Teaching Essays E-Learning Students Education

Teaching Essays E-Learning Students Education E-Learning Students Education Abstract: With the enormous spreading of e-learning over the last 15 years, quality of e-learning has been often criticized and tied up to poor provision. It has become important for higher education institutions to show the ability to provide high quality programmes. A variety of perspectives on what should be considered when evaluating the quality of e-learning. Some studies have addressed this topic from a more comprehensively view while other have looked at single perspective. This study aims at exploring this subject to develop a framework of critical factors necessary for the evaluation of quality in e-learning system, and to explore the relevancy and importance of the E-learning in Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, the literature of this topic was reviewed thoroughly to identify the factors that constitute the evaluation framework and 12 factors have been addressed. The empirical research was lying on a methodological quantitative approach where data was collected from learners in Sa udi Arabia based from their experience in E-learning. Introduction Nowadays, higher education is experiencing big challenges driven by many emerging trends, among which is the introduction of means of online learning. Accordingly, many universities all over the world are taking different moves to cope with the new requirements; some universities were established as purely online learning providers, other conventional universities launched new online programs, and some introduced online learning programmes to enhance some of their already existing programs. E-Learning redefines the teaching/learning processes and the overall learning environment. It change the old university system to a new set of practices by introducing significant changes in the roles of its main key players; learners, faculty members and the institution as an entity (Mendenhall, 2001). The change which e-learning brings to higher education accompanied by its vast spreading as an accepted learning delivery mode has been always questioned by its components who tie this type of learning to poor quality. Therefore, studying the different aspects of evaluating the quality of e-learning has been rising as an issue that worth researching and enhancing (Kistan, 2005; Wirth, 2005). A big range of perspectives on what factors to address when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed. Nevertheless; most of those studies either addressed few factors to a single aspect or dimension (Ally, 2004) or addressed multiple aspects but without looking at the e-learning institution comprehensively (Cohen and Ellis, 2004). In view of the lack of a holistic framework of factors to evaluate the quality of e-learning programs; this study aims hopefully at contributing to the body of knowledge in E-learning practice. Research objective: The main principle of this study is to evaluate the quality of e-learning through investigating the related critical factors that been identified by researchers and practitioners in this field. It also intends to study the importance of such framework in the e-learning practise in Saudi Arabia. The study aims also at understanding how the key learners and faculty members differ in perceiving the importance of such factors on impacting the quality of an e-learning program? Research Question: The research intends to answer in broad perspective the following questions as well: What are the factors which are affecting the quality of e-learning? In this question the researcher are trying to address the quality factors which affecting the success of E-learning in Saudi Arabia based on 12 factors have been address from the literature. How can we increase the e-learning practice in Saudi Arabia? The second question are to know what is the best way to increase the number of E-learning practise in Saudi Arabia and what do the learner think based on their experience. Dissertation structure: This dissertation includes six chapters in addition to its introduction. Below is a brief description of each: Chapter two; outlining the background information of the research to puts the reader into the perspective of this study. The chapter includes a discussion of the emerging trends in higher education that have pushed for the introduction of e-learning and discusses broadly the quality issue in this type of learning. Chapter three; covers the literature review of the e-learning, i.e. critical factors for evaluating the quality of e-learning programs. The chapter starts with identifying the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education, discusses in details the definition of the Quality concept in higher education generally and in e-learning in specific. Chapter four; Cover the research methodology such as the process of data collection and analysis which will be used. Chapter Five; we will be describing and analysing the data and presents the data gathered. Results of the analysis are then discussed. Chapter six; this chapter summarizes the study, lay out the conclusion and ends up with recommendations for future research. Bibliography Research Methodology: In this study the researcher are going to collect his data by quantitative method where a questionnaire will be designed based on the factors which have been discovered from the literature review and then will be sent to random group in Saudi Arabia. The Data later on will be analysis to show the result and the findings. Saudi Arabia Background: Saudi Arabia which is the birth place of Islam and home to Islam’s two holiest places in Mecca and Medina is located in the Middle East bordering the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. The king’s official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi State was founded in 1932. It is a large Middle Eastern nation that ranks as one of the world’s leading producers of petroleum, and exports more oil than any other nation. The government is monarchy type and the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government and administratively it is divided