Plato's Republic and His Theories About Philosopher Rulers Essay

Plato's Republic and His Theories About Philosopher Rulers - Essay Example In this book, Plato claims that the best way to avoid abuses of power, and thereby avoid some of the worst problems of political life, is to concentrate power in the hands of the wise - philosopher-rulers. There are several reasons that make Plato think that concentrating power in the hands of philosopher-rulers will eliminate abuse of power. In this book, Plato ignores the power of justice and makes philosophy the subject of inquiry. He thinks that the power of a state should be concentrated on philosopher-rulers because of the nature of philosophers. He mentions the gifts of a true philosopher as courage, good memory and quickness. Such people have natural reasonableness or inherent goodness which other people can use to get good things even as they grow old (IDPH 354). According to Plato, the minds of philosophers always love the type of knowledge that reveals to them the external nature that does not differ from corruption and generation (IDPH344). This means philosopher-rulers a re in a position to make a quick detection of corrupt deals and corrupt individuals. Plato further explains that philosophers are lovers of all true being and therefore truthfulness is part of them. They are not willing to renounce others whether they are great or small, more honorable or less honorable. This means that philosopher-rulers stand for the truth in everything. This includes those issues that benefit them personally and those that may not benefit them directly or at all. This also includes truth in the smallest matters which many rulers tend to cover up. Even though such actions may not affect the citizens directly, the truth remains that it is abuse of power. They are therefore more likely to demand for openness and transparency in all actions that affect the larger population just to ensure that the highest levels of truth are maintained. Plato explains that because of their truthfulness, philosopher-rulers detest falsehood and will never receive in their mind falsehoo d intentionally. He goes further to describe truthfulness as the object of affection of philosophers. This is seen where he argues that truthfulness must be affirmed by philosophers. He says of them, â€Å"must be affirmed: for he whose nature is amorous of anything cannot help loving all that belongs or is akin to the object of his affections† (IDPH 344). To make it more convincing, Plato argues that there is nothing that is akin to wisdom as truth. His fellow philosopher Glaucon confirms the same as he states that someone cannot be a lover of wisdom and at the same time, a lover of falsehood. This is to say, wise people are lovers of truth and therefore, they are never lovers of falsehood. These are evident in philosopher-rulers. They would be the best watchdogs, condemners and stoppers of actions that that find their roots in falsehood like corruption and related actions like stealing. Plato ascribes the quality of being ambitious and loving ambitions to philosophers. Havi ng rulers who love ambition can mean nothing better than elimination of every action and person who kills fruits of ambition in the national. Generally, philosopher-rulers have zero tolerance to self-centered leaders who are after heaping part of the national resources for themselves. according to Plato, philosophers are lovers of learning. Plato explains that a true lover of learning must desire the truth right from their earliest youth (IDPH

Job Satisfaction Perceived Efficacy Correlation Dissertation

Job Satisfaction Perceived Efficacy Correlation - Dissertation Example Population and Sample The population for this study included all 139 South Dakota public school special education administrators, including full-time, part-time, and mixed responsibility special education administrators. The information used in the study was gathered from the South Dakota Department of Education 2010-2011 Educational Directory. Data Collection Data collection included the use of three separate surveys. Paul Spector’s Job Satisfaction Survey was used to collect job satisfaction data. Chen, Gully, and Eden’s New General Self-Efficacy Scale was used to collect perceived self-efficacy data. Finally, a researcher-developed demographic survey was utilized to collect demographic data. The survey was posted electronically and all 139 public school special education administrators in the state of South Dakota were invited to participate via email. Names and email addresses of special education administrators were gathered from the South Dakota Department of Educ ation 2010-2011 Educational Directory. A cover letter (see Appendix G) with instructions on how to access the electronic survey was sentto all public school special education administrators in the state of South Dakota, via email. ... The invitees completed 35 useable surveys, accounting for a study response rate of 25.2 percent. Demographics Selected demographic characteristics of the study respondents are presented in Table 4.1. The two largest groups of respondents were aged 36-50 and 50 and over, with each category making up 40 percent of the respondents, while those aged 35 or younger represented 20 percent of the respondents. The majority of respondents were female, representing 71.4 percent. It is important to note that all demographics were computed using the responses provided by respondents. Not all respondents completed all questions. Masters Degrees represented the highest level of education for 40 percent of respondents, which was the largest group. Those holding a Bachelors Degree accounted for 22.9 percent of the respondents. Both the Education Specialist and Doctorate degree each represented 20 percent of the respondents. The current certification question allowed respondents to check all that appl ied so that some respondents selected multiple current certifications. The largest number of respondents, 57.6 percent, responded that their current certification was Special Education Director. Pre-K-8 Principals accounted for 11.4, while 7-12 Secondary Principals comprised 6 percent of respondents. Similarly superintendents also accounted for 6 percent of respondents. One respondent selected Superintendent and Special Education Director, one respondent chose PK-12 Principal, Superintendent, and Special Education Director as his or her current level of certification, one respondent chose PK-8 Principal and Superintendent as his or her current level of certification, and one respondent selected PK-8 Principal, Superintendent and

