The Blue Wolves baseball team has been in a constant losing streak for a period of six months and the managers do not know why. The managers went to a game and found out that the baseball team has constant arguing among themselves and disorganization.

Aim:

The aim is for the Blue Wolves baseball team to learn how to communicate effectively, learn how to cooperate with each other, and establish organization so as to work together to win more games.

Objectives/Outcomes:

The objective is for the Blue Wolves baseball team to go to a recreational event called Quest for Success Team Works Program that focuses on practicing communication skills, teamwork, effective leadership, and organization. The outcome would be that the Blue Wolves baseball team would play well and win more games.

Development Assets:

Number of participants: 15

Location of program: LazerQuest Downers Grove, IL.

Number of staff: 2

Risk Management:

The staff at LazerQuest will make sure that the game arena is clean and free of objects that will cause harm to the participants.

Charge fee: $170 for group packages

Promotion, partnerships, sponsorships: N/A

Budget: $100 for food and drinks

Method of evaluation:

The training professional for the Quest for Success Team Works Program will evaluate how the Blue Wolves baseball teamwork together in playing lazer tag as a team by video recording the game, and therefore telling them points they need to work on or have achieved after the game.

Program Content:

Quest for Success Team Works Program includes a workbook, video, strategy, and discussion sessions that is used to explore learning concepts. Before the lazer tag game, the Blue Wolves baseball team will watch the video on teamwork skills, which they will then write notes on. After the video, the training professional will pass out workbooks and the Blue Wolves team will answer questions in the workbook that was brought out in the video. Then the training professional would have the coach to map out a game plan for the rest of the team to win the lazer tag competition. He will also allow the rest of the team to have their input on how to go about on the game plan. Then after the Blue Wolves team has finished discussing their game plan, they will go into the Lazer Tag game arena and implement what they have learned from the video and workbook into a team effort to win the game. After the game, the Blue Wolves team will go back into the discussion room and watch the recorded video of them playing. The training professional will ask questions of what they did as a team in order to win the game and will encourage them to implement those same teamwork skills when they are playing baseball games. If the Blue Wolves team has lost a game, then the training professional will ask them what do they think went wrong in the game arena after showing them the recorded video. The Blue Wolves baseball team will then discuss the problems and try to implement those resolved problems into their next baseball game.

Time Line:

The Quest for Success Team Works Program is only half a day, from 1 pm to 6:30 pm on Saturday.

The authors argue that the Keynesian destruction of pre Keynesian norm, without an adequate replacement, has brought on the situation that has stared to emerge in the late 1970s making budget deficits into a normal course of events. (p.95-96) This has not only had an effect on the monetary system, but the policy of budget deficit as a normal system has caused important political shifts in the United States and worldwide. The politicians have started spending more then tax revenues, which is a problem that is at the root of the current economic crisis.

According to Buchanan and Wagner, purely Keynesian systems cannot work in the neo liberal system, but could work in a mild dictatorship. (p.79-80) The problem of Keynesian economic systems not being able to function in modern democracies lies in the fact that professional politicians have used the possibility of budget deficits to ensure stability during their terms but did not look forward, causing finally the deficit to become too elevated and finally threaten the world economy. The Keynesian system should work in a way that the enlightened few have the control of the monetary policy, but in the modern politics there is no center of power where an enlightened few can effectively isolate themselves from constituency pressures” (p.98) The only way Keynesian policies can work in a macroeconomic system is through a combination of the Keynesian and traditional system in which the technocratic influence should be substantial.

Students must believe the fact that school supports learning. Thus, the expectations students hold challenges them in an equitable way. In assessing the effectiveness of the class, the confidence of the teacher in teaching and classroom management abilities form the basis of my classroom management philosophy. If a teacher isn’t confident, then her students wouldn’t be either (Zauss). As far as my philosophy of classroom management is concerned, I will model the learning around the five principles of discipline and a love for learning, curiosity and respect. In order to develop and manage my students, I will make sure that the class is carried out in a professional way, and rules and regulations are present while misbehavior is discouraged. Where the environment of the class would be well organized, it would also act as a sound tool for stirring creativity in my students, engaging them to further in the development arena.