into 13 provinces and the constitution is governed according to Islamic Law. The country’s legal system is based on Sharia law and several secular codes have been introduced. Commercial disputes are handled by special committee. Saudi Arabia has an oil based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses more than 20% of the world’s proven petroleum reserves. It not only ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, but also plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. It is believed that about 40% of GDP comes from the private sector and roughly 5.5 million foreign employees play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The researcher have carried this research in Saudi of same reason which we are going to describe them in details as The access: as the research is a Saudi nationality and have good access to the people in Saudi Arabia where he can collect more information and find a good respond rate than carrying a research in any other place. The Language: The research are multi language as he can speak Arabic Mother tongue and English so he will not face any problem to collect the data The Information: The researcher understating the situation in Saudi Arabia so he can do good research and will not spend too much time to understand the situation and cultural factors. The Organisation of the Education System in KSA The education system in Saudi Arabia has five divisions. They are: kindergarten for children from three to six years old, elementary (6-11), intermediate (12-14), secondary level (15-18), and university level (typically 19-24, depending on the subjects studied, and the form of higher education). The secondary stage is the final phase of general education in the Kingdom. It is a three-year period, following on from the intermediate stage. Students are admitted to this stage if they have obtained the intermediate stage certificate. Normally students follow secondary stage education between the ages of 16 and 18 years. This stage is considered the most important period in the general education ladder because students who successfully complete this stage are eligible to join any higher education institution. The administration of the education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is highly centralised. All educational policies are subject to government control and supervision by the Supreme Council of Education. Textbooks and teaching tools are uniform throughout the Kingdom. The four principal authorities responsible for education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are: the Ministry of Education; the General Presidency for Girls’ Education; the Ministry of Higher Education; and the General Organisation of Technical Education and Vocational Training. Conclusion In this chapter we have gave a sample overview about the research and what are the reason to carry this research as there are a lack in understand the practice of E-learning program in Saudi Arabia and the research are trying to develop a good understanding to this n the information of other study have carried in similar field ay of the Success factors of the quality for E-learning in Saudi Arabia. Also in this chapter we have describe the dissertation structure and the research question which are going to measure what are the main factors for the success of learning Quality. Finally the Saudi Background have been analyse to give the reader the information to understand where the study have carried on and why. Chapter Two Introduction: The main objective of this chapter is to put forward the point of view of this study by laying out its background information. The chapter starts with presenting the emerging trends in higher education that have lead to the introduction of e-learning. It then continues by explaining the quality issue associated with this type of learning. The chapter also includes an overview of the background information about the e-learning in Saudi Arabia. Education An overview: According to a recent publication by the UNESCO, the education sector in general comprised of all of it’s constitutes including the higher education is experiencing new trends that exert on it new pressures and challenges (Hernes, 2003). Those trends are either classified under demography such as the continuing grow and increase of population, particularly young populations, migration between countries, increase of life expectancy, or are due to globalization where nations in general and learners in particular flow across borders without limits, allowing learners to have easy access to the best universities in the developed countries. Finally and perhaps the most important trend, is the knowledge growth accompanied by advanced information and communication technologies which have changed forever the way information is obtained, stored, used and displayed. Despite the divide between one country to another, or within the same country, more knowledge development opportunities have been created. Information technologies offer the possibility of modularization and customization of education through the use and re-use of learning objects focusing on learners, possibility of engaging learners more than ever and therefore changing the role of the faculty from a teacher to a facilitator. In response to the challenges described above, the growth of e-learning programme with its different modes in higher education is apparent and best reflected by the increasing number of e-colleges or e-universities, or the increasing number of higher education institutions that introduced e-learning programs and definitely by the growth of enrolment rate among learners. A study of e-learning in the United States in 2005, suggested that e-learning is penetrating the higher education institutions both in size and breadth and that e-learning is part of the mainstream of higher education. Figures of the study showed that sixty-five percent of schools offering graduate face-to-face courses also offer graduate courses online. Sixty-three percent of schools offering undergraduate face-to-face courses also offer undergraduate courses online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Master’s