Managerial Escalator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managerial Escalator - Essay Example In order for them to be successful, they need to position the priorities of the business before their private priorities. If the managers put the interest of the business after their interests, they may end up not becoming successful in their management; this is because their personal interest may not be in line with the interests of the organization. The different causes of poor management have also been identified. There are a number of factors that may lead to a manager not being successful such as having managerial concept that are not good enough. Managers need to have well researched strategies in order for them to be successful. The models used by the authors in explaining this points is through breaking down the broad topic of management into less detailed sub topics. They explore these subtopics into details in order to explain management in detail. The authors have different point of views about management. They begin by defining management as the art of making things get done through the use of other people or a way of achieving some results through other people. Some people view management as a cycle involving identification of different objectives, setting of targets, making plans, resource organization, good communication regarding information, motivation of workers, getting feedback, control and taking actions. Some researches were done by separate people who do not agree with this. This is because it was noted that managers make decisions abruptly according to the situation at hand. They mostly do not take time to strategize their decisions (David, 2001). Individuals turn into managers through a given process. The organizational structure is defined in a way that the majority of the staffs are often engaged in given activities and the managers usually oversee some specialized activities. Most of the managers have some giv en specialized backgrounds. During the early stages of their careers, they were at some lower levels in different departments. They may have learned some skills through training, experience or through the combination of both. Most of the managers in top positions have passed through these stages. They begin as normal workers and improve on their skills. As they improve and gain more experience, they are promoted through the different ranks until they get to the managerial position. There are a number of responsibilities accounted to managers. They play the role of planning and allocating of work. Managers plan what is to be done in an organization. They give different employees specific works to be done or allocate them into different areas of work according to the plan. They identify what is of priority to the organization so that they may be given attention first. They review and establish different working methods and ensure that they control all the activities in an

Nokia Company Product Marketing Plan Assignment

Nokia Company Product Marketing Plan - Assignment Example Nokia Corporation is one of the major global producers of mobile phones, serving consumers in more than 130 countries. Nokia is separated into 4 business groups which include Mobile phones, Multimedia, Enterprise Solutions and Networks. The Nokia group, promotes wireless voice and data products in consumer and corporate markets. The Nokia solution group manufactures wireless phone for use in the corporate sector. Wireless broadcast and switching equipment is sold (Nokia, 2012).In the beginning of 1960, Nokia started to diversify in an effort to change the company into Regional Corporation with increase in interests outside Finnish borders. Being unable to begin effective internal development, the company turned its focus into achievement. However, the local government realized to decrease two underperforming local industries which supported Nokia’s development within the country and encouraged its eventual merger with â€Å"Finnish Rubber Works†, which was founded in 18 98, and â€Å"Finnish cable works†, which was formed in 1912, to form Nokia Corporation.In 1967, Nokia started a division to demonstrate design and manufacturing abilities in data processing industrial computerization and communications systems. The division was later expanded and made into several divisions, which then concentrated on developing information system, including personal computer and workplace, digital communication system and mobile phones. Nokia’s essential focus was development of the electronics sector.... Eco-friendly Mobile. This paper shows how Nokia can develop a marketing plan by implementing their past strategies, which the company has already applied. Firstly, in this paper, it shows the brief background about the company and its existing products and also shows the company’s past strategies i.e. how Nokia achieved its brand name and goodwill in past and current market situations. Next, it highlights the company’s situation analysis and overall study of internal and external factors through different marketing tools. For examining the situation analysis of Nokia’s market PEST analysis, competitor and consumer analysis have been applied. In internal analysis, it depicts the company’s current position in the market and the current data on brand performance of Nokia. This marketing plan also provides information of the company’s basic goals and objectives and shows after launching the Eco-friendly product, within this 12 months campaign, what can be expected regarding the fulfillment of their goals and objectives. Then, in this paper, Nokia’s target market and customers of their eco-friendly product has been analyzed and this paper also provides a clear picture regarding how the company segments their market for their eco-friendly product using four perspectives of segmentation. The marketing mix strategy of Nokia’s eco-friendly mobile using 4P’s has been provided. Certain evaluation and control methods have been provided which shows how the company can evaluate their market performance when they would launch their new eco-friendly product. An action plan is also provided which highlights the various elements of marketing plan through â€Å"Gantt chart† of 12 months campaign. 2 Table of Contents 3

Freedom of Religion in the Bill of Rights Research Paper

Freedom of Religion in the Bill of Rights - Research Paper Example Moreover, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prevents the government from making laws that establish any religion as the state religion. This clause ensures the secular nature of the US Constitution. The First Amendment to the US Constitution deals with religious freedom. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances...Amendment 1 (The United States Constitution, 2009). The First Amendment also provides the right of Freedom of expression. These rights cannot be interfered with by the government. Freedom of expression includes the rights of Freedom of speech, press, and assembly. It also includes the freedom to petition the government for a redressal of a grievance. The Supreme Court and the lower courts have interpreted the definition of the freedoms provided by the First Amendment to the Constitution, through their case law. These freedoms and rights apply to all the people who live in the US, and not just its citizens (Citizen Rights). The Establishment Clause precludes the government from enacting legislation that accords any religion the status of the state religion. It also prohibits the government from treating any religion with greater preference than the other religions. This clause has been interpreted by the courts to engender separation of Church and State. The Free Exercise Clause restricts the government from interfering with any individual’s religious practices. All the same, civil and federal laws are permitted to restrict religious acts and ceremonies, wherever warranted (Citizen Rights).