Counter Point Essay Example for Free

Counter Point Essay Starbucks is one of the most successful business serving coffee and drinks beverage. Starbucks is known for serving hot and cold coffee beverage with a high quality products. Starbucks went public in 1992 with a priced at $17 share and the stock jumped to $21 at the opening bell. By 2007 Starbucks had become one of the most widely recognized and admired global brands. In addition, by 2008 Starbucks has 4500 locations in 43 countries out side the United States. Overall Starbucks known as a good business with a good standing. Starbucks has many problems starting with the price. Starbucks coffee is more expensive than other competitors like Dunkin’ Donuts and Caribou. In addition, Dunkin’ Donuts offering drinks at prices 20 percent lower than Starbucks. For example, Kathleen Brown, a 30-year-old Boston lawyer, used to treat herself to a $4 Starbucks Caramel Macchiato but switched to Dunkin’ Donuts. Also, she mention that with Starbucks price for a cup of coffee she can buy a cup of coffee with a sandwich from Dunkin’ Donuts. Moreover, Starbucks did not pay attention to the customer comment cards and they did not respond to their customers needs or their feedback about the product or the service. Starbucks should ask the customers about what type of milk they want. Another problem is that Starbucks used to offer just hot beverage and they thought cold coffee like Frappuccino was not a true coffee drink. After Starbucks knew their competitors were offering a cold beverage they started to serve cold beverages and they tested their concoction with customers and again customers approved. Moreover, Starbucks stores were reconfigured with fewer comfy chairs and less carpeting making Starbucks a less inviting place in which to linger over a cup of coffee. In the beginning Starbucks had a problem and they could not advertise because the cash was tight. Finally, Starbucks machines were so tall that the customers could no longer see the coffee being made. Starbucks need to work to reduce the price of their products since most of the people from the middle and low income cant offer their products. If Starbucks want to increase their sales and earn more profit they should reduce their prices to let the people from all class can offer their products and be satisfied but Starbucks did not do any changes to their prices because there vision was to educate consumers about fine coffees and brought from a good place. Starbucks did lots of thing to increase their profit and to be more successful. For example, Starbucks opened many stores and some times in the same area just to help to serve the customers in a good way. For example, Starbucks opened many store to help the customers get what they want in a short time. Starbucks had learned that nearly stores did not necessarily hurt one another’s sales and in fact could actually help. Moreover, more stores meant a better chance for customers to find a short line or empty parking space and for Starbucks to capture the sale. Also, Starbucks open a drive through service to help the parents with young children and the drive through help Starbucks earned more profit and be more successful. Starbucks choose their store location by focusing on the are population and a matrix of regional demographic profiles and an analysis of how best to leverage operational infrastructure. In addition, Starbucks planned at least one big community event to celebrate its arrival and offer two free drink coupons with the note asking the customers to share Starbucks with a friend. In addition, since Starbucks know that there prices was high so they try to offer a seasonal offering such as a strawberry and cream Frappuccino in the summer and gingerbread latte at Christmas. Starbucks did not want to loose their money and workers so they developed a 24-hour training program converting Coffee Knowledge (four hours). Brewing the Perfect Cup (four hours), Customers Service (four hours) and also basic skills. Starbucks wants to have a good working environment and to be loyal to their employees so they provide their employees with a health insurance to all partners even the part-timers. Keeping the same employee with a full benefits would cost Starbucks $1500 rater than loosing $3000 to train a new hire. Starbucks work to develop their product mix by adding music and book to their customers. Starbucks knew their prices are expensive and they did a great thing to solve this problem by opening many stores and provide a nice atmosphere to their customers by serving many kinds of snack, cold and hot beverages, sandwiches. â€Å" Customers say one of the reason they come to Starbucks it because they can discover new things, a new coffee from Rwanda, a new food item. The solutions that I considered is Starbucks need to pay attention to their customers feedback for the price of the product and to try to make their price reasonable to the people over the whole world. Since many people like the atmosphere in Starbucks and its more fancy than Dunkin’ Donuts but the price in Starbucks need to recognized and reduce. There are many solutions I recommend to Starbucks. First, the most important is the price. Starbucks need to find a solution with their product price since their price is much more expensive than other competitors like Dunkin Donuts. Most of the people switch to Dunkin Donuts because their product mix are cheaper. Moreover, they should offer free refills to their customers and make sure to give their customers a chance to give their feed back on the product. According to the case Americans will never pay $1.50 for a cup of coffee. So because of that Starbucks need to reduce their price to be more successful. In conclusion, Starbucks is a powerful business with a good product mix ( non coffee drinks, food items, music, books). Moreover, Starbucks has many stores and sometime in the same area just to help their customers to get their need in a very short of time with offering their customers a drive through service and that cause the profit of around $1.3 million compared to $1 million at stores without a window. But the price of their products is so expensive than Dunkin’ Donuts.

