Islamic Culture

MUSLIM CULTURE Muslim culture generally reflects the traditions and customs of Muslims that they adopt for a perfect and respectable life in the society according to the lessons of Quran. Muslim culture is a giant combination of diverse cultures, That’s because Muslims live in various countries all over the world. Most of the practices are common faiths and guidance for all Muslims no matter what country or even content they reside in.. These basic faiths and belives are based on the teachings of Islam. The Muslim culture is a subject of debate for many people who lives in different parts of the world and belong to diverse communities.Muslim culture represents the unification of brotherhood where all Muslims are bound to practice a common religious phenomenon. Source of this culture comes from the teachings provided by the Holy Prophet Mohammed (P. B. U. H) and Islam (Bouhdiba, 2003). Muslims are the followers of Islam and the Islamic (Abrahamic) religion. Word â€Å"Muslimâ €  originally comes from an Arabic term which means â€Å"Followers of Allah† because the Islamic religious deliver. Muslims believe on one God and admits that Allah is incomparable and Islam is a religion which provides them with a complete code of life.Teachings of Quran are unaltered revelations from Allah. Muslims enter the world of Islam from almost all races, cultures and nationalities around the globe. Muslims have diverse traditions, dress, foods and languages (Murray, 2004). The distribution of Muslims in the world varies in strength. About 15% Muslims are those who live in Arab countries. 5% of Muslims are in Africa. The world’s largest Muslim population lives in Indonesia. Significant parts in Asia are occupied by Muslim community. Almost all of the Central Asia is dominated by Muslims. Over one billion people in the world are Muslims.Muslims brought ancient civilizations of Rome, Persia, Egypt, India and Greece with them. Muslims preserved these cultures in their libraries and cities and cherished the great Islamic peace of art (Bouhdiba, 2003). The practice of Muslims is based on five pillars of Islam which are basically five obligations. These five pillars are Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj. A life of a Muslim revolves around these five pillars of Islam. Islamic culture represents different aspects of Islamic life, which includes wedding traditions, clothing, foods, arts and crafts etc. (Kirabaev, 2000).There are many sources of a well-defined Muslim culture. Three of them are: Local tradition , The Hadith and , The Quran. Muslim culture is derived from Quran, Hadith and the local customs. The word Islam means submission to the will of Allah. Islam is considered to be the second largest religion having one billion followers. 2. 7% Muslim population have been recorded in the United Kingdom (Murray, 2004). Muslims have a faith that Islam revealed in Mecca (Arabia) about 1400 years ago. Islamic culture is a resource academia for the illustration of cultures and traditions of Islamic people.Arabs were the first to depict and demonstrate Muslim culture to the world. Islam originated in Arabia in the seventh century. Islamic empires have been expanded and Muslims got assimilation from different cultures like Indonesian, Berber, Malay, Indian, Pakistani, Turkic and Persian (Kirabaev, 2000). Arabs never used force to invite people from other religions into their sect. some embraced Islam in the reign of Holy Prophet P. B. U. H while many are converters. Arabic language is a common language of this religion. Arabians were living in deserts before the conquest of Islam and used science and art in their everyday living.Muslims have specific style of poetry and arts. Muslims have spread their language and religion through their way of life, arts and crafts as well as scientific fields. Arabians have developed different interests and tastes taking influence from other cultures mainly Persian and Greek. There are 22 countries in the Arab world with 180 million populations. Arabs can speak more than one dialect and share some common beliefs and values of Arab or Muslim culture. Majority of Arabs in Arab countries are Muslims. Many Arabs are Christians as well like in Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.Muslims and Arabs do not drink alcohol and eat anything which is Haram in Islam. Muslims observe Fast during the month of Ramadan. Muslim women used to wear scarfs on their head and cover their body with long dresses. Muslims offer prayer five times a day after observing ablution and then they recite Quran that provide them comfort to their soul. Islamic religion and the Arab culture provide emphasis on a good health and issued several ways and means to follow the tips of a good health by having a good diet and proper hygiene practices. Muslims have introduced a modern theme of medicines with a confidence in their way of treatment.In the Muslim world, elders are respected due to their exp erience. Men are the protectors of their family and women are required to show their obedient attitude towards men (Murray, 2004). Islam prohibits eating those foods and drinks which are considered haram or unlawful in this culture. It would be a sin if any Muslim commits a mistake eating and drinking forbidden foods and drinks respectively. Foods considered unlawful include pig meat, drinking alcohol and carrion. If meat is not slaughtered according to Islamic rules, it is considered unlawful. The place where the Islam originated is Mecca, Saudi Arabia.Muslims believe on prophets (one lac twenty-four thousand). For Muslims, the sacred building is mosque where they can pray and worship Allah. Major Muslim festivals are Eid-ul- Adha, Eid-ul-Fitr and Ramadan (Kirabaev, 2000). The prophet Muhammad P. B. U. H was born in Mecca in 570 A. D. in Saudi Arabia and is regarded as a Holy founder of Islam. The prophet Mohammad P. B. U. H was sent by Allah as a last prophet of Islam. However, Ad am was the first prophet of Islam. Many prophets came before Muhammad (pbuh) which includes Jesus, Jonah, Elias, Solomon, David, Aaron, Moses, Abraham and Isaac.Islam has different ideology for non-monotheist religions since relationship of Islam with religion like Hinduism varies depending on religious outlook. This variability persists today as well. Islam is a religion of liberty and open-mindedness giving the lessons of tolerance and patience (Murray, 2004). Islam forbids to pain on the living things. Islamic artists have developed an art of Arabic calligraphy. The calligraphers have learnt the art of calligraphy from Quran using Arabic language that expresses the beauty in the form of Quranic verses.Islamic architecture has covered religious and secular styles of architecture from Islamic foundation that has influenced the construction and designs of buildings in the culture of Islam. The architectural types in Islam are fort, palace, tomb and mosque (Kirabaev, 2000). Muslims b elieve in Allah, angels, holy books, prophets, the day of judgement and belief in predestination. Shia and Sunni are the dominant groups in Islam. Education is made to be a compulsory practice in Islam. Islam has its own political and economic theory and encouraged free trade policy.The economic system in Islam is based on the instructions and orders provided by Allah in Quran. Islam has favored democracy and liberty of thoughts. Muslims have incorporated different languages, arts and law from other religions but they preserved the integrity of Muslim culture and traditions till the end (Bouhdiba, 2003). Work cited: Bouhdiba, Abdelwahab. â€Å"The Different Aspects of Islamic Culture. † Springer Publishers,2003. Kirabaev, N. S. â€Å"Values in Islamic Culture and the Experience of History. † Routledge Publishers, 2000. Murray, Stephen O. â€Å"Islamic: Culture, History and Literature. † Springer Publishers, 2004. .

Type-1 Diabetes And Nutrition

NUTRITION AND DIABETES (TYPE-1)The purpose of this paper is to define diabetes and see the impact different factors like breastfeeding and nutrition have on it state.DIABETESDiabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to break down insulin, a chemical that the body produces that is responsible to convert sugar, starches and carbohydrates etc in to energy. This results in abnormal sugar production in the body and the patient typically faces the problem of ‘sweet urine’ which is produced excessively. The exact cause of this disease is still unknown as there are a number of hereditary and environmental factors including a low-physical-activity lifestyle and being over weighted.Types of Diabetes:The WHO recognizes three major categories of this disorder according to cause and population distribution as Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes. Almost 18.3% of US population is affected by diabetes. Of the affected, only 8-10% of patients have type 1 which is m ore common in children and young adults and the remaining population is reported to be effected by Type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually occurs in women immediately after pregnancy. Only 5 to 10% of women report this disorder.Type-1 Diabetes:Type-1 diabetes typically occurs because the body totally fails to produce insulin at all; hence sugar is not converted in to energy and thus the excess sugar disorder. Type 1 diabetes can occur due to several other reasons. Sometimes, it follows viral infections like influenza, mumps etc or polio attacks. Other times it follows injury to, or surgical procedures like removal of, pancreas etc. Common symptoms include increased thirst, fatigue, excess urination, weight loss, yeast infection (affecting the genitals) etcThis state, if not taken good care of, can dangerously lead to other complications in later stages. Type-1 diabetes exposes a patient to the risk of getting various heart, kidney, oral and eye related disorders including the increased risk of suffering with strokes or heart attacks, damaged kidneys, blindness, gum disease, and some skin problems. Diabetic patients are also vulnerable to several neurological complications including acute depression, diabetic neuropathy etc.AFFECT OF BREASTFEEDINGIt is commonly believed that a diabetic mother can't breastfeed her newborn. Research proves otherwise. It's clinically proven that breastfeeding is good for both a breastfeeding mother and the health of the newborn. In fact research has shown that breastfeeding can actually reduce the risk of developing type-1 diabetes in kids [1]. Breastfeeding can actually help mother's body regulate insulin levels and even lose weight. Therefore the necessity to breastfeed should be emphasized over mothers for healthier babies with reduced risks of developing diabetes. Mothers need to take special care of their health and monitor blood glucose level carefully.NUTRITION AND DIABETESThe patients need to regulate the amount of s ugar intake and include exercise in their routine to properly burn fats and carbohydrates. They can take sugar but need to watch its quantity really carefully. A typical diabetic diet consists of 60% calories from carbohydrates, 20% from proteins and 30% from fats.   Patients are advised to talk through the diet in detail with the doctor. Including the right mix of food and nutrition, patients can live healthy and long.ReferencesAmerican Academy for Family of Physicians/ FamilyDoctor.org (2006). Diabetes and Nutrition. Retrieved mar 18th, 2009 from   Ã‚  American Diabetes Association/ diabetes.org (2009). All about diabetes. Retrieved mar 18th, 2009 from Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation/ JDRF.org (2009). What is diabetes. Retrieved mar 18th, 2009 from Nagin, Melissa Kotlen (2009). The Diabetic Breastfeeding Mother. New York Times Company/ Retrieved mar 18th, 2009 from   National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Diabetes Overview NetDoctor.co.uk/ Dr  Jan Erik  Henri ksen, Dr  Ole. (22.09.2008). Type1 Diabetes. Retrieved mar 18th, 2009 from

