Creating Computer-based Learning Essay

Computer-based learning, or e-learning, refers to online or offline learning through the means of computers. It can be offline through the means of CDs or it can be online wherein the student accesses an online web-based training module to acquire learning. Computer-based learning provides various advantages as compared to classroom learning. It provides flexibility to the learners who can access the course at their own pace and at their convenient times. It also enables the students to undertake distance learning wherein a large distance separates the instructor and the students. It is estimated that in 2006 nearly 3. 5 million students in the United States were undergoing some kind of computer-based learning. In this essay, I will discuss computer-based learning and will also provide a sample outline of a computer-based learning course. A storyboard is used to provide a screen-by-screen description of the e-learning course to the programmers, graphic designers, and animators who construct the e-learning course. It contains the On-screen Text (OST) and detailed instructions on graphics and animation. A storyboard should be detailed enough to provide all the required information to construct the course. It should have the following minimum eight elements – project information, screen label, audio/narration text, video clips if used, graphics, OST, navigation and interactivity, and notes to programmers and artists (Creating Scripts and Storyboards for E-Learning). The OST in a storyboard should only contain the relevant information that the learner needs to see. Transition text should only be provided in the audio script of the storyboard. This enables the learners to focus on the core concepts that they have to learn. An e-learning course can have a linear or a staggered navigation. Providing staggered navigation through inserting hyperlinks or cross-references allows learners to choose their learning path, but it is more complex, provides slower navigation, and has greater upload time (Storyboarding for E-Learning Courseware). Secondly, a hyperlink to an outside site will make the learners navigate out of the course, and they may not return to the course. It is not necessary to describe each step of an animation in a storyboard. Only the key aspects of the animation should be outlined and the animation should be described in a separate document. It is not advisable to use too many animations in a course as an animation may take a long time to load. The development life cycle of a computer-based learning course consists of analysis, design, development, implementation and, evaluation phases. The content, graphics, and assessment are developed during the â€Å"development† phase. A sample outline of a course on â€Å"How to Buy and Sell a House† would be as follows: I. Welcome page II. Introduction screen a. Slide 1 – Opening questions (to establish motivation for learning). i. Questions on what type of house is required and various available options. ii. Questions on problems faced in buying and selling a house. b. Slide 2 – Common mistakes while buying or selling a house. III. Learning Objectives i. Given a specified budget and location preference, the learner will be able to identify how to buy the most suitable house for his or her needs. ii. Given a specified budget, the learner will be able to identify how to negotiate successfully with a seller or a buyer on the price and obtain the optimal bargain. iii. The learner will determine how to avoid hidden costs and charges while buying a house. iv. The learner will identify how to do the paperwork, such as house registration correctly. Unit I – Finding the Best House Within Your Budget and Location Preference Unit II – Negotiating Successfully Unit III – Avoiding Hidden Costs Unit IV – Carrying Out Paperwork Correctly There will be assessments for the course – one at the end of each unit and one at the end of course. A sample question for Unit II is as follows: 1. Which of these are correct negotiation techniques while buying a house? a. Refuse to budge from your price. b. Request persuasively to provide additional benefits. c. Give examples of other lower cost options that you have. References Kruse, Kevin. Creating Scripts and Storyboards for E-Learning. Retrieved May 23, 2008 from http://www. e-learningguru. com/articles/art2_5. htm Pandey, Amit. Storyboarding for E-Learning Courseware. May 1, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2008 http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/229486/storyboarding_for_elearning_courseware. html? page=6

Billing System Essay

Overview of the Current State of Technology â€Å"Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden not a benefit†. – William Pollard Enrolment serves as a vital part in the life of every student upon entering schools, either public or private. It gives students the impression on how the whole institute manages and manipulates the entire body. Moreover, enrolment serves as the first experience of all students by which he/she takes part in the school’s activities. The billing system is one of the major parts of an enrolment system. A billing system is a system  designed to handle time and billing tracking as well as invoicing customers for services and products. It is very essential to the enrolment process because it involves the registration of students, computation of school fees and safe keeping of records. Implementing an automated billing system will increase the productivity of employees while decreasing the labor cost because the school won’t need many employees to handle the enrolment process. It can also boost the popularity of the school because of having such technology. Most importantly, an automated billing system reduces the risks of miscomputation, recording errors and loss of records. In line with this, the proponents are proposing the development of a prototype automated billing system for Dear Jesus Montessori School to assess whether automated grading was feasible, economically viable and as accurate as the manually computing system which they are currently using. 1. 2 Background of the Study Dear Jesus Montessori School, Inc. is a private school founded by Engr. Jesus V. Garcia. It is located at 888 Old National Highway, Sto. Cristo, Pulilan, Bulacan. It offers Casa (pre-elementary), elementary and high school classes. It is a non-stock, non-profit educational institution, committed to form a Christ-centered community of disciples, serving God and his people through academic excellence, moral righteousness, dynamic leadership and social participation. DJMS envisions young men and women deeply rooted in the DJMS tradition of â€Å"All for the Glory of God† which enabling them to dedicate their time, talent and resources for the good of man and nation in the montessori method of learning. It was in the year 2002 when Dear Jesus Montessori School was founded by Engr. Garcia, a developer and businessman from Baliuag, Bulacan. In spite of being a busy man, he takes time in learning God’s word. He himself is a preacher. He has been invited in different places to conduct bible study where he generously shares his wisdom about the true God. One night, he had a dream about God. In his dream, God talked to him and asked him to build a school. In an instance, he found himself working for what the Lord has wanted. Successfully, he has finished with his work and with God’s grace; the school has been operating for ten years now. DJMS is still using a manual system for their enrolment process. From the admission of students to the payment of bills were done manually. This makes the transaction prone to errors and vulnerable to security breaches. Implementing a computer-based enrolment system will help solve or at least lessen the problems encountered during enrolment. The system will be able to make transactions easier and more accurate. It can also produce various reports that will help the administration in managing the school, thus, making DJMS one of the top schools with regards to enrolment system which can even result to increase in student enrollees. 1. 3 Statement of the Research Problem

Contemporary Issues in HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contemporary Issues in HRM - Essay Example When this happens organizations remain satisfied with single-loop learning or adaptive learning but unless this is supported by double-loop learning or generative learning, no growth can take place. Organizational culture plays a vital role in organization learning towards improvement and growth. Organizations must provide an environment of empowerment, encouragement and flexibility for the individual employee to take risks and be creative. Failures too have to be celebrated. The environment should not stifle the employees. The organizational environment at Starbucks, the specialty coffee retailer, was looked into and it has been found that while they do encourage contributions from their employees, learning is stagnant. The workers are trained for 25 hours once they join but the same procedures and training is imparted. Growth and success of an organization is not measured by low staff turnover or high sales figures. Innovation and creativity ensures a long-term strategy whereas foc us on sales is a short-term strategy. While the origin of the company lies in cognitive learning but no further innovation has taken place. The company has not yet been able to find a solution to the single-use paper cups in which coffee is served to those who do not wish to consume coffee in-store. The company has not provided an environment in which employees can find ways to develop a solution. There is reliance on legislation and government support but learning has to come from within. The employees have stock options and which most exercise. Hence, they should also be responsible for finding a solution for the cups. This can come through when the organization engages in double-loop learning and when personal mastery and team work is applied as organizational discipline. Suggestions for improving the organizational learning have been provided. These include training the front-line staff in convincing the customers and making it mandatory for the corporate executives to serve one shift at the counter every now and then. It is expected that these suggestion would bring about a change in the learning environment. When managers started facing competitive pressures and declining productivity, the traditional management practices were threatened. While the situation warranted new strategies and structure, the traditional habits, norms and assumptions became hindering blocks (Senge & Sterman, 1992). Change in strategy must be preceded by change in thinking. Managers and academics then recognized organizational learning as a process that could change shared understandings, and as a key to competitive advantage. Organizational learning can enhance the competencies of both employees and entire organizations. Learning has also been recognized as a route to achieve competitive advantage (Chaston, Badger, Mangles & Sadler-Smith, 2001). This is the reason that there have been contributions on the subject from the perspectives of psychology, management science, strategic management, production management, sociology and cultural anthropology (Chaston, Badger & Sadler-Smith, 1999). However, while all agree that organizational learning is a good thing there is little consensus on what organizational learning really is (Teare & Pantin, 2003). Being a complex concept, there is yet no widely accepted definition of organizational le

Rites of Passage for Mesai and Nubian culture Research Paper

Rites of Passage for Mesai and Nubian culture - Research Paper Example In the Maasai culture, ceremonies are used as a way of expressing their culture and self-determination. All the ceremonies form a part of their lives because they are rites of passage. The younger Maasai boys and girls get very anxious to reach the right age and qualify to go through these rites of passage. The pre-circumcision ceremony referred to as Enkipaata is the first boy’s initiation. It is arranged by the fathers of the new age-set group. The ceremony is carried out only when the senior warriors have been settled. Boys aged between 14-16 years later move all around their land in a period of about five months giving information that they will be forming their new age-set. The boys going through initiation are offered a house which has been built in their respect. The Maasai prophet, known as Oloiboni, is responsible for choosing the location of the houses where all the boys of the whole community will be initiated. During this process, the chief of the boys, known as Olopolosi, is chosen, although this position is considered by the community as unfortunate. This is because the chief of the boys is the person supposed to carry all the sins committed by members of his age-group. The boys to be initiated are supposed to sleep in the forest, and at dawn they run towards the homestead and go in with a raider’s attitude. They dance throughout the day of the ceremony dressed in loose clothes. It is after this ceremony that the boys are ready for circumcision. The circumcision ceremony is the most important rite of passage in the Maasai community, for men and women. It is the process that develops young girls and boys from childhood to adulthood. However, due to upcoming challenges of civilization and the 21st century, circumcision for Maasai women has been fading over the years. Once a Maasai boy has been circumcised, they become warriors. After becoming warriors, they fully take the responsibility

