Waiting for Godot Major Themes

Ralph Waldo Emerson, famous literary writer, once inscribed, â€Å"Much of human life is lost in waiting† (Richardson, 24). Individuals cannot escape the waiting in daily life even if they wished so. Waiting is inscribed into society, from waiting for a bus ride, beverages at a favourite coffee house, items to be checked out at a grocery store or simply, arriving to a location too early for an occasion to occur. In Samuel Beckett’s legendary play Waiting for Godot, the main characters Estragon and Vladimir obsess about waiting for the mysterious individual Godot to arrive. From this waiting, scholars have created many literary analysis of the play the most persuasive being political, religious and existentialist in nature. The Cold War took place over decades, beginning in 1947 and concluding in 1991. The word cold is not only used in the title of this war, but also inscribed deeply into it. The war did not feature guns, bullets and soldiers, instead the war was fought aloofly between communist countries in things like sport events, propaganda and technological opposition. The Cold War appears as a metaphor for many scholars in Waiting for Godot. The characters hold a lot of emotion but never seem to really do anything with it, except discuss it at length. More than once the word nothing is used. There is often â€Å"nothing to do† (Beckett, 13) and â€Å"nothing to show† (Beckett, 4) and the character’s world stays the same. Scholars also point to the play as being Marxist in nature. Godot is the Capitalist full of power and who separates himself from the working class, the other characters are the working class, without personal purpose or goals. Pozzo and Lucky serve as an example of the Marxism analysis as well, Pozzo illustrating that to the Capitalist to labour. â€Å"Pozzo is blind to what is happening around him and Lucky is mute to protest his treatment† (Hutching, 68) serves as evidence of this relationship. Political interpretations abound in this play as do religious ones. The character in which the play focuses on yet never makes an actual appearance is Godot. It is imperative for the religious examination of the play to note that the root word of Godot is God. Perhaps this is what spun the belief that Godot is a representation of God. Religious references are apparent in the play right from the beginning. Estragon asks Vladimir what he wishes from Godot and offers as a suggestion in his probing â€Å"A kind of prayer? † to which Vladimir replies â€Å"Precisely† (Beckett, 14). Estragon and Vladimir discuss religion and specific bible passages during their wait. For example, they speak about a biblical reference of two thieves. â€Å"Our Saviour. Two thieves. One is supposed to †¦ have been saved and the other . . . he searches for the contrary of saved) . . . damned† Vladimir states and when Estragon asks what the thief is saved from, Vladimir responds â€Å"Hell† (Beckett, 64). It is interesting to note that in the bible passage, both thieves are saved from hell and like the thieves, Estragon and Vladimir wish to be saved from what Estragon later claims is â€Å"hell† (Beckett, 89). God and Godot also share a physical attribute; both have beards. Lucky states that Godot has a â€Å"white beard† (Beckett, 43) and later, the character of the boy offers that Godot also has a beard. Beckett frequently disappeared â€Å"into a trance† (Knowlson, 401) when writing and many followers of the religious analysis have accepted this as evidence that Beckett was unaware of his attentions, thus influenced by a â€Å"higher power† (Knowlson, 232). Strong appointments to this are those who see the play as Existentialist in nature. Existentialism, as defined by Oxford English Dictionary is, â€Å"The individual's unique position as a self-determining agent responsible for the authenticity of his or her choices. † The central idea of existentialism is that humans are accountable for designing, implementing and adhering to their own destiny. Thus, destiny is not God made, it is person made. Estragon and Vladimir have decided to stay in the dreary physical setting of isolation and containment. Estragon seems to offer readers a deeper thought process then his quiet and reliant friend Vladimir. Vladimir states, â€Å"All I know is that the hours are long, †¦ under these conditions, and constrain us to beguile them with proceedings which – how shall I say – which may at first sight seem reasonable, until they become a habit†¦ you follow my reasoning? † (Beckett, 91). This quote is powerful, suggesting that filling one’s day with actions just to pass time such as removing a boot as Estragon did, is suitable for a short period but unacceptable for a long course of time. Although he states this, Vladimir does not leave the scene. Pozzo and Lucky, two of the three only people Estragon and Vladimir have contact with, have a slave and master relationship, but neither chooses to step outside this, instead the two characters grow deeply dependant on one another. Vladimir and Estragon go as far as to contemplate suicide, but do not proceed to do so. Thus, all the characters in Waiting for Godot, could live an altered life, with enhanced opportunities, but choose to stay frozen in the dark. under these conditions, and constrain us to beguile them with proceedings which – how shall I say – which may at first sight seem reasonable, until they become a habit. You may say it is to prevent our reason from foundering. No doubt. But has it not long been straying in the night without end of the abyssal depths? Academics have long linked Waiting for Godot and Beckett himself, to the existential movement. The greatest argument followers of the theory have is that Beckett never discloses Godot being a symbol of God, instead, he greatly declined the claim stating â€Å"that if by Godot I had meant God I would [have] said God, and not Godot† (Knowlson, 412). â€Å"Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse type of suffering†, Paulo Coelho, celebrated Brazilian author wrote. The internal and external suffering which Estragon and Vladimir seem spellbound in is dreadful yet alluring in the same instant. Dreadful because the characters and audience wait for relief and alluring because they are enticed about what could be but is not. The waiting in Waiting for Godot has long stood as a secrecy requiring solving and the theories of politics, existentialism and religion offer convincing analyses to this literary puzzle. No one but Beckett himself and perhaps not even him, comprehend the genuine significance of this play, thus, like Estragon and Vladimir, scholars and audiences alike are caught waiting for a conclusion that may never arrive.

How Much Copper Is in the Coin?

We calibrated three different molarities of copper (II) nitrate. We tested for the %Transmittance of 1M, 0. 1M, and 0. 01M and plotted the data collected on a calibration curve based on concentration and absorbance. We used nitric acid to dissolve a penny to produce another copper (II) nitrate to test its %Transmittance and plot that on the graph to discover the concentration of that substance which came out to be about . 21M. We attempted to develop a method for determining the concentration of three different diluted copper (II) ion solutions. We also tried to determine the concentration of copper within a penny by dissolving it in nitric acid. We used a spectrometer to measure the %Transmittance of each and were able to convert it to it absorbance in order to plot it on our calibration curve. We used test tubes to contain the solution and set the spectrometers to 20, which were preset by the TA. Prepare three different beakers with one containing 0. 01M, 0. 1M, and 1M of copper (II) nitrate ( Cu(NO3)2). Fill three different test tubes full, each having different amounts of concentrations of the copper (II) nitrate. By using the spectrometer measure the %Transmittance (%T) for each. Convert each %T into its absorbance by the equation: A(absorbance)=log(100/%T) and plot on a graph. The y-axis should be labeled A and the –axis should be labeled Concn for the concentration of molarity. Draw the best fit line through the graph. Place a penny in a beaker and carefully add HNO3 and occasionally swirl so that the penny can completely dissolve. Once the penny is fully dissolved, fill another test tube with the newly created copper (II) nitrate and again, test for the %Titration and convert it to the A. Plot it on the graph on the best fit line and find the amount of concentration that was found within the new solution. When dissolving the penny with nitric acid make certain to perform it within the hood seeing as the gas that is created is toxic. Also be very cautious when working with nitric acid due to the fact that is s corrosive to the skin.

Human resource management of HMV Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human resource management of HMV - Assignment Example Performance reviews happen regularly and their frequent occurrence ensures the work excellence (Rijks, 2012). But looking at the recent scenarios in the business world regarding this company there is a lot that needs to be done. Suggestion for improvement in training and development programs are provided after a thorough analysis of the situation (Webb, 2013). Keywords: HMV, training and development, Human Resource Management in HMV The Essay aims to illustrate the essentials of human resource management in terms of the decisions that the company HMV (His master’s Voice) takes. The essay shall describe the initial semblance of the human resource management practiced in there, and inform whether the strategy the company follows is a hard or a soft one (and the strategies that are being used now and the ones that are en-stored for the future). The approach of the company shall also get portrayed and then analyzed whether or not it’s proper to use that approach. Recruitmen t and selection of the human resource shall come under discussion while taking into consideration the typical recruitment process of the company and the effectiveness of the results of this process. The tactics used by the company are to be explored. After that, training and development plans are supposed to be discussed for example what have been the former practices of the company and what are its plans, for now? But taking into account the history of the company, primarily the essay focuses on what the organization could do differently to come out of the difficult times it is in. Then performance management shall also be investigated in view of the feedback processes and incentives and appraisals granted. HMV represents the name His Master's Voice, which was actually the title of a painting bought by the founding company of HMV retail Ltd. (Gramophone Company). The painting was by Francis Barraud and depicted the dog Nipper listening to a cylinder phonograph. HMV deals in Books, Video games, Film, Television, Games, Magazines, Music, Fashion, Technology, Merchandise, Cinema and Ticketing. On its course company acquired Waterstone's in 1998 (which was then sold in 2011), the music retailer Fopp in August 2007 (BBC News, 2007), and some Zavvi retail outlets in February 2009. MAMA Group was also bought in 2009, though the acquisition was short and it was sold in December 2012. In April 2013 HMV was taken over by Hilco UK, as HMV group had entered administration earlier that year. Training and Development The section of the article is dealing with training and development practices in the HMV Company. HMV jobs are a brilliant way of starting a career due to their in-house training sessions and extensive skill-developing agendas. HMV provides a good position to work, for people passionate about music, movies, games and technology because HMV is aware that it is only as triumphant as its employees and the corporate culture of the company speaks for that sentiment . HMV has been conducting many activities to help its employees meet the goals set by their ambitions. A great stress is put upon learning something every day, because HMV believes learning to be one of its most rudimentary values for its employees. From the very beginning of their careers employees are given on job trainings and their development as an asset is not neglected. Since this essay already declares that HMV has one of the best induction programs, it

