Staff Training and Motivation at Mcdonalds

Training and Motivation at McDonalds McDonald trains almost 55,000 employees each year. Each year, it also   dedicates over A? 10 million to ongoing employee training, providing   people with valuable skills. Work experience at McDonald's is a foundation for future employability, particularly as the UK labour market continues to   evolve. With the increased demand for skilled workers, a job which   offers ongoing training with a leading organisation – is a solid   career investment. People from all walks of life credit a first job at   McDonald's with having equipped them with the ingredients for success.Staff Training McDonald's Staff Training Programme is an on-the-job vocational   experience that teaches skills transferable to other industries. All new hires begin their McDonald's experience with an induction into   the company. Staff trainers work shoulder-to-shoulder with trainees   while they learn the operations skills necessary for running each of   the 11 workstations in each restaurant, from the front counter to the   grill area. All employees-learn to operate state-of-the-art   foodservice equipment, gaining knowledge of McDonald's operational   procedures.Step-by-Step manuals and video tapes cover every detail, from how to   make a Big Mac, to how to deliver exceptional service to customers. Employees also learn how to train and supervise others. For the first time employed, McDonald's is an important â€Å"mentor',   teaching the interpersonal and organisational skills necessary for   functioning effectively on any job. McDonald's business demands   teamwork, discipline and responsibility; McDonald's experience results   in enhanced communications skills as well as greater self-confidence;   and McDonald's stresses â€Å"customer care†, and attitude which industry   experts ecognise as an essential ingredient for business success. Management Development Conducted at regional offices and corpora te training centres across   the country, McDonald's Management Development Program (MDP) continues   to develop the potential leaders which the Crew Training Programme has   nurtured. This is followed by a series of training courses designed to back up   what is learnt in the restaurant and develop management, communication   and leadership.The Management Training Centre (MTC) is McDonald's premier UK training   facility, providing a variety of business management and restaurant   operations courses to franchise and management employees throughout   the United Kingdom. The UK Management Training Centre currently puts   through approximately 1500 managers annually. The Management Training Centre runs three courses that give the skills   required by different levels of management, from restaurant shift   management to mid – management. The Basic Operations Course (BOC) equips trainee management candidates   with the skills to manage their people and run successful restaurant   shifts.The Advanced Operations Course (AOC) is predominantly for new   restaurant managers and department heads, It aims to enhance the   candidates leadership and management skills, enabling them to achieve   results in all areas of the business by working through and developing   their people. The Mid-Management Course (MMC) goes into further leadership skills   and management systems, helping these managers to effectively lead and   develop their restaurant managers. These three core courses are supported by courses and seminars run by   the Regional Training Centres. In addition, managers will work through   theaâ‚ ¬?Management Development Programme (MOP) back at the restaurant. MDP gives managers at all levels the technical and functional   management skills needed to maintain McDonald's leadership role in the   quick service restaurant industry. Manager Trainee As a Manager Trainee, you are responsible for learning and   unde rstanding McDonald's policies and procedures in order to prepare   for managing shifts in a McDonald's restaurant. The responsibilities   include, but are not limited to: aâ‚ ¬? Learning the basics of restaurant operations through on-site   training, area management and floor management. â‚ ¬? Gaining experience with attaining and maintaining customer   satisfaction. aâ‚ ¬? Developing an understanding of basic supervision, human relations,   interpersonal communication and follow-up skills. aâ‚ ¬? Establishing an Individual Development Plan to help focus on   personal career development objectives. aâ‚ ¬? Ensuring that a respectful workplace exists in the restaurant. From Manager Trainee you will move to the Second Assistant Manager   position where you actually begin to apply the skills you have learned   as a Manager Trainee. Second Assistant ManagerAs a Second Assistant Manager, you are responsible for managing   people, products and equipment to execute outstanding Quality,   Service, Cleanliness and Value (QSC;V) on all assigned shifts. The   responsibilities include, but are not limited to: aâ‚ ¬? Developing and training crew employees. aâ‚ ¬? Maintaining critical standards for product quality, service speed ;   quality, cleanliness ; sanitation. aâ‚ ¬? Managing shifts and/or areas without supervision aâ‚ ¬? Ensuring all safety, sanitation and security procedures are   executed. aâ‚ ¬? Controlling food components, labour, waste and cash while managing   shifts and or areas. aâ‚ ¬?Completing all assigned shift paperwork. aâ‚ ¬? Ensuring that a respectful workplace exists in the restaurant. The next level of restaurant management is the First Assistant   Manager. Here you will explore the business skills involved with   managing a restaurant. First Assistant Manager As a First Assistant Manager, you are responsible for assisting the   Restaurant Manager in executing virtually all aspects of the   restaurant operations. The responsibilities include, but are not   limited to: aâ‚ ¬? Demonstrating and reinforcing the leadership behaviours and basic   people standards necessary to gain commitment from crew and other   shift managers. â‚ ¬? Recruiting, staffing, scheduling and retaining employees. aâ‚ ¬? Managing the development and training of crew and shift management   employees. aâ‚ ¬? Building sales and controlling costs to deliver optimum business   results for all areas of accountability. aâ‚ ¬? Maintaining critical standards for product quality, service speed   and quality, cleanliness and sanitation. aâ‚ ¬? Controlling assigned profit and loss line items. aâ‚ ¬? Ensuring that a respectful workplace exists in the restaurant. The next level of restaurant management is the Restaurant Manager.Your performance and available positions will determine the time frame   for progression from First Assistant Manager to Restaurant Manage r. Restaurant Manager As a Restaurant Manager, you are responsible for the entire operation   of a single McDonald's restaurant, including: aâ‚ ¬? Developing and training Assistant Managers. aâ‚ ¬? Measuring external customer satisfaction and executing plans to   increase brand loyalty. aâ‚ ¬? Implementing and conducting in-restaurant new products and   procedures. aâ‚ ¬? Ensuring execution of all security, food safety and maintenance of   the restaurant. aâ‚ ¬?Projecting and controlling accurate profit & loss line items. aâ‚ ¬? Administering all in-restaurant records and procedures including   benefits, payroll, inventories, security and employee personnel flies. aâ‚ ¬? Ensuring that a respectful workplace exists in the restaurant. Opportunities beyond the Restaurant Manager position are also   available based on interest and performance. These opportunities are   as follows: Operations Consultant aâ‚ ¬? Provide leadership, coaching and directi on to assigned restaurants. aâ‚ ¬? Maximize long-term sales and profit potential of each restaurant. aâ‚ ¬?Build a positive business relationship with Restaurant Managers and   Restaurant Leadership Team Training Consultant aâ‚ ¬? Conduct training that motivates and improves individual's   performance and contribution to restaurant results. aâ‚ ¬? Serve as operations expert and consultant on McDonald's operation   standards, management tools and training systems. Business Consultant aâ‚ ¬? Consult to an assigned group of franchisees to optimize sales, QSC,   profit, and people development. aâ‚ ¬? Assist with maximizing the business potential for the franchisee   organization. Human Resources Consultant aâ‚ ¬?Provide leadership and support to the operations team, regional   staff and franchisees on Recruiting and Staffing Management/Crew   Employees, Employee Relations, Management Development, Diversity   Development, Benefits/Compensation and Man agement/Crew Retention   systems. Management Programs are also available for personal development, which   will prepare you for each step along the way. These opportunities are   as follows: Shift Management Program When you experience the Shift Management Program, you will receive   instruction through a combination of self-study modules and on-the-job   coaching.You'll also participate in the Basic Shift Management Course   and the Advanced Shift Management Course, which are offered by the   Regional Training Department. The Shift Management Program assists you in developing and sharpening   management skills in: aâ‚ ¬? Area Managements aâ‚ ¬? Food Safety aâ‚ ¬? Basic People Skills aâ‚ ¬? Respectful Workplace aâ‚ ¬? Delivering QSC;V aâ‚ ¬? Customer Satisfaction and Customer Recovery aâ‚ ¬? Shift Management* aâ‚ ¬? Coaching and Counselling aâ‚ ¬? Valuing Diversity aâ‚ ¬? Understanding the Business * Indicates self-study modules McDonald 's Internal SeminarsSeminars are designed to establish a common foundation of leadership   and management knowledge and skills for McDonald's officers. These   seminars will focus on key business issues identified by senior   management and create a platform for effective implementation of   strategic business initiatives. A team of McDonald's senior management   and external providers lead the seminars sessions. The external   providers are recognized leaders in their area and have extensive   experience consulting with and teaching executives. Types of Conflict Within the Business ————————————-By evaluating a conflict according to the five categories below —   relationship, data, interest, structural and value — we can begin to   determine the causes of a conflict and design resolution strategies   that will have a higher probability of success. There are many type s of reasons why conflicts may happen between Human   Resources Functions, such as; Relationship Conflicts ====================== Relationship conflicts occur because of the presence of strong   negative emotions, misperceptions or stereotypes, poor communication   or miscommunication, or repetitive negative behaviours. Relationship   problems ften fuel disputes and lead to an unnecessary escalating   spiral of destructive conflict. Supporting the safe and balanced   expression of perspectives and emotions for acknowledgment (not   agreement) is one effective approach to managing relational conflict. Data Conflicts ————– Data conflicts occur when people lack information necessary to make   wise decisions, are misinformed, disagree on which data is relevant,   interpret information differently, or have competing assessment   procedures. Some data conflicts may be unnecessary since they are   caused by poor communication between the people in conflict.Other   data conflicts may be genuine incompatibilities associated with data   collection, interpretation or communication. Most data conflicts will   have â€Å"data solutions. † Interest Conflicts —————— Interest conflicts are caused by competition over perceived   incompatible needs. Conflicts of interest result when one or more of   the parties believe that in order to satisfy his or her needs, the   needs and interests of an opponent must be sacrificed. Interest-based   conflict will commonly be expressed in positional terms.A variety of   interests and intentions underlie and motivate positions in   negotiation and must be addressed for maximized resolution. Interest-based conflicts may occur over substantive issues (such as   money, physical resources, time, etc. ); procedural issues (the way the   dispute is to be resolved); and psychological issues (perceptions of   trust, fairn ess, desire for participation, respect, etc. ). For an   interest-based dispute to be resolved, parties must be assisted to   define and express their individual interests so