Overview of Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning As a Competitive Factor Strategic planning is a way in which organizations define their strategies and directions in order to make decisions on the allocation of their resources for purposes of pursuing various strategies. The achievement of all these is always preceded by the knowledge of the prevailing position and the gateways through which a particular course of action can be pursued.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Overview of Strategic Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a critical competitive factor as it provides the organization’s vision and mission statement (Grà ¼nig and Gaggl 80). The vision statement and the mission statement contain the vision, mission, values and the strategy of the organization. Through its vision, an association delineates what it wants to bring about and also tries to influence the environment around which it is carrying out its operations . On the other hand, the mission comprehensively describes the motivations behind the existence of the organization together with the strategies it intends to puts in place to attain its vision. The cultural beliefs that an organization holds and upon which all stakeholders share constitute its values. The decisions that are made within the organization are normally based on these values. Strategy is the way in which an organization makes policies and the methods through which the attainment and implementation of such policies are attained. Changes in the Field of Strategic Planning and Strategic Information Systems Planning Strategic information systems planning have come a long way over the years. During the 1960s, there was the era of data processing (DP) in which stand alone computers that were remote from the users were applied for the cost reduction functions. In the 1970s and 1980s, the management information system (MIS) was discovered. This system was more interconnected an d distributed. It was also regulated by a management service and it supported businesses in a user driven fashion. However, in the 1980s and 90s, there came an era of Strategic Information systems (SIS). When compared to the earlier eras, the SIS planning had more elaborate integrated systems and was extensively networked. It was also available to supportive users. This ensured that it efficiently related to the business’ strategy besides enabling the drive of the organization. The strategic information systems’ planning that is carried out using the strategic information system is complex as it is deeply rooted in business processes. The main objective of the SISP is to enable an organization to plan for its activities, to not only reduce costs of running the business but also to ensure the addition of value to its products.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In formation technology has played an important role in re-engineering and redefining businesses. It has carved multiple virtual corporations offering unprecedented possibilities (Ferrell and Hartline 529). Strategic planning can also refer to as a methodical and officially documented process for selecting the most appropriate decisions that an organization needs to make in order to prosper over a certain period. In this aspect, strategic planning process is very important for the prosperity and survival of a business. Its focus should be the definition and assessment of both internal and external situations. It also implements strategy, makes adjustments and evaluates the progress of a particular business activity or project (May and May 22). The most imperative thing to reflect on when carrying out strategic planning is the nature of the needs an organization has and the direct exterior surroundings it thrives in. Industries that change their products and services regularly need to c arry out a lot of strategic planning processes. On the other hand, the organizations that have stayed on the market for longer periods of time or that have established stable markets need fewer planning processes, which can be implemented once in a year. The most critical time during which an organization should carry out strategic planning is in the course of its commencement. In this regard, the strategic plan is embedded with the business plan, the financial plan and the market plan among others. Another scenario that requires the execution of a strategic plan is during the formation of a new business venture, or the establishment of a new department or the conception of new merchandise. It is also important to note that strategic planning should be carried out at least once in a year. This ensures that an organization is adequately prepared for every fiscal year. During this process, action plans are normally updated. However, during the implementation, the progress of the imple mentation needs to be reviewed even on a quarterly basis (Abraham 189). Issues affecting the Selection and Implementation of the SISP SISP is the method through which portfolio computer-based applications are branded. These applications help in the execution of business plans in order to meet the objectives of the organization. It is very crucial for the running of the business as it helps organizational managers and information technicians in the identification of strategic applications in order to align them with the needs of the business.