Cotton Research Paper

Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt Ralph Lauren polo shirts have been in production since the 1970s. I am writing about polo shirts because I own many of them in different colors so I am interested in how they are made. Polos are composed of 100% cotton. I like to wear these shirts mainly because they are comfortable and look good, but also because they are easy to maintain. Cotton is machine washable and can also be dried in a standard dryer, even though they may shrink if over-dried. Cotton is made up of fibrous cellulose, which is a carbohydrate, and the molecular makeup is a long chain of glucose molecules.Glucose molecules are made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen with reactive hydroxyl groups. There are as many as 10,000 glucose monomers per molecule. The molecular chains are arranged in long spiral linear chains within the fiber. The strength of a fiber is directly related to chain length. Hydrogen bonding occurs between cellulose chains in a cotton fiber. Hydrogen bonding occurs when hydroxyl groups within the chain are polar, meaning the electrons surrounding the atoms are not evenly distributed.As a consequence, hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl group are attracted to many of the oxygen atoms of the cellulose. The bonding of hydrogen within the fibrils causes the molecules to draw closer together which increases the strength of the fiber. Cotton's comfort and absorbency is also due to hydrogen bonding. A picture of cotton's chemical structure is shown below. Cotton is a natural fiber and is grown in temperate climates. Cotton plants live for at least two years in good conditions which makes it a perennial crop. Geographically, Antarctica is the only continent where cotton is not grown.In the United States, cotton has been continually produced for hundreds of years, mainly in the southeastern region but also throughout the southern part of the country stretching all the way to California. Cotton is considered a stable investment since it has long seasons which can get up to half a year in profitable income, making cotton a primary choice for farmers as long as they live in a region with an appropriate climate. Once farmers have successfully grown the cotton plant, they use one of two different methods to harvest their fields.The most common method involves the ‘cotton picker' which does not damage the plant. They also have the option of using whats called a ‘cotton stripper,' but this method makes the cotton more polluted with leaves and stems which requires more cleaning. Once the cotton is picked, it moves on to the cotton gin where on average about 40 bales of cotton per hour are processed. An invention by Eli Whitney, the cotton gin dries out the cotton to remove excess moisture and also to filter out unwanted debree.Next, the fibers are run through circular saws that filter out smaller debree such as seeds that may have gotten through the first part of the process. Finally, once the cotton has completed the ginning process, it is shipped in bales weighing 500 pounds each to textile mills for fabric production. An example of a standard cotton gin is pictured below. The cotton polo that I chose for my paper went through the process of knitting. Knitting can occur on a circular machine which causes the cotton to be processed into a long tube-like fabric, or on a flat bed. Polo shirts are made using the latter process.This is apparent because there are seams connecting the different parts of the shirt, meaning that it was not made from one continuous thread of cotton. There are other methods to transforming cotton into a fabric. Weaving is another popular method, but the fabric produced from weaving is not as flexible as the fabric produced from knitting. Below is an example of a flat bed knitting machine. Cotton is a very popular choice for clothing production. It has been used for thousands of years and many every day items that people use are also made out at least in some part of cotton.The fabric is e asy to maintain, and it is very breathable and soft when worn, making it an ideal choice for not only clothes but anything from pillows to bed sheets to medical products such as gauze. To give an example of how often cotton is used to produce clothing, over 70% of all men's clothing is composed of the fiber. This is due to the fact that cotton is very easy to process and handle, and has many retainable qualities that keep the clothing items intact and looking like new for years if treated with a reasonable amount of care. To clean my polo, I can throw it in the washing machine and also into the dryer afterward.Cotton has a tendency to shrink if dried for too long which is one of the only drawbacks. Cotton also has such advantages as having high absorbency, retaining dyes well, and being easy to handle and knit. Cotton is so widely used around the world that it has it has its own terms of measurement. ‘Cotton count' is used to denote 840 yards per 1 pound of cotton. This is an unusual term of measurement because it measures the length of the cotton instead of its weight. Terms that specifically measure the weight of fibers are the denier and the tex.These measurements apply to all fibers, not specifically cotton. One denier is approximately nine kilograms per meter, while the tex is a ninth of that total at one kilogram per meter. Different parts of the world interchangeably use these two units of measurement. The United States and England use deniers while Canada and most other parts of Europe prefer the tex unit. In conclusion, Ralph Lauren's polo shirts are one of my favorite pieces of clothing that I currently own. They are very comfortable and easy to maintain. This is due to the versatility and quality of the cotton fiber.Not only is it easy to maintain, but also has a fairly cheap production cost and has a huge demand among all types of consumers. That being said, it is no wonder that cotton has been at the top of the list of fibers used for clothi ng for thousands of years.Works Cited Understanding Textiles Collier, Billie J. , Bide, Martin, and Tortora, Phyllis G. Understanding Textiles. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. 2001. Print. Cotton. org http://www. cotton. org/pubs/cottoncounts/fieldtofabric/uses. cfm Wikipedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cotton Cotton Manufacturing http://www. oldandsold. com/articles04/textiles6. shtml

NATO and Terrorism

â€Å"A key feature of terrorism is that it is directed at a wider audience or target than the immediate victims. It is one of the earliest forms of psychological warfare. An inevitable corollary is that terrorism entails attacks on random and symbolic targets, including civilians, in order to create a climate of extreme fear among a wider group.† (Buckley and Fawn, pg. 1) Whenever, any country or a nation is at a critical stage and it feels that someone might capture his homeland, and then he bears the courage to fight for his homeland as for the love of his country. There are special rules and principles according to which countrymen can protect their nation from enemies. An alliance was formed by the European countries and the US when they were facing attacks from the Soviet Nations. To fight for their land, they created an alliance which is called NATO. The abbreviation of NATO is North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It was created to promote harmony among the member countries and throughout the world. The basic responsibilities of the NATO soldiers were to remove the people whose lives were at stake near the borderline so that they could be accommodated too much safer places then those. In this regard, every member country was bound to follow all the instructions of this allied force in connection of the co-operation and peace among these countries. When this allied force was created there were about 51 countries in it and now it comprises about 189 countries. Basically, history tells that it was the unity of all the European nations, United States and Canada against a Soviet attack on their participating or friend nations. â€Å"The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as it often has been, is once again at the center of this debate. Today NATO is once again a subject of concern and debate. Member states have put the organization through a major structural overhaul, but there continue to be doubts concerning its future in the absence of a threat†. (Cohen et al, pg. 20) The NATO is said to be an allied force as it is so it fights against terrorism but the main point to this topic is that if the NATO is fighting against terrorism then terrorism may surely be affecting it in many ways. The most favorable prove in this regard is the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in the Washington District of the United States of America. â€Å"After the events of September 11 2001, a stunned US President George W. Bush declared that ‘night fell on a different world. There was indeed horror around much of the globe that a new and insidious precedent had been set for terror against states, making everyone vulnerable.† (Buckley and Fawn, pg. 1) This effected the reputation and name of the NATO. While within 24 hours of the attack the NATO declared and proved that it was a plan to destroy the image of the NATO and somewhere they have succeeded. But the real plan was to kill the soldiers of the NATO. However, gradually the planes and aircrafts turned towards the WTC and bumped into the world’s highest building. Till then the NATO has been trying to curb terrorism and is in fight of this fearful activity and its activists. However, nowadays, the NATO is working against terrorism in Afghanistan and is trying its level best to damage the hideouts of those jihad militants. The NATO fully recognized its duties after the September 11 2001 attacks, which proved to be harmful for the works of the NATO. After that they started an active participation in fight against terrorism and their first operation was chained outside Europe. The North Atlantic Council, which is the central body of the NATO, directs it from where to start and all the NATO officials have to present their work history or their efforts to this Head Quarter named the North Atlantic Council. The NATO militants are offered their services from here and one is punctual and strict to abide the rules and principles of the Head Quarter. Recently, the 2006 attacks in Turkey by terrorist groups were highly condemned by the NATO and at a conference held at the NAC0 the base commander declared his sympathy with the people of Turkey and strongly condemned the attitudes of the terrorist groups. The point is only that if these terrorist groups and their militants want us to move from their places then they should clearly come and fight with the NATO’s allied forces, while in this way they are not opening the ways of sympathy for them but are creating an emotional of hate in the hearts and minds of the people. This conflict and war of terror between NATO and the terrorists have made the lives of people miserable. They do not care about who is living or who dies. The conflicting situation is continoulsy-disturbing the lives of people and is forcing them to kill themselves because of fear and terror but who cares because nobody would leave this war. Everyone should standby his conditions and all is well that end is well. People would die and last of the entire world would be free of us. Terrorist attacks in Algeria are also increasing but all are helpless in front of the terrorist forces. According to a NATO press release, the Secretary General of the NATO strongly condemning the attacks said that on behalf of all the brave and courageous commandos of the NATO, I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks on Algeria and this is a promise that the NATO will always stand by the Algerians as our Mediterranean teams is also working. We hope for further development in decreasing the number of terrorists from the terrorist affected areas because our teams are working there to combat with the terrorists. However, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the NATO has become more serious and effective in playing its complete role against terrorism. Now, the forces of the NATO are removing people who are living near the terrorist camps especially in Afghanistan. The forces of the NATO fear that these people might be victimized in their context so it would be better to remove and relocate them to a much safer place. The NATO has been much supported and encouraged by its partners in regard of the fight against terrorism. The member countries are always present to help the NATO manage voluntary camps and they also launch campaigns for the betterment of theses courageous soldiers. Nowadays the plan, which is residing among the partner countries, comprises of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the NATO-Russia Council. These two comprise of the supporting countries that have been with the NATO since its formation and have supported this alliance against terrorism in every positive means. Apart from its member countries, the NATO is also sharing up its part with other international organizations and is taking and giving information to those organizations so that their law enforcement agencies could be proven helpful for the NATO in finding fearful and wanted people. In accordance with all of the above statements it has been proved that the NATO is trying its level best to curb the germ named terrorism but is continuously failing in it because the rising umber of crimes and criminals. However, a team like the NATO should be within every country so that it could have a worldwide terror-curbing network. â€Å"Israel and its overseas network in the US†¦. (threatens) not only the oppressed people of Palestine (and Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Syria and any other state Israel takes aim at) but the rights of people throughout the world.† He stresses we have mass public opinion on our side nearly everywhere outside the US, and it's gaining resonance here as well. It sees Israel and our actions in support of the Israeli state as the greatest of all threats to world peace and stability. Petras ends his book with one final impassioned call to arms: â€Å"Let's move ahead and de-colonize our country, our minds and politics as a first step in reconstituting a democratic republic, free of entangling colonial and neo-imperial alliances.† (Petras, 2006) It has been proved that what were the aims and objectives on which the NATO was created. However, it is reminded again that when the US and UK colonies and European nations faced severe attacks from the sides of the Soviet Unions and Soviet nations, then they decided to create an allied force named the NATO. The NATO is supposed to be helpful in curbing the roots of terrorism and it is doing it as its prime duty but the greatest terrorist shock that rocked the whole world as well as the NATO was the 9/11 attacks. â€Å"The September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States have made a smooth joint planning and coordination process even more urgent. While NATO invoked for the first time in its history its collective defense clause, it seems likely that the United States will coordinate its planned attacks on terrorist targets outside the European theater with individual allies rather than through the North Atlantic Council. As a result of the attacks, Washington will be reluctant to add more resources to Balkan peace management, at least in the short term†. (Cohen et al, pg. 74) After these severe attacks, the NATO became more terror and fear conscious and now it has started its operations in Afghanistan and the Ukraine Mediterranean area. However, besides all of this conflicts and situation, terrorism has always been a wall in the social and humanitarian services of the NATO. Wherever the NATO services try to spread peace and harmony, there is a bomb blast reported and same of every attack, the name and the blame comes directly on the allied force the NATO. The NATO has been contributing its services since 1955 and the countries, which are supporting it, should understand to announce an increase in the security of the soldiers. In that, if anybody is severely injured or dies during the military operations, the there should be special arrangements to remind those soldiers who contributed their part for the beloved country land. These soldiers should be regarded as a part of an active and alive society so that the forth-coming generation could remind the services of the beloved ones who sacrificed their lives for the love for their country. In that, it should be remembered and recognized that if these brave soldiers are neither paid tributes for their services or are never recognized for their never ending courage, we will lose these brave soldiers and then we should be ready to face another shock of a new Soviet or another union. Works Cited James Petras (Sep 26, 2006). The Power of Israel in the United States. Lenard J. Cohen, Alexander Moens, and Allen G. Sens. Praeger. NATO and European Security: Alliance Politics from the End of the Cold War to the Age of Terrorism. Westport, CT. Year: 2003. Page Number: 20 Mary Buckley and Rick Fawn. Global Responses to Terrorism: 9/11, Afghanistan and beyond. Routledge.   New York, Year: 2003. Page Number: 1      

