Critical Thinking Discussion and Summary Essay

I don’t know if there is a universal correct definition of critical thinking. I think this a very individualistic tool used by humans to break down different problems and situations and the best way to go about coming up with the best resolution in a non-biased manner. Gathering a thought process that is reasonable and with demeanor. This is simply how I would personally define critical thinking. Thinking things over more than once, second guessing yourself here and there, seeing things from multiple perspectives, and most importantly thinking if your thoughts would be different from the other side of an argument or situation. I think critical thinking is important for us to fully understand ourselves and our situations as well as others and their situations. Critical thinking is considering multiple angles and viewpoints and trying to understand them and where they come from, as well as why they exist. In my life personally, critical thinking has always been something I would like to think I’ve had due to being raised in a very diverse atmosphere and a very diverse community. I’ve seen racism towards more than one race, I’ve seen both sides of different biases, and I have lived in a small town closed minded community as well as the middle of a large densely populated city. It makes you think differently than most around you. It seems like you feel differently than most around you. There isn’t much that surprises you so there aren’t many situations that you are uncomfortable in. You think before you act, you think before you speak, and you take time and consideration to realize the type of environment you are in and the people you are surrounded by. Things like this don’t go through every young person’s mind before acting or speaking. You slow down, you react calmer, and you try not to get too high or too low. From this course I don’t think I’m looking for how to think critically as much as why some of us do think critically and some of us don’t. I think I’m looking for more reasoning for the differential than a definition of critical thinking.

