Classroom Tardiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Classroom Tardiness - Essay Example It is a relatively common understanding that youths, today, tend to congregate outside of various classrooms to discuss personal elements of their lifestyles which create social connection between the youth groups. However, through this type of discussion and other personal distractions, tardy pupils continue to cause disruption to normal, routine class activities when teachers are forced to deal with tardy pupils and reprimand these students for their inappropriate actions. These delays can take away from quality, group classwork activities. This research proposal offers a study to identify whether teachers themselves, through the use of mobile communications technologies, can reduce tardiness in different classroom environments. This study aims to identify whether through the use of mobile communications technologies, teachers can interact regarding classroom tardiness, thus projecting authoritarianism and unity into the classroom and promoting student adherence to classroom tardiness guidelines. Measure student reactions to routine mobile-to-mobile teacher conversations to measure whether tardiness ratios, through authoritarianism and the mobile device, can be reduced in a typical classroom environment. Weismann and Foerch (2008) offer a unique perspective about educators: Many teachers do not offer students consistent penalties for being late, such as projecting an authoritarian attitude regarding all classroom credits being lost for tardiness. This allows for the leniency to be abused and students simply will not adhere to these rules. It is, again, a relatively common understanding in society that, through proper discipline, children can learn to respect authority and are often intimidated by authoritarian adults. Strict adherence to rules of tardiness would create this rigid atmosphere where actual grades lost become an outcome of disobeying these rules. This would require much more effort on behalf of the teacher. The idea of

Genting Group Essay Example for Free

Genting Group Essay The Genting Group was founded by the late Tan Sri (Dr.) Lim Goh Tong in 1965. It is one of Malaysia’s top multinational corporations. The Genting Group involves in several different sectors such as the leisure hospitality, power generation, oil palm plantation, property development, biotechnology and oil gas sectors. Tan Sri (Dr.) Lim Goh Tong started his project with the building of a 20-kilometre private access road, across tough mountainous terrains from the foothills to the summit of Mount Ulu Kali, located at 2,000 metres above sea level and also the first highlands resort on the mountain in Malaysia which formerly named Genting Highlands Resort. For a corporation to grow, business objectives are important because objectives give direction to a business. The Genting Group had been operating for 47years till today and we can see it with our eye that it indeed grows from strength to strength. This is because The Genting Group had clearly stated out their goals and objectives and did well in achieving it. One of the goals of The Genting Group is â€Å"Care for the Community†. To achieve this goal, The Genting Group had set the objectives to help the community. The Genting Group done a great job in achieving the objective in the year 2011 by dedicated amount more than RM25 million to many charities and community. The organizations that benefit from The Genting Group are Malaysian Liver Foundation, MAA-Medicare Kidney Foundation, OrphanCare Baby Hatch Programme, Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation, Malaysia Diabetes Association and The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia. As for the organizations in foreign country included The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, Heartware Network, Milk Fund and the Jane Goodall Institute in Singapore; the GREaT Foundation, BBC’s Children In Need and Cancer UK through Race for Life events, Cancer UK, Comic Relief, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Japanese Red Cross and also the Japanese Earthquake Relief. Besides that when the Sultanah of Pahang DYMM Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom binti Abdullah officially launched the Orang Asli Che Wong Cultural Building in Lanchang, Pahang on 19 November 2011, The Genting Group donated a 2,800-square-foot cultural building which consists of a classroom, an exhibition room and a hall for performances that cost a total of RM180, 000 and the Genting employees also lend a helping hand by volunteered in the landscaping and beautification  efforts. Furthermore in Malaysia, the Group participated in the Roti 1Malaysia charity project. This project is successful with the kind sponsored of bread from Resorts World Genting together with other hotels and bakeries in the Klang Valley and distribute to over 50 orphanages and homes weekly. Therefore from here we can see that The Genting Group had made their effort in helping the community generously and sincerely. This is shown when it is not only the corporation care the community but also the employees of Genting Group involve themselves too. Although The Genting Group had did well in their objectives, however I suggest that The Genting Group could set out another objective in order to achieve the goal, â€Å"maintaining long-term sustainable growth in our core businesses†. This objective is basically to care the customers, for example, â€Å"Provide the best environment and services to customers† and this can be achieved by improving the casino. If we compare between the Resort World Sentosa Casino and Genting Highlands casinos, we can obviously see that the Genting Highlands casinos are not so good than the other one. This is because of the environment and ventilation. The ventilation of Genting Highlands casino was poor and the air is stuffy. This may be cause of the casinos is not smoke free and therefore is full of cigarette smoke. The decoration of the Genting Highlands casinos are more in the 80s, it looks old and tradition. On the other hand, the Resort World Sentosa Casino is more clean and good ventilation. This is because the casino was divided into smoking area and non-smoking area. The decoration of the casino is grand and the environment is more comfortable and relaxing compare with Genting Highlands casinos. The Resort World Sentosa Casino is more strict compare with Genting Highlands Casinos. In The Resort World Sentosa Casino, the security will not let customers without passport to enter the casino but for Genting Highlands Casinos, the securities will not check every single customer, therefore there may be underage youngster enter the casinos. The Genting Highlands Casinos should immediately take action in order to provide a better environment for their customers to ensure customers loyalty that can increase the profit of the company. As a conclusion, The Genting Group did do well in overall. It provides an array of enjoyment and fun for all people, from children to senior citizen.

