Bonsai: Japanese Tree Art Essay

Many people in the contemporary society have always expressed their desire to connect with nature especially by cultivating certain plants in their compounds but the urban living conditions cannot allow. These, especially in towns have little space around their houses for growing flowers or trees and this greatly applies to those who live in apartments which are compacted or multistoried (Pilgrim, par 1). Did you know that one can actually grow trees in his or her house? Thanks to a Chinese ancient Art in tree planting where one can afford to have a tree plant in a pot. This art is called Bonsai. This word is pronounced as ‘bone-sigh’ which if directly translated from Japanese it means ‘tree in pot’ (Kenney, par 1). A bonsai tree is just an ordinary tree which has been sculpted and a healthy one can live for 100 years (Curley, par 1). This essay seeks to trail through the events that have characterized this Art from the time of its inception, the art process, its significance in relation to the society and how it has changed overtime. What Is The History Behind Bonsai Art? China is believed to have been the original home or the birth place of this art which began more than a thousand years ago. It was originally called Pun-sai and it involved growing trees in small pots and one pot could only have one tree. The Chinese Bonsai had twisted branches which resembled different animals for example birds or even reptiles like snakes and other imaginary creatures like dragons which were associated with some legends and myths. The shape of the Bonsai depended on the artist’s imagination. The Chinese regarded trees as the best way of expressing nature and for them, the growing of these trees was one way of bringing tranquility to ones mind (Pilgrim, par 5). Later, in the 12th century around a period called Kamakura, the Japanese adopted it. The exact time that this happened cannot be indicated but it is believed to be around 1195 AD. This happened when Zen Buddhism was being spread in Japan and in the process; the Chinese tradition of Bonsai trees was also spread through some monks who established their monasteries in Japan. They are the ones who were actively involved in the Art thus advancing it. Afterwards, the aristocracy picked up the art as a hobby and it became a sign of wealth thus spreading through the upper class (Hubik, par 1). For the Japanese, they regarded Bonsai as a symbol of honor and prestige and by 14th century, the art was regarded as a highly refined form of art. During those times, the Japanese elite used to have those occasions where they could display their Bonsai trees on special shelves (Hubik, par 1). Originally, many Japanese grew the trees outside their houses but when they decided to throw a party, the trees would be taken inside for people to enjoy the sight (Olsen, par 3). The nobility in Japan perceived Bonsai as peace among three things, that is man, spirit and nature (Curley, par 4). Later, in the 19th century, after spending more than 230 years in isolation, Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world and thus the outsiders accessed this art. Travelers from European countries could not believe what they saw: mature tree plants in ceramic pots and this seemed something worth to adopt. From then onwards, they spread the gospel to other western nations and in 1900, in Paris world exhibition, the art was introduced to the whole world. This was followed by subsequent exhibitions in London and Vienna (Hubik, par 7). Myths Associated With Bonsai Art There are various misconceptions about Bonsai trees. Some people have always misconstrued this Bonsai technique as a dwarfing process. Traditional techniques for growing Bonsai should never be termed as dwarfing of trees which employs certain manipulations which are genetic. Genetic manipulation is not involved anywhere in cultivating these trees but natural seeds are used instead. Other techniques are also employed such as grafting, pruning, defoliation, potting and root reduction (Pilgrim, par 3). Some people believe that, the Bonsai trees are kept that short by some cruel techniques. This is actually not true. In fact, if they are watered well and are exposed to enough air, light and also good nutrition, they can live for long, more than full grown trees belonging to the same species. The techniques are just the same as the ones used on other horticultural plants. Some also hold onto believe that a Bonsai tree is just few centimeters tall which is not true however if compared with their full grown brothers, they are small, ranging between 25 centimeters and 1 meter (Bonsai Site, par. 1). The Process of Bonsai Tree Art Typical plants and trees can make up Bonsai but those which have small leaves are regarded as suitable. In Japan, trees like pine, bamboo and plum have been used. Seeds and cuttings from these trees can be used to develop Bonsai trees and also stunted trees which occur naturally that can be grown in containers. One may ask how they come to be that small. Well, these trees are trained to be small by the process of pruning whereby their branches and roots are trimmed. Other methods include repotting which is done periodically, new growth can also be pinched and if one desires the plant to grow in a particular shape, then one will be required to wire the tree into the desired shape (Bonsai site, par 3). The tree has to have a trunk which is well tapered and should also have branches all over; this is to give it a visual depth (Black, par. 5). The container in which the Bonsai tree is grown is independent from the earth. The tree should not be at the centre of the container. It was always believed that in that container, heaven and earth are one and in the centre is where they meet thus nothing is allowed to occupy that space and that’s why the tree is not supposed to be planted at the centre. Triangular pattern is so much encouraged to add to the beauty. Truth, beauty and goodness are three virtues which are believed to be necessary for the creation of a Bonsai tree (Bonsai Site, par 4). These containers are primarily kept outside excluding those ones for trees which are trained to grow indoors. There are no rules regarding the development of Bonsai because they are personalized by individuals and more so if it is for one’s enjoyment. It doesn’t require so much but ones patience and endurance. A person’s commitment will also force him to dedicate much of his time and skill to the Bonsai tree (Bonsai Site, par 7) Watering of Bonsai is considered the most important factor in the process and it is also a skill to be learnt because watering varies with different Bonsai trees, types of soil used and pots. Always ensure that the trees do not dry out and to check this, one can insert a tooth pick in the soil to see if there is any moisture (Squidoo, par. 2). As mentioned earlier, pruning is also involved but it is usually not done on young Bonsai trees but those ones which have grown a bit. Pruning just involves trimming the tree into a desired shape and thus there is no guideline on how to prune correctly. One should also ensure that the tree is exposed to enough light, if not so artificial light should be provided to compensate for the sunlight which is not available for the plant. Fertilization also depends with the type of Bonsai thus it is not a major requirement in the art. One recommendation is that one is not required to fertilize unhealthy dry Bonsai (Squidoo, par. 7). Repotting is another major caring technique for a Bonsai plant. It is usually done after two years which also depends on the pots size and the growth of the plant. Repotting helps the plant to develop good rooting system and also supplying it with fresh soil (Squidoo, par 7). Bonsai wiring is another technique which is required in this process to shape them. It involves wrapping tree branches and trunks with the wire until the tree is in a position to maintain the shape and that is when the wire can be removed. All these tools which are used in this process can be supplied by anyone who specializes in Bonsai tools. One can use plain silver wire, copper or brown Bonsai wires and if one cannot access these, any other can do so long as it is bendable and can be easily removed. Thicker wires are the most appropriate in Bonsai and if one cannot get these ones, he or she must involve double wrapping (Squidoo, par. 12-13). To sum up, there are no specific guidelines which can apply to all Bonsai trees hence different species of Bonsai need to be treated differently, In Japan, the process is considered to have no end as long as the plant is alive. One is supposed to treat the plant with respect and love and the act of caring for the tree is in itself a meditation (Black, par. 6). What is the Significance of Bonsai Art in Relation to the Society? To the Japanese, they associated the plant with their faith in Zen Buddhism where man and nature are one and are thus joined through meditation and expression. In the modern world however, this process is more of a hobby. This is important as it helps to understand nature and being part of it and also enhancing the beauty of the gardens (Bonsai Site, par 1-2). Bonsai trees have also been regarded as symbols of harmony among three things; that is man, nature and soul while the monks associate them with prestige and honor (Curley, par. 4). The act of shaping the tree and viewing it was understood to be one way of uniting nature and spirit. It also signified the Japanese philosophy and refinement in that, by pruning; the unwanted and unnecessary parts were done away with thus refining the tree. This view is still held in Japan and that is why during every New Year, families in Japan display their Bonsai trees which have been decorated. The ornamentation of the Bonsai to decorate it is referred to as Tokoma (Bonsai site, par 10). Once it was associated with the elite but nowadays, it is observed by all; this is because, the art symbolizes their culture and ideals (Curley, par. 4). How Has The Art Changed Overtime? In the modern world, the art has taken an interesting twist in that; most people have taken it up as a profession (Bonsai Site, par. 3). The art has really developed to new forms where the pot and the tree complement each other in various aspects such as shape, texture and also color. The tree has to be shaped and not left to grow the way it would naturally. These changes have been experienced since the art began in China. The Chinese Bonsai still maintains its ancient styles and shapes which are traditional and sometimes these are usually perceived by the Europeans as crude. The Japanese one is much more natural and pleasing to the eyes because they are well taken care off and refined (Sinonewa, par. 4). They are the ones who perfected this art. Nowadays, Bonsai has taken different styles and shapes. Bonsai which can grow indoors are trained in classical styles which include windswept, slanted trunk among others. The Art which was originally by the Japanese and the Chinese is now practiced around the world and thus it is regarded as a way through which the spirit of nature is imitated (Black, par. 9). Lastly, artists started to incorporate other cultural elements into their plantings such as rocks and even small buildings thus displaying diverse possibilities in styles and thus the Art has evolved reflecting changes in time and tastes. Due to demand of this Art all over the world, artists have resulted to grow young plants, training them to appear the same as the Bonsai. Japanese decided to concentrate on this art and they opened nurseries to grow bonsai trees mainly for export. The range of plants used in this art also increased to suit different world climates and thus countries and cultures can pick up the art without any problem. (Bonsai Site, par. 8). Two modern artists who are involved with this art are Morten Albek and Artists from Austin Bonsai society. Source: Oriental Decor Source: Oriental Decor Work Cited Austin Bonsai Society. Modern Bonsai Artists, 21 March, 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010, . Black, Frank. Japanese Bonsai. China Town Connection, 2005. Web May 1, 2010, . Black, Frank. The Art of Bonsai Tree. Ezine Articles, 6 June 2006. Web. 1 May, 2010 . Oriental Decor. Japanese Bonsai Trees. 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010 . Curley. Karen. The Bonsai in Japanese Culture. EHow, 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010, . Hubik, Dan. A Detailed History of Bonsai. Bonsai Site, 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010, . Kenney, Kim. Definition of Bonsai. eHow, 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010 . Mortein, Albek. Modern Bonsai Artist. The Knowledge of Bonsai. Web. May 1 2010 . Olsen, Eric. Bonsai Tree Meaning. Bonsai Gardener, 2008. Web 1 May, 2010, . Pilgrim, Gray. Bonsai Tree History. Hub Pages, 2 March 2010. Web. 1 May 2010 . Sanunewa . Bonsai: Tree, History, Culture, Background. Hub Pages, 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010 . Site Bonsai. An introduction to Bonsai, 2010. Web. 1 May, 2010, . Squidoo. The art of Bonsai: the Bonsai tree care, 2010. Web 1 May, 2010 .