World Religions Study Exam Study Guide

EXAM REVIEW HRF3O1 Unit 1 Approaches to Religion 1. Explain the meaning of the following terms; * Ascetic, Agnostic, Polytheistic, Monotheistic, Religious Impulse, Sacred, Secular, Animism and Humanist Ascetic: One who practices very strict devotions using sever of self-denial. Agnostic: A person who doubts that humans can know the existence of a possible God and the possible existence of anything beyond this life. Polytheism: Belief in more than one God. Monotheistic: Believing in only one God. Religious Impulse: The universal urge to believe in something beyond ourselves.Sacred: Connected with religion. Secular: Connected with or belonging to the material world. Animism: The attribution of a living soul to plants, animals, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. Humanist: An adherent of humanism- an outlook or system of thought that views humankind, rather than spirituality or religion, as the source of all value or meaning. 2. Explain the connection (or lack of one) between reli gion and ethnicity. Religion is primarily concerned with beliefs, rituals and practices, while ethnicity refers to a person’s origins, race, culture but not necessarily his or her religion. . Define Pop Culture. Provide examples of the influence on traditional concepts of religion. Pop Culture: Commercial culture based on popular taste. A negative influence that pop culture has had, would be the negative image we have of Muslims, labeling them all as terrorists, based on a small minority. 4. Define Culture and describe how it is learned. Culture: The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. Culture is learned through our family, our school, our friends, and our society.Things that limit what we learn culturally could be laws, or society’s expectations of us, our â€Å"class. † 5. Identify the world’s 3 â€Å"Great Religions†. Why are they considered â€Å"Great†? Islam, Christianity and Judaism. They are geographically spread, old, complex scriptures, many places of worship, involves the roles of people. 6. Identify 3 reasons people feel the need to practice religion. People feel the need to practice religion out of fear, out of wonder, to answer questions, to give them a guide in life, it helps them find themselves, etc. 7.All spiritual systems share some â€Å"universal† similarities. Identify and explain 3 of these. Organized institutions, Church, Synagogue, Mosque, places to practice their religions. Rules of conduct; the Five Pillars, the Ten Commandments, etc. , rules they must follow to guide them in life. Sacred writings or scriptures; the source of information for their practices and beliefs, or a sacred written history. Other examples would be a belief in the afterlife, salvation, ideas that parallel good & evil, etc. 8. How does religion provide both social harmony and social control?It could provide social harmony because it brings people together, gives them something to do, something to believe in, most religions are based off of ideas of good and evil, so if someone practices this, they will be trying to stay good, therefore making social aspects better too. It could provide social control again, because there are rules to be followed in that religion, and through history there have been attempts to convert everyone into a certain religion, or places that have a state religion, makes the religion a way to control the people. . Explain the difference between Fact and Opinion. How could you tell if someone is bias? Fact: A thing that is indisputably the case. Opinion: A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. You could tell someone is biased if they have had a previous experience that makes them lean a certain way, or if they got incorrect information from somewhere. Someone is usually bias is they have an extreme opinion- either positive or negative. 10. Provide 2 examples each of a pri mary source and a secondary source.A Primary Source could be an auto biography, or an interview with the person whom you’re talking about. A Secondary Source could be the Bible, or a documentary based on something that happened in history. 11. Explain the difference between Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism. Ethnocentrism: Belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. Cultural Relativism: Understanding the ways of other cultures and not judging these practices according to one's own cultural ways. Aboriginal Spirituality 1. Define Residential schools. What was the purpose of these schools?Residential schools were schools that Aboriginal children were forced into, and were abused, while people tried to assimilate them into European culture, by separating them from their parents, their language and their culture. 2. Define Self Government. What did the Indian Acts of 1895 encourage? Self-Government: Government of a political unit by its own people. They encouraged Ab original peoples to give up their culture and adopt â€Å"white ways. † 3. What is Oral History? Describe the Native views of Creation vs. our own. Oral History is the communication of stories and lessons of history by speaking fluently, listening and understanding.Aboriginal Creation stories usually involve several spirits or animals, where our Creation stories usually come from a supreme Creator. Unit 2: Early Religions Zoroastrianism 12. Identify the founder of Zoroastrianism Zarathustra was the founder of Zoroastrianism. 13. Explain the 3 similarities Zoroastrianism has with one of the â€Å"Big 3† religions. (Great Religions) It is very old, it is monotheistic and believes in one supreme being/god (Ahura Mazda), a belief in an afterlife, i. e. , good people spend their afterlife with Ahura Mazda, and bad people spend it with Angra Mainyu. (Parallels good and evils tendencies. ) 14.What is the significance of fire for Zoroastrians? Fire signifies the divine. 15. Wh ere is Zoroastrianism origins to be found geographically? It began in Azerbaijan, Iran around 1700 BCE. 16. What are the two main gods in Zoroastrianism? What happens to the â€Å"soul† after death in Zoroastrian beliefs? The two main gods are Ahura Mazda, the good god and supreme creator, and Angra Mainyu, the bad god and evil spirit of death and violence. 17. Explain the Zoroastrian death rituals. The bodies are placed in Dakhmas where the bones are picked clean by vultures. 18. Explain the symbolism used in the Faravahar. What does each part represent?The Faravahar, is to remind one of the purpose of life on this earth, which is to live in such a way that the soul progresses spiritually and attains union with Ahura-Mazda. Center Circle: Represents the soul of the individual. Wings: Allow the soul to progress and evolve. Five layers of wings represent the five divine songs (Gathas) of Zarathustra, the five divisions of the day (Gehs), and the five senses. Long Curved Legs: Represents the opposing forces of good and evil. A conflict occurs between the two and a person must choose which path to follow. Tail: Helps the soul to balance itself between these forces (like a rudder).Three layers of the tail represent:1. Good thoughts2. Good deeds3. Good words Head: Every soul has free choice to either obey or disobey the divine natural laws. Ring in Hands: Symbolizes the cycles of rebirth on this earth and planes the soul can undergo. Jainism 1. In what ways does a Jain achieve salvation/liberation? They must be fully ascetic and monasticism. A path to liberation (Moksha) consists of: i. Right Perceptionii. Right Knowledgeiii) Right Conduct They must conquer material existence to release oneself from Samara (the cycle of births and re-births) 2. What is Sallekhana?Compare with anorexia. Sallekhana is the voluntary death by fasting. Anorexia is an eating disorder where a person refuses to eat for fear of gaining weight, or to lose weight. Mentally it gives the victim control when they feel they can’t control other aspects of their life. Compared to Sallekhana, anorexia is a mental disorder where the person doesn’t understand anymore that they can die from not eating, versus Sallekhana, where the person is wishing to achieve liberation through fasting, and is a spiritual decision to detach oneself from the material world by starving themselves to death. . Explain Karma, Moksha, and Samsara, and Atomism in the context of Jainism. Karma: The sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. Moksha: Release from the cycle of rebirth impelled by the law of karma. Samsara: The cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound. 4. Identify 3 Rules of Conduct for a Jain and explain them. a. Ahimsa (Non-Violence, through thought word or deed) b. Celibacy c. No stealing 5. Sketch the symbol for Jainism and explain each part of the figure.Taois m 1. What does â€Å"Tao† mean? How is this included in Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism? Tao means â€Å"The Way†. Confucianism one best maintains the Tao via alignment with existing social values, so defined by tradition and cultural morays. Taoism believes that by to follow the Tao you must ‘sit and do nothing’, ‘go with the flow’ as we can’t have control over the way. The Shinto tradition focuses on the worship of the pure to the exclusion of the impure, and focuses on nature, although there is no Tao. 2. Explain the significance of Huang Di, Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu for Taoism.Huang Di: The first sort of founder for Taoism. Lao Tzu: Wrote the Lao Tzu and is one of the most ‘famous’ founders of Taoism. Chuang Tzu: He wrote the Tao Te Ching. 3. What is the major difference between Eastern Religions and Western Religions in your opinion? Western religions hold a distinction that humans are the most important, where Easte rn religions tend to believe everything is alive, and has a soul. Western religions believe in a supreme creator, Eastern religions tend to believe that nature is divine, and that there is no one god.In Western religions the source of happiness and salvation are through a relationship with the supreme creator, or â€Å"God†, whereas Eastern religions believe that enlightenment and liberation is within oneself. 4. Sketch a Yin-Yang in your notes. Identify 3 points for each. The small circle in each side represents that there is a little bit of dark in light and vice versa. 5. What is Wu-Wei? Provide an example. Wu-Wei means do nothing, let nature take its course. If someone happens you don’t like, don’t try to fight it, it’s natural to happen and you’ll be messing with life’s natural cycle if you try to stop it. . Why is Taoism concerned with physical health? Provide ways that physical health is promoted Among Taoists. Taoism believes that to keep the body pure (the vessel of the spirit) that you are also being healthy spiritually. Being physically healthy helps your mind stay clear. Confucianism 1. What did Kung Fu Tzu (Confucius) experience that made him so revered? Confucius experienced heartache. His father died when he was a toddler, and his mother died later on. He was born out of wed-lock, and was â€Å"kicked out† of him family. Confucius was kind of a loner, being giant, and ‘ugly’ didn’t have many friends.Confucius experienced rejection from people of power but never stopped trying. People admire Confucius for his accomplishments even when he had such a hard life. 2. What is the â€Å"Golden Rule†? Was Confucius a founder? The Golden Rule is a code of moral and ethics. â€Å"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others. † Confucius was a founder, since he believe that no matter what rank, people should be judged based on their quality (intellect, wisdom), inst ead of looks , power or wealth. 3. Identify and explain the 5 virtues. 1. Ren: The virtue of benevolence, charity, and humanity. . Yi: Honesty and uprightness. 3. Zhi: Knowledge 4. Xin: The virtue of faithfulness and integrity 5. Li: Correct behavior, or propriety, good manners, politeness, ceremony, worship. Shintoism 1. Why is comparing Shintoism to other religions difficult? There is no founder, no ritual use of scripture, and no organized teachings. It is seen more as folklore and mythology. 2. How is Shintoism adaptable and tolerant? 3. Identify the main deities in Shintoism. Who were their offspring? Who was most significant? Izanagi-no-Mikoto (brother/husband) and Izanami-no-Mikoto (sister/wife).Their offspring was Amaterasu, goddess of the Sun and Universe. Amaterasu was the most significant. 4. What is a torii gate? What is the purpose of the gate? A torii gate marks the transition from a profane place to a sacred place and is usually the entrance to a Shinto Shrine. 5. How is purification apparent in Shinto ritual and prayer? Cleanliness is an important part of Shinto and before entering any sacred place on must be clean. Cleaning represents purification, and before entering some shrines, you must rinse your mouth out at a special station. 