MotEffects of Employees’ Motivation on Organizational Performance Essay

Abstract Many theories came along to show the importance of motivation. Motivators are the things that drive the employees to achieve; de-motivators are the opposite and would lead to deterioration on the job-level. Performance is directly affected by motivation, thus, a performance appraisal should be done where the manager measures the performance of an employee and acts accordingly. Motivation is the key to success in any given task or job. If not met, failure will most probably be the result. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the demotivators, the motivators of employees at work and the effect of these factors on employees’ performance thus organizational performance and the positive correlation between both latter concepts. Introduction Abraham Maslow once said, â€Å"If I were dropped out of a plane into the ocean and told the nearest land was a thousand miles away, I’d still swim. And I’d despise the one who gave up.† The drive for him to reach the land is a combination of ability, willingness, and motivation. Likewise in any organization, there is always a drive for employees to achieve. The heart of this drive that leads to positive organizational performance and thus success is motivation; it is this desire to achieve. Motivating employees is when the employer gets them to â€Å"want† to do what he/she knows should be done. It is also the third key performance indicator of Human Resources. The main assets of an organization are the employees; if not satisfied and motivated then progress and success are close to impossible. Thus, it is a conductive synergy; if dissatisfaction occurs employees would dock, procrastinate, sabotage the company, increase absenteeism, or even petition. Motivation could be of two kinds: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is based on the desire for external rewards, such as gaining approval of others, earning money, winning prizes†¦ etc. Usually extrinsic motivation tends to be more commonly needed among people who have low or poor self-confidence or those who lack internal goals. The internal  goals or the inner desire to do something or gain knowledge in something is what intrinsic motivation is based on. People who are led by intrinsic motivation are those who know what their goals are and are aligned with what they value most. Read more:  Which Factors Affect the Motivation of Employees Working Due to the highly competitive era that we live in, managers need to consider behavioral management theories to increase employees’ retention and increase organizational effectiveness. After the classical school of management came the behavioral school to speak out on the name of employees’ satisfaction and stated that they are driven by motivation and one could not possibly give them the job and ask them to yield good performance. According to Hawthorne’s theory, a study was conducted on employees’ performance in dim and bright light. Results were the same because in both cases they were given recognition and attention. According to McGregor, a manager should follow his â€Å"Theory Y† which states that people are good by nature and that they are ambitious and self-motivated. A theory Y manager believes that people will do well at work if they were given the right conditions. They are the managers that usually create the climate of trust that will l ead to the development of the human resource aspect in an organization. Following that came Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that divided the human needs into five categories: physiological, safety, social, self-esteem, and self-actualization. The first three are the lower level needs and the latter two are the higher level needs. Physiological needs are first and the most important; they are the basic requirements for the survival and function of humans and are met by having a hygienic environment at work. Safety needs are those concerning the security of the employment, resources, body, family†¦ etc. These needs are satisfied by having a sealed contract at work. Humans constantly need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance among their social groups. Thus Maslow proposed the third level of needs: the social needs. The self-esteem needs as the name suggests, it is the need for confidence, achievement, and respect by and to others. Self-actualization which is the utmost level is met after mastering all prior needs one after another. It is portrayed as Maslow describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be. Another theory is the expectancy theory which st ates  that motivation is a function of expectancy, instrumentality, and value. The employee should know that the job or the task is not a â€Å"mission impossible†; moreover, he/she should also know that there is a means to achieving it and if so will be awarded in a valuable way. After the managers apply those behavioral theories into the workplace, the organization tends to become more productive. Performance therefore needs to be measured in a process called performance appraisal. It is one of the periodic HR’s duties in which the employee is examined and evaluated, objectively and constructively. Based on the results, which the employee should know by giving him/her feedback, key areas of improvement or praise are shed light on. Therefore, the manager will know who to promote, demote, train or even fire. There are three major steps in the performance appraisal process: identification, measurement, and management. With identification, the behaviors necessary for successful performance are determined. Measurement involves choosing the appropriate instrument for appraisal and assessing performance. Management, which is the ultimate goal, is the reinforcing of good performance and the correction of poor performance. What are the motivators and de-motivators? How do they affect performance and how they are measured? The answers will be further discussed in the literature review. Demotivators at Work What does really motivate employees? How can we boost employee’s morale? What can we do to increase the performance and the productivity of our employees? How can we know if the way our employees are doing things is right and doing the right things? †¦..  And the list continues.  We could really spend a day just talking about the concerns of organizations when it comes to securing its continuity in this ever-growing competitive environment. The key to success is definitely in the way we run our employees in such a manner to boost their morale and keep them motivated to excel in their jobs for it has as major positive impact on increasing productivity. When we talk motivation, we need first to align what  demotivates the employees. Demotivators are those nagging, daily occurrences that frustrate employees and cause them to reduce, either consciously or unconsciously, the amount of productive energy they use in their jobs. Demotivators are draining the life out of employees everywhere, undermining morale and wasting the most valuable resource we have – human talent and creativity. Demotivators can be a single factor or a group of factors that affect that employee’s morale and cause him to underperform. Not only do demotivators trigger negative emotions, but they also elicit negative behaviors – such as withholding effort, absenteeism, tardiness, extended breaks, criticizing management, theft, conflict, and even violence, vandalism and sabotage. First, we are going to consider â€Å"Micromanagement† as a demotivator: Employees have different needs, different expectations, and different ambitions. Following Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the physiological, safety and belongingness are the most important needs that must be secured first to any employee. Only after his basic needs are met, will he focus on realizing his self esteem and his self actualization, thus he will go the extra mile to perform effectively in order to achieve now his growing needs for achievement and for power. Micromanagement limits the employee’s motivation and his potential growth, and also affects his morale eventually. He will feel that he‘s not getting recognition and room to grow professionally. Some managers apply the theory X type of management, being autocratic, never trusting their employees, nor delegating them: hands on, central and formal management are some examples. Any employee under these conditions will not sense a feeling of belonging to the organization, nor will he feel responsible to work effectively or to improve his performance. At the end of the day, he doesn’t see any potential to grow out of his current position, or that his efforts will be appreciated as the credit would go to his managers. â€Å"Hazy Job Profiles† is another demotivator that is very frequent in many organizations: Absence of a clear job description, absence of a realistic reachable goal, absence of a clear target, absence of performance appraisal and a regular evaluation telling an employee where he stands and what areas he needs to improve, are all classic reasons that define the hazy a nd unclear job profile that negatively affects the employee’s behavior. An employee needs to know what is expected from him, what his responsibilities are, what areas he is accountable for, his  reporting authority and who reports to him. All these are important for him to know how he will be judged and on what basis he will be evaluated and assessed. Even though some organizations do not spend enough time on setting the job profile, it is an essential part to be well prepared by the HRM to give the employee the kick he needs to evaluate and advance in his career. â€Å"Unclear expectations† represent another demotivator that must be taken into consideration. In fact, without realizing it, management often communicates wrong messages, or fails to communicate clearly what’s required of the employees. They ask them to maximize production, emphasize on quality, customer satisfaction, limit the interaction time with customers, work faster, then work safer, etc†¦ All these messages can be misleading to employees and they fail to target what is really important or to prioritize their tasks. Thus, communication is the game in everything. The result is that they lose time and energy on wrong or unneeded tasks, and they accomplish wrong results that would lead them consequently to frustration, demotivation and disinterest in the job. Let’s consider now the â€Å"Work Environment† as a demotivator: In any organization, it is highly important to check the internal environment, the external environment and the global environment. If the subject company has a poor working conditions and a not so pleasant environment, this wou ld kill the natural abilities of people to perform. Will they feel relaxed to perform? The answer is no because they will be too busy securing basic needs, again physiological and safety needs. The absence of team work means that employees will be looking to establish their own interests over those of the company. It is important to generate a healthy environment, and a positive competition among employees, the sort that would push for team work, creativity and new ideas, not job docking or demotivation. Politics causes a suffocating environment that kills the natural abilities of the people to perform. It is difficult to fight at every step and do things which you know is must for the growth of the company. A company will cease to exist when its employees favor their own interests to those of the company. Managers here are bound to integrate the employees in the discussions, and involve them to a certain extent in the decision making. Moving to the â€Å"Absence of Recognition†, we all look to achieve, we all look for power and we all want to fit in and belong whether socially or professionally. We do it in order to feel secured, satisfied  and self content. We also do it because we look forward to enhance our self-esteem and realize our self-actualization. We also do it because we expect to be rewarded for our efforts afterwards. Every employee expects something in return when he achieves outstanding results. The reward can either be monetary, a reward system, or anything positive. Not receiving any recognition for something that we really worked hard on can be, and will be frustrating. Sometimes, an employee would appreciate a â€Å"thank you† or â€Å"well done† or â€Å"good job† from his superiors in front of a group of a few people. This will mean a lot to him and will boost his morale and entice him to maintain his performance or push it a little further. Some companies just fail to realize that this is cheapest and most efficient form to keep the employees happy and motivated. â€Å"Workload† can also be considered to be a demotivator: Most companies are nowadays applying the downsizing policies to be able to reduce their costs and maintain their position in the market. It is off course a hard decision on any organization to decide to lay off some of its employees. Such a decision will not only have its toll on the employee himself, but it will also affect his health, his family, his colleagues and the company itself. As a matter of fact, the company will then have to redistribute the work on one or two other employees who will handle the relative tasks in addition to their current tasks. The result is too much work to complete with so little time, which leaves no possibility for the employee to explore his natural abilities, or to learn new skills. He will no longer be motivated to work, nor will he focus on achieving high results or performing effectively, as all he will care about now is how to finish the workload on time, and how he will cope with the extra work. Now, how can the â€Å"Salary† be a demotivator? A job should provide the minimum expected income to lead a normal life and be able to answer the important needs of a human being to live in dignity and live decently. This is the most prevalent reason but sometimes it seems that no one is happy with what they get. If the employee’s salary levels