Describe and analyse in detail the dramatic importance and visual Essay - 1

Describe and analyse in detail the dramatic importance and visual impact of the Mediterranean setting in Et Dieu cra la femme (Roger Vadim, 1956) - Essay Example To fully comprehend the effect of the different elements on the movie, the impact of the points has to be analyzed in its total form. The formation of the script is important and the Mediterranean settings play an instrumental role in the setting. The classical conceptualization of the plot is one of the strong points. The impact of the Mediterranean setting on the movie can be comprehended form the overall complicity of the movie with the settings. The film has all the element of the modern day cinema and even pushed the boundaries in terms of the classical representation. This ensured the fundamental nature of the movie. The central characters of the film are justified by the Mediterranean settings in the movie. The central plot of the movie is based on this situation of the movie. The Mediterranean settings added a certain degree of charm to the surroundings. This is seen in the heightened sense of sensuality of the movie. The overall development of the movie was seen to be a result on that stress on sensuality. The elements of drama have been seen in the movie and this has endeared the movie to the watchers. The movies were made in the golden age of French drama. It was seen to have all the elements of the genre in place. The progression of the story is significant in terms of the elements involved in the characterization of the movie. The film was directed by Roger Vadim and starred Brigitte Bardot in it. It is the film that is widely credited to have led to the rise of stardom of Bardot. The conceptualization and the development of the story have a touch of sensuality to it. The story has all th e elements that glamorize the settings. If the plot is very keenly observed, it can be seen that the story has concordance with the Mediterranean settings. The sensuousness of the story has been helped by the concept that the story has shown. This is one of the primal parts of the story that is of significance. The film has a

Managing the Employment Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Managing the Employment Relationship - Essay Example In other cases, the employee hold over management is strong and the latter often will have to bend to the former’s demands. In the third scenario, there is excellent rapport between both the groups. This paper is an advisory to the management of XYZ Company Ltd (referred to as XYZ throughout the paper) regarding the current set of problems faced by it. It will look at the range of issues involved and will provide practical solutions in overcoming them. The management is advised to be patient and understanding of the situation and also the demands of the employees. The first section of the advisory deals with an overview of employment relations (and related factors) in order to stress its importance to the management of XYX. The next section will deal with solutions by applying the theoretical knowledge into the workplace. The current situation in XYZ: The company is engaged in the business of manufacturing automobile spare parts and is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for some of the automobile manufactures in UK. The quality and commitment of the management and employees ensured consistent growth in business each year. It is also indicative of the outstanding employee relationship that existed within the company in the past. XYZ, has recently expanded in order to keep up with orders and now employs over 100 employees. The growth of the company has meant a lot of change in recent years, communication with staff has suffered, and now a number of the staff has informed management that they wish to be represented by a trade union and for management to recognise that trade union. A few examples of communication issues are provided here. Before expansion, the structure of the company was flat and even the factory workers had (informal) access to top management. Due to its flat structure, communica tion from top to bottom was quick and clear. If workers had any problems or suggestions, they could either communicate it directly

Egyptian and Greek Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Egyptian and Greek Art History - Essay Example The earliest forms of art in Greece are found in the archaic era.   The different forms of art were pottery, sculpture, architecture, and painting.   In comparison to Egyptian art, the Greek art was underdeveloped. The Egyptians had already made breakthroughs in the construction of the pyramids by the time the Greeks started acknowledging architecture. The painting in Egypt is governed by the use of specific colours that have specific meanings. Egyptian art was limited to the use of six colours. This was not the case of early painting in Greek, which focused on pottery. Artists were allowed to express themselves freely.   Greek artists were allowed to be creative and pass a message using art. This was not the case in Egypt where artists were hired to work as a part of a team. The lead artists did not receive any credit for the work. All the credit went to the person who had commissioned the painting.   It also explains why most Egyptian paintings contained particular messages as opposed to Greek art, which was a free expression of the human form as the artist wanted it.   Civilization in Egypt was deeply rooted in religion, which explains why most works of art were inspired by religion.   Many artworks all through the history of Egypt represented gods and goddesses in Egyptian culture.   This led to the development of strict rules on how humans and gods can be represented in painting. Greek’s art was inspired by creativity, which is evidenced by the expressions seen in their sculptures.

Gay Marriages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gay Marriages - Essay Example As the report declares in Oklahoma, we're introduced to a rancher named Sam. When Earl, his spouse of 25 years, died, he left the farm to Sam. But a few of Earl's cousins, who were of the mind that the land belongs to them, sued for it and won, which now means Sam, who has nary a cent to his name, has to find someplace else to go. His children, from a previous, heterosexual marriage, try to sell a few of Sam's horses, but the asking price is insultingly low. This essay stresses that De Seve uses shots of rallies and protests, fragments from interviews with gay public figures. The history of marriage from medieval times to now is explained, it is said that the concept of mar-rying for love, not the business of survival, is a relatively modern act and that marriage is an ever-evolving institution. De Seve invokes the case of Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter, a white man and black woman whose marriage led to the 1967 Supreme Court decision ending legal restrictions on marriages based on race. The film makes us understand, that it is very important to be tolerant towards those who are not like you, and even if you are a heterosexual, you should understand homosexuals and their desire to have a family. Matters of civil justice often can be quite serious, as it is shown in â€Å"Tying the Knot†. But there can even be life-threatening consequences: in most states, gays cannot make medical decisions for their partners in an emergency.