Health Provider and Faith Diversity

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Delia Stoica Grand Canyon University: HLT-310V February 4, 2012 Abstract The following paper describes three different religions: Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. It will detail the spiritual perspective on healing that all three of the faiths have. A description of what is important to their healing and what is important for the healthcare provider to know in caring for people of these faiths. Also there will be a summary of how these faiths differ from Christianity. Introduction The United States is known as a â€Å"melting pot†.This is due to all the different nationalities and faiths that are seen in our country. As healthcare providers we are faced with trying to understand all the different cultures we encounter on a daily basis in a hospital setting. There are many different faiths, some are well known such as Christianity and some are not quite so known such as Hinduism. Different faiths have different rules and regulations that they follow. Knowing all the intricate ins and outs of every religion is going to be impossible, but that should not stop someone from trying to learn all they can regarding the patients they are caring for.Everyone has probably heard of Judaism, Islam and Hinduism, but that does not mean that a nurse or physician would know all the things that would be different in regards to caring for patients of these different faiths. Hinduism Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world. There are six major philosophies in the Hindu religion. One of the major one is Vedanta. Vedanta teaches that â€Å" that man's real nature is divine, and that the aim of human life is to realize divinity through selfless work, devotion to God, control of the inner forces, and discrimination between the real and the unreal.It recognizes that Truth is one and accepts all religions, properly understood, as valid means of realizing the truth (Guidelines, 2002)†. Hindus believe that the body is just a vehicle for the soul, and that when the body dies the soul transfers to another body until it can finally get to be united with God. They recognize that death is a natural part of life and the true self does not die when the body dies. There are a lot of things that the religion accepts which are part of the Western medical practices.Seeking medical attention is something that Hindus will do, but they believe that Western medicines tends to overmedicate their patients, especially with antibiotics which could make them hesitant to start an aggressive treatment plan. Some people of this religion may practice Ayurvedo or homeopathy to cure some problems. This religion allows for blood transfusions and organ transplantation/donations. There is no rule against performing an autopsy if needed. Because this religion practices modesty, women may prefer to be examined by a physician of the same sex.Hindus are very social and family oriented. It is impo rtant that the family be involved in the treatment and care of the patient. Women of the Hindu religion wear a red dot on their forehead to symbolize that they are married, some also wear necklaces, bracelets or toe-rings, which are not to be taken off, this is something that needs to be considered if there is a need for a procedure such as an MRI that requires all metals to be removed. Men of this faith wear a â€Å"sacred thread† which is never supposed to be removed.Many Hindus are strict vegetarians and will not eat beef or beef products, if at all possible they should be allowed to bring food from home unless there is a dietary restriction. In situations where there is an end-of-life issue, family needs to be very involved. Hindus do not believe in artificially prolonging life and may prefer to die at home. Because Hindus practice cremation and it needs to be done within 24 hours of death it is critical that all the paperwork is in order quickly. Judaism Judaism is one o f the oldest religions still around today.There are Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jewish followers. Orthodox Jews strictly follow all traditional laws of the religion. The faith holds medical practitioners in high regards and even may break some rules if medical experts believe that it may be life saving. Most Jewish people observe the Sabbath, which is from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, in which they are not allowed to work. In this regard a Jewish patient would not be able to write, use the button for a PCA pump, drive or even turn on a light switch. As healthcare ractitioners we need to keep that in mind when caring for patients during this time. The food they eat is â€Å"kosher† foods, which means that there are special ways of preparing beef. Pork, fish and gelatin are not allowed and neither is beef and milk together. Care needs to be taken with preparation of these foods for these patients, as healthcare providers we need to keep in mind that this is not just an issue of them being picky but an extremely important part of their religion. Men in this religion may wear yarmulkes â€Å"skull caps† during prayer and some may wear it all the time (Handbook, 2000).We need to make allowances for up to 10 people in the room during prayer. When dealing with end-of-life issues there are deep debates regarding withholding or withdrawing of life-saving therapy and families may want to consult a rabbi before making any decisions. The Jewish faith requires that burials happen quickly after death and autopsies at not permitted unless required by law. There is a requirement that a family member or representative of the family remain with the body at all times after death until burial, and also that amputated limbs be available for burial.Islam The Islamic religion is slowly becoming one of the largest religions out there. People who follow the Islamic religion are known as Muslims. Islam believes are â€Å" that all events, including health even ts, are the will of God, Muslim patients may be more likely to display acceptance of difficult circumstances and be compliant with the instructions of health care providers (Healthcare Providers, 2010)†. It is believed that the preservation of life overrides all guidelines, rules and restrictions.This faith requires extreme modesty and for men all body parts between the naval and knees need to be covered, for woman all but the face, hands and feet should be covered at all times when in the presence of anyone outside their family. Muslims are required to pray five times a day on a prayer mat facing Mecca. Patients that are ill can be excused from prayer if it is medically deemed that it is detrimental to their health. Patients are required by their faith to perform ablution with water before prayers and after urination and defecation. Islamic rule is that you use your left hand for dirty and right hand for clean duties.Muslims will prefer to use their right hand to eat and as a healthcare provider if you are feeding a Muslim patient it is preferred that you also use your right hand. Islam has a very strict rule regarding consumption of certain foods. Foods that are not permitted include pork, or pork derivatives and alcohol or alcohol containing foods. This could be a problem when giving certain medication that contains pork or alcohol. Providers should be aware of the medication given to a patient that is Muslim in order for them to follow the halal diet.Islam sees death as a natural part of life. They do not require treatment to be provided if it will only prolong a terminal illness. During end-of-life care, families may want to pray with the patient at bedside. This religion forbids autopsies, unless required by law. In the Islamic faith, burial needs to happen as soon as possible after death. The body should be washed by a family member or representative of the family and not by hospital staff, the body also needs to be covered by a sheet and face Mec ca if at all possible. Comparing and ContrastingThe previous religions discussed all have certain rules that need to be followed when it comes to dealing with healthcare. Christianity in general does not put any restrictions on healthcare providers. Certain Christian faiths such as Jehovah’s Witnesses do not allow blood transfusions because they feel it is not part of their body. The three religions discussed feel that anything that can be done to safe the person should be done and that life is important. Interestingly enough Hinduism, Judaism and Islamic faiths all have restrictions on food that they deem unclean.The only Christian faiths that have restrictions on food are Catholics and Orthodox Christians, which do not eat meat during Passover. There are many differences between Christianity and other faiths and not too many similarities when it comes to healthcare. Conclusion In doing the research for this paper, there have been a lot of good points brought up in regards t o taking care of patients that are of a different faith than myself. It is extremely important to me as a person and as a nurse to know who my patients are and what their beliefs and faiths are.In order to be able to take care of a patient, physically and emotionally we need to know the restrictions that we may face in our everyday dealings with them. Working in a hospital that sees an enormous amount of people from all over the world it is important to keep religion and culture in mind when providing care. Being able to do research and finding all the rules and requirements is a great educational tool to use and will make your patients more apt to trust you if they see that you understand where they are coming from. References Bennion, R. (2000). Handbook on cultural, spiritual and religious beliefs.South Devon Healthcare. Retrieved February 3, 2012 from www. e-radiography. net/nickspdf/Handbook%20on%20beliefs. pdf Guidelines for health care providers interacting with patients of t he Hindu religion and their families. (2002). Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council. Retrieved February 3, 2012 from info. kyha. com/documents/CG-Hindu. pdf Healthcare providers handbook on Muslim patients. (2010). Queensland Health and Islamic Council of Queensland. Retrieved February 3, 2012 from http://www. health. qld. gov. au/multicultural/health_workers/hbook-muslim.

Learning Through Observation

She was talking about a customer she had to deal with in the office and the husband started talking about a official, yet interesting case he was working on. He was talking about running tests, so I'm guessing he works some sort of Job in a hospital like setting or maybe a lab. After they talked about their work for a minute she started to talk about the baby they were expecting and how excited they were. She seemed nervous and wanted everything to be planned out and in order for when the baby came.He reassured her that she had been doing a great Job and he did not want her to work too hard or stress out. He even offered to take on more responsibilities around the house because he did not want her on her feet too much. The woman had a smile on her face. The couple seemed to have a very healthy relationship. What the husband was saying to his wife was very helpful. He wanted to relieve any stress that she had and reassured her that she is not alone going through these amazing life cha nges and that he was there for her.This observation was a good example of our two basic needs, affiliation and achievement. They are affectionate towards one another and the wife even congratulated him on his milestones at work. This was also a good example of how each person demonstrated generality. The husband is doing great tit work and the woman is expecting a baby. If the couple was not so supportive the relationship dynamic could be completely different.There could be a lot more stress on both of them and less intimacy, therefore more Isolation according to Erosion's Intimacy verse Isolation and the human need for Intimacy. This couple also fit the standards of our society's social clock. The couple seemed financially stable, they were married, in their early thirties and expecting what is probably their first child. These are the appropriate endeavors one might expect from someone in their hearties in America. It was a Saturday evening around 7 o'clock July 20, 2013.I went to Kingfisher the restaurant with my boyfriend. We ended up sitting next to a couple who looked to be in their thirties. The couple looked to me to be a happy one. They were married; you stress out. He even offered to take on more responsibilities around the house stress on both of them and less intimacy, therefore more isolation according to Erosion's intimacy verse isolation and the human need for intimacy. This couple also fit the standards of our society social clock. The couple seemed financially stable,