within and outside the company is not at par and good performance is not adequately compensated, the employee will first not be motivated to work, no more then he will be motivated to perform his tasks correctly and effectively. Thus, overall performa nce is affected. â€Å"Organizational Culture† may also demotivate employees. Employees look to fit the organizational culture and to be in harmony with their  supervisors. Being friendly with workers, offering assistance and help, how managers treat their teams, existence of healthy competition, type of language people use, the way of doing things, etc†¦ These are some of many factors that can reflect the company’s culture and environment. If the environment is not pleasant, the employee will be demotivated. He will not be in the mood to work, nor will he communicate with his colleagues to get the job done if it requires assistance. He will not look to achieve if his relation with his supervisors is not so great, for he thinks they will get the credit, whereas he will not advance in his career. If an employee is not happy he cannot work hard, and if he dreads to go to work every day, his productivity will soon or later on drop dramatically. â€Å"Organizational Policies† represent a major issue when talking about demotivators. Each company has its own policies but sometimes they are too many for the employee to grasp. The company also has to abide by the local environment policies that include those enforced by the government. Example of policies may include but they are not restricted by: Policies for women, Special si tuations, Conduct, Etc†¦ These policies impact the life of employees and their working atmosphere, and can prove to be demotivating once they don’t take into consideration the humanitarian view. You may not weigh it much, but people who have to travel a lot or cover a big of distance to their office know the importance of this factor in their lives. Therefore, â€Å"Distance† is another demotivator. The balance of life between home and office seem to evaporate in thin air. All travel and no time for themselves demotivates them to the core. Some â€Å"Meetings† can be unproductive and can be time consuming and exhausting for employees, with no results to be seen. They see it as a waste of time and energy, and it leaves them demotivated. Moreover, â€Å"Hypocrisy† usually involves superior comments or promises, followed by contradictory behavior. Many organizations say one thing and do another – leaving employees feeling angry, frustrated and betrayed. â€Å"Change† may also pose a challenge and is an important factor to maintain as well as to achieve organizational success. Companies need to unfreeze the status quo, run changes then refreeze the situation again, and that’s a very important cycle to be respected because constant change is extremely disruptive. Sometimes it can unplanned, b adly communicated and poorly envisioned. Employees have already a lot on their back to worry still about  unnecessary and unproductive changes. Many changes leave the employees feeling down, as they have to abide by what the management decides is right for now. â€Å"Hiding Information† from employees is demotivating. It can be interpreted as mistrust or a threat when the data is not communicated, leading sometimes to incoherent and incompatible efforts that are not aligned with the management vision and plan. When we don’t involve employees in what’s happening or why a certain decision has been taken, they will not be motivated to work nor will they feel responsible or accountable for achieving the required tasks. Let’s treat the issue from the â€Å"Low Quality Standards† perspective: Poor-quality work does not only include the cost of replacement, scrap and dissatisfied customers. It also includes the terribly demotivating impact on employees. Most employees look forward to achieve a work of high quality. It makes them feel good and satisfied on a personal level. However, due to growing competition and time and costs constraints some companies are prioritizing short production goals, thus lowering the quality standards. The result is that either the customers are left dissatisfied or the employees are left demotivated because they are involved in goal setting and process improvement. Both have devastating repercussions on the company. Why not to speak a little bit about â€Å"Favoritism†? Actually, Favoring one employee over another is very common in organizations due to stereotyping or the look like me effect when managers and supervisors usually falls in. When the least favored employee gets good results, the recognition is almost absent, but if he makes the smallest mistake the punishment is tough. The opposite happens with the favored employee, and his mistakes go sometimes unnoticed and unpunished. The rest of the employees will notice and feel discrepancies, which will lead them to demotivation. slide 5 of 13 From another point of view, â€Å"The Absence of a Benefit Package† or the existence of a weak one can be demotivating for employees when they compare themselves to what other employees are being offered in different companies.slide 6 of 13 1111111slide 8 of 13 Finally, â€Å"Violence and Harassment† can demotivate employees at work. There are different types of harassments at the workplace: sexual, racial,  personal, bullying, age harassment and disabled harassment. Issues like these can threaten the safe working environment that companies strive to insure. When employees don’t feel safe, they will not perform and they will start absenting, docking the job, etc†¦ which will affect the overall organizational performance. Adding to that the fact that such issues can lead the organization to court shall any of the employees decide to file a lawsuit case? What a bad toll that would have on the organization’s reputation and rank in the society and marketplace? Motivators at Work Employee motivation is a continuing challenge at work. It doesn’t only guarantee that work is done in time but it also ensures that quality of work is not compromised. Employees want to earn reasonable salary to support themselves and their families. Money is the only inducement as for nobody works for free; no other incentive or motivational technique comes even close to it with respect to its influential value (Sara et al, 2004). It has been known as a chief source of satisfying people’s needs. It has the power to attract and retain individuals. However, it doesn’t motivate; it only activates employees to do the minimum that is required in their job descriptions. Frederick Herzberg, the Behavioral theorist who conducted studies on worker motivation in the 1950’s and developed the Motivation-Hygiene theory of worker satisfaction and dissatisfaction, concluded that hygiene factors such as salary or pay can prevent dissatisfaction, but they do not motivate employees. According to Herzberg, hygiene factors work primarily as demotivators if they are not sufficient. As for the motivators, he believed that responsibility, recognition, achievement and advancement increase satisfaction and motivate people towards a greater effort and performance. Herzberg like many other behavioral theorists was influenced by the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs concept. The theory of Herzberg has shed the light on the importance of the intrinsic aspects of a job and their ability to motivate employees. It also generated the concept of job enrichment. He believed that removing some of the control over employees, giving them additional authority, increasing their personal responsibility and freedom in their own work and encouraging  them to take on new and more difficult tasks would enrich their job and positively motivate them. In addition, studies have shown that giving employees more responsibility and letting them feel a greater ownership in the business make th em more motivated to work harder and make the business succeed. Non-monetary incentives such as recognition can be as successful, and sometimes more successful, than monetary based plans. According to Maurer (2001) recognition is an essential factor in enhancing employee job satisfaction and work motivation which is directly associated to organizational achievement (Jun et al., 2006). This type of incentive works well with people who are intrinsically motivated. It can be achieved by simply asking employees for their opinions on specific issues or ideas. Such a criterion makes them feel that their opinion matters and is valued thus giving them an important role within the company. Recognition also includes acknowledging employees performance which in fact is really high on the list of employee needs for motivation. Managers should associate recognition in return with monetary gifts. Although employees would prefer money, but sometimes they might also appreciate praise, a verbal or a written â€Å"Thank you†. Appreciation is another form of non-monetary incentive. Even though its effectiveness isn’t stressed enough however it has a significant impact on e mployees. Employees would appreciate being involved directly with their immediate supervisors. The daily interaction builds good relationships. Discussing and sharing different points of view and ideas assist employees in getting involved thus motivated. And in return involved employees will start working beyond what is required from them in their job description and go the extra mile for the business. Furthermore the quality time spent with employees can be a huge enabler for understanding their current motivators. This relationship is the only and the most important factor in employees’ retention. Recent surveys have also found that flexible work arrangements improve employees’ motivation and retain them. In addition, having a clear staffing structure in the business with a scope for career development can expand both engagement and motivation. Likewise having a bonus or commission structure and creating a â€Å"Familial† atmosphere, in which everybody is treated fairly, can also maximize employees’ motivation and productivity. Similarly, as the p roverb says â€Å"With great power comes more responsibility†, empowering employees to take responsibility for their own  job and distributing leadership across all the levels in an organization can encourage, motivate and engage them with their tasks, especially if they can be left to work autonomously. David McClelland, like Maslow, also believed that people develop various needs throughout their life experiences. However, the only difference between McClelland’s theory and Maslow’s is that it assumed that different people have different patterns of needs. McClelland’s theory focused on the need for achievement which is the desire to do something better than it has been done before, the need for power which is the desire to control, influence, or be responsible for other people and the need for affiliation, which is the desire to maintain close and friendly personal relationships. According to McClelland, employees have all these needs to some extent but with different intensities. The relative strength of each need affects what will motivate each person. Managers through their daily interaction with employees can understand their behavior and the kind of motivation that best works. For example, employees with a strong need for achievement are more motivated by success than by money while employees with a strong need for power seek out advancement and responsibility whereas employees with a strong need for affiliation give ambition a back seat in exchange for approval and acceptance. Similarly, Vroom’s â€Å"Expectancyâ €“Valence† theory suggested that people are most motivated to seek achievable and worthy results. Meaning that, the strength of motivation is a function of the perceived value of the outcome and the perceived probability that the behavior will result in the outcome. Moreover studies have shown that making work more interesting to employees will make them give it their full attention and enthusiasm. This can be achieved by job rotation, enlargement, and enrichment. Job rotation gives employees more variety by moving from job to job and giving them the opportunity to learn new skills through cross-training. Job enlargement also assumes job variety by adding more duties to the job which in return makes it more satisfying and motivating. Job enrichment as explained by Herzberg gives employees more responsibility to make decisions and more recognition for good performance. Most of these motivation theories have one thing in common: Managers must consider individual differences while designing rewards. They should always keep in mind that what motivates one person may not motivate anot her. So they need to offer a variety of rewards and fairly distribute them to avoid  discrimination. Linking Motivation to Performance In order for us to study the implications of employees’ motivation on the organizational performance, it would be essential for us to start by defining the organizational performance and effectiveness terminology. Researchers do not agree on a specific definition for organizational performance. In fact, they look to it from different perspectives and they might adopt divergent views in defining it. Moreover, some of them have already created business models in an effort from them to explain and highlight this broad pillar concept in today’s business World. However, the grounds for defining the organizational performance and effectiveness are common among the majority of researchers. According to Mary et al, (1996), organizational performance is the ability of a company to attain its goals and objectives by the use of its resources. It is the maximum utility and efforts of the essential constituents of an organization in achieving the organizational goals and it reflects these constituents’ satisfaction in the input-output transformation process, as seen by Matthew et al, (2005). Finally, organizational performance is deemed to be â€Å"the process of locating targets and attaining them proficiently in spirited and energetic surroundings† (Constant.D, 2001). But, the