Benefits of Flexible Working Hours

Benefits of Flexible Working Hours 6. Literature Review 6.1 Definitions Janssen and Nachreiner (2004) defined Flexible Working Hours as involving a continuous choice on behalf of employers, employees or both, regarding the amount (chronometry) and the temporal distribution (chronology) or working hours. â€Å"Arrangements that allow employees to have a more variable schedule as opposed to complying with the standard 8-hour workday† (Janssen and Nachreiner, 2004) According to the definition of Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules, Flexible hours are referred to as the times during the workday, workweek, or pay period within the tour of duty during which an employee covered by a flexible work schedule may choose to vary his or her times of arrival to and departure from the work site consistent with the duties and requirements of the position. Flexible working hours is also defined as a system of attendance whereby individual employees select their starting and finishing times from day to day, subject to the concurrence of the work unit in which they work and to specified conditions. A system in which employees can start or stop work at different hours of the morning or evening provided that they work a certain number of hours per day or week (http://www.hrdictionary.com/definition/flexible-working-hours.html). According to the definition of Technical staff, Southern Cross University, flexible working hours are work schedule in which employees can use their own discretion as to the time on the job as long as they complete the specified number of hours within a work period that is, one month, one week, or one day (Barker, 1999). It is a system of working a set number of hours with the starting and finishing times chosen within agreed limits by the employee (www.oxfordreference.com) Christensen and Staines (1990) defined this as an arrangement provides employees with some limited discretion as to the starting and stopping times for their work day, while requiring a standard number of hours to be worked within a given time period. Flexible working hours refers to the practice by employers of allowing employees to vary their attendance pattern. Variation is usually in terms of start and finish times, as well as hours per day. Flexible working hours are often referred to as flexi time. Employees working flexible hours are able to use flexi time credit to take time off without reducing other leave credits. Flexible working hours are usually subject to a number of operating rules (Transport strategy, Adecision makers guide book). ‘Flexible working hours are also defined as working time arrangements allowing a continuous choice regarding the duration and the temporal distribution of working time for both the employee and the employer (http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2006/05/DE0605NU4.htm). A simple deviation from the standard working time is not seen as sufficient for a distinction. The definition intends to exclude shorter but regular working time arrangements such as part-time work or deviating but regular working hours such as shift work (http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2006/05/DE0605NU04.htm). 6.2 Why flexible working hours are implemented? Flexible working conditions are becoming increasingly common within modern economies, and in many countries legislation has been introduced enabling certain groups of employees to request flexible working. For example, Scandinavian countries in particular grant extensive flexible working rights, such as parental leave, flexitime and other family friendly provisions to employees (Brandth, 2001). Flexible working arrangements are increasingly offered by organizations in order to remain competitive through the recruitment and retention of top performing employees. These arrangements aim to be a win/win situation for the organization, by way of increased productivity and loyalty, and for the employee through work life benefits. The introduction of flexible working allows employees to have greater control over their work life balance, and can act as an important tool in the organizations recruitment and retention process. Flexible working is one device that employers can use to attract a more diverse workforce, allowing them to compete in the war for talent( Management Brief Report). Some forms of flexible working schedules such as part-time work, compressed work weeks, annualized hours, and flexitime have a long history and have traditionally been introduced largely to meet employer needs for flexibility or to keep costs down, though they may also have met employee needs and demands (Dalton Mesch, 1990).These and other flexible arrangements are also introduced ostensibly to meet employee needs for flexibility to integrate work and family demands under the banner of so-called family-friendly employment policies (Harker, 1996; Lewis Cooper, 1995). Often a business case argument has been used to support the adoption of flexible work arrangements; that is, a focus on the cost benefits (Barnett Hall, 2001). Other contemporary drivers of change include increased emphasis on high-trust working practices and the thrust toward gender equity and greater opportunities for working at home because of new technology (Evans 2000). Nevertheless, despite much rhetoric about t he importance of challenging outmoded forms of work and the gradual association of flexible working arrangements with leading-edge employment practice (Friedman Greenhaus, 2000), the implementation of these policies remains patchy across organizations (Glass Estes, 1997). Since 2003 the right to request flexible working conditions has been granted to