6. What exactly do Shintoists worship?Shintoists believe in worshipping the natural world to establish communion, harmony and peace with its spirits and deities through prayer and ritual. In their view, moral and physical purity is a basic law. Shintoists worship Kami, divine beings, gods/goddesses who inhabit the water, the ground, the air, all parts of nature. 7. What are the major Shinto varieties? Folk Shinto: A looser form of Shinto, not so involved, and revolved more around the basic gods and myths of Shinto. State (Shrine) Shinto: There was emphasis that the emperor was a divine being, being a descendant of Amaterasu herself, making him a sort of God.Sect Shinto: Practices the worship of Kami, through shrine s dedicated to particular Kami. Unit 3 : Eastern Religions : Hinduism and Buddhism 1. What did the Aryans have to do with the origins of Hinduism? The Aryan settlers created poems and later texts on rituals and philosophy. Aryan religious thought flourished between 1500 to 500 BCE and was embodied in a collection of works called Vedas, which are considered Hinduism’s earliest sacred writing. To this day, Hindus consider the Vedas to be the authoritive scripture. 2. What does â€Å"you are that† mean? What is a Puja? You are that† refers to the Hindu idea that everything and everyone is Brahma. That by worshipping other gods, you are still worshipping Brahma because he is everything. That you are also Brahma (in a way) because Brahma is everything. Puja is a common thanksgiving ritual that involves offerings of flowers, food and other articles to deities 3. Who was Mahatma Ghandi and how did Jainism influence him? Ghandi was a peaceful leader who believed that thi ngs can be achieved or settled in a peaceful way. He believed that you could be against something, or protest something, without being violent, following along with Ahimsa in Jainism. . What are Bindi and Tilak? What can they mean for Hindus? The Bindi is the represent the third eye, and to strengthen the 6th Chakra, is worn by married women to show they are married and should be respected as such. Tilak is a sandalwood paste, in which there are different colours, and when worn in different colours, or fashions on the face, it shows people what God you worship. 5. Identify the 3 main Hindu Gods. Brahma; the Creator, Vishnu; the Preserver, Shiva; the Destroyer. 6. What are the laws of Manu? What did this mean for Women? It is a law book that affirms the Hindu concepts of dharma, caste, and the four arms of life.It deals with religious practice, law, and politics. Brahmins accept this, but it is rejected by other castes. For women this means they are expected to follow the rules of th e Manu, which means bearing sons, never being without a man’s presence, having to do traditional cooking and cleaning, etc. Sort of repressed. 7. Identify and describe the main Hindu Goddesses and their consorts. Saraswati: Goddess of learning and the arts, which is why she is depicted holding a book and a musical instrument called a veena. She rides a swan or peacock, her consort is Brahma.Parvati: Mother Goddess, worshiped as Shakti, or female energy. Changes into Durga or Kali according to different levels of anger, representing the different levels of Shakti. She is Shiva’s consort. Lakshmi: Goddess of wealth, happiness, and good fortune. 8. What is the Ramayana and what is the significance? An Epic which contains 240 000 verses. It is the story of Prince Rama, who is worshipped throughout the Hindu world as the 7th avatar of God Vishnu. The epic represents the constant struggle between good and evil forces, where good eventually prevails. Intro. To Buddhism: 1.Why is Buddhism becoming more popular in the West? Buddhism is becoming more popular in the West because it fills a spiritual void that â€Å"Western† religions can’t fill. It is more of a philosophy and can appeal to anyone. It allows the idea that anyone can achieve liberation through the practice, again not ceremonies like Western religions tend to revolve around, i. e. meditation instead of church, peaceful behaviour instead of preaching beliefs, etc. 2. What does Buddhism emphasize? Buddhism emphasizes practicing the teachings rather than to engage in ceremony in ritual. There is also a large emphasis on meditation. . What does Buddhism believe about people in search of truth? 4. What is Buddhism’s ultimate goal? The ultimate goal is to end human suffering Origins: 1. When and where was Buddhism founded? It was founded in India, 6th Century BCE. 2. Who was Siddhartha Guatama? What does his name mean? Siddhartha Guatama was the founder of Buddhism. Siddhartha m eans â€Å"the one who has achieved his goal. † 3. Describe Siddhartha’s miraculous birth. What did the Brahmins say about Queen Maya’s dream/the baby? What did King Suddhodana hop for his son and how did he protect him from the â€Å"real† world?Siddhartha was conceived as a baby white elephant, and his mother could see him in the womb. After 10 months of carrying the baby, his mother gave birth leaning against a tree, which lowered its branch to help her during labour. After he was born, water poured from the sky the wash him and his mother, though he was hardly dirty. After his birth, he took 7 steps and said, â€Å"This is my last birth. † The Brahmins told Queen Maya that she would give birth to a son, and that if he accepted the world, he would become King of all India, but if he rejected the world, he would become a redeemer of mankind.The King Suddhodana was more interested in his son becoming a king, so he made sure Siddhartha had everythi ng he could possibly want, and shielded him from suffering, so that he accepted the world. 4. What changed Siddhartha at the age of 29? Describe what he saw. Siddhartha discovered suffering. The first day he went outside the palace he saw an old man. The next day, he saw a man riddled with disease. The third day, he saw someone pushing a cart with a corpse on it, followed by a grieving mother and her children. The last day he saw a monk, who seemed like he had been through the hardships of life, but accepted them with peace and serenity.He realized that he too needed to solve this riddle to life. So he left his wife and son in the middle of the night. 5. What steps did Siddhartha take to find an answer on lifestyle choices? What was his conclusion? What did he learn about deeds? What state did he achieve? First he studied under Hindu hermits until he had learned all that they could teach. He then became an ascetic, giving up worldly pleasures and eating only a bean a day to survive. Siddhartha was close to death from fasting before his friends came and fed him. He realized that too much deprivation was as harmful as too much luxury, and the idea of â€Å"the Middle Way† was born. . What does Buddha mean? What did he believe about one’s personal salvation? Buddha means â€Å"the enlightened one† or â€Å"the awakened one. † He believed that everyone has to find their own liberation-which is within us all. 7. What Hindu aspects did Buddha accept and reject? The Buddha rejected the caste system, Hindu rituals and offerings to gods, theories, language of Sanskrit (he used Pali), nirvana being only possible for Brahmins, the authority of the Vedas and the Upanishads. Concepts that he accepted are those in the idea of reincarnation. 8. Describe the First Sermon.Define dharma, bhikkus, sangha and bhikku sangha. The First Sermon was when Siddhartha went back to the 5 ascetics and told them about this â€Å"Middle Way†, telling them h ow neither extreme was good- but that the path to liberation was one of moderation. This was his first teaching, so it is known as the First Sermon. Bhikku: A fully ordained monk who has left his home and renounced all his possessions in order to follow the way of the Buddha. Sangha: The community of Buddhist monks and nuns. Bhikku Sangha: The community of fully ordained monks and nuns. 9. Describe Buddha’s death.What did he say to his followers? What state did he achieve? When he was over 80 years old the Buddha took a poisoned meal and ate- even though he knew it was poisoned, just to be courteous. He lie on his deathbed, surrounded by his followers, and he spoke : â€Å"In all my lifetime, two meals stand out supreme: one was the meal that I ate before I sat under the Bo tree, after which I received enlightenment; the other, tonight at the home of my dear friend, Cunda, after which I shall receive NiNana. † And he died. Buddhist Beliefs: 1. How is Buddhism an intros pective religion? What do Buddhist teachings express?Buddhism is an introspective religion because it is subjective, not objective. It is based off one’s perception, and experiences, not â€Å"good† or â€Å"evil. † It focuses on bettering oneself, rather than changing the things around them. Buddhist teachings express that nothing is permanent, so why fret, over something when everything is always changing and we can’t stop it. 2. Describe women in Buddhism? Who is Buddha Tara? Women in Buddhism are as equal as men. They are allowed to become nuns, and are allowed to practice in general. It is believed that women are also able to achieve nirvana, just as much as men are.The Buddha Tara is a figure in Buddhist teachings- who vowed to take rebirth as a woman until she became a Buddha. 3. Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta are the characteristics of what doctrine? What do they mean? Anicca(Impermanence): represents the idea that the world is in a constant flux and that nothing stays the same for long. Impermanence is a fundamental feature of everything. Dukkha(Dissatisfaction): represents the idea that all humans and animals experience suffering. Physical and mental pain, are good examples. Feelings of continuous happiness or pleasure do not exist since these feelings only last for a limited amount of time.Dukkha touches everything in life. Anatta(no-self): is the notion that we cannot point to any one thing in ourselves and say it is our self. No single part of the body, is a human, only the parts put together makes the whole person. That is the same in that our mind, body, and spirit make up our â€Å"self†. These three things are the â€Å"Three Characteristics of Existence. † They make up everything outside nirvana. 4. Buddha wanted to find the cause of unhappiness and its treatments. What did he come up with? What are the central themes? The Buddha found that suffering is cause by craving and aversion. It is caused by our p erception. . The 5 Precepts are the â€Å"rules† that Buddhists follow. What are these rules? List the additional precepts monks/nuns observe. The Noble Eightfold path is comparable to what according to the film Religions of the World? 1. Abstain from killing or harming living beings 2. Abstain from stealing 3. Abstain from improper sexual conduct 4. Abstain from false speech 5. Abstain from taking alcohol and drugs (Additional precepts) 6. Abstain from eating after noon 7. Abstain from looking at dancing, singing or drama 8. Abstain from the use of perfumes and things that tend to beautify and adorn a person 9.Abstain from using comfortable beds 10. Abstain from accepting gold or silver 5. Who/what are the Three Refuges? What does each represent? The Three Refuges AKA the Triple Jewel, are the Buddha (the guide), the dharma (the path) and the Sangha (companions and teachers. ) 6. Who practices the Six Perfections? List the Six Perfections. A Bodhisattva practices the Six Per fections which include: giving, morality, patience, vigour, meditation, and wisdom. Symbols and Icons: 1. What does the Wheel of Life represent? What is found in each circle? Who has control over the circle?The Wheel of Life represents the endless cycle of births and uncontrolled rebirths (samsara. )The inner circle holds a bird, a pig, and a snake. These represent the human vices that keep the wheel turning- greed, ignorance, and hatred. The goal is to conquer these vices. The second ring shows the forms we take when we are reborn. The white half shows Heaven, the black shows Hell. The third ring shows the many regions into which one can be reborn. They represent real places and are not metaphors for states of mind. This ring includes experiences we may have as humans, i. e. suffering/pleasure.The images in the outer circle represent the twelve causes of endless rebirths: the old, bind person is ignorance, the potter creating a pot means actions, the monkey climbing the tree of sam sara represents consciousness, the man rowing a boat means name and form(body), a house with six doors and windows means the senses, a man and woman embracing means contact, the arrow in the eye means feeling, the man drinking alcohol depicts craving, the monkey grabbing fruit illustrates grasping, a women in labour depicts existence, a baby being born indicates birth, and finally a man carrying a corpse represents aging and death.The Wheel of Life is held in the teeth of Yama; the Lord of Death, and there is no single being inside the wheel who is outside the control of death. Only the Buddha is outside the wheel, pointing at the moon symbolizing nirvana. 