breakneck challenge remains in creating such â€Å"energetic† surroundings in nowadays business environment in an attempt to reach the highest levels of motivation. Several studies conducted around the World and in different organizations assert that a positive relationship exists between the organizational performance and employees’ motivation. Thus, it becomes incontestable that when an organization tries to increase its employees’ satisfaction by motivating them, it will be increasing their performance and their effectiveness in achieving the organizational objectives set by the corporate level of management. And this is again verified by Matthew.J. et al, (2009), who consider the maximization of profits to be the fruit of a higher level of effectiveness and efficie ncy among workers in the business set, generated by satisfaction, delight and internal motivation. Many organizations, even unintentionally, found themselves enjoying a higher performance and effectiveness by increasing their employees’ degree of motivation. Many  researches were conducted in an attempt to explain the nature of the relationship between the Human Resources Management (HRM) practices and the organizational performance. In a study realized by Paul, A.K., & Anantharaman, R.N. (2003) and titled â€Å"Impact of people management practices on organizational performance†, the authors see that it is crucial for employees to be motivated, satisfied and committed in order for them to bring value and significantly contribute in the success of their organizations. Therefore, this reflects the indirect link between HRM policies and organizational performance through HRM output. On the other hand, controls (size, capital intensity, union intensity) which are all subtitles under the HRM policies section, may influence directly the organizational performance according to another study conducted by Huselid (1995). Thus, taking into consideration these studies, it is now clear that the HRM policies enjoy a duplicate relationship w ith the organizational performance (direct and indirect relationship), as they include motivation. And here, we should not forget to underline the importance of employees’ retention, one of the major Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the HR of every organization, in establishing the coherence of this relationship. If a company is unable to retain its internal customers (employees), then it will encounter difficulties in capitalizing on its human asset. Thus, it is important to set employees’ retention as an indispensable condition to be satisfied before discussing the implications of motivation on performance. In addition to that, it is important to shed light on the fact that organizational performance is a function of a multitude of variables that must be taken into consideration when measuring overall performance. A. Katou (2008) suggests that the performance is the big framework under which concepts such as effectiveness, efficiency, development, satisfaction, innovation and quality fall. And since these concepts are the basic components of organizational performance, thus it becomes steady that each one of them is directly related to performance. Therefore, anything that might positively affect any of these concepts might also be positively reflected on performance itself. Thus, when measuring the increase in organizational performance due to motivation, it becomes vital to take in consideration positive implication of motivation on each of these concepts. A high organizational performance might result due to a higher level of  effectiveness achieved in top management positions when setting the appropriate goals and objectives and communicating these objectives to all levels and departments within the organization. And motivation, once found among top managers, it will play a major role in increasing the effectiveness of these managers in setting the appropriate goals to reach. A motivated manager will put the interest of the whole organization as a priority and will work hard with his subordinates to achieve them. In a similar context, the Behavioral School of Management suggests that employees are more likely to express a high sense of motivation when they work with a motivated manager (Hawthorne studies). Staying within Katou’s study (2008) frame, motivation is directly related to efficiency, which constitutes the ability of firm to meet its objectives using the least amount of resources. Motivated employees are more likely to consider the costs that their organization incurs to achieve the expected goals and objectives. So, they think about squeezing the costs as a way to increase their revenues and profits, leading to a maximum efficiency and performance. Moving to the development, it is essential to say that an organization must always conduct a SWOT analysis, watching both its internal and external environment. Consequently, it must analyze any opportunity looming and try its best to make out of it the most profit it could. Thus, motivation here is essential key to performance since it leads to a proactive workforce that constantly analyzes the external environment for any opportunity, and that permanently trying to predict the future. Hence, motivation turned out to be res ponsible of the subsequent future of an organization in addition to its ulterior prosperity. Finally, adhering to Katou’s research (2008), motivation is at the root of every step forward in the innovation concept. Definitely, a demotivated workforce will soon suffer from the routine of the daily work and will never think of finding new ways in achieving the organizational objectives or manufacturing a product and so on and so forth. Thus, a huge role is attributed to motivation in this direction. And once motivation and innovation meet, a positive synergy is created among workers at all levels of management, driving the whole organization to realize and achieve high quality and standards in serving its customers, either by providing high quality products or offering high quality services in the business environment. This would definitely drive us to talk about the competitive  advantage that high quality and innovation would both create within the organization itself, leading to outperforming competitors and to the generation of core competencies that provide the organization with the power to overcome any threat imposed by the presence of any competitor. Thus, the outcome is a higher performance due essentially to motivation. In a recent study by Nicu Ioana Elena (2011), a motivated workforce will also ensure, in addition to all of the previous consequences discussed above, a better assumption of responsibilities in the organization leading to higher levels of performance. She also affirms in her study that organizations in which employees are motivated are more likely to witness small absenteeism rates, very low personnel fluctuations, a negligible Procrastination rate (Fatigue, Stress), and frivolous percentages of Sabotage and Docking among its employees, all of them associated with burnout that leads to modest levels of organizational performance. Finally, motivating employees might show to be of a certain intrinsic value to the organization itself. In fact, when an organization takes care of its employees, constantly trains and develops them and motivates them to work harder and achieve organizational goals in the most effective and efficient way, they would feel that they are treated as valuable assets in the company and they would feel the importance accorded to them by their supervisors. Thus, they will adopt a positive attitude towards the organization they work at, and this will be reflected by a better organizational reputation which may in a way or another have its own indirect implications on the organizational performance and on the way the organization is seen by competitors or other factors or players in the business environment. This point should be definitely treated in the light of the close working relationships that might unite employees from different organizations. A final point we would like to consider is the equity v/s inequity perception among employees. Usually, in the business framework, employees tend permanently to compare themselves to other employees in the same organization (Internal Equity), or in other organizations (External Equity). An employee who intuits a perception of inequity compared to one of his colleagues might face the situation with a fight, fright or flight reaction. And these reactions may increase the employees’ turn over rate, hence reducing the organizational performance. However, motivation is the only remedy in this case, reducing inequity perceptions (Internal &  External) among employees, contributing in employees’ retention and therefore increasing the overall organizational performance. Conclusion and Recommendations After we have discussed all of the factors affecting the employees’ performance in the work environment, either positively or negatively, and after having already examined the positive correlation between employees’ motivation and employee’s performance at work by showing the positive results and outcomes that may procure a motivated workforce to the organization, it becomes inarguable that focusing on employees’ motivation as a way to increase organizational behavior is vital in insuring the organization success and continuity. In fact, a lot of organizations nowadays consider enhancing the HR practices and orienting all of their HR efforts towards achieving a higher level of motivation among employees as important as any other financial or strategic business planning. Actually, employees represent the internal customers of the organizations and their importance to the organization is as equal as the importance of normal customers. Thus, they should be ta ken care of and they should be treated the same way an organization treats its customers. This issue has become a very hot topic in recent business and research studies as a considerable number of companies went out of business because of lack of motivation among employees in certain industries where motivation does really count. In addition to that, business planning has noticed a new trend, including a major consideration of employees’ motivation as a key factor leading to success. For instance, entrepreneurs are becoming more and more aware of employees’ motivation and they are including in their plans effective steps to implement in order to increase the level of motivation, even before starting the business. And this shows the relevance of such an issue in nowadays business world. Moreover, since reaching a high level of  performance in the organization is the common primary goal of the different functional departments, starting with the finance department and not ending with the marketing and sales departments, it becomes wiser to think of centering all the efforts towards increasing motivation as a way to achieve a higher level of performance, or even making it the common primary goal to reach among all of these functional departments. However, many questions can be addressed in this regard as motivation is relative to each employee and is a function of a multitude of cultural and societal variables. Therefore, it is not easy to achieve motivation among every individual element of the workforce and it is also not easy to reach perfection in realizing that task. Eventhough high motivational levels among employees might be reachable, it is almost impossible for executives in an organization to reach a level at which they can say: â€Å"Thank God our organization is blessed with a perfectly motivated workforce†. This may be witnessed due to the different human, psychological, social and cultural backgrounds of employees. Finally, another factor that may pose a challenge is the ability of the HR personnel to manage the issue between theoretical and practical discrepancies regarding motivation as nothing can be perfectly applied, and everything is subject to change due to an infinite number of reasons that deserv e further research and study. References Ali, R., & Ahmad, M. S., (2009). The Impact of Reward and Recognition Programs on Employee’s Motivation and Satisfaction: An Empirical Study. Baldoni, J., (2005). Motivation Secrets. Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. http://govleaders.org/motivation_secrets.htm Beugrà ©, Constant, D., & Offodile, O. F., (2001). Managing for organizational effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa: a culture-fit model. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 12 (4), 535-550. Danish, R. Q., & Usman, A., (2010). Impact of Reward and Recognition on job Satisfaction and Motivation. Honold, L., (1997). A Review of the Literature on Employee Empowerment. Huselid, M.A. (1995). The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity and corporate financial performance. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 635-670. Katou, A.A., & Budhwar, P.S. (2008). Human resource management systems and organisational performance: A test of a mediating model in the Greek manufacturing context. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17, 1223-1253. Mary James, University of Cambridge. Dr Gordon Stobart †¦ 1.5 Relationship between assessment and aspects of motivation†¦ 14. 1.6 Differential †¦.. review findings and reference to current practice in the UK at the consultation †¦.. et al. ( 1996) Maslow, A. (1954) Impact of Motivation on Leadership Personality, a Journal of Socia Sciences, vol 9, pg 23-43, New York Publication Limited. Matthew, J., Grawhich, & Barber, L. K., (2009). Are you Focusing both Employees and Organizational Outcomes. Organizational Health Initiative at Saint Louis University (ohi.slu@edu), 1-5. Paul, A.K., & Anantharaman, R.N. (2003). Impact of people management practices on organisational performance. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 14, 1246-1266 Rynes, S. L., Gerhart, B., & Minette, K. A., (2004). The Importance of Pay in employee Motivation: Discrepancies between What People say and what they do.