Privacy and Digital Investigations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Privacy and Digital Investigations - Essay Example Therefore, upon the detection of suspicious computer incidents, the organization immediately launches a forensics/digital investigation which is fully compliant with a policy which has been jointly drawn up by both the legal and the IT departments. This report will begin with a brief overview of privacy considerations, following which it will describe the organization's policy and highlight both its strengths and weaknesses. According to federal employment laws, employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Aftab (2006) notes that the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 explicitly prohibits employer monitoring of employee private electronic communications, even if the medium of communication was owned by the employer, occurred in the workplace and on the employer's own time. Employees should reasonably expect that the electronic equipment assigned to their use, whether computers or telephones, are not going to be used for the purposes of monitoring their activities and private communiqus. At the same time, Aftab (2006) notes that it has become increasingly important for employers to monitor employee use of these equipments, especially in instances of investigation. Therefore, to overcome the strictures placed on employers by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, organizations typically have employees sign an organization-specific Electronic and Communication Equipment policy. This p olicy, according to Merkow and Breithaupt (2002) and Aftab (2006), clearly specifies that that the employee has the right to review all documents and materials which were created, sent or received via corporate equipment and, indeed, to subject the equipment to forensic investigations which would expose employee use of the equipment. In other words, employees are often required to legally waive their legal right to privacy. According to our Legal Director, our organization has such a policy in place and all employees are required to sign it. 2.2 Patient Privacy Patient privacy is protected by federal legislature. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, clearly outlines the inviolability of patient confidentiality. Jacobs (2005) explains that it is contingent upon companies in the healthcare sector to ensure that patient data is protected against unauthorised access and, of course, public dissemination. If violations occur and investigations reveal that the organization did not do all that was possible to securitize patient data, it could be held liable for negligence and subsequently sued by patients. Therefore, the priority for ant healthcare organisation should be the securitization of patient data (Jacob, 2005). 3 Investigation Policy The organization's investigation policy, as explained by the Legal Department Director is simultaneously informed and enabled by the privacy considerations outlined in the above. Investigation policy is driven by the objective of identifying ant possible violations of patient privacy and the identity of the violator and the forensics investigations which are integral to the fulfilment of the stated objectives are enabled by employee waiver of their right

Britton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Britton - Essay Example On the other hand, developed countries are defined as ‘technologically and ecologically advanced, enjoy relatively high standards of living and have modern social and political institutions and structures’ (Huybers, 2007, p. 28). Britton expresses his own view on underdeveloped countries by quoting ‘third word countries are seen to suffer from a series of common structural distortions in their economic and social organization. Britton makes emphasizes that third world countries are characterized by forms of dependent development. Britton claims that dependency is conceptualized as the process of historical conditioning that alters the internal functioning of social and economic sub-system within an underdeveloped country. He further outlines that foreign parties have a legacy of political, ideological and economic transformation in the third world countries (Britton, 1982, p. 333). He elaborates that dependency entails the subordination of the national economic ind ependence, which has to meet the requirements of foreign individuals and upper class society as a substitute of political priorities. According to his analysis, Britton believes that structural alterations include lack of fundamental infrastructure like air space, roads and proper knowledge of the tourism industry are the main cause of the underdevelopment. Telfer and Sharpley also attributes this underdevelopment to gender issues like lack of human safety, rights and security (Sharpley & Telfer, 2008, p.4). Britton through his journal draws the fact that colonialism is a major key in how much development takes place in a certain country. Colonization is defined as the invasion and control of other people’s resources and land. During colonization, the original population is kicked out of large plots of land and settlers from another country occupying their land (Mowforth & Munt, 2003, p. 73). Britton also argues that, colonial and imperial domination has largely contributed t o the downfall of many underdeveloped countries especially during the post-colonial period. Many post-colonized countries have close ties with the government of the countries that colonized them. However, according to Britton, this benefits the underdeveloped countries and offers them a chance to flourish due to these benefits since members of the ruling class bear the power required in dealing with the foreign government representatives and officials of the industry itself. According to Britton, many underdeveloped nations use tourism in generating foreign exchange as well as increasing employment opportunities that attract development capital. Therefore, these underdeveloped countries mainly target tourists from these developed countries since they are seen as higher valued in terms of tourism (Kunkel, 2008, p. 37). In order for the underdeveloped nations, to develop a strong tourist economy they have to be rely on the developed nations since capital from foreign tourism is necess ary and beneficial to any developing nation. Therefore, post-colonial countries always seek overseas investments in order to aid them in developing tourism plans. Due to this, many underdeveloped nations have developed business ties with developed countries that are their major tourists since they largely assist them in raising revenue (Lea, 1988, p. 27). Additionally, Briton states the fact that third world countries do not have a choice but to accept the high degree

Ambition, Commitment and Enthusiasm in My Education Essay

Ambition, Commitment and Enthusiasm in My Education - Essay Example Despite my commitment to education in my childhood education, I always liked being close to my parents. Rodriquez explains that sometimes he would be detached from his parents due to his ambitious reading (Bartholomae & Petrosky, 2005). In my case, reading and education never threatened my relationship with parents and siblings. Whenever my parents were hasty to go somewhere or do something, I would go with them, bringing my book along with me. I learned to balance between family and education life since I was young. My parents always encouraged me, giving me the motivation to improve my study skills and perform better in school. I was not confident in my education when I was young, just like Rodriguez. However, my parents always reminded me that I had the ability to achieve my dreams. I built my confidence slowly, and by High School I was confident. Before making any significant decisions regarding my education, I consulted my parents who would always give me pieces of advice that c hanged my approaches positively. Rodriguez also changed his attitude from the third year, showing the similarity between his education and mine.   From a middle-class family, my adjustment to the classroom was also difficult, but my desire to improve academically led me to adjust easily. I was used to the home’s plentiful love, support, food, and play with my siblings and parents.   It was not easy for me to adapt to this system, but I always reminded myself of the achievements I targeted in education.

Software to Support Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Software to Support Assessment - Essay Example Donnelly, McGarr, & O’Reilly noted that in the quest to arrest the decline in the number of students taking science subjects in higher education the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment highlighted ‘the need to focus on investigative approaches, problem-solving, the assessment of practical work and the effective use of ICT.’ In light of this rapid injection of technology in the teaching and learning arena teachers need to be able to assess not only the software that is on the market for their use but the ability of the technology to effectively assess student learning. Consequently, there is a need to analyze the capacity of technology to facilitate assessment of students’ learning. Tomlinson emphasizes that there may be ‘assessment of learning, assessment for learning, and assessment as learning.’ Ultimately, Tomlinson suggests that assessment is most useful when it is seen as learning because it is then that it most informs the teac hing and learning process. She sees assessment as the ‘beginning of better instruction’. Assessment then is a vital part of the entire teaching learning process. This paper analyses how technology can facilitate both formative and summative assessment of student learning. ... Tomlinson observed that by the time she had given a final grade in a summative assessment the class would have been ‘moving on to a new topic’. She noted that this information could not be effectively utilized because the time for its effectiveness would have been gone. Thus, Tomlinson became ‘a devotee of formative assessment’ which would allow her to correct students’ faults in real time. Finally, Tomlinson views summative assessment as assessment of learning, and formative assessments as assessment for learning. It is difficult for the teacher to use technology for formative assessment since this process occurs almost spontaneously. Nonetheless, the use of the SMART board as highlighted by Debunker allows the teacher and the student to interact in real time. It is easier for summative assessment to be provided through technological means since these are standardized materials which may be given to all students at the end of the year. Using technolo gy to assess student learning is an emerging concepts as such there are a number of teething problems associated with its implementation. Hence, the use of technology to assess student learning brings with it several pros and cons. Technology allows teachers to analyze the scores of students at a faster rate. The use of assessment software allows for greater standardization across the districts. What is more, the students enjoy interacting with the technology. Thus, they will be more comfortable with the use of the technology than with traditional procedures. Two major concerns of the use of technology are the ‘quality’ and the cost of the materials. Williams, Boone, & Kingsley assert that teachers expect producers of educational material to be

