on their lives in times of adversity. Galloway uses the lives of Kenan and Dragan to exemplify how humour, in the slightest form, can make a dreary day a little more pleasant. Through examining the life of Kenan, a middle aged man, it will be proven that humour has an important role in his daily life. Kenan has the duty of carrying canisters to the brewery to bring clean, filtered water for his family and Mrs. Ristovski, the neighbour. Before the war, Kenan was a clerical assistant at an accounting firm. His journey to the brewery is very risky because at any point he may be shot; therefore, humour has a huge impact in the way Kenan presently lives his life. Before Kenan leaves his house his wife and him joke about their clothes: â€Å"Would you like me to get you some shoes?†¦ No, she says. But I’ll take a hat if you have time†¦ Of course, he says. I would assume you would like mink? † (Galloway, 26). At a time of war, fancy clothes will not benefit either of them, but he leaves his wife in a good mood. Amila and Kenan use light humour to make a dark situation a little easier to bear. Another example in which Kenan uses his humour to make his grey, dreary journey a little more pleasant is when he walks across an older man fishing for pigeons: â€Å"How’s the fishing today? Kenan asks, †¦ They’re biting well, the man says, †¦ Do you need a licence this time of year? e asks, smiling so the man understands it’s a joke† (Galloway, 64). Seeing the man fishing for pigeons was a brief distraction for Kenan and also a window of hope; with seeing the man, Kenan felt that if he could finish his mission of collecting water for his family, he could also fish for pigeons to help his family. The humour is light; it makes the reader pause, and makes the characters forget about th eir surroundings and just smile. Kenan made slight of the situations he faced so that he can smile, and make it seem that life will carry on with the war. Just as Kenan used humour in his life, Dragan, previously a baker does the same to fill the void of his missing son and wife who left on the last bus to Italy. Dragan now lives with his sister and her family, and to have his space he goes to collect bread from the bakery for the family. While on his journey he has seen many men and women running to cross roads so that the snipers have less probability of hitting them. Dragan likes to see the running as a game: â€Å"The man runs in a straight line. He’s fast. A new world record? Maybe. Perhaps they will have to notify the people at Guinness† (Galloway, 230). Dragan uses sarcasm to make an almost dangerous situation seem funny since the civilian has survived. Dragan likes to see things for what they are, and to make the most of a situation. There is no need to focus on the bad when there is also much to be grateful for. Just like Kenan, Dragan does face a lot of danger and hardships with dealing with the loss of his family, but his humour and sarcasm seem to help him push through and carry on with his life. Dragan uses his wit make it through the tough and challenging times, especially since he has no one by his side. Although Galloway’s The Cellist of Sarajevo is about a devastating, tragic time in history, he manages to use humour in the characters to lighten the mood of the book. By examining how Kenan and Dragan use humour, it has been shown that humour assists in fighting adversity. No matter what situation the character was faced with, they still had their humour, and as long as their sense of humour was alive, their sense of hope would live. As the humour helps the characters in the novel, it also makes the readers have something to tone down the darkness and despair of reality of the war. All persons are different and have appeal to a different sense of humour, but as long as there is something to put a smile on one’s face, then there is something worth fighting for. Works Cited Galloway, Steven. The Cellist of Sarajevo. Toronto, Vintage Canada, 2008 â€Å"Humour. † Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n. d. Web. January 30, 2010

Outline and Discuss the Major Roles and Functions of the Guidane Counsellor

Within our Jamaican schools the guidance counseling programmes are designed to implement core principles as stated by the Jamaican school curriculum. Guidance counsellors are the ones who play the role of effectively analyzing and implementing these programmes which ensure that all students are well prepared to manage these â€Å"exciting times†; every student needs support and guidance. This is imperative as they embark upon the academic, social, spiritual and developmental challenges of adolescence; a time of rapid growth and change.Our guidance and counselling programmes offer students the opportunity to develop these characteristics necessary to become successful adults in a fast changing world. The primary goal of guidance and counselling and guidance counsellors is to guide and support overall student development and well-being in three broad areas of student life; while keeping in mind the central tasks of adolescence such as acquiring and assimilating self-knowledge, d eveloping future goals and purposefulness, building strategies to accomplish goals, developing decision-making skills, coping with outcomes of decisions and exploring social relationships.The guidance counsellor is charged with the responsibility of being the one who facilitates positive change in the lives of those in