How personality affect organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

How personality affect organization - Essay Example The examination of the influence of personality on the organizational behaviour has led to the assumption that the interaction between the firm and the employee is intensive and constant. Moreover, it has been found that the diversity as a phenomenon does not occur only in the lower organizational levels but can equally appear in the managerial department. On the other hand, the existence of differences among a firm’s employees cannot be considered as disadvantage but should be viewed instead as a challenging experience for every organization. In this context, it has been proved that the existence of diversity is not connected with the negative phenomena that can be often observed in an organizational environment, like the fraud or the sabotage which are more individual – related. However, because the existence of diversity may create problems to the daily organizational operations – particularly when there are not the mechanisms for the successful operation of s uch a business strategy, it has to be noticed that in order for an organization to apply a diversity schema to its employment sector, the relevant measures have to be taken in advance. It should be noticed here that any relevant measure has to be tested in advance not only as of its financial cost to the company involved but mainly as of its effects to the firm’s employees.

Olmec Civilization and its History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Olmec Civilization and its History - Essay Example The culture of the people is believed to be ended around 400 BC. The Olmec inhabited southern Mexico and were regarded as the mother culture of the Americas. Their technology and culture influenced the preceding culture and technology. Sertima support for the Olmec illustrates the belief that they came before Columbus and should be considered as part of the ancient civilization of the Americas. In his book They Came before Columbus, Sertima argues that the Olmec were the first face of civilization and influenced the technology and culture of America. The argument holds water as presented in the Olmec brand of pre-Columbian contact theory. The major claim presented by Sertima is the existence of African origin in the Mesoamerican culture in the western hemisphere. The theory asserts that the influence of the American culture in the Mesoamerican culture was massive and should be considered in the study of the ancient civilization, which is becoming a complex process. He further added that the Kings of the 25th dynasty of Egypt were Nubians (Diehl 82). This theory led to increasing need to research on the clarity and accuracy of the theory with further finding supporting and some discrediting the theory developed by Sertima. The name Olmec means the rubber people in the Nahuatl language. Aztec is the name of the people who inhabited the area because they extracted latex from r ubber trees. However; the name was used mistakenly by the Europeans by assigning the name to ancient ruins found in the region. The ruling found was not of the Aztec civilization, but date before the civilization. The name also refers to the ancient ball game developed by the Olmec and considered the Olmec creation. The name used by the Olmec includes Xi which is similar to the Chinese names. The evidence of Olmec existence in America led to questions on their origin and argument arose. It was first thought that they originated from West Africa,  but further evidence deduces that they were remnants from the Xia dynasty of China (Demarest 62).  

Identity is a Production which is Never Complete Essay

Identity is a Production which is Never Complete - Essay Example Ann Frank writing was little known in the twentieth century but it has been gradually been identified and the identity of Anne Frank as one of the best writers of her time. Stuart Hall posits Ann Frank diaries by revealing the identity via rethinking of the placing and corresponding repositioning of the Nazi regime. Drawing of the spatial and temporal metaphors of the diaries implicitly and concurrently compare the society in broader sign system thus acting as the signifier of identity link of the intertextually of the prevailing texts. Hall wholly suggests that the Nazi is neither an isolatable and independent location that exists within a social and historical vacuum nor the corresponding past separable from the current universe. Anne Frank is self-subjecting strategy from the corresponding art making of the institutional network practice. Moreover, the category error of Anne Frank does not entail distinction and thus does not permit clear modalities of thought around the diverse sets of practices to develop. Anne Frank’s identity covers thinking beyond the mid-1990s that mainly emphasis on the underlying movement amidst places as a significant aspect of migration cultures. Failure of Anne Frank recognition was mainly linked to the engagement of the post-colonial migrational culture and it mainly entails willful misrecognition of the prevailing significance of the set of cultures that contributed to the constitution of the conditions of modernity in the cultural institution's operation. The continued misrecognition, undervaluing the production of the cultural value and form in the art practices of the early twentieth century hindering numerous personalities from knowing the real identity of Anne Frank.

America, the cold war, Reagan and the state of the country Essay

America, the cold war, Reagan and the state of the country - Essay Example It has a number of financial issues, several wars, and a climate of partisan hostility in Washington, D.C. But for all its faults, it has many things going for it. It is still the world's number one military superpower, in large part due to the work done by Reagan to build up these forces. Militarily, America is second to none. There is no credible enemy that America could not beat. Sadly, several of the problems faced by America today—in particular financial ones—are the products of leaders who have not listened to Reagan's vision of economics. The current president has not done enough to tackle public sector unions, as President Reagan triumphantly did in the 1980s. These unions are bankrupting America. This is a serious problem that Reagan was able to solve twenty years ago, but which has come back for a new generation to solve. Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest presidents America has ever had. He did not solve every problem, but he put America back on its path t o glory, after Jimmy Carter nearly derailed the whole process. Reagan was a modest and intelligent man who knew what was best for the United States.

The dilemma with Americas financial cliff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The dilemma with Americas financial cliff - Essay Example The polar bears in the arctic oceans are losing their natural habitat. A lot of species of animals have already become extinct because of their inability to survive in the climate as hot as it has got today. Besides, human beings themselves have been no less affected by the global warming. Melting of the ice caps would put a major portion of the land under water. Results of the global warming have already started to show up in the form of frequent occurrence of earthquakes, cyclones, and floods. If human beings do not immediately stop the practices causing global warming, it might be too late to take any action few years later. There is no doubt that human beings are the prime cause of global warming, and that human activities have endangered the nature in many ways. However, if human beings stop such activities, it would be good for the planet but on the compromise upon the standard of living of the human beings. In the present age, every country is striving hard to grow its gross domestic product (GDP), attain financial stability and advance its economy. These factors are very important particularly from the perspective of business. It would be very hard for the manufacturing companies to sustain if they reduce their carbon emission into the atmosphere or impose limits on its emission. Kant places emphasis on the will of an individual in a certain action rather than its consequences. Good will is the most important in Kant’s perspective. Following Kant’s ethics, the solution of the dilemma of global warming can be taking actions to protect the nature like growing trees while the practices causing global warming can be continued since the intention of human beings is to enhance the standard of living rather than destroying the nature. Deontological ethics asserts that human beings assume the responsibility to respect and protect others’ rights. Thus, human beings need to stop

Prject Management review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Prject Management review - Essay Example The two major categories of estimation are ‘Macro or Top-down approach and Micro or Bottom-up approach’ (Sihombing). The Macro or Top-Down approach This approach is used to make a quick and rough estimation of project cost and time, when the time and expense of a detailed estimate are some issues. Often macro approach is carried out during the conception stage as there is no full design or Work Breakdown Structure available. The macro approaches may have high chances of inaccuracy and therefore, only well experienced personnel can do the estimation. With the help of a similar previous project, the estimation becomes easier. As Gray and Larson (2008, p. 134) point out, the expenses for the foremost subunits of the new project would be proportional to foremost subunits in the previous project. The Micro or Bottom-UP approach The Micro approach takes the project design and a ‘roll-up’ of Work Breakdown Structure elements into consideration (Project management). As it is a detailed approach, it requires multiple personnel and much time to complete the process. If the bottom-up estimate is done properly, it can yield accurate cost and time estimates. The costs for the higher level units are obtained by rolling-up the estimated time and cost connected with the lowest level Work Breakdown Structure packages. And this approach renders the most accurate estimation within the time devoted to developing the estimate. Factors affecting the estimation of Cost and Time There are several significant factors that affect the estimation of project cost and time. The most important factors are; Task Definition: The comprehensiveness of the definition of the project helps to determine whether all tasks have been taken into account. Project Structure: The structure compacted with a dedicated project team will always focuses on the effective completion of the project. Padding: there are chances of increasing the estimates in order to consider the unknown risks which in turn may cause an unwanted trade-off. Culture: It refers to the acceptable behavior of the organization which influences the estimation. Downtime: It is the lapse of time which affects the time estimate due to equipment repairs, holidays, vacations, etc. II An Ideal Approach According to Rosenau and Githens (2006, p. 133), planning, estimating, and resourcing are the most important elements of a successful project; and these elements may seem to be separate issues, but required to be conducted in parallel as they directly influence each other. Estimation of time and cost is needed per each type of resources for every part of the work to be done. An ideal approach from the part of the project manager would be to hold all the different elements and criteria together in a multi-dimensional model. The project manager should mak e sure that the estimation is done by a person who is most familiar with the task. And if possible, it is better to collect estimates from several people and find the variation of risk assessment. In order to avoid the ‘group think’, multiple estimates must be conducted independently. The project manager should use consistent units while estimating task time and the estimates should be based on normal conditions. The