The Barriers for Women in Career Advancement

The Barriers for Women in Career Advancement Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW This sections presents a review of literature pertinent to this study including a history of mentoring, the barriers for women in career advancement, the relationship between mentoring and career advancement, mentoring in healthcare administration, and the advantages and disadvantages of formal and informal mentoring. History of Mentoring Mentoring is rooted in Greek mythology and arose as a concept in a story where Athena, the goddess of wisdom, assumed a male form and called herself Mentor. Athena acted as a surrogate parent to Telemachus when the boys father, Odysseus, fought in the Trojan War. Athena provided guidance and instruction to the boy as the latter assumed the leadership of the household and groomed him to be Ithacas future ruler (Butler, 1944). Hence, the concept of mentoring has been shaped by the notion of a relationship where a more experienced adult guides a youthful individual (Kram, 1985). More specifically, Kram (1985) describes mentoring as â€Å"a relationship between a younger adult and an older, more experienced adult [who] helps the younger individual learn to navigate the adult world and the world of work† (p. 2). Lacey (2001) states that the term â€Å"mentor† has since evolved to represent either a counselor, teacher, or friend and the mentoring relationship now connotes a p artnership where the primary purpose is the exchange of information and knowledge distinct to a given industry or organization. Other authors refer to mentoring relationships as â€Å"sponsor, patron, and godfather† relationships (Rowe, 1978, as cited in Kram, 1985). A literature review on mentoring across various disciplines by Hayes (2001) produced the definition of mentoring â€Å"as a process of building trust between two people, one is experienced and the other is a newcomer† (p. 29). Carmin (1988) provides a comprehensive definition of mentoring: Mentoring is a complex, interactive process, occurring between individuals of differing levels of experience and expertise that incorporates interpersonal or psychosocial development, career, and/or educational development, and socialization functions into the relationship. This one-to-one relationship is itself developmental and proceeds through a series of stages which help to determine both the conditions affecting the outcomes of the process. (p. 10) Mentoring as a field of study started with the 1978 research of Levinson et al. on adult mens career development experiences (as cited in Kram, 1985). Levinson and his colleagues concluded that the mentoring relationship was a pivotal experience in a young adults life because aside from receiving knowledge from mentors, the experience also shapes a persons self-esteem and professional identity. Kram (1995) identifies two broad types of mentor functions: career-related support and psychosocial support. Career-related support refers to the support mechanisms provided by the mentor that boosts the mentees career advancement within the organization. Component functions associated with career-related mentoring include â€Å"sponsorship, exposure and visibility, coaching, protection, and challenging assignments† (p. 86). Due to the mentors influence and high status, experience, and leadership position in the organization, the mentee receives the best hands-on training and gets assistance on learning more about the organization itself and its inner workings, receives exposure to the mentors social networks, and acquires promotions. In this regard, the mentor sees him or herself in the mentees shoes and want to groom a future executive in his or her fashion. Allen Eby (2002) view that mentors and mentee alike benefit from the mentoring relationship and that mentors are fuel ed by the desire to ensure the success of the next generation of leaders. Kram (1985) theorized the mentors can provide five specific career development functions (as cited in Ragins Cotton, 1999): Sponsoring promotions and lateral moves (sponsorship); Coaching the protà ©gà © (coaching); Protecting the protà ©gà © from adverse forces (protection); Providing challenging assignments (challenging assignments); and Increasing the protà ©gà ©s exposure and visibility (exposure). (p. 530) The second mentoring function is psychosocial in nature. The psychosocial function of mentoring addresses â€Å"those aspects of a relationship that enhance an individuals sense of competence, identity, and effectiveness in a professional role† (Kram, 1985, p. 32). Krams mentor role theory (1985) suggests that there are four components of psychosocial support that mentors can provide to mentees (as cited in Ragins Cotton, 1999): Helping the protà ©gà © develop a sense of professional self (acceptance and confirmation); Providing problem-solving and a sounding board (counseling); Giving respect and support (friendship); and Providing identification and role modeling. (p. 530) Where career support is dependent upon the mentors power and influence within the organization, psychosocial support focus on the emotional bond and the interpersonal relationship underlying the mentoring relationship. Career support aims at advancing the protà ©gà ©s career while psychosocial support is geared at improving the protà ©gà ©s personal development. Barriers for Women in Career Advancement Compared to several decades past, women have made leaps in terms of advancing toward senior executive positions formerly monopolized by men. However, career advancement opportunities for women still lag considerably compared to the men. Tharenou (1999) estimates that although women in developing countries make up almost half of the entire workforce, only 5 percent of them are