degree programs, 44% also offer Master’s programs online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Business degree programs, 43% also offer online Business programs. The same study showed an increase of around 20% of learners enrolment rate compared to the previous year (Allen and Seaman 2005). For different reasons, those statistics do not seem to be applicable to other countries. The USA is certainly the world’s largest provider of e-learning; however the market for e-learning and lifelong learning is also growing in Europe. Moreover, The Arab world, which represents 5 per cent of the worlds overall population, has entered the 21st century with a striking statistics which shows that it has only 0.5 per cent of the worlds Internet users, which obviously impacts number of its e-learning initiatives and enrolled learners in such type of learning systems (UNDP, 2002). Using Computers in Learning: These days, computers have become important educational tool kit. Many educational organizations and training centres rely on it to deliver information and learning knowledge. However, using computers in education has a long history and it has deep-rooted in the field. The idea of using computers in training first appeared during World War 2, in that the US military trained farmers to use weapons and other equipment via this systematic approach (Horton, 2000). The first real use of the computer in educational organizations was seen in the 1960s, when the University of Illinois together with the Data Corporation, developed the PLATO system. PLATO is a system which enabled the learning and understanding of complex subjects. Apple’s Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating system have since provided a standard platform on which programmers can develop training programs (Horton, 2000) Definition of E-learning: E-Learning refers to the employment of information and communication technologies to support the development and delivery of learning in academic and professional development institutions. E-Learning is used widely with other terms such as online learning, technology-mediated learning, web-based learning, computer-based learning, etc. several definitions of e-learning has been developed reflecting the diversity in its application, used tools and associated technologies, whatever definition was used, the meaning of e-learning always contains two fundamental terms; Learning and Technology. In a way or another, all definitions of e-learning indicate the learning that takes place with the support of multimedia objects, the internet and technological applications as a delivery mode. One of the highly used definitions of e-learning as: â€Å"Education via the Internet, network or standalone computer; it refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn, where communication device have been used and content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video, TV and CD-ROM, DVD etc as appropriate (LTSN Generic Centre, 2004). A latest definition that uses the terminology of E-learning higher education has been defined by Ally (2004) as: The access of the Internet to use learning material; to interact with the content, instructor, and other learners; and to obtain support during the learning process, in order to obtain knowledge, to construct personal meaning, and to develop from the learning experience. According to Horton (2000) â€Å"E-learning is defined as instruction delivered on a computer by way of CD-ROM, DVD, Internet, or intranet with the following features: Includes content related to the learning objective. Uses instructional methods such as example and practice to help the learner. Uses media feature such as words and pictures to deliver the content and methods. Builds new skill and knowledge linked to individual learning goals or to improve organizational performance† Feature of E-learning: Eaton (2001) outlines that e-learning is characterized with the following features: Computer-mediated classrooms: faculty members and learners communicate through the computer means making face to face interaction less frequent; Separation in time between communications: communication between faculty members and learners can be also in asynchronous modes; Availability of services online: learners are not only provided by online learning experience but also with online services such as advising, registration, and library services. Distinction between e-Learning and Conventional Education: To understand the quality of e-learning requires full understanding of how this type of learning differs from the conventional style of education and the changes it brings to higher education institutions. This section presents in a broad perspective the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education which shape higher education nowadays. Such distinctions will be taken into consideration when materializing a definition for quality in e-learning, and deciding what to be taken into consideration for evaluating the quality of this type of learning. The following areas were highly repeated in the literature as key distinctions between e-learning and traditional education: Educational Changes: McLaughlin and Oliver (2000) believe however that the new technologies have positive impact on the learning environment where more choices for forms of learning are provided to faculty and learners. This includes the delivery and presentation of content in more flexible and variety of modes, the provision of interactivity, engagement, communication, feedback, communication and collaboration tools. Weller (2000) sees that those types of new choices will facilitate the quick use of courses for easier customization and individualization resulting in more satisfied learners. Change in Faculty Roles: With the growing amount of knowledge and information every day, and the availability of an huge amount of content over the internet, faculty members will not continue to be seen as the source of knowledge, instead, according to Cashion and Palmieri (2002), faculty members are expected to direct learners where to find the most relevant knowledge and provide them with tools that teach them