Transcendence and morality Essay Example for Free

Transcendence and morality Essay Therefore, while accommodating God in the growing consumer market, the Church has marketed God as a commodity. A product becoming familiar to most of the consumers day by day is becoming equally dispensable. A market where consumer is considered sovereign, God’s status is at stakes. With the loss of His objectivity and transcendence, the God of today has become weightless. He proposes that the church must distance itself from modernization and keep up with the spirit of God as an other self and an objective transcendent Being. The very idea of giving in to traditions is in its very essence against the idea of ecclesiastics. He believes that if the church of the sixteenth century can reform, so does the church of today. CRITICAL INTERACTION WITH THE AUTHOR’S WORK. According to David Wells, the seductive cultural currents of the modern world are not only fruitless but they have increasingly robbed humans of their past appetite for transcendence and morality. The growing trends of inwardliness are disconnecting individuals from their outside world. In order to find significance to their existence, modern individuals are delving more and more to their inner potentials, rather than looking out upon some other greater source of inspiration. This personalized view of morality is making it a variable. Rather than a fixed code to which every individual had to comply with. Personalized moral values are creating mere confusion. The worst form of this seduction is evident in the new Evangelicalism. Modern Church has turned therapeutic and managerial in its operations and has adopted shifting market trends. The wasteland where God has been proclaimed to be dead, as proposed by Nietzsche almost half a century earlier, He is kept alive only in an etherized state, vulnerable at our expense. Chip M. Anderson holds a similar view point and says, â€Å"Even if the evangelical community has not quite buried God, we certainly have tamed Him. We have refashioned Him into the image of an omnipotent Friend or divine Psychologist who champions our full potential. This, in turn, has led to a new focus for measuring spirituality. † Wells describes the ways in which Church has popularized itself and is convinced that the â€Å"Church is paying a high price for all its success †. With its preoccupations for building mega structures the Church is loosing its basic essence of Christianity. He condemns Barna’s Church proposal that explains the techniques through which Church can capture religious market. According to Barna, â€Å"Like it or not, the Church is not only in a market but is itself a business† . Wells explains the way in which the new Evangelic are making the Church an enterprise, headed by entrepreneurs and managers, rather than by God and Christ. In order to achieve their aim to multiply in number, the entrepreneurs are trying hard to adjust God in the modern world. They promote God more as a product and the followers as customers. This he explains is not a healthy ideal for it makes God powerless. â€Å"When the consumer is sovereign,† he adds, â€Å"the product (in this case God Himself) must be subservient† . Wells proposal is to objectify God and promote His otherness as a Being apart from the personal self. This he believes is the only way out to defeat the modern culture of subjectivity and disorder. In a world where there is an appetite for God but a common disenchantment towards theology and scriptures, Wells believes otherwise. He thinks that a strong theology is needed as an anti thesis to post modern cultural trends. This in its very form is what the Evangelicalism was all about initially. Compromising with dominating circumstances can not be the case with God’s Word. Another writer has well said, â€Å"Therefore, even if it means swimming against the current of this age, a genuine return to the original proclamation and apologetic of the New Testament is the only lifeguard for rescuing imperiled human rationality and for reviving the souls of our contemporaries who are drowning in the depth of postmodern pointlessness and despair † Wells vision of the future is made of mixed sentiments. The young seminaries as Wells observe take theology and scriptures seriously but they do explicit current trends of self being locus for intellectual combat. In an over all analysis David F. Wells creates a balanced critique on the modern society and its eventual corruption of Church. Though most part of the book is preoccupied with its critical evaluation of modern world and Church, supported with a number of contemporary analysis, nowhere does the book becomes boring. Taking the problem of the Church a little further, this volume promises other sequels to come to deal with the issues presented. CONCLUSION David Wells has convincingly presented his evangelical concerns, which might not be appreciated by premodern sensibilities. The strength of his critique is its focus on the perils of modern way of living. Wells has successfully restrained from criticizing unnecessarily. This makes his work even more effective. He compels his readers to think of the future of the church beyond the present reality. I believe that wells have been successful in creating a volume that provides an objective insight and is equally thought provoking. His suggested reforms might be hard to achieve in the modern world, but are actually in essence with the true spirit of Christianity. The revival of a bold theology and its implications is a concern not conclusively debated in this volume; however, the issues are further discussed in his next volumes

Rapid Response to Natural Disasters

Rapid Response to Natural Disasters Rapid Response[c1] One of the most important features of logistic support management is a quick response following a natural disaster. With the recent improvement of information technology, the logistical operation has been able to be conducted on time and the delivery of the required materials to the victims has been more efficient than ever. A rapid response towards the natural disaster is crucial in order to minimize the damage being done and also reduce the number of lives lost, especially in the aftermath, which could be due to lack of medical coverage or insufficient food or water. This is why transportation method such as land, air and water transport is the most important before, during and after the disasters struck. In providing a rapid response towards a disaster, there come certain challenges with it such as[1]; Relocating critical equipment and commodities when a disaster warning is given Relocating[c2] the critical equipment and commodities needs to be carefully structured and planned as it needs to as far away as possible from the disaster location, to be completely safe from its effect radius. But it needs to be as close as possible to the disaster in order to provide a quick relief to those who are affected by the disaster. (suggestion buat assessment tentang disaster effect radius, and put away from that radius) Evacuation plans If[c3] a disaster struck a nation in all of a sudden, the people will all be still in the location and facing the disaster as it happens. This kind of situation will require a perfect evacuation plan as it involves a massive chaos and difficult to get things done in order. A chaotic situation is an already badly struck location will cause further damage and an increasing number of loss as it hastens the process of rescuing the people and providing an effective disaster aid. (suggestion – training and educating people about evacuating safely and in order. Rehearsal) Clearing path for the movement of people and materials after the disaster Related[c4] to the evacuation plans is the path or road being used to move the people out of the disaster area, as it might not be as in good condition as it were before. It might be congested with traffic of the people wanted to get out of the area, or full of rubbles from the destructions of the buildings and facilities, or being filled with mudslides or submerged in floodwater. These are the problems faced when a disaster relief operation is trying to provide a rapid response towards a disaster. (suggestion ) Method and procedures in the movement of casualties As[c5] a disaster struck, it normally causes a lot of casualties, with most of them involving major injuries that may lead to death. As rapid response is aiming towards reducing the number of death, it requires a proper management in terms of the method and procedures of dealing with the casualties. Not all personnel involved in the disaster aid relief operation are well trained with the procedures as it also involves volunteers from around the world. Though their intention is good, it may also hasten the process and thus the effort of trying to provide rapid response in diminished. (suggestion – provide more training for volunteering bodies around the world of a standard operating procedure and methods being used) Bringing in rescue and repair team, together with their facilities and equipment Transport In the event of a disaster, the resources needed as part of a relief operation must be transported to the affected area as quickly as possible to attend to the casualties and also reduce the number of death and prevent further damages to that area. But providing the amount of transport for all that in such a short time is a big challenge as part of the logistic support group. It is key to use whatever transportation left in the affected area, especially as bigger and better transport from outside is being delayed with the route being cut off as a result of the disaster. And getting the cooperation from the agencies, companies or any organization with any method of transportation is also a challenge as it might involve funds, assets and other matters that need time to be coordinated. (suggestion deal with local organizations, agencies or companies as part of their own disaster plan) (suggestion – create a networking system between all agencies and organizations for cooperation in terms of transportation to increase the efficiency of the relief operations) Coordination and Collaborations Dealing with the event of a natural disaster, it is hard for the affected nation to handle the matter on its own, as their system is crippled and the organization is in chaos. This is why it will need help and support from other nation, especially their neighboring countries or member countries of a regional organization. During a disaster relief, part of the logistic matter is moving and distributing the commodities in as short time as possible to the victims, and this normally involves huge transportation coordination and is a very expensive matter. And certain processes or procedures are too complex to be used in such a critical time where everything needs to be done in such a short space of time. (suggestion – more detailed cooperation between member countries of any organization must be made (OIC, NAM, etc.), not focusing only on regional organization. Better coordination brings better process standardization – better cooperation and better results) (suggestion – information sharing on the critical needs, then easier to coord) Undestanding Environments For the coalition or regional organization, a disaster relief operation mostly involves working in a very different environment and also limited to several constraints. For example, in a disaster that involves conflicts, the distribution and transportation of goods might not be as smooth as it should be. Even with good conditioned roads and transport vehicles, they might me susceptible to attacks, ambushes or mines. Their supply center and relief workers might also be targets for these attacks, which might hamper the process of reaching out to the victims. Political situation might also pose a problem to the success of the relief operation as different groups tries to take advantage of distribution process in the name of their own organization for political gains. Though it has nothing to do with the disaster relief operation organization, it does hamper the initial objective of delivering the goods as quickly as possible to the right community. (suggestion – local capabilities must be identified, as the utilization of their capcities will provide benefits to the relief operation. must identify mana proses yg boleh cepat, mana yg akan lambat. Siapa yg boleh tolong, siapa yg akan menyusahkan.) Sustenance Support Even though the initial support or relief is crucial in saving lives and minimizing damages, it needs to be sustained for a longer period of time in order for it to be completely functioning as it is supposed to be. Resupplies must be coordinated so that the right amount is delivered, as it might vary from the initial quantity and specifications, as adjustments on the commodities are being made from time to time. (suggestion – after receiving the initial support, local authorities must work out the on adjustments and on providing resupplies. Not totally depending on supports from others only.) Packaging xxx (suggestion The aspect of the logistic support that must be given the importance is the Packaging of commodities. Handling equipment, determine the bulk of the unit package should be done accurately as to protect it from damaging. However, Storage and transport circumstances determine the strength of the package unit. For example medicines in plastic bottles survive rough road transport. Other related aspect that should be kept in mind is Shelf-life Climate, Spoilage, Pest resistance (FEMA, 2013, NDMA, 2010). Protecting Important Provisions After the episode of disaster large-scale, relief logistics require consistent and sustained supplies of critical and fast-moving products such as fuel, oil, lubricants, tires, and essential spare parts. In addition, expansion of an operation requires shipments of high value specialist equipment. The time of disaster condition is critical any need may rise therefore before during and after the disaster the protection, handling and provision of the related supplies must be done carefully, such as; Fuel import, refining, and storage, Materials handling and storage at ports , Unloading and bagging equipment, container handling, and secure Storage, Handling and storage at Airport , Storage at developing regional airfields, local assembly and secure packing of tires and spares parts ( UNDP, 2006; NDMA, 2010). Security Time taken to get clearance or permission will cause delay. Commercial airfields ports might be damaged as a result from the disaster. So need to use unconventional ways such as military infrastructure as nearest point of entry. This will need special clearance requires more time to get permissions Security arrangements should be reviewed as soon as the disaster hits. Access to some routes and airfields may be destructed to reach the location or clearance and permits may be needed by the logistic supply teams, especially in emergencies. Hence, Arrangements should be made to obtain the relevant documents before, rather than after, the onset of a disaster (Iqbal et al., 2007; UNDP, 2006). Distribution Distribution of products to victims at the disaster location is distinct from transport and handling bulk package of commodities. The assignment of distribution is commonly decentralized to a distinct agency. It includes the physical and non-physical transfer or distribution from their point of production to the point at which they made available to the victims. The effectiveness of distribution systems depends largely on how recipients are selected and identified in the first place. Often this is a complex and highly political activity, over which external implementing agencies has only limited influence (UNDP, 2006). Bibliography United Nation Development Program (UNDP). (2006). Logistics: Disaster Management Training Program. New York. [1] UNDP. (2006) [c1]Dah siap rephrase [c2]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c3]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c4]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c5]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke?