Supreme Court case that focuses on Criminal Law Research Paper

Supreme Court case that focuses on Criminal Law - Research Paper Example On October 31, 2001, the District Court reversed its’ decision and granted him the writ of habeas corpus, after determining that his reasoning for requesting it was that his sentence of death was unconstitutional. Martin Horn, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections argued that the â€Å"Supreme Court precedent did not require an outcome contrary to that reached by the state courts (536 U. S. ____ (2002). However, several other appellate and circuit courts found discrepancies in the way in which the case was handled and that it violated several Constitutional Amendments. One of the major points raised in attempts to repeal the death sentence was a case involving Teague v. Lane. The reason for stating Teague was to declare its purpose regarding the state’s ruling on criminal convictions depending upon the constitutional standards at the time of the actual proceedings. Amendments were made to the Teague ruling stating that these protectionist goals should be applied retroactively. The Supreme Court determined that "federal courts must address the Teague question when it is properly argued by the government." The Court then proposed the matter of Caspari v. Bohlen, that Teagues "nonretroactivity principle prevents a federal court from granting habeas corpus relief to a state prisoner based on a" new rule, and thus that "if the State ... argue[s] that the defendant seeks the benefit of a new rule of constitutional law, the court must apply Teague before considering the merits of the claim." The Supreme Court then decided that it was necessary for them to reconsider Banks’ sentence according to the Teague case and that the case of Mills v. Maryland was more important (Justia US Law 2003). The final determination however was that it was unnecessary to rule retroactively regardless of the circumstances that might have made it an arguable point. The Supreme Court ruled that

Personal skills and self-management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal skills and self-management - Assignment Example The new initiative is the work of the ANZ Mortgages that entails implementing a policy requesting the non-issuance of Certificate of Titles for all the mortgages which are registered by the ANZ Bank in Western Australia. The purpose of this project is to eliminate the issuance of duplicate Titles to the bank by the Titles office. This initiative is supposed to be implemented and running in the next three months. The initiative stakeholders will involve several groups among them, customers, solicitors and a government department. This initiative will be facilitated by technology as it will reduce costs and improve service efficiency. Planning of a new project or initiative is usually difficult as many people are usually against the idea because of the perceived change of status quo. To make sure a move successful it is important to talk to all the parties involved of the benefits of such a project and the likely effects that such a project would have on them or their day to day operat ions. The management may also be sceptical of the idea because of the costs involved in setting up such projects. During planning the project goals need to be identified, the project deliverables need to be set, the time frame and the supporting plans need to be established in order to make the project successful. This project is relevant as it will reduce unnecessary paper work and procedures involved in keeping of duplicate titles at the titles office (Haugan, 2002, 2-39). Once the project is identified by the management or proposed by the staff as was the case for this initiative, a major decision process often begins. Several decisions have to be made whether the project should be implemented or not. In the decision making process a variety of things are involved. In this project a decision needs to be made whether this initiative is actually beneficial to the organization or not. It will be of no benefit if a project was begun which does not add value to the organization. The o bjective of this project as explained above is to eliminate the issuing of Duplicate Titles to the bank by the titles office. The current procedure at the Bank is that when taking security over landed assets in the form of a first registered mortgage, the client is supposed to deliver a duplicate certificate of Titles to the Department of Land Administration in Western Australia. The duplicate titles plus a copy of the mortgages are then filled in the security packet at ANZ. The problem here arises as a result of the duplication of the documents in order to have copies left in both offices. Another issue is to do with the entire system and how it operates. There are so many disadvantages of the current system namely: the risk of the certificates being lost, high cost of replacing lost certificates, expensive storage equipment are required for storing the certificates and the rental cost of the storage space. As much as it is a good thing it is a tedious process that needs to be elim inated as it wastes effort, time and space (Project Smart, 2011). According to this plan few options exist. The first option will be to continue having the current system which involves a lot of work and duplication of efforts. The second option that exists is to eliminate the process in totality so as to have a more efficient system that will utilize the available resources at an affordable cost to the organization. This is what the project proposes as it will have a lot of benefits. The benefits include the elimination of misfiled certificate and all the costs and penalties that are associated with them, reduction of the physical space required for the storage of these documents, reduction in paper handling/recording and transfer for both offices, security of the documents as they will be handled once and filed by the Bank staff and efficient customer service. Therefore the implementation of this initiative will go a long way in helping the Bank achieve its objectives and also hel p the

Motivation in the Work place Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

Motivation in the Work place - Dissertation Example This further enhances the challenge that organizations face. With the aim to ascertain how motivation affects the performance of employees in the workplace, three objectives and several research questions were presented in Chapter I. Based on a quality study comprising of secondary data, all the study objectives have been achieved. The study finds that the primary motivation factors continue to be financial incentives regardless of age and sector. However, once the basic needs are satisfied, individuals differ across their needs and consequently, motivation and thereby performance. This is where managerial competence is required. The study also finds that managers themselves are either ill-equipped or not satisfied with the motivation they receive. Nevertheless, they try to apply the same motivation techniques with their subordinates, which they themselves aspire. These include autonomy, authority in decision making and transparency. The study also finds that linking financial incent ives to performance usually do not work and other reinforcing factors such as appreciation, recognition, challenging assignments and clarity of job role have a role to play in positively impacting employee performance. In addition, effective communication, involvement, higher expectations motivate and lead to higher performance. Training is also critical to motivation and consequently employee performance. Transformational leadership has been identified as critical to managing employee motivation. The study concludes that motivation would differ across sectors and industries; it would also differ across individuals and their level of maturity. Therefore, there cannot be predefined motivation tools and techniques. However, managers would need to evaluate individual needs, talent and what drives them to enhance their performance. The study finds a definite correlation between motivation and employee performance. However, financial incentives are superior to other forms of incentives i n the beginning of an individual’s career. It is therefore recommended that managers should focus on individual employee needs and motivation. Effective communication, transparency, employee involvement, sharing of information and honesty could help managers understand employee needs and implement the most suitable motivation technique. Table of Contents Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background

Case study of The United Arab Emirates youths (UAEU) between modernity Essay

Case study of The United Arab Emirates youths (UAEU) between modernity and traditionalism - Essay Example To determine the available opportunities for young UAE nationals for the sole purpose of the implementation of processes that aim to replace the expatriate workforce with UAE nationals it is critical to determine their priorities in terms of religious and cognitive values. This is, as a matter of fact, what this study aims to do. 3- What was / were the methods used? The methodology of the study comprised the use of a questionnaire to conduct the research. An instrument of value structure was used to measure the values among UAEU students. Scores of each item took 0 and 3, where a score of 0 represented no choice and higher grades would indicate more choice. The numbers of items used were 60 pairs and they were used to measure individual differences on this instrument. 4- How large was the sample? The sample consisted of 595 students all of who were from UAEU. The selection process for these students was random and approximately 59 percent of them were female students, while the rest were male. Furthermore 81 percent of them were less than 25 years old and 84 percent of them were UAE nationals. 5- Interpretation: what were the results? The results of the study were relatively straightforward. The first priority amongst domains for a UAE national was that of religion; aspects of praying, believing, Quran reading and charity ranking the highest. The second priority was the cognitive domain which comprised of aspects of culture, success and aspiration ranked the most. The political domain came in as the third priority. With nationality, unity and freedom ranked at the top. The forth priority was the aesthetic domain. The students held aspects of elegancy as the most important value in this domain. The Social domain came next with obedience, friendship and forgiveness given the most rating. And the last domain was that of economic values, with productivity being the first priority for the UAEU students. 6- Synthesis: what were the conclusions? As an overall conclusi on of the research paper which evaluates the social values of a UAEU national through the use of a questionnaire the results produced indicate that religious and cognitive values were prioritized by the respondents In order to explore the importance of these socio-demographic factors in explaining the variation of values, multiple regression was used. The results of which display that gender, income, family size and father’s education explain about (11 percent) of social values variation and citizenship, GPA, gender variables explain about (8 percent) of religious values variation. Hence showing that gender, income levels, family size and father’s occupation were the most important factors in?uencing values. 7- Evaluate: how valid do you think the research was? The validity of a research hinges on the fact whether it measures what it sets out to. Looking at the objectives of this study what its sole aim is to appraise the values held by the United Arab Emirates Univers ity students and to assess the influence of socio-demographic factors on their values. That being said once we analyze the methodology, sample and the produced results we can effectively conclude that the research is credible in its findings and hence valid. 8- Evaluate: What is your response to the result? What has it contributed to your understanding? After going through the results I have come to the realization that the priorities of a UAE national hinge more towards the traditional side than the modern. With factors such