that all of these   interests may be jointly addressed.Interest-based conflict is best   resolved through the maximizing integration of the parties' respective   interests, positive intentions and desired experiential outcomes. Structural Conflicts ==================== Forces external cause structural conflicts to the people in dispute. Limited physical resources or authority, geographic constraints   (distance or proximity), time (too  little  or too much), organizational   changes, and so forth can make structural conflict seem like a crisis. It can be helpful to assist parties in conflict to appreciate the   external forces and constraints bearing upon them.Structural   conflicts will often have structural solutions. Parties' appreciation   that a conflict has an external source can h ave the effect of them   coming to jointly address the imposed difficulties. Value Conflicts =============== Value conflicts are caused by perceived or actual incompatible belief   systems. Values  are beliefs that people use to give meaning to their   lives. Values explain what is â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad,† â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,†Ã‚   â€Å"just† or â€Å"unjust. † Differing values need not cause conflict. People   can live together in harmony with different value systems.Value   disputes arise only when people attempt to force one set of values on   others or lay claim to exclusive value systems that do not allow for   divergent beliefs. It is of no use to try to change value and belief   systems during relatively short and strategic mediation interventions. It can, however, be helpful to support each participant's expression   of their values and beliefs for acknowledgment by the other party. Working Hours One fu nctions working hours may be flexible than another functions   working hours, the employees are prone to complain as they want more   flexible working hours as well. TechnologyThere may conflicts between different functions technology wise in a   sense that one function may get better technology than another   function, e. g. one function within human resources may get the newest   state-of-the-art computers so they will be able to work more   efficiently, as opposed to another function who may have computers   which are 4 or 5 years old so they will not be able to work as   efficiently, so the will complain and the business as a whole will not   work as efficiently. Placement ; Selection Placement and selection are both important factors to be considered   when assessing conflicts between human resources.This can be caused   by a many number of things such as, if a new employee has been   recruited into the business and as soon as he starts work the business    puts him as a manager, but there has been someone there working with   the business for 20 years and has worked his way up the hierarchy to   become assistant manager to the manager before and was looking to fill   in the place of manager but this new recruit has just filled that   place, the business will expect them to work together, but they will   be conflicts between the two managers. WagesOne-function employees might get paid more for the same job that   another functions employees are doing. This will cause friction   between the functions as pay is a high motivation factor in how   efficiently the staff work. Training/Costs Training and costs are a major conflict factor as they contribute a   lot to the efficiency of the function, for example if a function has   better training and training facilities they will be able to work more   efficiently. As apposed to a function who has little money to spend on training and bad training facilities, this wi ll result in poor   training throughout the function and poor efficiently.Performance Management Performance management is the systematic process by which an agency   involves its employees, as individuals and members of a group, in   improving organizational effectiveness in the accomplishment of agency   mission and goals. The revisions made in 1995 to the Government wide performance   appraisal and awards regulations support sound management principles. Great care was taken to ensure that the requirements those regulations   establish would complement and not conflict with the kinds of   activities and actions practiced in effective organisations as a   matter of course.Planning In an effective organization, work is planned out in advance. Planning   means setting performance expectations and goals for groups and   individuals to channel their efforts toward achieving organizational   objectives. Getting employees involved in the planning process will   he lp them understand the goals of the organization, what needs to be   done, why it needs to be done, and how well it should be done. The regulatory requirements for planning employees' performance   include establishing the elements and standards of their performance   appraisal plans.Performance elements and standards should be   measurable, understandable, verifiable, equitable, and achievable. Through critical elements, employees are held accountable as   individuals for work assignments or responsibilities. Employee   performance plans should be flexible so that they can be adjusted for   changing program objectives and work requirements. When used   effectively, these plans can be beneficial working documents that are   discussed often, and not merely paperwork that is filed in a drawer   and seen only when ratings of record are required. Monitoring ———-In an effective organization, assignments and projects are monitored   continually. Monitoring well means consistently measuring performance   and providing ongoing feedback to employees and work groups on their   progress toward reaching their goals. Regulatory requirements for monitoring performance include conducting   progress reviews with employees where their performance is compared   against their elements and standards. Ongoing monitoring provides the   opportunity to check how well employees are meeting predetermined   standards and to make changes to unrealistic or problematic standards.And by monitoring continually, unacceptable performance can be   identified at any time during the appraisal period and assistance   provided to address such performance rather than wait until the end of   the period when summary rating levels are assigned. DEVELOPING ———- In an effective organization, employee developmental needs are   evaluated and addressed. Developing in this instance means increasing   the capacity to perform through training, giving assignments that   introduce new skills or higher levels of responsibility, improving   work processes, or other methods.Providing employees with training   and developmental opportunities encourages good performance,   strengthens job-related skills and competencies, and helps employees   keep up with changes in the workplace, such as the introduction of new   technology. Carrying out the processes of performance management provides an   excellent opportunity to identify developmental needs. During planning   and monitoring of work, deficiencies in performance become evident and   can be addressed. Areas for improving good performance also stand out,   and action can be aken to help successful employees improve even   further. RATING —— From time to time, organizations find it useful to summarize employee   performance. This can be helpful for looking at and comparing   performance over time or among various employee s. Organizations need   to know who their best performers are. Within the context of formal performance appraisal requirements,   rating means evaluating employee or group performance against the   elements and standards in an employee's performance plan and assigning   a summary rating of record.The rating of record is assigned according   to procedures included in the organization's appraisal program. It is   based on work performed during an entire appraisal period. The rating   of record has a bearing on various other personnel actions, such as   granting within-grade pay increases and determining additional   retention service credit in a reduction in force, although group   performance may have an impact on an employee's summary rating, a   rating of record is assigned only to an individual, not to a group. Rewarding ——— In an effective organization, rewards are used well.Rewarding means   recognizing employees, individually and as members of groups, for   their performance and acknowledging their contributions to the   agency's mission. A basic principle of effective management is that   all behaviour is controlled by its consequences. Those consequences   can and should be both formal and informal and both positive and   negative. Good performance is recognized without waiting for nominations for   formal awards to be solicited. Recognition is an ongoing, natural part   of day-to-day experience. A lot of the actions that reward good   performance – ike saying â€Å"Thank you† – don't require a specific   regulatory authority. Nonetheless, awards regulations provide a broad   range of forms that more formal rewards can take, such as cash, time   off, and many no monetary items. The regulations also cover a variety   of contributions that can be rewarded, from suggestions to group   accomplishments. Managing Performance Effectively ———— ——————– In effective organizations, managers and employees have been   practicing good performance management naturally all their lives,   executing each key component process well. Goals are set and work is   planned routinely.Progress toward those goals is measured and   employees get feedback. High standards are set, but care is also taken   to develop the skills needed to reach them. Formal and informal   rewards are used to recognize the behaviour and results that   accomplish the mission. All five-component processes working together   and supporting each other achieve natural, effective performance   management. THEORIES OF MOTIVATION Writers such as FW Taylor (1856 – 1915) believed workers would be   motivated by obtaining the highest possible wages through working in   the most efficient / productive way.In short, the more money you   offer the worker, the more motivated they will be to work. Ta ylor,   identified as the Father of Scientific Management, was obsessed with   optimising efficiency and productivity in all areas of life. (Whilst   out walking he would attempt to ascertain the optimum length of stride   required to cover a distance! ). His most well known research focused   on scientifically analysing the tasks performed by workers, and it is   through these studies that we can understand Taylor's approach to   motivation of the worker.Through the scientific study of work Taylor sought to enable the   worker to achieve the maximum level of output, and in return gain the   maximum financial reward for their labour. The best way to pay a   worker according to Taylor was on a performance related basis. In one   study he looked at the work of steel workers, and by identifying the   optimum load of coal per shovel, which would enable the worker to lift   the maximum tonnage each day, the steel works plant reduced its   workforce from 600 to 140.The reward for those workers lucky enough   to keep their jobs – 60% higher wages if they met their scientifically   calculated targets for the week, by following the instructions laid   down by Taylor, on how to do their jobs. Unfortunately, the way in which Taylor appeared to view the ‘worker'   as just a pair of hands, and the job losses, which seemed to follow   him round the companies he advised, labelled Taylor as ‘The Enemy of   the Worker'. In truth, F. W. Taylor only sought to enable the worker to   reach their full earning potential, and honestly believed his work was   in the best interests of the worker.Subsequent motivational theorists have pointed to Taylor's limited   appreciation of the fact that ‘workers' are you and me – people,   complex individuals, with heads and hearts – and not just simple pairs   of hands. This said, Taylor's ideas are just as prevalent today as   they were in the early 1900s , consider the current wave of dot. com   start-ups, which offer large share options to their staff, and thus   the potential for huge financial rewards in the future, if they work   hard now. There is no escaping the fact that money is still a central   reason why people work, but is it the key to motivating people.