Education of Professionals in the Light of the Changing Nature of Essay - 1

Education of Professionals in the Light of the Changing Nature of Professional Practice - Essay Example The concept of a profession is a developing one and is not stationary. So, the definition should not be static defining just a few people as professionals. The expansion in the definition should indeed be made considering the criteria like core values and knowledge which will be discussed later on in this essay. This expansion is important because people involved in newly emerging professions like packing and transporting are also considered as professionals (Downie, 1990) There is so much importance in the practice of professionals that the quality of a professional is dependent on the practice of how one exercises his or her duties following the ethical codes and must have sufficient concern for the society. For example, often the new technological developments by professionals are double-edged(Mike W..Martin, Roland Schinzinger, 2005). The advent of nuclear power has increased our power capability, but at the same time, it has posed atomic bomb threat. – briefly explain what you mean and try to give an example. This, in turn, can be managed by means of good training and education on ethical behavior and also attaining proper education should be viewed in all aspects and not just in attending courses or a mere qualification. Governments, politicians and social activists take an active part in improving the quality of professionals’ practice (Becher, 1993). On the other hand, there are also objections from some communities over their value to their society, the way in which their projects increase the value of the society. Some projects may degrade the society very much, for example, the nuclear tests. – such as?. So, the process of building such quality in educating professionals requires a careful analysis and the work should proceed from the grass root level so that a solid foundation is laid in professional ethics helping all through their career.

Hospitality industries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hospitality industries - Essay Example Since the inception of the hotel, Travelodge had undergone a drastic expansion and growth. It has opened more than 500 hotels with over 37,000 rooms and thus had gradually moved from a roadside hotel chain to become one of the fastest, largest as well as the most famous brand of budget hotels in the United Kingdom. It has been ascertained that nearly 16.5 million people stayed in Travelodge in the previous year (2012). It is worth mentioning that about 90 per cent reservations are made through the website of Travelodge, thus attracting more than 1.1 million visitors per week (Travelodge, 2013). Travelodge is the smartest choice for leisure and business travels. It consistently offers the customers with great value of hotels depending on their choice to reside. It is interesting to highlight that nearly 80 per cent of the Travelodge hotels are located in famous holiday hot spots, towns and city centres. It has a range of hotel designs comprising of budget built hotels, office conversi ons, acquirement of the present hotels, grade II listed building and co-partnerships with leading super markets, pubs and retailers among others. Travelodge was set to build further 14 hotels with 1,742 rooms at an expense of 141.5 million pounds. With respect to the UK locations, four major hotels are London including Bethnal Green, Vauxhall, Hounslow and Walthamstow. The other hotels of Travelodge which are at the door of starting by 2013 will be located at the two major cities of Spain i.e. in Madrid and Barcelona. The inaugurations of hotels in these cities will double the room stock of Travelodge to 700 in Spain (Travelodge, 2013). A key part of the investment of Travelodge largely relies on the new room brands which had been created by taking into account the comfort and preferences of the customers of Travelodge. In January 2013, Travelodge made an announcement of investing 223 million pound that would further help the company to grow and expand its business. The cash investm ent of the hotel would enhance the sustainable growth of the company and would strengthen the company’s brand offerings. This will also ensure that the customers are delivered with the best value in the market place. It has also been ascertained that by the end of 2013, Travelodge will make considerable investment on the renovation of 50 per cent of all the rooms acquired by the company. Furthermore, the company intended to incorporate the new room designs in almost 90 per cent of the estates of Travel Lodge by the end of autumn, 2014. Thus for the next 18 months more than 50 rooms on an average would be refurnished (Travelodge, 2013). As per the latest Budget Hotel Reports of 2010 a total of 54 new budget hotels were inaugurated in the year 2012 with more than 5,446 new rooms. Travelodge is the fastest growing budget hotel chain in the UK for the ended year 2012 wherein more than 3,883 rooms were added to its portfolio. Regardless the tremendous growth rate, the company is e ncountered with intense competition from its major rival Premier Inn. Correspondingly, 27 per cent market share in

Communication in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Communication in business - Essay Example The multi-billion dollar corporation has various large stores spread across the United States and Canada. Wal-Mart Corporation on average has managed to attain a net profit of more than $3 billion USD. Wal-Mart has thousands of employees under its payroll. Wal-Mart, the largest private employer in the United States defines the standards of the retail industry in terms of the suppliers and employers. It is important for a large corporation like Wal-Mark to ensure that it satisfies its customers cater for its employees, and when it comes to the environment and the community, it should observe corporate social responsibility. As much as Wal-Mart Corporation has strived to ensure that it puts its mantra of â€Å"save money, live better† into action, there have been occasions in which it has let down its consumers, employees, the environment and community. This is through poor management and neglect of mission and social responsibility on the side of the managers. In essence, Wal-M art Corporation has put more effort in increasing profit for its shareholders than fulfilling corporate social responsibility. This paper examines how Wal-Mart Corporation has performed in terms of social, corporate responsibility. Wal-Mart and its employees A number of individuals, community groups and employees’ labor unions have expressed mixed feelings regarding the welfare of employees in Wal-Mart. In most cases, the welfare involves salary and wages, working conditions, safety, training and holidays. Employee salaries and wages have been a major issue on the debate in that employees’ labor unions, have asserted that Wal-Mart pays its employees a less than average living wage while it makes billions of profit (Lichtenstein, 2006: 2). Additionally, the payments made by Wal-Mart, as salaries and wages to its employees are way low expectations of the retail industry. Wal-Mart also offers less over-time working hours since their normal working hours are 34 hours a wee k while, on the other hand, its competitor only offer an average of 32 hour a week. This means that if an employee works over time he or she will not get the advantage of working for the two extra hours. Wal-Mart as a retail store makes a lot of profit, which fails to reflect on the salaries of its employees. Working conditions in Wal-Mart are not conducive enough since the company partly violates the â€Å"National Labor Relations Act† and the specification of basic human rights through â€Å"International Labor Organization†. There are many complaints regarding the harsh working conditions in Wal-Mart through intimidation, threats and firing of employees. Moreover, some complaints have been filed in court against Wal-Mart. In accordance with the â€Å"National Organization for Women† (NOW), Wal-Mart Corporation has demonstrated discriminatory practices against its employees, and thus it is a â€Å"Merchant of Shame†. Women have been on the forefront fig hting against the widespread gender discrimination in Wal-Mart Corporation (Walmart Watch, 2011: 6). Wal-Mart has gone to the extent of failing to pay its employees their hard-earned salaries. This case occurred in 2002 when more than 30 lawsuits claiming millions of dollars belonging to employees filed against Wal-Mart. The lawsuits entailed Wal-Mart forcing some employees to work during their breaks, illegally deleting employees’ time sheet and forceful working during off the clock working hours. Wal-Mart collaborated with managers and supervisors in

Mother daughter relationship in Mary Gordon's Cleaning Up (short Essay

Mother daughter relationship in Mary Gordon's Cleaning Up (short story) - Essay Example ut working for what you receive; therefore, Loretta never bathes for fear that she would be â€Å"putting herself in the camp of the Lavins’ children† (p. xx). Although she doesn’t like children, she makes an effort to engage herself in play with the oldest child, John Lavin, as her way of â€Å"pa[ying] her board† (p. xx). She knew her mother would have expected this of her. Although it is never written that the Lavin family is anything but accommodating during Loretta’s stay, Loretta constantly feels like an outsider. She is convinced that her mother’s actions caused Martine Lavin, the matriarch of the family, and other community members to see her as an inferior person. Later, when she becomes a well-educated woman, she still feels that her old community would condemn her because of her mother’s earlier behavior. â€Å"Cleaning Up† is, in parts, consistent with Gordon’s life. In the story, Loretta attains the same leve l of education that Gordon currently has. Loretta’s pre-college schooling is better than what Gordon was provided, but both earn a Master’s degree and use it to teach. Mother Perpetua is Loretta’s greatest influence. According to an Internet biography, Gordon received the same kind of influence from Elizabeth Hardwick and Janice Thaddeus. Gordon actually considered becoming a nun, a lifestyle that Loretta also briefly contemplates. Finally, Loretta’s work ethic is similar to Gordon’s. Gordon worked to support herself, just like Loretta. Against her mother’s advice, Gordon performed secretarial work and babysat for Thaddeus to put herself through school. Gordon’s own mother, though disfigured from and afflicted with polio, also worked as a secretary to support her family because her husband wouldn’t. The fact that Loretta strives as hard as her mother would have wanted her to, makes it clear that Loretta loved her mother despite the turmoil she’d created. Even though Loretta never saw her mother again, she thinks about