Depend on you ( follow the instruction) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depend on you ( follow the instruction) - Essay Example ided that there was no way he could rationalize faith, and discovered another way to figure out the â€Å"truth† which was that of immediate experience which is based on imagination and intuition, not rationality. This is what is taught in the Sufi faith. Ghazali went to Syria to rediscover Islam, and went to live with the Sufi monks. Then he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. It was during this pilgrimage that he was convinced that he was appointed to be a great reformer of the faith of Islam and his task was to inspire people. He went on to live in seclusion after this part of his life. He died in December 1111. Al Ghazali’s Alchemy of Happiness is one of the many books he wrote during his lifetime. This book shares what he thought of the significance of spirituality and religion in mankind’s quest for happiness. The book itself starts with the words, â€Å"He who knows himself is truly happy†. For Al Ghazali, everyone is perfect but that perfection is covered with the accumulation of worldly passions and animalistic desires. Thus, for him, mankind only requires â€Å"polishing† to achieve that perfection; to be polished is to â€Å"purify the heart from passion and resentment until, like a clear mirror, reflects the light of God†. For him, music and dance are perfect ways of achieving happiness. This is exemplified in the Sufi dervishes. Sufi dervishes are basically spinning, and spinning basically presents the idea that everything revolves around God and He is the center of every activity, as well as he surrounds every activity. As he said, â€Å"music and dance do not put into the heart what is not there already, but only fan into a flame of dormant emotions†. Also, his views on love and marriage proved to be philosophical as well. For him, marriage is an important part in our lives, mainly for the â€Å"worshippers to increase in number†. Although Al Ghazali may be chauvinistic at some point, stating that marriage is convenient because there will be someone to

Crafting and executing a winning strategy Essay

Crafting and executing a winning strategy - Essay Example However, as big corporations are being washed out with the erosion of public/stakeholder trust due to unethical and socially irresponsible behavior, today, corporate strategists realize that a perceptible commitment to ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has clear implications for the corporate bottom line, and integrating it as a part of corporate strategy would significantly improve business performance. [Hopkins, 2003; Houck and William, 1996] The paper examines the linkage between company's effort to craft and execute a winning strategy and its social responsibility - the company's duties to conduct its activities in an ethical manner and demonstrate socially responsible behavior as a committed corporate citizen, attending to the needs of all the stakeholders. In doing so, it shall attempt to analyze what ethics and social responsibility means in the corporate strategy context, the debates surrounding the relevance of social responsibility, and also examines the significance of ethical and socially responsible behavior by corporations for survival and success. It shall also look at ways to incorporate ethics and social responsibility into corporate strategies for ensuring long-term success of corporations. The environmental movement of the 1980s and 1990s, which exposed many unethical corporate practices by companies such as Nestle, Shell and the rising cases of corporate scandals in the recent years signifying unethical and irresponsible behavior by top officials, such as those at Enron, WorldCom etc., have brought about the significance of ethics and social responsibility as a legitimate topic in the formulation and implementation of business strategy. [Hopkins, 2003] While the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, as management imperatives, business ethics and corporate social responsibility are distinct concepts, though with inevitable overlaps. It may be worthwhile to clearly understand the two precepts before attempting to analyze their significance in creating winning strategies. Ethics in business, an age-old concept, advocates ethically appropriate behavior by businesses to the stakeholders directly concerned with the business enterprise, viz. managers, consumers, investors/owners and employees. [Hopkins, 2003] Ethical behavior in business extends to all segments of business management at the enterprise level including finance and accounting, human resources management, sales and marketing, production and intellectual property. While a consensus on the definition has not been achieved, corporate social responsibility is stated to be "concerned with treating the stakeholders of the firm ethically or in a responsible manner." [Hopkins, 2003; p.1] Corporate social responsibility, a more inclusive concept business ethics, extends beyond the enterprise level to all stakeholders, what Hopkins describes as, "the seven azimuths", within which the enterprises trade and operate viz.: owners/investors (shareholders or stockholders); management; employees; customers; t he natural environment; the wider community (including government); contractors/suppliers. [Hopkins, 2003, p. 3] CSR as a winning business strategy concerns with the responsibility of the company to each of these seven groups; it may include responsibility to competitors as well.

Seminar Paper for Autobiography of a Face Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seminar Paper for Autobiography of a Face - Essay Example Lucy appears determined to fight the problems in her life. She appears bold and as she tells about the time she spend in the hospital she has no pity. Her response to the harassment of her schoolmates shows how much she resents the problems she is passing through. This seminar paper analyzes the behavior and reaction of Lucy in the face of the teasing and torment she received from her schoolmates. The reaction displayed by Lucy is a defense mechanism that she employs to shut out her peers.. Her disfigured face attracts a lot of ridicule, teasing and harassment from the boys in her school. Before getting to school Lucy knows nothing much about her appearance (Grealy 124). Her going to school makes her understand that she is not acceptable socially to her peers. Her reaction to the behavior of her school mates is an act of defense as she waits for her situation to change. She hates the treatment she is being given and the only thing she can do is to seek to defend herself from it. This is so because she later runs away from her schoolmates thinking that nobody will want to love her because of her situation (Grealy 125). If she was mature and of good reason she could not have been broken down by the teasing and social isolation. The paper has analyzed the reaction of Lucy to the torment of her peers. She acted as a defense mechanism to distance herself from what was happening in order to hide her hurt. This was so because she later withdraws from her peers because of social isolation and too much teasing probably because her strategy could no longer work for

The brand positioning of an Audi advertisement Essay

The brand positioning of an Audi advertisement - Essay Example This essay will argue that the ad is brilliant in conception, optimal in its audio-visual expression and delivers a powerful message to the audience. The ad runs for a mere 30 seconds but it encompasses layers of meaning and connotations. Using four car keys as the only props, the ad illustrates or interprets the meaning of the logo of Audi. The four inter-locked circles that form a chain is Audi’s logo and it is reminiscent somewhat of the Olympic Games logo. These days, marketers do not look to specify the technical attributes of a car, but instead use attractive captions and images to create a feel-good response from the potential customer. This observation can be extended to the Audi ad, for in its brief time span, it does not address core specifications. Instead it talks about generalized perceptions and popular impressions of Audi and its competitors. What the ad competently achieves is to convert the logo into an emblem. Lexically, a logo is a graphic illustration of a company’s name or brand. It need not stand for a deeper meaning. On the other hand, an emblem is like a talisman. It encompasses or represents a set of values and virtues. In this sense, the ad succeeds in showcasing the logo of the Audi as an emblem. Whenever people come across the logo in the future, these added meanings to it will come to mind for the audience. By associating strong ideas behind the ubiquitous logo of the brand, a strong relationship between visual perception and emotional recall of the symbol is achieved.

Jaws Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jaws - Case Study Example Both the anterior and posterior facial heights, inclination of the mandible and the angle of the gonial are considered. The maximum force of a bite is produced by the combined effect of jaw elevator muscles which are produced by jaw biomechanics and reflex mechanisms. The modification and elevation of jaw muscles results in higher magnitude of bite force. The masseter-temporal muscle is thicker in individuals with short faces hence stronger bite force. With a more vertical ramus and an acutely gonial, a greater mechanical advantage is produced by the elevator muscles. However, a long face cranial morphology based on mandibular inclination produces smaller bite force values (Koc et al, 230). 2. Size is one of the cranial facial factors since it plays a vital role in establishing the magnitude of a bite. This is because they control the muscle forces. For instance, in mammals the masseter-muscles comprises 60 to 80% hence easy adaptation to their feeding habits that require maximum bite force (Cox et al. 2012). 5. The other findings that are consistent with this information include experimental studies, observations, tests and other model based forces used to estimate the exertion of muscle forces (Erdemir et al, 140). 7. The resolution of the case regarding the relationship between jaw size and muscle thickness and the magnitude of the bite is correct. We might, therefore, expect to find that larger animals that require high magnitude bites have thicker muscles, and larger jaw sizes to enable them in proper chewing. Raadsheer, M. C., van Eijden, T. M., van Ginkel, F. C., & Prahl-Andersen, B. â€Å"Contribution of Jaw Muscle Size and Craniofacial Morphology to Human Bite Force Magnitude†. Journal of dental health. (1999). Vol. 78 (1): Pp.

The Financial Engineer's Most Versatile Tool Dissertation - 1

The Financial Engineer's Most Versatile Tool - Dissertation Example The EPS graph of the company has been shown for a five year period to highlight the rise in the earnings per share due to a stock repurchase program. The deterioration in the important financial ratios like interest coverage, return etc has also been shown with the help of suitable graphs. An announcement of a share repurchase by a company is valued highly by the market participants interpreting it as a ‘buy signal’ for its stock. So the company has good reasons to buy-back its stocks but sometimes these share buyback programs go awry. Despite the popularity of such programs as evident from the recent buyback deals, there are concerns whether the firm or the shareholders derive any gains from it. One reason favoring the buyback deal is that at any point of time the surplus cash lying with the management can be used for buyback of shares thereby returning the funds to the shareholders. It has been seen that idle cash makes the managers complacent so buying back of shares can be one way of instilling confidence among the investors. From the viewpoint of the company stock buyback results in increased Earnings per share (EPS), share price and increases the value of â€Å"executive stock options† (Ogilvie, 2006, p.51). However, the share buyback strategy can be dangerous if the company finances the buyback of equities using borrowed funds. Financing buyback using loan stock may look tempting in the short term but some years down the line the company has to pay back the loan. In the event of an economic recession, the company will have to struggle with fund shortage. A rise in the share price, the increase in company EPS are all good signs but not at the cost of endangering the position of the company in the future. The board of directors must keep the interests of the shareholders in mind while considering share buyback programs. Significant research has been conducted especially in the area of share repurchases.  