Vestas in Russia

Vestas in Russia Introduction For my exam project in International Business Environment I have chosen to write about the Danish cooperate Vestas Wind Systems A/S (referred to as Vestas throughout the paper). Vestas is the world’s largest producer of wind turbines and in addition to this it is also the leading company when it comes to green technology regarding wind energy . Vestas not only serves the Danish domestic market, but the company is also present on several foreign markets in other parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and North and South America. With over 22. 00 employees spread over 35 countries Vestas is categorized as being a multinational cooperation. As for the market of entry I have chosen The Russian Federation (referred to as Russia throughout the paper). Vestas has not yet entered the Russian market so my exam project will be a hypothetical one. One could question why a global actor like Vestas not already has entered a market with so big opportunities a s Russia, but along with visions for great profit comes the reality of great risks and challenges as well. Russia is a vast market for windmills taking the size of the country and the climate debate into perspective.The country is the fourth largest consumer of electricity in the world , but lack of technology hinder Russia to produce it in a climate friendly way. The relevance of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol is at its highest and Russia has expressed great will to find sustainable solutions for its large electricity consumption. Companies capable of exploiting such market are in position for massive gains. This is however easier said than done. Denmark and Russia differ on several aspects of their countries’ structures and Danish companies planning on doing business in Russia hence carefully have to consider these differences.In this paper I will first describe and motivate the entry strategy of Vestas by using John Dunning’s OLI-framework . In this context I wil l argue why more advanced forms of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) are appropriate for Vestas when entering Russia. Furthermore I will analyze the differences between Vestas’ home market conditions in Denmark, and the conditions of the target market, Russia, regarding adjustments in the marketing mix. To illuminate this section I will use E. Jerome McCarthy’s principle of the four P’s .Lastly I will summarize the above mentioned and discuss the best internationalization strategy for Vestas. Vestas’ competitiveness In order to describe and motivate the entry strategy of Vestas I will outline the advantages based on John H. Dunning’s OLI-framework. Although Vestas already has expanded into many different countries with regards to different culture, political systems and business systems it is not always suitable to use the same entry strategy although the firm is the same in every case. O – Ownership advantage: Vestas’ competitive advan tageThe O in Dunning’s OLI-framework of specific advantages deals with the Ownership advantage. To expand into new markets Vestas has to be in possession of something that gives the company an advantage compared to its competitors. Vestas has a clear ownership advantage first and foremost in form of its technology and know-how. Denmark has exploited wind energy since 1850s with the purpose of making agriculture more efficient. In the beginning of the 1970s the oil crisis influenced Denmark as well, and to avoid another economic breakdown the Danish government searched for an alternative energy industry.Vestas had already done R&D (Research and development) and tried out the construction of windmills since 1971. However they first entered the market in 1979 with a licensed windmill. In the development of the required technology, subsidy from the government and research on RISO (The National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy) has had a vast significance for Vestas, enabling it to play the leading role it does today. Besides the support from the government, Denmark has a highly skilled labor force, which of course also adds to Vests’ ownership advantage.Nevertheless as Lars Andersen (Managing Director of Vestas’ Sales) mentions, it is not only the technology and the skilled employees that give Vestas an ownership advantage: â€Å"However, it also has to do with our ability to deliver on time, the fact that things work from day one, and, in particular, the fact that we fulfill customers’ expectations for a good, reliable return on their investment. In other words, we are not simply selling a wind turbine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Vestas does not only manufacture and sell the wind turbines, it also provides installation and subsequent after-sales-service, which not many Russian competitors can match.Vestas is, in addition to the above mentioned, a multinational company with more than 30 years of experience and is therefore in a greater position tha n later emerged firms. Vestas is on top of this a world-known and respected brand with focus on quality and is represented in 35 countries spread out all over the world. The company has the largest market share, 24,8% , of the global market, which again places Vestas in a favorable situation when it comes to taking advantage of for instance the experience curve. L – Location advantageThe L in Dunning’s OLI-framework deals with the location advantage. Saying there should be an advantage for Vestas for doing business in Russia as a location for export or more advanced forms of FDI. Russia is geographically an enormous country (covers over 17 million square miles) and includes areas with a very low population density. These areas have great potential for windmill parks and the coastal areas of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the vast steppes and the mountains are the areas of highest potential.On the other hand it would also be favorable to place the wind energy system in regions where there is an existing power infrastructure and major industrial consumers. Areas, which fulfill these requirements, are the steppes along the Volga River, the northern Caucasus Mountains and various locations in Siberia including the Chukotka Peninsula in the Magadan region . Chukotka Peninsula is especially to prefer, because of its already existing hydropower stations, which could be used to compensate for the possible intermittent wind power.Another location advantage for Vestas is the fact that the Russian population is the fourth largest consumer of electricity in the world. Hence there is a demand for Vestas’ products and in particular when taking the Russian will to reduce greenhouse emission into consideration. Russia is willing to play an active role regarding the improvement of the global heating problem. The country has already reached its commitment stated in the Kyoto-protocol, but the Russian president Dmitri Medvedev declares that Russia â€Å"wou ld try to reduce greenhouse emissions by 25% by 2020. † The quotation signals a will from the government o find more sustainable solutions for production in Russia, and because Vestas does â€Å"business to business† and â€Å"business to government† commerce, it is of great importance with prospect for government interest and support. In this setting it is worth mentioning that The Ministry of The Russian Federation has published â€Å"The 2020 Energy Strategy†, which describes how to reach the new goal by prioritizing, among other things, ecological energy security through energy policy. In addition to the above-mentioned advantages of Russia as a location for Vestas’ expansion come the possibilities of reducing the overall production costs.As it is with most emerging markets, like Russia, wages are lower than in more developed markets like Denmark. Hence by moving production to Russia Vestas would be able to compete on both quality and price, alt hough their main focus most likely would be on quality . The location advantage is even greater when taking into consideration that there are no real national or international competitive competitors settled in the market yet, hence there is a possibility of a first mover advantage for Vestas as well.Notable is nevertheless also the risk for a first-mover disadvantage in terms of costs and risks when preparing the market for the ‘new’ product. I – Internationalization advantage If Vestas expanded into Russia it would strengthen its position of being â€Å"No. 1 in Modern Energy†, which was Vestas’ slogan before the recent switch to: †Wind. It means the world to us†. Furthermore if Vestas gained the first mover advantage it would give the company control over one of the worlds biggest markets. The internationalization advantage is gained in form of a proper entry mode.The chosen entry mode is of great advantage if it is selected in accord ance to Vestas’ now described ownership advantage and Russia’s location advantages. Vestas’ main ownership advantage is their know-how and technology while the location advantage of Russia primarily are the huge market possibilities and the government’s positive attitude towards renewable energy sources. What remains is, which type of entry mode that exploits both Vestas’ ownership advantage and Russia’s location advantage?Would licensing or exporting be the best-suited entry mode or should Vestas take greater risks and do more advanced FDI? Vestas wants to keep their know-how, but by pursuing a licensing entry mode, spillovers will occur. Vestas would have little control over production, giving possibilities for competitors to emerge and quickly become as efficient as Vestas. Exporting is neither a favorable entry for Vestas. The transportation costs are extremely high, when it comes to the final products. Each piece of the windmill weights approximately 250 tons and thus not suited for export.Other obstacles for the export as an entry mode are the protectionist policies and Russian trade barriers as for instance high tariffs. Vestas would have to pay up to 20% tariff + an additional charge (Value Added Tax) of another 18%, making a total of 38% for exporting its products into Russia. Russia ranks 162 out of 183 countries on the list of ease to do cross border trading with. To compare, Denmark ranks 6 which means that the products produced expensively in Denmark becomes more expensive by being exported to Russia.This situation will of course change if Russia gets its membership in the WTO, but this is not yet achieved. To sum up Vestas needs to move in with plants in Russia and with more advanced FDI to protect its know-how asset and to stay competitive. There are two options for this being either a joint venture or a wholly owned subsidiary. The most obvious solution would be the wholly owned subsidiary, where Vestas could protect its know-how by owning 100 % of the stocks. On the other hand there is a time perspective to consider as well.Siemens, one of Vestas German competitors, have recently announced plans on moving into the Russian market on a large scale . Setting up a wholly owned subsidiary as a green field venture takes a lot of time and the alternative of an acquisition is not an option since Vestas has core values and does not want to take over existing operating routines and enterprise culture. Another aspect, which is important to these considerations, is the fact that corruption and bureaucracy, which makes connections and personal relations very important for success, mark Russian business.Setting up a joint venture with a local firm solves this problem for Vestas, since Vestas would benefit from the partner’s country specific knowledge of culture, language, political systems, business systems and local connections. A joint venture is at the same time a less risky (capital vise) and less time-demanding entry mode, than a wholly owned entry mode, which Vestas needs to take into considerations in order to prevent falling behind Siemens. The major disadvantage of choosing a joint venture is of course the risk of spillover, eading to future competitors. On the other hand it is possible to construct the joint venture to minimize this risk. Vestas needs to engage in a joint venture where it owns the majority of the cooperation and thus is able to remain control. One might argue that it would be difficult to find a company, which would accept to own minority of the joint venture, but taken the undeveloped market into consideration, it should not be a huge problem. There are only a few local firms in the windmill industry in Russia.All of these would most likely be interested in boosting their profit (value creation) and it is not an unattractive offer to join the world leading windmill cooperate in a first mover attempt with prospect of a significant future market share in the Russian market. The joint venture and expansion of Vestas would also have to be on a large scale to be able to capture demand, establish a strong brand name and realize economies of scale. This would no matter what be an ideal opportunity for any local producer in Russia, although they would have to accept Vestas owning the majority of the joint venture.Differences