Hotel Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Hotel Management - Essay Example Although supporters of virtual meetings and other technological applications contend that the same objective could be attained by eliminating face to face meetings, one argues that virtual meetings and other computer mediated forms of communication are most prone to distractions. Since the users are in different locations, which are most convenient to their respective endeavors, despite indicating presence during the virtual meeting, these participants could in fact continue other forms of activities such as responding to emails, texting, and making side conversations without the obvious knowledge of the other participants. As such, those participating in virtual meetings and other technologically mediated forms of communication, exhibit inability to focus completely and dedicatedly since distractions abound. With large face-to-face meetings which are designed to unite members into collaborating, participating, observing, listening, reacting, responding and interacting with other participants, more enlivened discussion ensues. The element of human interaction is crucial and paramount as it indicates a form of commitment, a social bond that indicates conformity to the same goals, philosophies, values and ideals promoted by the group, of which the members should be active participants. Likewise, through real time reaction and responses relayed by the participants, relevant and crucial issues are immediately resolved. There are apparently many advantages of face-to-face meetings that could not just be totally ignored or dismissed; even with the prolific use and benefits of virtual meetings and computer mediated forms of communication. For one, face-to-face meetings have the ability to generate more positive and vibrant response from participants that motivate the group to be more enthusiastic about the objective being

Motivation to Learn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Motivation to Learn - Essay Example It is mainly compose of an individual internal desire to comprehend their underlying interest, self-esteem and corresponding personal sense of accomplishment. It is also mainly influenced by internal factors. The main factors that aid in fostering intrinsic motivation of students entail individual’s autonomy, experience, handling of underlying challenges positively, and self-appraisal. A feeling of accomplishment of an individual can mainly be evaluated by underlying numerous devastating challenges that can correspondingly impart tautness and fear. This can make student feel realize set up to fail. Thus, teachers ought to monitor the way students fair on with diverse intensities of challenges. According to Dweck (2008), students possessing intrinsic motivation have different mindsets and are concern about numerous issues as compared to those one devoid of intrinsic motivation. Moreover, individuals with intrinsic motivation are normally interested getting knowledge at the expe nse of being noticed as smart by their colleagues and corresponding teachers. Instructors are normally in a position of assisting students in becoming intrinsically motivated via attaining necessary experience, which are commonly achieved via repetitive issuing of the prevailing evaluation tests. This can also be accomplished via provision of a participatory environment, which ensures that prevailing learners remain active in the course of the learning process. Diverse mindsets also aid in fostering intrinsic motivation.

Home School versus Public Education in Society Essay Example for Free

Home School versus Public Education in Society Essay Are we aware of what social environment your child thrives in daily? Are the teachers who are educating our children, the right person to get the job done? What are the success rates of our children in the coming future? Are there similarities between public school and home school? Do you know the answers to these questions? There are similarities between public education and home schooled children, but let’s face it, there are differences in who will be educating our children, how much school will cost out of our pockets, whether our children will develop healthy relationships with other children their age, and whether or not our children will become successful human beings in society. This essay examines all your concerns as parents with school-aged children, and what education method may be better for your child’s future. To many parents in society, it always has been a worry that socialization may become jeopardized in a home school bound child. Many people believe that public educated children learn about socialization from â€Å"the school of hard knocks† in a public setting because they have to learn socialization skills on how to act around other children, and teachers, by a trial and error process. Truth is many teachers just do not have enough time in the day to teach every child the correct way to interact with others socially. The good side of social interaction in public schools is that our children do make close friendships in school, and they usually last outside of the classroom walls. On the other hand, in a homeschool setting, each parent has the ability, and time, to teach their own children the correct way to act properly, socially. As long as the parent takes the time to interact with their child and take them to other social events in the community, with other children and adults, the child has an upper-hand to get the best socialization that a parent could teach them. Is this a real life scenario? A study done in 2003, conducted by the Home School Legal Defense Association, discovered that homeschooled children were either as equally, or involved more, in community activities, voting, and employment, than those educated from a public school. The downside to home schooling your child is that they do not get the constant interaction with children throughout their day, and maybe making it harder for your child to make friends near their home. One question to ask yourself, â€Å"Is your home located near other children close to your child’s age?† Public education offers college educated teachers to teach the students, while home school offers the students’ parents to become the educators. For instance, in a public school environment, the teachers are college educated, and very fluent in the area of study that they are teaching their students, so it may be easier to come up with ways to teach the students how to learn and retain the information they are taught. But does every student learn the same? No! Some students need more attention than others, and sometimes one teacher is just not enough for all the students present in their classroom. Whereas, in a homeschool setting, children are given homework and tested by their parents at their discretion of what they may think their child needs to learn more of and test to show they have the knowledge needed on the subject or material. If the parents don’t quite know how to teach all the curriculum materials on each subject, then home schooling your child may not work for you. As long as the student is learning the material, and the parent is not helping the child by giving them the answers, then homeschool is an excellent way for your child to learn. The parent has the full opportunity to teach their child the way they want them to learn, and be proud of them when they succeed in their studies. Success Rates may also vary from both education backgrounds. Boys generally have a higher rate of drop-outs than girls, in every state in the U.S. The National Center for Education Statistics did a study on the classes of 2010, in the United States, and found that 78% percent of students had earned their degree, on time, within the four years they had begun high school. That statistic was an all-time high of the past forty years, however, 1974 was the last year that those graduation rates were actually charted. More importantly, major cities generally have a higher drop-out rate than students from suburb schools. Generally, because of the changes in the economy, students can be seen dropping out to help out their family when times are tough. When the economy gets weak, high school students have a tendency to drop-out of school faster than they might otherwise have done. In 2005, the Education Department started publishing an official estimate of high school graduation rates, and, surprisingly, all 50 states agreed to a standard method of calculating those rates by this year, 2013. Currently there are only 4% of school-aged children home schooled in America. That number may seem quite small to hear, but it has risen up 75%, since 1999, to make that four percent, today. The number of kids, whose parents are not enrolling their children into public schools, is growing seven times faster than students seem to be enrolling in the k-12 school years in public schools, year by year. Although it is harder for non-traditional students, like homeschoolers, to receive scholarships for schools, due to the lack of recognition in their education background, they do, however, enroll and attain their four-year degree at a much higher rate than a public educated student. In conclusion, it does matter where you send your children to become an educated young adult. We need to all consider the positive and negative aspect of the education path we send our children down. There are some questions to ponder when doing so. Think about what environment you want your child to be involved in daily. Decide whether you want to be the educator, or someone from a school. Think about what social environment you think you will see your child truly blossom in. Lastly, decide whether or not it is the right decision for your child, not just yourself and the family. References: Michigan Department of Education (2012). â€Å"Home Schooling in Michigan†. www.michigan.gov Beverly Hernandez. â€Å"Is Homeschool for You?† www.homeschooling.about.com Ellen, Mary. (2012). â€Å"Homeschool vs. Public School: Who’s Better Socialized.† Off The Grid News. www.offthegridnews.com Layton, Lyndsey. â€Å"National public high school graduation rate at a four-decade high.† The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com Lawrence, Julia. (2012). â€Å"Number of Homeschoolers Growing Nationwide.† Education News. www.educationnews.org

Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait

Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait The pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait has never been considered by the Government to be as important as the other healthcare or even many other professional sectors, like engineering for example. It has always been viewed as a less important profession with a very small number of professionals relatively to other jobs in the country. However, Pharmacy is a necessity in Kuwait and in every country, in addition to the obvious increment of the number of pharmacists who join the field every year, especially since the beginning of the last decade after Kuwait University launched its first pharmaceutical department in 1997. Therefore, these pharmacists must be heard and understood like every other profession in Kuwait, they have potential and needs which must be considered and met whenever possible by the Government. One of these needs or even necessities is motivation. The practice of motivation is critical for every successful organization, just like other important measures to increase pe rformance; it is a tool that must be present in every healthy working environment. Being a previous pharmacist working in the public sector in Kuwait, the Author has come across this subject numerous times with different pharmacists, who had negative views of the matter in most times. However, there was no clear study which shows the true level of motivation that is being experienced in the sector, which is the reason for conducting this research. 1.2 Problem Definition The experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector is poor, compare with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, and compare to the pharmacists who work in the private sector in Kuwait. Therefore, the Author chose to examine the level of that motivation in a deeper manner to have clearer and more reliable view of the concept within the public sector of pharmacy, in addition to finding new methods which could improve the implementation of such practice. 1.3 Research Objective The main objective of this thesis is to define the level of motivation that is experienced within pharmacists working in the public sector in Kuwait. The sub-objectives can be classified into the following three measures: The first one is to determine the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait. The second objective is to determine whether there is an effect of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists. The third and final measure is to explore new techniques and motivational methods that can be used in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs. 1.4 Research Questions The research shall consist of one major question and three minor ones. The major research question is: What is the experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector in Kuwait? The minor questions are as follows: What is the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait? What are the effects of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists? What can be used as new techniques or new methods of motivation in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs? 1.5 Research Methodology For the research method, we will conduct personal interviews, which shall be done face to face to get the most reliable responses from pharmacists. The proposed methodological framework for this study, will be based largely on several motivational models that would be described later in chapter two, they are Maslow Hierarchy of needs, achievement motivational model, the two factor theory, the expectancy theory and the equity model. From those five models, a guiding criterion will be extracted and compared with the responses of the research questions. In addition to that, the role of management and supervision and its effects on motivation will be examined and compared to the characteristics of a motivational management which will be addressed in chapter 2. And finally, the interviewees will be asked for their recommendations and suggestions for newer and better motivational techniques and methods, to be implemented by the Ministry of Health. 1.6 Data Analysis Method After collecting the qualitative data, they will be analyzed using different criteria. The analysis will basically list the answers of the participants and find the relationships between them with the assistance of weighing frequencies of repentant responses to reach a better conclusion. The conceptual framework will be based on five motivational theories (Maslows hierarchy, achievement model, two-factor theory, the expectancy theory, and the equity theory), which is the base for analyzing the findings. The impact of positive motivation implementations will also be discussed with the selected pharmacists, in addition to an interpretation of their recommendations on improving the motivational process within the Ministry of Health. 1.7 Thesis Structure The structure of the thesis will be based on five main chapters, they are listed below: Chapter one: Introduction. Chapter two: Literature Review. Chapter three: Research Design and Methodology. Chapter four: Data Analysis, Findings and Discussion. Chapter five: Conclusion, Recommendations and Further Research. The next chapter will present our literature review. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction Motivation is a global concept, recognized worldwide today; it is a necessary tool for all different kinds of organizations to survive and grow, and most importantly to succeed. Below is a literature review for the term motivation. It includes different definitions of the term in addition to other terms related to motivation. Different theories on motivation will be mentioned and reviewed briefly to better understand the meaning and limitations of the term motivation. Successful tools to achieve the desired motivation will also be addressed and explained, as well as a review on the different mechanisms used by organizations to motivate their employees. And finally, there will be a review on employee motivation techniques used including a few examples from the best motivational companies in Kuwait. 2.2 Motivation So, who are the motivated workers? According to Myers (1964), when Texas Instruments Incorporated conducted a six year of research and study on the subject of motivation during the 1950s, they came up with the following conclusion1: Employees are motivated to work more effectively when they have a job that is challenging, because it might give them some interest in the job, more enjoyable work, a possibility of recognition, and a since of achievement when they accomplish the task. They become dissatisfied when those noted factors are missing from their jobs. They may also become dissatisfied by some negative factors related to the job itself including astringent rules, no breaks, low status, and low levels of salary or fringe benefits. This study was conducted by a company which experienced a tremendous growth in the 1950s, their annual sales rose from $2 million to over $200 million, along with their employee force which had risen from 1,700 to 17,000 in that decade. This success was accomplished because of their brilliant management philosophy, which provided employees with opportunities that allowed them to explore their works and efforts, and even set their own goals. In addition, the culture was a very friendly and informal one, as employees had very close relationships and strong communication links. Despite that success, the growth was not for long after those years, and employees were no longer highly motivated as before, because there were poor managerial skills in understanding the concept of motivation and how each employee can be motivated. This was in the 1950s; today the main idea or the concept of motivation still have the same old parameters, but with some improvements and modifications after many long studies by many of scientists and philosophers. To best understand the term motivation, one must start with the definition. 2.2.1 Definition of Motivation For the purpose of this thesis, we will keep the definition of (The Collins business Dictionary, 2002) regarding the concept of motivation. In that perspective, motivation is defined as the force or process which impels people to behave in the way that they do. In a work setting, motivation can be viewed as that which determines whether workers expand the degree of efforts necessary to achieve required task objectives2. Furthermore, here is another explanation of the term: motivation represents the forces acting on or within a person that causes the person to behave in a specific, goal-directed manner3. In addition, the online business dictionary (business dictionary , 2009) defines it as the Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and mother of all action. It results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others4. Since the term motivation is being defined, one must address some terms which are highly related to motivation, including: job satisfaction, job commitment, and job loyalty. Job satisfaction is the satisfaction that an individual gains (or does not gain) from his or her job. It is generally believed that satisfied employees will be more highly motivated and will work more productively than dissatisfied employees. Job dissatisfaction may lead to absenteeism, job turnover, industrial actions, and etc2. Commitment is the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons2. It is a well known fact that job satisfaction strongly leads to job commitment, which later leads to loyalty. Furthermore, job loyalty is another state led to by motivation, and it is a measure of commitment based on obligation or, in consumer preferences, degree of satisfaction2. 2.3 Theories of Motivation Over the years, many researchers have looked into the human psychology and studied the human nature to understand the process of motivation. They have come up with many theories which are being thought now to millions of students around the globe. Below this paragraph there is an overview of some of the most recognized theories of motivation worldwide, starting with the need theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs, and David C McClellands achievement motivation model. 2.3.1 Motivating Employees through Satisfying Human Needs 2.3.1.1 The Needs Hierarchy Theory The hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most recognized theories in the subject. It was found by Abraham Maslow, who published an article in 1943 under the title A theory of human motivation, which was developed later into the hierarchy of needs theory in Maslows Motivation and Personality book in 19545. The hierarchy model is shown in figure 2.1, as presented in the following website (making it clear.com, 2007)6: (Figure 2.1) Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle Taken from (making it clear website, 2007) Maslow has based his theory on the fact that people are motivated by certain types of needs, he classified them into five levels based on their importance to people, and they are in ascending order: physiological, security, affiliation, esteem and self-actualization. He then arranged them in a hierarchy showing the order in which these needs are fulfilled from bottom to top5. According to Maslow, these human needs can be classified into lower and higher levels of needs, the lower levels or factors of needs has to be satisfied and fulfilled before the higher ones, which means they must be satisfied in order, so that a person can be motivated, and reach a high level of achievement in life5. The model indicates that when one need is satisfied, another one becomes important, which means that the lowest level of needs  (physiological)  must be  fulfilled  in  order to  move to the higher one (security), and so on, until one reaches  self-fulfillment 3. In other words, each level of needs is a motivator, which when satisfied, does not motivate anymore, and the higher level is now the motivator5. Firstly, Physiological needs. They are the first and lowest level of the hierarchy, they are the most basic needs which are necessary for the continuation of life, and they include: the desire for food, water, air, and sleep3. It can safely be said that no human being can live without the physiological needs, which is why they are sometimes called survival needs. They must be satisfied in order for a person to move up the hierarchy, and be motivated by the next level of needs5. Secondly, security needs. They occupy the second level of the pyramid, and are sometimes called safety needs, as they include the need for safety, stability and absence of pain, threat or illness3. When it comes to work, these needs may cause the preference for a safe and secure job, with a health insurance benefit for example. They include financial security, as they may cause people to open savings accounts for the security of their future, or to take different types of insurances for example, the insurance against accidents4. When this level is satisfied, a person may move to the next level5. Thirdly, Social needs, which can be explained as the needs someone wants from society, such as friendship and the feeling of belonging3. This level of needs deals with the emotions of the human being, every person needs to feel accepted and loved by others, and as most people do, a human may belong to a group, which can be a small one like family and friends, or a large one such as clubs, religious parties, or even gangsters. In the case that this emotional need was not fulfilled, a person may be lonely and experience some mental disorders such as anxiety or depression3. Esteem is the next level in the pyramid, and it is the desire to feel respected and self worthy, and thereby boost the self-esteem. People need to be valued by other people, they need to be accepted by what they are and recognized for their activities and contributions in order to feel self-valued. The imbalances of this need can lead to low self-esteem, which can cause psychological conditions such as depression3. The highest and last need is Self-actualization, which only appears when all the levels have been satisfied, and involves people recognizing their full potential, and be the best as they can be at what they do3,which can be best seen with self-employed people3. 2.3.1.2 The Achievement Motivation Model This model of motivation has been identified by David C McClellands in 1961. He proposed the idea that there are three important types of needs; they are achievement, authority/power, and affiliation needs. These needs were found to be present in every worker especially within managers, and the degree of which need is dominant can be seen in the workers attitude and behavior at work, which is based on their motivational status7. The ones, who are motivated by achievement, can be seen competing against a high standard, having difficult and challenging goals, and always seeking achievements and advancements in their jobs3. The authority/power motivated ones always strive for authority and leadership. They need to be leaders and have their ideas prevail. In addition, they want to be influential, make an impact in work and on other workers, and reach high personal status3. The affiliation motivated persons are team players; they are motivated by friendly relationships with others, as they need to be liked and always have close friendships7.   