Spanish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Spanish - Essay Example En la otra mano, la migraccion es como un descanso durante el dia. Esta musica combiinada con la magnifica fotografia de Vittorio Storaro crea una gran escena de cuando los immigrantes entran por la luz. Lo mismo occurre para la danza illustrada en la pelicula. Una gran escena para explicar como la musica y el baile crean semtimientos en los caracteres cuando Laura y Elena bailan con el mismo hombre durante una cancion. Para mi esta escena es la sumatoria de toda la pelicula. El hombre esta supuesto a representar los sentimientos de Mario y como su corazon miente com ambas mujeres, La musica cambia un poco cuando las mujeras bailan con el hombre. El uso de colores en la pelicula tambien esta represntado en las sentimientos de los caracteres. El trasfondo durante los diferentes bailes illustran el sentir de la escena. Un punto de vista interesante cuando examine la pelicula por segunda vez, es que Elena siempre se viste de rojo. El color rojo puede significar muchas cosas. Y pienso que significa el amor mutuo entre Mario y Elena y tambien pienso que su amor era

Organizational Citizenship Behavior Essay Example for Free

Organizational Citizenship Behavior Essay Human Resource Management (HRM) is defined as the organizational function that focuses on recruiting, management, and the directing of the employees that work in the organization. It also deals with compensation, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. Even though the HR functions evolved, some things never change. Since most companies will always need the traditional HR functions such as hiring and firing employees, providing pay and benefits packages, training and developing the workforce, and dealing with employer – employee conflicts. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is a concept defined as the set of additional activities that are beneficial to an organization and its employees. These activities are not required in a formal way; that is, they are not stated in a contract nor required by the company. OCB is commonly a behavior of employees towards their company and vice versa. It is clear that the organization’s HRM plays a vital role in implementing OCB through creating a well-established relationship between the organization and the employees. Rousseau and Geller argued that this relationship’s status is critical in the amount of OCB produced by employees where the company must deliver first a few requirements. (cited in Morrison, 1996). Schuller states that each company’s HRM has a set of principles and values that are integrated in its overall philosophy, which includes a respectful treatment of its employees (cited in Morrison, 1996). According to Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, and Sowa, how effective is an organization in applying that philosophy is related towards how much the employees feel appreciated in their work place and therefore related to the amount of OCB displayed (cited in Morrison, 1996). OCB is present in all companies and can be considered a cycle. In fact, the HR department encourages OCB through several actions, which pave the way to creating a healthy organizational culture where the company protects its employees who are devoted to their company. This report will discuss OCB in Middle East Airlines (MEA) by taking a closer look at the employee – company relationship and the company – employee relationship. Literature Review on Organization Citizenship Behavior How Companies Encourage OCB In order for employees to work on achieving OCB, the human resource management has to work on some issues to help encourage each individual to participate in developing the company. The management must ensure that several things should be well done: Social Exchange, ldentification with Organizational Objectives, Empowerment, Selection and Socialization, Evaluation and Rewards, Rules and Job Descriptions. In an organization, Blau identified two types of relationships that tie the management and the employees together: the economic relationship and the social relationship (cited in Morrison, 1996). Konovsky and Pugh’ analysis states that it is more likely for employees to perform OCB under good social conditions than economic (cited in Morrison, 1996). Organ claims that this fact is due to several reasons: First, social relationships allow employees to have feelings of mutual trust with the organization and they will build long-term relationships with the management. This will encourage employees to help enhance the image of their company by practicing OCB. Second, the social relationship is one that is ambiguously defined, that is it does not have clear boundaries; therefore employees will more likely include certain citizenship acts in their job tasks (cited in Morrison, 1996). The identification of the employees with the organizational objectives is crucial for achieving OCB. That is because each individual will adopt and familiarize with the values and principles of the company, and hence become a part of its system, which will give a feeling of belonging and an encouragement for being part of the progress of the company. For employees to achieve OCB, Conger and Kanungo believe that they must be first willing to do so, and that is by being encouraged and empowered (cited in Morrison, 1996). Bowen and Lawler claim that many benefits are generated as a result of empowerment. First, it will shorten the time of response of employees to serve their customers. Second, the relationship between the employees and the customers will be more enthusiastic and kind. Third, it will allow the employees to be more innovative and generate ideas for the benefit of the company (cited in Morrison, 1996). Selection is the first phase of the entrance of an employee into a company. During this stage, Shore and Tetrick claim that each individual becomes aware of the job responsibilities in his field. Also, it is through this stage that the company indicates to the employee the responsibilities that the company has towards him as well, such as security, progress and training; hence it identifies a two-way relationship. This will lead to a feeling of respect and interest from the other party, which will lead to employees achieving OCB (cited in Morrison, 1996). Selection is also important in what is referred to by Chatman as person-organization fit: by learning about the organization’s objectives, the employee becomes aware that he or she will be chosen not solely for their job qualification, but for their compatibility with the work environment as well (cited in Morrison, 1996). Socialization as defined by Van Maanen and Schein is when the company prepares the new employees with the set of knowledge, approaches, and behaviors that they should apply in order to fit into their roles (cited in Morrison, 1996). Similar to selection, socialization is about showing the new employee that the relationship with the organization is based on social exchange. This can be clarified through such processes as orientation that holds within it more value than it shows. Chatman claims that socialization also familiarizes the employees with the company’s objectives and values not to mention that it plays a vital part in the empowerment process. (cited in Morrison, 1996). There are two extremes stated by Jones in applying socialization. The first is a highly institutionalized one where the new employees are separated and offered a common learning program. The second end is highly individualized, where employees are left on their own to engage in informal relationships with their fellow employees and to have self-learning experiences. There is however one disadvantage to socialization: when the objectives are clearly defined for employees, they tend to perform solely what they were expected to (cited in Morrison, 1996). Therefore, a company that seeks employee OCB will tend to have a more individualized socialization. OCB by definition