and adjustments There are several aspects where the Russian market conditions differ from the Danish market conditions. These are necessary to look at in order to outline the needed adjustments for Vestas’ marketing mix. Differences in market conditions When comparing Russia and Denmark regarding the ease to do business in, it is very clear that there is a vast gap between the two. According to a survey by The World Bank, Denmark ranks 6 whereas Russia ranks 120 out of 183 countries (1 being the easiest country to do business in).I could therefore point at several diverging market conditions, b ut because of limitations of this paper I have chosen to focus on the following four: Infrastructure, climate, GDP per capita and the level of corruption. One might argue that ‘climate’ is not of great importance when speaking of market conditions, but in my opinion it is a very significance factor in this case concerning the marketing mix, which I will elaborate on in the following section. Infrastructure is important for Vestas when it comes to distribution of the company’s products.When looking at infrastructure in Russia and Denmark the most noteworthy factor is distances and terrain. Russia is the largest country in the world covering 11 time zones and it does not entail deep analysis to conclude that it requires great coordinated logistic to create a well functional infrastructure. This has for several of reasons not yet succeeded for Russia and the country’s infrastructure is hence very fragmented. An uneven terrain with low population density and n ature impediments as rivers and mountains has hindered buildings of proper roads and connections, which have a great influence on Vestas’ ease of doing business.Because of the enormous extent of Russia, the climate varies a lot from the coasts to the mid-country and from the west (Europe side) to the east (Asian side). The temperature fluctuates between the extremes of -65  °C in the winters and +40 °C in the summers. The wind is an important factor to look at in this case as well, because Russia possesses areas with all degrees (categorized as: Low, medium and high) of wind power. The climate differences is thus of great importance regarding Vestas’ product differentiation. Moving focus to the more economic orientated difference in market conditions is the GDP per capita (PPP).Russia’s GDP per capita is low compared to Denmark’s. According to the ranking done by International Monetary Fond, Russia ranks 51 in contrast to Denmark’s ranking as 1 7th . This means that Russian consumers, including the government and large enterprises, have less purchasing power compared to the Danish consumers. Little purchasing power could be an obstacle for Vestas. If consumers don’t have much money to spend, they would most likely not have the mental surplus to think of the environmental dimension by burning fossil fuels.If generating electricity the cheapest and easiest means exploiting fossil fuels, this is what they will do. However higher purchasing power (higher GDP per capita) results in the means to be able to prioritize such things as future global environment. Looking at the energy produced in Russia, over 60% of the electricity generated is based on gas- and coal power whereas less than 1% of the electricity generated is based on renewable energy production . In contrast stands Denmark, where wind power alone in 2008 generated 18,9% of the Danish electricity demand .The growth in GDP per capita in Russia was before the eco nomic crisis, around 7-8% . This is promising for Vestas as a continuous high growth in GDP per capita means a more developed economy, higher purchasing power and therefore increased interest in products like the ones Vestas offers. The fourth difference I have chosen to outline is the high level of corruption in Russia. Russia ranks number 146, whereas Denmark ranks number 2 (1 being the less corrupt) in the Corruption Perceptions Index (2009) made by Transparency International.Vestas has no power to end corruption by itself, so instead it should focus on how to deal with it in business situations. Adjustments in marketing mix: The four P’s I will use E. Jerome McCarthy’s principle of the four P’s: Place, Product, Price and Promotion to analyze the needed adjustments for Vestas’ marketing mix. The four differences (infrastructure, climate, energy production and level of corruption) described in the previous section are all differences that affect these a djustments. The †p† concerning the place (distribution) deals with how to get the product to the consumer.It would be obvious to discuss adjustments to retail concentration, channel length, channel exclusivity and channel quality, but selling Vestas’ products is not like selling jeans or other regular consumer goods. There is no distribution channel, or at least it is very short, because Vestas sells directly to the customer, being government or large enterprises. However the undeveloped infrastructure, as outlined as a big difference between the Danish market conditions and the Russian market conditions, is of great importance for Vestas’ delivery to its customers.Vestas’ products require stable roads (due to heavy weight and size) and connections to the best set-up areas. The infrastructure is best around Moscow and St. Petersburg, due to big business, but this is not necessarily the best location for Vestas’ production. As mentioned before the best set-up areas are the vast steppes along the Volga River, the Caucasus Mountains and locations in Siberia. In Denmark Vestas can easily get around to all parts of the country, but Russia’s huge distances and the uneven terrain in many areas do acquire adjustments.Vestas carefully have to reconsider where to place the facilities of production to minimize transportation costs, and not to forget, maximize availability. This might require compromises in form of set-ups in optimal and less optimal wind areas. To do this Vestas has to deliver wind turbines that also are able to exploit the low winds and Vestas thus has to adjust its products to the Russian climate conditions. Other adjustments are necessary for the turbines to manage the before mentioned freezing winters with temperatures down to -65  °C and the hot summers with temperatures up to +40 °C.The turbines should be able to function all year round to be attractive to customers. Vestas has to differentiate the turbines to match these standards compared to the standards in Denmark, where weather conditions don’t differ as much. In other words, Vestas’ product differentiation is necessary to encounter pressure for local responsiveness and thus reach its customers. The customer segment that Vestas tries to reach is a narrow segment consisting of the government and maybe a few other large enterprises, which would be interested in promoting a green profile.The government and the large businesses would, as most customers, be concerned about price. To match Russia’s rank regarding the low GDP per capita, Vestas would have to make an adjustment in form of lower prices. Price is however not the main focus for Vestas . Quality and safety is their top priority, but of course they would be able to take advantage of the lower labor costs in Russia and thus lower the overall production costs. Vestas could however use strategic pricing in form of experience curve pricing to gain ma rket share and relations to the large customers before competitors emerge.This could be rewarding because of the promising growth in Russia’s GDP per capita, which presents better future market conditions for Vestas’ products. Vestas should at the same time stress that setting up windmills is an investment that might require lots of capital as a starting point, but in the long-term perspective it would be worth it. Today Russia is self-sufficient in terms of energy . However the supply of fossil fuels is diminishing and the demand for it is increasing. Investing in wind power would be a possible way for Russia to stay self-sufficient in the future.Left remains the question of how to communicate all this to Vestas’ customers? When choosing a promotion strategy Vestas has to adjust its approach to the above described high level of corruption. One way of doing this is by having the right connections; knowing the right people. As previous mentioned I would suggest V estas to pursue an entry mode of a joint venture and thereby gain the advantage of local relationships, which could help Vestas to get around the bureaucracy. On the other hand it is of paramount importance that Vestas ‘stay clean’.If Vestas in any way gets associated with any form for corruption, it will have tremendous consequences not only for the domestic market, but also for the global market that Vestas operates in. In accordance to the entry mode I would suggest Vestas to practice a push strategy. It would be a waste of resources to communicate through mass media to vast private consumer segments, to which Vestas’ products have no interest. Vestas’ communication should be directly orientated at the small customer segment, previous outlined.Personal selling, exploiting the local partner’s ability to speak the local language, perhaps supported by additional informative products to be handed out and an enlightening webpage is the best way for Ve stas to reach its potential customers. Vestas’ internationalization strategy In the last part of this paper I will sum up and describe the best internationalization strategy for Vestas when entering the Russian market. Throughout the paper I have concluded that now is a good time for Vestas to enter the Russian market, because of prospects for government interest and support and no real competitors settled in the market yet.Hence Vestas has an opportunity for a first-mover advantage, but only if they enter the market on a large scale. Entering on a large scale is associated with greater risks and costs, but taken the growth in GDP per capita and the decreasing amount of fossil fuels into considerations, it is most likely that Vestas in the long-term perspective will secure massive gains from having established the contacts and its own brand in an early phase.I have already argued that I find a joint venture the most appropriate form of entry mode for Vestas. Forming a joint v enture with the right partner, a partner that has agreed to Vestas’ way of doing business e. g. no corruption, is the best way to remain in control, but still benefit from local knowledge, which is of great value because of the different market conditions compared to Denmark. Due to these different market conditions, Vestas also has to adjust its marketing mix.The most important adjustments would be: Reconsideration of production locations concerning infrastructure impediments, product differentiation and the use of a push communication strategy with help from the chosen partner’s local advantages. There is no doubt about the difficulties a global actor faces. A company like Vestas carefully needs to consider every aspect of a business opportunity to prepare for an expansion into a new market.Vestas operates all over the world where it has to respond to pressures for local responsiveness and pressures for cost reductions. There is a pressure for local responsiveness in Russia due to the geography and the political system. The question is, if this pressure is low or high? I would categorize it as being in between. The pressure is not low since the expansion requires considerable adjustments in the marketing mix, but the pressure is on the other hand neither as high as pressure for local responsiveness for e. g. lothes or cars. Concerning the pressure for cost reduction it is necessary to take a look at Vestas competitors in the Russian market. At the time being, there are not many, but as mentioned before Siemens is planning on moving in. In addition to this, many Asian competitors have emerged in China as well and might constitute future competition. I would therefore say that pressure for cost reduction in Russia at the time being is low, but in the near future this pressure will definitely increase due to the above explained.Vestas could enter with a location strategy or an international strategy, in accordance to the low pressure for local res ponsiveness, but if the company wants to prepare itself to face upcoming aggressive competitors it might be strategic wise to enter with a transnational strategy already at this point. Pursuing such strategy will as well benefit the information flow between Vestas subsidiaries and between the subsidiaries and the home country, which is necessary for sharing one of Vestas’ core competences: know-how.If Vestas not only is able to take advantage of the outlined possibilities but at the same time adjust and respond to the described impediments, it has great opportunities to grasp large profits and at the same time remain competitive in perspective of the Russian market as well as the global market. References The paper is based on classes in International Business Environment plus the beneath listed Book: Hill Charles WL, International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace, 8th edition