The McClelland theory proposed that all people have a combination of these needs, however not in the same level. The level of which particular need is dominant can be seen in someones attitude and behavior at work. He thinks that the managers, who are strongly affected by affiliation motivation, always need to be liked, which in turn affects their decision-making criteria. While authority motivated workers will posses a high level of commitment and work ethics, and in most cases are managers or leaders, unless they do not have the required skills or flexibility for the job. In addition, McClelland thinks that the best leaders are the ones with strong achievement motivation, however they may have some difficulties in leading their staff into believing and having as much dedication to what they want to achieve7. In his theory, McClelland proposed that achievement-motivated people are characterized by the following attitudes3: They set their own goals, because of their high selectivity of matters; they cannot accept other people to draw goals for them. They take full responsibility in their decisions and results, if they succeed they want the credit, and if they do not, they do not mind the blame. To them, Achievement is valued more than financial reward. They prefer achieving their goals to receiving praise or getting recognition. They do not consider a financial reward as a goal; to them it is just a measure of success. They are not highly concerned about Security, or about their status. They like nothing more than a reliable feedback for their work, not to get an appraisal or something of that matter, but to measure their work and see how successful they have been. They always seek better ways to do things, and improve their methods. they are highly selective for jobs which have higher satisfaction for their needs, which means they choose jobs which have greater responsibilities and opportunities for them to set their own goals and achieve them, for example they can work as managers, or in the sales department, in addition to many of them work as entrepreneurs. Next, there is a description of another category of motivation models, which is based on job designs. 2.3.2 Motivating Employees through Job Design 2.3.2.1 The Two-Factor Theory In 1959, Frederick Herzberg and his associates developed a famous theory of motivation known as the two-factor theory, or the motivator- hygiene model of motivation. He studied people to know what the factors that causes them to be satisfied at work, and the ones that causes dissatisfaction to them. He then came up with a list of factors and classified them in two categories: motivators and hygiene factors8. Motivators are the factors that satisfy people at work, in addition to generating positive feeling; they include recognition, achievement, advancement, responsibility, and challenging work. They are called intrinsic factors, because they are related to the job itself 3. Hygiene factors on the other hand, are factors which usually gives negative feelings to individuals, and may affect job dissatisfaction if they were absence, hence the term hygiene, because in the absence of hygiene, health can deteriorate. They include: job security, working conditions, salary, relationship with co-workers and supervisors, company policy and fringe benefits. They are called extrinsic factors because they are external to the job, not directly related to the job itself 8,3. 2.3.2.2 The Job Characteristic Model This is one of the most famous models of motivation, proposed by Hackman Oldham (1976), and it is highly used in designing jobs in many organizations5. It is related to Herzbergs model to a great degree, as it proposes the use of motivation factors at a workplace, and limiting the hygiene factors to minimum9. The model includes five main characteristics of any job, they are: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and job feedback. It proposes that the levels of all these characteristics should be increased in order to create a motivational environment at the workplace3. The first characteristic is skill variety, which is the amount and the types of skills and competencies required by a certain job. Some jobs are a daily routine activity and require too little from an employee to get them done, while other jobs require certain competencies and skills from individuals which can make them more interesting. Next is task identity, and it is the identification of the complete work needed to complete a task by an employee, from beginning to end, with an identifiable outcome3. Task significance is another characteristic, and it is described as the amount of importance and necessity of a given task, and whether it is worth doing and would have an impact on other people and society, or if it would not make a big difference when it gets done. The fourth characteristic is autonomy, and it is the amount of empowerment and control provided in certain jobs, which increases their importance in peoples minds. The last one is job feedback, which gives indications on an employee performance and effectiveness; therefore a job should be formulated in ways which allow superiors to measure the performer as simply and accurately as possible3,9. The model proposes that the levels of these five characteristics should be increased, because they have strong effects on three psychological aspects in humans, they are3: Experienced meaningfulness of the tasks performed. Experienced personal responsibility for task outcomes. Knowledge of the results of task performance. In the end, the model states that if these three status were raised in a human being, that individual will be highly satisfied at the job and strongly motivated to work. Next, there is another category of motivation models, which is based on performance expectations. 2.3.3 Motivating Employee through Performance Expectation 2.3.3.1 The Expectancy Theory The link between motivation and the expectancy theory was defined by Condrey as: Motivation is a product of the individuals expectancy that a certain effort will lead to the intended performance, the instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain result, and the desirability of this result for the individual, known as valence10. The theory was found by Victor Vroom in 1964, a business professor at Yale School of Management , it proposes the idea that people become motivated to do a certain job when they believe they will get a certain reward that they want and expect. They make an estimation of the desired results, and based on that they act and behave in a way which will help them get to those results. It predicts that individuals within an organization can be motivated when they believe that10: More effort exerted will yield better performance at a job. Better performance will result in desirable organizational rewards, such as salary increment. These rewards are valued by the performer and satisfy the needs Satisfying the need is worthwhile doing better and giving the required effort to the proposed job. However, Victor Vroom together with his associates Edward Lawler and Lyman Porter thought that the link between peoples behavior at work and their goals was not exactly as simple as previous scientists had proposed. He believed that the performance of an employee is based on three major psychological factors, which can create a strong motivational force to that employee, they are9: Valence: refers to how people feel about and the level of satisfaction they get from the outcomes and rewards of completing their jobs, such as money, promotion, and satisfaction. On the one hand, an outcome is said to be a positive valent if an employee prefers having it. On the other hand, an outcome which an employee does not want to have is known as a negative valent. An outcome which an employee is indifferent about are said to have zero valence. Expectancy: it is the belief of employees that their actions will lead to certain outcomes, and their confidence in what they can do. Instrumentality: This is the belief of employees that they will get what has been promised to them after completing the task successfully. Vroom proposed that the belief of an employee in these three factors helps psychologically in building a motivational force which makes that employee happy and avoiding negativity. Hence, the theory describes the mental procedure of motivation, as people make choices based on their understanding and behavior 3. 2.3.4 Motivating People through Equity 2.3.4.1 The Equity Model The Equity Theory was developed by J. Stacy Adams in 1962; it describes how an employee perceives that the outcome reward of a certain job is being fair, after completing one which is expected to be satisfying9. The theory can be measured against other employees in a work place, or even employees from different organizations. Normally this measurement results in three different perceptions: they will feel they are fairly rewarded, under rewarded, or over rewarded. Unless they feel fairly rewarded, they will act in a way as to reduce inequity. Because they always try to measure what they put in a job (input) and what they get from it (output). Examples of employees inputs and outputs can be found in table 2.1 3: Table 2.1 Examples of employee inputs and outputs in a job: Inputs Outputs Attendance Recognition Personal skills Fringe benefits Commitment and effort Responsibility Level of education Sense of achievements Past experiences Job perquisites (parking space or office location) Performance Job security Personal appearance Promotion and growth Social status Salary Technical skills Seniority benefits Training Status symbols Support of collogues Working conditions (Taken from J Slocum, Jr. (2007) Fundamentals of organizational behavior) The Equity Theory is built on the belief that, employees who think their rewards are fair and equal to their contributions, are the most motivated ones, The same goes for the ones who belief they are being rewarded in a similar manner as their peers. On the other hand, employees may become demotivated when they belief that their input is greater than the output. They may become depressed and not satisfied with their status, and show many negative reactions9. Therefore, managers must be fair and give their employees their fair share of rewards, based on their actions and inputs. They should understand how to balance inputs and outputs fairly, so that they give each employee fair and deserved rewards, which in turn improves employee motivation and thereby gives them more job satisfaction9. As mentioned before, managers must understand the balance of inputs and outputs of their employees; because employees measure their inputs differently, in addition to the fact that they may prefer different types of rewards. For example, a working mother may prefer more flexible working hours to an incentive9. At the end, managers should make sure their employees do not feel under rewarded, because then they will be demotivated, which should be avoided in any organization that wants to be successful. They should reward them fairly and equally based on their efforts, contributions, expectations, and peers 11. 2.3.4.2 The Procedural Justice Theory This theory was proposed by Rawls (1971), and it is based on fairness just like the previous equity model; however it is not based on the outcomes or the outputs, but on the fairness of the process of making decisions5. The theory measures the procedure of making decisions in an organization, which can be fair or unfair, and affects employee motivation and job satisfaction9. Procedural justice can be very important and essential to every company or organization, because it has a great effect on employees. When they perceive a procedure as fair, they become highly motivated to work and improve their inputs at their jobs. On the other hand, if they think the procedure is unfair they may be dissatisfied and demotivated to work9. A good example can be seen in most companies is pay raise determination, if employees perceive fairness of the decision, they will be satisfied, and visa versa. Sometimes, the fairness of such decision can be more satisfying than the raise itself, because the human being highly values equity and fairness. Employees may also judge the process of layoffs within a company, as the survivors would judge the fairness of the decision and become highly affected by it, and if it was a fair decision, they would become highly satisfied and more committed to their job. However if the decision was unfair, they may become demotivated and even have fear about their job status, which usually leads to seeking jobs elsewhere 3. Another examples is students, especially hard workers who put so much efforts in their studies, they expect to get good grades for their hard work, but sometimes they are misjudged or marked unfairly, which can be seen when they compare their results or marks with each other, and when they think the marking procedure was unfair, they become hugely dissatisfied9. 2.3.5 Other Theories of Motivation There are many theories and models of motivation, which are not widely recognized as the ones explained before; here is a review of some of them: 2.3.5.1 The Incentive Theory of Motivation According to Kerr (1995), a reward can be very effective in boosting employee motivation. Whether it was tangible or intangible, when a reward is presented to an employee after a certain behavior or performance, it is more likely that the same desired performance will occur again. In addition, the sooner the reward is given the better, as its effect would be larger in employees minds, and later on, this performance becomes a habit by that employee12. However, as the author has noted, there might be some difficulties applying the technique efficiently by managers, because they should make sure that the reward is not just a simple reward, it should be some kind of a reinforcer, which is like a reminder to employees of the incentive they get for what they did, and later on this becomes embedded in their behavior, and a continuous source for motivation, and job satisfaction. 2.3.5.2 The Drive-Reduction Theory The theory was proposed by C. Hull (1940), who suggested that when a person experiences some kind of a biological drive or arousal to do something, that person will experience a driving force to do that thing. And whenever that person does the action, then the action would be reinforced. For example: when a person is hungry and wants to eat, there would be a drive to do so, but as soon as that person eats, the forced drive becomes reduced. However, the theory was not considered very successful because it did not explain clearly the motivation process9. 2.3.5.3 The ERG (Existence, Relatedness and Growth) Theory Suggested by Clayton Alderfer in 1969, who followed up on Maslows needs theory. He reestablished the order of needs into three categories: the existence category including Physiological and safety needs, the relatedness category including affiliation and esteem needs, and the growth category including self-actualization and needs 13, 9. 