2. What is the Mandala used for? What monks are required to make Mandalas? What happens to the Mandala after it is used? While the Mandala is being made it is used for prayer and meditation. When it is finished, monks recite chants and prayers before it is swept away, which symbolizes impermanence. 3.What influences the portrayal of Buddha images? When did these images start to pop up? There are images of Buddha to help followers remember their path, and to remember the meaning of his teachings, and honour his memory as a person, and the fact that he fact that he escaped Samsara. The images are to remind Buddhists, remember, and to honour. 4. Practice the 9 different Mudras and know what they represent. 5. What is found in the Stupas? Relics of the Buddha and other holy figures are found in the Stupas. 6. Describe how Lotus flowers symbolically represent humans.The vision is that some of the flowers are bogged down in the mud, and some about to bloom. The comparison is that all people have the ability to develop their potential and rise from an undesirable life. 7. What are Buddhapadas? Name 2 symbols found on them? Buddhapadas are the representations of Buddha’s footprints, and are revered in all Buddhist countries, believed to be places where Buddha stood. Symbols could be the Buddha, or sacred whee ls on the â€Å"soles† of these footprints . Practices, Rituals and Festivals: 1. What is karma? How did the film Religions of the World define it?Karma: â€Å"Action† or law of cause and effect; the totality of one’s thoughts and actions, which determines one’s fate in the next life. 2. What are the common offerings and what do they represent? Flowers- because as they fade and wilt, they emphasize the notion of impermanence. Incense Sticks- burn in the home and the temple to symbolize the Buddha’s â€Å"odour of sanctity. † Light of a candle- representing Buddha’s enlightenment. 3. Compare Buddha, Dhamma, and Sanhga Day. Buddha Day: Celebrated on the full-moon day of May, surrounding the belief that the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha happened on this day.People assemble on the grounds of the monasteries, bringing flowers, lit candles and incense sticks. They walk around the main hall three times while reciting the Thre e Refuges. Dhamma Day: Celebrated on the full-moon day of July, being the day of the First Sermon, people gather and offer food to monks, nuns and novices in Deer Park. At night, people give food to the poor, observe the Five Precepts, and practice meditation. Sanhga Day: Celebrated on the full-moon day of March, commemorates two important events in the Buddha’s life.The first was the proclamation of the basic principles of Buddhist teachings, and the second was a sermon called the Basis of Success. Food is offered to monks, and people engage in good karma accumulating activities. Followers observe the Five Precepts and attend a sermon at the monastery. Groups and Institutions: 1. Compare the 3 main schools: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Theravada: Practiced in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Considered the original and more conservative school of Buddhism. Only recognizes Tripitaka, as scripture. Focuses on the teachings of Buddha, not Buddha himself.They rely on meditation and insight to attain nirvana. They believe that humans are individuals, the key virtue is wisdom, religions is for monks, the ideal being is the Arhat, that Buddha is a saint, and prayer through meditation. Mahayana: Practiced in China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. A more liberal school, and see Buddha as a divine being. Emphasis on Bodhisattvas. They believe that humans are involved with others, that the key virtue is compassion, religion is also for lay people, the ideal being is Bodhisattva, Buddha is saviour, and prayer for request.Vajrayana: Practiced in Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal. Focuses on rituals, such as mantras, and material creations attached to Buddhism such as mandalas. Focuses on the Dalai Lama, who is their spiritual leader. 2 . Where is Zen practiced? What does it emphasize? What are koans? Zen in practiced in the Rinzai School, and the Soto school. Koans are riddles used to test students on their enlightenment. Unit 4: Western Religions: Judaism and Chri stianity Judaism 1. Define: Tanakh, Torah, and Talmud. What is the difference between these?Tanakh: The Jewish Bible consisting of the Torah, the Prophets, and the writings. Torah: Refers to the Law of Moses as well as the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures and the entire belief system of the Jewish faith. The word Torah is often translated as meaning â€Å"law†, but a more accurate translation is â€Å"teaching† or â€Å"instruction†. Talmud: Rabbinic teachings derived from the Mishnah. It is the main source of Jewish teaching from the medieval period to the present. The Torah is the first five books of the Tanakh, the Hebrew bible. Know to Christians as the old testament.The Talmud is a collection of rabbinical commentaries on the Hebrew bible, Jewish history, and other such things. You can consider the Talmud to be an encyclopedia of commentary. 2. In a few points differentiate between the 4 main Jewish denominations. 1. Orthodox Judaism: Orthodox Jews believe tha t God gave Moses the whole Torah (Written and Oral) at Mount Sinai. Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah contains 613 mitzvot (commandments) that are binding upon Jews. Modern Orthodox Jews strictly observe halakhah (Jewish Law), but still integrate into modern society.Ultra-Orthodox Jews, which includes Chasidic Jews, strictly observe Jewish laws and do not integrate into modern society by dressing distinctively and living separately. 2. Conservative Judaism: Conservative Judaism maintains that the ideas in the Torah come from God, but were transmitted by humans and contain a human component. Conservative Judaism generally accepts the binding nature of halakhah (Jewish Law), but believes that the Law should adapt, absorbing aspects of the predominant culture while remaining true to Judaism's values. 3. Reform Judaism:Reform Judaism believes that the Torah was written by different human sources, rather than by God, and then later combined. While Reform Judaism does not accept the bi nding nature of halakhah (Jewish Law), the movement does retain much of the values and ethics of Judaism as well as some of the practices and culture. Reconstructionist Judaism: Reconstructionist believe that Judaism is an â€Å"evolving religious civilization. † In one way it is more liberal than Reform Judaism – the movement does not believe in a personified deity that is active in history and does not believe that God chose the Jewish people.In another way Reconstructionist Judaism is less liberal than Reform Judaism – Reconstructionist may observe Jewish Law, not because it is a binding Law from God, but because it is a valuable cultural remnant. 3. Explain the significance of the following people in the historical development of Judaism; Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, the Rabbis. Abraham was instructed by God to move to a special land to raise a nation. God chose Abraham and promised to bless him and make him a â€Å"great nation†. The idea of Godâ €™s Covenant. During the time of Moses, God’s Covenant took on a new meaning.The Mosaic ties would have God provide His people with the Ten Commandments that would allow him to keep his Covenant. Moses came to Mount Horeb, called the mountain of God in the Book of Exodus. He encountered God through a burning bush. God revealed that the cries of the Israelites had been heard and that they would be set free through Moses. (Passover). David scored a number of military victories over his enemies and eventually established Jerusalem as his capital city. Solomon built a temple that would serve as a centre of worship for the Jewish faith for the next millennium.Rabbi: A Jewish scholar or teacher, especially of the Law, a person appointed as a Jewish religious leader. 4. What are Kashrut and Terafah? Kashrut: The Jewish dietary Laws; the active adherence to the rules of being Kosher. Terafah: nonkosher: not conforming to dietary laws. 5. Describe the Jewish rituals. What are some of the â€Å"items† used in Jewish rituals? Synagogue, Kiddush, minyan, yarmulke, tallis, tefillin, Shabbat, Rosh Hashannah, Yom kippur, Hanukkah, Pesach, Seder, chametz, Haggadah, circumcision. 6.Explain how both God and those of the Jewish faith uphold the Covenant. The idea of the Covenant is that the Jewish people are God’s people and part of His Covenant. In turn they must do His will to be in His Covenant. 7. Explain Mitzvah, Barakhah, and Halakah. Mitzvah: A commandment from God; the act of performing a good deed. The most well-known mitzvoth are the Ten Commandments. Barakhah: A blessing. Halakah: The legal part of Talmudic literature, an interpretation of the laws of the Scriptures. 8. Explain Bar Mitzvah and what it means for a young Jewish boy.Bar Mitzvah: The religious initiation ceremony of a Jewish boy who has reached the age of thirteen. This means they can now be a part of the Minyan. Christianity 1. Identify the importance of the following on the life of Jesus Christ and Christianity: Augustus Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Pax Romana, The Sanhedrin, Roman Tolerance, Constantine. Augustus Caesar was the Emperor when Jesus was born. Pontius Pilate was the Roman Governor who ordered that Jesus be crucified. Pax Romana was a time when Rome was very powerful and relatively peaceful, during which Christianity multiplied rapidly.The Sanhedrin: The highest court of justice and the supreme council in ancient Jerusalem. The Roman empire had a tolerance for Christianity allowing it to spread during the times of the Pax Romana. Constantine was a Roman Emperor who converted to Christianity. 2. Summarize the following: Lent, Easter, Christmas, Epiphany, Ascension and Pentecost. Lent is a 40 day period of time, in which Christians give up something, symbolically representing how Jesus went into the desert for 40 days. Easter is the holiest Christian holiday, celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection.Christmas is the day celebrating Jesus birth. Epiphan y, twelve days after Christmas, used to commemorate the revelation of Jesus as God’s son at the time of his baptism in the Jordan River. When the Holy spirit granted the apostles with spiritual gifts and abilities fifty days after Easter allowing them to go into Jerusalem and proclaim their faith enthusiastically. 3. Outline the fundamental beliefs of Christians as outline in the Nicene Creed of 325 CE. They believe in one God, and that Jesus Christ is His son.That Jesus shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, the belief in the Holy Spirit, the catholic and apostolic church, and the acknowledgement of baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 4. Who wrote the Gospels of the New Testament? Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 5. In what ways is the Catholic belief â€Å"outwardly† expressed? Through the Pope, one of the most well-known religious leaders in the current world. It is not just based on one’s own belief and faith, but also through oneâ€℠¢s actions and how they speak, proclaiming their faith, making it known through thought, word and action. . Identify the Sacraments of Christianity (i. e. Confirmation). Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist. 7. What was the Great Schism? What caused it? What was the result? The Great Schism was a split between the Eastern and Western Church, caused by mainly the accepted or rejection of the Pop and his authority, and the filioque cause, using â€Å" and the Son† at the end of the Nicene Creed, where as other groups believed that the Holy Spirit proceeds solely from the Holy Father, and not from the Son.This resulted in the two groups to separate and become their own denominations. 8. What was the Protestant reformation? Explain the difference between Catholicism and Protestanism. The Protestant Reformation was the reform of the western church in protest to its practices. Orthodox and Roman Churches had always focused on the importance of both faith and works, Protestantism is the belief of salvation through faith alone, which turned the belief inward, rather than focusing on outward sings.