Creative story Essay

What is creative story? In general, creative story is writing which expresses the writer’s thoughts and feelings in an imaginative way. The key elements of a creative story include characters, theme, setting, plot, structure, complication, crisis, and resolution. Characters are tour guides who lead the readers into the fantastic world created by the writer and theme is what the writer wants to show to the readers. Setting is important in making the story â€Å"real† and creating the atmosphere. Plot is something that happens to the characters and structure shows how the writer develops the story. Complication and crisis make the story tenser and more interesting. Resolution ends up the story. To write a creative story, I will follow the four stages of writing. First, I will write an attention-catching opening to introduce the characters, location and setting. Followed by, I will build up tension and conflicts to make the story more exciting. Then, the story reaches its climax. Finally, the characters sort out the problem and the story comes to an end. In the writing, I will use figurative language like similes, metaphors, personification and hyperbole. These can make my story alive and help the reader visualize a clearer image by comparing it to something that they are familiar with. I think it’s important to â€Å"think out of the border† when writing a creative story. Everything can happen in a creative story like an alien attacks people or a school suddenly disappears. Moreover, I will enjoy the process of writing and express my thoughts and feelings to the readers through my story.

Social Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Social Performance - Essay Example People in the same set of business ventures rarely come together not for merriment and diversion but for scheme against the public (Paul and Elder, 2006). Briefly describe your company and then benchmark the codes of conduct used by similar companies in the industry. Critique the codes of conduct of at least three (3) similar companies in order to write codes for your company. Bp is a company that specializes in the installation of solar powered streetlights contracted in the lighting of streets due to the increased insecurity resulting from poor lighting in most areas. Valmont industries specializes in producing lighting materials and according to Mogens Bay, ethics is the driver of an organization. The company tries to embrace a family mode of operation in the industry where each one in the organization treats as an equal. Ethics is how you treat your fellow employees and not only making decisions ethically (Bay). Employees need to be treated with compassion but the compassion has to be limited to achieve the set goals, as some duties need an override of ethics for them to be achieved. Advanced lighting technologies observe the importance and significance of ethics within its corporate governance program. Rules regarding persons and peer responsibility embody the ethics code as well as their responsibilities to the company, stakeholders, and public. The company requires individuals to demonstrate honest at all times by avoiding personal or professional conflicts. Provision of accurate, complete, relevant, and timely information to the constituents (public, stakeholders) is a requirement. A company should preserve some information from the eyes of the public and competitors, as an insight to every happening in the company is critical to the growth and achievement of its set goals. The company requires all its employees to comply with rules and regulations of the land (federal, state, provincial, and local government). General Electronics embraces ethics

The early and modern views of human variation Essay

The early and modern views of human variation - Essay Example The primordial view on human variations explains that races emanate from past anthropological connections. Cavalli-Sforza (pp.54) argues that in the past, color was the only form of distinction that humans understood. For instance, the Egyptians are a notable group of people who distinguished humans on the basis of their color. According to them, all the people who came from the east were yellow, whites from the north and blacks from the south. Other analysts from the past argue that, races emanated from climatic changes that affected the skin color of many individuals. With the changes in climate, human beings began evolving into different races, in regards to the characteristics in their respective milieu. On the other hand, modern analysts argue that human characteristics can be discussed through a study of biological characteristics of the individuals. The innate characteristics of individuals cannot be alienated from the biological make up of these individuals. There is a great likelihood that race is linked with color, that is biologically oriented. On a social view, race has been indicated to be biologically real (Stringer, pp.566). It is through race therefore, that societies have been categorized into various groups. In as much, that primeval analysts argue that race is not real, modern analysts believe that racism is inborn just like intelligence. As time progressed, the views of anthropological researchers changed a great mile. With time, taxonomies were discovered which explained the human varieties through biological determinism. Stringer (pp.570) argues that the clinical model is the best approach towards understanding of race. This model describes the genetically inherited attributes in individuals. This model discusses the factual nature of variations in biological characteristics, inclusive of color variations. Essentially, modern analysts argue that human variations are resultant from

Women and Decency in Islamic Culture Literature review

Women and Decency in Islamic Culture - Literature review Example According to the study conducted the story â€Å"Saudi in Bikini† opens debate into a question of cultural relativity as a being responsible for many cases of abuse on human rights. Such abuse, he presents, have been knit strongly into religion and way of life such that the abused never really get to see anything wrong with the practice. Kristof’s story may be seen through the prism of Plato’s Cave where ignorance and lack of exposure play a critical role in determining the manner in which people perceive realities and illusions. His work presents that whereas many women in Islamic culture are truly oppressed, they remain under the illusion that all is well. That is particularly so since their understanding of what is right is still limited within the oppressive definition of Sharia Law that gives no liberty to women. Many women around the world face cultural oppression that has been indoctrinated in the society such that not all of them would see such practices as instances of oppression. When Kristof observes that women in Saudi Arabia have to walk around in abayas (black cloaks), he, like many people, cannot help to wonder why culture has to put women to go such lengths. Although the culture leaves the women at liberty to choose what they put on, the choices are greatly narrowed down. One cannot help but wonder from the fact that many Middle East countries are very hot, women have to endure much discomfort to remain culturally relevant or acceptable. Only the face and hands are left out.

Holiday decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Holiday decision making - Essay Example Background It is arguable that the largest intervening sub-sector in the decision-making process of consumers is family influence. Marketers exhibit interest in the relative influence and the roles that the wife, children, and husband have on how a large variety of services and products are purchased. A family tends to make joint decisions regarding its vacations and holidays. There has been a tendency for previous studies to focus on the making of decisions involving wife and husband, and spousal interpersonal conflict, instead of the family unit in entirety including children. Previous research conducted on holidays mentions a limitation in light of not considering what impact children can make on the decisions made by families, in addition to the great use they have in demographic segmentation. This is therefore an area of research that is particularly underexplored and requires some investigation. Research question What are the factors that influence a family’s decision ab out where to go on holiday, and what is the relative importance of these factors? Literature review Decision factor Individual family members regularly serve different decision roles that ultimately function to draw on shared family resources. Some of the individuals are information holders/gatherers, and see out information pertaining products that are of relevance to their family. Often, these individuals carry a great deal of power owing to the fact that they may ultimately pass on information that tends to favor the alternatives they have chosen. As such, influencers are one primal component that underpins the consumer decisions of the family regarding holiday decision making. It is not an ultimatum that influencers possess the power to make decisions between alternatives (Belch, Belch, & Ceresino 2005). They however make their wishes well known by requesting for specific products, or espousing embarrassing situations in the event that their demands are met. Decision makers poss ess the power of determining issues such as: Whether to purchase What product to purchase What brand to purchase When to purchase; and Where to purchase it It is however worth noting that the roles of the decision maker and the purchaser are separate. From the marketer’s point of view, this tends to introduce some problems in that the purchaser may be targeted by marketing efforts allied to the point of purchase (POP), which cannot be directed at the decision maker. It is also imperative to note that there might be a blurred distinction between the purchaser and the decision-maker: The decision maker can possibly specify the kind of product to purchase, but not the brand; There may be need for the purchaser to make a substitution in the event that the desired brand is out of stock; The purchaser might possibly disregard instructions (deliberately or by error). It is worth noting that decisions made by families are in most instances subject to a lot of conflict. The incumbent reality is that very few families possess sufficient wealth to avert strong tension between the demands pegged on a family’s resources. There is high likelihood of conflicting pressure in families that have children, or/and in the event that it is only one spouse who works outside the home (Chavda,, Haley, & Dunn 2005.). Most of the decisions are inherently associated with values, and an objective way of

Sustainable Development Through Green Growth Research Paper

Sustainable Development Through Green Growth - Research Paper Example This study discusses that lack of environmental sustainability could .consequence into water scarcity, air pollution, restricted access to the availability of limited natural resources, and even the danger of more regular severe climate conditions and remarkable climatic modifications. Such environmental impacts will put economic development and sustainability at danger of an unduly high share of the burden on the humanity. Insufficient environmental sustainability will mostly affect the poor economies which still have not been able to develop in many parts of the world. Â  From this paper it is clear that the research should start with finding relevant sources of information and previous studies on topics of environmental sustainability. Other foundation activities must include the identification of possible global organizations and contributors who has helped or is presently helping the act of sustainability through rigorous efforts. Such stakeholders may include the list of infor mation users, labor representatives, business associations, civil society organizations, and experts. Keeping in mind that a balance needs to be established between different stakeholder groups and regions covered under the study. If the study focuses on a particular region in USA, then other developing economies like Africa and its environmental sustainability aspects might get ignored. Hence, following the background of the research and the literature review.

Management Assignment 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Assignment 2 - Research Paper Example A car manufacturing plant can produce roughly around 10% of the automobile demand of the whole industry. But with this level of output, a company also needs high level of sales promotion and dealership. In order to fully sale the produced output, the Dassan Limited will need to start the advertising campaign on a very large scale. This strategy will decrease the cost per unit of automobile. Generally the buyers prefer to deal with large and reputable manufacturers and dealers. Such a big network of credible dealers requires a large amount of investment in the automobile industry. Dealers also want to deal with big names and companies have to make a considerable effort at the time of establishing a company. There are currently three big players in the Australian Automobile industry. Ford Australia, GM Holding Ltd and Toyota Motors Corporation Australia are the only three large scale automobile manufacturers in Australia. Ford Australia is one of the subsidiaries of the Ford Motor Company and established in Victoria in 1925. The company also operates Ford Performance Vehicles which is an in-house tuning division. In 1856, the GM holding was formed as a saddlery business but became a subsidiary of GM Motors later in 1931. Holden has offered many locally manufactured vehicles like Holden Commodore to the domestic market. Holden also operates an in-house tuning division known as Holden Special Vehicles. Toyota Motor Corporation Australia is a subsidiary of Japan based Toyota Motors Corporation. Toyota Australia promotes and manages their products in Australian market specially motorsport. The automobile manufacturing company needs high capital and labor to start up. As the Dassan Ltd is trying to establish itself in another country, it needs foreign exchange. Although geographically Australia is located near Korea but it is inaccessible through land so Dassan Ltd either can not utilize its previous expertise and resources or has to endure high

Illustrate and discuss with examples the law of diminishing returns Essay

Illustrate and discuss with examples the law of diminishing returns - Essay Example Cannan (1981) says that while the great British economist Malthus has been given a large part of the credit for discovering this law, it was Turgot who actually considered it in its application to the field of agriculture. Turgot writes that: â€Å"Where ordinary good cultivation prevails, the annual advances bring in 250 to the hundred, it is more than probable that if the advances were increased by degrees from this point up to that at which they would bring in nothing, each increment would be less and less fruitful (Cannan, 1981, Pg. 74)†. The law of diminishing returns was likened by Turgot to a spring which is forced to stretch due to the load of weights on it. As more and more weights are added to the spring, the relative extension starts decreasing until there comes a point where no further extension can be made to the spring (Cannan, 1981). The ideas given by Turgot can be simplified by using his own agricultural example but giving it a more modern complexion. For instance, given that we know that x amount of seed in one hectare of land would produce 3y of crop, we could assume that doubling the amount of seed would produce 2(3y) of crop i.e. 6y, if everything else remains the same. However, once the amount of seed is doubled, the output crop may not be exactly double and we could end up with a crop which is equal to 4y or 5y. If the amount of seed was further increased to 3x the returning crop amount could be 4.5 y or even less. In this manner, the marginal return from each additional unit of seed would become lesser and lesser until the marginal result would become close to zero. Even though it was Turgot who suggested the ideas behind this law of economics, Malthus popularized the concept with his Essay on the Principle of Population which was published in 1798 and discussed many different economic concepts (Cannan,