includes the set of actions performed by employees that are not asked by management, therefore it is not directly rewarded. Thus, to encourage employees into applying this behavior, O’Reilly and Chatman believe that the company should employ indirect means that will encourage them to do so. That can be done by giving a reward to the organization’s performance as a whole. This will be helpful in two ways: first, it will further familiarize the employees with the company’s objectives and this way they will tend to act more upon achieving those goals through citizenship behavior. Second, by giving an award for the entire company’s performance, the organization will indirectly inform the employees that their job goes beyond what is clearly specified and limited into a certain role or department (cited in Morrison, 1996). According to Bowen, Siehl, and Schneider, when the company imposes a high number of rules and regulation, it is limiting and discouraging the employees’ ability to perform tasks outside their field of work, therefore limiting the OCB that can be achieved in that organization. A high number of rules will clearly define the limits of the economic exchange relationship between the employees and their company which will diminish their will to achieve OCB by determining exactly what the employees are asked to do and not to do and preventing them from engaging in any other action that is indirectly rewarded even if it benefits the company as a whole. Hence, in order for employees to want to perform citizenship behavior, the company must reduce its rules and thus create a social exchange relationship (cited in Morrison, 1996). Like rules and regulations, if a company describes the employees’ job in a very precise and narrow matter, it will reduce according to Bowen and Lawler the citizenship behavior applied by its subordinates. Employees will then have extremely well defined tasks to perform with no regard to any other company-wide actions. That way the exchange relationship between employee and company will more likely to be economic, not to mention that it reduces empowerment by limiting the resources needed by employees such as knowledge and skills to taking action towards OCB (cited in Morrison, 1996). How Employees Exercise OCB: To achieve organizational citizenship behavior, employees must practice different means. First, as Organ defines it, helping behavior is critical and evident in creating inter-employee relationships. Such behavior can be noted in the simplest acts such as when an employee assists his co-worker when the latter is overstrained with his paperwork or any other task being done. Second, according to Organ as well, sportsmanship, another dimension of OCB, is the ability to accept criticism and unfortunate events in the company without complaints, verbal or written. Consider a meeting for a marketing idea where employees are brainstorming. When the group rejects someone’s idea and the latter accepts that without being offended, he/she is considered to have a sense of sportsmanship. Third, organizational loyalty is a major concept when it comes to having a constructive organizational culture. This is evident whereby when employees are loyal to their company, they would feel safer and more content about the workplace and the organization’s culture. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, Bachrach, 2000) Individual initiative, a fourth aspect of OCB, is represented in taking on additional responsibilities and engaging in task-improving actions without being asked to do so. This also includes encouraging others to do so, which helps the company as a whole improve. (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, Bachrach, 2000) An example is when an employee suggests to adopt a new method of performing a task, which he/she knows will improve the way things s done. Related to this is self-development, which is yet another dimension of OCB. According to George and Brief, self-development pertains to voluntarily engaging in development courses that are not required from the company in the attempt of improving one’s skills and broadening one’s knowledge. (Cited in Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, Bachrach, 2000) For instance, an employee could learn about upcoming seminars and training sessions and inform his colleagues of their dates. A different aspect of OCB is civic virtue, which can be defined as a commitment to the organization as a whole. This takes place through engaging in governing the organization indirectly, looking out for its best interest, and protecting it from threats. (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, Bachrach, 2000) A simple example of this is turning off the lights after having used the restroom. Similar to this is organizational compliance, the last dimension of OCB, which is when an employee complies with the company rules and regulations whether or not the latter is being monitored. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, Bachrach, 2000) Returning to work right after having finished the permitted lunch break is an example of organizational compliance. It is crucial to note that all these behavioral aspects of organizational citizenship behavior are not part of the work contract or job description. Factors that diminish OCB: Several factors antecede and affect organizational citizenship behavior. Such factors can be set into four basic categories: employee characteristics, organizational characteristics, task characteristics, and leadership behaviors. The influence of these categories on OCB can be either positive or negative. It is evident that OCB is present in all companies, whether on a noticeable scale or an imperceptible one. This report will be depicting the negative relations between OCB and its antecedents, whereby, according to studies done in a meta-analysis by Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, and Bachrach, it has been found that organizational and task characteristics have little impact on OCB relative to individual and leadership behaviors which have greater impact on OCB. Employee or individual characteristics affect the presence of OCB and how much the latter contributes to building a constructive organizational culture. Taking two extremes, one can consider an employee who is indifferent of his/her company’s interest. The latter would surely not engage in activities pertaining to civic virtue, thus not exercising good citizenship behavior. The other extreme is an employee who is very concerned about the company’s interest and always seeks to attain goals that hold the company’s benefit. Such employee is more likely to be engaged in the different dimensions of citizenship behavior. To go back to the bigger image, an employee’s characteristics help in determining how well OCB is exercised in an organization. Indeed, it is found that the existence of OCB increases with the increase of employee loyalty and concern to the organization, and decreases with indifference to the greater benefit of the company and the rewards granted for good citizenship behavior. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, Bachrach, 2000) Leadership behaviors are quite correlated to the presence of citizenship behavior in an organization. According to another meta-analysis reported by Podsakoff, MacKenzie, and Bommer in 1996, leadership behaviors are mostly positively related to OCB, whereby most leaders reward citizenship behavior within performance in general, which increases such behavior in the company as employees are aware of such rewards. The only negative leadership behaviors are contingent and non-contingent punishment behavior as well as leader specification of procedures. This is due to the fact that employees feel confused as to why leaders perform contingent punishment, thereby decreasing their citizenship behavior. Non-contingent punishment is a discouraging factor by itself, which makes it obvious why it negatively affects OCB in an organization.