Foundations of Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foundations of Marketing - Essay Example Many companies have ventured into the cosmetic industry as it is highly profitable since beauty products are very expensive and the demand is very high. Most people in the current generation would like to keep their bodies healthy, beautiful and good looking. A light skin and a well-shaped body structure is what demonstrate the desire of many people. Many advertisements use the notion of beauty in promotion and marketing of products. Beauty has turned out to be a form of attraction and everyone for this reason; does wish to be beautiful and admirable. The beauty industry has turned out to be a gold mine as companies make huge amounts of profits and the selling season runs continuous annually. Beauty products infer psychologically that consumers are taking charge of their beauty, hygiene and healthiness by regularly using beauty products. Women use to be the leading agents of beauty and cosmetics thus female beauty products made booming sales in the beauty market. Lately, men have tur ned out to show their admiration of healthy living and body maintenance. Men are currently aware of the importance of beauty as they take keen attention to beautifulness, aesthetics, healthiness youthfulness and thinness. All these are considered to be factors that draw men close to youthfulness and far away from aging options. Consumer behaviour This is a collection of entities that determine the consumer’s preference in buying certain products. There are divided into four major sections. These are: social, cultural, personal and psychological. Culture Human beings are surrounded by the society and culture. Cultural values have a great influence on the human way of thinking. It directly affects their preferences and the choices they make. In the context of marketing, culture is viewed as the driving factor to different perceptions, norms values, wants, attitudes, beliefs and manners acquire by a member of a given society from the surrounding environment of people with the sa me language, behaviour and form of living. Culture gives people the mentality to judge what is appropriate, normal and expected by the society (Cole, 2008. Pg. 23). This notion plays a big role in marketing of commercial products. It has influenced the choice and taste in beauty and the choosing of men’s products. The geographical surrounding of people is the basis of culture and its influence to in the selection of fashion and beauty materials. A European man has his style of fashion and beauty accessories that are different from the American man or the African man. In this case, some beauty products are designed to be global based items but end up selling in selective parts of the world. In the men’s perspective, this can be articulated to culture which influences preferences and choice of commodities. People who belong to the same culture same interests, values as well as behaviour. This can be linked to the similarity in brand preferences and distinct products. The orists believe that people are adapting to diversity in culture. In this case consumerist lifestyle is in the verge of overshadowing the cultural motivated preferences that people grow up with having acquired them form their upbringing surroundings. Consumerist lifestyle heartens people to linger in adopting new needs and desires. Social factors Social groups have a lot of impact on

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers Understanding Hurricane Katrina Essay

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers Understanding Hurricane Katrina - Essay Example In a single story, Dave Eggers depicts the countless tales of trauma during and after the Hurricane Katrina, in the book Zeitoun. This paper critically examines how Eggers’ narrative in Zeitoun affects the understanding of Hurricane Katrina based on my own experiences with those depicted in the text and how they coincide with the event. Zeitoun is a contemporary nonfiction masterpiece that illustrates the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. In the book, Abdulrahman Zeitoun is an American Muslim, born and grown up in Syria before settling in the U.S. Zeitoun married Cathy, a native Louisiana Muslim. When Hurricane Katrina began, Zeitoun sends his family to Baton Rouge. Zeitoun stays behind to watch over his home and business. After the devastating storm, Zeitoun crosses the submerged city in a canoe helping trapped people. Zeitoun and two friends are arrested by law enforcement agents in the ensuing counterterrorism efforts. While Zeitoun experienced poor treatment in the hands of the security officers, the book gives clear picture of prison injustices met on the basis of discrimination. A critical analysis of the novel reveals that the author’s main themes relates to racism and the importance of family relationships in post-disaster efforts. With specific regard to the Hurricane Katrina, the book exposes the reader to the government inefficiencies and flaws in handling the disaster. In particular, the book explores the consequences of government inefficiencies such as prison injustices, discrimination and breaking of family ties. Litman (2006) argues that every disaster presents unique problems, and that Katina began with hurricane leading to civil disorder and isolation of people (2). The handling of the Hurricane Katrina has been criticized for various reasons. The Center of Progressive Reform (2005) argues that Katrina was foreseeable but emergency response planning and implementation efforts were poor (6). Although the book does may not paint a complete picture of the post-disaster management exercise, it exposes how long-running government inefficiencies could be exacerbated during disaster management and the consequences such inadequacies have on individuals and families. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was mandated in overseeing both the preparation and response to the disaster. The book shows how FEMA could have lost its focus on mitigating natural disaster. On one hand, the book exposes how efforts from civilian volunteers could have helped in disaster response efforts. This is especially important considering that federal assistance was delayed for many days after the disaster. Criticisms have been raised against the leadership in disaster management. While there was communication breakdown, civilian volunteers could have had an impact in rescuing trapped people. The book uncovers the impact of prison injustices in the investigations of the terror threats following the Hurricane Katrina. For in stance, Zeitoun and other men are arrested and transferred to Hunt correctional facilities while no appropriate charges are preferred. This is especially important because the Zeitoun is not allowed to contact his family or friends. Egger says â€Å"Zeitoun had not been charged with a crime†¦.he did not know why he was being held†¦.in a small room surrounded by soldiers in camouflage demanding he removes his clothes’ (226). From the outset, this statement exposes the violation of human rights issues during the post-Katrina events. The author continues â€Å"

Essay on Free

Essay on Free Will and Determinism Essay Explain what freedom and physical determinism are and why they seem to conflict. How would you resolve this conflict? Give reasons for your answer. Physical determinism is believing in the fact that every event has a cause. (Theodore Sider, pg 113) And that a chain reaction of such would cause an inevitable event to occur. E. g. The invasion of Poland by Hitler in 1939. (Theodore Sider, pg 115) Freedom is the belief that you are able to act on your own free will irrespective of what event has occured, that a decision you make is entirely of your own volition. It is the belief that our life is not predetermined and we are able to influence our future. FROM A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW, THE DECISIONS WE MAKE AND HOW WE BEHAVE ARE STUDYABLE, EXPLAINABLE AND IF GIVEN ENOUGH TIME, PREDICTABLE AND CONTROLLABLE. (THEODORE SIDER, PG 114) THIS WOULD INDICATE WHEN THE WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO IS DISCOVERED, WE CAN FULLY DETERMINE WHAT A PERSON WOULD DO IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, THUS LEADING TO THE DETERIORATION OF FREEDOM FOR THAT PERSON. There are 3 ways to resolve this conflict, of which the first is to reject the belief of freedom in what is called hard determinism. (Theodore Sider, pg 117) A complete rejection of freedom would demean any meaning of living so I will not consider it. THE OPPOSITE OF THIS IS THE LIBERTARIAN, WHICH BELIEVES THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCLUDED FROM DETERMINISM AS THE SCIENCE IS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY STUDY , OR RATHER, MAKE SENSE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PREDICT WHAT A HUMAN CAN DO. (THEODORE SIDER, PG 119) I FEEL THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING THE ABSURD AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND FACTORS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR THE PREDICTION OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR. The problem with the libertarians explaination is the lack of definition for the word freedom, as rejecting determinism would mean actions of a person would be uncaused, and therefore random. (Theodore Sider, pg 119) Thus an idea called agent causation is found, such that you only act freely when your action is not caused in the mechanistic way but is caused by you of your own free will. This does not work as the the realm of physics has to be rejected in order for the libertarian to fully resolve this conflict. THE LAST AND MOST VIABLE METHOD TO RESOLVE THIS CONFLICT IS CALLED SOFT DETERMINISM (THEODORE SIDER, PG 125) SOFT DETERMINISM STATES THAT A FREE ACTION IS ONE THAT IS CAUSED BY THE PERSONS BELIEF AND DESIRES, PROVIDED THAT THOSE BELIEFS AND DESIRES FLOW FROM WHO THE PERSON IS. (THEODORE SIDER, PG 130) IT IS A THEORY THAT ACTIONS ARE CAUSED BY ONES BELIEFS AND DESIRES. THE FIRST-ORDER DESIRE ARE DESIRES TO DO THINGS. WHERE A SECOND-DESIRE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE A FIRST-ORDER DESIRE. WHEN THE FIRST-ORDER DESIRE IS CAUSED BY THE SECOND-ORDER DESIRE, THEN IT IS SAID TO BE FLOWING FROM WHO THE PERSON IS. (THEODORE SIDER, PG 131) A person goes to school for education because he believes that it is the best alternative he has as opposed to starting to work without an education. This is a case where a first-order desire comes from a second-order desire, which then implies the action of going to school comes from the self. A PERSON AFFLICTED WITH A COMPULSION TO HOARD, ALTHOUGH HE MIGHT DESIRE TO NOT DO SO, HIS ACTIONS OF HOARDING IS SAID TO BE DONE WITHOUT FREE WILL. FROM THIS STEMS FIRST AND SECOND ORDER OF DESIRE, WHERE HIS SECOND ORDER OF DESIRE IS NOT TO HOARD, AND HIS FIRST ORDER OF DESIRE IS TO HOARD, THIS CONTRADICTS AND HIS ACTIONS ARE SAID TO BE NOT OF FLOWING FROM THE SELF. REFERENCES Sider, T. (2005). Free will and determinism. In E. Conee, T, Sider (Eds. ), Riddles of existence: A guided tour of metaphysics (pp. 112-133). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Impact of Packing Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior

Impact of Packing Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior Introduction Nowadays consumers have become more and more conscious about the packaging available to them from products. The role of packaging has changed over the years since primarily due to the changing lifestyles and needs of the consumers. Companies have started bring innovations in packaging since their beliefs over the years have changed that good and unique packaging can stimulate consumer buying behaviors. It has become the source of customers attraction towards products or services, increases the image of the brand and increases the perceptions of the consumer for the product (Rundh 2005). In marketing context packaging plays a very vital role in communicating the product to the consumers and ultimately increases consumers purchase decisions. According to Underwood, Klein Burke, 2001; Silayoi Speece, 2004 a good package communicates unique values about products, and also helps in differentiating the products from other products, hence helping the consumers in choosing the right produc t from a wide range of similar products, and as a result stimulates consumers buying behaviors. (Wells, Farley Armstrong, 2007). In the past the primary function of packaging was to protect the product, but nowadays according the changing marketing environments packaging is being used as a tool for promoting sales, attracting customers and communicating the product to the consumers. (Kotler et al. 1998). The major objectives of a good packaging, which should be achieved are that is should be able to identify the product to the consumer, conveys descriptive and persuasive information about the product, facilitates the product protection and transportation, aid product consumption, and assists at-home storage. Consumers in daily life are exposed to a very wide range of products having different packaging ranging from different product categories displayed in markets, supermarkets and any other place of shopping. Products can then be differentiated from the external packaging having different shapes, sizes, colors, labeling, etc. what is actually inside the package can only be judged through a creative and innovative packaging. The issue here arises that can a good package design impact consumers buying behaviors? Does packaging color impact the behaviors? Do innovations impact these behaviors? Do the labels on packaging impact these behaviors? It is very easy gaining examples from our daily lives. The package design helps the consumer is judging what the package is carrying. If we take the example of Nestle Orange Juice the package reveals that the product contains a very healthy orange juice. The package design should be able to communicate to the consumer what the product is. According t o Schoormanns and Robben (1997) a new package design can be negatively related to the consumers influences of taste perceptions. This is likely due to the consumers past experiences with the product, the perceptions they develop by judging the product by its packaging design. Thus it is very important that the packaging design is the key to developing consumers perceptions about the product or brand. These perceptions may be negative or positive, so it is essential for marketers to bring creativeness and innovations in the packaging design. Consumers are very much likely to judge the product on the basis of price, package color, design, labeling etc. (Implicit Product Theory of Pinson 1986). Background Problem Formulation Previous Studies Deficiencies Significance Purpose Statement The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study is to determine the impact of Packaging Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior in Pakistan. In this context Quantitative Method has been used, the purpose of this survey is to study the various packaging elements that influence the consumers buying behavior. The present study focuses on packaging elements including design, color, labeling, and innovations. Packaging is a wide term in which different elements describe and identify a product or service. It is considered a science, art and technology which not only protects, stores, and distributes a product but also helps the consumer in identifying a product (Wiki). Orth Malkewitz 2006; Underwood Klein 2002 argue that the importance of packaging is increasing due to the increased significance it is playing in buying decisions in store, the presence of it at the time of purchase decisions, and its ability to reach to a wider audience of product purchasers. Rundh 2005 further argues that packaging has the ability of differentiating products from each other. In todays global and competitive environment, packaging can also provide a source of competitive advantage. This study will identify the impacts of packaging elements on the consumer buying behavior in Pakistan using questionnaire survey method. Significance of Study The topic under research will study the impact of packaging elements on consumer buying behavior of Pakistan. For this purpose four packaging elements have been selected; packaging color, design, innovation and printed information. According to Cruden 1989, over the years the, introduction of new packaging concepts have accelerated. This study will be of value in a number of ways. The topic of research is highly under researched and least research has been done regarding the impact of packaging elements on consumer buying behavior of Pakistan. This study will not only help the marketers in bringing innovations and creativeness into the packaging of products but will also provide the policy makers in implementing effective decisions in bringing changes and creative strategies in packaging. This study will contribute immensely through Quantitative research. Theoretically Practically Methodologically Theoretical Framework Theoretical Stances Model: Color pPa Design Consumer Buying Behavior Printed Information Innovation Research Objectives Main Objective The main objective of the study is to: To determine the impact of packaging elements on consumer buying behavior of Pakistan. Sub Objectives The sub objectives of the study are: To provide a basis for future research and to facilitate the administration in implementing and introducing effective and creative packaging elements in order to influence the consumers buying behavior in a positive way. Research Questions and Hypothesis Main Research Question Impact of Packaging Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior. Hypothesis H1 = Does package color influence the consumer buying behavior? H2 = Packaging design has an impact on consumer buying behavior? H3 = Does labeling influence the consumer buying behavior? H4 = Do innovations in packaging impact the buying behaviors? Chapter 2 Literature Review Introduction Nowadays consumers have become more and more conscious about the packaging available to them from products. The role of packaging has changed over the years since primarily due to the changing lifestyles and needs of the consumers. Companies have started bring innovations in packaging since their beliefs over the years have changed that good and unique packaging can stimulate consumer buying behaviors. It has become the source of customers attraction towards products or services, increases the image of the brand and increases the perceptions of the consumer for the product (Rundh 2005), further argued by Rita Kuvykaite (2009) that a package attracts the attention of the consumers for a particular brand. In marketing context packaging plays a very vital role in communicating the product to the consumers and ultimately increases consumers purchase decisions. According to Underwood, Klein Burke, 2001; Silayoi Speece, 2004 a good package communicates unique values about products, and a lso helps in differentiating the products from other products, hence helping the consumers in choosing the right product from a wide range of similar products, and as a result stimulates consumers buying behaviors. (Wells, Farley Armstrong, 2007). It has become a significant issue that the consumers buying behaviors are influenced by the packaging elements. According to Kotler 2003 six packaging elements are the important elements that should be evaluated while employing packaging decisions, these include; size of package, package form, package material, color, text and the brand using that package. According to a study conducted by Bed Nath Sharma in 2008, the respondents response was 84.37% in which they responded that product labels are a simple tag which is attached to any product or consider it as a graphical design which an essential part of a package. In another study in support of packaging belongs to Alice Louw (2006) in which he studied the responses of university students in which it was concluded that in the marketing arena packaging has played a very vital role and he concluded that the right packaging helps in creating unique place in the market as well as in the minds of the consumers. In another research conducted by Renaud Lunardo (2007) the impacts of label on particular brand consumption showed that many consumers buying behavior has been influenced by the labeling. In support of packaging influencing the buying behavior of consumers another study has been conducted by Bytyqi Hysen Vegara Mensur (2008) on how consumers purchase or buy diary products in Kosovo. The results that generated from the research show that majority of the respondents feel that packaging has much to do while purchasing diary products. Various studies have found that packaging is a mean of attracting customers attention towards a product (Underwood et al., 2001; Garber et al., 2000; Goldberg et al, 1999; Schoormans Robben, 1997). Goldberg et al. (1999) emphasized that if non-verbal communication like colors etc, if they are removed from packaging and the use of verbal communication is increased (like images) then it highly attracts the customers specially when the brand in unfamiliar with the consumers. (Underwood et al., 2001). Futher it is argued that package color (Gordon et al., 1994), name of brand (Rigaux-Bricmont, 1981), and package material (McDaniel Baker, 1977) all communicate the meaning of the brand to the consumer. Despite these finding researchers argue that physical appearance is not all that attract consumers towards a particular brand (Garber et al., 2000; Schoormans Robben 1997) while others argue that package colors and shapes are the main source of product attraction and attention (Garber et al., 2000; Schoormans Robben 1997). According to a research conducted by Pires Gon (2008) it is unable for the consumers to preceive what a product is all about, they heavily rely upon the packaging of any product. So the essential packaging elements are the color and shape of the package as well as labeling which communicate the product message to the consumers. Literature Flow Diagram Packaging Elements Color Design Labeling Innovation Conclusion Introduction Consumer Buying Behavior: History of consumerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Packaging Color Consumer Buying Behavior: Packaging Design Consumer Buying Behavior: Bridging the gapà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. dkvà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Packaging Labeling Consumer Buying Behavior: Packaging Innovation Consumer Buying Behavior: Summary Chapter 3 Methodology This chapter deals with the methodology used in investigating the collected data. A systematic way has been provided which includes the procedures taken for the purposes of data collection and analysis. Introduction For the purpose of this research Quantitative Research Method has been used. Paradigm: Research Approach: The research approach used in this study is Quantitative Research. For this purpose a self administered questionnaire was designed. Research Design: Quantitative research approach is implied in this study in which questionnaires will be undertaken for the purpose of data collection. The questionnaire respondents were the employees of the Telecom sector. (Sampling, validity reliability, cross sectional survey) Research Site: Population/Sample: For the purpose of data collection the site selected for this study includes general consumers from which the data has been selected. Strategy of Inquiry: Method: Data collection method was questionnaire which was self administered. The method of sampling was random sampling. Survey method has been used Validity and Reliability: Reliability means that the result is applicable whereas validity means that the measurement are accurate and whether they are measuring what they intend to measure. In reliability checked the results through statistical procedure of internal consistency. To increase the reliability