Response to the Right Stuff Essay Example for Free

Response to the Right Stuff Essay David Suzuki in his essay â€Å"The Right Stuff† stresses the importance of sex education and human biology, in the course of science, in high schools. He urges that in high schools sex education should be taught first than any other subject. Suzuki argues that the impressions made in high school are very deep and are unforgotten than any other stage of life, so in this age, whatever they will learn, will always remember and will be very beneficial throughout their life. So, he urges the need of educating human sexuality in high school. Although Suzuki’s idea of teaching sex education in high school is interesting, the argument he makes is less than convincing. Suzuki’s main purpose for writing essay is reflecting the importance of sex education in high schools. He wants that science education in high schools should be taught practically and in more interesting way. He argues that the students in high school are enough mature to understand about sex education, and the lessons they learn at high schools will be helpful for their whole life and they will always remember those lessons. He says that all students do not choose science course at university level, so sex education needs to be taught in high schools. He informs that the students are interested and pay more attention towards the topics of human biology, drugs, and sex, so in science class sex education should be taught first. Suzuki in his essay uses the information from his personal knowledge and from his science background. He sees everything in a scientific way because of a science background, and suggests teachers that first they go through practically from every subject in science before teaching to students. He also wants in high schools, sex education should be plan around human biology. The major part of the essay covered his personal narration, which is his visit to a small town to judge a science fair. Suzuki also uses some information in his essay, from the book â€Å"Is There Life After High School?† that he read and some given by a high school teacher of a small town about the interes t of students towards sex, drugs and cars. The consequences of Suzuki’s reasoning are that some of the parents and religious persons maybe on the other side because maybe they do not want that their children know about sex education, that is why, they may be disagree. On the other side, if students get all the information regarding sex in their early age at high school, they might be grow too quickly, and probably get into sexual activities in their young age. In some of the religions, sex education is not allowed in high schools, if it kept compulsory in schools, so maybe some religions will oppose it. And also students may not pay much attention to other subjects, or they start watching erotic films, so that will affect their life. In his essay, Suzuki does not provide strong evidences to support his idea. He first describes the life of students in high school and the changes occur in that period, then he suddenly shifts to his personal experience in a small northern town with 400 high school students. But his main points are not properly argued. Suzuki wants sex education to be taught in high school, but he didn’t think about the bad impact of that education on students. Some students will probably do a lot of bad things, which they don’t need to do, if they will get the knowledge about sex in their teenage. So, his main point is not convincing.