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Marlows lie Essay

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Marlows lie - Essay Example Marlow’s lie is in the focus of further discussion on the example of his interpretations of Kurtz’s phenomenon. He claims that he does not lie, though he confirms that there were three cases when he lied: the station manager, Kurtz and the Intended heard wrong things from Marlow (Stape, 2004). Marlow lies throughout the novel though contextual background of the novel differs greatly. He is thrown back and forth from savage customs identification and civilized behavior distinction. His further ideas and behavior are developed under conditions of blurred borders between noise of savage and civilization: â€Å"Yet despite Marlow’s insistence, all binary oppositions collapse in the course of his narrative: colonists prove to be conquerors, the gang of virtue is indistinguishable from the gang of greed, the illusions of women merely echo the illusions of men, and there is no clear distinction between lies and truth† (Kaplan 1997, p. 323). This way, Marlowâ€⠄¢s attitude to lie can be interpreted in these frames. Moreover, his acts of lying can be considered on three main backgrounds: his desire to preserve his own ideas about Kurtz, lie as an act of humanity and lie as a means of reality hindrance. Marlow’s lie: lie for what? Generally speaking, Marlow is a complicated and interesting character depicted in the novel. The author intentionally contrasts a human nature to black background. Maybe, Conrad’s intention was to show the darkness of human inner world and not the darkness of African continent: â€Å"The monstrous prevails and the human and artistic potential miscarries. There is a downward tug in Kurtz's involvement with the wilderness and he descends into a brute existence† (Billy 1997, p. 26). Madness dominates in the inner world of Kurtz. Kurtz reflects a dualistic human nature. Lights and darkness exist one by one. When darkness starts prevailing, then anarchy exists everywhere. A strange and dualistic na ture of human darkness can be defined as â€Å"something strange that derives its existence from the hinterland of man's mind, as if it had emerged from the abyss of prehuman ages, or from a superhuman world of contrasting light and darkness. It is a primordial experience which surpasses man's understanding and to which in his weakness he may easily succumb" (Boyle 1964, p. 160). Marlow should not be considered as a liar. He talked about darkness of London in Roman epoch. Romans conquered Britons and Conrad talked about the Belgians conquering Africans. Generally, Conrad intended to show an inner struggle of the self within his inner world. A personified symbolism (Bloom 1987, p. 34) of the ways human soul fights against duality and lie is shown by Conrad throughout the paper. Marlow’s lie is interpreted by Brown (2004) as follows: "Despite his [Marlow's] earlier avowal of a profound aversion to lying, Marlow has already admitted to sacrificing truth to expediency on three p revious occasions" (Brown 2000, p. 14). Still, Brown’s arguments are often criticized. It is necessary to discuss what is lying for Marlow in more details. A breakdown of Marlow's character could be seen when he lied to the Intended. Marlow wanted to give a wrong impression about what happened. Marlow’s intention to give a different representation of real facts to public about himself was seen from the very beginning of the novel, when he sat like Buddha. In that case he wanted to show that he takes nothing with him, but peace. Further wanderings and adventures of Marlow revealed real intentions of this character. Therefore, lying accompanies Marlow throughout the novel. In case when he needed more rivets for his boat, he asked the brickmaker about them but did it through lying.

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay Example for Free

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay Sir William Haley once said, â€Å"Education would be so much more effective if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don’t know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it†. If students were guaranteed to leave school with knowing of what they don’t know and the desire to continue learning, the method of learning will be correct. Today’s education system does not give students the opportunity to enjoy what they are learning. The banking method, where students are empty vessels which educators must deposit knowledge into, deprives them of creativity and the desire to learn. No child is given the chance to shine and be unique. Students today are simply being placed on a conveyer belt, sorted, and then labeled according to their so called intelligence. We need an education system that provides a slower learning method, a method where you focus on what is being learned instead of zipping through it, and the freedom to make mistakes as this will electrify and stimulate students to fulfill their potential. We must recognize students as individuals and keep in mind their diverse backgrounds. In â€Å"Lives on the Boundary,† Rose states, â€Å"The canon has intended to push to the margins much of the literature of our nation: from American Indian songs and chants to immigrant fiction to working-class narratives† (100). The messages that are received from the text are crucial. The students need to be able to relate to what they have before them. One of the problems with today’s education system is we are given material to read, memorize, and expected to repeat it back at the snap of a finger. But without the ability to relate and connect with the material, the learning doesn’t take place. Everything that is read or being said is just going through one ear and out the other. By adding relatable texts, you add life to learning. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life,† Jon Spayde states, â€Å"people cannot learn what they do not love† (69). When students are reading or learning about a subject they love, they are inspired and motivated to learn more. This alone can benefit the learning process for students. It becomes much easier to grasp concepts learned in class. Today’s education system does not allow all students to thrive in their own way. It is fast paced with limited space for creativeness. We are given large amounts of information at a time and attempt to move as quickly as possible through all that we can. There is never â€Å"time† to stay longer on a topic. The instructors try their hardest to keep the pace, but this way of teaching does not benefit any student. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life†, Jon Spayde states, â€Å"†¦we are focusing far too much of our energy and resources on fast knowledge, ignoring all the richness and meaning slow knowledge adds to our lives† (68). When the focus is on just getting through the material, we are skipping over the value and richness of slow knowledge. Instead of zipping through a lesson because it needs to be done by a certain day to move onto the next, the focus needs to be on what is being learned than making a time requirement. Spayde also states, â€Å"You can figure out what you can do pretty quickly, but the ethical understanding of what you ought to do comes slowly†. We need to adopt the slow learning method, without it we are missing out on more than we think. There is so much more to learning than getting through the material, the purpose of it is to benefit and gain from it. With slow knowledge we will achieve this. One of the most important changes that needs to be done is the view on mistakes. In the article, â€Å"How to Make Mistakes,† Dennett states, â€Å"Mistakes are not just golden opportunities for learning; they are, in an important sense, the only opportunity for learning something truly new†. When fear is being put into a student to never make a mistake, their education is stunted. They lose the ability to explore and take the chance of being wrong because they are repeatedly punished for being incorrect. When a mistake is made, students will learn where they went wrong and will then grow from it. The key to progress is making mistakes. The reason we are in school is to learn, but with this opportunity taken away from students their ability to learn is ripped from their grasp. Daniel C. Dennett also states, â€Å"You should seek out opportunities to make grand mistakes, just so you can then recover from them†. Instead of using all of their energy to attempt to be perfect and run from being inaccurate, every student should look for every opportunity to be wrong. Without errors, the students can not accomplish much. If you look at Todays’ education system is in desperate need of change. No student is given the opportunity to show what they are fully capable of. Instead they are told what they can do. They are simply labeled and placed where they â€Å"should be†. But when students begin to pursue their mistakes and soak in the richness of slow knowledge, they will begin to truly learn. Maria Montessori once said, â€Å"If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of mans future. For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individuals total development lags behind? †. If many students are having difficulty learning in the method we have created ages ago, why not change it? The time is now and there is no time to waste. We must refocus this outdated system to insure that the students will have a secure future and keep the standard of living that we have today.