A Piece of Peace Essay Example for Free

A Piece of Peace Essay The terrorist attacks on September 11th affected more than just the lives of those in people who were the direct victims of the attacks. An entire nation was victimized and the whole nation grieved for those who suffered in New York City. As the attacks occurred I sat in my high school English class and while the teacher taught I day dreamed. It was a typical Tuesday morning and to be truthful I did not ever hear her the first time she explained the tragic events that had taken place just moments ago. I heard the word â€Å"terrorists† and the fragments of statements like â€Å"hundreds died this morning when†. Then, I could only hear my heart beat in my ears. I watched my teacher turn on the TV. She flipped through several stations. I dont remember what I saw but I can remember what I heard. It was the sound of people crying. Over the next few months, as a nation, we followed the story as did the world. I can remember President Bush attempting to comfort the United States and telling us America would be going to war for reasons that werent clear to me then and certainly arent clear to me now. Somewhere between the night of September 10th, when I was plotting how I was going to avoid school the next morning and the night of September 11th, I grew up. When I look back on that time in my life I am left with a single haunting thought It is the pursuit of peace which leads to destruction. Even today, years after the terrorist attacks, people still talk about how that day changed everything. I agree, in some ways. It changed me and I became something new. It changed my family. It changed how American view other Americans and how we view the rest of the world. Americans have since the birth of the nation believed that their way was the best way. Americans were shocked to find out that people hated them enough to want to kill them. September 11th forced Americas to reflect on the military, social, and political actions of America and how they effected people of other countries. Perhaps Americans are not always in the right. For example, President Bush I gave weapons to the Afghan people to win a war against Russia. When the Afghan people defeated the Russian, Afghanistan was completely destroy. American promised them they will help rebuild but they did not. That is why the terrorist were able to come into the country and making a terrorist breeding ground. I dont think that September 11th effects the way Americans conduct their lives daily. People who say it does are feeling the pressure of guilt. Society says we must not forget, and as Americans say we wont. As a nation the citizens learned that there is a fine line between terrorist and freedom fighter- we are just afraid to admit it and seem unamerican. Those men who ran planes into building, killed Americans and killed themselves wanted only one thing peace. They wanted freedom from the western world and choose to die. Just as we wanted independence from England centuries ago. In looking for peace they destroyed lives, families, and shook the protected ground the United States sat on. It made the country stronger but not smarter. I am anxious over the global discord and the cultural ignorance that seems to grow between the United States and the rest of the world. The problems in Iraq foretell and may spark future clashes with a number of civilizations in the future. Just recently I drove home from work and I flipped through different radio stations. I caught the end of Bob Dylans â€Å"The Times They Are A-Changing†. Its funny because that is my moms favorite song and I had forgotten it existed. I still can hear her sing, â€Å"Come gather round people Wherever you roam / And admit that the waters Around you have grown /For the times they are a-changin†, while she tinkered around in the kitchen way before anyone else got up. I dont know that I ever really listened to the words before. Dylan knew and my mom knew things I was just beginning to. Dylan and my mom knew â€Å"theres a battle outside And it is ragin† and September 11th did shake our â€Å"windows† and rattled our â€Å"walls†. As a nation its citizens have no right to â€Å"criticize What we [you] cant understand† and our â€Å" sons and [y]our daughters Are beyond our [your] command† (Dylan). Our soldiers fight a war for reasons no one really knows for America that would rather criticize them then help in country that does not seem to want peace. Dylan sings about the injustice in war and that we should not be afraid to speak our minds: Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance wont come again And dont speak too soon For the wheels still in spin And theres no tellin who That its namin. For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin. (Dylan) Bush wants peace but for his own reasons and through those reasons American soldiers are dying, and so are the Iraqi people. It is ironic that while those terrorists die nobly but ur soldiers die in such a cruel way. McKay writes in his poem, â€Å"If We Must Die,† that people should not die for nothing or by doing nothing. That death is inevitable, especially in war, but all people must fight for the things we want in this world and hold on to life and liberty as long as we can: O kinsmen we must meet the common foe! Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men well face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! (Claude McKay) In the summer of 2001 I was lying in my hammock and I could see a butterfly in my backyard. I remember as a child learning that caterpillars itch and go into cocoons to find peace from that. Change in a way is a form of destruction. To be able to be someone new people have to give up their old selves and move past who they used to bee. When a child develops into an adult, he must give up his toys, his childhood beliefs like believing in Santa Claus. His childhood fantasies must be destroyed if he is to move on. In the years that followed September 11th I could feel myself â€Å"adapt to my new surroundings† (White Line 2). White, through the use of nature explores the scary nature of change: I have to shed my skin again Adapt to my new surroundings become another version of myself. The change within me does not happen overnight but through the evolution of my life (White) I was filled with Americans sense of patriotism and unity. The new American was like â€Å"the first fish that grew tiny legs† (White Line 8). Christine Whites poem, â€Å"Molting† reminded me that it was not just me that grew up, the United States did too. Whites point of view is that change is not a bad thing and is inevitable. Nearly every person around the country joined together as one united entity to pay tribute and homage to all the fallen heroes. There was a sense of harmony and peace. In way I think America, even those the terrorist attacks were tragic, knew that such an event was needed if we were going to â€Å"shed our [my] skin† (White Line 1) and become a stronger nation. As time goes by and my bad memories fade I remember America in its full glory. Watching the cumulative effect of