Conflict Resolution Strategies and Styles

Conflict Resolution Strategies and Styles Abstract The world is turning into globalization concept to increase the productivity and efficiency to achieve the organizational goals. To achieve standard effectiveness of the organization the number of techniques and strategic management tools used in different ways either combining/integrating one and other or straight way use one technique. People techniques and organizational techniques are playing very vital role in developing the organization and growth of it. With the help of integration of these techniques we can achieve the effective results after applying in the organization. Organization and people are strongly inter-related to each other. So the effective use of these people technique directly effect on the organization and vise versa. The conflict management is the people technique but effective and timely use of this technique can give the advantage to the organization on the competitors. The consideration of the competitive advantages is very important while making the organ izational strategy. The skilled people are the competitive advantages over the same functional competitors. This skilled people force give you a huge competitive advantage and that should be avoid resolving the conflicts between them timely. Conflict management is a key success factor for any organization and we are considering this technique while the formulation of the organizational strategy like CPM (competitive profile matrix) is the organizational technique to formulation strategy. Integration of these techniques (Conflict management CPM) will directly affect the business in positive direction. Keywords: Competitive profile matrix (CPM), Internal factor evluation (IFE), External factor eveluation (EFE), Kye success factors, Conflict resolution Style, competitive advantages, latent stage,congnition and personlization, Key success factor (KSF) Introduction â€Å"Competition people† these two words are always interrelated in all the areas of the globe. New technologies, tools methods provide extraordinary results in every sector of business world. But apart from those â€Å"people† in the organization will also play a vital strategic role to success of any business and stand as a leading competitor in market. Applying people techniques into Organizational techniques and vice versa, and integrating of these techniques for an organization will help to its growth in the market. Key success factors (KSF) are usually understood to be the set of factors that can be considered key to the continued success of an organization or a business. These factors may be ‘skills, tasks, or behaviour, they can operate at a number of levels and be used for a diversity purpose .There are many key success factors will impact to a successful organizations. And these key success factors will helpful to compare the rival competitors in the market. Competitive profile matrix (CPM) is a strategic management tool to communicate with the attributes and shows the competitors in the market. And it is setting up the stages to describe your competitive advantage and the basis for your company strategy. In every organization there will be some conflicts among peoples, groups and departments, by resolving these issues among them in timely lead the organization in positive direction among the competitors in the market. It means when we compare the competitive organizations in the market, we will consider some of the key success factors, and with these key success factors (KSF) we can build the competitive profile matrix, for each success factor , indicators are measures of performance should be established and tailored , the identified information will need to be developed or modified to ensure that the success key information is collected, analyzed, and distributed, in other words , it helps to ensure that the organizations inf ormation support the key activities and thus the wider objectives. In CPM there are five main attributes, like key success factor, rating, weight, weighted score and total weight score; here we will give the ratings for each factor its ranges from 1 to 4. 1 is low, and ‘4 is high, means when we compare the organizations we will put the common key success factors (like, advertising, etc) and assign the rate for each factor. And assign the weight of the each key success factor, it ranges from 0 to 1 (low to high), weighted score value is the result achieved after multiplying each factor rating with weight. While integrating these techniques (people organization) we can put conflict management as one of the key success factor, in CPM. Means how effectively and timely the conflicts are managed in organizations among the people, groups depts. Always healthy environment in any organization helpful to its growth, by taking advantage of this making as â€Å"conflict management† is a strategic people technique, and integrating with the organization technique CPM, when the total weighted score in CPM is ranges between 1(low) to 4(high). If the total weight score fall below 2.5 consider as week, higher than 2.5 is consider as strong in the position. The firm with higher total weight score considered as winner in competitive market. Catching the competitors weak point and making it as strong point for your organization and managing any conflict issues timely in organization, makes you as the leader of the market. People Technique (Conflict management) What is conflict? Conflict is the process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. Conflict is a process in which people disagree over significant issues, thereby creating friction between parties. Conflict can exist when people have opposing interests, perceptions, and feelings; when those involved recognize the existence of differing points of view; when the disagreement is ongoing; and when opponents try to prevent each other from accomplishing their goals. Although conflict can be destructive, it can also be beneficial when used as a source of renewal and creativity. A competition and rivalry between individuals or groups over an outcome that both seek, is not the same as conflict. In competition, there must be a winner and a loser; with conflict, people can cooperate so that no one wins or loses. When people think of the word conflict, they often think of wars or violence. However, conflict exists at all levels of society in all sorts of situations. It is easy to forget that we experience conflict every day of our lives. Conflict happens when two or more people or groups have, or think they have, incompatible goals. However, in most cases we resolve the conflict. From a personal level to international level, good communication is usually used to overcome differences and to reach an agreement before violence breaks out. At a personal level, we often do not realize we are overcoming our differences. It is important to remember that conflict can be creative. Conflict is sometimes necessary to bring justice where injustice exists. It can provide an opportunity for new social and political systems to be established and can help to shape the future. However, when conflict becomes violent it will usually do more harm than good. After violent conflict, it is often difficult to see the opportunities for a better future due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods, the breakdown of trust and the suffering caused through bereavement, trauma, grief and anger. It is also likely that such social change could have occurred before the conflict became violent. Transitions in Conflict Thought: Conflicts are an everyday phenomenon in each organization. Conflicts are impossible to avoid, but it is possible to manage them in a way that we recognize the conflict symptoms in time. It is necessary to continuously track the organizational signals, which point to their existence. In case we do not react in due time, this can lead to a situation where the conflict itself manages the organization. Problems mostly occur in those organizations where the business results directly depend on collaboration, team work and creativity, and where having only the results in mind, we tend to forget to take care of people and mutual relationships. Disagreement which occurs when goals, interests or values of various individuals or groups are incompatible and those people block each others efforts for accomplishing goals is called organizational conflict. Reduction of work performance efficiency, reduced communication among employees, motivation fall and ultimate employees dissatisfaction are only some of the numerous negative consequences of conflict. But the conflict itself does not have to be negative; the majority of conflicts can in fact be an excellent ground for accomplishment of better business results, and an impulse for changes and growth of the Organization itself [5x]. Duly recognition and adequate conflict management can lead to series of positive effects like stimulation of creativity and innovation within the company, stimulation of changes towards work quality improvement, reduction of incurred tensions etc. Moreover, in case conflicts lead to constructive changes they should be encouraged in order to make a good relation among employees based on mutual respect. Sometimes conflicts should be regarded as a resource which enables us constant new learning, new knowledge and a potential growth and development of organization. The employees directly involved in the conflict often do not have the opportunity to cope with the whole situation or the impact of all elements in the given situation, mostly because of restricted ability for decision-making. [6x] Throughout the years there were times when conflict was perceived in a different way, so we distinguish: Traditional view of conflict Human relations view Interactionist view. Traditional view of conflict in ‘30s and ‘40s of the last century it is believed that the conflict is something bad, that it is destructive for the organization, and that it should be avoided. It is considered that the sources of conflict are mostly the results of bad communication and lack of trust. According to this standpoint one should avoid conflict, as well as people who make the conflict, so that the work performance be satisfactory. Human relations view is that the conflict is something natural which occurs within every organization. This view is characteristic for the period from the ‘40s to the ‘70s of the last century. It is considered that conflicts should be accepted, and that conflicts eventually can lead to better work performance. Interacionist view is still represented today, and is based on the approach according to which conflicts should be encouraged, because they tend to have a positive effect on creativity and innovation by the employees. [6x] Types and levels of Conflict There are four types of conflict. Inter-group conflict occurs when groups within and outside the organization disagree on various issues. Interpersonal conflict Interpersonal conflict emphasizes the interaction of human factors in an organization. Here we are concerned with these factors as they appear in a dyadic relationship. It is further classified into two classes of factors as conflict sources. These are: Personal.Individuals are not identical, constant or consistent. When two individuals are brought together and kept together, each with their own qualities, needs and skills, a conflict may ensue if their attributes are not meshed together in a coordinated way. Interaction between individuals with different attitudes, values and needs can produce conflict behavior and affect organizational performance.[8x] Functional. Individuals in organizations have roles which are expected sets of behavior associated with their position. In theory, individuals are not expected to engage in any discretionary behavior. Such specification would be consistent with organizational preferences for consistency and predictability. In practice, however, role specifications tend to be ambiguous and incomplete, and in their interaction with others, some individuals often feel dissatisfied with their role or position, or they may feel that their aspirations for higher positions are being frustrated. Interpersonal conflict can be accounted for, to a great extent, in terms of the incumbents roles and their expectations in particular situations. Intra group conflict occurs within a work group over goals and work procedures. Intrapersonal conflict Intrapersonal conflict is internal to the individual and is perhaps the most difficult form of conflict to analyze and manage. Intrapersonal conflict is basically a conflict between two incompatible tendencies. It arises when a stimulus evokes two different and incompatible tendencies and the individual is required to discriminate between these tendencies. [7x] Horizontal conflict takes place between departments or groups at the same level of the organization. In contrast, vertical conflict occurs between groups at different levels of the organization. Types of Conflict Task conflict: Conflicts over content and goals of the work Relationship conflict: Conflict based on interpersonal relationships Process conflict: Conflict over how work gets done Organizational conflict: Organizational conflict occurs when a stakeholder group pursues its interests at the expense of other stakeholders. Given the different goals of stakeholders, organizational conflict is predictable. Conflict is associated with negative images, such as unions getting angry and violent, but some conflict can improve effectiveness. When conflict passes a certain point, it hurts an organization. If we do not react duly, this can lead to the situation that the conflict itself manages the organization. One of the more important determinants of productivity, efficiency and performance, and finally job contentment is also the conflict as an independent variable of organizational behavior. By systematic research of organizational behavior we want to make a positive influence on dependent variables, but first we have to understand and get a good insight into individual elements of organizational behavior. There is strong relationship between the level of conflict and the impact on the Organizational performance. [8x] Personal conflict: Conflict sometimes has a destructive effect on theindividualsandgroupsinvolved. At other times, however, conflict can increase the capacity of those affected to deal with problems, and therefore it can be used as a motivating force toward innovation and change. Conflict is encountered in two general forms. Personal conflict refers to an individuals inner workings and personality problems. It was also pointed out that there is a basic incompatibility between the authority and structure of formal organizations and the human personality.Human behaviorcannot be separated from the culture that surrounds it.