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Overview of Strategic Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Over the past few decades, business leaders and their organizations have deemed it fit to include the acquisition of technological decisions as a key component tool that impacts on the organizational information system. This is normally founded on what the players in the industry believe in and the influence that they get from vendors and competitors. However, a positive outcome is not always guaranteed. It is against this backdrop that the idea of strategic information systems planning comes in handy. In this regard, the decisions on the information systems of an organization must be made in compliance with it direction and strategy (Grant, Hackney, and Edgar 329). The issues that normally impact on the implementation of the information systems and strategy planning include business strategy, organizational strategy and the information strategy. This strategy constitutes a synchronized set of procedures, which are set to arrive at the intention, objectives and the goals of the organization. It commences with the mission of the association and sets restrictions on the vital undertakings of the institute. On the other hand, the organizational strategy is involved with the human resource, the processes of working, internal and external structures, hiring prac tices and the business plan (Kà ¼pper 7). This is specifically designed to enable a business enterprise accomplish its goals. In order to successfully provide adequate information services, organizations need to adopt effective action plans, such as valuable information systems. The main objective of executing the strategic information systems planning is coming up with an excellent information system strategy. For the setting up of these strategies to be successfully executed, the organisation has to reflect on the key components that include: information strategy, change administration and execution strategy, information management strategy and information technology strategy. In a nutshell, the whole idea of strategic information systems planning is to give the direction a business enterprise wishes to go to while keeping in mind the information about the future prospects of the organization. This helps in decision making in the future. The most important goal of this strategic plan is to put forward the framework for making future decisions. Apparently, planning in itself involves a lot of processes some of which are very complex (King 411). Approaches to Strategic Planning Some of the approaches to strategic planning that are in use include future research, open space, SWOT analysis and the ZOPP/OOPP/LFA. These approaches operate on the belief that the future is not pre-destined and can be changed. They also share a belief that all the significant stakeholders are important ingredients in the participation of decision making for the future actions.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Future Search Approach This is a plan is intended to unravel the circumstances that had proved taxing at the start. It is appropriate for projects or programs that rely heavily on participants’ input. It is also commonly used by the non-profit making entities that do very little business. This approach emphasizes on the need to leap forward in an appropriate time to identify the suitable conditions for the future and work toward attaining them (Simerson 201). Since it is normally manual, it consumes a lot of time and tedious. This is different from the strategic information systems planning, which is computer based. Open Space Approach This is the least structured of all the approaches available. In this approach, there lacks the preset agenda set aside for the topic that had previously been agreed upon and the time allocation for the meeting. It is also characterized by lack of planned discussions and the plenary sessions. It is the duty of the participants to create all the relevant agenda. This they do with the guidance of the facilitator. Issues that are mostly pressing are normally at the top of the agenda. As compared to the strategic information systems planning, this approach is too narrow. SISP apparently uses numerous strategies to arrive at a decision. The SWOT Analysis Approach In this approach, the planners seek to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that surround an organization’s operations. It is mostly common in business environments. The strengths are those qualities that a business organization possesses, which can enable it to accomplish its mission. It is from these strengths that consistent success is made and sustained. Conversely, strengths can either be substantial or indefinable. Some of the most unique strengths that organizations experience include the expertise and the qualities of the employees, products and services, customer goodwill, process capabilities and brand loyalty. These strengths are also regarded as the beneficial aspects of the company (Fine 48). Weaknesses are the traits within an organization that derail the attainment of its objectives. They weaken the organization’s prospects of achieving its full potentiality. Some of the examples of weaknesses include inadequate or poor research, operation of machines under poor working conditions, poor decision making skills and the narrow product range. For the success of any business organization, the frequency of weaknesses must be minimized or eliminated at all cost. Some of the ways of overcoming the weaknesses include hiring competent employees, purchasing new and functioning machinery and engaging in a complex decision making process. On the other hand, opportunities are exhibited by the operating environment of the organization. This is achieved through the actions of the organization to make beneficial choices out of its operating environment. The organization must be ready to put in place measures that ensure it succeeds by initiating strategies that enable it