humanity shining through the fire and smoke. I remember how many people spoke about the importance of peace and understanding. I wonder if there can be peace if Americans are divide both support and protest our soldiers in Iraq. The war over there caused a war here between Americans. It is the protesters protest protesters on both sides of the issues – each wanting peace in their own way. People who do not want our soldiers fighting in Iraq believe that they would be peace if America stopped butting into everyones business. People who are for the war in Iraq believe peace will only come after the destruction of all terrorists. In the end these protesters (on both sides) are destroying the morale and lives of people fighting in the Iraq war and are disgracing the memories of those that died. The price of peace is extremely high especially because Americans do not know if we can ever have it. I do know that â€Å"The line it is drawn The curse it is cast / The slow one now Will later be fast / As the present now Will later be past† (Dylan). I do know that America must hold her ground against the terrorists. Americans will not be tyrannized and forced to live like cowards. Even when we face â€Å"the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! † (McKay Line 14). The American fight for freedom and peace has also managed to destroy our economy. Oil prices increased, the value of the American dollar decreased, and the stock market bottomed out. When Clinton was President the stock market was well over 10,000 after 9/11 it drop well under 8000. President Bush spent the Clinton Surplus on military, and it is just now in 2006 that the stock has become stabilized. I think that our economy will emerge from this disaster and become strong once again like it was before the attacks. In the pursuit of peace and destruction, people in Americans have finally understood their place in society and were back â€Å"in the sun† (White Line 10). Not as a not as a bystanders but an active and willing participants. Americans realize that there needs to be a great deal of change and those changes have started. American citizens encourage our â€Å"senators, congressmen Please heed the call / Dont stand in the doorway Dont block up the hall† (Dylan). And governmental officials are making changes. I think our nation needs to help a new generation of people realize that aftermath of that day when humans lives were lost and Americas unique humanity and independence was demonstrated. This generations hearts were opened and turned around in the wake of airplane crashes. On September 11, 2001 many people lost their lives because men were seeking their own personal peace. Daily our soldiers are destroyed one by one for the goal of peace. The American economy struggles because of the war for peace against terrorism. Americans fight Americans over whether we should be in Iraq or not which tears apart soldiers pride. Before that Tuesday in September, I never thought about life and death. I never considered the consequences of war and the denial of freedoms. Now that I am older, I realize that September 11, 2001 was not just pivotal point for me but America itself. Not since Pearl Harbor had the United States been unexpectedly attacked on its own land. Just as families pulled together so did the United States as a whole. As a nation we cried together and we healed together. To actually witness the attacks was life changing but to be part of the healing process was life affirming.

Teaching Conditional Sentences

Teaching Conditional Sentences The Teaching of Conditional Sentences Part 1: Evaluation of the Textbook Treatment of Conditional Sentences I. Introduction: Definition of Conditional Sentences In grammar, conditional sentences refer to the discussion of factual implications or imaginary or hypothetical situations and their results. They express something that must happen or be true if another thing is to happen or be true (Hornby, 2000; Swan, 1996). Generally, conditional sentences consist of two main clauses – a main (‘conditional) clause containing a verb in a form with will or would, and a subordinate clause that is introduced by if (Parrott, 2000). The order of the two clauses can appear interchangeably. When the if-clause leads the sentence, normally a comma is used. However, when the conditional sentence takes the lead, no comma is found after it. In certain cases, the way we use this comma in conditional sentences lies ‘partly on their length and partly on personal preference (Parrott, 2000, p. 231). II. First Conditional A. Basic Form In the basic form of the first conditional, the verb in the if-clause takes the present tense, and the verb in the main or conditional clause takes the simple future. If Clause Conditional Clause If + present tense, Future tense Conditional Clause If Clause Future tense If + present tense B. Meaning and Use Generally, the first conditional or conditional sentence type one is used to express a probable condition and its probable result in the future (Soars Liz, 2007; Swan, 1996; Thomson Martinet, 1986). Nonetheless, it does not limit itself only to this use. Parrott (2000) points out that this type of conditional is employed to show ‘aspects of persuasion such as cajoling and negotiation and for giving warnings and making threats'(p. 232), as can be seen in the examples below. Examples: [a] If you have enough rest, you will feel better. [b] Ill cook for you this evening if you help me with this assignment. [c] If he procrastinates, hell miss the flight. [d] Ill kill you if you dont stop your relationship with my sister. Apart from these functions, the first conditional sentence can possibly appear in certain variations. Variations can be present in both the conditional clause and the if-clause. In the conditional clause, a range of other forms, such as may, might, can, must, should or imperative or any expression of command, request or advice, may be used instead of will, depending on what messages we want to send (Parrott, 2000; Thomson Martinet, 1986). For example, if we want to show that something is possible, we can use either may or might instead of will, or when want to indicate permission, either may or can is possible. Moreover, when we want to advise or suggest someone to do something, we can use should or had better or imperative form. Examples below show these. Examples: [a] If you drive fast, you may/might hit others on the road. [b] If you dont feel well, you may/can leave early today. [c] If you want to thoroughly enjoy Christmas, you should finish your assignment well before the deadline. [c1] If you want to gain weight, you had better eat and sleep more. [c2] If dont feel well with coffee, never drink it again. Interestingly, two present tenses can also appear in both the if-clause and the conditional clause. When it is the case, it is usually used to indicate automatic or habitual results (Thomson Martinet, 1986). An example below shows this usage. It should be noted here that this kind of use can mostly be seen in the zero conditional, which mainly discusses factual situation or natural