Views on Sex Education in Schools

Views on Sex Education in Schools Introduction Sex education is possibly one of the most talked-about topics nowadays, especially among concerned citizens and the government. Sex is a natural thing for all of us and it is just right for the researchers as well as the readers to know and learn more about it. But the question is, is it right for sex education to be taught in primary schools? This research paper tackles the different issues about sex education. It contains the pros and cons of teaching sex education in primary schools. Opinions from different sides such as teachers in primary and secondary schools are considered. With such divisions, the reader can approximate their own comprehension of the topic and thus contribute ways to assist the primary students regarding this matter. In this research paper, the researchers would like to show the readers the importance of teachers perception on teaching sex education in primary schools. The researchers are convinced that this paper will be of great value to students and teachers. Conceptual Framework Sex Education Teachers Secondary Primary Perception Statement of the Problem The study aimed to find out the teachers view on teaching sex education in primary schools. What is the general profile of the respondents in terms of: Age Civil Status Gender Subject teaching What are the teachers views of teaching sex education in primary schools? What are the issues/concerns of teachers in the teaching of sex education primary schools? Is there a significant difference on how the teachers view the teaching of sex education when compared by primary and secondary schools? Hypothesis There is no significant difference between the perspectives of the teachers from primary and secondary schools. Assumptions of the Study The researchers assume that the questionnaires distributed to the respondents are answered honestly and truthfully, and that all data that will be gathered is reliable to the study. The researchers also assume that the personal values may affect the respondents reaction to the questions given and personal experiences may influence the response to the question. Research Locale The study will be conducted in Southville International School and Colleges located at 1281 Tropical Ave. cor. Luxembourg St., BF International, Las Pià ±as City, Philippines. The school will be the focus of the study because it is more convenient to the researchers, it has a big population and it is suited for the study. Significance of the study Parents: They will be guided on making the decision of letting their children study sex education in the school where their children are studying. Students: They will have an idea about what they can get from learning sex education. They will be aware that the very heart of this issue is for their future. Scope and Limitations: The research focused on the perceptions of the teachers towards teaching sex education in primary schools. The respondents are the teachers in primary and secondary level of school year 2010-2011, from Southville International School and Colleges. Definition of Terms Curricula- are the courses offered by an educational institution. It is also a set of courses constituting an area of specialization. Mandatory- can also be compulsory the teaching of sex education is obligatory. Optional- the teaching of sex education for young people is not compulsory. Perception- is a result of perceiving, observation, a mental image, or concept. Primary school- includes grades one to six. Secondary school- a school usually including years 7 to 10. Sexuality- is an expression of sexual receptivity or interest especially when excessive. Sex wise- it is a 12 part series which discussed sex education, family life education, contraception, family life education, contraception and parenting. Sex Education- is an education about human sexual anatomy, reproduction, and intercourse and other human sexual behaviour. Young people- are also referred to as teenagers or children ages between to 10 to 12. Review of Related Literature Sex Education It is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationships education, is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. Sex education is also about developing young peoples skills so that they make informed choices about their behavior, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It is widely accepted that young people have a right to sex education. This is because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV and AIDS. It is also argued that providing sex education helps to meet young peoples rights to information about matters that affect them, their right to have their needs met and to help them enjoy their sexuality and the relationships that they form. It aims to reduce the risks of potentially negative outcomes from sexual behavior, such as unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. It also aims to contribute to young peoples positive experience of their sexuality by enhancing the quality of their relationships and their ability to make informed decisions over their lifetime. Sex education that works, by which we mean that it is effective is sex education that contributes to both these aims thus helping young people to be safe and enjoy their sexuality. (http://www.avert.org/sex-education.htm, 2010) Beliefs Young people can be exposed to a wide range of attitudes and beliefs in relation to sex and sexuality. These sometimes appear contradictory and confusing. For example, some health messages emphasize the risks and dangers associated with sexual activity and some media coverage promotes the idea that being sexually active makes a person more attractive and mature. Because sex and sexuality are sensitive subjects, young people and sex educators can have strong views on what attitudes people should hold, and what moral framework should govern peoples behavior these too can sometimes seem to be at odds. Young people are very interested in the moral and cultural frameworks that bind sex and sexuality. They often welcome opportunities to talk about issues where people have strong views, like abortion, sex before marriage, lesbian and gay issues and contraception and birth control. It is important to remember that talking in a balanced way about differences in opinion does not promote one s et of views over another, or mean that one agrees with a particular view. Part of exploring and understanding cultural, religious and moral views is finding out that you can agree to disagree. Effective sex education also provides young people with an opportunity to explore the reasons why people have sex, and to think about how it involves emotions, respect for one self and other people and their feelings, decisions and bodies. Young people should have the chance to explore gender differences and how ethnicity and sexuality can influence peoples feelings and options. They should be able to decide for themselves what the positive qualities of relationships are. It is important that they understand how bullying, stereotyping, abuse and exploitation can negatively influence relationships. . (As also stated at the website: http://www.avert.org/sex-education.htm, 2010) Sex education worldwide Africa Sex education in Africa has focused on stemming the growing AIDS epidemic. Most governments in the region have established AIDS education programs in partnership with the World Health Organization and international NGOs. These programs were undercut significantly by the Global Gag Rule, an initiative put in place by President Reagan, suspended by President Clinton, and re-instated by President Bush. The Global Gag Rule required nongovernmental organizations to agree as a condition of their receipt of Federal funds that such organizations would neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations. The Global Gag Rule was again suspended as one of the first official acts by United States President Barack Obama. The incidences of new HIV transmissions in Uganda decreased dramatically when Clinton supported a comprehensive sex education approach (including information about contraception and abortion). According to Ugandan AIDS activists, the Glob al Gag Rule undermined community efforts to reduce HIV prevalence and HIV transmission. Europe Finland In Filand, sexual education is usually incorporated into various obligatory courses, mainly as part of biology lessons (in lower grades) and later in a course related to general health issues. The Population and Family Welfare Federation provide all 15-year-olds an introductory sexual package that includes an information brochure, a condom and a cartoon love story. England and Wales In England and Wales, sex education is not compulsory in schools as parents can refuse to let their children take part in the lessons. The curriculum focuses on the reproductive system, fetal development, and the physical and emotional changes of adolescence, while information about contraception and safe sex is discretionary and discussion about relationships is often neglected. Britain has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe and sex education is a heated issue in government and media reports. In a 2000 study by the University of Brighton, many 14 to 15 year olds reported disappointment with the content of sex education lessons and felt that lack of confidentiality prevents teenagers from asking teachers about contraception. France In France, sex education has been part of school curricula since 1973. Schools are expected to provide 30 to 40 hours of sex education, and pass out condoms, to students in grades eight and nine. In January 2000, the French government launched an information campaign on contraception with TV and radio spots and the distribution of five million leaflets on contraception to high school students. Germany In Germany, sex education has been part of school curricula since 1970. Since 1992 sex education is by law a governmental duty. It normally covers all subjects concerning the growing-up process, body changes during puberty, emotions, the biological process of reproduction, sexual activity, partnership, homosexuality, unwanted pregnancies and the complications of abortion, the dangers of sexual violence, child abuse, and sex-transmitted diseases, but sometimes also things like sex positions. Most schools offer courses on the correct usage of contraception. A sex survey by the World Health Organization concerning the habits of European teenagers in 2006 revealed that German teenagers care about contraception. The birth rate among 15- to 19-year-olds was very low only 11.7 per 1000 population, compared to the UKs 27.8 births per 1,000 population, and-in first place-Bulgarias 39.0 births per 1,000. Poland In the Western point of view, sex education in Poland has never actually developed. At the time of the Peoples Republic of Poland, since 1973, it was one of the school subjects; however, it was relatively poor and did not achieve any actual success. After 1989, it practically vanished from the school life it is currently an exclusive subject (called wychowanie do Ã…Â ¼ycia w rodzinie/family life education rather than edukacja seksualna/sex education) in several schools their parents must give consent to the headmasters so their children may attend. It has much due to the strong objection against sex education of the Catholic Church; the most influential institution in Poland. It has, however, been changed and since September 2009 sex education will become an obligatory subject in the number of 14 per school year unless parents do not want their children to be taught. Objecting parents will have to write special disagreements. North America United States Almost all U.S. students receive