Future Innovative Design in Virgin Galatic Case Study

Future Innovative Design in Virgin Galatic - Case Study Example Virgin has been associated with change and innovative idea, during this era of design and innovation manufacturers are experimenting with technology and introducing new services and creating opportunities for themselves. It has one of the successful space tourism groups in the industry and also the first one of its kind. Virgin is a large group therefore this organization has got access to more funds and tools to research and therefore they are able to come up with great creativity. They are trying to explore the satellite business through their efforts of launching satellite based services and science missions along with the idea of passenger flights which is expected to come as a successful venture in the space industry (Aaker, 2008). The world has become a place of complexity and unpredictability therefore businesses need to be very careful and in order to sustain the competition, they constantly need to update themselves and cope up with the changing needs and wants of the consumers. Therefore design has become an excellent tool to create a sustainable competitive advantage in the industry. Due to the importance of this subject and its relevance in the business set up and functioning there are various researches and studies that have been done. Design - Inspired In... e on the need for firms in UK to incorporate design in their work in order to differentiate themselves by other nations and other organizations and compete on factors other than price, this is called the differentiation strategy. Designing is a creative experience altogether where one has to think out of the box. There are companies all around the globe that have long history of success and innovative designs such as Apple which is the king of innovation in the industry, then there is Toyota Motor Corp which has constantly shown evidence of efficiency in the manufacturing while Procter & Gamble has adopted an open house innovative strategy. Virgin got a strong backing on the decision on using UK as a base for its launch plan. Currently the contribution of the UK space industry towards their economy is 6.5 billion pounds and it is providing employment to around 68000 employees which is significantly a large figure. The economy is hoping to achieve success in this sector in the near future and a 5% growth rate each year by 2020 which will help the space industry to come out of its recession and it is said that the space industry is probably one of the success stories of UK currently. Therefore knowing the potential in the industry Virgin Galactic has portrayed itself an example of excellence in ideas, modernization and development (Bennett & Craun, 2008). The company wants to give their consumers a memorable experience along with safety which is an integral part of the entire manufacturing at the same time. Initially people didn't believe that this idea will be implemented and that soon Virgin is going to launch its airplane for commercial purpose as it surprised all of them when they gave a first look of their new Space Ship two's planes it took them two years to

Ecological Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ecological Services - Essay Example Ecological services help to maintain these necessary requirements. Decreasing evaporation, maintaining proper water quality, using natural resources for clean energy is all very important in ecological services. Each services carries out a specific role that contributes to one another in some way. Two services that are most important from â€Å"The Ecological Service of Rivers†, includes providing water for drinking and the providing of irrigation water. Each one of these services contributes to eating and drinking which are important for human survival. Without clean water to drink and water to replenish growing seeds, human life could not remain stable. A river is an important provider of drinking water. Providing drinking water is one of the most important ecological services that rivers can provide. Providing clean drinking water allows for human and animal replenishment that is free of toxins. Toxins that can be found in water include pesticides, diseases, parasites and carcinogens. Another reason why drinking water is so important is because of the cleaning it can provide which leads to a safe environment. Clean water can help prep an area for surgery and allow for proper and safe preparation of food. Clean drinking water also continues to help maintain clean drinking water. When clean water is used and then recycled it is easier for water to keep its cleanliness. Irrigation is important for proper vegetation. A rivers ability to provide the ecological service of irrigation helps maintain life. Irrigation can help seeds grow even when an area may be in a drought. Being able to sustain enough water to irrigate crops will provide much vegetation. Irrigation also makes for proper land up keep. Many use irrigation to water plants that don’t produce food. Irrigation can help trees grow which provide oxygen and flowers that provide pollen. Each element of life is important as each life feeds

Critically discuss the reasons why location has again become a Essay - 2

Critically discuss the reasons why location has again become a critical issue in explaining the global competitiveness of firms - Essay Example However, as part of the marketing mix, promotion has historically been most effective in differentiating one company from another in competitive marketplaces. Place, as part of the marketing mix, refers to â€Å"the location at which the activity takes place, or the distribution channel by which the product is made available to consumers† (Haugtvedt, Herr and Kardes, 2008, p.28). As a means to avoid costs, some companies are reverting back to more traditional elements of marketing by focusing on aspects of place in order to differentiate the business from competitors. Further, place is improving competitiveness in global companies because it improves community and consumer relationships, as well as giving businesses a positive identity in local markets with unique cultural values and preferences. This paper discusses the importance of place in securing global business competitiveness. Customers in many different industries and different market environments want extra value when buying products. This seems to be an evolution which has occurred with the growth of competition and the need to offer incentives to customers in order to differentiate the business and make it appear to provide more value than competing firms. In order to provide this value, companies should â€Å"beautify marketing and gain the upper hand with customers† (Brandweek, 2004, p.25). Beautification of marketing refers to aesthetics and incorporating content which provides perceptions of value from target consumers. Appealing to consumer values related to aesthetics is not an easy task through regular advertising and other visual promotions, therefore markets which appreciate the aesthetics of a shopping experience can be exposed to place marketing. For example, companies which offer household goods to consumers might have a business model which supports stand-alone retail stores design ed with more expensive architectural materials, such as marble or

As instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

As instruction - Essay Example It therefore, can be said that each of us, follow a definite philosophy which guides our actions and our efforts to gain knowledge and accordingly base our judgments of the people or event. J. S. Mills, an eminent philosopher, In his book ‘On liberty’ has extensively discoursed on liberty of thought and discussion and has tried to explain its wider meaning with respect to the control exerted by society on an individual. Through the ages, liberty and freedom of choice has been the most important issue for the rulers and the community at large. The rulers and people in authority have been using their power to exert control over the community and individuals. Mills has argued that no government or individual has the right to suppress the independent thought of other individuals largely because the new thoughts are catalyst to the changes, which are part and parcel of human existence. The extent of the influence of their control on the liberty of individuals is the most vital aspect of interplay of human relationship within the society. The governmental and constitutional paradigms of liberty are important factors in the larger interests of the society. But there are some intrinsic and unarticulated social control over the individuals within the society, which may be defined by the doctrines of the time and religion. According to Mils ‘for a long time past, the chief mischief of the legal penalties is that they strengthen the social stigma’ (Mills, chapter 1). While to some extent, one can agree that excess control does corrodes of moral and ethical values, but some control is necessary to maintain law and order within the social fabric. But Mills theory on liberty of thought and discussion is highly relevant with the issue of teaching the theory of evolution and the theory of intelligent design in public school.

The 1968 Theft Act Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The 1968 Theft Act - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that the 1968 Theft Act was supposed to come with simplified rules and policies that were meant to eliminate the many dilemmas and confusions that criminal lawyers had faced earlier. Unfortunately, soon after its introduction into the legislation more complexities started to arise. It appeared that most of the concepts that were designed to bring out clarity in theft cases turned out to bring more confusion following the various proceedings that advanced from there henceforth. The most controversial concept being appropriation which had been introduced into the law to simplify things by replacing taking and carrying away. The term was defined in partiality by section 3 (1) of the Theft Act. Lack of further explanation on the term by the legislative is what caused more problems. Two issues arose:Â  one is what the relationship between consent and appropriation was and the second, the possibility of appropriating property that was acquired i n a transaction impeccable at civil law. This essay tries to analyze these facts using issue raised in two important cases R v Hinks and DPP v Gomez. The researcher of this essay also utilizes Shute’s views from his article Appropriation and the law of theft. The purpose of this research is to investigate the following: consent and appropriation; unimpeachable transfers and appropriation and evaluation of arguments Hinks case.... 41). There are other valid reasons where a transaction is censured at common law on a number of certain defined grounds. These can be where the transaction is a product of duress, and it may have been through deception, undue influence, fraud, or misrepresentation (Horder & Shute, 1993, p. 549). Sometimes the transaction can be vitiated to have occurred because there was enough reason to believe one party was unconscious. In the event that any of the above occurs then the transaction should remain valid until the transferor repudiates it successfully. Unimpeachable Transfers and Appropriation This issue arises where a transfer of property is unimpeachable at both equity and at common law. This matter arose in Mazo (1997) case where a house cleaner took advantage of her employer’s mental incapability to dishonestly receive and cash cheques made payable to her by her boss. The house cleaner was sentenced to Jail after being found guilty for five counts of theft and one count of attempted theft. On her appeal, the court held it that the case was consistent with that of Lawrence v Metropolitan Police commissioner (1972) where the House of Lords decision was that in the event a valid gift was made then there could be no theft. However, it was not clear as per Viscount Dilhorne’s speech in the Lawrence case whether the House of Lords could not charge the receiver of the gift with theft, which was consistent with the ruling in Gomez case. This decision was later addressed in the case of Hinks that happened two years later after the Gomez and Lawrence cases. In Hinks case, he was convicted of five counts of theft despite his argument that the sums received were gifts and loans therefore could not be appropriated

Lincoln electric Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Lincoln electric - Essay Example From developing the potential of employees, their production quality would increase, thus realize an increased customer confidence in their produce. The knowledgeable sales team could outwit that of the competitors, thus an increased sales level. From capitalizing on existing relationships with customers and distributors, increased sales and coverage of their produce would be realized, thus increased earnings levels (Sabo). Four principal functions of management at Lincoln Electric in establishing the culture, mission, vision, and company strategy. Planning was laid down in establishing these, causing change where necessary, for example streamlining to the production of welding products. In organizing, the company plans the work of the employees, and then leaves the execution of duties to them, rewarding any increase in performance. In leading, the company’s management has established close relationships with the workers, thus increased cooperation. In controlling, the company has established a strictly no-nonsense atmosphere, at every area within the company’s premises – including the gate area, to the parking lots, to the working areas. Lincoln’s approach to organizing and motivating their employees, as based on the ideas of early behaviorism: the company has capitalized on the basic behavioral traits of employees – of wanting to see their contribution recognized and rewarded – to motivate and encourage the productivity of their employees.

Choose one of Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Choose one of - Essay Example For organizational leaders ethics, professional and personal, play a pivotal role in the over all work environment of the organization. Most of the leaders become overwhelmed with authority and power that they lose the sense of ethical requirements of the organization and lead themselves and the followers to chaos. However, there are certain other leaders although few in number that devote their lives and soul to the organizational success and set themselves as the examples towards ethical excellence leading the whole organizational standard to comply accordingly leading the organization to highest levels of success. Leaders are not just men who lead a group of people; in fact, leaders in modern terms are performers, benchmarkers and takers who take the whole team along each step they take towards organizational success. This is why, it is of vital importance that the leader set good ethical examples to get good returns (Gary Johns Alan M. Saks. Organizational Behaviour). A leader is the person who leads his team towards a pre-determined goal and with greater effectiveness and lower cost. Leadership ultimately means the ability to lead a group of people towards a goal by visualizing the targets, communicating them to his team and achieving the maximum efficiency. Leadership in terms of organization is on the other hand vague and always a incomplete term. It is because the role and type of leadership changes with the organization where the leadership comes in action. The requirements of organizational leadership change from organization to organization and hence it becomes difficult to dub a specific type or person as a leader that can suit to all organizations. Most of the organizational scientists include merely the interpersonal interaction between the leader and the follower as the essence of organizational leadership, however many other considerations need to be undertaken in the realm of the subject. Apart from cognitive relationship, the incogn itive

Rhetorical Analysis of Commercial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rhetorical Analysis of Commercial - Essay Example The quality of the advertisements encourages brand consumption since the main characters in the ad enjoy coke at all times. Background music featured in the ad in different seven languages shows the diversity of the American people. This shows that people of America speak different languages but consume the same Coca Cola products in a show of unity in consumption of products. Therefore, the general message of the ad reflects the essential social values that Coca Cola consider when releasing products to the American people. The commercial ad also features people in various landscapes such as the shores of the Pacific and the Southwest desert, cafes and cityscapes as they enjoy taking coke. It provides pictures of the real livelihoods of the people from different ethnicity, religion, families and races in the US. That is why the aim of this commercial is to show that Coke brand is for all the people of America. In addition, it promotes optimism amongst Americans that Coke brand is a binding factor between races and religion since both consume the same quality, quantity and brand across

Positive Relationships With Children Essay Example for Free

Positive Relationships With Children Essay Positive relationships with children and young people are important for the following reasons: When a child/young person feels comfortable and settled within their care setting they are more likely to engage and participate more with staff and other children within the group which creates a more relaxed atmosphere, it also makes the separation process easier for the parents/carers as well as the child /young person as it shows that the child/young person is emotionally secure, Building and maintaining positive relationships is also important as it contributes to the developmental needs of each individual child/young person personally, socially and emotionally which then enhances their language skills as they gain confidence talking to each other and staff. Positive relationships also enables us as practitioners to understand and respond to children/young people more effectively as we are able to recognise their emotions and expressions and also enables practitioners to plan more accurately as we know more of the interests and understand the developmental needs of the children/young people in our care. Making sure as a practitioner I keep to my word i.e. if a child/group have done a particular activity today, and I have told another group/child they may have a turn next session I must make sure that is what takes place as theses situations will affect the trust between myself and the children within the setting. Positive relationships are maintained by us practitioners, parents /carers being good role models, by showing courtesy and respect to each other at all times, remembering that we must show respect and courtesy to our younger as well as our elders, Always being fair and consistent, listening to what is being said without making judgement and making sure that any rules and boundaries set out are kept to and understanding when information is to be kept confidential, being able to identify and resolve disagreements /conflicts, help children and young people to understand the difference. Effective communication- the way in which we speak to an individual, according to age and developmental stage of the child/young person, being  aware of body language/hand gestures and facial expressions. Ensuring that children and young people are aware and understand their views and opinions are valued and considered. It is important that people involved in the care of children and young people build and maintain positive relationships with each other, as this can also have an enormous impact the development and wellbeing of the children and young people within their care spectrum, having a positive relationship with the child/young persons parent/carer can have positive effect on the child/young person, as this is the first step in getting to know and understand the initial needs and preferences, likes and dislikes and fears or concerns of each individual, also by including parent/carers in various sessions giving them the opportunity to contribute and get involved in planning and implementing of various activities it encourages people to engage in conversation where different views, ideas, and skills are learned. Also shared whilst showing the children/young people how to live in diverse community where we are all individuals who are able to work together regardless of background or upbringing. positive relationships between the various professionals working with children/young people whether it be colleagues, external agency/organisation or service, is important as it has a direct impact on the child/young person ongoing development, being able to share information between adults involving children/young people in different situations engaging in various activities, means that planning for the children/young people can be done more effectively as each professional involved may see a different way of contributing towards the development /wellbeing of the child/young person, they may also have the opportunity to identify any needs and interests different to those already established, the welfare of children/young people can be properly monitored while being assured that each child/young person is being given consistent care, any concerns or issues can be shared accurately and promptly when required following correct procedures and guidelines.