2.3.5.4 The Goal Setting Theory This is based on the idea that when an employee sets a goal for oneself, he/she will have to increase performance to achieve t Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait The pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait has never been considered by the Government to be as important as the other healthcare or even many other professional sectors, like engineering for example. It has always been viewed as a less important profession with a very small number of professionals relatively to other jobs in the country. However, Pharmacy is a necessity in Kuwait and in every country, in addition to the obvious increment of the number of pharmacists who join the field every year, especially since the beginning of the last decade after Kuwait University launched its first pharmaceutical department in 1997. Therefore, these pharmacists must be heard and understood like every other profession in Kuwait, they have potential and needs which must be considered and met whenever possible by the Government. One of these needs or even necessities is motivation. The practice of motivation is critical for every successful organization, just like other important measures to increase pe rformance; it is a tool that must be present in every healthy working environment. Being a previous pharmacist working in the public sector in Kuwait, the Author has come across this subject numerous times with different pharmacists, who had negative views of the matter in most times. However, there was no clear study which shows the true level of motivation that is being experienced in the sector, which is the reason for conducting this research. 1.2 Problem Definition The experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector is poor, compare with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, and compare to the pharmacists who work in the private sector in Kuwait. Therefore, the Author chose to examine the level of that motivation in a deeper manner to have clearer and more reliable view of the concept within the public sector of pharmacy, in addition to finding new methods which could improve the implementation of such practice. 1.3 Research Objective The main objective of this thesis is to define the level of motivation that is experienced within pharmacists working in the public sector in Kuwait. The sub-objectives can be classified into the following three measures: The first one is to determine the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait. The second objective is to determine whether there is an effect of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists. The third and final measure is to explore new techniques and motivational methods that can be used in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs. 1.4 Research Questions The research shall consist of one major question and three minor ones. The major research question is: What is the experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector in Kuwait? The minor questions are as follows: What is the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait? What are the effects of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists? What can be used as new techniques or new methods of motivation in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs? 1.5 Research Methodology For the research method, we will conduct personal interviews, which shall be done face to face to get the most reliable responses from pharmacists. The proposed methodological framework for this study, will be based largely on several motivational models that would be described later in chapter two, they are Maslow Hierarchy of needs, achievement motivational model, the two factor theory, the expectancy theory and the equity model. From those five models, a guiding criterion will be extracted and compared with the responses of the research questions. In addition to that, the role of management and supervision and its effects on motivation will be examined and compared to the characteristics of a motivational management which will be addressed in chapter 2. And finally, the interviewees will be asked for their recommendations and suggestions for newer and better motivational techniques and methods, to be implemented by the Ministry of Health. 1.6 Data Analysis Method After collecting the qualitative data, they will be analyzed using different criteria. The analysis will basically list the answers of the participants and find the relationships between them with the assistance of weighing frequencies of repentant responses to reach a better conclusion. The conceptual framework will be based on five motivational theories (Maslows hierarchy, achievement model, two-factor theory, the expectancy theory, and the equity theory), which is the base for analyzing the findings. The impact of positive motivation implementations will also be discussed with the selected pharmacists, in addition to an interpretation of their recommendations on improving the motivational process within the Ministry of Health. 1.7 Thesis Structure The structure of the thesis will be based on five main chapters, they are listed below: Chapter one: Introduction. Chapter two: Literature Review. Chapter three: Research Design and Methodology. Chapter four: Data Analysis, Findings and Discussion. Chapter five: Conclusion, Recommendations and Further Research. The next chapter will present our literature review. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction Motivation is a global concept, recognized worldwide today; it is a necessary tool for all different kinds of organizations to survive and grow, and most importantly to succeed. Below is a literature review for the term motivation. It includes different definitions of the term in addition to other terms related to motivation. Different theories on motivation will be mentioned and reviewed briefly to better understand the meaning and limitations of the term motivation. Successful tools to achieve the desired motivation will also be addressed and explained, as well as a review on the different mechanisms used by organizations to motivate their employees. And finally, there will be a review on employee motivation techniques used including a few examples from the best motivational companies in Kuwait. 2.2 Motivation So, who are the motivated workers? According to Myers (1964), when Texas Instruments Incorporated conducted a six year of research and study on the subject of motivation during the 1950s, they came up with the following conclusion1: Employees are motivated to work more effectively when they have a job that is challenging, because it might give them some interest in the job, more enjoyable work, a possibility of recognition, and a since of achievement when they accomplish the task. They become dissatisfied when those noted factors are missing from their jobs. They may also become dissatisfied by some negative factors related to the job itself including astringent rules, no breaks, low status, and low levels of salary or fringe benefits. This study was conducted by a company which experienced a tremendous growth in the 1950s, their annual sales rose from $2 million to over $200 million, along with their employee force which had risen from 1,700 to 17,000 in that decade. This success was accomplished because of their brilliant management philosophy, which provided employees with opportunities that allowed them to explore their works and efforts, and even set their own goals. In addition, the culture was a very friendly and informal one, as employees had very close relationships and strong communication links. Despite that success, the growth was not for long after those years, and employees were no longer highly motivated as before, because there were poor managerial skills in understanding the concept of motivation and how each employee can be motivated. This was in the 1950s; today the main idea or the concept of motivation still have the same old parameters, but with some improvements and modifications after many long studies by many of scientists and philosophers. To best understand the term motivation, one must start with the definition. 2.2.1 Definition of Motivation For the purpose of this thesis, we will keep the definition of (The Collins business Dictionary, 2002) regarding the concept of motivation. In that perspective, motivation is defined as the force or process which impels people to behave in the way that they do. In a work setting, motivation can be viewed as that which determines whether workers expand the degree of efforts necessary to achieve required task objectives2. Furthermore, here is another explanation of the term: motivation represents the forces acting on or within a person that causes the person to behave in a specific, goal-directed manner3. In addition, the online business dictionary (business dictionary , 2009) defines it as the Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and mother of all action. It results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others4. Since the term motivation is being defined, one must address some terms which are highly related to motivation, including: job satisfaction, job commitment, and job loyalty. Job satisfaction is the satisfaction that an individual gains (or does not gain) from his or her job. It is generally believed that satisfied employees will be more highly motivated and will work more productively than dissatisfied employees. Job dissatisfaction may lead to absenteeism, job turnover, industrial actions, and etc2. Commitment is the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons2. It is a well known fact that job satisfaction strongly leads to job commitment, which later leads to loyalty. Furthermore, job loyalty is another state led to by motivation, and it is a measure of commitment based on obligation or, in consumer preferences, degree of satisfaction2. 2.3 Theories of Motivation Over the years, many researchers have looked into the human psychology and studied the human nature to understand the process of motivation. They have come up with many theories which are being thought now to millions of students around the globe. Below this paragraph there is an overview of some of the most recognized theories of motivation worldwide, starting with the need theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs, and David C McClellands achievement motivation model. 2.3.1 Motivating Employees through Satisfying Human Needs 2.3.1.1 The Needs Hierarchy Theory The hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most recognized theories in the subject. It was found by Abraham Maslow, who published an article in 1943 under the title A theory of human motivation, which was developed later into the hierarchy of needs theory in Maslows Motivation and Personality book in 19545. The hierarchy model is shown in figure 2.1, as presented in the following website (making it clear.com, 2007)6: (Figure 2.1) Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle Taken from (making it clear website, 2007) Maslow has based his theory on the fact that people are motivated by certain types of needs, he classified them into five levels based on their importance to people, and they are in ascending order: physiological, security, affiliation, esteem and self-actualization. He then arranged them in a hierarchy showing the order in which these needs are fulfilled from bottom to top5. According to Maslow, these human needs can be classified into lower and higher levels of needs, the lower levels or factors of needs has to be satisfied and fulfilled before the higher ones, which means they must be satisfied in order, so that a person can be motivated, and reach a high level of achievement in life5. The model indicates that when one need is satisfied, another one becomes important, which means that the lowest level of needs  (physiological)  must be  fulfilled  in  order to  move to the higher one (security), and so on, until one reaches  self-fulfillment 3. In other words, each level of needs is a motivator, which when satisfied, does not motivate anymore, and the higher level is now the motivator5. Firstly, Physiological needs. They are the first and lowest level of the hierarchy, they are the most basic needs which are necessary for the continuation of life, and they include: the desire for food, water, air, and sleep3. It can safely be said that no human being can live without the physiological needs, which is why they are sometimes called survival needs. They must be satisfied in order for a person to move up the hierarchy, and be motivated by the next level of needs5. Secondly, security needs. They occupy the second level of the pyramid, and are sometimes called safety needs, as they include the need for safety, stability and absence of pain, threat or illness3. When it comes to work, these needs may cause the preference for a safe and secure job, with a health insurance benefit for example. They include financial security, as they may cause people to open savings accounts for the security of their future, or to take different types of insurances for example, the insurance against accidents4. When this level is satisfied, a person may move to the next level5. Thirdly, Social needs, which can be explained as the needs someone wants from society, such as friendship and the feeling of belonging3. This level of needs deals with the emotions of the human being, every person needs to feel accepted and loved by others, and as most people do, a human may belong to a group, which can be a small one like family and friends, or a large one such as clubs, religious parties, or even gangsters. In the case that this emotional need was not fulfilled, a person may be lonely and experience some mental disorders such as anxiety or depression3. Esteem is the next level in the pyramid, and it is the desire to feel respected and self worthy, and thereby boost the self-esteem. People need to be valued by other people, they need to be accepted by what they are and recognized for their activities and contributions in order to feel self-valued. The imbalances of this need can lead to low self-esteem, which can cause psychological conditions such as depression3. The highest and last need is Self-actualization, which only appears when all the levels have been satisfied, and involves people recognizing their full potential, and be the best as they can be at what they do3,which can be best seen with self-employed people3. 2.3.1.2 The Achievement Motivation Model This model of motivation has been identified by David C McClellands in 1961. He proposed the idea that there are three important types of needs; they are achievement, authority/power, and affiliation needs. These needs were found to be present in every worker especially within managers, and the degree of which need is dominant can be seen in the workers attitude and behavior at work, which is based on their motivational status7. The ones, who are motivated by achievement, can be seen competing against a high standard, having difficult and challenging goals, and always seeking achievements and advancements in their jobs3. The authority/power motivated ones always strive for authority and leadership. They need to be leaders and have their ideas prevail. In addition, they want to be influential, make an impact in work and on other workers, and reach high personal status3. The affiliation motivated persons are team players; they are motivated by friendly relationships with others, as they need to be liked and always have close friendships7.   