some form of sex education at least once between grades 7 and 12; many schools begin addressing some topics as early as grades 5 or 6. However, what students learn varies widely, because curriculum decisions are so decentralized. Many states have laws governing what is taught in sex education classes or allowing parents to opt out. Some state laws leave curriculum decisions to individual school districts. Two main forms of sex education are taught in American schools: comprehensive and abstinence-only. Comprehensive sex education covers abstinence as a positive choice, but also teaches about contraception and avoidance of STIs when sexually active. A 2002 study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 58% of secondary school principals describe their sex education curriculum as comprehensive. Abstinence-only sex education tells teenagers that they should be sexually abstinent until marriage and does not provide information about contraception. In the Kaiser study, 34% of high-school principals said their schools main message was abstinence-only. The difference between these two approaches, and their impact on teen behavior, remains a controversial subject. In the U.S., teenage birth rates had been dropping since 1991, but a 2007 report showed a 3% increase from 2005 to 2006. From 1991 to 2005, the percentage of teens reporting that they had ever had sex or were currently sexually active showed small declines. However, the U.S. still has the highest teen birth rate and one of the highest rates of STIs among teens in the industrialized world. Public opinion polls conducted over the years have found that the vast majority of Americans favor broader sex education programs over those that teach only abstinence, although abstinence educators recently published poll data with the opposite conclusion. On the other hand, proponents of abstinence-only sex education object to curricula that fail to teach their standard of moral behavior; they maintain that a morality based on sex only within the bounds of marriage is healthy and constructive and that value-free knowledge of the body may lead to immoral, unhealthy, and harmful practices. Within the last decade, the federal government has encouraged abstinence-only education by steering over a billion dollars to such programs. Some 25 states now decline the funding so that they can continue to teach comprehensive sex education. Funding for one of the federal governments two main abstinency-only funding programs, Title V, was extended only until December 31, 2007; Congress is debating whether to continue it past that date. The impact of the rise in abstinence-only education remains a question. To date, no published studies of abstinence-only programs have found consistent and significant program effects on delaying the onset of intercourse. In 2007, a study ordered by the U.S. Congress found that middle school students who took part in abstinence-only sex education programs were just as likely to have sex (and use contraception) in their teenage years as those who did not. Abstinence-only advocates claimed that the study was flawed because it was too narrow and began when abstinence-only curricula were in their infancy, and that other studies have demonstrated positive effects. According to a 2007 report, Teen pregnancies in the United States showed 3% increase in the teen birth rate from 2005 to 2006, to nearly 42 births per 1,000. Virginia Virginia uses the sex education program called, The National Campaign to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy. The National Campaign was created in 1996. The program focuses on preventing teen and unplanned pregnancies of young adults. The National campaign set a goal to reduce teen pregnancy rate by 1/3 in 10 years. The Virginia Department of Health ranked Virginia 19th in teen pregnancy birth rates in 1996. Virginia was also rated 35.2 teen births per 1000 girls aged 15-19 in 2006. The Healthy people 2010 goal is a teen pregnancy rate at or below 43 pregnancies per 1000 females age 15-17. Asia The state of sex education programs in Asia is at various stages of development. Indonesia, Mongolia, South Korea have a systematic policy framework for teaching about sex within schools. Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand have assessed adolescent reproductive health needs with a view to developing adolescent-specific training, messages and materials. India has programs aimed at children aged nine to sixteen years. In India, there is a huge debate on the curriculum of sex education and whether it should be increased. Attempts by state governments to introduce sex education as a compulsory part of the curriculum have often been met with harsh criticism by political parties, who claim that sex education is against Indian culture and would mislead children. (Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan have no coordinated sex education programs.) In Japan, sex education is mandatory from age 10 or 11, mainly covering biological topics such as menstruation and ejaculation. In China and Sri Lanka, sex education traditionally consists of reading the reproduction section of biology textbooks. In Sri Lanka they teach the children when they are 17-18 years. However, in 2000 a new five-year project was introduced by the China Family Planning Association to promote reproductive health education among Chinese teenagers and unmarried youth in twelve urban districts and three counties. This included discussion about sex within human relationships as well as pregnancy and HIV prevention. The International Planned Parenthood Federation and the BBC World Service ran a 12-part series known as Sexwise, which discussed sex education, family life education, contraception and parenting. It was first launched in South Asia and then extended worldwide. Acrimonious Debate over Sex Education in the Philippines The educational module Adolescent Sexual Health, though not yet released to all high schools in the Philippines, has already drawn heavy criticism from the Roman Catholic Church, pro-life activists, and some parents. The way it is being taught lacks the reverence, the refinement that the subject matter demands, said Jo Imbong, legal officer of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Deciding when to teach children about sex should be left to their parents, he said. But Professor Corazon Raymundo, director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI), said sex education in schools is necessary because it is not in the nations culture for parents to discuss sex with their children. The education department, which presented the module as a response to the nations booming population growth, emphasized it is not a sex manual but rather a teaching guide dealing with family planning, reproductive health, and the dangers of early and pre-marital sex. According to a UPPI survey, 23 percent of Filipinos ages 15-24 engaged in pre-marital sex in 2002, up from 18 percent in 1994. The prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among adolescents rose from 20 percent in 1994 to 27 percent in 2002. Further, this age group now accounts for 17 percent of all induced abortions in the nation. Its high time that the ignorance of adolescents be addressed in a way that will allow them to make an informed choice, said Solita Monsod, former economic planning secretary. Now, however, education officials have responded to the criticism by withdrawing the module for further communications among stakeholders. Before it is returned to schools, some sections will be revised, said Lolita Andrada, the modules editor and the director of the Bureau of Secondary Education. In particular, the section on safe sex, which some viewed as a promotion of promiscuity, will be rewritten, Andrada said. (http://www.thebody.com/content/news/art23803.html, 2010) Dep.Ed. sued over sex education plan MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) The former legal officer of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Monday sued the Department of Education for incorporating sex education in the curriculum of elementary and high school students. In an interview, lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong said she filed the case in behalf of 30 concerned parents who opposed the sex education plan. She described the sex education program as a form of contraceptive imperialism that assaults moral sensibilities and values of young people and actually encourages sexual promiscuity. We have examined the modules being used by DepEd and found that it promotes family planning, reproductive health and demographic development in subjects such as Mathematics, Science and English. It is specifically designed to transform the attitudes, behavior and social norms of young people based on a foreign model, she told abs-cbnNEWS.com. Imbong said the class suit aims to stop DepEd from implementing Memorandum No. 26, which integrates sex education in the curriculum for private and public schools. She said the program changes the attitudes and values of children especially in Christian families. Imbong said sex education was already being implemented in the basic education curriculum 12 years ago, and the new DepEd memo only updates the modules. She said adopting the sex education plan will fast-track moral decay among young people who are exposed to sex at an early age. While curiosity is normal for young people, it is still the primary responsibility of the parents and families to inform their children about sex, she said. She also noted that the sex education program is receiving funding from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA). In response, Education Secretary Mona Valisno said the sex education program is still being pilot-tested and that the discussions will focus on the science of reproduction, physical care and hygiene, correct values and the norms of interpersonal relations to avoid premarital sex and teenage pregnancy. She said the Deped consulted different sectors about the program including the CBCP and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. She said parents who were consulted about the program were very happy with it especially since it provides relevant information to children. She also questioned why a court case was filed especially since the program does not contradict the mandate of DepEd to protect childrens rights to quality education. Our curriculum doesnt talk about condoms and such. Its only exposure to the children to the right information in order for them to make the right decisionKung hindi natin kailangan, then the new secretary of education can change it, she told ANC. She said the sex education plan seeks to battle the high percentage of unwarranted pregnancies in the country, which is one of the 10 highest in the world, and prevent dropouts as a result of teenage pregnancies. She said the topics integrated into the modules will be scientific and informative and are not designed to titillate prurient interest. In Science, sex education topics will cover the reproductive system, parts of the body, reproductive cycle, and puberty. Under Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP), proper behavior among and between peers of different genders will be discussed. In Health classes under MAPEH (Music, Arts, PE and Health), personal hygiene and reproductive health will be part of the lessons. In Heograpiya, Kasaysayan, at Sibika (HEKASI) classes, discussion will include the position of religion on premarital sex and the norms when people of opposite sex interact. In Math classes, data on issues like premarital sex, teenage pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections will be used in studying mathematical analysis and statistics. (Dizon, 2010)