their care especially in the three broad areas. These include ‘Personal/Social Goals’ which entails helping students acquire the inter personal and communication skills to increase their understanding and respect of self and others. Academic Goals’, which helps students develop a wide range of academic skills and become effective agents of their learning, ‘Post Secondary-College Planning Goals’ achieved through information sessions and by making resources available to research and apply to college, students are able to plan and make decisions about their future. John is a fifteen year old student who has recently returned to Jamaica to live with his father. John had left Jamaica at an early age to live with his mother in the Cayman Island. She is now incarcerated in the Cayman Island and so he now has to live with his father.John is having serious problems in school and at home. He has been getting very low grades in class and is sometimes very disrespectful to his teachers especially his female teachers. John also finds it hard to adjust and to make new friends; he resents the woman with whom his father now lives and is now hiding from school and hanging out at the video arcade. John’s teachers and his father have made arrangements for him to have weekly sessions with the schools Guidance Counsellor. The roles of a Guidance Counsellor in any Jamaican school vary.John’s case is just one example of the wide spectrum of psychosocial problems experienced by many Jamaica students who are in need of guidance and support. The role of a counselor in John’s case is vital to his adjustment to his new situation and with him dealing with the pain of his past experiences. Whatever his counsellor does is critical in his survival from his maladjustments. Myric (2003) defines the term ‘role’ as an elusive one. It generally refers to the part that one plays in a given situation. He further gives the definition of function as the way in which a professional carries out his/her part.Function gives attention to various behaviours that might be performed in the role. Guidance and counselling is therefore a necessity in all Jamaican schools. The needs of students especially those at the adolescent stage are overwhelming. As postulated by Makinde (1993) persons at the adolescence stage in life need guidance as they seek to clarify their goals and values, strengthen their interests and aspirations, appreciate their philosophies and cognition and adjust to the norms of society. Some major roles and functions of the guidance counsellors according to Gibson et al. 1999) are to provi de individual counselling, group counselling, work with parents, and consult with teachers and administrators. Guidance counsellors should also conduct classroom guidance instructions and assessment activity and coordinate with community agencies. The Ministry of Education (2009) outlines the major components that comprise roles and functions as: preventative, interventive, supportive administrative and pro professional development. In order to help Jamaican students make the transition from childhood to adulthood, the guidance counsellor’s role is integral in this quest towards the holistic development of these students.How important are these roles and functions in the development of our children, our future? This essay seeks to outline the major roles and functions of a guidance counsellor in our Jamaica school setting and also to examine some of the factors which negatively impact the guidance counsellor in his or her quest towards fulfilling these roles. As a guidance co unsellor the implementation of all the components geared towards the holistic development of students must be considered and implemented. These should be ongoing and emphasis should be placed on classroom guidance as well as group and individual counselling.Ministry of Education (2009) coined preventive measures as proactive initiatives implemented to deter the onset of individual and group problems. These measures and strategies will provide students and others the opportunities to learn skills of conflict resolution and reduction. Guidance Counsellors are able to assist in the planning, implementing and coordinating of orientation designed to help students adjust to new experiences within the school community. The preventative components also help guidance counsellors to promote leadership development of peer counsellors and encourage participation in community service programmes.These programmes also furnish principals and other stakeholders with relevant information concerning s tudents in the various stages of development. As students progress through the different levels of academic life, they are faced with tremendous problems of deciding and selecting their subjects, courses and career choice. This challenge can be alleviated through the professional guidance of the guidance counsellor. The counsellor will assist the students to make rational decisions toward their life goals.Through career development programmes the Guidance counsellors help provide placement services and work experience for the students. Through this kind of programme the counsellor is able to help the students to make the transition from one school level to another or from school to employment, in this way students are better prepared and equipped with skills necessary for the world of work. The guidance counsellor also assists students who although they have been