I believe that every child in the class must be involved so that the learning is jointly attained. Evidently the needs might vary, but having discussions with the students about their feelings and experiences within and outside the boundaries of the school as well as the problems they face, would help a lot in creating a classroom community. This way, the students would feel that they are meaningful and will thus make them feel significant and belonged that will reduce the unacceptable behavior. There are also many intervention strategies that I will follow, such as enabling students to identify topics directly related to their culture and background, and helping them, using work samples in the classroom in order to make the students resourceful, along with ensuring that a supportive learning environment is developed having clear expectations from both sides and providing opportunities for all students to be a part of the community.

Basis of the philosophy:

The basis of my philosophy of classroom management lies upon three basic theories of Canter, Glasser and Rudolph Derikurs. This is so, because the system of classroom managementdoes not tolerate any sort of misbehavior which is consistent with the Canter model. This model states that the teacher remains consistent with the treatment of discipline and the students who behave well are recognized. The model also states that misbehavior should not be tolerated at all and must be dealt with accordingly (Sturt). However, the model also states a rather negative approach to begin the year with the students as it states the use of warnings, letters, and detentions. The way misbehavior is being dealt with thus brings in the second theory that my philosophy follows.

Till now, it has been established that if misbehavior is detected in the class, it must be discouraged. However, it must also be understood that in order to reduce misbehavior, the assumptions that the child holds regarding the achievement of the goals must be understood in my philosophy. This statement brings in the model of logical consequences embedded in my philosophy, which states that there are 4 mistaken goals of misbehavior that are:attention seeking,  power seeking, revenge seeking, and appearing inadequate behavior that can be dealt with, provided the student identifies a sense of belonging and significance (Sturt). My philosophy also revolves around the fact that the management system must hold the values of love, respect, and achievement. The theory by Glasser backs up this idea and further states that schools can be developed without failure (Sturt).

The Five Principles

According to the 5 principles of discipline, strict standards of professionalism and ethical considerations will be set when I will interact with my students. The kinds of behavior that I wish to inculcate in my students now and would like to see in the future are a positive attitude, consideration, and taking initiatives. Other than that, personal responsibility and an effort to learn will also be inculcated in the students through establishing strong rules and regulations. As for the moral qualities, I will make sure that the students understand the importance of this through established environment learning, a strong compatibility with their fellow classmates, and their involvement in planning the program. It will be made sure that the environment generated in the class remains compatible with needs, interests, and preferences of the students along with the presence of continual helpfulness, preservation of dignity, and teachers’ charisma to highlight a sense of community.

It also required that my students should conduct themselves in a responsible manner (Roach). Therefore, the provisions included for such contain the likes of:

Managing to reduce the causes of misbehavior.

Establishing a sense of community through collaboration and joint decision making.

Keeping the students informed through open communication that is clear and effective.

Building dignity through speaking and collaborating with them to teach them the art of decision making.

Establishing group spirit.

Bringing in parents so that meaningful participation can be achieved.

Establishing fair and bias free relationships that will aid towards resolving class problems.

There is also a need for intervention when disruptions, neurological-based behaviors or other actions like these are identified. In such situations, the strategies I will use will revolve around interventions that are suitable to both me and my students. I will use the appropriate words and helpful things to say when misbehavior is identified, other than that; I will also make sure to not use words that should not be used and will develop a sound procedure that will be followed when misbehavior is identified that the students will be aware of. In this way, the students will learn the consequences of their behavior and will understand to accept responsibility that will help them avoid any disruptive behavior in future.

My classroom and its practices:

Through my experiences in the field, I came to realize that system that is central to the assertive discipline model is a classroom discipline plan created by the teacher and implemented at the beginning of the school year or academic term. The plan includes three major components: a set of classroom rules, types of positive recognition for students who obey the rules, and a hierarchy of consequences for students who disobey the rules (Wiley). However, in my own classroom, I use the assertive discipline towards the end of the school year only.

Nevertheless, when this approach is most needed, I give them each a “driver’s license”. I first explain that I came up with the idea by reflecting on how I am held accountable in the “real world”. Together, we list all of the things an adult is responsible for and typically agree that being able to drive is one of the biggest responsibilities a person can have. Even though they aren’t old enough to drive, kids understand the basic rules of the road and what it means when a cop pulls up behind you with his or her siren on. I then explain how a driver’s license works in the classroom. First, like good drivers, they can behave appropriately and be left in peace. It is likely, though, that if a rule is broken, I’ll see it and “pull them over”. We list all of their responsibilities and decide what they can get “pulled over” for. The list is limited to common issues during the last couple months of school – arriving late to class, forgetting supplies, interrupting, being loud or disrespectful, and not following directions. I demonstrate “pulling them over” by putting a single punch in their driver’s license. I am at liberty to decide whether the offense deserves a warning or a citation. The citation is a small sheet of paper with reflection questions and room for a parent signature. The fun part for the kids comes at the end of the week when they receive points for good behavior. Every day they go without getting “pulled over” earns them one point. At the beginning of the following week they can trade in their points for small prizes. Although it is a bit complex, this technique has worked well because the rules are clearly defined and awards are attainable. They end up monitoring and reporting themselves most of the time.