of questionnaire a pilot test was made from 5 respondents. Errors and ambiguities were removed during this process. Analysis Procedure: After setting the sample size, site, the tool for data collection, various analyses were done using SPSS. Summary Chapter 4 Analysis and Results Introduction Analysis and Results Summary Chapter 5 Discussion Conclusion and Recommendations Introduction Discussion Conclusion Suggestions and Recommendations Impact of Packing Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior Impact of Packing Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior Nowadays consumers have become more and more conscious about the packaging available to them from products. The role of packaging has changed over the years since primarily due to the changing lifestyles and needs of the consumers. Companies have started bring innovations in packaging since their beliefs over the years have changed that good and unique packaging can stimulate consumer buying behaviors. It has become the source of customers attraction towards products or services, increases the image of the brand and increases the perceptions of the consumer for the product (Rundh 2005). In marketing context packaging plays a very vital role in communicating the product to the consumers and ultimately increases consumers purchase decisions. According to Underwood, Klein Burke, 2001; Silayoi Speece, 2004 a good package communicates unique values about products, and also helps in differentiating the products from other products, hence helping the consumers in choosing the right produc t from a wide range of similar products, and as a result stimulates consumers buying behaviors. (Wells, Farley Armstrong, 2007). In the past the primary function of packaging was to protect the product, but nowadays according the changing marketing environments packaging is being used as a tool for promoting sales, attracting customers and communicating the product to the consumers. (Kotler et al. 1998). The major objectives of a good packaging, which should be achieved are that is should be able to identify the product to the consumer, conveys descriptive and persuasive information about the product, facilitates the product protection and transportation, aid product consumption, and assists at-home storage. Consumers in daily life are exposed to a very wide range of products having different packaging ranging from different product categories displayed in markets, supermarkets and any other place of shopping. Products can then be differentiated from the external packaging having different shapes, sizes, colors, labeling, etc. what is actually inside the package can only be judged through a creative and innovative packaging. The issue here arises that can a good package design impact consumers buying behaviors? Does packaging color impact the behaviors? Do innovations impact these behaviors? Do the labels on packaging impact these behaviors? It is very easy gaining examples from our daily lives. The package design helps the consumer is judging what the package is carrying. If we take the example of Nestle Orange Juice the package reveals that the product contains a very healthy orange juice. The package design should be able to communicate to the consumer what the product is. According t o Schoormanns and Robben (1997) a new package design can be negatively related to the consumers influences of taste perceptions. This is likely due to the consumers past experiences with the product, the perceptions they develop by judging the product by its packaging design. Thus it is very important that the packaging design is the key to developing consumers perceptions about the product or brand. These perceptions may be negative or positive, so it is essential for marketers to bring creativeness and innovations in the packaging design. Consumers are very much likely to judge the product on the basis of price, package color, design, labeling etc. (Implicit Product Theory of Pinson 1986). Purpose Statement The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study is to determine the impact of Packaging Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior in Pakistan. In this context Quantitative Method has been used, the purpose of this survey is to study the various packaging elements that influence the consumers buying behavior. The present study focuses on packaging elements including design, color, labeling, and innovations. Packaging is a wide term in which different elements describe and identify a product or service. It is considered a science, art and technology which not only protects, stores, and distributes a product but also helps the consumer in identifying a product (Wiki). Orth Malkewitz 2006; Underwood Klein 2002 argue that the importance of packaging is increasing due to the increased significance it is playing in buying decisions in store, the presence of it at the time of purchase decisions, and its ability to reach to a wider audience of product purchasers. Rundh 2005 further argues that packaging has the ability of differentiating products from each other. In todays global and competitive environment, packaging can also provide a source of competitive advantage. This study will identify the impacts of packaging elements on the consumer buying behavior in Pakistan using questionnaire survey method. Significance of Study The topic under research will study the impact of packaging elements on consumer buying behavior of Pakistan. For this purpose four packaging elements have been selected; packaging color, design, innovation and printed information. According to Cruden 1989, over the years the, introduction of new packaging concepts have accelerated. This study will be of value in a number of ways. The topic of research is highly under researched and least research has been done regarding the impact of packaging elements on consumer buying behavior of Pakistan. This study will not only help the marketers in bringing innovations and creativeness into the packaging of products but will also provide the policy makers in implementing effective decisions in bringing changes and creative strategies in packaging. This study will contribute immensely through Quantitative research. Research Objectives Main Objective The main objective of the study is to: To determine the impact of packaging elements on consumer buying behavior of Pakistan. Sub Objectives The sub objectives of the study are: To provide a basis for future research and to facilitate the administration in implementing and introducing effective and creative packaging elements in order to influence the consumers buying behavior in a positive way. Research Questions and Hypothesis Main Research Question Impact of Packaging Elements on Consumer Buying Behavior. Hypothesis H1 = Does package color influence the consumer buying behavior? H2 = Packaging design has an impact on consumer buying behavior? H3 = Does labeling influence the consumer buying behavior? H4 = Do innovations in packaging impact the buying behaviors? Literature Review Introduction Nowadays consumers have become more and more conscious about the packaging available to them from products. The role of packaging has changed over the years since primarily due to the changing lifestyles and needs of the consumers. Companies have started bring innovations in packaging since their beliefs over the years have changed that good and unique packaging can stimulate consumer buying behaviors. It has become the source of customers attraction towards products or services, increases the image of the brand and increases the perceptions of the consumer for the product (Rundh 2005), further argued by Rita Kuvykaite (2009) that a package attracts the attention of the consumers for a particular brand. In marketing context packaging plays a very vital role in communicating the product to the consumers and ultimately increases consumers purchase decisions. According to Underwood, Klein Burke, 2001; Silayoi Speece, 2004 a good package communicates unique values about products, and a lso helps in differentiating the products from other products, hence helping the consumers in choosing the right product from a wide range of similar products, and as a result stimulates consumers buying behaviors. (Wells, Farley Armstrong, 2007). It has become a significant issue that the consumers buying behaviors are influenced by the packaging elements. According to Kotler 2003 six packaging elements are the important elements that should be evaluated while employing packaging decisions, these include; size of package, package form, package material, color, text and the brand using that package. According to a study conducted by Bed Nath Sharma in 2008, the respondents response was 84.37% in which they responded that product labels are a simple tag which is attached to any product or consider it as a graphical design which an essential part of a package. In another study in support of packaging belongs to Alice Louw (2006) in which he studied the responses of university students in which it was concluded that in the marketing arena packaging has played a very vital role and he concluded that the right packaging helps in creating unique place in the market as well as in the minds of the consumers. In another research conducted by Renaud Lunardo (2007) the impacts of label on particular brand consumption showed that many consumers buying behavior has been influenced by the labeling. In support of packaging influencing the buying behavior of consumers another study has been conducted by Bytyqi Hysen Vegara Mensur (2008) on how consumers purchase or buy diary products in Kosovo. The results that generated from the research show that majority of the respondents feel that packaging has much to do while purchasing diary products. Various studies have found that packaging is a mean of attracting customers attention towards a product (Underwood et al., 2001; Garber et al., 2000; Goldberg et al, 1999; Schoormans Robben, 1997). Goldberg et al. (1999) emphasized that if non-verbal communication like colors etc, if they are removed from packaging and the use of verbal communication is increased (like images) then it highly attracts the customers specially when the brand in unfamiliar with the consumers. (Underwood et al., 2001). Futher it is argued that package color (Gordon et al., 1994), name of brand (Rigaux-Bricmont, 1981), and package material (McDaniel Baker, 1977) all communicate the meaning of the brand to the consumer. Despite these finding researchers argue that physical appearance is not all that attract consumers towards a particular brand (Garber et al., 2000; Schoormans Robben 1997) while others argue that package colors and shapes are the main source of product attraction and attention (Garber et al., 2000; Schoormans Robben 1997). According to a research conducted by Pires Gon (2008) it is unable for the consumers to preceive what a product is all about, they heavily rely upon the packaging of any product. So the essential packaging elements are the color and shape of the package as well as labeling which communicate the product message to the consumers. Literature Flow Diagram Summary Chapter 3 Methodology This chapter deals with the methodology used in investigating the collected data. A systematic way has been provided which includes the procedures taken for the purposes of data collection and analysis. Introduction For the purpose of this research Quantitative Research Method has been used. Paradigm: Research Approach: The research approach used in this study is Quantitative Research. For this purpose a self administered questionnaire was designed. Research Design: Quantitative research approach is implied in this study in which questionnaires will be undertaken for the purpose of data collection. The questionnaire respondents were the employees of the Telecom sector. (Sampling, validity reliability, cross sectional survey) Research Site: Population/Sample: For the purpose of data collection the site selected for this study includes general consumers from which the data has been selected. Strategy of Inquiry: Method: Data collection method was questionnaire which was self administered. The method of sampling was random sampling. Survey method has been used Validity and Reliability: Reliability means that the result is applicable whereas validity means that the measurement are accurate and whether they are measuring what they intend to measure. In reliability checked the results through statistical procedure of internal consistency. To increase the reliability of questionnaire a pilot test was made from 5 respondents. Errors and ambiguities were removed during this process. Analysis Procedure: After setting the sample size, site, the tool for data collection, various analyses were done using SPSS.