phenomena. Therefore, students at a lower level should not be presented this difference. Example: If there is a shortage of any product, prices of that product go up. Similar to the variations in the conditional clause, we can also use a range of present forms in the if-clause, depending on the meaning we want to convey (Parrott, 2000; Thomson Martinet, 1986). For example, we can use present continuous or present perfect instead of present simple to show a present action or a future arrangement. When we want to show that something is less likely possible and it may happen only by chance, we can use should because it helps weaken the possibility (Parrott, 2000). All these can be found in the examples below. Examples: [a1] If you are coming over next week, Ill bake our traditional cakes for you. [a2] If the letter hasnt arrived by the next hour, well have to phone the post office. [b] If she should call me at night, I wont answer. Moreover, we can also find the use of will or would in the if-clause when we want to indicate polite requests. However, often will is seen as less polite than would (Swan, 1996). At this point, it should also be noted that should can also be used in replacement of if, usually in more formal, written contexts (ibid, 2000), without any change of the meaning (Azar, 2002). This kind of use indicates offer or suggestion. Here are the two examples: If you will/would carry this bag, Ill treat you lunch. Should you need more help, you can call me any time. III. Second Conditional A. Basic Form In general, the basic form of Type 2 conditional uses the past tense in the if-clause, and would + bare infinitive or ‘the conditional tense in the conditional clause to ‘distance our language from reality (Swan, 1996; Thomson Martinet, 1986). If Clause Conditional Clause If + past tense, would + bare infinitive Conditional Clause If Clause would + bare infinitive If + past tense B. Meaning and Use The second conditional is used to talk about an unreal situation and its probable results now or in the future. The situation or condition is improbable, impossible, untrue, imaginary or contrary to know facts (Azar, 2002; Parrott, 2000; Soars Liz, 2007; Swan, 1996; Thomson Martinet, 1986). It is important to note that there is no time difference between Type 1 and 2 conditionals, and the past tense in the if-clause of Type 2 conditional is not a true past, but a subjunctive (Parrott, 2000; Thomson Martinet, 1986). However, while Type 1 conditional is viewed as a real possibility, Type 2 is not the case. Besides, were instead of was is more often found in the if-clause in more formal sentences, and many people consider it more correct, especially in American English (Parrott, 2000; Swan, 1996; Thomson Martinet, 1986). Examples below show these uses. Examples: [a] If I had enough saving, Id buy that grand house. [b] If I were rich, Id be happy! [c] If the plan crashed, Id be terrified. Not different from the first conditional, the second conditional likewise has its possible variations, in both the if-clause and the conditional clause. For the variation in the conditional clause, we can use, for example, might or could or the past tense in place of would to talk about several other things. This ranges from ability or permission to the past automatic or habitual actions. Below examples show this use. Examples: [a1] If she applied for that position again, she might get it. [a2] If they had tickets, they could enter the theater. [b] If he got home late, his wife slept first. In the if-clause, instead of using if with a simple past, it is possible to have if with a past continuous, indicating a wish for a difference for a temporary situation. Moreover, sometimes were + infinitive, in placement of a past tense form in the if-clause, is used to make the situation more hypothetical or polite. At other times, the inversion of the if-subject and were can be seen, and when were takes the if-subjects place, if is then left out. The meaning is still the same. Here are the examples: Examples: [a] She doesnt like the children but now they are going to her home. If they were not going there, shed be a lot fine. [b] If they were to study harder, their teacher would be much happier to help them. [b1] Were they to study harder, their teacher would be much happier to help them. IV. Third Conditional A. Basic Form The basic form of the third conditional takes the past perfect in the if-clause, and would with have plus past participle, or ‘the perfect conditional in the conditional clause. If Clause Conditional Clause If + past perfect, would + have + past participle Conditional Clause If Clause would + have + past participle If + past perfect B. Meaning and Use The third conditional is generally used to speculate about the past events, which are unreal or imaginary, and about the ways things might have been affected just because how other things happened or did not happen. This conditional is also used to talk about regret, criticism or excuse (Parrott, 2000; Thomson Martinet, 1986; Vince Emmerson, 2003). Examples: [a] Kate would have been nice if Peter had treated her equally. [b] If she hadnt gone out late at night, she wouldnt have been rapped. [c] If my car hadnt broken down, Id have been able to catch you up. The same as the first and second conditional, the third conditional has its possible variations, in both the if-clause and the conditional clause. In the conditional clause, in place of would, we can use, for example, might or could to discuss ability, possibility or permission. Examples: [a1] If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life [a2] If we had found him earlier, we might have saved him. [a3] If our documents had been in order, we could have left at once. In the if-clause, had can be used in the form of inversion. When had is used, then if is to be deleted. No meaning is changed in such usage. If you had asked for his permission, he wouldnt have been that mad at you = Had you asked for his permission, he wouldnt have been that mad at you. V. ‘Unless in conditional sentences In conditional sentences we can use a wide range of conjunctions, such as supposing, as long as, provided, unless, etc., instead of if. Here, however, only unless is discussed. Unless is usually perceived as sharing similar meaning with if†¦not (Swan, 1996; Thomson Martinet, 1986). However, as Parrott (2000) argues unless has a ‘strong degree of reservation compared to if†¦not. Examples: I wont go with you unless you pick me up. Ill go with you only if you pick me up. There is an exceptional case when unless cannot be used in replacement to if†¦not. We would rather use if†¦not instead of unless if it refers to something negative that would be the main cause of the situation we are talking about (Swan, 1996). Instead of saying, ‘My wife will be very upset unless I get back tomorrow, we say, ‘My wife will be very upset if I dont get back tomorrow. This being so because the root cause of the wifes unhappiness is if the speaker does not go back. VI. Implications for teaching conditional sentences Different types of conditional sentences are taught at