I used Assertive Discipline my first year of teaching but over the years I have found an eclectic approach to work best for my classroom. We establish our expectations as a community of learners from the start of the year. We may change rules during the year if we think it is necessary. We have class meetings where discipline is discussed and suggestions are given. We praise those among us who work hard and deserve a pat on the back. We encourage those who may need encouraging. We focus on the positive. This seems to create a manageable classroom atmosphere that is conducive to the learning environment. For two years now I have been implementing The Nurtured Heart Approach for the more extreme behavior problems. This approach has phenomenal results and benefits the whole class.

In order to create a tone of warmth and safety in the class room, I will make sure to greet students as they enter the classroom, which is both professional and warm; according to Wong (1998),shaking each student’s hand as he or she walks through the door is a great way to achieve this. I will also make sure that I have a sense of humor that will help create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Other than that, my focus would also be on group-building activities during the first few weeks of school, which will help create the trust and safety essential for active, collaborative learning.

During my experience in the field, I have realized that professionalism directly impacts the effectiveness of teaching and also impacts the quality of students’ education. Some examples I have observed of professional behavior by teachers during my internships have been the following which will also be inculcated in my class.

Being prepared with a schedule and lesson plans for the entire day and not having to “ad-lib” or pull something out of a hat.

Teachers who do not become flustered or frustrated in the classroom due to student behavior.  They are able to maintain control of the class without being a “dictator”.

Teachers who maintain their own education by participating in education seminars and classes in order to keep up with changes and ideas in teaching.

Teachers who not only expect respect but who earn it by respecting their own students and peers. They treat their students with the same kindness and respect that they themselves want to receive.

References:

Roach, J. Class management, [Available online] on 6^th April, 2012 at:    http://jamesroach.net/education/PETE/classmanagement.html

Sturt, G. Classroom Management, [Available online] on 6^th April, 2012 at:    http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SXZuI7iQVjcJ:homepage.ntlworld.com/gary.sturt/classman.htm+http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gary.sturt/classman.htm&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Wiley, Manage diversity in your class room, [Available online] on 6^th April, 2012 at:    http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerp.

Wong, H. (1998) The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher,Wong publications.

Zauss, E. A., Educational Philosophy of Classroom Management, Educational Resources for Teachers [Available online] on 6^th April, 2012 at:  https://sites.google.com/site/amandazauss/educational-philosophy-of-classroom-management

Self-concept refers to phenomenon that has a broader scope for the analysis of an individual. It is more like self-assessment but is not confined to the physical characteristics of the self. According to Jopling (2000), “When applied to the question “Who am I?” the intellectualist approach would hold that it is both rational and self-evidently desirable for persons to maximize their self-awareness and their self-knowledge, with a view to rendering the self, and the conditions under which the self develops and flourishes, as transparent as possible”, (p. 59). Self-concept deals not with the temporary state of existence but it is more concerned with universal judgment of one’s capabilities.

The statement “I am bored” exemplifies the temporary state of a self because this state lasts only for a few moments of time, while the statement “I am punctual” refers to a permanent state of self. Self-concept refers to the self-assessment, self-discovery and the esteem of the concerned existence and it may change with time because of a number of factors. A negative trend in self-assessment may lead to an identity crisis as the self finds its capacities to be diminishing with time.

Erik Erikson, a famous Freudian psychoanalyst, suggests that there are eight stages of development that may shape the identity of an individual (Sharkey, 1997). It is important to be noted here that he believes that it is the childhood years that are vital to an individual’s development as the stimulus, during those years, will eventually help him in the process of self-actualization. According to him, it is the very first year of birth that helps a child to build trust in the world and that is the first phase, where the self struggles to recognize its own existence. Erikson is of the belief that an individual seeks independence at the age of 3 years and that is where the teachers can determine the level to which an individual is independent to act. If a child does not experience independence in that particular time then it develops mixed feelings of shame and doubt. An individual that has experienced this kind of treatment in childhood is going to be dependent on others as he grows up (Sharkey, 1997).