all UK employees with children aged less than six years or to those with caring responsibilities (BERR 2008). This right has recently been extended to employees with children aged up to 16 years (BERR, 2009). Many of these legislative changes have been explicitly or implicitly underpinned by the assumption that flexible working will have positive effects on employee adaptability, performance (Artazcoz 2005), work-life balance and health (MacEachen 2008). In a number of low and middle-income countries flexible working hours is a relatively new concept which tends to be restricted to large multi-national companies. Paul Ashton, mobility solutions support manager at Logsys, discusses the work anywhere, anytime, on any device implications of flexible working. Following the introduction of new UK legislation in April 2003 with regards to offering employees with young or disabled children flexible working options, there have been massive developments in the way in which organisations operate. Two years on, the ideas behind flexible working are still being discussed, experimented with and tentatively accepted throughout the UK. At the forefront of this movement is the objective of providing employees with a suitable work/life balance and key to its success is supporting this through achieving more profitable business practices. Flexible working is all about working in real time. It is about mobilizing work forces and giving individuals the freedom and ability to work any time, anywhere, using any device. It is about enterprise-wide access to information, applications and data and the ability to util ize these items as and when they are needed. For employees it means home working abilities and potentially improved work/life balance. It should also mean easier working, more effective methods and processes, and the ability to work smarter to achieve more. For employers it means maximizing efficiency to achieve more through the same resources. It means improved employee retention and improved services for customers- which in turn means increased competitiveness and greater profitability. 6.3 Kinds of flexible hour work practice Flexible work arrangements can take on a variety of characteristics, ranging from staggered working hours to remote, off-site work areas. Within the Flexible work arrangements themselves, employers often provide additional flexibility (e.g., selecting the time of day when staggered working hours begin) and/or offer various options for Flexible work arrangements in order to provide even greater flexibility to their workforces (www.clc.executiveboard.com). Compressed working weeks â€Å"Any system of fixed working hours more than 8 hours in length which results in a work week of less than 5 full days of work a week† (Tepas,1985). This standard definition includes the most obvious examples with 9, 10 or12 hours a day, and a normal full-time working week of 36 to 42 hours. Twelve-hour shifts are particularly controversial. In recent years, as Hoekstra, Jansen Van Goudoever (1994) report for the Netherlands, â€Å"there has been increasing variety in working patterns. The compressed working week is one of the many possible arrangements for working hours. This increasing variety can be attributed to the desire for greater flexibility in working hours. Tepas (1985) have listed the potential advantages of the compressed workweek as follows: Increased possibility for multi-day off-the-job leisure and care activity A reduction in commuting problems and costs Fewer workdays with no loss of pay A regular, steady workweek Ease in covering all jobs at the required times More time for scheduling meetings or training sessions Increased opportunity for communication within the organization Increased opportunity for communication with other organizations Decrease in start-up and/or warm-up expenses Fewer supervisory personnel may be needed More efficient stock flow for assembly-line operations Less night work Increased production rates Improvement in the quantity or quality of services to the public Better opportunities to hire skilled workers in tight labour markets Flexi time Ronen (1981) described Flextime (also called flexible working hours) as a type of flexible work arrangement that allows employees to vary their work schedules, within certain ranges and dimensions, according to their differing needs (). Unlike other flexible work arrangements, flextime focuses exclusively on the work schedule and does not alter the location of work or the total number of hours worked. Although there is no truly standard work schedule, the traditional workday is defined as a forty-hour week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (Catalyst, 1997). Flextime allows employees to break from the standard work schedule by starting the work day early and ending early, starting late and ending late, or taking breaks during the day and making up the time at the beginning or end of the day. Some flextime options allow employees to work extra hours on one day to make up for shortened hours on another day. Golembiewski and Proehl, (1978) and Christensen and Staines (1990) have been identified several key dimensions of flextime, such as core hours (the daily hours during which employees must be at work), bandwidth (the earliest and latest starting and stopping times to which employees can adjust their schedules) and schedule flexibility, which is the ability to change starting and stopping times from day to day and week to week without prior approval from supervisors. A study by Hill, Hawkins, Ferris and Weitzman (2001) found that perceived flexibility in the timing and location of work was positively related to work-family balance, and that the greater