different levels. A general suggestion given by Parrott (2000) is that the first conditional should be introduced at an elementary or intermediate level; the second at a lower intermediate; and the third at an upper intermediate level. As for the Secondary 3, Band 2 students who are seen as pre-intermediate level, they should be introduced to all the four types of conditional. However, the introduction of details or variations of each type should be carefully considered. As can be seen from the detailed explanation of the three types above, there are many variations in each type, in both the if-clause and the conditional clause. The Secondary 3 students at this level should therefore not be taught all these variations. Otherwise, this will become a very good confusion for them. However, if there are some strong students in the class and if the teacher is ambitious, he or she can introduce his or students to some kind of the variations of the conditional clause Type 1 and 2. These variations could be the use of might or may instead of will in the first conditional, and might or could instead of would in the second conditional. The third conditional is already very difficult and the students should not be made confus ed because of these variations. It should be noted that before all these variations can be introduced, teachers should make sure that the students are made clear with the basic forms of the four types. Furthermore, the way how the conditionals are punctuated should also be ensured since for most Chinese students, recognizing the order of conditional sentences is difficult for them. This being so because the order of clauses does not go with the order in their language (Parrott, 2000). VII. Treatment of a Hong Kong textbook on conditionals The Living English 3B by Nancarrow, Thomas and Yuen (2005) used for Secondary 3 features all the four types of conditionals. Type 0, 1 and 2 are introduced mainly in terms of revision and of some forms of variations. Type 3 is presented virtually exclusively in form of basic rule and usage. However, there is no introduction of conjunctions which can be used in place of if. Perhaps this may be helpful for the students instead, for they are not overwhelmed with too many things at this level. The presentation of the use of the first conditional is simple and well enough for the students to understand. Nevertheless, there seems a bit vague for weaker students to fully recognize the changing of the order of the clauses, explained in the note on page 43. The students should be drawn to the fact that there is no change in meaning even if the position of the two clauses is changed. Another thing is that there is an explanation of variation of this conditional in the Teachers Book (TB), which requires teachers to tell their students but which is generally not necessary at this level. There are two problems in the explanation of the first conditional. The first one is with its description of usage. The explanation tells that this type of conditional is used to describe ‘the future consequences of a situation that is true now (Nancarrow, et al., 2005, p. 43). The wording here looks easy but it may not be the case for the students to grasp the whole picture, and thus needs revision. The second problem concerns with the variation of this type. The book explains that it is possible to use can or may instead of will. However, in the Students Book (SB), it does not give any example of this possibility, nor does it indicate what it means when they are used. A short explanation is available only in TB, though. For the second conditional, it carries only the last problem of the first conditional. In other words, SB gives the same explanation that variation is possible for the second conditional, but fails to show the usage and meaning. Again, only TB explains this va riation in more details. The presentation of the third conditional in this book is very well structured. It introduces the students to the most basic use of this conditional through clear explanation and examples. It suits the students level quite well. One last note is that the textbook should not introduce the variations of the first three types of conditional. Ironically, the title is devoted only to revising, yet the students are also presented with variations. At this level, the students should learn mainly the basic or general forms and usage. Variations should be presented in the next levels. However, one good thing is that there is no presentation of conjunctions, which can be used to replace if. It is good to make sure that the students can understand the basic first. Part Two: Critique and Reflection I. Critique on Ms Leungs teaching Ms Leung is revising conditional sentences Type 1 and 2 and trying to introduce Type 3 and conjunction unless to her Secondary 3 students. Certain problems appear as she handles these grammatical aspects in each excerpt. Among all problems, her inadequacy of knowledge of the underlying system of language is the central one and in turn affects the ways she handles her teaching. In excerpt 1, in which she revises the first and second conditionals, Ms Leung generally appears unclear herself in what she explains to her students. She asks her students to remember that with Type 1 conditional, it has to be future in the main clause. She yet does not point out specifically what kind of future tense it is to which she is referring since there are many future tenses. Although this is apparently clear that she is referring to the simple future will, being a well-language aware teacher, she should present it to the students to clear confusion it may have. Concerning her explanation of the use of this conditional, I feel the word choice is rather ambiguous. She tells her students that conditional Type 1 is for a prediction. Even though the form of will here is used as the normal future form in general, there is a significant difference between the use of will in conditional sentences and in general sentences. In a general sentence, will is used ‘for unplanned fu ture events, or to make predictions that arent based on present or past evidence (Parrott, 2000, p. 170). However, in a Type 1 conditional sentence, the use of will in the main or conditional clause is to indicate a probable result, not a prediction of it. This can be implied that the teacher is not truly well aware of the content subject. When Ms Leung revises the second conditional in the same excerpt, she seems to create similar problems as when she handles the first conditional. The first problem concerns with the relationship between her own explanation of the use of the second conditional and her examples. She gives two examples to her students and informs the students that the second conditional is used to talk about ‘things which are not so probable, they are possible but not very probable. To some degree, the examples do carry an improbable meaning. However, the two are just contrary to known fact, with the first example indicates an imaginary future situation, and the second an imaginary present situation. The second example also indicates