The age between 3 to 6 years is an important one to deal with because in that stage the child develops an internal stimulus to take initiatives. The one, who is ignored by his guardians in this stage, is going to suffer from a mixed feeling of anger and sadness. If the child, at this stage, is not encouraged by parents then he is going to develop an aggressive behavior. An individual, who develops this kind of feelings, can later on become a sadist and may start discouraging others (Boeree, 2006). Just because he was not given a chance to rise up, he seizes to believe that others are to be given a chance in their lifetime. The feelings like “I can’t do it” may disturb the individual psychologically.

The fourth stage of development at the age of 5 to 12, according to Erikson, determines the level of self-confidence that is to be achieved by the child. In this age, a child is ready to take up challenges and has developed sense of time and space that he lives in. It is the time, when a child is eager to develop his capabilities by getting involved in productive activities. The interaction with other individuals helps him in developing moral values that are in harmony with the society. If a child is teased or discouraged at this time then he is likely to develop a sense of inferiority, which may prove detrimental in the later stages of development because he loses confidence. The next stage of development occurs from the age of 13 to 19 years. This is where the real crisis of identity starts to emerge as the individual seeks a purpose of his existence (Boeree, 2006).

Some individuals may find themselves in the trap because of getting confused about their role in life. This confusion eventually leads to an isolated behavior as the individual experiences a continuous struggle to recognize his real role. The sixth stage of development is an emotional one because it brings confusing questions for an individual. An individual might feel afraid of getting rejected by his friends and parents and might end up in isolation. In this stage, an individual may struggle to find love for him and end up in believing that he is not loved by anyone. The sixth stage of development is the one that happens to mature individuals. An individual, in this stage of development, is more concerned about health, married life, leisure, aged parents and his own children. A person in this stage of life follows a status quo to earn a specious life for his family (Sharkey, 1997).

The eighth stage is the one that happens to an individual, who is about to die. It is where an individual seeks accountability from himself. This is where the recognition of life is made possible. Some may look into their past and feel comfortable about the way they lived, while others might feel miserable about their lives and become sad. By explaining the 8 stages of development, Erikson believes that the perception about self is formed through a set of influential stimuli that are received by an individual through societal interaction. He takes an account of two kinds of feelings that an individual may experience throughout his lifetime; one might develop a sense of success, while the other one may highlight the failures. These feelings would easily make a person or break him because they help in forming negative and positive perception about self. They really help a person in the pathway to self-discovery.

Abraham Maslow, a famous psychologist, proposed theories about motivation. His work is concerned with the factors that may help a person to solve identity crisis. Maslow believes that self-actualization is the real discovery of one’s self. He links self-actualization with the fulfillment of psychological, self-esteem and safety needs. He is of the belief that self-actualization can only be attained if a person’s needs are fulfilled. Maslow is concerned with the individuality of a person because he believes that the external environment has a negligible impact over the self as the integrity, unity and consciousness are internal capacities (Sivers, 2008). It is the external environment that brings distress and restlessness to an individual because it won’t let an individual do what he is best at.

Maslow is of the belief that a person should not let the external stimulus overpower him because it is the inner-self that provides the clues about how exactly one should act. The external stimulus brings discontent with it because it is quite different than the choices that are made by an individual. Maslow deems it important for an individual to realize his self-worth before taking guidance from an influential external stimulus. Self can only emerge if an individual provides it the way to do so (Sivers, 2008). Self-actualization is all about discovering the principles of nature that are inculcated in your moral system.

Self-actualization starts when an individual recognizes the difference between what he wants to do and what he ought to do. If he chooses to be honest then he is taking up the responsibility, which, according to Maslow, is self-actualization. People that listen to others would end up doing nothing because no one is there to help you out in difficult situations because of their selfish capacity. An individual that listens to his inner voice is the one that discovers his self (Sivers, 2008).

According to Maslow, you do not need to be concerned about what others think of what you do. The way you act can become unpopular and you may be criticized for doing it your way but it is all about how you carry yourself in that situation. You do not have to worry about how insignificant your act may look but the real worth of your act can only be realized, when you do it yourself. It is important to recognize the good and the bad so that you can act accordingly (Sivers, 2008). Finding what you are and what you are not may help you disocver your true self. This way, you can also discover the things that may be essential to consider before grooming yourself.