situated in top executive positions. A worrisome fact is that while there seems to be equal opportunities for men and women in entry-level positions, the road toward the more senior levels are unfortunately blocked for women. While is undeniable that the greater workforce composition of women is one of the most positive social changes in the twenty-first century, struggle for equal opportunity persist as women are still excluded from the top positions in the organizational hierarchy. This phenomenon has been referred to as the â€Å"glass ceiling,† a term originally used in 1986 by a Wall Street journalist to connote the status of women in the corporate world. The term was coined as a description of the complex barriers that block womens opportunities to break through the top levels in the organization. This â€Å"glass ceiling† is especially evident when one looks at rarity of female senior executives in organizations of virtually all disciplines. The concept of the glass ceiling was recognized and accepted as a public term when the 1992 Federal Glass Ceiling Commission concluded that there were indeed several barriers that hindered women and other minority groups to achieve their full potential within the career ladder. The same study confirmed that â€Å"gendered† structural and organizational barriers prevented women from attaining the most senior level positions in several companies. Moreover, it lamented on the so-called â€Å"hegemonic masculinity† that is pervasive in the organizational culture in corporate America (Woody Weiss, 1994). Many studies have reported on the various barriers that women encounter during professional advancement. A report by womens group Catalyst (1994) listed the most common barriers identified by mid-level managers that prevent them from advancing further into the top-level positions. These barriers include (as cited in Arnold Shinew, 1997): stereotyping and preconcepts about suitability for leadership positions; exclusion from informal networks of communication; absence of effective management training for female employees; failure to hold upper level managers accountable for developing and advancing women; inadequate appraisal and compensation systems, leading to inequities in salaries; inflexibility in defining work schedules; and absence of programs that enable employees to balance work/non-work responsibilities. (pp. 42-43) The work of researchers Henderson and Bialeschki (1995) has been influential in comprehensive studies that aim to identify the different barriers that women face in their pursuit of upward career mobility. They conducted a nationwide survey among women practitioners in the recreation and leisure industry. The researchers grouped the different barriers into three broad categories: individual, organizational, and home/family. By examining career patterns, family situations, career satisfaction, and equity in the workplace issues, they found that stereotyping and gender-based discrimination remains the greatest barrier for women that prevent them from advancing to the top tier of the corporate ladder. More than half of them also reported being sexually harassed. Other identified barriers include the lack of training, lack of mentors, and womens exclusion from â€Å"male-only† networks. Another study by Frisby and Brown (1991) surveyed 30 women mid-level managers belonging to leisure-oriented organizations in order to examine their career experiences as they struggled their way to the top. Consistent with previous findings, women in middle management reported that the most common barriers they encountered from advancing in their careers include career interruptions due to pregnancy or family issues, the lack of role models or mentors, the lack of support from senior executive to promote women, exclusion, gender stereotyping, personal factors, and exclusion from male-dominated social networks. Frisby (1992) did a follow-up study to examine in a more comprehensive manner the factors that hinder the career development of women in leisure organizations. Using a descriptive-quantitative design, Frisby grouped the various barriers reported by women managers that have influenced their career direction and mobility. There were legislative factors such as gender discrimination, pay equity, and laws on sexual harassment; organizational factors such as patriarchy, exclusion from networks, flexible work options, difficulty in dealing with male-dominated organizational culture, lack of training and mentoring opportunity; and individual factors such as gender, education, and geographical mobility; and lastly, family factors that include lack of support from spouse and difficulty balancing work-family responsibilities. Due to the complex and varied nature of identified barriers for women, studies by Henderson Bialeschki (1995) and by Woody Weiss (1994) have grouped these barriers into three categories: a) Individual factors; b) Organizational/Structural factors; and c) Family or Home-related factors. Individual factors as barriers Individual traits and skills are often attributed for laggard career advancement among females. Individual factors such as age, educational attainment, skills, experience, proficiency, or ability are related to advancement. There remains gender stereotypes on what men can do that women cannot that justifies greater upward mobility for males. Some express that women lack the necessary attributes such as assertiveness, motivation, or networking skills to advance in careers (Vecchio 2002). The simple fact of â€Å"being female† thus becomes a potent barrier for career advancement among women. For instance, there is a double standard when it comes to appreciating leadership in females. Morrison, Greene and Tischler (1985) opine that when women display competence in