Personal Development Plan in Childcare

Personal Development Plan in Childcare Over the four years I have been working at various different settings as a student volunteer which include the following Private Day Cares, Primary Schools and Nursery Schools. Studying Early Childhood has given me, amongst other things, a broad knowledge of child development. It has given me an opportunity to reflect upon my own learning styles and professionalism and explore legislation, theories and research materials. I have devised a Skills Audit (See Appendix One) where I have chosen categories (taken and adapted from the UCLAN Employability Framework) to assess and grade myself against which I will be evaluating my strengths and weaknesses against the competencies. Leadership Ability Shows ability to innovate and shows initiative however lacks confidence to motivate other and shows some evidence of leadership. (See Appendix 1) Leadership is about vision and influence therefore Rodd (1998) says that Leaders are able to balance the concern for work, task, quality and productivity with concern for people, relationships, satisfaction and morale. (Isle-Buck.E: 2003). Although I am not a leader but a student volunteer I believe that this is my weakness as I havent been able to establish leading other colleagues and promoting their development and taking their views into account. However I could say that I am a leader for children as I provide for them, allow them to take part in decisions and take into account their views and needs for them to develop their knowledge and understanding further in a fun experience. Organisation Planning and Prioritising Abilities Capable of managing time effectively; demonstrates self motivation/self management, showing some level of increased confidence in planning and carrying out arrange of tasks. (See Appendix 1) Time Management could be described as Getting the most benefit from time, using it wisely and efficiently (Day, 1999). This could include avoiding wasting time on tasks that are unnecessary. However managing my time successfully ensures that I leave myself time to alter or make improvements on assignments as necessary without causing me too much concern or missing a deadline. Being able to organise myself and my priorities it enables me to approach each day in a positive manner and at ease. On the other hand I could say that a weakness of mine is planning at the moment as I have been working in a Year 1 class with the National Curriculum (NC) and have now moved down to a Reception class where the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is used. The EYFS is used differently to the NC when planning so it will take me some time to get used to this procedure taking into account this could be a goal for me to achieve. Communication and Interpersonal Skills Always clear and accurate, high standard of presentational skills. Is able to communicate with people ant all levels and shows confidence in how they communicate to meet others views. (See Appendix 1) Communication skills are important and the way you communicate with others too. Parents and other colleagues find it easy to approach me as I have developed a good understanding with them. As mentioned in Sadek, E, (2009: 72), If the people whom you are communicating usually experience their transactions with you as positive, affirming to their self-esteem and productive for them personally, they will usually come back for some more. Being bilingual helps the setting that I am volunteering in at the moment. This is entirely due to the fact as children from Asian backgrounds that attend the school out of which some children and parents have English as an Additional Language. For example if children are struggling to understand what the teacher is saying to them in English, the teacher as ks me to translate to the child in their home language (Urdu/Punjabi). This then enables the child have a clear understanding of what the teacher is expecting or wants them to do. Therefore over the years my self esteem/ motivation and confidence have built up and I enjoy what I do during my days at the school enabling me to provide stimulating activities for them to enjoy and learn. Miller.L, (2005: 28), states that Communication within early years settings is fundamental and as Rodd (1998) suggests: Working in an early years setting, whether it is large or small, involves many interactions between adults and other adults and between adults and children. Team Working Abilities Reasonable evidence of working as part of a team and shows evidence of interacting and begins to contribute ideas or concerns with other team members. (See Appendix 1) Whalley, M (1994: 171) Reminds us that working as a team is a process not a technique, while Rodd (1998: 116) states that teamwork relies on open communication, democratic organization and effective problem-solving skills. (Dryden.L: 2005). I have worked within teams and sometimes find it at ease to interact and sometimes I lack confidence in contributing when in large groups as I feel I might be saying a comment or contributing unnecessary ideas. However this is something that I could develop upon. I occasionally share concerns with the staff if they are necessary regarding parents or children. Reflection Shows significant ability to evaluate and identify key learning of self and others. Shows clear understanding and knowledge of how to use and aid reflection within learning. (See Appendix 1) The work of David Kolb studies the way in which people learn and looks in particular at experiential learning. Experiential learning describes the cyclical pattern of learning from experience through reflection and conceptualising to action, and back to experiencing once again (Wallace, 2001). Relating this to my own learning, I experience on a day-to-day basis the challenges and joy of working with children. I then reflect on the things I have learnt and how they correspond with my studies and the theories. By reflecting on my learning styles and the way in which I approach my work, I have been able to improve my techniques to ensure I am making the most of my time and energy. However reflecting on my learning with other team members has been beneficial too as it has supported me to change or de velop my learning further. As stated in MacLeod Brundell. I, et al, (2008), Pollard and Tann (in Fisher, 2001:199) suggest that reflective practice, professional learning and personal fulfilment are enhanced through collaboration and dialogue with colleagues. Problem Solving Occasional critical thinking and decision-making skills with some interpretation of major factors and understanding choices. Some evidence of testing different options and implementing the chosen solution. (See Appendix 1) Being able to think critically takes time and practice to master. Brookfield has described critical thinking As a useful and positive activity. The word critical often suggests finding fault. However, critical thinking can examine an idea or concept by looking at the positive as well as negative aspects (Day, 1999). For example, during my working day I am able to reflect upon and evaluate current activities that I have done. Likewise in my studies, I am able to look at pieces of researches or articles that have been produced by different authors and occasionally be able to analyse and reflect upon them but I feel that I am lacking some confidence in critical thinking as sometimes I describe rather than analysing the texts. However I am able to reflect on them by gi ving my views and opinions as well as making links to other articles and/or theorists. Continuous Professional Development I recently started working part time in the summer holidays at a Childrens Play Scheme Centre as a Mobile Team Worker. My role was to go to various settings and provide fun activities for children aged 5 12 to enjoy in their holidays. Before attending work I was offered to go on training courses alongside other new colleagues which included First Aid Training and Safeguarding Children. Whilst on the Safeguarding Training the information that was being told was already fresh in my mind as I had completed a module on Safeguarding Children. Within the module we discussed relevant and up to date legislations as well as how to proceed and take action on how to deal with children and families where abuse is identified. However this training course was not beneficial for me I think as I knew the relevant information already bearing in mind that it was a beginners course to Safeguarding. First aid training was a period over two days where I and other colleagues joined in discussions and practical activities. I enjoyed this training session and found it a valuable asset to learn. It showed me how to proceed when in difficult situations such as a baby not breathing, cuts and scabs, bleeding and vomiting etc. I learnt what procedures to follow to get a result and if the situation was not able to be dealt with how to deal with the situation then too. We worked as a team to assess different situations and cases, I thought this was good as each team member would get to talk to each other and communicate effectively and help each other if one wasnt sure how to proceed. Overall the First Aid training session for me was a worthwhile session that I had been too. Critical Analysis of Professional Development What is professional identity? It can be described as the relationships between social structures and individual agency between notions of a socially constructed and therefore contingent and ever-remade self, with dispositions attitudes and behavioural responses, which are durable and relatively stable between cognitive and emotional identities (Day et al, 2006:601) Since the launch of the Every Child Matters (ECM) document in 2003 regarding the Victoria Climbie Enquiry and the succeeding of Childrens Act 2004, it could be argued that childcare services have had a rapid change for everyone involved within this field for example teachers, practitioners, doctors, social workers, health visitors and the police etc. In August 2006 the local government published its response to the national consultation on the future of the childrens workforce. Within this context the governments response was to outline how people working within the early years workforce will provide a major contribution to improving childrens achievements as well as supporting parents and families in giving their children as many possible life chances they can achieve. Every Child Matters: Change for Children has the outcomes that we desire for all the children to achieve their full potential in. This change has gone some way to creating the role of the Early Years Professionals (EY Ps). An EYP will have the qualifications and experience needed to take on a leadership role in a childcare setting, and provide quality care and education for children. (Nursery World:2009). CDWC (2006a: 2) state that EYPs are seen as agents of change dedicated to improving practice in the early years sector. (Nurse: 2007). Alongside ECM, the Government launched a ten year strategy to improve services for children. The Childrens Workforce Development Council (CWDC) was set up in 2005 so that they would support the performance of ECM. The CWDCs role is to join together the way different agencies work together to bring consistency to the way children and young people are listened to and looked after. They state that we are the voice of employers and we make sure their concerns, experiences and views directly influence workforce reform. The CWDC supports people who work with children, young children and their families in the sectors including the early years, social work, social care, the welfare sector and young people. The ECM website quotes: The ten year strategy aims to provide a sustainable framework for high quality integrated early years and childcare services for all children and families (Every Child Matters: 2009). The word sustainable is a vital point here. In order to continue providing good qu ality service, there needs to be a continuous program of training in order to provide settings with professionals for future generations. Sustainability could be described as meeting overheads and provide a quality, accessible and affordable service that is relevant and needed in the community. Although sustainability is important sufficiency also plays a vital role too which can be described as having the means to provide childcare that meets the requirements of the community, showing awareness of the needs of parents who work or are in training. The Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) was first introduced in 2006 a graduate professional. EYPs are highly trained graduate leaders, with up-to-date knowledge and understanding of early years sectors regarding child care and development, as well as having qualifications that are recognised. This enables the EYP to share their high levels of practice and knowledge with other members within the team. This essential role within the early years plays a vital role in supporting childrens well being and development for them to succeed which has become evident within recent years. This has been emphasised a great deal in the Childrens Plan (2007) within the early years sector. Anning and Edwards (2006: 51) describe professional identity in the EYP role as a way of being, seeing and responding, responsively and flexibly maximising the learning potential of every aspect of Early Years practice, particularly in building on the childrens own ideas, preferences and interests (Carr: 2001). The EYPS is the on the same professional level as with teachers who have a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). CWDC (2006) states that it is important to consider that the two qualifications are both professional statuses but are based on different set of skills and knowledge. On the other hand newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are provided with support, personal mentoring, effective career development etc, as well as the opportunity to follow up by Continuous Professional Development (CPD) structure within the school year. They also have the opportunity to work effectively and focus on the highest levels of learning and pedagogy. In contrast EYPs have none of this support available to them at the current time. The pay for the EYPs is minimum as well as no structures or guidelines around conditions of service, support requirements, or ongoing CPD to maintain and build skill-levels. (Aspect: 2008). There are a number of questions which immediately rise from this, as Nurse, (2007) mentions that there is serious debate about the link between the EYPS and QTS, not only because it cuts across many current employees allegiances to particular professions but also it affects the lives of children and families as well as those who will work in the field in the future. Since the launch of the EYPS in 2006, the Government has provided around  £250m in funding through the Transformation Fund. This enabled students to apply for money to fund a degree in Early Childhood Studies. A further  £305m was made available through the Graduate Leader Fund to help transform the early years workforce  and deliver the Ten Year Strategy for Childcare (Every Child Matters: 2008) To gain the EYPS