Maslow argues that acceptance is the key to a successful self-discovery. You need to be the one, who accepts his surroundings the way they are because it helps in cherishing relationship with nature and people. Maslow believes that human beings can discover themselves by relying heavily on their inner impulses that may help them in choosing the realistic way. The inner-self must be autonomous to make decision. For Maslow, transcending is better than coping (Sivers, 2008).

Karen Horney, a renewable thinker, would support Maslow’s theory because she believed that the drive, to identify self, originates from one’s inner self. Self-identity, for Horney, is the struggle to identify the potential of one’s own self. She believes that self-discovery helps an individual to recognize the purpose of life. Horney divides self into two parts; real and ideal self. Real self pertains to the person who you actually are, whereas the ideal self is an imaginary existence that a person wants to imitate. She presents ideal self to be the role model for an individual because it is an imaginary reflection of what a person wants to become (Solomon, 2006). Horney, like Maslow, thinks that being honest is the first step in the process of self-actualization because it helps in realizing the true potential of self. Horney believes that change is inevitable and a person needs not to be resistant to change because it makes you the person that you want to be (Dewey, 2007).

Harry Stack Sullivan, a notable psychiatrist, would develop six stages of development that, according to him, would systematically shape the behavior of an individual. Sullivan believes that people discover themselves as a component of external environment because they form their perception through the feedback that they receive from people in their surroundings. Sullivan believes that people have a “good me” and “bad me” philosophy of self, which is formed through a positive and negative feedback respectively. An individual distinguishes himself from others by affiliating the notion of “I and you” with the society. Self-system is built in a way that an individual draws security measures to handle any situation that may pop up (Nursing theories, 2011).

The negative feedback from the society develops an egoistic self. Individuals tend to show aggressiveness because of being ridiculed by the society. According to Sullivan, an individual may create self-defense techniques to avoid conflict with other individuals. The security measures may be taken by his self-system in order to avoid anxiety and frustration. The “I and you” concept dominates the thought process of these individuals and may create situations, where the individual finds himself to be the only fighter in the battle against the “bad world” (Nursing theories, 2011). Sullivan’s concept of self is similar to that of Maslow because he thinks that individual forms a perception about himself by interacting with the members of the society.

Karl Jung, an imminent psychologist, believes that self is much more than what we think of it. According to Ewen (2003), “Carl Jung At first a supporter of psychoanalysis, then broke with Freud to establish his own theory. Believed that the unconscious is extremely important but disagreed with Freud in many respects: Human nature is both good and bad. There are important instincts in addition to sexuality and aggressiveness (including individuation, the forerunner of the humanistic concept of self-actualization)”, (p. 1). He believes that culture has something to do with who we are because it makes up the identity of individuals.

Jung was of the belief that self is something more than ego and it should be analyzed through a broader perspective. It is not what we think it is. Self is what it really should be. There is some power that makes the self what it is. According to Huskinson (2004), “It is generally thought that Jung primarily developed his concept of the Self primarily from his own concept of the ‘transcendent function’, and from Eastern Mysticism, which frequently refers to notions of totality”, (p. 56).

Religion, according to Jung, is the binding factor because it gives meaning to all that you experience. Jung believes that the ones that suffer from neurosis are those that do not believe in religion. Jung put an emphasis over the fact that it is the true self of an individual that is important to be explored. The self, according to Jung, has infinite opportunities to explore in this world and it should not be confined with the domains that physique is acquainted with (Creative personal growth, 2006).

In the concluding lines it can be said that most of the philosophers consider self to be a product of societal stimulus. Many think that we are what we think we should be. The notion, that self is a product of experience, would suppress the stance of Maslow and Horney, who believe that self-actualization is what constructs the dimensions of self, while Carl Jung puts an emphasis over the fact that it is the religion that makes the true self. Whatever could be said, the ambiguity about the question of identity continues to prevail.