leadership, they are viewed negatively while men who visibly lead are appreciated. Similarly, succession in vacated executive positions is usually based on the gender of the previous occupant of the position or the job. Since most senior executive positions are dominated by males, women are immediately excluded from consideration. Moreover, females are placed in â€Å"traditionally-female† positions such as staffing and human resources and cannot be promoted to higher positions that are â€Å"traditionally-male† in nature. Age can also be a barrier as individuals who are deemed â€Å"too young† or â€Å"too old† may not be deemed suitable for senior executive positions. Organizational factors as barriers Most research studies conclude that the biggest barriers to career advancement among women are beyond their personal control. The Glass Ceiling Commission indicts organizational and structural barriers as the most predominant barrier toward womens upward climb in the career ladder (Woody Weiss, 1994). Bergmann (1986) opined that organizational structures specifically job assignments are designed to prevent women from ascending to the top. Job assignments are considered to be the primary route for career advancement. Organizational structures â€Å"steer away† womens potential for upward mobility by confining them to work roles that are considered to be â€Å"womens occupations.† Bergmann cites a study by Forbes that the quickest way to the top of corporations is placement in functional areas or crucial job assignments that lead to the accomplishment of critical organizational tasks (p. 88). Klenke (1996) suggests that women face an exclusion policy that prevents them from penetrating the â€Å"old boys† network. Access to such networks is considered a significant step to gaining upward mobility in organizations. One can access information and learn more about the organization not possible in regular communication channels. Another barrier cited by women is the lack of mentoring opportunities from male superiors. For instance, Dreher and Cox (1996) found that females find it difficult to gain informal mentors who are male. If they do find a male mentor, they also face challenges in the course of the mentoring relationships especially in relation to its nature and possibility of misinterpretation. Some female managers even report being subjected to sexual harassment. Cooper Jackson (2001) contends that the scarcity of women role models is another perceived barrier toward advancement. Organizational leadership is predominantly patterned after the male form of leadership. Since acquiring senior executive positions are blocked, developing women role models that would inspire and motivate women and neutralize male-dominate culture in the organization becomes challenging. Moreover, because women lack opportunities for role modeling or mentoring relationships, they often fail to plan their career and build effective networking strategies. The reality of stereotyping has been found to affect womens career advancement deeply. Because of gender stereotyping, women feel isolated and discouraged because they perceive themselves unable to blend well or fit in with the patriarchal culture of senior executive leadership. Sometimes, this perception leads them to believe that have to change considerably in order to suit the male-dominated culture of the top hierarchy. Davidson and Cooper (1986) report that gender stereotyping in the organization leads to higher stress levels among women than men. This is because gender stereotyping often pressures women to exert extra effort or to work harder and perform better than their male counterparts in order to prove themselves equal to them. Women tend to believe that in order to achieve their career goals, they have to over-perform to counter the effects of negative gender stereotyping. Even when women are promoted and do acquire senior executive status, there is a prevailing norm that they have to perform even better than their male colleagues to prove themselves worthy of the position. Powell and Butterfield (as cited in Collinson Hean, 2001) state that stereotyping also leads to social isolation among female managers and their heavy dependence on formalized relationships for career advancement. Female managers put a prime on their professional portfolio and credentials when they pursue promotional opportunities whereas men can depend on informal networks to advance in their careers. Collinson and Hearn (2001) believe that unless the patriarchal nature of institutions are broken down, women will find it difficult to advance their careers in what is considered male territory. They define patriarchy as a process and a context through which male supremacy is promoted by men and institutions. Patriarchy is a stumbling block for women because it â€Å"control[s] access to hierarchical power and characteristics of knowledge claims† (Collinson and Hearn, 2001, p. 23). In this environment, cultural practices and information flow signify male authority, hence, placing women as mere subordinates to men. However, the problem with patriarchy is that it is a â€Å"complementary process† that is legitimized by both women and men and forms part of the organizational culture. In this manner, male dominance becomes a self-perpetuating phenomenon in organizations. Moreover, Collison and Hearn (2001) opine that executive culture is a male realm. They believe that wome n are not accepted wholly into the workforce but are merely tolerated. Hence, the notion of â€Å"patriarchal elitism† especially in top executive culture is widespread (p. 8). Pringle (1999) contends that female managers lack access to networks, trainings, and mentoring programs because they are usually gender-based and male-gendered. The domination of men in organizations