Performance Measures Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Performance Measures - Assignment Example of this document is to outline the measurement of the performance as post-implementation metrics of the recommendation, namely: â€Å"Change Organizational Approach to Event Monitoring and Log Analysis† (‘Verizon Report’, 2010). The scope of this document includes role and responsibility of key people in an organization, background of the measure, legislative and strategic drivers, measure development process and its implementation. According to Verizon Report 2010, maximum information security breaches in 2009 showed that in most of the breaches the data is compromised after lapse of several days of the breach. It takes effort and time until these breaches are found. Significantly, people other than the victim makes such discovery. The victim upon information reacts immediately and uses the most important defense that is ID/IPS. However, this measure in most cases intensifies the situation rather controlling it. Furthermore, it is not the only defense that organizations have to curb this problem and relying upon it as a last resort does not solve the problem and eliminate it completely (Solms, 2000). The CIO is responsible to change the approach to tackle breach instance at the organization. CIO should ensure that as a post-attack instance, ID/IPS should not be used instantly and as the only measure to control the situation. Instead, batch processing and log analysis should be undertaken with keen interest to identify any stack of viruses or breaches. The focus should be on ‘mass’ breaches rather ‘individual’. Therefore, proper policy and implementation guidelines have to be circulated to all users in the organization regarding the measures to be taken in case breach takes place and is discovered. Additionally, the CIO has to prioritize and select performance measures and develop the targets for their achievement (‘NIST’, 2008). The role of Senior Information Security Officer is to ensure that the program manager uses the changed approach to

MGM P1 Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MGM P1 Paper - Essay Example This essay will discuss various factors regarding a dismissed employee who claims that she was treated unfairly by being made to work overtime with no extra pay. The employee was a salaried exempt manager and is seeking $ 18,000 in unpaid overtime. This paper will discuss her probability of winning or losing and the case. The paper will also determine the amount of money that the company is may win or lose if the case goes to court, estimate the lawyers’ fees, amount of time lost by company personnel, list two unique factors to this scenario, consider long term effects and the psychological costs associated with this lawsuit. The probability if this dismissed employee winning the case is very low. The employee is highly likely to lose the case because of the status of her employment. The employee was a salaried exempt department manager. The reason as to why she is likely to lose the case is because salaried exempt employees are those who do not get paid for working overtime, even when they work a lot more than the regular hours (Duncan & Schroeder, 2007). With salary exempt employees whose jobs are 40 hours a week, they may be expected to work up to 168 hours a week without being paid extra for the job they have done. She is therefore unlikely to win the case because she is not entitled to overtime in the first place. The terms and conditions of a salaried exempt employee do not entitle him or her to overtime payments. She therefore has no right to demand overtime from her employer (Abrams, 2000). If the case goes to court, the company is less likely to lose any money. This is because the company was not wrong by not paying the employee her overtime because she is not entitled to overtime, being a salaried exempt employee (Abrams, 2000). Even though it is difficult to say with certainty the costs of lawsuits, if the company loses the lawsuit, it is likely to pay the employee any amount from $ 500,000 to $ 1,000,000, depending on the court, the amount of time taken to solve the lawsuit and the expenses incurred by the employee when filing the lawsuit. However, since the company is unlikely to lose the case, it is more likely to win some money from the employee. If the company wins the case, the employee will have to pay for the costs of the company’s lawyers and other litigation fees (Duncan & Schroeder, 2007). Lawyers’ fees in lawsuits are very expensive. Most defense lawyers are known to charge their clients on an hourly basis. This ranges from $ 100 to $ 350. The employee and the company may also be charged a flat rate of about $ 5,000 if the case does not take a long time, i.e. less than 15 hours with good lawyers (Duncan & Schroeder, 2007). Litigation fees may amount $ 50,000 or more because there are many charges involved in such a case. These include complaint filing fee which will be paid by both parties, motion filing fee, deposition fees, copies, experts and appeals if necessary (Abrams, 2000). The amount of time lost by the company personnel will depend on the professionalism and experience of the company’s lawyers. If the company hires good lawyers, the case can take a very short time of up to 15 hours because the lawyers are conversant with all the necessary steps to prepare and file a defense (Duncan & Schroeder, 2007). One factor that is unique with this case is the fact that the employee is a salaried exempt

Mercantilist Relationship Between the American Colonies and the British Government Essay Example for Free

Mercantilist Relationship Between the American Colonies and the British Government Essay Mercantilism is an economic policy and theory where the government has complete control of trade, both foreign and inside boundaries. This policy was dominant during the 16th, 17th, and late 18th centuries, it demanded a positive balance of trade between the countries it was involved with. There were many policies that were within the theory based upon mercantilism including, building a network of overseas colonies and forbidding them to trade with other nations, forbidding trade to be carried in foreign ships, export as a trade barrier using domestic goods and services competitive against imports, and restricting domestic consumption with non-tariff barriers to trade. The British government established a mercantilist relationship with the American colonies that was to its benefit until 1763 and then the relationship no longer was of economic benefit to the British crown. Prior to 1763 the colonists had no choice but to go along with Parliaments right to take actions on their behalf and the predominance of Britains economic benefits over their personal ones. Seven Years War was the war that altered the parliaments actions, had been intended to regulate trade and nothing else, Parliaments arrangements began to conflict with the colonists interests. This caused the colonies to grow and thrive, by the time the British realized this Americans had already established lucrative trade with other countries. Britain became more aware of this growing â€Å"problem† and began to keep a close eye on the colonies and implemented regulatory policies, the British instituted a series of laws of trade and navigation known as the Navigation Acts. The purposes of these acts were to limit colonial trade to the British only. For this to be accomplished all trading to be done involving the colonists was to be on either English vessels or colonial-built vessels, therefore, if colonists planned to trade with other nations all of their goods had to first be shipped to England. This gave the British the chance to get a hand on the items being traded and to collect revenue from taxation before the products were traded. Another limitation that was set on the colonies was that in order to trade products such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton it had to be done with the British only. When the British would notice the colonies beginning to make profit they would add the product that was causing the increase in revenue to the list of products only to be traded with them. Although there were many restrictions placed upon the colonies, they did not cause as much damage as Britain may have hoped. Benjamin Franklin answered when asked, â€Å"I have never heard any objection to the right of laying duties to regulate commerce; but a right to lay internal taxes was never supposed to be in Parliament, as we are not represented there†. There were even some benefits even to having these regulations, such as a built in market for raw products that they had and the British did not rigidly enforce the trading regulations that were set. Following Great Britain’s achievement of French territory in North America after the end of the French and Indian War allotted the Proclamation of 1763 in October of 1763. The purpose of the proclamation was to establish Britain’s new North American Empire and to stabilize associations with Native North Americans through regulation of settlement, trade, and land purchases. The proclamation kept certain lands for the Indians and prevented the colonies from settling inland. The colonies wished to expand their territory inlands but with the Proclamation of 1763 they were unable to do so, causing massive amounts of interest conflicts. The British seemed to be enforcing this proclamation more so than any other laws placed on the colonies before. Troops were stationed along the frontier to give the colonists’ no control over attempting to expand their population inland. The colonies feared for overpopulation and crowded cities along the coastline. It appeared that the break down of this mercantilist relationship between the United States colonies and Britain along with the split of America from the British Empire was unavoidable. Before the French and Indian war, Britain was having a hard time keeping up with and maintaining regulations that they had placed upon the colonies. The trade laws were inadequately implemented and the colonies were