the extent of such flexibility, the more the employees were able to work a greater number of hours without harming their work-family balance. Another study found a direct effect of flextime on work-family conflict (Shinn, Wong, Simko, Ortiz-Torres, 1989). Several studies have found that flextime is related to outcomes indicative of work-family conflict. For example, Ralston (1989) found that employees were better able to juggle work and family demands after flextime was implemented and Bohen Viveros-Long (1981) found that flextime reduced stress among parents. Thomas Ganster (1995) found that flextime was directly related to perceived control over work and family, and it was indirectly related to work-family conflict. Annual-hours contracts annual-hours contracts are contracts of employment where the total hours to be worked in a twelve-month period are specified, rather than the weekly hours. This provides employers with the flexibility to devise a shift system to ensure continuous operations. Traditionally annualized hours were adopted in the manufacturing sector, but increasingly it is a popular system for organizing work time in the service sector, especially where twenty-four-hour, seven-day-week services are provided (http://www.jrank.org/business/pages/39/annual-hours-contracts). Job Share Job sharing is an arrangement where two or more employees share the duties and responsibilities of a single full time job. Each job sharer has broadly the same responsibilities, although their contractual terms and conditions of employment may differ. Job-sharing is common now across a range of occupations, including professions such as GPs, accountants and managers. This is an option that women may prefer as a way of returning to work after maternity leave. The employer benefits as it retains valuable skills within the organization, encourages retention and often results in greater productivity (www.clc.executiveboard.com). Self rostering â€Å"Flexible rostering is where each rostering period is planned individually (typically 4 -6 weeks at a time). Shifts are allocated on the basis of manning requirements which reflect anticipated demand patterns, as well as myriad other rostering parameters, including staffs preferences for off-duty† (Silvestro Silvestro, 2000). Thornthwaite Sheldon (2004) described that employee self-rostering systems enable individual employees to tailor working hours to maximize their compatibility with domestic responsibilities. Such rosters would allow employees to choose to work mornings, afternoons or school hours only, or some combination of different hours each day. Self-rostering means that a group of employees make work schedules by themselves. This is based on a company time frame determined by the employer in which the quantitative and qualitative demands have to be met. By designing the work schedules, the employees determine their own starting and ending time duration of their services and are supposed to create a dialogue to synchronize the individual wishes with the requirements set by the employer (Zeggenschap, 2008). Part time work Employees with a part-time work arrangement typically follow one of the following schedules: Work a reduced number of hours per day, five days per week Work eight hours per day, less than five days per week Employers are increasingly providing part-time employees with many of the same benefits provided to full-time workers particularly smaller employers that want to attract candidates but do not need many full-time workers. As with flextime, some states mandate that part-time work be available for women returning to work after a pregnancy (www.clc.executiveboard.com). 6.4 Benefits of flexible hours working arrangement. Both employees and employers alike can benefit through the utilization of flexible work practices. Flexible work arrangements can help to improve recruitment and retention, assist in managing workloads and in boosting employee satisfaction. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), U.K. guidelines for employers and employees state that flexible working opportunities benefit everyone: employers, employees and their families (www.dti.gov.uk, Flexible Working). For individuals, the opportunity to work flexibly can greatly improve the ability to balance home and work responsibilities. The DTI guidelines provide examples of the following flexible working schemes: Annualized hours describes working time organized on the basis of the number of hours to be worked over a year rather than a week; usually to fit in with peaks and troughs of work. Pay will depend on the hours worked each pay period. Compressed hours allow individuals to work their total number of agreed hours over a shorter period. For example, employees might work their full weekly hours over four, rather than five, days. They would be paid for a full-time job but would not receive overtime payments for any agreed extra hours worked during a day. Flexi time gives employees choice about their actual working hours, usually outside certain agreed core times. Individuals are paid for the hours that they work. Home-working doesnt have to be on a full-time basis and it may suit an employee to divide their time between home and office. Individuals are paid according to the hours that they work. Employers are required to carry out a risk assessment of the activities undertaken by home-workers, identifying any hazards and deciding whether enough steps have been taken to prevent harm to them or anyone else who may be affected by the work. Job-sharing typically involves two people employed on a part-time basis while working together to cover a full-time job. Both receive pay for the hours they work. Shift