each candidate should be able to demonstrate and achieve 39 standards which will enable them to meet the requirements for EYPS. These standards fall under the following six categories: Knowledge and Understanding, Effective Practice, Relationships with Children, Communication and Working with Partnership with Families and Carers, Team Work and Collaboration and Professional Development. These six categories when working with children from birth to five which the 39 standards fall under are to be achieved by each candidate that chooses to do the EYPS. Most of the standards that are created are an effective way of meeting the requirements to enhance professional development as well as meeting the needs of children and their families. For example in the category Knowledge and Understanding, Standard 1, The principles and content of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to put them into practice revolves around the practitioners. This standard enables the practitioner to enhance their knowledge of the EYFS and how it is to be used to provide effective provision for the children within their setting. Without the knowledge and understanding of the curriculum practitioners will be unable to provide the up most best for children in their care. Another example can be from the category, Professional Development, S38 Reflect on and evaluate the impact of practice, modifying approaches where necessary and take responsibility for identifying and meeting their professional needs. This enables the practitioner to develop on their weaknesses which will allow them to provide opportunities in development where necessary to enhance their professional development. Taking into account practitioners should note that EYPS is not a qualification but it is a new status which recognises a students knowledge and skills as a practitioner and a professional leader (Moyle: 2007). CWDC (2010) stipulates that the role of the EYPS enables practitioners who are working with children aged birth to five to demonstrate the excellence of their practice and their ability to lead practice. The government proposed that the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) should be delivered by a skilled early years and childcare workforce, professionally led and with a strengthened qualification and career structure. On the other hand the EYFS also enables to improve on their practice and support their professional development by the recommendations which are stipulated in section 1 of the EYFS Practice Guidance. (DfES, 2007b: 5) This links into the EYP Standard S33, as Nurse (2007: 144) states that this standard stresses the important link between reflection and professional development, the more skilled you become in evaluating the effectiveness of your own practice, the more you will be able to identify opportunities to enhance and develop your own expertise and knowle dge. The EYFS is the curriculum for 0-5 year olds that was introduced in 2008 which took place of the Birth to 3 Matters (2002) and the Foundation Stage (2000) Curriculums. It is a single quality framework to support childrens learning and development. For practitioners and EYPs, the EYFS has presented many challenges, its main effect is to recognise each child for its individuality as well as recognising the childs strength to improve and plan their future continued learning. Therefore the governments aim was to have a graduate EYP in all children centres by 2010 and in every day care setting led by an EYP graduate by 2015 with two graduate EYPs per setting in the disadvantaged areas. The childcare sector has, until recent years, been overshadowed somewhat by formal education. The Government has now recognised the importance of delivering a quality service for children aged Birth to 5 years, delivered by professionals trained and experienced in the field of early years (Whalley:2008). Th is recognition could partly be due to the increasing number of children attending a full-time setting and the emphasis on helping a child reach their full potential early in life. Once the EYP has qualified they can choose to either work in the childrens centre which provides early education which is integrated with health and family support services. By 2010, the government proposed that they will have at least 3,500 centres across the country which will be available and accessible to everyone (Every Child Matters: 2009). However other career paths are available for EYPs to follow than work in Children Centres for example Private Day Cares, Early Years Advisors etc. In conclusion there are no arguments that the EYPS cannot work or indeed it isnt a good idea apart from the lack of low pay and conditions Pugh et al (2010:206) stipulates that the new initiatives that the government have outlined promise a better future for the early years workforce and consequently a better future for children as well. Personal Development Plan Target:  In order to apply for PGCE I need to achieve Science GCSE Grade C or above Short Term Goal:  Arrange to attend classes in the following year 2011. Long Term Goal:  Achieve Science GCSE by 2012. Target:  Complete BA (HONS) Early Childhood Studies Short Term Goal:  Complete formative assignments and receive feedback to develop upon. Long Term Goal:  Complete and pass all summative assignments by summer 2011. Target:  Study and research a wider selection of articles and texts to support my degree work Short Term Goal:  Study and make notes of course books and recommended reading for each module. Download relevant articles and information from the Internet related to my assignments. Long Term Goal:  By 2011 I will be able to judge my success by my improved knowledge and ability to read critically. Target:  Build on my self esteem and confidence. Short Term Goal:  Take sessions on how to build confidence and self esteem by taking counselling. Long Term Goal:  Be able to share and contribute ideas with confidence. Target:  To experience working with children between the ages 0-5 years. Short Term Goal:  Attend nursery sessions to see how staff teaches. I will also be attending training sessions for the Early Years Foundation Stage to increase my knowledge and understanding. Long Term Goal:  By September I will work in a nursery class and work alongside children from 0-5 years and the Early Years Foundation Stage. Target:  To develop an understanding of the concept of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Short Term Goal:  I will attend training sessions for the Early Years Foundation Stage in the summer. Long Term Goal:  By September I will have an understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and will be working alongside it. Target:  To work alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage and develop how to use it for an observation. Short Term Goal:  I will attend training sessions for the Early Years Foundation Stage in the summer to understand the concept of this curriculum. Long Term Goal:  In September I will be able to use the outcomes of the Early Years Foundation Stage to observe and assess set children and this will be able to help me build up their personal profiles. Target:  To work alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and have some training done. Short Term Goal:  By summer 2011 I will have attended some training sessions and have developed skills for the Early Years Foundation Stage so that I can use this curriculum as I am working with under 5s. Long Term Goal:  In September 2012 I will be working with children under 5s using the Early Years Foundation Stage and will be able to adapt to the changes Target:  To work alongside other professionals within the setting. Short Term Goal:  By Easter I will have acknowledged which professionals are working within the setting and understood their role Long Term Goal:  By September 2011 when I work in another class where there are special needs children or other children with specific needs I will be working alongside with them with the child. References Aspect, (June 2008), Early Years Professionals: Making the EYP project a Success Daly, M, Byers, E and Taylor, W, (2004) Early Years Management in Practice, Heinemann Day, C (1999) Developing Teachers: The Challenges of Lifelong Learning, London: Routledge Falmer Day.C, Kington.A, Stobrt.G and Sammons.P, (2006), The Personal and Professional selves of Teachers: Stable and Unstable Identities, British Educational Research Journal, Volume 32, No 4, August. Dryden, L, Forbes, R, Mukherji, P, Pound, L, (2005) Essential Early Years, Hodder Arnold Every Child Matters (March 2008) Graduate Leader Fund further information on purpose and implementation Every Child Matters, Department for Children, Schools and Families, [On-line] http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/deliveringservices/workforcereform/earlyyearsworkforce/ [Accessed 22nd November 2010] Every Child Matters (2009) Early Years and Childcare Every Child Matters: Change for Children [On-line] (Updated 15th February 2009) Available at: http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/earlyyears/ [Accessed 22nd November 2010] Isle-Buck, E and Newstead, S (2003), Excellence in Childcare: Essential Skills for Managers of Child-Centerd Settings, David Fulton Publishers Macleod-Brundell, I and Kay, J, (2008) 2nd Edition, Advanced Early Years Care and Education, Heinemann Miller.L, Cable.C and Deveruex.J, (2005), Developing Early Years Practice, David Fulton Publishers Ltd: London Moyles.J, (2007), Early Years Foundations: Meeting the Challenge, USA: Open University Press Nurse. AD, (2007), The New Early Years Professional: Dilemmas and Debates, Routledge Nursery World (6th March 2009) Nursery Management: Editors View Nursery World, [On-line] Available at: http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/887566/Nursery-Management-Profiletrue-vocation/6 March 2009 [Accessed 22nd November 2010] Pugh.G and Duffy.B, (2010), Contemporary Issues in the Early Years, 5th Edition, London: SAGE Publications Sadek, E and Sadek, J (2009) Nursery Management, 3rd Edition, Nelson Thornes Ltd Wallace, S. (2001) Teaching Supporting Learning in Further Education, Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd Whalley.M, Allen.S Wilson.D, (2008), Leading Practice in Early Years Settings (Achieving EYPS), Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/eyps CWDC (2006) Early Years Professional Status http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/eyps/standards [Accessed 22nd November 2010] http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk [Accessed 20th December 2010] Appendices Appendix One Leadership Ability Organisation Planning and Prioritising Abilities Communication and Interpersonal Skills Example A leader who provides for self and others working alongside them. Communication and decision making skills to involve and take views from colleagues. Time management (punctuality, meeting deadlines), self management and self motivation, interpersonal skills like confidence, awareness of life-long learning and planning for future development. Oral, Written, Visual, PowerPoint and other forms of delivery; communicating academically and professionally choosing forms of delivery, structure and language appropriate to audience; leading discussions and responding to feedback. 1. Poor communication. Inability to consider others views before making decisions and unable to play a positive lead role. Little or no use of evidence of using time effectively, attempting to improve self motivation and self-management or to develop confidence in planning and carrying out a range of tasks. Inadequate no real consideration of audience and has tendency to be in accurate. Shows little or no evidence of communicating effectively with others and has difficulty conveying information in any form. 2. Good communication skills but lacks initiative in playing a lead role as well as the planning and organisation. Occasional evidence of using time effectively; basic self motivation evident with limited development of confidence in planning and carrying out a range of tasks. Staring to show and use good communication skills however lacks confidence in communicating with others and has difficulty presenting to people at all levels. 3. Shows ability to innovate and shows initiative however lacks confidence to motivate other and shows some evidence of leadership. Good attempt at using time effectively, some evidence of self-motivation/self management with some improvement in confidence in planning and carrying out a range of tasks. Reasonable presentation and generally accurate in content rarely has difficulty in making a point starting to show confidence in what they are doing and the way they are communicating with others. 4. Beginning to show confidence in motivating others and providing support for the staff. Shows clear evidence of leadership ability. Capable of managing time effectively; demonstrates self motivation/self management, showing some level of increased confidence in planning and carrying out arrange of tasks. Always clear and accurate, shows high standard of presentational skills. Is able to communicate with people ant all levels and shows confidence in how they communicate to meet others views. 5. A strong leader who shows self motivation and motivates others too considering their views and needs. Is confident in making the right decisions. Manages time highly effectively; demonstrates consistent self motivation and self-management and an increased confidence in planning and carrying out a range of tasks. Shows a strong ability to give a complete and concise account of a situation, either orally or written. Is able to communicate effectively with parents and others in a wise manner and confident.Skills Audit Team-working Abilities Reflection Problem Solving Example Understanding and developing a role in the team and showing its effectiveness by working with, listening and encouraging the development of others which may also include leadership skills, group ideas and resources. Understanding own learning (learning styles, awareness of how one develops and appropriate use of C.I analysis and journals) Recognition that people learn differently and see things from diverse perspectives. Decision-making skills, critical thinking sustained and applied analytical skills, negotiation skills, managing change and risk, testing different strategies and choosing most appropriate solution. 1. Inability to interact within a team and shows little or no evidence of participating within a team by sharing ideas and concerns. Has no evidence of evaluating/identifying of key learning experience of others and self. Lacks the understanding and knowledge of reflection Shows no evidence of critical thinking and decision-making skills with little or no evidence of appreciation of major factors and no evidence of how to handle choices solution implemented without considering alternative options. 2. Shows some evidence of interaction and motivation within a team. Occasionally listening and working with others but lacks confidence in sharing ideas and concerns. Adequate evidence of evaluating/identifying of key learning of self and others. Tends to use reflection as a tool simply with little understanding and knowledge. Acceptable critical thinking and