is sustained with constant identification with one another. Perpetuating a gendered organizational culture leaves women managers isolated and places them in a situation where executive leadership feels very much like engaging in constant â€Å"physical combat† (Sinclair, as cited in Pringle, 1999, p.8). Home-related factors as barriers The barriers that women encounter extend far beyond the confines of the workplace to the home. For many female managers, the home environment presents several obstacles that must be overcome in order to achieve upward mobility. One obstacle is that some women managers, especially, those with families, experience the so-called â€Å"second shift syndrome† where they must work on the first shift in the workplace and continue on the second shift in the home environment. The burden of juggling work-related goals with family responsibilities is a serious concern for some women. Women who find themselves in this circumstance are also called â€Å"dual career women† where performance at work and at home are necessary. To perform this balancing act between professional development and personal life may prove too difficult for some women in many ways. Some of them eventually may find inadequate support from their respective families to pursue career advancement goals. A 1995 survey by recruiting company Robert Haff and Associates (1995) found that more than 80 percent of women managers who were interviewed preferred a job that featured more flexible hours, provided more family time, and slow-paced advancement than grueling jobs that featured rapid career mobility. In a sense, because of additional responsibility at home and with their families, women do not perceive career mobility as â€Å"a methodical rise to power† (Aburdene Naisbitt, as cited in Pringle, 1999, p. 43). Unlike the men, women do not focus on the singular objective of professional advancement but struggle to â€Å"do it all† and come up with more creative ways to reap professional success. Research also reports that women managers continue to bear the brunt of carrying the â€Å"double burden† of family and work. They have to be successful equally in the home and at work. In the home environment, they need to assume the manifold tasks of wife and homemaker and struggle to become equals with men in the workplace at the same time. Sue Newell opines that so long as women continue to juggle these dual roles, they may never achieve the parity they need and deserve in relation to men in the work environment (Newell, 1992). However, studies have also found the home and family-related barriers do not necessarily interfere with motivation and career success among many women. The problem with having the additional burden of family responsibility for women is that it is viewed as a negative thing. Research has suggested that many companies look at women with home-related commitments with disfavor (Swiss Walker, as cited in Pringle, 1999). What is worse is that some women may even be penalized career-wise for having commitments outside of the professional realm. Having marital and family responsibilities may not interfere in terms of commitment among women but these factors might slow down the promotional opportunities of woman managers. Some women have reported that the workplace was inviting and conducive to success when they were single and changed considerably to a more unwelcome environment when they got married and had children. In an article, management expert Douglas T. Hall (1990) suggested that in order to provide more access for women in terms of career advancement, companies need to come up with strategies that promote balance between work and family responsibilities. Among the strategies he recommend were more flexible work schedules and expanded use of home-based work option.

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Reflective Writing Essays

Teaching Philosophy Teaching is a profession that can only be defined by those who are in it, and no two teachers will ever give the same answer. Over the past few weeks I feel that my philosophy on teaching has changed drastically. Students look up to their teachers, they look to learn and to have a companion. The students have a thirst for knowledge. I always thought that students would dread coming to math, but many look forward to it. For me, math has always been a strong point and a subject that I have enjoyed and I look forward to being able to share my love with my students. My goal is to be successful. Successful to me means to be able to change the life of at least one student. To be an inspiration to those that I teach. To share a love for a subject that most students hate. To touch at least one student’s life and know I made a difference. I want to be one of those teachers that students are excited that they have. I want to make math fun and have a good time doing it. My goal is to be the teachers that I admire. To be able to become the teachers that I have admired there are several ways to go about it. Cooperative learning strategies are a huge help in having the students learn mathematics. There are many different methods that will assist in the education of the students. Of all of the different strategies, the ones that I have found to be the most useful are random reporting and the roundtable. These methods have all students participating equally and not able to â€Å"slack off† when working in a group. All students must be ready to answer and pay attention fully in order to be successful in the lesson. There are certain ways of going about teaching math that will make it interesting for students. Finding a way to grasp a student’s attention and relate the subject matter to their lives would make the class more enjoyable. This leads into my belief of what a good teacher is.

Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Concept of Charity in the General Prologue :: General Prologue Essays

The Concept of Charity in the General Prologue    In the "General Prologue," Chaucer presents an array of characters from the 1400's in order to paint portraits of human dishonesty and stupidity as well as virtue.   Out of these twenty-nine character portraits three of them are especially interesting because they deal with charity.   Charity during the 1400's, was a virtue of both religious and human traits.   One character, the Parson, exemplifies Chaucer's idea of charity, and two characters, Prioress, and Friar, to satirize the idea of charity and show that they are using charity for either devious reasons or out of convention or habit.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the definition from the Webster's dictionary, charity means giving to the needy and helping the poor.   In Chaucer's time, however, charity meant much more.   It included a love of G-d and doing the will of G-d as well as the kind of person one is.   Thus Charity had two parts, one human, the other divine.   Two parts that mixed in different portions depending on a person. Charity was a human virtue that the Church encouraged.   People believed that if one does something good, he will be rewarded by G-d.   Many people did meaningful, charitable things out the goodness of their hearts, but others had done it for other reasons.   Those reasons included making money from people's suffering and giving to charity because someone told them to do so, rather than from the goodness of their hearts or to ease the suffering of others.   Chaucer plays off both of these parts of charity in his portraits to show how they can be combined differently in different people and to distinguish "true" charity from "false" charity.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parson exemplifies Chaucer's idea of true charity.   Even though Parson does not have any money, he considers himself rich spiritually.   Going around the village, he teaches the poor and those who can't go to church about what G-d is and how to be a religious person.   He gives more than he receives.   In fact, he avoids preaching to the rich and well-to-do because he prefers going to the humble and poor, who truly need his help and G-d.   He doesn't run to London to earn easy bread

Merton Truck Company’s Financial Performance and Product Mix

Introduction In response to your report and request regarding Merton’s financial performance and product mix, I have met with your controller, sales manager and production manager, and have provided a solution that will improve the company in these two areas. Using a systematic approach, I was able to analyze the current machine hours, standard costs, and overhead budget. My findings have allowed me to determine the best monthly product mix that will maximize Merton’s total monthly contribution.Furthermore, I have addressed the decision regarding outsourcing, and have provided both the maximum rent your company should pay in addition to the maximum number of hours that should be rented. When determining the product mix, I took careful consideration of the machine hour constraints that your factory must account for. The following sections will provide further information in regards to my analytical technique, and how I was able to determine these figures. Current Situation Mertonâ₠¬â„¢s third and fourth quarters of last year should not be deemed a failure, but rather an area where the company can improve.It is evident your company’s current product mix is not meeting the financial standards that the company expects. As your sales manager pointed out, Model 101 trucks currently cost $40,205 to produce and are selling at a price of $39,000, meaning the company is producing this model at a loss. Some other issues to point out are the current capacity levels. Although the company is profiting on each Model 102 sold, maxing out capacity for this model may not be the best solution, as suggested by the controller.An analysis of the provided budget will allow us to track where the company’s money is being spent, and will suggest certain areas where possible changes can be made. Evaluating the different scenarios will answer our current questions on whether to stop producing Model 101’s all together, to continue producing both models but at differ ent amounts, and/or to consider the use of an outside supplier. Data Used in the Analysis To address the main goal of increasing financial performance, I had to define the objective of the current situation.Simply put, the objective is to maximize total contribution from the two models, which will directly improve Merton’s financial performance. Our focus is contribution rather than profit because contribution deals only with variables costs and variable costs are costs that we can manipulate to better Merton’s financial position. By determining exactly how much contribution Merton receives from producing one Model 101 and one Model 102, we can attempt to maximize these figures. A product’s contribution is the amount of money the company receives after subtracting out the variable production costs.Figure 1 shows the contribution received for producing one truck of Models 101 and 102. I was able to calculate this figure using the data provided from Tables B and C in your report. Table B listed the variable costs which include the direct materials and direct labor costs per model. I then added the variable overhead costs per unit that were listed in Table C. Subtracting these variable costs from the total selling price leaves us with Model 101 attributing $3,000 in contribution and Model 102 attributing $5,000. The second goal is to determine an optimal product mix.In order to do so, I had to account for any constraints, or parameters that limit production and affect total monthly contribution. Table A from your report provided these constraints, which are the production capacities of the four departments, engine assembly, metal stamping, Model 101 assembly and Model 102 assembly. These constraints, which will be discussed in the following sections, are provided in Figure 2. Finding both the contribution per model and the constraints allows us to determine the decision variables.Decision variables help us do exactly that, make decisions. Sin ce product mix is the decision we are making, the decision variables represent the number of 101 and 102 units that Merton should produce each month. These variables are represented as X101 and X102. Having identified our variables I was now able to setup a mathematical equation that will calculate Merton’s maximum contribution per month. The equation is as follow: Maximum Contribution = $3,000*X101 + $5000*X102 Method of Analysis: Linear ProgrammingAfter reading the