how to learn. Different Types of Learners: Oblinger and Oblinger (2005) have referred to young learners of today as the â€Å"Net Generation† who grew with familiarity with technological products and facilities. Internet access, computer and electronic games have been a daily activity of learners lives. Learner’s todays have different expectations with respect to their learning styles; they prefer to experience things instead of reading or hearing about them, they expect immediate response to questions or actions, they appreciate interactivity and dialogue (Pashuk, 2005). Learners of today consider themselves as customers who demand to be served high quality services. They have consumers attitudes towards their academic program and any of its services (Wager, 2005). E-Learning institutions should be arranged to different types of learners, not only in their preferences and expectations but also in their level of variety. Change in Administrators Role: Administrators of an academic institution are usually referred to as staffs who are not participating in direct teaching or research work, their role is usually to assure that the institutions systems are running properly. Administrators are responsible to create, maintain and improve an environment that helps learners and faculty achieve their academic goals. Administrators of an e-learning institution can be involved in selecting, orienting and preparing qualified faculty for courses, administer and manage the technological facilities at the institution, provide different types of faculty and learners support from the technical helpdesk, library services, financial aid, etc. Administrators can also be involved in the planning, quality assurance, performance management of an activity to help the institution serve its learners better (Williams, 2003). Reliance on Infrastructure: Although e-Learning is basically about learning rather than about technology; the technological infrastructure of e-learning programs is still the critical and primary component of the education systems, e-Learning is characterized by its high independence on the validity, and reliability of its infrastructure which have the role of facilitating and providing accessibility of the learning/teaching process and its support services between faculty members and learners (Pashuk, 2005). Institutional Demands: E-Learning institutions must set up their systems, policies and procedures to deal with issues like data security from both internal and external threats as well as copyrights from the learners, faculty and the institutional perspectives. Developing a high quality online course will not only require the intellectual contribution of faculty members, it rather involves other key team members from the same institution or from partnered institutions. Copyright issues are usually linked to revenue sharing models, especially when the course developers are contracted or granted any incentives (Mendenhall, 2001). Advantages of using E-learning Methods. As we know, traditional education requires effort, time and money that lead to some difficulties in achieving the goals of learning. On the other hand, e-learning contributes to the spread of knowledge among people around the globe by easy, fast and comfortable means that helps people to attain their personal learning objectives. As a result, several educational organisations have proceeded along the e-learning approach to facilitate and improve the process of learning. In this section, several advantages of using an e-learning approach will be discussed. The author has divided the advantages into two main categories, advantages for learners, and advantages for instructors. Advantages for learners. According to Mayer (2003) he has conclude the common advantages that learners can gain from e-learning. The following list illustrates the main advantages for learners: â€Å"Learners can get the best tuition available â€Å" The extensive popularity of e-learning programme makes learning more flexible and gives freedom to learners to choose the best course which fit their needs. â€Å"Training time†. Web-based and media training are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week which allows learners to study when they need it without any conditions or constraints. They do not need to wait for tuition sessions or specified time to attend. â€Å"Learners set the schedule†. Learners can study at their own time and they can take as many lessons as they need depending on their time and their schedule. For example, some of them may wish to study full-time while others want to study a few hours a week. â€Å"Learners get access to the instructor†. Communication with the tutor(s) through web based e-learning systems can be more helpful than the traditional classroom approach. â€Å"Training adapts the learner’s style† Many different learning styles can be integrated within an e-learning environment and the learner is able to adapt his or her style or series of styles which they prefer and in the way they feel is most efficient. â€Å"Learners get quick feedback† There is no need to wait while for the results and degree of the course, the results can be obtained immediately. â€Å"Learners treated more equally† A degree of anonymity is ensuring, therefore personal characteristics are not considered. â€Å"Saves time and money for learners† Hidden costs are eliminated in that here are no travelling fees, parking charge, etc. It is also efficient for time in that almost all the time is used on learning and no time is wasted on travelling. â€Å" Produces positive effects† Learners are constantly improving their other skills, such as computer skills, internet technologies and how they apply the skills in their jobs. Advantages for Instructors, According to Mayer (2003) the most common advantages for instructors can gain from e-learning are: â€Å"Tutors can teach anywhere† Tutors are able to teach the course from any location. All they need is connection to the internet. â€Å"Tutors travel less† Almost all the time is spent on publishing, planning, designing, producing the courses with no time wasted on travelling to attend the class. â€Å"Course can be