[5x] Many difficulties in this area are beyond the scope ofmanagementand more in the province of aprofessional counselor, but there are some aspects of personal conflict that managers should understand and some they can possibly help remedy. Social conflict refers to interpersonal, intergroup, and intergroup differences. Role Conflict: Another facet of personal conflict has to do with the multiple roles people play in organizations.Behavioralscientists sometimes describe anorganizationas a system of position roles. Each member of the organization belongs to a role set, which is an association of individuals who share interdependent tasks and thus perform formally defined roles, which are further influenced both by the expectations of others in the role set and by ones own personality and expectations. For example, in a common form of classroom organization, students are expected to learn from the instructor by listening to him, following his directions for study, taking exams, and maintaining appropriate standards of conduct. Theinstructoris expected to bring students high-quality learning materials, give lectures, write and conduct tests, and set a scholarly example. Another in this role set would be the dean of the school, who sets standards, hires and supervises faculty, maintains a servicestaff, readers and gra ders, and so on. The system of roles to which an individual belongs extends outside the organization as well, and influences his functioning within it. As an example, a mans roles as husband, father, son, and church member are all intertwined with each other and with his set of organizational roles.[4x] Conflict within groups: Conflicts between people in work groups, committees, task forces, and other organizational forms of face-to-face groups are inevitable. As we have mentioned, these conflicts may be destructive as well as constructive. In western culture, winning is more acceptable than losing, and competition is more prevalent than cooperation, all of which tends to intensify intragroup conflict. Group meetings are often conducted in a win-lose climate — that is, individual or subgroup interaction is conducted for the purpose of determining a winner and a loser rather than for achieving mutual problem solving[5x].Conflict arises in groups because of the scarcity of freedom, position, and resources. People who value independence tend to resist the need for interdependence and, to some extent, conformity within a group. People who seek power therefore struggle with others for position or status within the group. Rewards and recognition are often perceived as insufficient and improperly distributed, and members are inclined to compete with each other for these prizes. Interdepartmental Conflict The third major cause of organizational conflict is structural. Organizations are designed around product lines, regions or technical specialties. These activities are assigned to departments that often have mutually exclusive structured interests and goals and that interact within a framework of scarce resources and task dependence. When resources are relatively fixed and when one departments gain is at the expense of another, conflict should be expected. If two sub-units in an organizational system have differentiated goals and are functionally interdependent, conditions exist for conflict. Interdependence produces the need for collaboration, but it also presents occasions for conflict. [9x] Other contextual factors which affect the interaction structure between departments and create the conditions for interdepartmental conflict include: different attitudes between line and staff units, organizational size (directly related to level of conflict) and standardization (inversely related to conflict), physical or communicational barriers between departments, unequal access to authority, rewards or organizational resources and ambiguity or uncertainty in assigning tasks or rewards to different departments. These are the sources of conflict situations in organizations. How a conflict situation will change over time, how its interrelated components will alter and the environment, in which it occurs will respond, is dependent upon the administrators efforts to manage or influence it. This in turn is related to ones understanding of the source of a specific conflict situation. Process of Conflict: Process of conflict consists of 4 stages or levels of conflict according to which the development of relationships between the sides involved in conflict is shown. The first stage is also called as latent stage in which certain characteristics, like communication, structure and personal variables, can lead to conflict. It is important to point out that it is not necessary to have the simultaneous occurrence of all three factors, but occurrence of just one. Communication in organization is very important, in case there is lack of communication in the organization this can lead to conflict. But also to much communication, as well as obstacles in communication, possible lack of understanding or noise in the communication channel can produce conflict as a consequence. The second stage, cognition and personalization stage represents the outcome of the impact of first phase factors. We distinguish two sub stages in this stage: Perception of the participants in conflict which does not mean that conflict, has occurred. Not until there has come to articulation of feelings and expression of awareness of conflict, can we say that the conflict itself occurs. In the third stage there comes to conflict manifestation. There is hostile behavior among participants in conflict and we say there comes to the so called open disagreement. The last stage in this process of conflict is the conflict outcome which shows us the further relationship development of the participants in conflict and consequences of conflict. Consequences of conflict can be manifest through increased working efficacy of the organization in whole or quite the contrary, the decrease of working efficacy [8x]. Conflict management styles: The success of the organization depends on the ability of conflict recognition and the very way of conflict management. Conflict management implies integration of all factors which can contribute to conflict resolution or its prevention. Those factors are improvement of communication and practicing discipline in the organization, as well as having in mind the life phases of parties included. Different authors know about various approaches to conflict management. Besides five typical approaches and strategies on conflict management which we will show and explain, it is important to point out that an important role bears also the organization itself as the third party in conflict. The organization appears as the mediator between adversaries or as arbitrator. This third party in organization are managers which by using their experience have to constantly develop new strategies and tactic for conflict resolution by using their experience. Moreover, it is generally acknowledged that confl ict represents the most severe test of managers interpersonal skills. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES DIAGRAM: Thomas and Kilmann identified a conflict-handling grid comprised of five conflict management styles based on two dimensions: assertiveness and cooperativeness. Assertiveness is the motivation of an individual to achieve his/her own goals, objectives, and outcomes, while cooperativeness assesses the willingness to allow or help the other party to achieve its goals or outcomes. Any of the five conflict resolution styles might be appropriate based on the circumstances of the situation and the personalities of the individuals involved. Avoiding Conflict Resolution Style The avoiding style is low on both assertiveness and cooperativeness. In other words, the manager is not very cooperative in helping the other individuals to achieve their goals, but neither is he/she aggressively pursuing his/her own preferred outcomes in the situation. The original problem, conflict, or situation is never directly addressed or resolved. However, avoiding behavior might be appropriate when the issue is perceived by the manager to be trivial. It might also be an appropriate approach to use when there is no chance of winning or when disruption would be very costly. When is Avoiding Appropriate? Avoiding conflict can be an appropriate choice, depending on the circumstances. According to Thomas-Kilmann avoiding is an appropriate form of dealing with conflict when used in the following situations: When an issue is trivial and other issues are more important or pressing use time and effort where it will be most productive. When there is no opportunity to constructively address the concern attempts to deal with the problem will likely result in futility and may make matters worse. It may not be the right time or place. When the potential cost of confronting the conflict outweighs the benefits in addressing it this requires assessment and judgment. To buy time and give angry people an opportunity to cool down so that tensions can be reduced it is important for parties to take a break to regain perspective and composure when the situation becomes heated. To refrain from making a rushed decision and allow time to obtain more information or support well planned and prepared decisions are usually the best decisions. When it is more appropriate for others to resolve the conflict resist getting in the middle of conflicts that are better dealt with by other people. Working with Conflict Avoidant Individuals It is clear that the use of avoiding dealing with conflicts and differences can have both positive and negative implications. When working with individuals as a supervisor, mediator, or friend it is helpful to get them to consider the pros and cons of avoiding conflict. Developing a strategy or plan requires that conflict avoidant individuals at least consider their options. [10x] Choosing a conflict mode other than avoiding may be understood by conflict avoidant people as a better option but acting on this choice can still be very difficult. Ensure that emotions are under control so that the facts, beliefs, and goals regarding the disagreement can be clarified and understood as objectively as possible. Excessive fear can be emotionally paralyzing. Role playing or writing out a plan of action can give a conflict avoidant person the confidence they need to deal with the conflict. Assertiveness coaching may also help. These preparatory approaches allow individuals to express their thoughts and feelings in a manner that is typically less stressful than talking about them spontaneously. It is possible that one party will be in a relative power position over another, such as a boss vs. employee. In these situations involve a person in a mediator role who can be neutral yet balance the power relationship so that the weaker party will develop the courage to address their concerns. When this is not possible the weaker party may need to include another person as a third party advocate or observer to help give them some support. [10x] Competing Conflict Resolution Style The competing style of resolving conflict is also known as the win-lose approach. A manager using this style, characterized by high assertiveness and low cooperativeness, seeks to reach his/her own preferred outcomes at the expense of other individuals. This approach may be appropriate when quick, decisive action is needed, such as during emergencies. It can also be used to confront unpopular actions, such as urgent cost cutting. The strategy of â€Å"competing† as a means of gaining power and control stems from early childhood and is reinforced throughout our years in school and college. Many children learn that they can obtain material objects as well as social control over people by using assertive, demanding or aggressive behavior. As they mature they use their talent to compete to â€Å"be the best† student, athlete, musician, etc. or to socially compete to be popular and have status among peers. Some youth learn to deal with disagreements by persuading others to accept their position. Others use power negatively in the form of arguments, threats, intimidation, or physical fighting. Youth who are effective at competing are deemed to be successful. Children and youth who do not stand up for themselves in conflicts may be seen as weak. Many video games and other media directed at youth promote the thrill of engaging in conflict with the goal of defeating the â€Å"enemy†, often using a ny means possible. All of these dynamics promote the use of competitiveness. While parents and teachers also instruct children to be kind, considerate, and cooperative there remains a strong inclination toward using competitiveness as a means of solving problems and achieving success. The value of competing to resolve differences and achieve goals continues into adulthood and employment. Individuals compete for status and position within organizations, sometimes being rewarded for their ability to achieve business goals by being better than their internal colleagues or external business competitors. Successful leaders demonstrate an ability to strategically use their competitive energy and skills for personal and professional benefit. While competing can be productive it can also cause problems when used excessively or inappropriately. It can lead to misuse of power, fraudulent acts, and unethical or illegal activity as we have seen in the situation at Enron and in other business and political events in the news. Truly successful people develop the judgment and skills to use competitiveness effectively and appropriately. [10x] Competing is an appropriate form of dealing with conflict when used in the following situations: When a quick decision and action is needed. When the outcome is critical and cannot be compromised. When you know you are right and are doing the correct thing. In emergencies or when safety is a concern. When being right matters more than preserving the relationship with the other party. When important but unpopular actions are needed such as cost-cutting, down-sizing, enforcing rules, or administering discipline. When ones position, authority, or rights are being challenged. When implementing strategic change and strong, confident leadership needs to be demonstrated. When used inappropriately competing in conflict situations can lead to negative consequences such as: When it strains relationships leading to resentment and retaliation. When it causes intimidation which inhibits important communication, discussion of alternative ideas and attempts at problem solving. When collaboration or compromise would lead to a better exchange of information and better decisions or outcomes. When personal drive for power and control overrides the best interests of the organization. When it results in diminished commitment and support from staff. When it is indicative of a highly competitive personality trait resulting in overuse, causing a person to not recognize when it is important to quit or take another stance. When â€Å"winning at all costs† results in harm to people or the organization. When the personal relationship is more important than the issue at stake. In attempting to address a conflict with another person who differs with you and takes a competitive position it may be helpful to do the following: Allow the person to first thoroughly explain their position, asking clarifying questions. Summarize and repeat what you have heard to assure mutual understanding. Acknowledge the parts that you agree with. Ask the party to carefully listen to your position, clarifying points of agreement and disagreement, using logic and data to support your perspective. Consider having both positions put into writing for review and consideration. Minimize discussion or expression of feelings or subjective elements unless the other party seems open to this perspective. Point out the mutual benefits of a decision that involve collaboration or compromise if this is an option. Help the other party to understand how your position will benefit him/her and how they can gain from agreement with your proposal. I