to become profitable. A sure way for an organization to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors is to make wise use of the opportunities that come its way. However, this requires careful identification and recognition of such opportunities because it is not easy to select a target that will serve clients satisfactorily and at the same time give the business the desired results. Some of the things that could help are the availability of a new-fangled and more resourceful technology, encouraging government policies, weak antagonism and an approving market. Currently, there is an increasing demand for telecommunication products; in an industry, which is accompanied by deregulation, companies in the telecom sector can utilize this to their advantage (Bà ¶hm 13). Threats are the external factors whose influence is unfavorable enough to hinder the organization’s progress. In most of the cases, they are uncon trollable and their presence puts the stability of the business at a vulnerable state, especially if they compound with other weaknesses. Some of the most common threats to most business organizations include the frequent and consistent of unreliable technology, civil strikes by the employees, price wars and increased competition within the industry. As a strategic planning tool, SWOT analysis ensures the provision of information for strategic planning besides building on the organization’s strengths and reversing the weaknesses. In addition, SWOT analysis helps to maximize the response of the organization to opportunities so as to tap them. If carefully drafted, this strategy assists in overcoming the threats faced by the organization. By doing this, the key areas of competencies by the firm become easer to identify. The SWOT analysis approach also assists in setting up the objectives that are vital for strategic planning. To crown all these, the SWOT analysis tool puts an o rganization in a better position of knowing the past, current and future plans at a glance (Snelling 8). As a strategy formulation tool, the SWOT analysis approach is very instrumental because of its reliability and profitability. It should provide a platform upon which business organizations gauge their performance. In this case, the success of a business organization is premised upon building its strengths, correcting its weaknesses, and protecting itself against the external weaknesses and threats (Pahl and Richter 61). This approach shares the same contextual framework with the strategic information systems planning, as it is deeply rooted in explorations. ZOPP/OOPP/Logical Framework Approach This approach is also referred to as Objective Oriented Project Planning. It is a structured meeting process. It seeks to identify some of the most pressing prevailing problems by the use of the cause effect analysis. This is then followed by the search for the best strategy for the allevia tion of the identified problems. Conversely, this approach is limited in scope, time consuming and tedious when compared to strategic information systems planning approach. All this planning approaches have their cons and pros. It is upon the business organization managers to identify and come up with the most suitable approach to apply. Conclusion From the above analysis, it is true that all the approaches described above are correct in their own right under the specified circumstances. However, for elaborate business organizations, SWOT analysis could the most efficient. Nonetheless, with the introduction of information systems to run business models, the strategic systems information planning can offer tools that are even more effective and sensitive. Works Cited Abraham, Stanley C. Strategic Planning: A Practical Guide for Competitive Success. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing, 2012. Print. Bà ¶hm, Anja. The SWOT Analysis. München: GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print. Ferrell, OC, and Michael D. Hartline. Marketing Strategy. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. Fine, Lawrence G. The SWOT Analysis: Using Your Strength to Overcome Weaknesses, Using Opportunities to Overcome Threats. New York: CreateSpace, 2009. Print. Grant, Kevin, Ray Hackney, and David Edgar. Strategic Information Systems Management. Andover: Cengage Learning EMEA, 2010. Print. Grà ¼nig, Rudolf and Richard Gaggl. Process-based Strategic Planning. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer, 2011. Print. King, William Richard. Planning for Information Systems. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2009. Print. Kà ¼pper, Alexander. Measures for Successful Strategic Information Systems Planning. München: GRIN Verlag, 2008. Print. May, Gary May, and Gary May. Strategic Planning: Fundamentals for Small Business. New York, NY: Business Expert Press, 2010. Print. Pahl, Nadine, and Anne Richter. Swot Analysis – Idea, Methodology and a Practical Approach. München:GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print. Simerson, Keith B. Strategic Planning: A Practical Guide to Strategy Formulation and Execution. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Print. Snelling, Jennifer. The Influence of the SWOT Analysis in Organizational Development Strategic Planning. München: GRIN Verlag, 2012. Print. This report on Overview of Strategic Planning was written and submitted by user Na0m1 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Selection and Role of Canadas Official Opposition