dynamic† Tutors have the opportunity to deal with course stuff at any time and in any place such as Office, home etc. â€Å"Tutors save time† Time spent in preparing the course material such as handouts, having course paper printed are eliminated. Conclusion In this chapter we have cover a wide range on academic study to understand this subject as starting with the definition of E-learning and what do we mean by E-learning, followed by another important part which is what are the deferent between E-learning and the Conventional education. Also the researcher has included brief explanation about the history of E-Learning and the feature of E-stand its practise. Moreover, We can see based on the literature there are many advantage of E-learning for the learner for example he can study from anywhere and at any time which are the flexibility of E-learning and also there are an advantage for the instructor as he also can teach from any place and with flexible time schedule. Chapter three Introduction: In order to understand what constitutes quality of e-learning and the critical factors that should be addressed when evaluating this type of learning; an understanding of the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education need to be attained. The first section of this chapter is dedicated therefore to explore what changes has been brought to higher education by e-learning. This chapter includes a review for the literature to explore what has been recognized by the researchers and practitioners of this field as key factors that affect the quality of e-learning programs and institutions and therefore should be used to evaluate this type of learning. A list of highly rated and most repeated factors was then generated and categorized to form the basis for a comprehensive framework intended for evaluating quality of e-learning programs which will be used later in the empirical research. Quality in E-learning: Defining quality in e-learning and what should be considered when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed during the last 15 years. Despite the important contribution of each of those studies, a complete framework for evaluating the quality of e-learning couldnt be addressed. Developed frameworks either describe the quality of e-learning program with an importance on the classroom environment only or overlooked some important aspects such as the impact of the institute on the quality of E-learning programs (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002). E-Learning has been set by governing or accrediting bodies which have developed quality standards, principles or frameworks. Such standards however, were developed to help institutions plan for their E-learning (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002) or as a self assessment tools, so they usually address in general perspective academic standards, quality standards, standards of competence, organizational standards and service standards (Harvey, 1999). According to Vlasceanu et al (2004), the definition of quality in a higher education institution differs with the changes in: The interests and needs of a range of types of stakeholders. The institutions inputs, processes, outputs, purpose, mission and set of goals. The kind and attributes of the academic world. The historical involvement and development of higher education Revisiting the changes that e-learning brought to higher education especially to the role of its fundamental stakeholders; learners, educators and administrators, it perhaps becomes logical when we look for a definition of Quality as a concept, to consider these stakeholders first. For this reason, a growing literature in the field of e-learning tends to define Quality of e-learning programs as the degree to which principal stakeholders‟ needs and expectations are consistently satisfied, referring to the learners and educators (Kistan, 2005). Success factors Critical success factors (CSFs) are key areas of performance that are essential for the organisation to accomplish its mission (Rockart, 1979). Managers implicitly know and consider these key areas when they set goals and as they direct operational activities and tasks that are important to achieving goals. However, when these key areas of performance are made explicit, they provide a common point of reference for the entire organisation. Thus, any activity or initiative that the organisation undertakes must ensure consistently high performance in these key areas; otherwise, the organisation may not be able to achieve its goals and consequently may fail to accomplish its mission. The term â€Å"Critical Success Factor† has been adapted for many different uses. Familiarity with the term is often presented in the context of a project or an initiative. In this context, CSFs describe the underlying or guiding principles of an effort that must be regarded to ensure that it is succe ssful. The Clarity of course goals Not surprisingly, there has been consensus in the literature that in order to assure the quality of the teaching/learning process; designing a course should start with explicit outcomes that identify the expectations from learners and faculty from the very beginning. Learning outcomes which usually drive the effectiveness assessment process of courses should be also challenging and linked directly to the institution overall goals and objectives. (Mayer et al 2000) faculty members have to adjust course content by selecting appropriate learning styles to achieve course goals and learners needs. Inter