Conflict Resolution Strategies and Styles Conflict Resolution Strategies and Styles Abstract The world is turning into globalization concept to increase the productivity and efficiency to achieve the organizational goals. To achieve standard effectiveness of the organization the number of techniques and strategic management tools used in different ways either combining/integrating one and other or straight way use one technique. People techniques and organizational techniques are playing very vital role in developing the organization and growth of it. With the help of integration of these techniques we can achieve the effective results after applying in the organization. Organization and people are strongly inter-related to each other. So the effective use of these people technique directly effect on the organization and vise versa. The conflict management is the people technique but effective and timely use of this technique can give the advantage to the organization on the competitors. The consideration of the competitive advantages is very important while making the organ izational strategy. The skilled people are the competitive advantages over the same functional competitors. This skilled people force give you a huge competitive advantage and that should be avoid resolving the conflicts between them timely. Conflict management is a key success factor for any organization and we are considering this technique while the formulation of the organizational strategy like CPM (competitive profile matrix) is the organizational technique to formulation strategy. Integration of these techniques (Conflict management CPM) will directly affect the business in positive direction. Keywords: Competitive profile matrix (CPM), Internal factor evluation (IFE), External factor eveluation (EFE), Kye success factors, Conflict resolution Style, competitive advantages, latent stage,congnition and personlization, Key success factor (KSF) Introduction â€Å"Competition people† these two words are always interrelated in all the areas of the globe. New technologies, tools methods provide extraordinary results in every sector of business world. But apart from those â€Å"people† in the organization will also play a vital strategic role to success of any business and stand as a leading competitor in market. Applying people techniques into Organizational techniques and vice versa, and integrating of these techniques for an organization will help to its growth in the market. Key success factors (KSF) are usually understood to be the set of factors that can be considered key to the continued success of an organization or a business. These factors may be ‘skills, tasks, or behaviour, they can operate at a number of levels and be used for a diversity purpose .There are many key success factors will impact to a successful organizations. And these key success factors will helpful to compare the rival competitors in the market. Competitive profile matrix (CPM) is a strategic management tool to communicate with the attributes and shows the competitors in the market. And it is setting up the stages to describe your competitive advantage and the basis for your company strategy. In every organization there will be some conflicts among peoples, groups and departments, by resolving these issues among them in timely lead the organization in positive direction among the competitors in the market. It means when we compare the competitive organizations in the market, we will consider some of the key success factors, and with these key success factors (KSF) we can build the competitive profile matrix, for each success factor , indicators are measures of performance should be established and tailored , the identified information will need to be developed or modified to ensure that the success key information is collected, analyzed, and distributed, in other words , it helps to ensure that the organizations inf ormation support the key activities and thus the wider objectives. In CPM there are five main attributes, like key success factor, rating, weight, weighted score and total weight score; here we will give the ratings for each factor its ranges from 1 to 4. 1 is low, and ‘4 is high, means when we compare the organizations we will put the common key success factors (like, advertising, etc) and assign the rate for each factor. And assign the weight of the each key success factor, it ranges from 0 to 1 (low to high), weighted score value is the result achieved after multiplying each factor rating with weight. While integrating these techniques (people organization) we can put conflict management as one of the key success factor, in CPM. Means how effectively and timely the conflicts are managed in organizations among the people, groups depts. Always healthy environment in any organization helpful to its growth, by taking advantage of this making as â€Å"conflict management† is a strategic people technique, and integrating with the organization technique CPM, when the total weighted score in CPM is ranges between 1(low) to 4(high). If the total weight score fall below 2.5 consider as week, higher than 2.5 is consider as strong in the position. The firm with higher total weight score considered as winner in competitive market. Catching the competitors weak point and making it as strong point for your organization and managing any conflict issues timely in organization, makes you as the leader of the market. People Technique (Conflict management) What is conflict? Conflict is the process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. Conflict is a process in which people disagree over significant issues, thereby creating friction between parties. Conflict can exist when people have opposing interests, perceptions, and feelings; when those involved recognize the existence of differing points of view; when the disagreement is ongoing; and when opponents try to prevent each other from accomplishing their goals. Although conflict can be destructive, it can also be beneficial when used as a source of renewal and creativity. A competition and rivalry between individuals or groups over an outcome that both seek, is not the same as conflict. In competition, there must be a winner and a loser; with conflict, people can cooperate so that no one wins or loses. When people think of the word conflict, they often think of wars or violence. However, conflict exists at all levels of society in all sorts of situations. It is easy to forget that we experience conflict every day of our lives. Conflict happens when two or more people or groups have, or think they have, incompatible goals. However, in most cases we resolve the conflict. From a personal level to international level, good communication is usually used to overcome differences and to reach an agreement before violence breaks out. At a personal level, we often do not realize we are overcoming our differences. It is important to remember that conflict can be creative. Conflict is sometimes necessary to bring justice where injustice exists. It can provide an opportunity for new social and political systems to be established and can help to shape the future. However, when conflict becomes violent it will usually do more harm than good. After violent conflict, it is often difficult to see the opportunities for a better future due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods, the breakdown of trust and the suffering caused through bereavement, trauma, grief and anger. It is also likely that such social change could have occurred before the conflict became violent. Transitions in Conflict Thought: Conflicts are an everyday phenomenon in each organization. Conflicts are impossible to avoid, but it is possible to manage them in a way that we recognize the conflict symptoms in time. It is necessary to continuously track the organizational signals, which point to their existence. In case we do not react in due time, this can lead to a situation where the conflict itself manages the organization. Problems mostly occur in those organizations where the business results directly depend on collaboration, team work and creativity, and where having only the results in mind, we tend to forget to take care of people and mutual relationships. Disagreement which occurs when goals, interests or values of various individuals or groups are incompatible and those people block each others efforts for accomplishing goals is called organizational conflict. Reduction of work performance efficiency, reduced communication among employees, motivation fall and ultimate employees dissatisfaction are only some of the numerous negative consequences of conflict. But the conflict itself does not have to be negative; the majority of conflicts can in fact be an excellent ground for accomplishment of better business results, and an impulse for changes and growth of the Organization itself [5x]. Duly recognition and adequate conflict management can lead to series of positive effects like stimulation of creativity and innovation within the company, stimulation of changes towards work quality improvement, reduction of incurred tensions etc. Moreover, in case conflicts lead to constructive changes they should be encouraged in order to make a good relation among employees based on mutual respect. Sometimes conflicts should be regarded as a resource which enables us constant new learning, new knowledge and a potential growth and development of organization. The employees directly involved in the conflict often do not have the opportunity to cope with the whole situation or the impact of all elements in the given situation, mostly because of restricted ability for decision-making. [6x] Throughout the years there were times when conflict was perceived in a different way, so we distinguish: Traditional view of conflict Human relations view Interactionist view. Traditional view of conflict in ‘30s and ‘40s of the last century it is believed that the conflict is something bad, that it is destructive for the organization, and that it should be avoided. It is considered that the sources of conflict are mostly the results of bad communication and lack of trust. According to this standpoint one should avoid conflict, as well as people who make the conflict, so that the work performance be satisfactory. Human relations view is that the conflict is something natural which occurs within every organization. This view is characteristic for the period from the ‘40s to the ‘70s of the last century. It is considered that conflicts should be accepted, and that conflicts eventually can lead to better work performance. Interacionist view is still represented today, and is based on the approach according to which conflicts should be encouraged, because they tend to have a positive effect on creativity and innovation by the employees. [6x] Types and levels of Conflict There are four types of conflict. Inter-group conflict occurs when groups within and outside the organization disagree on various issues. Interpersonal conflict Interpersonal conflict emphasizes the interaction of human factors in an organization. Here we are concerned with these factors as they appear in a dyadic relationship. It is further classified into two classes of factors as conflict sources. These are: Personal.Individuals are not identical, constant or consistent. When two individuals are brought together and kept together, each with their own qualities, needs and skills, a conflict may ensue if their attributes are not meshed together in a coordinated way. Interaction between individuals with different attitudes, values and needs can produce conflict behavior and affect organizational performance.[8x] Functional. Individuals in organizations have roles which are expected sets of behavior associated with their position. In theory, individuals are not expected to engage in any discretionary behavior. Such specification would be consistent with organizational preferences for consistency and predictability. In practice, however, role specifications tend to be ambiguous and incomplete, and in their interaction with others, some individuals often feel dissatisfied with their role or position, or they may feel that their aspirations for higher positions are being frustrated. Interpersonal conflict can be accounted for, to a great extent, in terms of the incumbents roles and their expectations in particular situations. Intra group conflict occurs within a work group over goals and work procedures. Intrapersonal conflict Intrapersonal conflict is internal to the individual and is perhaps the most difficult form of conflict to analyze and manage. Intrapersonal conflict is basically a conflict between two incompatible tendencies. It arises when a stimulus evokes two different and incompatible tendencies and the individual is required to discriminate between these tendencies. [7x] Horizontal conflict takes place between departments or groups at the same level of the organization. In contrast, vertical conflict occurs between groups at different levels of the organization. Types of Conflict Task conflict: Conflicts over content and goals of the work Relationship conflict: Conflict based on interpersonal relationships Process conflict: Conflict over how work gets done Organizational conflict: Organizational conflict occurs when a stakeholder group pursues its interests at the expense of other stakeholders. Given the different goals of stakeholders, organizational conflict is predictable. Conflict is associated with negative images, such as unions getting angry and violent, but some conflict can improve effectiveness. When conflict passes a certain point, it hurts an organization. If we do not react duly, this can lead to the situation that the conflict itself manages the organization. One of the more important determinants of productivity, efficiency and performance, and finally job contentment is also the conflict as an independent variable of organizational behavior. By systematic research of organizational behavior we want to make a positive influence on dependent variables, but first we have to understand and get a good insight into individual elements of organizational behavior. There is strong relationship between the level of conflict and the impact on the Organizational performance. [8x] Personal conflict: Conflict sometimes has a destructive effect on theindividualsandgroupsinvolved. At other times, however, conflict can increase the capacity of those affected to deal with problems, and therefore it can be used as a motivating force toward innovation and change. Conflict is encountered in two general forms. Personal conflict refers to an individuals inner workings and personality problems. It was also pointed out that there is a basic incompatibility between the authority and structure of formal organizations and the human personality.Human behaviorcannot be separated from the culture that surrounds it.