Selection and Role of Canada's Official Opposition In Canada, the official opposition is the political party with the second-highest number of seats in the House of Commons or a legislative assembly. Also known as  Her Majestys Loyal Opposition, representatives from the second-place political party serve the public by critiquing the majority partys proposals and actions. How a Party Becomes the Official Opposition Canada has numerous political parties. After an election, the leader of the political party with the most seats in the federal House of Commons is invited by the  governor-general  to form the government. After being appointed by the governor-general, the leader of this party becomes the prime minister. The prime minister chooses the ministers and forms the Cabinet.   The other parties that are not in power are known as opposition parties. The opposition party with the most members of the House of Commons is the official opposition. For example, under this system, if the majority party in the most recent election was the Liberal Party, then the prime minister and the majority of representatives in the House of Commons would be members of the Liberal Party. If the Conservative Party received the second-highest number of votes in the most recent election, then the Conservatives would constitute the official opposition. Other parties receiving lesser percentages of the votes, such as the New Democratic Party, would comprise the rest of the opposition. The Official Oppositions Role in the Government Under Canada’s parliamentary system, the basic function of the opposition is to oppose the government on a day-to-day basis. In this context, the opposition takes on an adversarial role,  criticizing government legislation and actions, as well as providing the public with alternative policies and proposals. In some cases, the opposition may even try to bring down the government by voting against government proposals, such as the annual budget.   The official opposition also maintains a shadow  Cabinet to critique the actions of the Cabinet ministers.   Value of the Official Opposition to Canadas Democracy The existence of the opposition is critical to the functioning of a parliamentary political system, such as Canadas.  In theory, the official opposition serves as a check on the majority governments power and control. This system of political opposition supports a healthy, vibrant democracy and creates trust in the ability of citizens to resolve differences by peaceful means. The presence of the opposition is based on the idea  that the minority accepts the right of the majority to make decisions, as long as there is also respect for the minoritys right to disagree with the majority and propose its own solutions. Benefits of Being the Official Opposition The official opposition party usually receives better financial benefits, such as research funds, and procedural advantages over other opposition parties. The government provides the leader of the official opposition party with a residence, which is called Stornoway and is located in Ottawa.

Leadership and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Leadership and Change - Essay Example Although there is no universal definition of the structural behavioral interviews, these can be employed to produce strong outcomes that are similar to proven techniques such as, assessment centers and ability tests. The structural interviews can be conducted in phases, involving peer discussions and telephonic interview. The third phase or reference checking is necessary for quality purposes. Leadership is referred to the process of initiating, enabling, developing, implementing and maintaining change with the management structure of an organization, group or team. In a continuously evolving environment, the role of leaders is critical for managing and maintaining organizational performance. According to the Path Goal theory, effectiveness of a leader is greatly dependent on the circumstances wherein an individual works and the leaders tend to adopt various strategies to find the best solution so as to cope with the situation (House, 1996). Leaders exhibit different managerial styles to induce change management in an organization in order to keep pace with the radical changes occurring in the external environment. However, this fact does not explain that effective leadership is driven by subjective preferences. Along with the Path goal theory, the situational aspect of leadership is supported by Fiedler’s contingency model. The contingency model states that rigorousness in the relationship between leadership style and effectiveness can be reduced by increasing the ability of leaders to control a particular situation. The contingency model has proposed three components that influence situational favorability, namely leader-member relationship, task structure and power of the leader (Offermann, Kennedy & Wirtz, 1994). In context of the current paper, the organization in subject is Procter & Gamble, where questions regarding employee satisfaction and retention

Methods, Problems and Issues in Maritime Policy Essay