The New Bankruptcy Law Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bankruptcy has been the answer to extremely troubling and difficult financial times for many people in America. Many individuals, for one reason or another, have found it to be the new start in life that they desperately needed. Unfortunately, bankruptcy has also served as a crutch to many as well, allowing them to relinquish debt that they were completely capable, however selfishly unwilling, to pay. As with any law, or policy, Americans are forced to accept the good with the bad, choosing which outweighs the other. In an effort to combat the increasingly growing abuse of the bankruptcy laws in our system today President George Bush has signed into law a new bill that many hope will help to alleviate much of this.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bankruptcy laws began to surface in the United States in the early 1800’s. Initially being created to temporarily relieve bad economic conditions caused by land disputes, community panic, and then, finally, the Civil War. During this time there was little protection for the consumer that found their personal life in financial ruin. Prior to the creation of Bankruptcy laws debtors were severely punished by loss of property, or in some places imprisonment, if they were unable to repay a debt they owed. The idea of a Bankruptcy law was promising for society, however, these laws all did very little to protect the debtor and where repealed shortly after being created. As the need increased, more bankruptcy laws were later created that would better serve to protect the public debtor whether they were individuals or business that required aide for debt relief. It was the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 that was passed in 1978 that served substantially revamp bankruptcy practices. Two major changes occurred for the bankruptcy act; the first, Chapter 11, which would prove to be a strong business reorganization Chapter, and the second, Chapter 13, which replaced the old Chapter 13 allowing individual access to a more powerful personal bankruptcy. In general, the Reform Act of 1978 made it easier for both businesses and individuals to file for bankruptcy and to reorganize their assets. Of course, this wasn’t the end for reformation concerning the bankruptcy bill. Beginning with President Bill Clinton, in the mid 1990’s, a need for reform regarding bankruptcy policies has continuously been recognized... ...de. It is a great idea to place more stringent laws on bankruptcy codes, but there must be room for adjustment when special circumstances arise in a case. Rarely is the cause of a situation of financial difficulty that a family endures either viewable in black or white, and the new bill must take this into consideration. Although many, I’m sure, abuse bankruptcy laws, there is an overwhelming amount of proof that many more have used the law in the manner that it was created for. I guess you could say that I have no real solution to the problem and I can only suggest further study in the matter. We as a nation must remember that the decisions we make, or allow others to have the authority to make on our behalf, effect everyone in our society, and not just a select few so they must be well thought out, and above all, FAIR. References: http://www.bankruptcylawfirms.com/History-Bankruptcy.cfm http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7494698/ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4597532 http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/18/pf/saving/willis_tips/ http://www.ftc.gov/ http://www.firstgov.gov/ www.abiworld.org http://www.post-trib.com/cgi-bin/pto-story/business/z1/04-10-05_z1_busi_1.html

Participative Management Essay

The world today is filled up with working places and organizations. Every organization is putting its efforts to run the trade and commerce of the world. The top most organizations of the world such as Intel, Microsoft and IBM are the best because they have the best human resource. The human resource of a company plays the most vital role which pushes the organization to the zenith of their expectations. The main aspect of an organizations success is the team work and management of time and resources. According to Wikipedia, â€Å"Teamwork is the concept of people, working together cooperatively or as a team in order to accomplish the same goals and objectives†. A general dictionary defines teamwork as a â€Å"Cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group (sociology) of persons acting together as a team or in the interests of a common cause, unison for a higher cause, people working together for a selfless purpose, and so on.† Some things cannot be accomplished by people working all by them selves. Larger, more ambitious goals usually require a number of people work together with other people. Because of this obstacle, teamwork is a desired goal of many leading businesses and organizations today. Projects often require those people who can work together in order to accomplish a common goal. Although critics often argue that in the corporate business world teamwork has become an empty buzzword, or a form of corporate-speak. Effective collaborative skills (knowledge) are necessary to work well in an environment like this. As businesses and organizations become larger or more complicated. Many employers attempt to enhance their employees’ collaborative efforts through self-training, cross-training and conducting workshops in order to help people effectively work together in a group and accomplish shared goals. What is participative management? Participative management can be easily explained as â€Å"An open form of management where employees have a strong decision-making role†. Participative management is developed by managers who actively seek a strong cooperative relationship with their employees and colleagues. The advantages of participative management include increased productivity, improved quality, and reduced costs Once Ken Blanchard said, â€Å"None of us is as smart as all of us†. Participative (or participatory) management, otherwise known as employee involvement or participative decision making, encourages the involvement of stakeholders at all levels of an organization in the analyzing of problems, development of strategies and implementation of solutions. Employees are brought together to share in the decision-making process of the firms by participating in activities such as setting goals, determining work schedules and putting forward suggestions. Other forms of participative management include increasing the responsibility of employees (job enrichment); forming self-managed teams, quality circles, or quality-of-work-life committees; and soliciting survey feedback. Participative management, however, involves more than allowing employees to take part in making their own decisions too. It also involves management treating the ideas and suggestions of employees with consideration and respect. The most extensive form of participative management is direct emp loyee ownership of a company. Four processes influence participation. These processes create employee involvement as they are pushed down to the lowest levels in an organization. The farther down these processes move, the higher the level of involvement by employees. The four processes include: 1. Information sharing, which is concerned with keeping employees informed about the economic status of the company. 