working gives employers the scope to have their business open for longer periods than an eight-hour day. Agreed flexible working arrangements may lead to a shift premium payment not being required. Staggered hours allow employees to start and finish their day at different times. Pay depends on hours worked in total rather than the time at which they were worked. Term-time working allows employees to take unpaid leave of absence during the school holidays. Bond et al, (2005) The Families and Work Institute report, When Work Works, states that employees who are provided with flexibility in their work are more likely to: Be engaged in their jobs and committed to helping their company succeed; Intend to remain with their current employer; and, Feel satisfied with their jobs. The positive work-life balance effects of flexible working are probably the best known and most frequently cited advantages. Aiming for a greater balance between demands from within and outside the workplace is often the driver for individuals to seek such arrangements. The interplay between employee wellbeing, work-life balance and performance brings into play factors such as organizational commitment, enthusiasm, energy and satisfaction. Flexible working arrangements, such as flexitime and teleworking, are becoming more common in industrialized countries but the impacts of such flexibility on employee health and wellbeing are largely unknown. Several studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of employee-negotiated flexible working on health and wellbeing, such as reduced stress and stress-related illnesses, reduced sickness absence and improved work-life balance, including time spent with children and marital satisfaction (MacEachen 2008). Kerry et al (2010) examined the health and wellbeing effects of flexible working arrangements which favour the worker as well as those dictated by the employer (for example, fixed-term contracts or mandatory overtime). The findings of this review tentatively suggest that flexible working interventions that increase worker control and choice (such as self-scheduling or gradual/partial retirement) are likely to have a positive effect on health outcomes, including improvements in physical health (reduced systolic blood pressure and heart rate), mental health (e.g. reduced psychological stress) and general health (e.g. tiredness and sleep quality) measures. Importantly, interventions which increased worker flexibility were not associated with any adverse health effects in the short term. In contrast, interventions that were motivated or dictated by organizational interests, such as fixed-term contract and involuntary part-time employment, found equivocal or negative health effects. Kandolin (1996) reported significant reductions in tiredness during the night shift when comparing intervention and control group participants. Smith (1998) demonstrated improvements in mental health, sleep quality on day shift, sleep duration on night shift and alertness during night shift in the intervention group compared with the comparison group. Viitasalo (2008) found statistically significant decreases in systolic blood pressure and heart rate for workers with flexible scheduling compared with those in the control group. A study which was performed by Cranfield University, found that the intuitive expectation that the employee who is better able to integrate work and non-work will experience enhanced wellbeing. Indirectly, this positive association impacts on performance, with employees in a sense ‘repaying their organization with improved levels of motivation and drive. Some employees who had become accustomed to working flexibly expressed unwillingness to move back to a more traditional pattern, linking their flexible arrangement to reduced pressure and stress. There was abundant evidence of individuals adapting their working arrangement over time to meet both changing job demands and evolving demands from the home, and great value was placed on the personal control to meet needs from both domains which was afforded by their flexible working pattern. So flexibility is highly valued, but does not remain static over time (www.workingfamilies.org.uk). Stress is linked to wellbeing and work-life balance, and here the picture is less clear. Flexible working could be seen as a positive measure which helped reduce workplace stress through reducing hours, cutting down on commuting time and minimizing work overload. However, it could also be a source of stress, if a reduction in hours meant that employees struggled to achieve objectives which had not been appropriately reduced to match such a change. This reinforces the message that flexible working needs to be well designed to succeed, particularly in the case of reduced hours work where the required tasks of the role should reflect the hours available (www.workingfamilies.org.uk). This study at Cranfield University also focused on the impact on employees performance related to the flexible working schedule. It has found that individuals and their managers felt positive 61% and 45% respectively. A similar number of managers 43% felt that there was no impact either way from flexible working. Only a small proportion of respondents indicated that flexible working had a negative impact on the quantity of work of either the flexible workers themselves or their co-workers. Flexible work allows people to make changes to the hours or times they work, and where they work. It helps people organize their careers to accommodate other commitments, and to manage transitions in and out of the workforce. For flexible work to be described as â€Å"quality†, these changes must not adversely affect income, career