The Factors Affecting Teacher Motivation

The Factors Affecting Teacher Motivation The literature review is integral to the success of academic research. It ensures the researchability of the topic. It is designed to identify related research, to set the current research project within a conceptual and theoretical context. A literature review is a systematic, explicit and reproducible method for identifying evaluating and interpreting the existing body of recorded work produced by researches, scholars and practitioners, (Fink, 1998, p.3). The review (Mouton, 2001) helps to place the research in the context of what has already been done, thus, allowing comparisons to be made. It is a critical summary and assessment of the range of existing materials dealing with knowledge and understanding in a given field. Its main purposes are as follows: to locate the research project, to provide a rationale for the research, forming its context or background, to provide insights into previous work, and to identify a gap, a problem in the existing literature and thus providing a framework for further research. A review of literature also contributes to the development of the researchers intellectual capacity and practical skills as it engenders a research attitude, thus encouraging the researcher to think rigorously. Time and effort carefully spent at this particular stage helps to save a great deal of effort and vague search. Another purpose of reviewing the literature is to analyse the different methodologies and data collection methods used by previous researchers in similar issues. This would help the researcher to identify the various strengths and lacunas of the used methods. A thorough review of literature may enable the researcher to answer the several pertinent questions. 2.1: INTRODUCTION A study of teachers motivation consists of two main themes. The first one identifies the different factors affecting teachers motivation, while the second aspect analyses how the school heads can impact on teachers motivation through their leadership. This chapter explains the importance of teacher motivation. The motivational factors for teachers, applying literature findings are reviewed. 2.2: Importance of teacher motivation Schools exist, primarily to educate children. It is for this purpose that teachers are employed in schools (Fiddler Atton, 1997). Teachers are, thus, the most important professionals for any nations future. However, without adequate support and resources, teachers will not be motivated although they may be highly qualified. It is sad to note that teachers, the most valuable human resource, are often neglected (Abdo, 2001). One should bear in mind that a nations strength depends on the high quality of its education system and the strength of such a system, in turn, relies on qualified and motivated teachers. Inspired and motivated are essential in providing quality education. Schools would definitely not survive without motivated and dedicated teachers. 2.3: Factors affecting teachers motivation Research (Eimers, 1997) has shown that teachers are influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Further studies on motivation for teaching distinguished between intrinsic, extrinsic and altruistic reasons for choosing the profession (Kyriacou Coulthard, 2000; Moran, Kilpatrick, Abbott, Dallat, McClune, 2001). Intrinsically motivated teachers are focused on teaching and the activity related to the job itself. The inherent satisfaction or the joy of teaching is viewed as the driving force. The extrinsically motivated teachers focus on the benefits of teaching, such as salary, vacations or other external rewards connected to the job. Finally, the altruistically motivated teacher views teaching as a socially worthwhile and important job, and has a desire to be part of young peoples growth and development. Barmby (2006, p. 253) extrapolated these findings and points out that teachers motivation is influenced less by externally initiated factors such as salary, educational policy and reform and conditions of service, than by those emanating from the intrinsic context within which they work. According to Hallinger and Heck (1998), school leaders can play a critical role in the success of educational institutions. To the extent that school leaders can control the outcomes of teachers efforts, they can influence the levels of motivation teachers experience (Silver, 1982). This can be through their influence on teachers morale and motivation. Studies have lent proof (Hallinger and Heck, 1998; Leithwood and Jantzi, 2005; Leithwood and Mascall, 2008) that School leadership affects the way teachers teach, and hence, impact directly on student performance. Since school leaders can, in one way or the other, affect the intrinsic factors listed, they, thus, play an extremely role in motivating teachers. Indeed, in an attempt to study teachers motivation, Pitre (2003) found significant relationship between school leadership and teacher motivation. A school head should not only be an effective leader, manager and counselor, but also an effective motivator. Motivated teachers are productive teachers (Osterloh, Bruno and Frost, 2001) as they have job satisfaction. School leaders should bear in mind that without these, educational programmes may be deeply weakened (Snowden and Gorton, 2002). This is supported by Browns study (2005), which found significant link between political, local and organisational factors and the use of incentives to motivate teachers in charter schools. Motivation was higher where more external incentives were provided. In fact, School leadership and Teacher Motivation are two things that are inextricably linked. 2.4 Importance of leadership in schools For much of the twentieth century, the role of the school head was that of manager, where he/she was expected to manage personnel and budget, while handling other operational issues (Usdan, McCloud, Podmostko, 2000). Studies on the topic suggest that in the past, principals were able to succeed, at least partially, by simply carrying out the directives of central administrators (Perez et al. 1999). Today, in a rapidly changing era of standards-based reform, as education moved into a new era of accountability, a different concept has emerged. According to Dussault and Barnett (1996), educational organisations are facing many challenges and this shift brings with it dramatic changes in what public education needs from principals. School principals must, therefore, enhance the quality of their services; they can no longer function simply as building managers, tasked with adhering to district rules, carrying out regulations and avoiding mistakes. Management by principals is no longer en ough to meet todays educational challenges (Mulford, 2003). Researchers (Dussault and Barnett, 1996) claim that the actual situations in schools call for improvement and educational leadership. As Cawelti (1984, p.3) stated: Continuing research on effective schools has verified the common sense observation that schools are rarely effective, in any sense of the word, unless the principal is a good leader . 2.4.1 School leadership and effective schools School leadership (Huber, 2004), indeed, has a pivotal role in contributing to effective schools. Gurr, Drysdale, and Mulford (2005) found in their case study research on Australian principals that the principal remains an important and significant figure in determining the success of a school (p. 548). Extensive empirical efforts have shown that leadership is a central factor for the quality and effectiveness of a school (Reynolds, 1976; Harris, 2005). The research results show that each and every successful school possesses a competent and sound school leadership. Research (Barber, 1995; Mortimore, Sammons, Stoll, Lewis and Ecob, 1988; Stoll and Fink, 1996) has shown that leadership, in fact, defines the success of a school. According to Leithwood, Day, Sammons, Hopkins and Harris (2006, p. 14-15), there is not a single documented case of a school successfully turning around its pupil achievement trajectory in the absence of talented leadership. In this line of thought, Leithwood, Louis, Anderson Wahlstrom (2004) claimed that while classroom instruction has the greatest impact on student achievement, leadership has the second greatest effect. The role of the school leader has to be seen in relationship to the context in which the school is operating. Schools are embedded in the education system and their local communities; leaders, therefore, have to react to, cope with and support the development of the community served by their respective schools. Huber (1997) firmly believes that school leaders matter, they are educationally-significant, school leaders do make a difference. Given the manifold tasks and responsibilities of school leadership, as well as the competencies required, school leaders may be regarded as superheroes. Their complex role can hardly be filled with traditional leadership concepts (Huber, 2004). Educational leaders are now confronted with an altogether new range of demands and challenges. They should bear in mind that their organisations have been set up to accomplish a specific social aim, shaping the society. The quality of education provided at school, therefore, determines the future society. Moreover, school leadership proved to be important for the learning environment for teachers in schools (James McCormick, 2009; Louis, Dretzke, Wahlstrom, 2010). 2.4.2 Successful and effective School leadership 2.4.2.1 Firm and purposeful leadership It has been proven that all aspects of the school rely on a proper School Leader (Stoll and Fink, 1996; Huber, 2004; Mortimore et al., 1988). However, both the School Leader and individual teachers are of utmost importance. Leithwood, in concert with others (Leithwood et al., 2004; Leithwood and Riehl, 2003; Leithwood et al., 2006), identified four broad categories of educational leadership, or core practices: setting directions; developing people; redesigning the organization; and managing the instructional program. At the same time, effective leaders know that the ability to lead and manage organisational change is critical for survival since the school environment is a dynamic one. School Leaders should incorporate the ability to deal with changes occurring in school system structure, especially when more responsibilities are being thrusted upon the shoulders of the School Leader by the educational system. According to Calabrese (2002) the prototype school leader in the 21st century is a change agent. They have a responsibility to lead change that results in more effective and efficient educational practices, in an environment that is increasingly political. Therefore, outstanding school heads should be proactive. They must make the change happen without alienating the teaching staffs. They should act as mediators between those resisting changes (Levine and Lezotte, 1990) and the change agents. Leaders, thus, got a key role in inducing others to adopt change in order to improve the organisational effectiveness. Hence, school leaders, are key to initiate and maintaining the school improvement process (Sammons et al., 1994c). Schools, expected to fulfill multi-dimensional functions, are affected by both internal and external environmental factors (Eres, 2011). School leaders can eliminate the negative effects of such factors. Thus, they need to be proactive, anticipating problems and should be prepared to counteract these efficiently and effectively. The role of the School Leader is not always clearly defined since leading and managing are two intermingling responsibilities. 2.4.3 School leadership and teachers motivation Leadership can be defined as the ability to enlist, mobilize and motivate others to apply their abilities and resources to a given cause (Eyal and Roth, 2010). This capacity is fundamental in the educational sphere. Very often, educators think in terms of motivating students to learn. Equally important, though, with respect to educational leadership is the motivation of teachers (Silver, 1982). According to Kocabas and Karakose (2002), teachers are responsible to their schools and the principals are in turn responsible for the proper administration of the school. Therefore, the main responsibility for motivating teachers falls to the school head. Along this line, Barker (2001) studied poor performers and effective principals and suggested that effective leaders indeed motivate the staff. He claimed that the latter should be there to enthuse and invigorate teachers rather than to shape them. Good leadership improves both teacher motivation and work settings. Further research by Kiziltepe (2006) found that the primary source of teachers de-motivation was the administration Though, the relationship between School leadership and Teacher Motivation have not directly been subject to much research, Brown and Hughes (2008) highlight the importance of exploring the different factors that motivate teachers, as society increasingly holds them accountable for student achievement. The relationship between school leadership and teacher motivation is related in the research literature to the attempt to better understand principals impact on school performance (Leithwood and Jantzi, 2005; Leithwood and Mascall, 2008; Supovitz, Sirinides and May, 2010). Thus teachers engagement and their motivation have been studied mostly as a mediating factor between school leadership and students learning (Hallinger and Heck, 1998). According to Sharpe, Klockow Martin (2002), the factors motivating teachers can vary from classroom to classroom, school to school, or district to district. If teachers are not motivated to teach, then the search for educational excellence will be ava il (Richardson, Short Prickett, 2003). 2.4.3.1: How can School leaders affect teachers motivation Several studies suggest that school leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on student learning (Leithwood, Harris, Hopkins, 2008; Leithwood Jantzi, 2008) and that key to optimizing student learning is the influence exerted by school leaders on teacher motivation and commitment (Day, Stobart, Sammons, Kington, Gu, 2006; Leithwood Mascall, 2008). According to studies (Hallinger and Heck, 1996), school leadership affects students outcomes indirectly, by creating the conditions that support teachers ability to teach and students learning. Teachers motivation includes the expenditure of effort to achieve a goal (Martin, 2000). It is also about creating forces that power and drive their respective behaviours (Bursalioglu, 2002). Dull (1981) believes that school leaders could motivate teachers by improving a situation perceived to be difficult by an individual, thereby meeting needs. In addition, the school leader can also motivate teachers by providing adequate d riving forces to urge one into action (Genc, 1987). The human factor should not be ignored, the educational leader should strive in developing a physiological and psychological process which takes into account individual desires, goals, tendencies, behaviour, self-interest, preference, will-power and drive. He/she should be considerate, that is, consider both intrinsic and extrinsic forces that actuate, direct and maintain staff behaviours (Gursel, 1997). Motivating teachers also implies increasing the latters willingness to work and making them believe that they will satisfy their personal needs if they work efficiently in the school (Yuksel, 1998), by providing the appropriate conditions. Porter, Polikoff, Goldring, Murphy, Elliot and May (2010) claims that these conditions include high standards for student learning, rigorous curricula, quality instruction, a culture of learning and above all- professional behaviour. Indeed, scholarly writings have linked the above mentioned conditions with increased teacher motivation to exert extra effort in teaching (Geisel, Sleegers, Leithwood and Jantzi, 2003). They added that school leadership has a key role in ensuring these conditions at school. Geisel et al. (2003) also mentioned that schools are effective only when the whole school community work as a whole and not as fragmented units. Thus, the school leaders should not only occupy the authority position but should also be visible (Dinham, Cariney, Craigie and Wilson, 1995) in the institution, so as to be able to motivate their staffs. 