clearly that it is advice, which the teacher misses to convey to her students. The second problem is the extent of her explanation, in addition to the first problem. She does not make it clear to her students whether the past tense used in the if-clause refers to the real past, or present or future speculation. Some students may be still doubtful about this tense, though they have already gone through it. This implies that the teacher is not well aware of the students difficulties or that she is not thinking about the language content from the viewpoint of the learners (Andrews, 2007). In excerpt 2, she introduces the third conditional, and here two critical problems come about. The first one is about overgeneralization of the conditional form in both the if-clause and the main clause. Ms Leung presents to her students that all the third conditionals begin with if plus Past Perfect. To say that all the third conditionals start with if is already too exaggerated. She seems not to take into consideration the variation of this form. It is questionable in her explanation whether it is still called Type 3 conditional when ‘had is used instead of if in the case of inversion. As she goes on to explain the form in the main clause, Ms Leung makes the same overgeneralized mistake. She mentions that would have done is always used in the main clause. This rule again ignores the fact that there are variations in the third conditional too. In addition, it creates confusion in the use of ‘have done. As can be seen from her example, ‘done is not used with ‘have. Instead, it is ‘woken that is being used with ‘have. The example and the rule then do not match, and so another question arrives whether this is a conditional sentence or not. The second problem in her presentation of this Type 3 conditional is the fact that there is no explanation of when it is used at all. She presents to her students only the form and a single example. Why or when the third conditional is used is not explained. Although the students may know how to structure this conditional, they surely do not know when to use it. This seems like it is nothing for the students to learn because how useful it is to use this conditional they are not aware of. One last note is that the teacher seems not willing to give more examples to help with her explanation. This insufficient example would mean to limit the general understanding of the students, and so they will not learn. Ms Leung finally finishes her class by trying to introduce another language point. She teaches her students how to use unless in place of if†¦not. Even though she can manage to tell her students relatively well that unless can be used instead of if†¦not when the if-clause is negative, she perhaps may not be well aware that meaning of the two sentences is not exactly the same as she has claimed. According to Parrott (2000) unless carters a stronger degree of reservation compared to if†¦not. This shows that the teachers knowledge of the subject-matter is insufficient enough. Besides, Ms Leung is unable to clarify when to use unless instead of if†¦not. From the beginning of this introduction, she tries to tell her students that they can use unless sometimes. Nonetheless, she ends up not explaining when exactly, and so abruptly changes the way she presents to the students. This perhaps indicates also that she lacks ‘strategic competence (Bachman, 1990). Through her teaching of all the language points, it is obviously clear that Ms Leung does not check with her students whether or not they have understood what has been taught. Instead, she seems to rush from one language point to another very quickly. This seems that she does not care about the students learning or that she wants to escape from the students questions. An implication from this behavior and her so far inability to clarify each language point is that she is short of necessary subject-matter knowledge as well as language competency. These inadequacies will in turn impact the way the teacher handles the teaching in a negative way. According to Andrews (2007), professional factors of teacher affect the teachers attitudes in a way that the teacher is afraid of giving serious attention to language-related issues. Because of this, the learners cannot get a meaningful learning from the teacher. II. Reflection of what can be done differently better If I were Ms Leung, I would adopt a different approach to teaching this language point to the students in this target group. As can be seen from her teaching, she is trying both to revise two conditional types and to introduce two other major language points at the same time. This teaching is already too much with the time available and the target group, and therefore can be unfruitful. ‘At different levels of language learning students will need to be shown different aspects of grammar and teachers will need to decide how detailed their approach to grammar will be (Joyce Burns, 1999, p. 66). If I were the teacher myself, I would not introduce conjunction unless to the students. At this level, the students should be taught only the basic form or marked feature, that is, if†¦not first. The unmarked feature such as unless should be left for the students to learn by themselves naturally before the right time comes (Ellis, 2006). I would therefore use the available time for teaching this conjunction to focus more on the revising of Type 1 and 2 conditionals and on the elaboration of Type 3, for I believe this intensive teaching will help them progress through the sequence of stages involved in the acquisition of that structure (ibid, 2006). For the explanation of Type 1, I would simplify the wording that the teacher uses to discuss when this conditional is used. Instead of telling the students that this conditional is used for predictions, I would say it is used to show a possible condition and its probable result in the future. In the same way for Type 2, I would tell t he students that it is used to talk about an unreal situation and its probable results now or in the future, or to give advice to someone. I would also draw their attention to the fact that the past tense used in the if-clause is not the real past, but a subjunctive which indicates unreality or improbability. In addition, I would give the examples that truly reflect its usage, so that the examples can help facilitate the students understanding in a better way. For Type 3 conditional, I would first change the extreme generalization the teacher makes in both clauses. I would tell the students that in the if-clause, we usually use the Past Perfect, and would plus Past Participle in the main clause. Then I would give them 3 examples. From this, I would present to them when we use this third conditional. The students will find it easier to understand the central meaning with the facilitation of the examples on the board. If I had some time left, I would establish connections between form and meaning for them to practice the language point since this is a fundamental aspect of language acquisition (VanPatten, Williams, Rott, 2004, as cited in Ellis, 2006).