Methods, Problems and Issues in Maritime Policy - Essay Example The liner cargo-carrying service sector, on the other hand, carries out its operations on regular scheduled services between ports which have been advertised. These advertised ports are known as the liner trades, and they operations are based on the principle of common carriage. In this sector, cargoes are transported for a number of shippers simultaneously, unlike in the bulk sector. It is worth noting that the liner cargo-carrying service sector is ordinarily subjected to a wide scope of regulatory constraints in matters of safety and commercial nature. In a majority of the countries, to be particular, some of the liner shipping practices do enjoy conditional exemptions from the anti-trust laws application. Resultantly, this ability to take part in co-operative practices has been contributory to the organisation and the shape of the sector (Starer & Mayerson 2009, p.1). The bulk cargo-carrying sector, on its part, covers a number of primary sub-divisions whose basis is the specific types of vessels while liquid cargoes are shipped in chemical tankers, crude oil tankers, liquefied gas tankers and refined petroleum product tankers, non-liquid cargoes are shipped in dry bulk carriers and other multipurpose carriers. Ordinarily, vessels operating in the bulk cargo-carrying sector hardly operate on services which have been scheduled. Nevertheless, these vessels operate on precise expeditions in fulfilment of either short- or long-term contracts, in which the entire cargo transported on a particular voyage is property of an individual owner (Hubner n.d., p.24). Furthermore, carriers may be operating a number of routes as per the local demand in certain ports and can be shipping different bulk cargoes. These are habitually known as a tramp shipping sector- which is a separate sector within the shipping industry. The impromptu open market mode of operation distinguishes

Law and Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Essay

Law and Business Ethics and Social Responsibility - Essay Example states. Thus, the major U.S. law primarily consists of state law. The U.S. law is framed from various sources including statutory law, constitutional law, administrative regulations, common law and treaties. At the state and federal levels, the U.S. law was mostly derived from U.K. Common law, enforced at the instant of the Revolutionary War. Although the American law has deviated significantly from its ancestor in terms of procedure as well as substance, and has integrated a great number of innovations in the civil law. The main aim of the law is to rehabilitate people and organizations violating the law. In the U.S. law stare decisis pertains to the  sharing  of a case than to  obiter dicta i.e., things supposed by the way, as it has been decided by the American Supreme Court that dicta are not binding but might be pursued if it is adequately persuasive. The U.S Supreme Court has made the stare decisis principle most flexible in cases of constitutional nature. It has been stated by the Supreme Court that is the court provides various reasons for a verdict then each reason unambiguously marked as an independent ground, by the court for the verdict should not be simply treated as a dictum (Burnham, 2006). Microsoft is one of the leading software companies. In terms of CSR, Microsoft has framed mission to serve global communities and play its role in addressing public causes. One such step taken by Microsoft in the fiscal year 2011 involves reaching almost 250 million teachers and students around the globe in collaboration with their partners in learning program by the year 2013 to provide technology to their classrooms (Microsoft 2011 Citizenship report,

Evaluation of Human Development Theories

Evaluation of Human Development Theories This essay is going to give a critical reflection of human development theories. It will compare and contrast human development theories, linking the theories to the events observed of a child aged three and a half years in a nursery setting, over six weeks. It will also evaluate the recording method used and what I have learnt relevant to the social work practice. For the purpose of maintaining confidentiality in accordance with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), (2012), Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students, the child has been named under the pseudonym of Eva. Eva is a three and a half year old girl of black African origin and lives with her parents. She is the youngest in a family of three and has a sister and a brother. Both her parents work full time and she attends nursery full time. The nursery offers a wide range of activities and encourages free play. Observation Log 1 Cognitive Development I conducted six observations on Eva, over a period of six week in a nursery setting and one of the theories I was able to link to the observations, is the cognitive development theory. This theory is associated with the work of Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and his work focused on understanding how children view the world. Piaget believed that from infancy, we have the basic mental structure on which all subsequent knowledge and learning are based and due to biological maturation and environmental experience, the mental processes will have a progressive reorganization. Piagets assumption was that children are active participates in the development of knowledge and they adapt to the environment through actively seeking to understand their environment. He suggested that cognitive development happens in four stages, 0 to 2 years being the sensori motor, 2 years to 7 years the preoperational, 7 to 12 years the concrete operations, and 12 years and above the formal operations. (Beckett and Tayl or 2010) According to Crawford and Walker (2008), Piaget assumed that in the preoperational stages, (the stage Eva is) children have not yet mastered the ability to apprehend, offer judgment, inference or think actions through. He believed that children in this stage are considered to be egocentric by showing difficulty in seeing things from a point of view other that their own. They also engage in monologues, in which they will be talking, but not interacting with each other. During my observation, this was really evident and I noticed it on several occasions on Eva and the other children during free play. (Appendix ..) They also focus their attention on one aspect of the situation and have difficulty seeing