2. Training involves raising the skill levels of employees and offering development opportunities that allow them to apply new skills to make effective decisions regarding the organization as a whole. 3. Employee decision making, which can take many forms, from determining work schedules to deciding on budgets or processes. 4. Rewards, which should be tied to suggestions and ideas as well as performance. Benefits of participative management A participative management style offers various benefits at all levels of an organization. By creating a sense of ownership in a company, participative management instills a sense of pride and motivates employees to increase productivity in order to achieve their goals. Employees who participate in the decisions of the company feel like they are a big part of a team with a common goal and find their sense of self-esteem and creative fulfillment heightened which results in a brilliant motivation which increases the productivity of an individual. Managers who use a participative style find that employees are more receptive to change than in situations in which they have no voice or part. Changes are implemented more effectively when employees have input and make contributions to decisions. Participation keeps employees informed of upcoming events so they will be aware of potential changes. The organization can then place itself in a proactive mode instead of a reactive one, as managers are able to quickly identify areas of concern and turn to employees for solutions. Participation helps employees gain a wider view of the organization. Through training, development opportunities, and information sharing, employees can acquire the conceptual skills needed to become effective managers or top executives. It also increases the commitment of employees to the organization and the decisions they make. Creativity and innovation are two important benefits of participative management. By allowing a diverse group of employees to have input into decisions, the organization benefits from the synergy that comes from a wider choice of options. When all employees, instead of just managers or executives, are given the opportunity to participate, the chances is increased that a valid and unique idea will be suggested. Requirements of participative management A common misconception by managers is that participative management involves simply asking employees to participate or make suggestions or take part in making changes. Effective programs involve more than just a suggestion box. In order for participative management to work, several issues must be resolved and several requirements must be met. First, managers must be willing to relinquish some control to their workers; managers must feel secure in their position in order for participation to be successful. Often managers do not realize that employees’ respect for them will increase instead of decrease when they implement a participative management style where all of the employees are considered eligible to give suggestions. The success of participative management depends on effective planning and a slow, phased approach. Changing employees’ ideas about management takes time, as does any successful attempt at a total cultural change from a democratic or autocratic style of management to a participative style. Long-term employees may resist changes, not believing they will last. In order for participation to be effective, managers must be genuine and honest in implementing the program. Many employees will need to consistently see proof that their ideas will be accepted or at least seriously considered. The employees must be able to trust their managers and feel they are respected. . It is important to remember that the manager may not agree with every idea or suggestion given by an employee, how those ideas are received is critical to succeed in participative management. Participatory management does not work with employees who are passive or simply do not care about the organization. Many times employees do not have the skills or information necessary to make good suggestions or decisions too. In this case, it is important to provide them with information or training; so they can make informative choices about their field of expertise. One way to help employees engage in the decision-making process is by knowing their individual strengths and capitalizing on them. By guiding employees towards such areas in which they are knowledgeable, a manager can help to ensure their success. Managers should also give employees time to think about ideas or alternative decisions. Employees often do not do their most creative thinking on the spot and take little bit of more time. Another important element for implementing a successful participative management style is the visible integration of employees’ suggestions into the final decision or implementation of the decision. Employees need to know that they have made a contribution to the thought of the organization and should be appreciated for it. Offering employees a choice in the final decision is important because it increases their commitment, motivation, and job satisfaction. Sometimes even just presenting several alternatives and allowing employees to choose from them is as effective as if they thought of the alternatives themselves. The key is to build employee confidence so their ideas and decisions can become more creative and sound. Concerns Participative management is not a magic cure for all