2.4.3.1.1: Visible leadership Indeed, Dinham et al. (1995) found that secondary school principals responsibilities include being visible, maintaining contact with student groups, keeping open lines of communication with stakeholders, promoting a positive school climate, being aware and in control of all school issues, influencing the school tone, and fostering school pride. According to further studies (Huber, 1997), teachers recognize it is highly motivating when their school head is involved in the daily routine. The school leader, showing dedicated interest in what happens in the class itself, is much appreciated. Teachers have a high esteem for leaders knowing about the curriculum and who are actively involved in monitoring students progress. Robinson (2006) points out that school leaders who have subject specific knowledge will be more confident and successful in supporting improvement in teachers practice. No doubt, teachers find it highly motivating when the principal provides a variety of support, includi ng practical assistance and encouragement (Murphy, 1989). This involves frequent movement through the school, class visits as well as some informal exchange with the teaching staff (Teddlie et al., 1989). According to Scheerens (1992), this is one of the pillars of school leadership and such regular interactions could also help in assessing the ways teachers work. 2.4.1 Relationship between school leader and teachers Davis et al. (2002) argue that the relationship between school leaders and teachers is very important: the school leaders regard for others is, key, to motivating teachers. Being in charge of the school administration, school leaders have the greatest share in motivating teachers. According to Griffin (2010), relationships with administrators were rated as a highly motivating factor. This is supported by Asbill and Gonzalez (2000) who found a relationship between positive principal-teacher interactions and teacher job satisfaction. Egley (2003) found similar results and emphasized the importance of a supportive principal-teacher relationship. School leaders (Barnett and McCormick, 2003) must be able to create an environment conducive to the building of positivity, providing the platform for the staff to maintain good relations, so as to create a healthy environment, where all can grow adequately. Wallace (2010) further claimed that school leadership should also include some emotional dimension. She posited that school leaders who understand the emotional context in which they work will provide a more satisfying and effective work context for teachers. They highlighted that working in a classroom environment where there is administrative support enhances the element of respect. Indeed, interviews by Sederberg and Clark (1990) showed that teachers perceive respect as the most important incentive, followed by trust, optimism and intentionality. Further research (Geisel et al., 2003) has shown that certain methods adopted by the School leadership indeed impact on the level of teacher motivation, for instance, defining a clear vision and objectives. Shared vision and goals Scholars (Eyal and Roth, 2010; Barnett and McCormick, 2002) posited that vision potentially offers the greatest capacity to influence teachers motivation. Lashway (2000) added that school principals should ensure that this vision is relevant to the school context. The leaders vision must also be related to the existing needs and culture of the school (Keedy, 1991). In addition, it must be focused, consistent, at the same time, including short term as well as long term objectives (Geisel et al., 2003). These help define and promote high expectations; and they connect directly with teachers and the classroom. Barnett and McCormicks (2003) findings echoed the above researchers ideas and even extrapolated those- they concluded that teachers should, at all cost, share the schools vision. This is because vision provides personal goals for the teacher, a desire to see a change in the future. The staff should be able to connect to the vision when it is clearly defined, so that, their own personal objectives may sprout out from it. Their studies have shown that teachers are highly motivated when they build consensus on the aims and values of the school. In such cases, teachers can put these into practice through collaborative and consistent of working. Empirical evidence (Leithwood and Riehl, 2003; Ylimaki, 2006) proved that vision creates a sense of purpose that binds teachers together and propels them to fulfill their deepest aspirations and to reach ambitious goals. Indeed, Brewers rese arch (1993) showed that student achievement levels were higher in schools where the principal had hired like-minded teachers who shared the principals goals and who were able to implement effectively the principals vision. Other researchers (Lee and Smith, 1994) analyzed performance from 820 secondary schools and found that coherent, sustained, and focused reforms resulted in the best outcomes for students. Therefore, effective professional principals (Huber, 1997, 2004) should relentlessly work to improve achievement by focusing on defining SMART goals. However, scholars (Gagne and Deci, 2005; Sheldon, Turban, Brown, Barrick and Judge, 2003) claimed that presenting followers with a value-laden vision is not enough. Leading professional No doubt, implementing a vision is not instantaneous; it requires repeated cycles of reflection, evaluation, and response, and only the principal can sustain it (Lashway, 1997). Sheldon et al. (2003) posited that the leadership role played by the school principal is critical in ensuring the vision and mission is attained. Thus, principals need to wear many different hats during the school day. But, the most effective school principals are not only managers and disciplinarians but also instructional leaders for the school (Leithwood and Mascall, 2008). Their studies showed that an effective school leader is not merely a good administrator or manager, but also a leading professional- a transformational leader. According to Burns (1978) transformational leadership is the process in which leaders and their followers bring each other to a higher level of ethic and motivation. Todays schools, therefore, want not only visionary and professional leaders (Lashway, 2000), but transformational ones. Transformational Leadership and motivation Leithwood (1992) claimed that transformational leadership is, actually, the restructuring of the system in order for the mission and vision of people to be redefined. It also ensures that the staff identifies themselves with the goals of the organisation, together with enlisting the participation of the staffs by taking into consideration their opinion greatly provide the scope for motivation. Bass (1990) suggested that motivation is, in fact, a sub-dimension of transformational leadership. Other scholars (Simola, Barling and Turner, 2010; Park and Rainey, 2008) also concluded that motivation has been shown to be an inspiring component of such kind of leadership and these have shown a positive relationship between transformational leadership and motivation. Indeed, Bass and Avolio (1997) have argued that transformational leadership can produce extraordinary outcomes in terms of increased commitment to achieving group or organisational goals. Coupled with the above, Shamir, House and Arthur (1993), maintained that transformational leaders also foster intrinsic motivations related to self concept. Their theory of leadership asserted that charismatic leaders promote followers intrinsic motivation to act beyond their self-esteem, self value and social identification. Research has shown a positive relationship between transformational leadership and motivation. It has been proved that in an organisation with transformational leaders, there is higher productivity and that the employees are happier and there are fewer negative incidents (Robbins, 1996). Indeed, transformational Leadership plays an important role in developing self-motivation. Leaders increase their workers motivation through their behaviour (Bass, 1990, Greenberg and Baron, 2000). As the human relations and communicative skills of a transformational leader are developed, they are effective in persuading and directing their followers (Glad and Blanton, 1997). They also motivate followers to transcend their own immediate self-interest for the sake of the mission and vision of the organisation. The leader motivates followers to work for transcendental goals instead of immediate self-interest, for achievement and self-actualisation rather than safety and security (Murray Feitler, 1989, p. 3), and creates within followers a capacity to develop higher levels of commitment to organisational goals (Leithwood Jantzi, 2000). Followers confidence levels are raised and their needs broadened by the leader to support development to higher potential. Such total engagement (emotional, intellectual and moral) encourages followers to develop and perform beyond expectations (Bass, 1985; Burns, 1978). 2.3.5.1 Transformational and Transactional School leadership Basss model (1998) of transformational and transactional leadership has a number of important implications for the current reform movement in education. According to Bass and Avolio (1997), the transformational/transactional approach builds trust, respect, and a wish on the part of followers to work collectively toward the same desired future goals. This not only allows the transformational leader to operate effectively within the available context, but to change it, to make it more receptive to her or his own leadership orientation. Indeed, a positive relationship has been found (Howell and Hall- Merenda, 1999) between transformational leadership and a good rapport between the leader and follower. Applying this to schools, Avolio and Bass (1988) argue that although transactional and transformational leadership can represent two discrete forms of leadership, effective school principals exhibit characteristics of both by maintaining short-term endeavors through transactional leadership and by inciting change as a transformational leader. A number of studies emphasize the importance of transformative leadership for school principals (Fullan 1996; Hord 1992; Leithwood, Tomlinson Genge 1996; Wood 1998; Sergiovanni 1992; Conley 1997; Perez et al. 1999; Reed and Roberts 1998). Transformational school leadership and teacher motivation Contemporary middle school leaders have a vast array of responsibilities and are often characterized as those who should be transformational leaders (Sanzo et al., 2010). The challenges brought to schools by restructuring have been cited as reasons for advocating transformational leadership in schools. Such leadership embraces a postmodern way of thinking. It is argued that transformational leadership is well suited to the challenges of current school restructuring. It has the potential for building high levels of commitment (in teachers) to the complex and uncertain nature of the school reform agenda and for fostering growth in the capacities teachers must develop to respond positively to this agenda (Leithwood and Jantzi, 1997). Transformational leadership is seen to be sensitive to organisation building, developing shared vision, distributing leadership and building school culture necessary to current restructuring efforts in schools (Leithwood, Jantzi and Stainbach, 1999). Transformational School leadership: the four Is and teacher motivation Leithwood and Jantzi (1990) have defined transformational leadership based on schools. Transformational leadership dimensions, namely, idealized influence, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation, were found to directly influence teachers amount of motivation (Geisel et al., 2003; Leithwood and Jantzi, 2005). These, in turn, had an indirect impact on students achievements and learning (Leithwood and Jantzi, 2005). Individualised attention-Teachers needs and expectations Individualised attention (Blasà © and Kirby, 2000) given to the staff, greatly adds up to teacher motivation. According to Blasà © and Kirby (2000), it is of upmost importance for leaders to identify teachers needs- the social needs should not be neglected (Bursalioglu, 2002), and their feelings about their jobs. School leaders have to be conscious of the fact that each person has different needs and, therefore, should be motivated accordingly. Weller (1982) added that the school principal should be sympathetic to the needs of their teachers. The leaders should be able to cater for the needs of each and every one. According to Adair (2002), a leader, who is not aware of these, and who does not display effort to fulfill these, will definitely face difficulties in motivating teachers. He added that only a well-informed leader can devise and implement effective strategies to assist teachers in their development, ensuring they perform their respective duties in an effective, enthusiast ic and motivated manner. Blasà ©, Derick and Stahth (1986) reported that principals initiating structure and displaying consideration were associated with more satisfying work conditions, higher job satisfaction, and less job stress. Staffs experience of job stress was seen as principals lack of consideration and was related to teacher dissatisfaction. It was found that teachers (Blasà © et al., 1986) are less likely to share their views and opinions, or trying to improve the conditions if they feel that their school heads are not enough caring. Blasà © (1986) put forward that the latter should strive to develop fruitful relationships with the teaching staff, fostering positive communication with and among teachers. It is only through these relationships that they can establish leader legitimacy and encouraged commitment. Teachers should feel that they form part of the school community and not simply as employees working in the school. The motivation for working with the subject matter in which teachers have their academic degree and the wish to teach it to others are important motivators for teachers both before and upon completion of the PGCE course (Roness Smith, 2009, 2010). Still, we find that the subject-matter interest is a salient and stable motivator among these Norwegian teachers, a finding which aligns with other international research (Kyriacou et al., 1999; Manuel Brindley, 2005; Manuel Hughes, 2006). A plausible reason for these results can be that when starting teacher education, the students regard themselves as subject-matter specialists. Idealised influence Idealised influence is the charismatic element of transformational leadership, in which leaders, become role models, who are admired, respected and emulated by their followers (Avolio and Bass, 2002; Bass, 1998; Bass and Avolio, 1994). As a result, followers demonstrate a high degree of trust in such leaders (Jung and Avolio, 2000). Researchers (Jung and Avolio, 2000) added that shared vision, is, an integral component of this idealized transformational role, inspiring acceptance through the alignment of goals. Principals must, therefore, be good role models supporting best practice (Colley, 2002).