progression, availability of scheduled leave or access to desirable employment for those who take it up. For an arrangement to be considered truly flexible it must provide the employee with the means to manage his or her work while managing other commitments, and without adversely affecting the business. In addition, â€Å"quality flexible work† provides benefits for both employees and employers. Benefits for employees may include increased opportunities for families to spend â€Å"quality time† together and greater ease for family members to combine paid work and family responsibilities, while benefits for employers include addressing skills shortages and increased staff retention and loyalty (Fursman, 2009). Employee driven flexibility is widely regarded as a measure that can reduce work-life balance conflict. For example, in New Zealand, research by the Department of Labour (2008) found that employees who reported a particular FWA was available to them were more likely to rate their work-life balance highly. This is supported by research by the Families Commission showing that 88% of survey respondents who had a lot of flexibility were satisfied with their work-life balance, compared to 52% of respondents who had little or no flexibility (Families Commission, 2008). Statistics New Zealand data also shows that among employed people; those that did not have flexible hours in their main job were more likely to be dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their work-life balance (Statistics New Zealand, 2008). Similarly in Australia, a 2008 survey found that employees without FWAs were more likely to experience work-life balance conflict (Pocock et al, 2009). Fursman and Zodgekar (2009) studied the Impacts of Flexible Working Arrangements on New Zealand Families. The findings of this research suggest that many family members have access to flexible work arrangements, and that such arrangements provide significant benefits for them and their families, including less stress and pressure and more opportunities to spend time together. Flexible work arrangements can also allow family members to meet their care responsibilities while maintaining their participation in the paid workforce. The arrangements wanted and needed by families changed as their families changed; for example, as children reached school age, or older family members became increasingly more dependent. A range of studies associate flexible work arrangements with positive outcomes for employees. This includes a positive impact on employees perceptions of job quality (Kelliher Anderson, 2008), increased job satisfaction and reduced leaving intentions (Forsyth and Polser-Debruyne, 2007), enabling families to spend more time together, and reducing stress and pressure (Families Commission, 2008). Gill et al(2007) studied the incidence and impact of flexible working arrangements in smaller businesses. In this study, positive impacts of flexible work arrangements in recruitment and retention, enhanced employee relations, commitment and loyalty are found, together with disadvantages of operational problems and administrative burdens. William et al (1981) have found that the flexi time did not support the traditional flexi time consequences for work satisfaction or leisure satisfaction. However, employees working under a flexi time schedule reported certain other improvements, including easier travel and parking, a smaller amount of interrole conflict, a greater feeling of being in control in the work setting; and more opportunity for leisure activities. 6.5 Limitations of implementation of flexible working hours Hayman (2009) has revealed that the attitudes and expectations of co-workers and employers intermingled with issues about fairness, managerial support, feelings of guilt, and career impacts are particular barriers to flexibility. And also he found that the availability of flexible work options alone may not be enough to influence work-life balance outcomes for employees and that perceived usability is critical. A UK study by Waumsley and Houston (2009) also found that perceptions play a significant role with study participants perceiving that flexible working is detrimental to work performance and career progression. This was despite participants recognizing that flexible working delivers work-life balance benefits. Organizational policies on flexible work cannot be fully effective without real support and commitment from management in implementing and applying these policies. Managers need to encourage and actively support the use of flexible arrangements, and organizations need to actively support managers in making flexible working arrangements part of the normal operating environment. Managers need to be provided with appropriate resources, training and time to appropriately assess all requests for changes in work arrangements. Some adjustments to work organization may be necessary, such as scheduling meetings when all staff can attend (Equal Opportunity for Women in the WorkplaceAgency;http://www.eowa.gov.au/Pay_Equity/Files/Recommendations). Organizations also need to ensure that all employees who are using flexible work arrangements are accepted and respected as valued and committed employees. Such employees should be included in all training and professional development opportunities and given the opportunity for promotion on the same basis as all other employees. A critical part of a flexible work culture is ensuring that employees understand and work within an environment of mutual trust and obligation. Employees must have a strong commitment to the success of any flexible work arrangement. Employees on flexible work arrangements must maintain work and