References

Ewen, R B. (2003), An Introduction to Theories of Personality, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ

Jopling, D A. (2000), Self-Knowledge and the Self, Routledge, New York

Huskinson, L. (2004), Nietzsche and Jung: The Whole Self in the Union of Opposites, Brunner-Routledge, New York

Solomon, I. (2006), Karen Horney and Character Disorder, Springer, New York

Boeree, G. (2006), Erik Erikson, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/erikson.html

Sharkey, W. (1997), Erik Erikson, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm

Dewey, R. (2007), Karen Horney and Self Analysis, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://www.intropsych.com/ch13_therapies/karen_horney_and_self-analysis.html

Sivers, D. (2008), Maslow’s 8 ways to self-actualize, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://sivers.org/maslow

Creative personal growth, 2006, Carl Jung and his ideas on self, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://www.creative-personal-growth.com/carl-jung.html

Nursing theories, (2011), Sullivan’s interpersonal theory, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://nursingplanet.com/theory/Sullivan’s_interpersonal_theory_of_personality.html

Self-concept refers to phenomenon that has a broader scope for the analysis of an individual. It is more like self-assessment but is not confined to the physical characteristics of the self. According to Jopling (2000), “When applied to the question “Who am I?” the intellectualist approach would hold that it is both rational and self-evidently desirable for persons to maximize their self-awareness and their self-knowledge, with a view to rendering the self, and the conditions under which the self develops and flourishes, as transparent as possible”, (p. 59). Self-concept deals not with the temporary state of existence but it is more concerned with universal judgment of one’s capabilities.

The statement “I am bored” exemplifies the temporary state of a self because this state lasts only for a few moments of time, while the statement “I am punctual” refers to a permanent state of self. Self-concept refers to the self-assessment, self-discovery and the esteem of the concerned existence and it may change with time because of a number of factors. A negative trend in self-assessment may lead to an identity crisis as the self finds its capacities to be diminishing with time.

Erik Erikson, a famous Freudian psychoanalyst, suggests that there are eight stages of development that may shape the identity of an individual (Sharkey, 1997). It is important to be noted here that he believes that it is the childhood years that are vital to an individual’s development as the stimulus, during those years, will eventually help him in the process of self-actualization. According to him, it is the very first year of birth that helps a child to build trust in the world and that is the first phase, where the self struggles to recognize its own existence. Erikson is of the belief that an individual seeks independence at the age of 3 years and that is where the teachers can determine the level to which an individual is independent to act. If a child does not experience independence in that particular time then it develops mixed feelings of shame and doubt. An individual that has experienced this kind of treatment in childhood is going to be dependent on others as he grows up (Sharkey, 1997).

The age between 3 to 6 years is an important one to deal with because in that stage the child develops an internal stimulus to take initiatives. The one, who is ignored by his guardians in this stage, is going to suffer from a mixed feeling of anger and sadness. If the child, at this stage, is not encouraged by parents then he is going to develop an aggressive behavior. An individual, who develops this kind of feelings, can later on become a sadist and may start discouraging others (Boeree, 2006). Just because he was not given a chance to rise up, he seizes to believe that others are to be given a chance in their lifetime. The feelings like “I can’t do it” may disturb the individual psychologically.

The fourth stage of development at the age of 5 to 12, according to Erikson, determines the level of self-confidence that is to be achieved by the child. In this age, a child is ready to take up challenges and has developed sense of time and space that he lives in. It is the time, when a child is eager to develop his capabilities by getting involved in productive activities. The interaction with other individuals helps him in developing moral values that are in harmony with the society. If a child is teased or discouraged at this time then he is likely to develop a sense of inferiority, which may prove detrimental in the later stages of development because he loses confidence. The next stage of development occurs from the age of 13 to 19 years. This is where the real crisis of identity starts to emerge as the individual seeks a purpose of his existence (Boeree, 2006).

Some individuals may find themselves in the trap because of getting confused about their role in life. This confusion eventually leads to an isolated behavior as the individual experiences a continuous struggle to recognize his real role. The sixth stage of development is an emotional one because it brings confusing questions for an individual. An individual might feel afraid of getting rejected by his friends and parents and might end up in isolation. In this stage, an individual may struggle to find love for him and end up in believing that he is not loved by anyone. The sixth stage of development is the one that happens to mature individuals. An individual, in this stage of development, is more concerned about health, married life, leisure, aged parents and his own children. A person in this stage of life follows a status quo to earn a specious life for his family (Sharkey, 1997).

The eighth stage is the one that happens to an individual, who is about to die. It is where an individual seeks accountability from himself. This is where the recognition of life is made possible. Some may look into their past and feel comfortable about the way they lived, while others might feel miserable about their lives and become sad. By explaining the 8 stages of development, Erikson believes that the perception about self is formed through a set of influential stimuli that are received by an individual through societal interaction. He takes an account of two kinds of feelings that an individual may experience throughout his lifetime; one might develop a sense of success, while the other one may highlight the failures. These feelings would easily make a person or break him because they help in forming negative and positive perception about self. They really help a person in the pathway to self-discovery.