Adding a Class to the School Curriculum Essay Example for Free

Adding a Class to the School Curriculum Essay Dear Principal, a class that specializes in focus, prioritizing, organization and study skills is absolutely necessary for any Middle School student. At my age and younger, students have a tendency to be disorganized both physically and mentally. I have a knack for losing and forgetting my homework assignments and my grades suffering. I know I am not alone in this struggle against clutter and forgetfulness. Critical thinking classes provide a student with structure, study skills and the art of prioritizing. I know personally the effects of school on a student who is unprepared and disorganized. The stress and sleepless nights can be avoided with a class dedicated to the students future. Unlike Math and Language Arts, this class would be linked with the students success in EVERY other class. The benefits would not only pertain to students, but to the enthusiasm and effectiveness of a teacher. Is there anything more important than preparing a student for his or her future? The skills learned in a critical thinking class would help a student not only through Middle and High School. The study skills and note taking strategies would also be useful and very beneficial in College and whatever career they choose to pursue in the future. A class dedicated on teaching a student to remain focused and take accurate notes in lectures would be beneficial to all the daydreamers, doodlers and dozers who cant listen to a teacher and stay focused on the words coming out of her mouth. I know the effects all too well. As my teacher begins her daily rant, I shut my mind off and let it wander around the room. I see students snoring in the corner and others doodling in their notebook or flinging notes to each other as slyly as possible. I smile at their antics in relieving the exhausting boredom of a class like this. Only a handful of students are actually listening to the teacher and it is evident that they rather be anywhere else doing anything else. With lunch just ten minutes away the whole class is already leaning towards the door and staring hungrily at the wall clock. I am snapped out of my daydream by the shrill shrieking of the lunch bell above my head. Relief runs through me as the teacher dismisses us and our grumbling stomachs. As quickly as I possibly can I scramble to pack up all my things and rush to the lunchroom. I dont even remember to write down the homework assignment! This forgetfulness is fueled by my inability to stay focused in any class much less the one right before lunch. The night before I had stayed up all night studying for a different test this inevitably leads to me being grumpy and unfocused for the following days. Especially since every night seemed to be a late night and with the stress and lack of sleep I am on the verge of snapping. The next day I fail the pop quiz along with almost all of the students who stopped listening to the teachers lecture, five minutes in. Mr. Principal, if students knew how to take accurate notes and focus, then the snoring in the back of the class would be brought to a minimum as well as all the other distractions in the room. Students would be more eager to learn if they understood how to do it in a way that works for them and they see the positive effects it can have on their lives. Grades overall would improve if students knew how to listen in class and study correctly. Instead of waiting until the night before a huge exam, reading words over and over until they become a jumbled mess of never ending letters and symbols, I could study one step at a time so that on the night before I can skim over the topics and be prepared to face the test. Being prepared keeps students from wanting to ditch school in order to avoid the test as a whole or just to sleep in and catch up on some Zs. Preparation would also bring the lack of sleep and stress to a minimum. No longer would the piles of never ending homework and study guides hover over our worn out minds, not if we knew how to work ahead and prioritize what needs to be done now and what can be done progressively. It would help to keep students fresh, awake and ready to learn every morning. Not only could grades improve, but so would the schools attendance record. Mr. Principal, students are more willing to come to class if there is something to look forward to. Instead of school being boring and torturous, it could be viewed as an opportunity to put the skills learned in their Critical Thinking class to the test. There would also be less problems waking up and therefore making it to class on time. No more napping in class, instead students would be note-taking and teachers would see the increased enthusiasm in their class. The teachers would be motivated to work even harder to teach their students all they can. Why would teachers want to teach if they know that the students couldnt care less? If teachers see students participating and not acting out then they would also be motivated to help the students learn even more than what is specified in the curriculum. Regular and advanced students would surpass any of the other schools. The school would work at least ten times more efficiently and productively. Everyone would be enthusiastic and successful in school. Mr. Principal if adding a class could determine whether your school is average or above average, would you take the chance? The skills learned in Middle School Critical Thinking classes would have a lasting impression in a students life forever. With the added skills, advanced teachers, and motivation that a student gains while taking a Critical Thinking class would definitely up their chances of that student staying in school not only in High Sch ool, but progressing even in the College level. This is not a simple feat and many students who just dont know how to keep their lives organized have a lot more chances of dropping out than the student who is well prepared and ready to take on anything the class has for them. In college most if not all the classes are lectures, if this bores a student or a student knows how to keep organized notes then the classes will be a lot harder. In comparison to High School, College has a lot more temptation to go party instead of studying, or hanging out with friends in your dorm instead of going over yesterdays notes. This can lead to dropping grades and even dropping out of school. Peer pressure to drink, smoke and not study is a LOT stronger as the years go by. In college teachers are no longer on top of their students to do their assignments and to study like the teachers in Middle School and High School. Students have more freedom and a more responsibility to keep their grades intact and the choice to worry about their academic or the ir social life. This responsibility may be too much for an average student, but for a student who has been taught and has practiced their critical thinking skills, the choice is obvious. The students who have the discipline to prioritize correctly and put their school first will be more successful time and time again over the student who picks his social life over his stupid grades. The students who stay up until midnight cramming for an exam that they knew months before will also struggle with their own problems in the future. Mr. Principal, a student who has practiced discipline, prioritizing, focusing and productivity will be prepared for anything that can come at them in the future. It is your job to prepare your students and if your students arent improving then their academics are failing. This is not something that can be fixed with MORE work, but with a class that helps kids manage their time better. Skills like these are not only useful in college though. They are useful in the students car eer. Discipline and respect are very useful in an office setting especially when interning. Interns are usually put through a series of test before they are even accepted! Most of the time these tests have nothing to do with what one hundred twenty thousand times fifty is, but with how to manage two or three tasks at the same time and how to be adaptable in any situation. An intern who already knows how to take outline notes and schedule their days accordingly will have much more chances of succeeding in the business world over an unprepared slacker. Bosses look for organization and preparation in their employees, but above that they look for someone who looks the part. Before you even open your mouth in an interview, the only thing the employer sees is just how long you stayed up the night before preparing a last minute resume. The bags under your eyes and crumpled outfit wont seem like a presentable and organized employee and the typos in your resume will stand out in comparison to the other applicant who worked on their resume for a week, reading and rereading it until it was perfection. The applicant who has her hair perfectly in place, her outfit ironed flat and fully prepared to speak to the employer has a lot more chances of being hired. This all goes back to you, Mr. Principal. The students ability to focus on the interview and be prepared depends fully on what opportunities YOU put in their lives when they are in your school. If Critical Thinking Classes arent offered in school then your students will be beat out in interview after interview not only for their careers, but for college and for advanced placement. This will hinder them in comparison to the students who have all the skill they taught in their Critical Thinking classes to help them through the interview and even to their promotions in work. Mr. Principal students deserve to have a class that will allow them to have an upperhand in classes, interviews and applications. Every student has the ability to have straight As and be successful, but not all of them have the skills needed to put their abilities to work and help them not only in Middle School, but for the rest of their lives. Mr.Principal you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The admiration of both your staff and students and the incredible feeling that comes from knowing that youve made a difference in your students lives. Without a doubt, thanks to the Critical Thinking Class your school could benefit from the increased academic abilities of your students. This class will help students for generations to come, if you could go back in time wouldnt you want to be given this chance?