able to go about their own political and economic systems independently. But, with the close of the war Parliament concluded the time of this neglect of enforcement and became more dominate with the colonies in order to reestablish complete control over their trade. Pervious laws that were established to benefit Britain were enforced harshly and new laws were also applied to further benefit the British. This led to animosity between Britain and the colonies because the colonies experienced economic independence for too long a period causing the colonists to have no desire to return to how things used to be. The aggressive application of the Navigation Act to the colonists subdued their manufacturing operations and increased resentment against the British Parliamentary. The severe enforcement of these laws led to inflation and alienation in the colonies, neither of which benefited the British Empire. During this time of strict enforcement there were many more laws and acts placed upon the colonies to restrict their trade and growth. Parliament passed the Sugar and Molasses Act trying to bring the colonies in line with regard to payment of taxes. The Sugar Act reduced the rate of tax on molasses and listed more foreign goods to be taxed including coffee, wines, sugar, and various other goods. The tax on caused the instantaneous deterioration in the rum industry in the colonies. This interrupted the economy in the colonies because it reduced the markets to which the colonies could sell and the amount of currency available to them for the purchase of British manufactured goods. This act, and the Currency Act, set the stage for the revolt at the imposition of the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act of 1765 was a direct tax on documents and articles, this act directly affected all colonists. The law required a stamp to be placed on all printed materials, including legal documents, almanacs, pamphlets, and newspapers. Although this affected all colonists, lawyers, clergymen, and printers felt the wrath of this act the most. Benjamin Franklin stated â€Å"There is not gold and silver enough in the colonies to pay the stamp duty for one year. The before and after of this act set in stone the perceived idea that the mercantilist benefits of the relationship between the colonies and Britain may have run its course. After debate about the collection of taxes due to the Stamp Act was the Quartering Act of 1765. The Quartering Act was part of the intolerable acts; the purpose of this act was only to take back hold of the colonies. The act violated the Bill of Rights, which forbids taxation without representation and the raising or keeping of a standing army without the consent of Parliament; colonies disputed the legality of this Act. In his first speeches in Parliament, Camden said, â€Å"taxation and representation are inseparable; this position is founded on the laws of nature; it is more, it is itself an eternal law of nature; for whatever is a mans own, is absolutely his own; no man has a right to take it from him without his consent, either expressed by himself or representative; whoever attempts to do it, attempts an injury; whoever does it, commits a robbery; he throws down and destroys the distinction between liberty and slavery. Taxation and representation are coeval with and essential to the constitution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If the soldiers outnumbered the housing available the colonies were expected to pay the cost of housing and feeding the troop, after the arrival of the troops New York refused to pay for supplies causing the troops to have to stay aboard their ships. Even after attempts to revise the Stamp Act, New York still resisted which led to the repeal of this act and the Stamp Act. With no doubt it seemed that violent hostility would prevail even with any effort to change the Acts making it almost impossible for Britain to establish any hope for a beneficial relationship with the colonies. The steady resistance to the Stamp Act led to it being repealed, which cost the British, â€Å"Suppose a military force sent into America; they will find nobody in arms; what are they then to do? They cannot force a man to take stamps who chooses to do without them. They will not find a rebellion; they may indeed make one. † This repeal showed the colonists that their resisting the act worked and would put fire to their future revolts considering this worked for them. The British were losing money now and the colonies did not seem to be hurt as badly as would have been hoped by the British. To down play the win that the colonies had just accomplished Parliament set out another act, the Declaratory Act, to serve as a punishment. The Declaratory Act asserted that Parliament had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America in all cases whatsoever. In the context and the word choice in which this was written shows that the act was intentionally clear-cut and to the point. Parliament had the upper hand and the absolute power to make laws and changes to the colonial government, in all cases whatsoever. Caught up in attempting to strip the colonies of their freedoms in order to prevent them from creating a profit, the British were losing money and quite frankly, running out of it. In one final attempt to gain back control of the colonies and make their relationship work Parliament passed the Townshend Act. A colonist identified as Brutus argued against that assumption, stating, â€Å"Nothing can be more flagrantly wrong than the Assertion of some of our mercantile Dons. John Hancock adds, â€Å"Taxes equally detrimental to the commercial interests of the Parent country and the colonies are imposed upon the People, without their consent; Taxes designed for the Support of the Civil Government in the Colonies, in a Manner clearly unconstitutional, and contrary to that, in which till of late, Government has been supported, by the free Gift of the People in the American Assemblies or Parliaments; as also for the Maintenance of a large Standing Army; not for the Defiance of the newly acquired Territories, but for the old Colonies, and in a Time of Peace. This testimony written in a letter was tremendously effective in the efforts to abolish this act placed upon the colonies; there were also the Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, which had its influence on the topic as well. There were twelve letters that were widely read and reprinted throughout the thirteen colonies, and were a major factor in attempting to unit the colonists against the Townshend Acts. Dickenson, the farmer, acknowledged the great power that the Parliament had in concern for the whole British Empire but argued that the taxes that were given to the colonies were for purpose of their own personal gain in revenue rather then what was stated in the books of the acts being for purpose of trade only. Dickinson foresees the possibility of future conflict between the colonies and Great Britain, but urges against the use of violence, â€Å"If at length it becomes undoubted that an inveterate resolution is formed to annihilate the liberties of the governed, the English history affords frequent examples of resistance by force. What particular circumstances will in any future case justify such resistance can never be ascertained till they happen. Perhaps it may be allowable to say generally, that it never can be justifiable until the people are fully convinced that any further submission will be destructive to their happiness. † The colonies boycotted this idea, their boycott, although it failed, gave them the strength to continue to not follow the acts that the Parliament required of them. The British had no way to enforce the collection of taxes so Britain had no choice but to repeal the Townshend Act. Britain was completely unstable and given this, the mercantilist relationship was coming to an end between the United States colonies and the British; the Tea Act would create the breaking point for this relationship. â€Å"An act to allow a drawback of the duties of customs on the exportation of tea to any of his Majestys colonies or plantations in America; to increase the deposit on bohea tea to be sold at the India Companys sales; and to empower the commissioners of the treasury to grant licenses to the East India Company to export tea duty-free. The Tea Act of 1773 caused in turn the Boston Tea Party, which aggravated the British so greatly that they delivered a punishment act. The punishment acts were called the Coercive Acts and also, along with other acts, became part of the intolerable acts the British had placed upon the colonies. The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, The Quartering Act, and the Quebec Act were all placed in order for Britain to again attempt to take control over the colonies. The restrictions placed on the colonies by these acts included the closing of the port of Boston, limited the meetings to one meeting per year, allowed the governor to move trails, and attempted to house the British solders. This out lash of over bearing authority over the colonies became known as the main reason that the mercantilist relationship could not continue. Britain’s attempts of harsh leadership and the lack of economic opportunities became great enough to continuously push the colonies away and gave them reason to revolt and not comply. As years passed the interests of the colonies and British began to not be similar in any ways, causing conflicts. The colonists educated themselves in ways that the British had not expected, giving the colonies the upper hand in knowing what they deserved and what was being taken from them. There were no longer any benefits to having a relationship with Britain and the colonists were well educated on this fact and showed their feelings on this aspect in many ways. The mercantilist relationship was no longer making a profit for the British Crown or bringing benefits to anyone; it was causing them to lose money. This loss was apparent after the downfall of both the economic systems after the French and Indian War in 1763.