The McClelland theory proposed that all people have a combination of these needs, however not in the same level. The level of which particular need is dominant can be seen in someones attitude and behavior at work. He thinks that the managers, who are strongly affected by affiliation motivation, always need to be liked, which in turn affects their decision-making criteria. While authority motivated workers will posses a high level of commitment and work ethics, and in most cases are managers or leaders, unless they do not have the required skills or flexibility for the job. In addition, McClelland thinks that the best leaders are the ones with strong achievement motivation, however they may have some difficulties in leading their staff into believing and having as much dedication to what they want to achieve7. In his theory, McClelland proposed that achievement-motivated people are characterized by the following attitudes3: They set their own goals, because of their high selectivity of matters; they cannot accept other people to draw goals for them. They take full responsibility in their decisions and results, if they succeed they want the credit, and if they do not, they do not mind the blame. To them, Achievement is valued more than financial reward. They prefer achieving their goals to receiving praise or getting recognition. They do not consider a financial reward as a goal; to them it is just a measure of success. They are not highly concerned about Security, or about their status. They like nothing more than a reliable feedback for their work, not to get an appraisal or something of that matter, but to measure their work and see how successful they have been. They always seek better ways to do things, and improve their methods. they are highly selective for jobs which have higher satisfaction for their needs, which means they choose jobs which have greater responsibilities and opportunities for them to set their own goals and achieve them, for example they can work as managers, or in the sales department, in addition to many of them work as entrepreneurs. Next, there is a description of another category of motivation models, which is based on job designs. 2.3.2 Motivating Employees through Job Design 2.3.2.1 The Two-Factor Theory In 1959, Frederick Herzberg and his associates developed a famous theory of motivation known as the two-factor theory, or the motivator- hygiene model of motivation. He studied people to know what the factors that causes them to be satisfied at work, and the ones that causes dissatisfaction to them. He then came up with a list of factors and classified them in two categories: motivators and hygiene factors8. Motivators are the factors that satisfy people at work, in addition to generating positive feeling; they include recognition, achievement, advancement, responsibility, and challenging work. They are called intrinsic factors, because they are related to the job itself 3. Hygiene factors on the other hand, are factors which usually gives negative feelings to individuals, and may affect job dissatisfaction if they were absence, hence the term hygiene, because in the absence of hygiene, health can deteriorate. They include: job security, working conditions, salary, relationship with co-workers and supervisors, company policy and fringe benefits. They are called extrinsic factors because they are external to the job, not directly related to the job itself 8,3. 2.3.2.2 The Job Characteristic Model This is one of the most famous models of motivation, proposed by Hackman Oldham (1976), and it is highly used in designing jobs in many organizations5. It is related to Herzbergs model to a great degree, as it proposes the use of motivation factors at a workplace, and limiting the hygiene factors to minimum9. The model includes five main characteristics of any job, they are: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and job feedback. It proposes that the levels of all these characteristics should be increased in order to create a motivational environment at the workplace3. The first characteristic is skill variety, which is the amount and the types of skills and competencies required by a certain job. Some jobs are a daily routine activity and require too little from an employee to get them done, while other jobs require certain competencies and skills from individuals which can make them more interesting. Next is task identity, and it is the identification of the complete work needed to complete a task by an employee, from beginning to end, with an identifiable outcome3. Task significance is another characteristic, and it is described as the amount of importance and necessity of a given task, and whether it is worth doing and would have an impact on other people and society, or if it would not make a big difference when it gets done. The fourth characteristic is autonomy, and it is the amount of empowerment and control provided in certain jobs, which increases their importance in peoples minds. The last one is job feedback, which gives indications on an employee performance and effectiveness; therefore a job should be formulated in ways which allow superiors to measure the performer as simply and accurately as possible3,9. The model proposes that the levels of these five characteristics should be increased, because they have strong effects on three psychological aspects in humans, they are3: Experienced meaningfulness of the tasks performed. Experienced personal responsibility for task outcomes. Knowledge of the results of task performance. In the end, the model states that if these three status were raised in a human being, that individual will be highly satisfied at the job and strongly motivated to work. Next, there is another category of motivation models, which is based on performance expectations. 2.3.3 Motivating Employee through Performance Expectation 2.3.3.1 The Expectancy Theory The link between motivation and the expectancy theory was defined by Condrey as: Motivation is a product of the individuals expectancy that a certain effort will lead to the intended performance, the instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain result, and the desirability of this result for the individual, known as valence10. The theory was found by Victor Vroom in 1964, a business professor at Yale School of Management , it proposes the idea that people become motivated to do a certain job when they believe they will get a certain reward that they want and expect. They make an estimation of the desired results, and based on that they act and behave in a way which will help them get to those results. It predicts that individuals within an organization can be motivated when they believe that10: More effort exerted will yield better performance at a job. Better performance will result in desirable organizational rewards, such as salary increment. These rewards are valued by the performer and satisfy the needs Satisfying the need is worthwhile doing better and giving the required effort to the proposed job. However, Victor Vroom together with his associates Edward Lawler and Lyman Porter thought that the link between peoples behavior at work and their goals was not exactly as simple as previous scientists had proposed. He believed that the performance of an employee is based on three major psychological factors, which can create a strong motivational force to that employee, they are9: Valence: refers to how people feel about and the level of satisfaction they get from the outcomes and rewards of completing their jobs, such as money, promotion, and satisfaction. On the one hand, an outcome is said to be a positive valent if an employee prefers having it. On the other hand, an outcome which an employee does not want to have is known as a negative valent. An outcome which an employee is indifferent about are said to have zero valence. Expectancy: it is the belief of employees that their actions will lead to certain outcomes, and their confidence in what they can do. Instrumentality: This is the belief of employees that they will get what has been promised to them after completing the task successfully. Vroom proposed that the belief of an employee in these three factors helps psychologically in building a motivational force which makes that employee happy and avoiding negativity. Hence, the theory describes the mental procedure of motivation, as people make choices based on their understanding and behavior 3. 2.3.4 Motivating People through Equity 2.3.4.1 The Equity Model The Equity Theory was developed by J. Stacy Adams in 1962; it describes how an employee perceives that the outcome reward of a certain job is being fair, after completing one which is expected to be satisfying9. The theory can be measured against other employees in a work place, or even employees from different organizations. Normally this measurement results in three different perceptions: they will feel they are fairly rewarded, under rewarded, or over rewarded. Unless they feel fairly rewarded, they will act in a way as to reduce inequity. Because they always try to measure what they put in a job (input) and what they get from it (output). Examples of employees inputs and outputs can be found in table 2.1 3: Table 2.1 Examples of employee inputs and outputs in a job: Inputs Outputs Attendance Recognition Personal skills Fringe benefits Commitment and effort Responsibility Level of education Sense of achievements Past experiences Job perquisites (parking space or office location) Performance Job security Personal appearance Promotion and growth Social status Salary Technical skills Seniority benefits Training Status symbols Support of collogues Working conditions (Taken from J Slocum, Jr. (2007) Fundamentals of organizational behavior) The Equity Theory is built on the belief that, employees who think their rewards are fair and equal to their contributions, are the most motivated ones, The same goes for the ones who belief they are being rewarded in a similar manner as their peers. On the other hand, employees may become demotivated when they belief that their input is greater than the output. They may become depressed and not satisfied with their status, and show many negative reactions9. Therefore, managers must be fair and give their employees their fair share of rewards, based on their actions and inputs. They should understand how to balance inputs and outputs fairly, so that they give each employee fair and deserved rewards, which in turn improves employee motivation and thereby gives them more job satisfaction9. As mentioned before, managers must understand the balance of inputs and outputs of their employees; because employees measure their inputs differently, in addition to the fact that they may prefer different types of rewards. For example, a working mother may prefer more flexible working hours to an incentive9. At the end, managers should make sure their employees do not feel under rewarded, because then they will be demotivated, which should be avoided in any organization that wants to be successful. They should reward them fairly and equally based on their efforts, contributions, expectations, and peers 11. 2.3.4.2 The Procedural Justice Theory This theory was proposed by Rawls (1971), and it is based on fairness just like the previous equity model; however it is not based on the outcomes or the outputs, but on the fairness of the process of making decisions5. The theory measures the procedure of making decisions in an organization, which can be fair or unfair, and affects employee motivation and job satisfaction9. Procedural justice can be very important and essential to every company or organization, because it has a great effect on employees. When they perceive a procedure as fair, they become highly motivated to work and improve their inputs at their jobs. On the other hand, if they think the procedure is unfair they may be dissatisfied and demotivated to work9. A good example can be seen in most companies is pay raise determination, if employees perceive fairness of the decision, they will be satisfied, and visa versa. Sometimes, the fairness of such decision can be more satisfying than the raise itself, because the human being highly values equity and fairness. Employees may also judge the process of layoffs within a company, as the survivors would judge the fairness of the decision and become highly affected by it, and if it was a fair decision, they would become highly satisfied and more committed to their job. However if the decision was unfair, they may become demotivated and even have fear about their job status, which usually leads to seeking jobs elsewhere 3. Another examples is students, especially hard workers who put so much efforts in their studies, they expect to get good grades for their hard work, but sometimes they are misjudged or marked unfairly, which can be seen when they compare their results or marks with each other, and when they think the marking procedure was unfair, they become hugely dissatisfied9. 2.3.5 Other Theories of Motivation There are many theories and models of motivation, which are not widely recognized as the ones explained before; here is a review of some of them: 2.3.5.1 The Incentive Theory of Motivation According to Kerr (1995), a reward can be very effective in boosting employee motivation. Whether it was tangible or intangible, when a reward is presented to an employee after a certain behavior or performance, it is more likely that the same desired performance will occur again. In addition, the sooner the reward is given the better, as its effect would be larger in employees minds, and later on, this performance becomes a habit by that employee12. However, as the author has noted, there might be some difficulties applying the technique efficiently by managers, because they should make sure that the reward is not just a simple reward, it should be some kind of a reinforcer, which is like a reminder to employees of the incentive they get for what they did, and later on this becomes embedded in their behavior, and a continuous source for motivation, and job satisfaction. 2.3.5.2 The Drive-Reduction Theory The theory was proposed by C. Hull (1940), who suggested that when a person experiences some kind of a biological drive or arousal to do something, that person will experience a driving force to do that thing. And whenever that person does the action, then the action would be reinforced. For example: when a person is hungry and wants to eat, there would be a drive to do so, but as soon as that person eats, the forced drive becomes reduced. However, the theory was not considered very successful because it did not explain clearly the motivation process9. 2.3.5.3 The ERG (Existence, Relatedness and Growth) Theory Suggested by Clayton Alderfer in 1969, who followed up on Maslows needs theory. He reestablished the order of needs into three categories: the existence category including Physiological and safety needs, the relatedness category including affiliation and esteem needs, and the growth category including self-actualization and needs 13, 9. 2.3.5.4 The Goal Setting Theory This is based on the idea that when an employee sets a goal for oneself, he/she will have to increase performance to achieve t