Essay --

  Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. Barbie is the figurehead of a brand of Mattel dolls and accessories, including other family members and collectible dolls. Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over fifty years, and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parody of the doll and her lifestyle. History Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors. During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli. The adult-figured doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a blonde bombshell, a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955, and although it was initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing her up in outfits that were available separately. Upon her retu... ...and share "America's favorite cookie." As had become the custom, Mattel manufactured both a white and a black version. Critics argued that in the African American community, Oreo is a derogatory term meaning that the person is "black on the outside and white on the inside," like the chocolate sandwich cookie itself. The doll was unsuccessful and Mattel recalled the unsold stock, making it sought after by collectors. In May 1997, Mattel introduced Share a Smile Becky, a doll in a pink wheelchair. Kjersti Johnson, a 17-year-old high school student in Tacoma, Washington with cerebral palsy, pointed out that the doll would not fit into the elevator of Barbie's $100 Dream House. Mattel announced that it would redesign the house in the future to accommodate the doll. In March 2000 stories appeared in the media claiming that the hard vinyl used in vintage Barbie dolls could Essay --   Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. Barbie is the figurehead of a brand of Mattel dolls and accessories, including other family members and collectible dolls. Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over fifty years, and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parody of the doll and her lifestyle. History Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors. During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli. The adult-figured doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a blonde bombshell, a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955, and although it was initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing her up in outfits that were available separately. Upon her retu... ...and share "America's favorite cookie." As had become the custom, Mattel manufactured both a white and a black version. Critics argued that in the African American community, Oreo is a derogatory term meaning that the person is "black on the outside and white on the inside," like the chocolate sandwich cookie itself. The doll was unsuccessful and Mattel recalled the unsold stock, making it sought after by collectors. In May 1997, Mattel introduced Share a Smile Becky, a doll in a pink wheelchair. Kjersti Johnson, a 17-year-old high school student in Tacoma, Washington with cerebral palsy, pointed out that the doll would not fit into the elevator of Barbie's $100 Dream House. Mattel announced that it would redesign the house in the future to accommodate the doll. In March 2000 stories appeared in the media claiming that the hard vinyl used in vintage Barbie dolls could

The Catcher in the Rye :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People go through depressing periods in their lives as teenagers, and some experience it more severely or for longer periods of time than others. In The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger expresses this time of dejection through the protagonist Holden’s thoughts and personal feelings. Holden’s tone reinforces a theme of suicide and depression. He is sarcastic, biter, and occasionally upbeat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holden’s skepticism and sarcasm stem from his belief that many people are fake. He believes that many people are insincere in their attitudes, and in what they express publicly, like when Ernie the piano player shows off, â€Å"Anyway, when he was finished, and everybody was clapping their heads off, old Ernie turned around on his stool and gave this very phony, humble bow† (84). Holden knew that Ernie thought highly of himself so he thought it very fake for him to give a seemingly humble bow. Holden seems to act one way and feel another, because he always involves himself with people that make him feel depressed, and then feels bad about it. He cynically evaluates mannerisms of people including their word choice. He comments on a word Sally selected, and says â€Å"Grand. If there’s one word I hate, It’s grand. It’s so phony† (106). Certain words cause Holden to repel people, based on the deceit that he thinks the word ca rries along. Feeling as if he is drowning in a sea of falsehood, Holden constantly find himself feeling depressed because nothing is what it is trying to be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Holden feels as if some sort of purity is threatened he assumes a bitter, angry tone. When Stradlater, someone he knows as very sexually intimate, went on a date with Jane, Holden’s childhood friend, Holden became so angry that he reacted physically: â€Å"I got off from the bed†¦ and then I tried to sock him, with all my might, right smack in the toothbrush, so it would split his goddamn throat open† (43). This shows that Holden feels it his responsibility to preserve all innocence, to prevent people or things from becoming phony. His failure to do so results in uncontrollable bouts of rage. When he reads swear words in the bathroom of his sister’s school, he says â€Å"I kept wanting to kill whoever’d written it† (201). He was thinking about all the children who would see the words, and felt powerless to stop its effects, so he became extremely angry.