that a situation may have a number of dimensions. Piaget called this centration and this was also shown in Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. They also lack reversibility by failing to understand that working backwards can restore whatever existed before. Piaget also believed that children build their understanding of the world through activities for example dramatic play. This was evident when the nursery class was rehearsing for the Christmas concert. She showed an understanding that a baby needs feeding and also talking to. At the preoperational stage they also learn skills like drawing, language and sort objects in groups. This was demonstrated in Appendix .. and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. . This showed that she understand the concept of shapes, objects and drawing skills. However, Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), also did a study on cognitive growth and did not see children as individual explorers of knowledge, but as learners from social interactions. He emphasised the role of language and the importance of relationships and interactions between children and adults. He believed that the members of the culture, for example teacher, parents or siblings, construct the childs learning. While Piaget believed that children should not be presented with problems and materials beyond their developmental ability, Vygotsky believed that a knowledgeable adult can help them achieve the skills through what he termed as scaffolding. He referred this period of scaffolding as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). For example during my observation Eva was playing with wooden blocks and was supposed to fit them through holes. (Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) The teacher helped her to fit in one of the blocks and later she managed to fit in the rest. Piaget and Vygotsky agreed that children build their knowledge through experiences. However, Piaget believed this happened through exploration with hands on activities. In contrast, Vygotsky believed that learning was not limited by stage or maturation. He believed that children move forward in their cognitive development with the right social interaction and guided learning. He argued that they learn through interactions, social and cultural experiences and interactions with adults. Vygotsky saw the adult as vital to the process of scaffolding the childs learning. Piagets concept have been criticised of denying other aspects of thinking such as intuition and creativity and also not examining and explaining individual differences in children. Vygotskys theory draws attention to the role of social and culture interaction and identifies the principle of scaffolding in the childrens learning. Nevertheless, Piaget and Vygotsky agreed that the children actively participant in their intellectual development. Observation Log 2 Play and Learning As I was doing my observations, I noticed that Eva was engaging in play when I was observing her for other developmental theories. According to Szarkowicz (), this is because play can be used in many different ways by children and it is an authentic way for them to demonstrate their competence in a range of developmental areas. Szarkowicz () states that, children engage in play either from a social perspective or from a cognitive perspective. When interpreting how Eva engaged in play, I can use Partens (1932) social stages of play. Partens theory looked at the social aspects of play, particularly the way play develops from being an individual solitary activity into a cooperative social experience. Parten (1932), categorised childrens play into six stages, unoccupied play, solitary play where a child plays alone and onlooker play (Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) where the child watches others play and this is to about 2 years. The other stages that can be seen from the age of 4 are parallel play (Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦), where the child plays with similar toys next to another child or children, associative play where the child plays near others and share the same toys and cooperative play where the children who play together with the same toys (Appendix..). Bee and Boyd () states that, the ability to join groups of other children, and the desire to do so begins, at an early age and progresses through a developmental sequence. Parten discovered that children of different ages actually played together differently. They engage in different levels or categories of social play. However the stages of play are not in sequence and children may often engage in different stages of social pla y depending on factors such as the childs familiarity with the situation, temperament, or playmates. This was evident in Evas play and what surprised me was that she actually played in all the stages.( Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) According to Piaget (1972) play promotes mental and social abilities and helps children learn how to express and manage their feelings. Piaget argued that for children to think things through they need to play and by doing so, play facilitates and transforms the childrens thought processes. He categorised play into sensory motor, symbolic and games with rules. He proposed that when in infancy up to about to 2 years, a child is in the sensory motor stage and uses motor skill and senses to explore objects and their environment. During the preoperational stage, children engage in imaginary games and fantasy role play which he called symbolic play. (Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) And finally in the concrete operations stage, children are capable to play games following rules of games. Piaget saw play as assimilation of new materials into existing cognitive structures and in his analysis he saw play as relaxed practice time rather than time for learning and grasping in new information. (Casper and Theilheimer 2009) I also looked at other theories and Smilansky (1968) proposed three stages of play based her work with Piagets but expanded to include functional play which takes place in the first two years. Smilansky (1968) identified four types of play thus, functional play, constructive play, dramatic play, and games with rules. However, his work emphasised the importance of considering the childs cognitive development when exploring the childs levels of play. (Casper and Theilheimer 2009) According to Sheridan (), children discover the world through play and they use their senses and movements. Play is a way of constructing knowledge, developing intellectual abilities and building social skills. Piaget believed that a child could use play to mirror obnoxious experiences or experiences where he or she had no power. He believed that children often imitate and role play an adult who has power for example a teacher who is ferocious because they can imagine themselves in the position of power and this facilitates them to deal with being powerless. This is also common with children witnessing or involved in violent households. Observation Log 2 Language Development The next theory I considered in my observation is the language developmental theory and I looked at the theories Chomsky, Piaget and Vygotsky. I believe language is an important part in human development because it a major medium of social interaction. According to Beckett and Taylor (), the vocabulary of children between the ages of 3 to 6 expands from 2 word sentence to more complex sentences. They believe that as the childrens vocabulary increase, they learn the rules of grammar and they become able to use different forms of words. Whilst I was observing Eva, I noticed that most of her conversation and responses were two or three word sentences and it made me more interested on language development. Chomsky (1957) believed that sentences are routinely created practically every time. He believed that we have internal rules that enable us to decide which sentences are grammatical correct and convey our intended meanings. Chomsky believed that children have innate abilities, a genetic program to learn language and once they begin to hear language around them, they automatically understand the structure of that language. He argued that this is because of the biological dispositions, brain development and cognitive readiness. His theory emphasises the need for language in the environment to stimulate childrens innate abilities. (Crain 2005) According to Piagets theory, children are born with basic action schemas and during the sensory-motor period (birth to 2 years) they use these action schemas to assimilate information about the world. Piagets theory suggested that during the preoperational stage childrens language rapidly progress due to the development of their mental schemas, which allow them to accommodate new words and build simple sentences. (Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.) Piagets theory describes childrens language as symbolic, allowing them to venture beyond what is termed as here and now. During this stage children engage in small talks about things as the past, the future, people, feelings and events. They begin to build sentences of three or more words and their grammar becomes complex. They start to use Where, What, Why, for example, What is that? (Appendix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.) Piaget proposed that, during the sensory-motor period, childrens language is egocentric and they talk either for themselves or for amusement. During this period, their language often shows instances of what Piaget termed animism and egocentrism. Animism refers to childrens tendency to consider everything to be alive, including non-living objects. Since they see things entirely from their own perspective, their language suggests their egocentrism. Vygotskys theory of language development suggests that children begin by realising that words are symbols for objects and they develop curiosity to what objects are called. It is then followed by the egocentric or private speech stage from 4 to 7 years, where they often talk aloud to themselves as they perform tasks or solve problems. Finally the private speech wanes and speech becomes more internalised. Piaget and Chomsky both agreed that children are not moulded by the external environment but they create mental structures on their own accord. Chomsky proposed that children automatically create grammatical forms according to the genetic design and in contrast, Piaget proposed that cognitive structures emerge from the childs own effort. Chomsky also believed that language is a highly specialised mental faculty that progresses independently and children learn entirely on their own. However, Piaget viewed language as more closely related to general cognitive development. Piaget and Vygotsky agreed that children are active learners and they contribute to their own development. They both believed that children build ways of understanding and knowledge of the world through their activities. However, Piaget believes it happens primarily through physical manipulation of objects around them and Vygotsky that it is socially mediated. Language development deals with how a child develops his/her language skills during their growth period. Nativists (Chomsky) believe that language is innate and unique to humans. Cognitive theorists (Piaget) believe language is not