exposed to the options and guidance in a group setting, have not made up their minds as to which area they would like to pursue.These students are usually assisted on an individual basis. Another major role and function of the guidance counsellor includes individual counselling of students. Gibson (1999) defines individual counselling as one-to-one relationship involving a trained counsellor that focuses on some aspects of the client’s adjustment, development, or decision making. This process can therefore help a counsellor develop a close personal relationship and communication base with the student. As such the guidance counsellor in the school can help tudents to develop understanding of self as it relates to their social and psychological world. Students can also be assisted in exploring possibilities relating to their lives and also understanding how to initiate change in their lives. Through individual counselling students will gain a better sense of confidence in the counsellor and will no doubt be more comfortable in discussing and dealing with issues presented. With individual counsell ing the opportunity is there for them to speak freely without the fear that may exist in a group setting.For a student such as John an individual session will help him to deal with underlying issues which have created his bitterness and anger. He would be better able to cope with all the changes with which he is faced. Such an individual counselling session would allow him the framework on which to maximize his true potential and understand his world in order to impact positive change. Saginak (2003) provides additional insights into how effective counsellors can help identify students of multiple intelligences.This finding can help a counsellor care for the different needs of students. For example, the use of journal writing, art, music and poetry has been advocated for many years as effective ways with counselling students. Individual counselling is basically a continuous process as the counsellor seeks to build a relationship with each student he or she comes in contact with. Ind ividual counselling by a guidance counsellor is sometimes the only means of providing some kind of hope for some children. Hence, the counsellor should ensure that a harmonious relationship is built.Although some students are confident to go to a counsellor’s office after being referred by their teacher, parents or peer, some may be reluctant; as such, group sessions will help to cater to the needs of these students. The importance of group counselling (small group, large group) and guidance in schools cannot be overemphasized. According to Johnson (2000), group counselling involves two or more individuals in face-to-face interactions, each aware of positive interdependence as they strive to achieve mutual goal.Myrick (2003) adds value to what Johnson (2000) said that group counselling in school is a unique educational experience in which students can work together to explore their ideas, attitudes, feelings and behavior especially as it relates to personal development and pr ogress in school. For some students this might be the only intervention experience in learning about themselves, others, life task and how to deal with certain confidential issues. It is clear that group counselling helps students to share common interest and concerns.Students like to know that other students are having similar experiences as they are having. Groups are valuable as students are better able to support each other as they struggle together. As such, students are better able to relate to each other in their social contexts. Improvise the opportunity for students for students to learn and live with each other as a team. Gladding (2009), states that students participating in a group develop social relationships and emotional bonds and often become enlightened.Research has also shown Flemming (1999) that group counselling is more effective than individual counselling to address the need of students, especially â€Å"at risk† students. He further asserts that this co ntention is supported through research into violent youths, which suggests that peer group interventions are effective in redirecting peer values, confronting antisocial behavior, teaching problem-solving skills and encouraging pro-social behavior. Dollarhide et al (2003) opines that students in group counselling allow counsellors to expand their awareness of student client.What better way to see how students react in their systems than to witness it first-hand. In essence group counselling in Jamaican schools provide both students and guidance counsellors with a more comprehensive knowledge of what students are faced with on a daily basis, issues can be dealt with and students continue to focus on their goals. As in John’s case, he may not be responsive in a group setting as well as he might be timid or embarrassed to tell his story. Although group counselling can be beneficiary to many students, it has its down side.The nature of group settings can at times bring out comple x and sensitive issues which might require counsellors to speak to teachers and parents to better aid students in this process, hence the need for consultation. Saginak (2003),defines consultation as a three part helping relationship characterized by confidentiality, mutual respect and collegiality, focused on helping the consulted function more effectively with the client. Saginak further