Problem Diagnosis Using Organisational Behaviour Concepts Business Essay

Problem Diagnosis Using Organisational Behaviour Concepts Business Essay There are several significant concepts which are used when managing the workplace in changing business environment. The workplace environment becomes more complex in which the complexity of interactions, relationships and processes often makes difficult to understand. In the organization, managers are required to be effective in organizing, decisive, and maintain good relationship with employees (Kimball 1997). According to the case analysis, practise of empowerment is used as the new tool by Becker for the hotel to be more effective and implement the capacity of employees to make decisions and to be innovative in the working environment. On the other hand there are certain situations where employees were not familiar with change in the management. Focuses on issues and problems of implementing empowerment within the organization. Motivation refers to the forces acting on and coming from within a person that account, in part, for the wilful direction of ones efforts towards the achievement of specific goals (Dennis Michael) According to the case, in the past Regency Grand Hotel was one of the most prestigious hotels in Thailand and the employees enjoyed working. Example: The hotel provided good welfare benefits and good salary rates to the employees. End of the year employees were given a salary increment regardless of the hotels overall performance. This could be due to personal relationships to build a more close relationship with the employees. Employees were motivated and they enjoyed working with the current general manager. Motivation theories are very important in the corporate world. Primarily motivation theories are divided into two types. (Dennis Michael) Theory 1: Content theory This focuses on identifying the specific factors that motivate people internally which contributes to strengthen and direct the behaviours of employees within the organization. (Dennis Michael) Content theories focus on specific factors that motivate people. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y and Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory will be discussed linked to the case. 3.1 McGregors Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor proposed two different motivational theories. Managers tend to believe one or the other and treat their employees accordingly.   Theory X states that employees dislike and try to avoid work, and must be coerced into doing it. Most workers lack ambition and value job security more than anything else. According to the case the employees were rewarded with a yearend bonus regardless of the hotels overall performance, may be due to lack of motivation which the manager saw in his subordinates to work within the organization. Due to that we can identify that employees were satisfied and job security was ensured and also for it to become a prestigious hotel the efficiency of the fellow employees would have been a reason. 3.2 Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory According to Herzberg, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction exist in the corporate world. Hygiene factors could cause an employee to become unhappy with their job. Lack of motivation could bring out job dissatisfaction such as pay, job security, and physical work environment. On the other hand Motivation can increase job satisfaction by providing recognition for their achievements and more responsibilitys. Change Internal and external factors affect the organization towards the complexity and changing situations. Mostly, people do not accept and understand the benefits in changing the management. Organization needs to consider the internal and external factors in implementing a new strategic management. It is important to develop strategy to help employees learning about the change (Cameron Quinn) Managers are also required to develop good communication within its employees since people may come from different cultural background, skills, age, and gender (Holden 2001). These differences will create barriers in communication based on different values and perceptions. The effective management of workplace in organization requires an understanding of leadership and motivation in managing the workplace on performing the job and being motivated to do so. (Holden 2001) In the case with the change of ownership there will be a change in the organizations business practises. Its important that the existing employees are aware of the change and that they should adopt according to the change. For that there should be trainings, workshops organized by the management in order to make them understand about the change. Without effective diagnosis, managers may believe that the problem is significantly different than it is, and the change alternative may be ineffective in resolving the problem. (Dennis Michael) In organizational development one should recognize; The need for change Diagnose problems Develop change alternatives Implementation of change Reinforcement of change Evaluation of change Implementing further change actions 4.1 Delegating authority When delegating authority Becker did not explain properly what are the responsibilities of the employees. As stated in the case he did not give a criterion to differentiate minor and major issues which arose in the organization. Proper organization structure was not implemented. 5. Culture   According to the case the Regency was able to merge with a large American chain that was very keen on expanding its operations into Thailand. With the new ownership the current general manager decided to take early retirement. There is nothing more valuable than local knowledge or understanding culture of a particular organization when merging with an organization. It is important to be aware of the culture and business practices especially when changing ownership with a different country. Organizational culture is referred to, a code of attitudes, norms and values and the way an individual thinks. It determines how we see ourselves and how we see the world. Culture can be either right or wrong inherited about individual behaviour. Organization culture affects the way strategy is determined, how goals are established and how the organization operates. (Marie Roger, 2008) With the retirement of the current general manager a new general manger from the US was appointed to the Regency. According to the case, John Becker the newly appointed general manager has 10 years of management experience in the hotel industry and was selected because of his previous success. The case states that in his previous achievements he took over organizations with poor profitability and poor morale and managed to succeed in achieving desired objectives. Organizational culture can be different from one country to another. The success of an organizational culture has to do with external and internal factors (Marie Roger, 2008). With the change of the ownership one should identify the cultural variations from one organization to another or from country to country. Considering the culture in Thailand and in the US the business practices can be completely different there can be a cross cultural affect within the organization. Cross culture explains the behaviour of people in organizations around the world and describes and compares organizational behaviour across countries and cultures seeking to understand and improve the interaction of its subordinates (Adler, 2002: 11). Identifying organizational culture 6.1 Corporate Culture in the US The worlds third largest country both in size and population, the United States is a nation moving forward rapidly and successfully with its unique cultural diversity. Today, the US is considered to have the strongest and most technologically powerful economy. (Communicaid Group Ltd. 2009) In the US people are more work oriented where individualism and equality are two main important aspects in the US corporate culture which has a significant effect on their business etiquettes (Cameron Robert). In the US performance is more important and individuals will be rewarded according to their achievements this is why individualism is important in the US. American business culture is task oriented. Paying attention to guidelines and rules dictated by business policies, laws and procedures is important in the US. 6.2 Corporate Culture in Thailand Thai people are mo re relationship oriented when doing business. International business practices are widely accepted for Thai business person. In general, Thais are naturally friendly and open-minded; however, there are some practices and values to be considered (Thailand Business Guide, 2010) Thai business people can accept new ideas quickly. Thai people are calm and quite. Thais take confrontation extremely seriously. In the west you loosing temper may be familiar and accepted where in Thailand its not accepted. There is nothing worse than an upset, impatient employer who is making demand on Thais. Acting this way will serve no purpose other than alienate. (Thailand Business Guide, 2010) 6.3 Cross Culture (United States Thailand) According to the research carried out its clear that from one country to another their business practises diverge. Culture in one country can be different from one another. What is suitable in the US will not be applicable in Thailand. Certain practises used by Becker will not be applicable in Thailand. His success in previous organizations can be a failure in the Regency. Understanding organizational culture at all levels is important because the culture points out both appropriate and inappropriate behaviours of the employees. According to the case Becker wanted his employees to think out of the box. He expected the employees to be creative, innovative and to make judgments to satisfy guest needs. Throughout my research I identified that being innovative and creative will help to achieve organizational goals. The culture Becker previously worked is a culture based on innovation and creativity. With his new placement in a different country (culture) he implemented the same theory assuming he will succeed. Contrary to the culture in Thailand and the US, the existing employees were used to a different organizational culture from the culture Becker worked previously. According to the case, under the previous management the responsibilities of the employees were to ensure that the instructions from their managers are carried our diligently and conscientiously. Innovation and creativity were discouraged. Indeed, employees were punished for their mistakes and discouraged from trying out ideas that had not been approved by management. As a result, employees were afraid to be innovative and to take risks. This can be due to the normal organizational culture carried out in the industry in Thailand. We assume that they were more task oriented. Team work was not encouraged and individual achievement was encouraged. An organizations culture also determines the way in which employees are rewarded. (Business Management Group, Inc) But without considering the performance of the employees everyone was rewarded with a yearend bonus. Because of this there can be dissatisfaction and un-equality among employees. Management tends to focus on a dominant source of motivation, such as pay, status, or opportunity for personal growth and achievement. The accessibility of management and the ways in which decisions are made are reflections of an organizations culture as well. (Business Management Group, Inc) Empowerment Empowerment can be defined as a term used to express the ways in which employees can make independent decisions without consulting their superiors. Employee empowerment can begin with training and converting a whole company to an empowerment model. Conversely it may merely mean giving employees the ability to make some decisions on their own (Murrell   Meredith) According to the case Becker is a strong believer in empowerment. He believes empowerment increases employee motivation, performance and job satisfaction. He expects employees to go beyond guidelines and make work more effective. According to Becker employee empowerment has always been a successful tool for him in the corporate culture. He believes that by introducing empowerment to the new organization will replicate his previous success in the industry. Implementing empowerment might not work in the new place where it will be difficult to change ones perception and employees will not like to deviate from his/her believes, attitudes and routines. Since empowerment is new to the existing employees they might not understand what Becker is expecting unless he should provide certain trainings to educate his subordinates. On the other hand empowerment will encourage the employees to be innovative, creative and make judgments. Managers believe when they delegate jobs, they are empowering their employees; empowerment is more than simple delegation. It is giving the employees the authority, training and resources to make decisions within defined boundaries. Through these actions, employees gain the power and potential to both grow and strengthen the company  (Weiss, W. H.) Existing employees at Regency had to go through administrative control which result more bureaucratic procedures in the organization. The front-counter employees needed to seek approval from their manager before they could upgrade guests to another category of room. The front-counter manager would then have to write and submit a report to the general manager justifying the upgrade With Beckers implementation of empowerment, the employees will have to follow his instruction if not there will be a contradictory between the employees and the general manager. In the previous management employees were punished for mistakes and they did not have the freedom to be innovative or creative or make decisions on their own. With Beckers new plan the employees might hesitate to adopt directly according to the change if relevant training and briefing isnt done appropriately. So Becker should communicate fully in order to build confidence among the fellow employees. 7.1 Advantages of implementing Empowerment at the Regency Gives more freedom for the employees to be innovative, creative and make decisions End output will be more effective More flexibility within the organization Motivated employees creates a good working environment 7.2 Disadvantages of implementing Empowerment at the Regency Fear about job security when the lower level employees in the organization have power/authority the existing managers will have a fear of losing their jobs. Employees might use the power un-necessarily There will be more people involved in the decision making process which might take more time and disagreement will rise resulting divergence. (Murrell   Meredith) Problems and symptoms Employees had lack of confidence High employee turnover rates within the organization due to delegation of authority With the implement of the new plan Becker did not monitor the progress of the new plan implemented Becker did not have alternatives if the plan of implementing empowerment failed Becker failed to identify/study the corporate culture of Thailand didnt study the culture before implementing new tools to the organization he is not a good consultative leader Assumptions were made without any prove based on personal judgement Employees who displayed initiative and made good decisions in satisfying the needs of the guests rarely received positive feedback from the superiors Becker did not take in to account the feedback he got from several managers the body language (nodding their heads) meant a disagreement to some extent Delegated authority without considering the impairment which will occur within the organization Proper organization structure was not implemented employees didnt know to whom they should report. Lack of organizing, planning and controlling Solutions 9.1 Having alternatives Empowerment is not the only tool to motivate employees in the corporate world.   By using performance appraisals, superiors can praise and recognize the employees at Regency who displayed good innovative and good decisions to satisfy customers. Employees like been appreciated and like to hear the superiors say that they have done a good job. Reward systems for their accomplishments such as incentives, salary increments, yearend bonus for good performers and promotions can be used to motivate employees rather than only using empowerment. A manager should always be transparent and should not be biased when evaluating ones performance. 9.2 Conduct research When implementing a new plan one should always study the culture and identify the need for change. According to the case, Regency was a profit making organization and the need for change was not necessarily important. Without studying the culture Becker implemented empowerment in to the organization based on his personal judgements. To motivate employees at Regency, Empowerment was not the appropriate tool. If prior research was conducted Becker would have introduced different tools to motivate employees. Its very important understand that corporate culture can vary from one country to another. 9.3 Conduct Trainings With the implementation of empowerment employees at Regency was not aware of what exactly they should do and was afraid to be innovative and to take risks due to the bureaucratic procedures conducted by the past management. In order to build confidence in employees, trainings, workshops such as Employee Performance Management trainings can be conducted to educate them about how important empowerment is to succeed in the corporate world. 9.4 Observe the employees By observing the employee superiors can identify what employees should stop doing, what employees should continue doing and what employees should start doing and write reports about relevant employees in order to be more effective and achieve desired goals. 9.5 Have a proper organization structure Becker had lack or planning, organizing and monitoring. He did not monitor after implementing the new plan. Once a new plan has been implemented its important to monitor the progress to see whether it has been effective throughout the organization structure. Close relationship with the employees According to the research Thai people are more relationship oriented so its important that Becker should have a more close relationship with the subordinates. Having meetings at least twice a week is important in order to build up a good relationship. Its important to listen to your subordinates. Active listening guarantees that the other party understood him or her. It is a necessary part of any exchange to motivate employees. 9.7 Decrease employee turnover To decrease employee turnover in future superiors existing should consult ex-employees and discuss the reasons for leaving and make decisions to avoid turnover in future and try to maintain a lower number of employee turnover within the organization. Implement better hiring decisions to fill in the existing gaps. 9.8 Keep employees up-to-date Its important to keep the employees informed about all changes that may affect them. When implementing tools within the organization its important that you make them aware about every single rule and regulation in order to avoid stress and un-efficiency. Recommendation Considering the above solutions the most appropriate recommendation is to first identify the difference between organizational cultures and when implementing new business practises its important to train and provide sufficient information to the employees in an organization. Conclusion The purpose of this report was to diagnose the problems in this case using organisational behaviour concepts and recommend solutions to overcome or minimise the problems and symptoms in this case. There are several solutions identified in order to minimise the problems and symptoms occurred during the implementation of empowerment at the Regency. Using several organizational behaviour concepts to diagnose the problems at the Regency, such as motivation, organizational culture, employee empowerment, crosses cultural effect and change. The report found out that what may be applicable in one culture will not always be applicable/suitable in a different organizational culture. Empowerment was not effective in Thailand though it was effective and gave excellent results in the US. There are a number of contradictory findings among different authors and therefore due to a lack of clear findings at this stage it is not possible to definitively state whether empowerment is the only method of motivating the workforce. Monitoring the progress once a new plan is implemented will greatly increase efficiency and productivity within the organisation. Having alternatives will have a great deal to do with the organizations progress and how it handles the various unexpected situations such as employee turnover and low profitability. Planning, organizing and monitoring the organization are important tools in order to succeed.