performance standards and ongoing communication between employees and their supervisors is essential. Employee engagement in the success of flexible work arrangements will maximize benefits for both the organization and the employee (Equal Opportunity for Women in the WorkplaceAgency;http://www.eowa.gov.au/Pay_Equity/Files/Recommendations) Research by the Families Commission; found that a perception of unsupportive workplace cultures; a perceived impact on career progression and reduction in income; and a perception that flexibility was only available to highly valued employees were among the barriers experienced by employees (Families Commission, 2008). It also found that flexibility could also lead to guilt about taking time off and employees working harder and doing longer hours than might ordinarily be the case (Families Commission, 2008). A recent smaller study of firms in the New Zealand accounting sector noted the impact of traditional values and culture within the sector that work against flexibility (Ministry of Womens Affairs, 2010). This includes a culture of long hours and at partnership level, a perception that being a partner and caring for children were mutually exclusive (Ministry of Womens Affairs, 2010). Work-life balance issues including Flexible Working Arrangements have a significant gender dimension (Fursman, 2008). Fursmans 2008 review of literature usefully summarizes some of the key issues emerging as including: The significance of gender differences in the industries and occupations that women and men work in, with different occupations affording different opportunities to access Flexible Working Arrangements. A range of literature discusses gender differences in decision-making about career choices with women more likely to make decisions based on accommodating family needs. Differences in the availability of Flexible Working Arrangements, both in the UK and New Zealand, with women more likely to request arrangements affecting their total number of hours worked where as men were more likely to request forms of flexibility that had no effect on income and earnings. Research revealing differences between men and womens perceptions of work with women more likely to place weight on putting family needs before work (Fursman, 2008). Social policy journal of New Zealand mentioned about a research showed that there were a number of barriers preventing the take-up of flexible working arrangements, with many of these resulting from employee perceptions that using flexible work arrangements would not be supported by their employers. The lack of available arrangements in particular workplaces was an obvious barrier; however, other barriers centered on negative employer attitudes, both perceived and actual, to requests for flexible work. Employees reported that they did not use flexible work arrangements because doing so would have a negative impact on career progression and negative financial consequences (parti

Emperor Caligula Biography Essay -- essays research papers

Emperor Caligula On August 31st, 12 AD Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder gave birth to the third Roman emperor during the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. During the beginning of his reign, it seemed to be, as most would call it â€Å"a dream come true†. But after a few favorable accomplishments, Caligula became the deranged tyrant he is known for today. Born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, he acquired the name Caligula at the age of two. After being separated from his parents for eighteen months, Augustus prepared traveling arrangements that would re-unite him with his mother. His parents gave him an oversized soldier’s uniform with military boots and he became the mascot for the troops. Thus, he received the Latin nickname for â€Å"Little Boot†. Three months after he acquired this nickname, Augustus died and the troops rebelled. For the sake of her family, Agrippina prepared to leave with her son. Quickly realizing how savage their behavior was, the troops stopped rebelling and begged Agrippina to stay. They said, â€Å"the mere sight of little Gaius unquestionably calmed them down.† Germanicus let Caligula stay, but made Agrippina leave because she was about to give birth. After Germanicus (Caligula’s father) and the Roman army had defeated the Germans, a victory parade began in Rome. Caligula was placed in a chariot alongside his father as they rode throughout Rome. Not long after, Germanicus was sent to the Middle East with his family where he received new military duties. The five-year-old Caligula also accompanied him. Even though Germanicus had all authority in the East, Piso of Syria challenged him. After a long fought battle, Germanicus became ill and died. This event remained strong in Caligula’s memory and could have le... ...tus, was treated with more honor than the most honorable citizens in Rome. He intended to appoint the horse as a consul, but the little sanity he had left led him to abandon this idea. Not long after his many tyrannical actions, the Praetorian guards planned his murder. According to history books, the guards mainly killed Caligula for personal reasons but many believe that Caligula’s successor Claudius was involved. January 24, 41 AD, Emperor Caligula was assassinated by the Praetorian guards. Many Roman people believed that Tiberius’ later years damaged the carefully crafted political edifice put together by Augustus. They then realized that Tiberius was a glorious emperor compared to Caligula. As the people called him â€Å"our baby† and â€Å"our star†, it is ironic that his name later became synonymous with words such as hedonism, cruelty, tyranny, and insanity.