states that consultation provides a systematic intervention allowing counsellors to reach into student’s context and mobilize other persons in the student’s support network.In the consultation process the Guidance Counsellor can maximize the opportunity to educate the teachers, parents and community on the developmental issues that students are faced with this level of consultation is vital in Jamaican schools as it provides stakeholders with the assurance in dealing with the issues which may arise with their children. Parents are better able maximize on their roles as caregivers and confidants. This is as a result of the access to cooperative relationship with their child’s Guidance Counsellor.This enables them to better understand their child’s behavior, attitude, relationship and other concerns. In addition, it provides the opportunity for counsellors to consult with parents who are not actively participating in their child’s education. In a case like John’s which is similar to many children in Jamaica, the guidance Counsellor would not only help him to deal with his present problems but also to develop skills that would allow him to be able to cope with other challenging situations which will inevitably occur throughout his lifetime.His parents would also be enlightened as to how their actions influence his state of mind and behaviour and the steps they can take to help him to live a better life. Parents would also have a closer hand on what exactly is going on in the life of their children and would receive information as to whe ther or not their child need further help to cope with different situations. Consultation also helps teachers and administrators in dealing with students who are exhibit anti-social or dysfunctional behaviour.It provides the teacher the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to deal with these children who are problematic. Teachers would understand the adjustments of the curriculum and instructions needed to effect positive change. In his or her role in the Jamaican school system the guidance counsellors also provide consultation to the members of the school community this is deemed necessary as the community is usually the nurturing ground for the members of the school. This in effect filters down to benefiting the student and the entire community.This also fosters a better and more effective communication process between the school and the community. Although not an official role, the guidance counsellor in the Jamaican schools, through community involvement, are often times ca lled upon to lobby for sponsors for different projects these are usually projects undertaken by the counselling department or administration for the funding of different project geared towards students’ development. As stated by Miss Cindy Nemard guidance counsellor at Quest Preparatory, many students benefit from these programmes specially in the public schools where school feeding programmes, school fee payment, sport scholarships, examination fees, uniform to books and other programmes benefit the children based on the collaboration effort of the guidance counsellors and the community members. Miss Nemard further states that this allows the community members through their support of the school a sense of being a part of the school development and progress. They also get to voice their opinion on their hopes and plans for the school and in turn the students.In addition the counsellor gains easier access to engaging families in counselling the process and if necessary collec ting information to assist the police, judge or social worker. The overall benefit from community consultation is immeasurable. She further states that when the stakeholders are involved in the children’s development the school environment is more shaped within the community. To maximize on this the guidance counsellor must have a good programme which will be beneficial towards the total development of the students.Without a plan we have very little hope of achieving the full potential of our dreams and aspirations, similar is the case with a guidance counsellor in achieving his or her objectives. He or she must have a clear idea of the needs of the students and the objectives must be in line with such. The role of the guidance counsellor in this instance is one of being administrator as he or she must not only decide on the objectives but plan careful and effective programme to achieve these goals. These goals must be in line with the Ministry of Education’s guideline s and at the same time cater for the needs of the stakeholders.These programmes must be infused with the school’s curriculum. The counsellor has to maintain records of the process and progress of the guidance programme and all the activities involved, these include career day, orientation of new students, staff and student development seminars, curriculum lessons and consultation time. Myrick (2003) says that a guidance counsellor is like the co-pilot on a plane, responsible for his or her own programme. The question therefore arises: what are the specific ways in which a guidance Counsellor leads?The guidance counsellor at all times has to be involved in planning, coordinating, organizing, assessing and evaluating. The counsellor has to be reliable, impartial and accountable. The guidance counsellor has to be supportive of all stakeholders. Ministry of Education (2010) views supportive as those management