The book The Evolution of management thought

The book The Evolution of management thought In his comprehensive book The Evolution of Management Thought Daniel A Wren writes: Within the practices of the past there are lessons of history for tomorrow in a continuous stream. We occupy but one point in this stream. The purpose .. is to presentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the past as a prologue to the future. Broadly it has been classified into : 1.Scientific management theory 2.Administrative management theory 3.Behavioral management theory 4.Management science theory 5.Organizational environment theory I. PRE SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT ERA à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I. Ever Since Down Of civilization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢-Administration of mohenjodaro harappa Cities Of ancient aryan in 2000 B.C. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢-Buddha order and the sangha à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢-Organizations of public life in ancient greece. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Organisation of roman catholic church. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Organisation of military force à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢SECOND HALF OF NINETEENTH CENTURY à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Use of management Principles in business. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Robert Owen-1813 :-Development of mgmt Concepts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Factor which influence the productivity of personnel in plants. Adam Smith (18th century economist) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Observed that firms manufactured pins in one of two different ways: Craft-style-each worker did all steps. Production-each worker specialized in one step. F.W.TAYLOR AND SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT The systematic study of the relationships between people and tasks for the purpose of redesigning the work process for higher efficiency. Defined by Frederick Taylor in the late 1800s Wanted to replace rule of thumb Sought to reduce the time a worker spent on each task by optimizing the way the task was done. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Studied fatigue caused by lighting, heating, and the design of tools and machines. Time and motion studies Breaking up each job action into its components. Finding better ways to perform the action. Reorganizing each job action to be more efficient. ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT THEORY The study of how to create an organizational structure that leads to high efficiency and effectiveness. Rules formal written instructions that specify actions to be taken under different circumstances Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) specific sets of written instructions about how to perform a certain aspect of a task Norms unwritten, informal codes of conduct that prescribe how people should act in particular situations BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT THEORY The study of how managers should behave to motivate employees and encourage them to perform at high levels and be committed to the achievement of organizational goals. Focuses on the way a manager should personally manage to motivate employees. Mary Parker Follett   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Concerned that Taylor ignored the human side of the organization Suggested workers help in analyzing their jobs lf workers have relevant knowledge of the task, then they should control the task. MANAGEMENT SCIENCE THEORY An approach to management that uses rigorous quantitative techniques to maximize the use of organizational resources. Quantitative management utilizes linear programming, modeling, simulation systems and chaos theory. Operations management -techniques used to analyze all aspects of the production system Management Information Systems (MIS) provides information vital for effective decision making. Total Quality Management (TQM) -focuses on analyzing input, conversion, and output activities to increase product quality. ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THEORY The set of forces and conditions that operate beyond an organizations boundaries but affect a managers ability to acquire and utilize resources Open System A system that takes resources for its external environment and converts them into goods and services that are then sent back to that environment for purchase by customers. There is no one best way to organize The idea that the organizational structures and control systems manager choose depend on-are contingent on-characteristics of the external environment in which the organization operates. What is management? The term management encompasses an array of different functions undertaken to accomplish a task successfully. In the simplest of terms, management is all about getting things done. However, it is the way and the process of how one achieves ones target or goals and it is in this respect that management is considered an art and a science as well. The term management may be recently defined, but it existed at a time when men started learning the art of organizing, strategizing (during wars) and/or simply planning. At the core of it, management was quintessentially considered as an art of managing men and hence the term manage-men-T. Management is like investment. Managers have resources to invest their time, talent and, possibly, human resources. The goal (function) of management is to get the best return on such resources by getting things done efficiently. This doesnt imply being mechanical or narrowly controlling as some writers on management suggest. The managers style is a personal or situational matter and it has evolved over time. With highly skilled and self-motivated knowledge workers, the manager must be very empowering. Where the workforce is less skilled or not very motivated, the manager may need to monitor output more closely. Skilled managers know how flex their style, coach and motivate diverse employees. Getting things done through people is what they do. By saying that management is a function, not a type of person or role, we can better account for self-managed work teams where no one is in charge In a self-managed team, management is a group effort with no one being the designated managerAnd much later, management scholar, Peter Drucker (1993) defined management as Supplying knowledge to find out how existing knowledge can best be applied to produce results is, in effect, what we mean by management. But knowledge is now also being applied systematically and purposefully to determine what new knowledge is needed, whether it is feasible, and what has to be done to make knowledge effective. It is being applied, in other words, to systematic innovation. (Drucker, 1993) Today the importance of management from an organizations point of view has increased multi-fold. It is only through effective management that companies are developing and executing their businesss policies and strategies to maximize their profits and provide with the best of products and services. Management today combines creative, business, organizational, analytical and other skills to produce effective goal-oriented results! Some of the key functions in management includes learning to delegate, planning and organizing, communicating clearly, controlling situations, motivating employees, adapting to change, constantly innovating and thinking of new ideas, building a good team and delivering results which are not just figure -bound but results that also focus on overall growth and development. Management focuses on the entire organization from both a short and a long-term perspective. Management is the managerial process of forming a strategic vision, setting objectives, crafting a strategy and then implementing and executing the strategy. A good management style is a blend of both efficiency and effectiveness. There is no point in acting efficiently if what you are doing will not have the desired effect. Management techniques can be viewed as either bottom-up, top-down, or collaborative processes. Management is an organizational function, like sales, marketing or finance. It doesnt necessarily mean managing people. We can manage ourselves or the material assigned to us at work. If you managed a project very well on your own, it would mean that you did the job in a well-organized, efficient manner, making good use of all resources at your disposal. In India, largely the top down approach is popular. In the top-down approach, the management makes the decisions, which the employees have no choice but to accept. On the other hand, in the bottom-up approach, employees submit proposals to their managers who, in turn, funnel the best ideas further up the organization. However the bottom up approach is not a very popular approach in India as most of the Indian businesses are family run businesses. Management as art scientific principles and theories will be able to implemented in actual managerial situations. Instead, these managers are likely to rely on the social and political environment surrounding the managerial issue, using their own knowledge of a situation, rather than generic rules, to determine a course of action. For example, as a contrast to the example given previously, a manager who has a problem with an employees poor work performance is likely to rely on his or her own experiences and judgment when addressing this issue. Rather than having a standard response to such a problem, this manager is likely to consider a broad range of social and political factors, and is likely to take different actions depending on the context of the problem. Henry Mintzberg is probably the most well-known and prominent advocate of the school of thought that management is an art. Mintzberg is an academic researcher whose work capturing the actual daily tasks of real managers was ground breaking research for its time. Mintzberg, through his observation of actual managers in their daily work, determined that managers did not sit at their desks, thinking, evaluating, and deciding all day long, working for long, uninterrupted time periods. Rather, Mintzberg determined that mangers engaged in very fragmented work, with constant interruptions and rare opportunities to quietly consider managerial issues. Thus, Mintzberg revolutionized thinking about managers at the time that his work was published, challenging the prior notion that managers behaved rationally and methodically. This was in line with the perspective of management as an art, because it indicated that managers did not necessarily have routine behaviors throughout their days, but ins tead used their own social and political skills to solve problems that arose throughout the course of work. Another scholar that promoted the notion of management as an art was David E. Lilienthal, who in 1967 had his series of lectures titled Management: A Humanist Art published. In this set of published lectures, Lilienthal argues that management requires more than a mastery of techniques and skills; instead, it also requires that managers understand individuals and their motivations and help them achieve their goals. Lilienthal believed that combining management and leadership into practice, by not only getting work done but understanding the meaning behind the work, as effective managerial behavior. Thus, he promoted the idea of the manager as a motivator and facilitator of others. This manager as an artist was likely to respond differently to each employee and situation, rather than use a prescribed set of responses dictated by set of known guidelines. Another proponent of the management as art school of thought is Peter Drucker, famed management scholar who is best known for developing ideas related to total quality management. Drucker terms management a liberal art, claiming that it is such because it deals with the fundamentals of knowledge, wisdom, and leadership, but because it is also concerned with practice and application. Drucker argues that the discipline (i.e., the science) of management attempts to create a paradigm for managers, in which facts are established, and exceptions to these facts are ignored as anomalies. He is critical of the assumptions that make up the management paradigm, because these assumptions change over time as society and the business environment change. Thus, management is more of an art, because scientific facts do not remain stable over time. Managing is one of the most important human activities. From the time human beings began forming social organizations to accomplish aims and objectives they could not accomplish as individuals, managing has been   essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts. As society continuously relied on group effort, and as many organized groups have become large, the task of managers has been increasing in importance and complexity. Definition: Management is the art, or science, of achieving goals through people. Since managers also supervise, management can be interpreted to mean literally looking over i.e., making sure people do what they are supposed to do. Managers are, therefore, expected to ensure greater productivity or, using the current jargon, continuous improvement. Management is not easy. It is not an exact science. In fact, it is seen as an art that people master with experience. Managing your businesss most vital assets is too important to leave to chance.People who believe management is an art are likely to believe that there is no specific way to teach or understand management, and that it is a skill borne of personality and ability. Those who believe in management as an art are likely to believe that certain people are more predisposed to be effective managers than are others, and that some people cannot be taught to be effective managers. That is, even with an understanding of management research and an education in management, some people will not be capable of being effective practicing managers. Practicing managers who believe in management as an art are unlikely to believe that scientific principles and theories will be able to implemented in actual managerial situations. Instead, these managers are likely to rely on the social and political environment surrounding the managerial issue, using their own knowledge of a situation, rather than generic rules, to determine a course of action. For example, a manager who has a problem with an employees poor work performance is likely to rely on his or her own experiences and judgment when addressing this issue. Rather than having a standard response to such a problem, this manager is likely to consider a broad range of social and political factors, and is likely to take different actions depending on the context of the problem. The perspective of management as an art assumes to some extent that a manager has a disposition or experiences that guide him or her in managerial decisions and activities. Thus, with this perspective, many managers may be successful without any formal education or training in management. While formal management education may promote management as a science,many development efforts support the notion of management as an art. To cultivate management talent, organizations offer mentoring, overseas experiences, and job rotation. These activities allow managers to gain greater social and political insight and thus rely on their own judgment and abilities to improve their management style. Much of mentoring involves behavior modeling, in which a protà ©gà © may learn nuances of managerial behavior rather than a set of specific guidelines for managing. Overseas experiences are likely to involve a great deal of manager adaptation, and the general rules by which a manager might operate in one culture are likely to change when managing workers in other countries. Finally, job rotation is a technique that requires a manager to work in a variety of settings. Again, this encourages a manager to be flexible and adaptive, and likely rely more on his or her personal skill in manag ing. Management actually more of art than science. A huge part of Management is leadership, and no matter how many books and courses you take on the subject, if you dont have it in you, then the best you can be is a poor manager. On the flip side, a manager, even with the right innate skills, can make a lot of obvious mistakes if he didnt study well.   Management as science Science can be defined as any skill or technique that reflects a precise application of facts or a principle.. In practice, management as a science would indicate that managers use a specific body of information and facts to guide their behaviors, and that management as an art requires only skill and no specific body of knowledge,. Management Science deals with development and application of the concepts and models in case of any issues and solves managerial problems. The models are usually represented mathematically, but sometimes a few other methods such as computer-based, visual or verbal representations are also used. Believers of management being a discipline of science believe that there are ideal managerial practices available for certain situations. A manager who believes in the scientific principles, when encounters a managerial dilemma has got the view that there must be a rational and objective way to determine the correct course of action. It is possible that the manager will adopt the general principles and theories and also by creating and testing hypotheses. For example, when the employees performance is poor then the manager assumes that certain principles will work in most situations and reacts accordingly to the issue. The concept may be something learnt from a business school or through any f ormal means of training that the person might not consider other factors such as the political and social factors involved in the situation. Many early management researchers opined that managers are like scientists. The first theory that served subscribed to the vision of managers as scientists. The scientific management movement was the primary driver of this perspective. Scientific management, by Frederick W. Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and others tried to discover the one best way to perform jobs. The theory was published in Taylors monographs, Shop Management (1905)] and The Principles of Scientific Management (1911).The main aim was to bring in a theory to evaluate and organize work in order to get the optimum efficiency and effectiveness. The pig iron is the best illustrative of the scientific management theory. The load was split into lots weighing 92 pounds each, known as the pig. On an average 12.5 tons were loaded onto the rail cars by the workers but Taylor believed that it could be increased to 47 or 48 tons per day and as he had believed it completely worked. The following result was achieved by Matching the skill sets of the workers with that of the task that is required to do. Clear instructions are being provided for the workers on how to perform each of the tasks and it was ensured that the the instructions were being followed. Equal division of labour between the workers and the management. The employees were then motivated by providing them with a significantly higher daily wage. It was believed that the shop floor by 200% through the following principle. The theory of scientific management was adopted throughout the world including France, Russia and Japan. McDonalds has been successfully adopt the principles of Scientific Management into its system in the areas of bonus systems, the mutual understandings with the workers and systematic training provided The theory completely created a paradigm shift in the understanding the psychology of workers thus reducing the efficiencies to a very large level. Management, like other sciences has its own principles, laws, generalization which is universal in nature and can be applied to various situations. But management could not be treated in the same way as the other sciences are being treated, the sole reason being that management deals with people and it is very difficult to predict human behaviour accurately. Therefore, it can be said that management falls under the category of Social Sciences. Management has taken a giant leap in this century. Many are of the misconception that the scientific method will provide solutions to all problems but managers must understand that they must contend with the uncertainties that cannot be removed by the scientific endeavour. With the era being an era of science and technology, it is quintessential that we understand their importance. It is inevitable that every business involves some amount of scientific and technological systems. Management is a science as the scientific principles and rules (such as Taylors theory of scientific management and Webers conception of social and economic organization) that have been devised can be applied for improving productivity. Management as technology What is managementWhat is technologyAre these two related somewayIs technology good or bad These are some basic questions that we shall try to answer to understand this concept of management as technology Technology is the scientific methodology and the materials used to achieve certain goal or solve a particular problem. Management is the process of getting activities completed efficiently and effectively with and through other people. In laymans words, Management is to manage the man, money machine and technology helps in better management In todays world everybody is using technology in some way or the other whether knowingly or inadvertently. Technology is everywhere around us; in our homes, in our offices etc. The role of technology becomes even more important when it comes to the application of various functions of management. Todays business scenario is extremely fast, dynamic and full of uncertainties. Todays managers cannot afford to waste time on getting information ,then analysing it, then concluding results out of that raw information and then executing plans .Thus .here comes technology to his rescue. Technology makes it faster, far more efficient and easy for the managers to get results out of pieces of information and then formulate and execute plans and in turn generate profits for the business. But the question is How does technology do it and what technologies are available? A lot of technologies are available today to help out managers to take fast and effective decisions as well as expand their businesses. With the help of technology various software tools have been designed to manage all types of help desk customer service related tasks. It allows you to centrally record, track, update proactively manage customer service CRM related tasks, issues projects by allowing you to create, customize and automate workflows processes. Technology is designed to create, optimize automate business process based upon the customers requirement. It delivers complete transparency control to manage different workflows approvals for all types business enterprises. Technology allows organizations to proactively manage issues. Technology provides simple, easy to use, customizable web-based business management tools.   Technology management can also be defined as the integrated planning, design, optimization, operation and control of technological products processes and services, a better definition would be the management of the use of technology for human advantage. Today technology is used in every section of management whether it is marketing management, production operation management, human resource management, finance management or systems management. Project management is also the important part of technology management. Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.   The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals and objectives while honoring the preconceived project constraints. Typical constraints are scope, time, and budget. The secondary challenge is to optimize the allocation and integration of inputs necessary to meet the pre-defined objectives. Some tools that are used in the Organizations are :- Online business networking Networking is a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people. Businesses are increasingly using business social networks as a means of growing their circle of business contacts and promoting themselves online. In general these networking tools allow professionals to build up their circle of business partners they trust. By connecting these business partners the networking tools allow individuals to search for certain people within their network. Since businesses are expanding globally, social networks make it easier to keep in touch with other contacts around the world. Specific cross-border e-commerce platforms and business partnering networks now make globalization accessible also for small and medium sized companies. Social networking websites like LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com are some technologies that help businessmen meet each other online and remain in contact from any part of the world. Sharing of ideas and thoughts Blogs and certain websites like Twitter.com etc are some technologies which provide a platform where people can share their thoughts and present their opinions. Database management and data mining Today no longer we need any books etc to maintain data and records because today we have online database management systems which not only record our data but we can also query out information very fast and effectively. Data mining is the process of retrieving useful patterns out of data stored in the data warehouses which helps managers to analyze data and take quick decisions from the patterns. ERP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an integrated computer-based system used to manage internal and external resources, including tangible assets, financial resources, materials, and human resources. It is a software architecture whose purpose is to facilitate the flow of information between all business functions inside the boundaries of the organization and manage the connections to outside stakeholders. Built on a centralized database and normally utilizing a common computing platform, ERP systems consolidate all business operations into a uniform and enterprise-wide system environment. In the absence of an ERP system, a large manufacturer may find itself with many software applications that cannot communicate or interface effectively with one another. ERP systems connect the necessary software in order for accurate forecasting to be done. This allows inventory levels to be kept at maximum efficiency and the company to be more profitable. Integration among different functional areas to ensure proper communication, productivity and efficiency Design engineering (how to best make the product) Order tracking, from acceptance through fulfillment etc. Thus, we just now learnt about some technologies that the managers have at their disposal to help them out perform critical managerial functions. So, now we can certainly say that yes management and technology go hand in hand and without technology, management would become too difficult. Modern Management Theories and Practices Management thought has been evolving and redefining itself . There have been three phases of development during the process The Classical Approach, The Human Relations Approach and the contemporary approaches. The classical approach just emphasized the importance of production and administration process within the organization. The Human Relations Approach elucidated the importance of maintain human relations and thus adhering to sound practices in order to achieve the harmony. The contempropry approaches laid importance on the social systems, the decision making process and the application of quantitative methods. These are often grouped together as modern approaches. The classical management approach, developed during the Industrial Revolution, suggested the development of standard methods for doing jobs and the people were trained and they worked like machines. Every person had his own specialized work and he had to do it. This approach accentuated the work element and did not see the workers as human beings but machines. As management became more sophisticated, there was a shift from the era of production or the stress on production to punctuation on human relations. The Hawthrone experiments clearly indicated that apart from the working conditions and the physiological state of the workers, there were other factors influencing the productivity. George L. Mayo postulated these factors as social and psychological in nature. Recent Developments in Management Theory The recent developments in the management theory have been the Systems Approach, Situational or Contingency theory, Chaos theory, and Team Building theory. The Systems Theory: A system is looked at as having inputs (e.g., raw materials, funds, and human resource), processes (e.g., planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling), outputs (products or services) and outcomes (e.g., enhanced quality of life or productivity for customers/clients, productivity). According to this approach, the four aspects of the system is inter connected and this can be used to determine patterns and events. The Situational or Contingency Theory: This theory postulates that all aspects of the situations must be taken into account when managers make a decision. For e.g. if one is leading a military troop, then an autocratic style or a bureaucratic style must probably be adopted, whereas in the case of a medical facility, a more participative and facilitative leadership style will be more suitable. The Chaos Theory: This theory suggests that systems naturally tend to go complex and hence will lead to more volatility and instability. Thus inorder to maintain a balance, it is important to exert more energy. This trend continues until the system splits and falls apart entirely. Manager must be able to effectively scrutinize and take care so that mishaps dont happen. The Team Building approach: This theory postulates that team building is the essence of providing quality circles, best practices, and continuous improvement within the organization. This theory also elucidates that the reduction of levels of hierarchy or flattening of the system will bring in more effectiveness. Consensus management is the essence of the theory that is involving more people at all levels in the process of decision-making. MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES The basis of Modern Management Practices are based on Leadership and Commitment, Business Planning and Risk Management, Control Systems, Performance Management, Accountability Management Leadership and Commitment: Open-door management style, strong management board, good relationship with staff, importance in the area of values and ethics are all the prerequisites of Modern management. The Senior Financial Officer and the staff play a strong leadership role in the organization and participate in all major business decisions. Business Planning and Risk Management Strong linkage exists between business planning and management accountability agreements. This is achieved by setting well defined the corporate strategies and priorities.