innate but a product of cognitive development. Finally, social interactionists (Vygotsky) believe that language acquisition is a result of both biological and environmental factors. Evaluation of the observation process (how I managed the process and as an observer how may have affected the process) Evaluation of recording method Reflection (feelings, attitudes, beliefs and professional values, anti oppressive) Ruch (2009) states that, reflective practice enables the practitioners to acknowledge the actual or potential emotional impact of the observation and be able to transfer the awareness to practice. What I learnt McKinnon (2009), states that child observation is a process which enable the worker to be responsive rather than intrusive through watching and listening in an alert and informed way that raises awareness and sharpens understanding. It involves learning how to monitor feelings and reactions and how they can provide information. The observation process provided me with an opportunity to focus on the vulnerability, resilience and the relative powerless of children in a nursery setting. It also provides me with knowledge and skills on how to conduct an observation and according to McKinnon (2009), well developed observational skills can act as a safeguard. It also provided me with an opportunity to discover and have a deeper understanding of how children communicate, play, engage with adults and most importantly about their development. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE As a social worker student I need to have knowledge on human life course development in order to understand their use in practice as the practice requires me to take a holistic approach and understanding of an individuals circumstances. Social work practice involves interactions between people, which are influenced by each persons life course and their experience and perceptions about their own life. As a social worker student I need to have and understanding of how people develop and place peoples life situations in the context of the expectations of normal life course development. This will enable me to appreciate that a persons experience, their growth and life experiences have a direct impact on who they are and how they see their world. The social work profession is based on the supposition that people can be helped and supported to change and grow as a result of their experiences. Therefore, in order for me to be sensitive and appropriate in my communications with people and in the services I offer and provide, I need to appreciate and understand their life course and what makes them who they are. Understanding how people grow and develop is central to the role and task of a professional social worker. Crawfor d and Walker (2007) Evaluation As you examine different theories of development, you will find that some (such as Erikson and Piaget) are criticised for being too committed to identifying stages, ignoring the diversity which is found in psychosocial experience and behaviour -while others are criticised for failing to take account of the sequence in which changes occur, not being clear enough about which changes become possible at which stage, and which changes are ruled out until a certain level of maturity is reached. According to Moffatt (1996) argued that some models of human development are cultural biased and they did not include some aspect for example persons experience, race, class, gender and sexual orientation. All of these theories have their own way of interpreting language development, and to some extent, they all seem to be highly convincing. However, out of the four theories, the social interactionist view appeals to me the most; so my theory of language development is definitely the social interactionist view. Unlike Piaget, Vygotski considered language to be key to development. Although Piaget acknowledged language with development with terms such as egocentric speech, he did not believe it predominant, saying it was due to the childs inability to think from another perspective. Vygotski however, believed talking out loud gives the child a way to organize their thoughts and guide their actions.

Motivation in Business Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Ess

Motivation in Business Thesis: Organization member can be effectively motivated by organizational leaders Motivational Styles Motivation is the ultimate goal of management in business, and the topic of multiple seminars, books, and videos. Engendering the emotional energy of frontline workers is the most difficult challenge facing organizational leaders worldwide. The is a difficult task because â€Å"most frontline employees work for a regular paycheck and nothing more; they never emotionally connect with their employers, let alone care about the company’s long-term performance.† (Katzenbach) By following the principles employed by successful organizations, organization member can be effectively motivated by their leaders. One method of inserting motivation into the lives of organization members is through what Katzenbach and Santamaria explore in their article in Harvard Business Review, the â€Å"mission, values, and pride† path to an emotionally engaged, high-performing workforce. This is a system where emotional energy is generated by mutual trust, collective pride, and self-discipline. The employees are typically proud of the aspirations, accomplishments, and legacy of their organization; they share its values. This method is typical of the U.S. Marine Corps, 3M, and the New York City Ballet. A second method is to set transparent performance measures and standards and to have a clear tracking of results. This fosters deeper organizational ...