activities that establish, maintain and enhance the total guidance and counselling programmes. A full assessment of programmes activities in schools helps the counsellors to plan for future programmes and evaluate to what extent the programme are working or their effectiveness.Ongoing assessment needs to be done for the students to ensure readiness for ongoing learning. As guidance counsellors are seen as helpers who understand and respond to human needs however, he or she must be cognisant of his or her needs as well. With the approval of the Ministry of Education and the school boards counsellors must engage in personal and professional development. According to the Ministry of Education the guidance counsellor must attend conferences, workshops, and meeting.These include those at the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors in Education (JAGCE), the Guidance Counselling Unit and other organizations not exceeding fifteen sessions per year. As the guidance counsellors acquire these skills and knowledge he or she must demonstrate knowledge of the l aw and policies as it relates to education, guidance and counselling, children and adolescent. The counsellor must also abide by the Education act (1980) and the Code of National Ethics of the Jamaica Association of JAGCE Ministry (2009).Being a proactive, knowledgeable individual, a guidance counsellor has to keep up to date with the required skills and knowledge in order to be a competent and effective counsellor. Although the guidance counsellors are reaping some success in schools, they are faced with existing challenges which affects the effective performance of their daily tasks. Myrick (2003) thinks that the individual counselling is becoming a luxury in schools. It cannot be provided for everyone. He further states that some students need this more than others because of the nature of their concerns and their inability to work with groups.In essence, counsellors face limitations to effectively cater to every student. Counsellors do not have enough time to see all. Guidance c ounsellors are also seen as coordinators of many activities and programmes within the school setting. They are responsible for a number of administrative work involving students, teachers, parents and all the stakeholders involved. This role in itself impedes the speed and progress of other important roles. It may lead to an overworked counsellor and an unbalanced counselling programme.Myrick (2003), points out that the coordinating functions of can be a millstone round a counsellor’s neck, or it can lead to some productive outcomes in guidance. Counsellors are seen as teachers with flexible time and so at times there is disregard for the structured plans and routine of a guidance counsellor as he or she is often called up onto fill in as a substitute teacher in the absence of a regular class teacher. Another problem that counsellors face is that of the increase in the violence in the society which is then mirrored in the Jamaican schools. Counsellors are limited to their job s as it is often difficult for them to gain access to the root cause of the problems involving violence in the schools.Students who are exposed to violence in their communities may begin to adapt to this kind of life experience and sometimes may even accept violence as the norm. Although the guidance counsellors use their initiatives to encourage students in situations like these at times their efforts seem to go unnoticed The limitations and challenges also extend to the lack of or insufficient resources in schools. For the counselling process to be effective the counsellor should be provided with certain basic essentials such as a comfortable counselling area in which to practice.Counsellors are sometimes hesitant to pursue difficult cases involving students especially as it relates to criminal offences. Counsellors are often apprehensive of the repercussions which may arise when reports are made against persons who commit crimes against children. With the inadequacy of our legal system, counsellors sometimes have to think of the safety and well being of themselves and their families. The roles and functions of a guidance counsellor are many and varied and sometimes extend to areas undefined; however as a guidance counsellor one must ensure that his or her role is carried out comprehensively and effectively.All the roles mentioned are specific to all counsellors but may vary depending on the type of school. The finding in this research outlines and gives definite answers relating to some roles and functions of the guidance counsellor within the Jamaican schools. The roles identified include providing education counselling, career counselling, consultation, classroom instruction, individual and group counselling. It can be concluded that the role of the guidance counsellor is important for the continued development of the students in our school and in effect the continued development of our Jamaican society.Reference Gladding,T. (2009). A comprehensive Profes sion. New Jersey Gibson, L. (1999). Introduction to Counselling and Guidance. United States of America Prentice Hall Inc. Mankind, O (1993). Fundamentals of Guidance and Counselling London Oxford Mack Millan Education Myrick, D (2003). Development Guidance and Counselling: A Practical Approach. 4th Edition. United States of America: Education Media Corporation. Ministry of Education Guidance Counselling Unit