[5x] Many difficulties in this area are beyond the scope ofmanagementand more in the province of aprofessional counselor, but there are some aspects of personal conflict that managers should understand and some they can possibly help remedy. Social conflict refers to interpersonal, intergroup, and intergroup differences. Role Conflict: Another facet of personal conflict has to do with the multiple roles people play in organizations.Behavioralscientists sometimes describe anorganizationas a system of position roles. Each member of the organization belongs to a role set, which is an association of individuals who share interdependent tasks and thus perform formally defined roles, which are further influenced both by the expectations of others in the role set and by ones own personality and expectations. For example, in a common form of classroom organization, students are expected to learn from the instructor by listening to him, following his directions for study, taking exams, and maintaining appropriate standards of conduct. Theinstructoris expected to bring students high-quality learning materials, give lectures, write and conduct tests, and set a scholarly example. Another in this role set would be the dean of the school, who sets standards, hires and supervises faculty, maintains a servicestaff, readers and gra ders, and so on. The system of roles to which an individual belongs extends outside the organization as well, and influences his functioning within it. As an example, a mans roles as husband, father, son, and church member are all intertwined with each other and with his set of organizational roles.[4x] Conflict within groups: Conflicts between people in work groups, committees, task forces, and other organizational forms of face-to-face groups are inevitable. As we have mentioned, these conflicts may be destructive as well as constructive. In western culture, winning is more acceptable than losing, and competition is more prevalent than cooperation, all of which tends to intensify intragroup conflict. Group meetings are often conducted in a win-lose climate — that is, individual or subgroup interaction is conducted for the purpose of determining a winner and a loser rather than for achieving mutual problem solving[5x].Conflict arises in groups because of the scarcity of freedom, position, and resources. People who value independence tend to resist the need for interdependence and, to some extent, conformity within a group. People who seek power therefore struggle with others for position or status within the group. Rewards and recognition are often perceived as insufficient and improperly distributed, and members are inclined to compete with each other for these prizes. Interdepartmental Conflict The third major cause of organizational conflict is structural. Organizations are designed around product lines, regions or technical specialties. These activities are assigned to departments that often have mutually exclusive structured interests and goals and that interact within a framework of scarce resources and task dependence. When resources are relatively fixed and when one departments gain is at the expense of another, conflict should be expected. If two sub-units in an organizational system have differentiated goals and are functionally interdependent, conditions exist for conflict. Interdependence produces the need for collaboration, but it also presents occasions for conflict. [9x] Other contextual factors which affect the interaction structure between departments and create the conditions for interdepartmental conflict include: different attitudes between line and staff units, organizational size (directly related to level of conflict) and standardization (inversely related to conflict), physical or communicational barriers between departments, unequal access to authority, rewards or organizational resources and ambiguity or uncertainty in assigning tasks or rewards to different departments. These are the sources of conflict situations in organizations. How a conflict situation will change over time, how its interrelated components will alter and the environment, in which it occurs will respond, is dependent upon the administrators efforts to manage or influence it. This in turn is related to ones understanding of the source of a specific conflict situation. Process of Conflict: Process of conflict consists of 4 stages or levels of conflict according to which the development of relationships between the sides involved in conflict is shown. The first stage is also called as latent stage in which certain characteristics, like communication, structure and personal variables, can lead to conflict. It is important to point out that it is not necessary to have the simultaneous occurrence of all three factors, but occurrence of just one. Communication in organization is very important, in case there is lack of communication in the organization this can lead to conflict. But also to much communication, as well as obstacles in communication, possible lack of understanding or noise in the communication channel can produce conflict as a consequence. The second stage, cognition and personalization stage represents the outcome of the impact of first phase factors. We distinguish two sub stages in this stage: Perception of the participants in conflict which does not mean that conflict, has occurred. Not until there has come to articulation of feelings and expression of awareness of conflict, can we say that the conflict itself occurs. In the third stage there comes to conflict manifestation. There is hostile behavior among participants in conflict and we say there comes to the so called open disagreement. The last stage in this process of conflict is the conflict outcome which shows us the further relationship development of the participants in conflict and consequences of conflict. Consequences of conflict can be manifest through increased working efficacy of the organization in whole or quite the contrary, the decrease of working efficacy [8x]. Conflict management styles: The success of the organization depends on the ability of conflict recognition and the very way of conflict management. Conflict management implies integration of all factors which can contribute to conflict resolution or its prevention. Those factors are improvement of communication and practicing discipline in the organization, as well as having in mind the life phases of parties included. Different authors know about various approaches to conflict management. Besides five typical approaches and strategies on conflict management which we will show and explain, it is important to point out that an important role bears also the organization itself as the third party in conflict. The organization appears as the mediator between adversaries or as arbitrator. This third party in organization are managers which by using their experience have to constantly develop new strategies and tactic for conflict resolution by using their experience. Moreover, it is generally acknowledged that confl ict represents the most severe test of managers interpersonal skills. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES DIAGRAM: Thomas and Kilmann identified a conflict-handling grid comprised of five conflict management styles based on two dimensions: assertiveness and cooperativeness. Assertiveness is the motivation of an individual to achieve his/her own goals, objectives, and outcomes, while cooperativeness assesses the willingness to allow or help the other party to achieve its goals or outcomes. Any of the five conflict resolution styles might be appropriate based on the circumstances of the situation and the personalities of the individuals involved. Avoiding Conflict Resolution Style The avoiding style is low on both assertiveness and cooperativeness. In other words, the manager is not very cooperative in helping the other individuals to achieve their goals, but neither is he/she aggressively pursuing his/her own preferred outcomes in the situation. The original problem, conflict, or situation is never directly addressed or resolved. However, avoiding behavior might be appropriate when the issue is perceived by the manager to be trivial. It might also be an appropriate approach to use when there is no chance of winning or when disruption would be very costly. When is Avoiding Appropriate? Avoiding conflict can be an appropriate choice, depending on the circumstances. According to Thomas-Kilmann avoiding is an appropriate form of dealing with conflict when used in the following situations: When an issue is trivial and other issues are more important or pressing use time and effort where it will be most productive. When there is no opportunity to constructively address the concern attempts to deal with the problem will likely result in futility and may make matters worse. It may not be the right time or place. When the potential cost of confronting the conflict outweighs the benefits in addressing it this requires assessment and judgment. To buy time and give angry people an opportunity to cool down so that tensions can be reduced it is important for parties to take a break to regain perspective and composure when the situation becomes heated. To refrain from making a rushed decision and allow time to obtain more information or support well planned and prepared decisions are usually the best decisions. When it is more appropriate for others to resolve the conflict resist getting in the middle of conflicts that are better dealt with by other people. Working with Conflict Avoidant Individuals It is clear that the use of avoiding dealing with conflicts and differences can have both positive and negative implications. When working with individuals as a supervisor, mediator, or friend it is helpful to get them to consider the pros and cons of avoiding conflict. Developing a strategy or plan requires that conflict avoidant individuals at least consider their options. [10x] Choosing a conflict mode other than avoiding may be understood by conflict avoidant people as a better option but acting on this choice can still be very difficult. Ensure that emotions are under control so that the facts, beliefs, and goals regarding the disagreement can be clarified and understood as objectively as possible. Excessive fear can be emotionally paralyzing. Role playing or writing out a plan of action can give a conflict avoidant person the confidence they need to deal with the conflict. Assertiveness coaching may also help. These preparatory approaches allow individuals to express their thoughts and feelings in a manner that is typically less stressful than talking about them spontaneously. It is possible that one party will be in a relative power position over another, such as a boss vs. employee. In these situations involve a person in a mediator role who can be neutral yet balance the power relationship so that the weaker party will develop the courage to address their concerns. When this is not possible the weaker party may need to include another person as a third party advocate or observer to help give them some support. [10x] Competing Conflict Resolution Style The competing style of resolving conflict is also known as the win-lose approach. A manager using this style, characterized by high assertiveness and low cooperativeness, seeks to reach his/her own preferred outcomes at the expense of other individuals. This approach may be appropriate when quick, decisive action is needed, such as during emergencies. It can also be used to confront unpopular actions, such as urgent cost cutting. The strategy of â€Å"competing† as a means of gaining power and control stems from early childhood and is reinforced throughout our years in school and college. Many children learn that they can obtain material objects as well as social control over people by using assertive, demanding or aggressive behavior. As they mature they use their talent to compete to â€Å"be the best† student, athlete, musician, etc. or to socially compete to be popular and have status among peers. Some youth learn to deal with disagreements by persuading others to accept their position. Others use power negatively in the form of arguments, threats, intimidation, or physical fighting. Youth who are effective at competing are deemed to be successful. Children and youth who do not stand up for themselves in conflicts may be seen as weak. Many video games and other media directed at youth promote the thrill of engaging in conflict with the goal of defeating the â€Å"enemy†, often using a ny means possible. All of these dynamics promote the use of competitiveness. While parents and teachers also instruct children to be kind, considerate, and cooperative there remains a strong inclination toward using competitiveness as a means of solving problems and achieving success. The value of competing to resolve differences and achieve goals continues into adulthood and employment. Individuals compete for status and position within organizations, sometimes being rewarded for their ability to achieve business goals by being better than their internal colleagues or external business competitors. Successful leaders demonstrate an ability to strategically use their competitive energy and skills for personal and professional benefit. While competing can be productive it can also cause problems when used excessively or inappropriately. It can lead to misuse of power, fraudulent acts, and unethical or illegal activity as we have seen in the situation at Enron and in other business and political events in the news. Truly successful people develop the judgment and skills to use competitiveness effectively and appropriately. [10x] Competing is an appropriate form of dealing with conflict when used in the following situations: When a quick decision and action is needed. When the outcome is critical and cannot be compromised. When you know you are right and are doing the correct thing. In emergencies or when safety is a concern. When being right matters more than preserving the relationship with the other party. When important but unpopular actions are needed such as cost-cutting, down-sizing, enforcing rules, or administering discipline. When ones position, authority, or rights are being challenged. When implementing strategic change and strong, confident leadership needs to be demonstrated. When used inappropriately competing in conflict situations can lead to negative consequences such as: When it strains relationships leading to resentment and retaliation. When it causes intimidation which inhibits important communication, discussion of alternative ideas and attempts at problem solving. When collaboration or compromise would lead to a better exchange of information and better decisions or outcomes. When personal drive for power and control overrides the best interests of the organization. When it results in diminished commitment and support from staff. When it is indicative of a highly competitive personality trait resulting in overuse, causing a person to not recognize when it is important to quit or take another stance. When â€Å"winning at all costs† results in harm to people or the organization. When the personal relationship is more important than the issue at stake. In attempting to address a conflict with another person who differs with you and takes a competitive position it may be helpful to do the following: Allow the person to first thoroughly explain their position, asking clarifying questions. Summarize and repeat what you have heard to assure mutual understanding. Acknowledge the parts that you agree with. Ask the party to carefully listen to your position, clarifying points of agreement and disagreement, using logic and data to support your perspective. Consider having both positions put into writing for review and consideration. Minimize discussion or expression of feelings or subjective elements unless the other party seems open to this perspective. Point out the mutual benefits of a decision that involve collaboration or compromise if this is an option. Help the other party to understand how your position will benefit him/her and how they can gain from agreement with your proposal. I