report and understanding the variables involved, I realized that linear programming would be a useful tool in this situation. Linear programming (LP) is beneficial because it assists in decision making when resource allocation is involved. Our situation calls for a better approach when allocating labor, machinery, money, time and materials, thus making LP the perfect fit. For this situation, linear programming is more than an option. It is a must. Due to our number of constraints, using a linear program will comp ute exact outputs that will save time and eliminate the risk of human error.The program will allow us to input the known variables (101 and 102 contribution), and will calculate the optimal product mix, while staying within the parameters of our listed constraints (Figure 2). Analyzing the Options with Solver Optimal Product Mix Now that you have an understanding of the capabilities of linear programming, I will explain how I was able to use this model when persuading your sales manager, controller and production manager. Although these three do not agree on how Merton is currently allocating its resources, one aspect where they do agree is that maximizing contribution is Merton’s main focus.After explaining that this linear program, known as â€Å"Solver,† can calculate optimal product mix on the basis of maximum contribution, I received their undivided attention. Solver’s product mix calculation stated that Merton Truck Co. should produce 2,000 Model 101 truck s and 1,000 Model 102 trucks each month. Using this product mix will provide a maximum contribution of $11,000,000 per month. The objective formula that was presented above shows this calculation: $3,000*(2,000101)+5000*(1,000102)= $11,000,000 total contribution per month.Remember, this formula is calculated while staying within each of Merton’s production constraints. Simply producing more or less of either model will do one of two things. One, it would exceed one of our given constraints, or two, it would produce a total contribution that is lower than $11 million. Solver’s suggestion to produce 2,000 Model 101’s proves that the controller was correct in his objection of the sales manager. The model confirms that doubling Model 101 production allows the fixed overhead of 2. 7 million to be absorbed over 2,000 models instead of 1,000 as the company is currently doing.Since Merton pays fixed overhead of 2. 7M. for 101’s and only 1. 5M for 102’s, it makes sense to â€Å"get your money’s worth† by producing more 101’s. Renting Additional Capacity In addition to providing the optimal product mix, Solver has a number of other capabilities that help support my recommendations. One capability is that Solver can help us determine whether the production manager was correct when suggesting to rent additional capacity from an outside supplier. After the variables are input into the Solver program, I run the calculation.Once the program has calculated the data, it provides us with a â€Å"sensitivity report† that focuses on our available resources (constraints) and tests a number of â€Å"what-if scenarios. † For this situation, it will help us determine the amount to pay per rented hour and exactly how many additional hours to rent. Two relevant categories to note from the sensitivity report are the â€Å"shadow price† and the â€Å"allowable increase†. The program provides a shadow pric e which states that for each additional unit produced, Merton will receive ‘X’ dollars in contribution. The shadow price for engine assembly was $2,000.Therefore, for each additional unit of capacity (rented hours), Merton can afford to pay a maximum of $2,000. In regards to the allowable increase, Solver suggests that Merton should purchase a maximum of 500 rented hours. After 500 hours have been purchased, there is no further increase in contribution. The use of Solver has once again proven beneficial. Although the production manager’s suggestion was correct, Solver has strengthened his argument by providing objective data that tells us a max price to pay in addition to the maximum number of hours to rent.Additional Constraint – Producing at a 3:1? After finding out from the optimal product mix that it is more beneficial to produce two times the number of Model 101’s than Model 102’s, why not increase production to three to one? We can test this proposal by simply adding an additional constraint to our linear program. As expected, the optimal product mix was forced to change to a 3:1 ratio. Adhering to this constraint provided a product mix of 2,250 Model 101’s and 750 Model 102’s. However, the unwanted consequence is noticed in total monthly contribution.Plugging this product mix into our objective equation shows that contribution actually decreases. $3,000*(2,250101)+$5000*(750102) = $10,500,000. Seeing this drop in monthly contribution further proves that our previous optimal product mix of a 2:1 ratio should remain in place. Closing As mentioned in the previous sections, linear programming is a useful technique that should be applied to help improve Merton’s financial performance. My recommendation is that the company immediately implements a product mix of 2,000 Model 101 trucks and 1,000 Model 102’s.Secondly, the company should rent additional capacity from an outside supplier. Howeve r, your company must not pay more than $2,000 per hour, and not rent more than 500 hours because this would no longer increase total contribution. Although linear programming is widely used and often very accurate, no model is perfect. One disadvantage of linear programming is that it does not take into account industry trends. Choosing to produce two times the amount of Model 101’s does not guarantee this model will sell two times as much. Furthermore, linear programming is only useful in solving linear scenarios.Real world constraints are not always linear. For instance, a constraint that involves â€Å"number of staff members required per model† would be impossible to calculate when the other constraints are based on hours. Additionally, linear programming does not account for risk. What if the supplier cannot provide materials for one month’s time? What if Model 101 is using defective parts and the line becomes halted? These are items to consider when implem enting LP, but by no means should they prevent Merton Trucks from implementing the model. Figure 1: Contribution per Model Model 101|Sell Price| $39,000| Direct Materials| $24,000| Direct Labor| $4,000| Variable Overhead| * $8,000| Contribution| $3,000| Model 102| Sell Price| $38,000| Direct Materials| $20,000| Direct Labor| $4,500| Variable Overhead| * $8,500| Contribution| $5,000| Figure 2: Constraints Machine-Hours: Requirements and Availability| Department| Required Machine Hrs. Model 101 Model 102| | Total Machine Hrs. Available per Month| Engine Assembly| 1| 2|