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Case 2 Intranets: Invest First, Analyze Later? Questions: 1. Where and under what circumstances is the â€Å"invest first, analyze later† approach appropriate? where and when is it inappropriate? Give specific examples of technologies and other circumstances. 2. How long do you think the â€Å"invest first , analyze later† approach will be appropriate for intranet projects? When (and why) will the emphasis shift to traditional project justification approaches? (Or has the shift already occurred? ) 3. What are the risks of going into projects that have not received a through financial analysis? How can organization reduce these risks? . Based on the numbers provided for Cadence Design System’s intranet project, use a spread sheet to calculate the net present value of the project. Assume a 5-year life for the system. Case 3 Putting IT to Work at Home Depot Questions: 1. Explain why the team based structure at Home Depot is so successful. 2. The structure means that the SPST reports to both marketing and technology. This is known as a matrix structure. What are the potential advantages and problems? 3. How is collaboration facilitated by IT in this case? 4. Why is the process flow important in this case? Case 4 Dartmouth College Goes WirelessQuestions: 1. In what ways is the Wi-Fi technology changing the Dartmouth students? 2. Some says that the wireless system will become part of the background of everybody’s life – that the mobile devices are just an afterthought. Explain. 3. Is the system contributing to improved learning, or just adding entertainment that may reduce the time available for studying? Debate your point of view with students who hold a different opinion. 4. What are the major benefits of the wireless system over the previous wire line one? Do you think wire line systems will disappear from campus one day? (Do some research on the topic. )

Literacy, Technology, and the Social Self Essay

Introduction The way we define who we are is a direct result of what we know. â€Å"Literacy reflects contradictions and complexities in how we understand ourselves and construct roles for ourselves through language in that world. X. † Since the arrival of the Feed in ____, emphasis on the individual has become less central in our lives. This lack of focus has led to relationships that are left vulnerable and weakened. In this section we will be considering the impact of the decline in literacy on the â€Å"Social Self. † In basic terms, the Social Self is defined as how an individual interacts with the social world presented to him/her and how he/she approaches the formation of relationships. Individualism All throughout history, individualism has been key to the advancement of humanity including – most importantly ? the spreading of freedom. The world we live in has been changed greatly through the individual’s critical understanding of literacy. The vigilant and knowledgeable use of the written word is what carries one’s claims to the world. â€Å"Emancipatory literacy is a necessary foundation for cultural action and freedom, a central aspect of what it means to be a self & socially composed agent. X† This type of literature is used to empower the people who use it. It involves engaging in acts of writing and reading that are used to liberate humanity. How can anything be changed without the use of this emancipatory literacy? â€Å"We must write as if our lives depended on it. X† Literacy gives a voice to our ideas, and creates a space for us in the world to work toward change and to reflect on that change so that it is not forgotten. â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† is a novel by Ernest J. Gaines. It encompasses the theory of emancipatory literacy through its character Jefferson. A young black prisoner on death row, Jefferson transforms the racist mind of a white prison guard, Paul, mostly through his demeanor while in prison. Paul felt sympathy for Jefferson in a time when colored people were greatly looked down upon. It seems likely that not too long after Jefferson was electrocuted, Paul would have forgotten what Jefferson had taught him- that  all people, regardless of race, are equal. However, Jefferson left behind his notebook in which he wrote his thoughts on the days leading up to his death. The words in that notebook exist forever, unlike to the feelings that Paul was feeling. The permanent physical reminder of Jefferson for Paul is one reason of why literacy is so important. X Another aspect of how literacy affects individualism is in its contributions to self-construction. Literacy provides the opportunity to define one’s self through written language. It gives a way to build a self with in the world in order to participate in that world. â€Å"Literacy reflects contradictions and complexities in how we understand ourselves and construct roles for ourselves through language in that world. X† Only through reading and writing can one gain independence by experiencing things that, without literature, would be impossible to encounter. Imagination and creativity come from a brain that has been well educated and completely exposed to what cannot be seen in every day life. Books take on that challenge- the challenge to exercise the mind in ways that enhance self-discovery. With this self-discovery comes self-worth, which is evident not only in how we treat ourselves, but also how we treat others. Relationships Sets of experiences in our lives lead us to accept different positions for various aspects including political and theological stances. Literacy provides these experiences that educate us to know what we like and what we do not like. This understanding of who we are and what we believe give us commonalities to base relationships on. Relationships are defined by a significant connection or similarity between two or more things, or the state of being related to something else. X People form relationships with others who have the same interests and beliefs. Being literate is the key to a healthy relationship. The Continuing Decline of Literacy in the Future When forced to examine the future of our world and the consequences of the unavoidable continuation in the decline of literacy, it becomes quite clear that humanity is in trouble. If society continues to travel in the direction that it has been for quite some time now, the Social Self, along with many other aspects of humanity, will greatly suffer. Conclusion While some of the qualities that enhance the Social Self come from innovative technology, the heart of these qualities lies within books. Books engage our minds and ignite cognitive thinking. It promotes imagination and intelligence. By ignoring literature, society has diluted its unique identifications that make this world a more interesting place to live. Works Cited: Ernest J. Gaines. A Lesson Before Dying. 1993. Vintage Contemporaries. New York. Mark Warschauer. Electronic Literacies: Language, Culture, and Power in Online Education. 1999. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Mahwah, New Jersey. Catherine Snow, Wendy Barnes, Jean Chandler, Irene Goodman, Lowry Hemphill. Unfulfilled Expectations: Home and School Influences on Literacy. 1991. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Robert P. Yagelski. Literacy Matters: Writing and Reading the Social Self. 2000. Teachers College Press. New York.