Blade Runner :: Art

Blade Runner The plot of the movie â€Å"Blade Runner† becomes unrevealed till the end of the movie. Many assumptions about the plot and the final of the movie appear in the spectator’s mind, but not one of these assumptions lasts long. Numerous deceptions in the plot grip the interest of the audience and contribute for the continuing interest to the movie eighteen years after its creation. The main character in the movie is Deckard- the Blade Runner. He is called for a special mission after his retirement, to â€Å"air up† four replicants who have shown flaws and have killed people. There are many arguments and deceptions in the plot that reveal the possibility Deckard to be a replicant. Roy is the other leading character of the movie. He appears to be the leader of the replicants- the strongest and the smartest. Roy kills his creator Tyrell. The effect of his actions fulfils the expectation of the spectator for a ruthless machine. The main deception in the plot is also the main cause that holds the identity of the blade razor  ­Deckard, unrevealed through the continuance of the movie. The first assumption that comes to the mind is that Deckard is not a replicant because he is the one that Bryant calls to hunt replicants. But there also appears the question what makes him the most proper to oppose the consummate replicants. The possibility Deckard to be a replicant makes him the worthiest person for the assignment. Deckard recommends Holden who is also a replicant assuming the words of Bryant -â€Å"He can bread okay as long as no one unplugs him†. In most of the chapters Deckard acts as a human being. He has feelings for Rachael, and later in the movie he is the one that shows her how to behave in action for which she is not programmed for. Because Rachael saves his life Deckard doesn’t accept her like a replicant, which he has to hunt. On the other side if Deckard was a replicant older product ion than Zhora, he shouldn’t be smarter than Zhora and to recognize her because of sexual context. The effect of deception in the plot about Deckard’s identity awakes the imagination of the spectators and keeps interest in the plot. Another form of deception in the plot is Roy’s behavior at the final of the movie. Roy who killed Tyrell, Sebastian, and the man in the eye laboratory with unusual enjoyment, shows weakness and helps Deckard to survive.

television :: essays research papers

Television was not invented by a single inventor, instead many people working together and alone, contributed to the evolution of TV. 1831: Joseph Henry's and Michael Faraday's work with electromagnetism makes possible the era of electronic communication to begin. 1862: Abbe Giovanna Caselli invents his "pantelegraph" and becomes the first person to transmit a still image over wires. 1873: Scientists May and Smith experiment with selenium and light, this opens the door for inventors to transform images into electronic signals. 1876: Boston civil servant George Carey was thinking about complete television systems and in 1877 he put forward drawings for what he called a "selenium camera" that would allow people to "see by electricity." Eugen Goldstein coins the term "cathode rays" to describe the light emitted when an electric current was forced through a vacuum tube. Late 1870's: Scientists and engineers like Paiva, Figuier, and Senlecq were suggesting alternative designs for "telectroscopes." 1880: Inventors like Bell and Edison theorize about telephone devices that transmit image as well as sound. Bell's photophone used light to transmit sound and he wanted to advance his device for image sending. George Carey builds a rudimentary system with light-sensitive cells. 1881: Sheldon Bidwell experiments with telephotography, another photophone. 1884: Paul Nipkow sends images over wires using a rotating metal disk technology calling it the "electric telescope" with 18 lines of resolution. 1900: At the World's Fair in Paris, the 1st International Congress of Electricity was held, where Russian, Constantin Perskyi made the first known use of the word "television." Soon after, the momentum shifted from ideas and discussions to physical development of TV systems. Two paths were followed: Mechanical television - based on Nipkow's rotating disks, and Electronic television - based on the cathode ray tube work done independently in 1907 by English inventor A.A. Campbell-Swinton and Russian scientist Boris Rosing. 1906: Lee de Forest invents the "Audion" vacuum tube that proved essential to electronics. The Audion was the first tube with the ablity to amplify signals. Boris Rosing combines Nipkow's disk and a cathode ray tube and builds the first working mechanical TV system. 1907: Campbell Swinton and Boris Rosing suggest using cathode ray tubes to transmit images - independent of each other, they both develop electronic scanning methods of reproducing images. American Charles Jenkins and Scotsman John Baird followed the mechanical model while Philo Farnsworth, working independently in San Francisco, and Russian à ©migrà © Vladimir Zworkin, working for Westinghouse and later RCA, advanced the electronic model.