Children Learning and Symbolic Play

Children Learning and Symbolic Play Abstract Our understanding of children development and learning is complicated because of the numerous and varied factors that impact it. These include physiological, mental, emotional, social, linguistic, cognitive, socio-cognitive, and cultural aspects. Two of the most considerable theories on the growth and development of cognitive thinking in children were proposed by Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Both offered explanations for childrens cognitive learning styles and abilities; their explanations and ideas have significantly contributed to the field of learning and instructions. While they have different views into the cognitive development in children, Piaget and Vygotsky both emphasized that much of childrens early learning is achieved through play and symbolic play in particular. The objective of this paper is to examine the major constructs of Piaget and Vygotsky theories about cogitative development in children and to evaluate the implications of their theories for instructions and sy mbolic play practices for children in preschool (kindergarten) age. Cognitive Development Theories: Children Learning and Symbolic Play Cognitive development refers to the development of the ability to think and reason. It is the transformation of the childs undifferentiated, unspecialized cognitive abilities into the adults conceptual competence and problem-solving skills (Driscoll, 2005). For many psychologists, cognitive development answers the questions about how children moves toward reaching the endpoint of gaining the adults skills, what stages they are pass through and how do changes in their thinking occur and what role dose learning play? Among many theories that are introduced to explain the children cognitive and knowledge development, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky proposed the most influential theories that contributes to this component of psychology. Their theories underlined that the way the children learn and mentally grow has a critical role in their learning progress and abilities development. Piaget and Vygotsky were considered as constructivists who believed that learning occurs as a result of mental construction and by fitting the new information into the cognitive structure (scheme) that the learners already have (Driscoll, 2005). Constructivism approach also suggests that learning is affected by the context in which knowledge transfer occurs and by learners beliefs and attitudes . Piaget and Vygotsky also agreed on the societal influences in cognitive growth; however, they differ in the learning progression process. Piaget believed that children learn by interacting with their surroundings but with no impo rtance for the input from others and that learning occurs after development; Vygotsky, on the other hand, held the idea that learning happens before development and that children learn through history and symbolism and they value the input from their surroundings (Slavin, 2003). Further, it is imperative for teachers to understand the progression of cognitive development and the constructs of the major theories in the field in order to be able to attend the unique needs of each child and to develop the learning program, instructions plans and classroom activities in a developmentally appropriate approach. Kindergarten program is an example of these learning programs that is of particular interest because it influences children in very young age and shapes their cognitive development journey. Kindergarten learning programs should be designed on the natural approach for children learning as suggested by the cognitive development theories. The natural approach suggests that the physical, socio-emotional and cognitive development of children depends on activity and interactions with others (Driscoll, 2005). This means the play is a key aspect of the Kindergarten learning programs and that is seen as phenomenon of thoughts and activity growth (Piaget, 1951). Play consists of activities performed for self-amusement that have behavioral, social, and psychomotor rewards. Play is directed towards the child, and the rewards come from within the individual child; it is enjoyable and spontaneous. Children engage in different types of play depending upon situations and different needs. Types of play range from physical play which involves jumping, running and other physical activities to the surrogate play at which ill children watch others play on their behalf. They also range from inactive observation play to active associative in group play that requires planning and co operation. Play types also include expressive play which involves playing with materials (such as clay, play dough,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and the manipulative play that gives children the measure of control over others and their environment (for example, to throw a toy out of a cot, watch a parent pick it up, and then throw it out again). Symbolic play (also be referred to as dramat ic play) is another important type of play at which children enact scenes where they substitute one object for another (for example, a child will use a stick to represent a spoon or a hair brush to represent a microphone). This kind of pretend play takes on various forms: The child may pretend to play using an object to represent other objects, playing without any objects and pretending that they are indeed present. Or the child may pretend to be someone else and imitate adults and experiment what it means to be an adult in a role they are exposed to in their surrounding environment (for example, mother, father, care-giver, doctor and so on). They may also pretend through other inanimate objects (e.g. a toy horse kicks another toy horse). Symbolic play in children can usually be observed during the beginning of the second year of life and it has been linked through the studies and experiments to the cognitive problem solving skills, creative abilities, and emotional well-being. In the following sections of this paper, the major constructs and ideas proposed by Piaget and Vygotsky theories will be examined in relation to symbolic play for cognitive and knowledge development of children; and the implications of each theory for instruction and practice in Kindergarten educational settings. Theories of Cognitive Development: Piaget and Vygotsky It is a fact that most of the methods and approaches for teaching are driven from Piaget and Vygotsky research studies. They both offer teachers good proposals on how to teach certain learning materials in appropriate approach that matches the child developmentally conditions. Piaget (1896-1980) believed that children progress through an invariant sequence of four stages. Theses stages are not arbitrary but are assumed to reflect qualitative differences in children cognitive abilities (Driscoll, 2005, p.149). He proposed that each stage must represent a significant qualitative and quantitative change in children cognitive and that children progress through these stages in a culturally invariant sequence. Each stage will include the cognitive structures and abilities (schemes) of the previous stages (constructivism) which all will act as an integrated cognitive structure (accumulated knowledge) at that given stage (Driscoll, 2005). These schemes can be alerted, changed or developed through assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation occurs when a child perceives new objects or events in term of existing scheme (Driscoll, 2005); in other words, within information the child already knows. Accommodation occurs when existing schemes are modified to adopt (or fit in) a new experience or information. If the new information doesnt fit or it conflicts with the existing scheme then the disequilibrium occurs. Equilibrium, however, is the master developmental process which encompasses both assimilation and accommodation and prepares for the child transaction from one state of the development to the next (Driscoll, 2005). Piaget stages of development are: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations and formal operations. Sensorimotor stage is over the period between the birth to two years. During this stage, the child experiences the surrounding world through the senses and movement. The child develops object permanence which refers to the ability to understand an object exist even if it is not in field of vision (Woolfolk, 2004). Toward the end of this period, children begin to mentally represent object and events but to that point they only can act and during the transaction to the mental representation, they may use simple motor indicators as symbols for other events (Driscoll, 2005). They also begin to understand that their actions could cause another actions developing a goal-director behavior; for an example, throwing a toy from the cot to make parents pick the toy and pressing the doll button to make the sound and so on (kind of the manipulative play). Preoperational stage extends from the child second year to seventh year. According to Piaget, children have not yet mastered the ability of mental operation or to think through the actions (Woolfolk, 2004) but they acquire the semiotic function early in this period. This means that they are able to mentally represent the objects and events, as evidenced in their imitation of some activities long after it occurred (Driscoll, 2005). Hence, pretending, or symbolic play, is highly characteristic stage and the language acquisitions. One more interesting idea proposed by Piaget is that during this stage children are considered to be egocentric assuming that others share their points of view and which makes them engage in self monologue with no interacting with others (Woolfolk, 2004). Concrete operations period that is from seventh year to eleventh, is characteristic to be the hands-on period at which children overcome the limitation of egocentrism and learn through discovery learning while working (operating) with real tangible objects (Woolfolk, 2004). They become more internalized and able to create logical-mathematical knowledge resulting in operations (Driscoll, 2005). Formal operation occurs from eleventh year to adulthood and at which propositional logic is developed. Reaching this stage, children (who become adult) should be able to not only to think hypothetically but to plan systematic approaches to solve problems (Driscoll, 2005). The acquisition of the met-cognitive (thinking about thinking) is also an important characteristic of the formal operations. Piaget also believed in the active role of the child during development. He proposed that children act on their own environment and cognitive is rooted in the action (Driscoll, 2005). He acknowledged the social interaction aspect of the children development but only to move the child away from egocentrism to develop the social knowledge that can be learned only from other people (language, moral rules, values..). Although, Piaget theory of cognitive development proposed an integrated and beneficial framework for children learning that can be utilized by educators and parents to influence and enrich the learning process of the children; the theory has faced serious challenges and especially in the recent years with the contemporary research add to this filed. For an example, Piaget believed that all children, regardless of the culture, progress through four stages and once particular stage is reached, the regression to earlier stage cant occur. Replications of Piagets experiments have shown that children in different cultures do not pass through the same types of reasoning suggested in Piaget stages (Driscoll, 2005). Moreover, there are people, in any culture, who fail to reason at the formal operation level; we experience interacting with these people in our day-to-day life in personal and professional levels. Also, Piaget claimed that there must be a qualitative discontinues change in cognit ive from stage to stage; this has been questioned with the ability to accelerate development and the studies and experiments showed that that children can learn more than Piaget thought they could (Siegler Svetina 2002 as cited in Driscoll, 2005). One more is that children dont exhibit the characteristics of each stage; for example, children are sometimes egocentric beyond the proportional stage and the preoperational children are not egocentric all the time (Driscoll, 2005). However and despite these challenges, understanding Piagets proposed stages and development sequence suggests useful and effective certain learning and teaching strategies at each level. Example of these strategies as implications of Piaget theory will be discussed in the next section. Vygotsky (1896 -1943) proposed an alternative to the Piaget stages of cognitive development, he stated that children learn mainly by social interactions and their culture plays a major role to shape their cognitive (woolfolk, 2004). He believed that individual development could not be understood without reference to the social and cultural context within which such development is embedded (Driscoll, 2005, p.250). His theory suggests a co -constructed process of social interactions at which through children move toward individualized thinking. When a child receives a help through this process, her or she may be able to develop better strategy in the future to deal with a similar problem. This co-constructed channel of communications between the child and his culture will lead to internalization and eventually to independent thinking (Woolfolk, 2004). A good example to understand social dialogue and internalization is what introduced by Vygotsky himself and cited in Driscoll (2005) One a child stretching out her hand for an object she cant quite reach, an adult interprets the gesture of pointing and responds accordingly. Until the adult responds, the child is simply grasping for an object out of reach, however, the situation change with the adult respond to be a social exchange and the act of grasping takes on a shared meaning of pointing. When a child internalizes the meaning and uses the gesture as pointing, the interpersonal activity has been transferred into intrapersonal one. (p.252). The zone of proximate development is another principle introduced by Vygotsky. He agreed with Piaget that there is knowledge and skills associated with the child developmentally range of understanding, but he believed that with given help and support, children can perform problems that Piaget would consider out of their staged mental capabilities (Woolfolk, 2004). Scaffolding is the technique proposed by Vygotsky to support the discovery learning through social interaction and in the zone of approximate development. Scaffolding entails providing the child with a hint or clue for the problem solving and encouraging childs thinking in order to allow him or her to better approach the problem in the future. Further, Vygotsky highlighted the importance of the mediation cultural tools to support learning and higher-level processing in children. These cultural signs and tools involve technological, symbolic and any available resource that aids in social communication (language, signs, symbols, media television, computer, booksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Although the tools at hand may include sophisticated toys, children are successful at creating imaginary situations with sticks and other common objects in their environment. This leads into the symbolic play as a strategy for children teaching. Driscoll (2005) noted that in play, Vygotsky argued, children stretch their conceptual abilities and begin to develop a capacity for abstract thought; the signs they establish in their imaginations, in other word, can make up a very complex symbol system, which they communicate through verbal and nonverbal gestures(P.259). The development of language is another major principle that is proposed by Vygotsky s theory. Althoug didnt address specific implications for instruction of language, he