that ails an organization. Managers should carefully weigh the pros and the cons before implementing this style of management to their own. Managers must realize that changes will not take effect overnight and will require consistency and patience before employees will begin to see that the management is serious about employee involvement. Participative management is probably the most difficult style of management to practice. It is challenging not only for managers but for employees as well. Participative management programs can be threatened by office politics. Due to hidden agendas and peer pressure, employees may keep their opinions to themselves and refuse to tell a manager if they feel an idea will not work. A Manager also plays a part in politics when they implement participative management programs to impress their own bosses but have no intention of seeing them through. â€Å"The old structures are being reformed. As organizations seek to become more flexible in the face of rapid environmental change and more responsive to the needs of customers, they are experimenting with new, team-based structures† (Jackson & Ruderman, 1996). Why Team Building is necessary Teamwork is essential for competing in today’s global arena, where individual perfection is not as desirable as a high level of collective performances. In knowledge based enterprises, teams are the norm. A critical feature of this team is that they have a significant degree of empowerment or decision-making authority. There are many different kinds of teams: top management teams, focused task forces, self-directed teams, concurrent engineering teams, product/service development and/or launch teams, quality improvement teams, and so on. Team vs. Group Not all groups in organizations are teams, but all teams are groups. The difference between a team and a group is that a team is interdependent for overall performance. A group qualifies as a team, only if its members focus on helping one another to accomplish organizational objectives and goals. In today’s quickly changing business environments, teams have emerged as a requirement for the success of business. Therefore, managers and leads should constantly try to help groups become teams and facilitate the evolution of groups into teams. Vince Lombardi (1913-1970), football coach for the NFL, once said:  Ã¢â‚¬ People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems of modern society†. Importance of Teamwork The importance of teamwork is presented in every seminar you attend or business book you read. Without teamwork, houses take longer to build. Governments collapse. Without teamwork, people lose their inspiration and motivation. Importance of the world is known with team work and it has played a part in company turnarounds. Our teamwork training programs dispel the negative myths of teamwork while developing and encouraging the importance of teamwork that can be enjoyed by all parties involved in it. There are three main steps involved with instilling the importance of teamwork within a company environment: 1) Begin with the end in mind – Make a specific list of how your employees, customers and business as a whole will benefit, when they see the true importance of teamwork and team playing. Only then you can outline your objectives and goals which you have to achieve. 2) Make a plan – Do you have the resources to develop teamwork internally? Or, do you need to bring in some experts to assemble and conduct a customized training program for your business team? This is a critical decision on your part and a corporate training company would love the opportunity to discuss how a team would work after learning their outstanding training methods. 3) Quantify and monitor results – The results from teamwork can be measured but only if you have a defined process in place. This measuring process will be the fuel you will need to convince the management and the staff that ongoing efforts would be made to increase teamwork efficiency cordially. Once management and staff alike experience the importance of teamwork, they will be fueled to achieve even more and to touch the heights.

Essay about Personal Narrative Self Identity - 598 Words

Personal Narrative Self Identity Throughout most of my childhood, I have been predominantly exposed to nothing but the Chinese culture. When my parents first immigrated to the United States from Canton, China, they rented a small apartment located right in the heart of Chinatown. Chinatown was my home, the place where I met all my friends, and the place where Id thought Id never leave. I spoke only Cantonese, both to my friends and to my parents. Everyone I was around spoke fluent Cantonese, and I never spoke anything other than Cantonese. I was pretty much secluded from the outside world because I never left Chinatown, for I felt this was my home. However, my parents felt differently. They wanted me†¦show more content†¦Annes, a Catholic school that consisted mostly of Caucasian. Although I am a quick learner, it was especially hard for me because I had to learn English. I did whatever I could to blend in. I bought cafeteria food and ate American lunches like bologna sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly. Most of my friends were Caucasian, and I joined clubs associated with Caucasians. I tried so hard to fit in so that I would be accepted. I did whatever my friends did. I begged my parents to buy me trendy clothing and designer labels. The haircut I had was also very similar to that of my friends. I spoke like them and adopted their ways. I wanted no longer to be Asian. I hated that part of me. I just wanted to be American. I hoped that by doing everything they did and following their ways, I would be accepted despite the fact that I wasnt white. In fifth grade, a new student was enrolled into my class. His name was Bradford Chin. Bradford reminded me of myself when I first came- conservative, traditional, and very studious. Not knowing any better, I felt somewhat embarrassed around him. I believed that his appearance would be a reminder to everyone of the person I was before. 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