believed that language constitutes the most important sign-using behavior to occur during the cognitive development and this is because it frees children from the constraints of their immediate environment. The language of a certain group of people reflects their own cultural beliefs and value system and children initially associate the words meaning to their contexts and life aspects till they learn to abstract the word from a particular concrete context (decontextualization). This process of decontextualization must occur with any symbol system if it is to serve higher mental functions such as reasoning (Driscoll, 2005, p. 259-260). Once again, Vygotsky suggested that symbolic play is important for language learning in young children. He also emphasized the importance of the private speech as a self-directed regula tion and communication with the self to guide actions and aid in thinking; this is in contrast to Piaget who viewed privative speech as egocentric (or immature) (Woolfolk, 2004). Undoubtedly, both Piaget and Vygotsky provided educators with influential insights and important views on the cognitive development in children. Piaget suggested that the children progress through maturation stages and discovery learning with minimal social impact. Vygotsky, from other hand, stressed the importance of the cultural context and language on cognitive development. The following will browse, in general, some implications of the both theories for instructions in different educational settings then more specific for symbolic play in kindergarten. Implications for Instructions of Piaget and Vygotsky Educators and school systems have been applying the cognitive development theories of Piaget and Vygotsky in classrooms teaching for some time. The most important implications of the both theories are that the learning environment should support the discovery-learning and that child should be effectively involved in the learning process. They stressed the role of peer interaction and the symbolic play. Both also agreed that development may be triggered by cognitive conflict; this entails adopting instructional strategies that make children aware of conflicts and inconsistencies in their thinking (Driscoll, 2005). A good example of this would be the Socratic Dialogs which fosters the critical thinking through a series of questions and answers that enable learner to develop the understanding of the learning materials. However, Piaget and Vygotsky differ in the way to guide the children in the discovery learning. Piaget recommended a very little teacher interference while Vygotsky prompted the teacher to guide the discovery learning offering questions to students and having them discover the answer by testing different options (Scaffolding). According to Piaget, teachers dealing with children in preoperational stage (like in kindergarten) are encouraged to incorporate the play as a pedagogic strategy; in play children are engaged in active self-discovery activities employing concrete object or symbolically. It also helps to understand that and since the children in this stage have not yet mastered the mental operations, the teacher should not only use action and verbal short instructions but also to demonstrate these instructions. Using visual aid is very important in this stage to create attractive and discovery-oriented learning environment (Driscoll, 2005). Moreover, is to pay attention to the egocentrism in this stage as suggested by Piaget and the teacher to be sensitive that children may not realize that not everyone shares their view or understand the word they invented (Woolfolk, 2004). It is important to in the stage to provide the children with a range of experiences and knowledge to build the foundation (basic scheme) for concept learning and languages those children are expected to master in coming stages. Teaching children in the concrete operation stage should involve hands-on learning at which children have the opportunity to test and manipulate objects, perform experiments and solve problems in order to develop logical and analogical thinking skills. Teacher should consider using familiar examples to explain the complex ideas and this is by linking to the existing knowledge of the learners (scheme). While teaching the students in formal operations stage requires teachers to offer student open-ended projects that enhance their advanced problem solving and reasoning skills. It is critical in this stage for the teachers to help learners understanding of the broad concepts and their applications in the real life. The teachers applying Vygotsky teaching methods would be very active player in their students education. The most popular technique to be utilized is the scaffolding at which teachers will provide assistance and the feedback as the knowledge source to support learning of new information. The teachers then will not present information in one sided way but will provide the guidance and assistance required for learners to bridge the gap between their skills level and the desired skills; when they are able to complete tasks on their own, the guidance and support will be withdrawn (Greenfield, 1984 cited in Driscoll 2005). Also teachers applying Vygotsky theory utilized the meditation tools and teach students how to use these tools in their learning (computers, books,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Vygotsky emphasized the language and other sign systems (such as symbolic playing) as important tools for children learning. Language is the cultural communication tool that transmits history and cultural va lues between individuals and from parents and teachers toward children. Most importantly, is incorporating the group or peer learning as an important source of cognitive development. A good application of Vygotsky principles of social learning and the zone of approximate development zone is the strategy at which teachers encourage children with varying level of knowledge to help each other by allowing the child who master the skill to teach and guide his or her peer who still trying to master this skill. It is evident to be an effective learning strategy not only in children learning but also in adult learning. Piaget also believed that peer interactions are essential in helping children move beyond the egocentric and that children are more effective to provide information and feedback to other children about the validity of their logical constructions (Driscoll, 2005); hence the instructional strategies are favored that encourage peer teaching and social negotiation. Applying Piaget or Vygotsky, the teachers main goal should be to support learners and to provide the assistance plan that fulfill the learner needs and promote his thinking skills and cognitive development. Teachers should also prepare the learning environment that attracts children attention and encourages their self-discovery. The instruction plan should be designed on the premises that classrooms have students with different cultural, linguistic and knowledge backgrounds. In preparing learning activities, teachers should be able to get children to play and learn collaboratively and enhance their understanding through teacher feedback, peer feedback and social negotiation. Symbolic Play: Cognitive and Language Development As introduced, the cognitive development theories encourage play and symbolic play-in particular- as a pedagogic strategy for active self learning and language development. In play, the children initiate and take control of their activity (Driscoll, 2005); and this very nature of play along with other criteria are what distinguish play from other behaviors: play is essentially motivated with self-imposed goals, play is activity of spontaneous and pleasure, play is free from imposed rules, player is an active participants in the play; play focuses on means rather than ends, play is characteristics by the as if dimension that encourages children to use objects and gestures as if they were something else ( Hymans, 1991 ; Fein Rivikin as cited in Yan, Yuejuan Hongfen, 2005; Piaget, 1951; Rubin, Waston Jambor, 1978). In symbolic play that starts in second year of life, children use tools of objects, actions, language, signs and roles to represent something from their real or imagined world of experiences. It enables the children to build and express their understanding of either individual or social experience (Driscoll, 2005; Hymans, 1991; Lenningar, n.d; Lyytinen, Poikkeus Laakso, 1997; Piaget, 1951; Woolfolk, 2004). Symbolic play indicates that the child developed the two main cognitive operations: reversibility and decentralization; reversibility refers to the child awareness that he or she can come from the pretended role to the real world at any time while decentralization refers to the child understanding that the child in the play is still him/her at the same time with the person he/she is imitating (Rubin 1980 as cited in Marjanovic Lesnic, 2001). The next intellectual skill noticeable in the symbolic play is conservation which refers to the child ability to preserve the imaginary iden tity of the play materials despite the fact they are perceptually and could be functionally inadequate (Marjanovic Umek Lesnic Musek, 2001). The social element of the symbolic play is also a very important aspect to be considered for the cognitive development in the children. According to Vygotsky, children learn to use the tools and skills they practice with social parents; he also emphasized that learning occurs in social interactions and it is affected cultural context it occurs at. He further proposed that social interaction could lead to developmental delays or abnormal development as well as to normal or accelerated development (Driscoll, 2005). Piaget also highlighted the importance of social interaction for the children to develop beyond the egocentrism that is a characteristic of pre operational stage. The impact of symbolic play in this dimension is supported by Smilansky (1968) studies at which she proposed that social activities influence the development of the childs cognitive and social skills. When children are engaged in a role performance; they have to reach a agreement about the play idea, the course of actions and the transformation of roles and play materials and this can only be achieved when individuals come over their egocentrism and develop the ability to communicate and empathize (cited in Marjanovic Umek Lesnic Musek, 2001). Smilansky then developed the Scale for Evaluation of Dramatic and Socio-Dramatic Play; the scale tracks the progressive development in the use of the objects in the symbolic play over five stages. The first stage includes simple manipulation followed by the stage of imitating the adults activities of adults by using the model of the object as adult do (as using the hair brush as a microphone). In the third stage, the object becomes an instrument for enacting certain roles while in the forth stage the use of object/toy goes together with the speech and gestures. The final stage focuses in the speech without using objects or gestures (Smilansky 1968; Smilansky Shefatya, 1990 as cited in Marjanovic Umek Lesnic Musek, 2001). Smilansky scale supported also the role of symbolic play in the language development that was firstly proposed by Vygotsky and this language-play relation has been investigated all the way since then. The research studies discussed the component of the language in the context of symbolic play and mainly in the role playing part of it. In role playing, children engage in a communication dialogue with their playing parties. It is evident that the role playing and object transformations enable the childe to use lexicographic meanings and clear speech (Pellegrini Galda as cited in Marjanovic Umek Lesnic Musek, 2001). According to Lyytinen, Poikkeus and Lassko (1997); their study to observe and examine the relationship between language and play among 110 18-month-old children showed that early talkers of these children displayed significant more symbolic play than the late talkers ; a significant connection was found between the language comprehensive and percentage of symbolic play. Th is is supported by the study conducted by Marjanovic Umek and Lesnic Musek (2001) at which they compared three age groups of children in preschool settings with different level of play using Smilanskys Scale for the Evaluation of Dramatic and Socio-dramatic Play; the observations and results proved stronger use of the language in the function of defining roles, scenes and materials that are required for the play context. More interesting studies looked into the implications of symbolic play for the education of children with special needs and disorders such as Down syndrome and Autism. Example of these studies is the study conducted Stanley and Kinstantareas (2006) who investigated the relationship between symbolic play and other domains such as nonverbal cognitive abilities, receptive language, expressive language and social development among 131 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The result indicates a significant positive relation between symbolic play and development of these domains in children with (ASD). The study also stressed that training in symbolic play will help to improve these children skills in other domains (Stanley Kinstantareas , 2006). Another recent study conducted by Venuti, Falco, Giusti and Bronstein (2008) to investigate the impact of mother-child interaction in the play on the cogitative functions of children with Down Syndrome concluded that such inter action leads to enhanced cognitive functioning (Venuti, Falco, Giusti Bronstein , 2008). Symbolic play, then, inked through the literature to the development of cognitive problem solving skills, linguistic transformation and creative abilities. It also supports the emotional and social development. Role playing is evident to be a way of coping with emotional conflict through which children can escape into a fantasy world in order to make sense out of the real one. From different aspect, it enhances the child self awareness and self directed; when a parent or sibling plays a board game with a child, shares a bike ride, plays baseball, or reads a story, the child learns self-importance. The childs self -esteem gets a boost. Parents send positive messages to their child when they communicate pleasure in providing him or her with daily care. From these early interactions, children develop a vision of the world and gain a sense of their place in it. In term of social development, the children enjoy playful interactions with others staring with parents through which they learn their culture values and aspects. Interaction with other children helps the children helps children to learn about boundaries, taking turns, teamwork, and competition. Children also learn to negotiate with different personalities and the feelings associated with winning and losing. They learn to share, wait, and be kind. Some of the more common functions of play are to facilitate physical and moral development. Physical play develops both fine and gross motor skills. During play, children repeat certain body movements purely for pleasure, and these movements develop body muscles and control. Moreover, when children engage in play with their peers and families, they begin to learn the acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. During playing with peers, they learn that taking turns is rewarding and cheating is not; they learn to appreciate teamwork, share and respect others feelings. Therefore, models of children learning and preschool education in professional settings are mainly driven from different understanding and implications of symbolic play which are in turn based on the premises of different cognitive development theories. Play and Learning: Educational Framework in Kindergarten Settings Children learn through play is the golden rule that any educational frameworks in the preschool (Kindergarten) settings should revolve around. According to the theories and studies