Abraham Maslow, a famous psychologist, proposed theories about motivation. His work is concerned with the factors that may help a person to solve identity crisis. Maslow believes that self-actualization is the real discovery of one’s self. He links self-actualization with the fulfillment of psychological, self-esteem and safety needs. He is of the belief that self-actualization can only be attained if a person’s needs are fulfilled. Maslow is concerned with the individuality of a person because he believes that the external environment has a negligible impact over the self as the integrity, unity and consciousness are internal capacities (Sivers, 2008). It is the external environment that brings distress and restlessness to an individual because it won’t let an individual do what he is best at.

Maslow is of the belief that a person should not let the external stimulus overpower him because it is the inner-self that provides the clues about how exactly one should act. The external stimulus brings discontent with it because it is quite different than the choices that are made by an individual. Maslow deems it important for an individual to realize his self-worth before taking guidance from an influential external stimulus. Self can only emerge if an individual provides it the way to do so (Sivers, 2008). Self-actualization is all about discovering the principles of nature that are inculcated in your moral system.

Self-actualization starts when an individual recognizes the difference between what he wants to do and what he ought to do. If he chooses to be honest then he is taking up the responsibility, which, according to Maslow, is self-actualization. People that listen to others would end up doing nothing because no one is there to help you out in difficult situations because of their selfish capacity. An individual that listens to his inner voice is the one that discovers his self (Sivers, 2008).

According to Maslow, you do not need to be concerned about what others think of what you do. The way you act can become unpopular and you may be criticized for doing it your way but it is all about how you carry yourself in that situation. You do not have to worry about how insignificant your act may look but the real worth of your act can only be realized, when you do it yourself. It is important to recognize the good and the bad so that you can act accordingly (Sivers, 2008). Finding what you are and what you are not may help you disocver your true self. This way, you can also discover the things that may be essential to consider before grooming yourself.

Maslow argues that acceptance is the key to a successful self-discovery. You need to be the one, who accepts his surroundings the way they are because it helps in cherishing relationship with nature and people. Maslow believes that human beings can discover themselves by relying heavily on their inner impulses that may help them in choosing the realistic way. The inner-self must be autonomous to make decision. For Maslow, transcending is better than coping (Sivers, 2008).

Karen Horney, a renewable thinker, would support Maslow’s theory because she believed that the drive, to identify self, originates from one’s inner self. Self-identity, for Horney, is the struggle to identify the potential of one’s own self. She believes that self-discovery helps an individual to recognize the purpose of life. Horney divides self into two parts; real and ideal self. Real self pertains to the person who you actually are, whereas the ideal self is an imaginary existence that a person wants to imitate. She presents ideal self to be the role model for an individual because it is an imaginary reflection of what a person wants to become (Solomon, 2006). Horney, like Maslow, thinks that being honest is the first step in the process of self-actualization because it helps in realizing the true potential of self. Horney believes that change is inevitable and a person needs not to be resistant to change because it makes you the person that you want to be (Dewey, 2007).

Harry Stack Sullivan, a notable psychiatrist, would develop six stages of development that, according to him, would systematically shape the behavior of an individual. Sullivan believes that people discover themselves as a component of external environment because they form their perception through the feedback that they receive from people in their surroundings. Sullivan believes that people have a “good me” and “bad me” philosophy of self, which is formed through a positive and negative feedback respectively. An individual distinguishes himself from others by affiliating the notion of “I and you” with the society. Self-system is built in a way that an individual draws security measures to handle any situation that may pop up (Nursing theories, 2011).

The negative feedback from the society develops an egoistic self. Individuals tend to show aggressiveness because of being ridiculed by the society. According to Sullivan, an individual may create self-defense techniques to avoid conflict with other individuals. The security measures may be taken by his self-system in order to avoid anxiety and frustration. The “I and you” concept dominates the thought process of these individuals and may create situations, where the individual finds himself to be the only fighter in the battle against the “bad world” (Nursing theories, 2011). Sullivan’s concept of self is similar to that of Maslow because he thinks that individual forms a perception about himself by interacting with the members of the society.

Karl Jung, an imminent psychologist, believes that self is much more than what we think of it. According to Ewen (2003), “Carl Jung At first a supporter of psychoanalysis, then broke with Freud to establish his own theory. Believed that the unconscious is extremely important but disagreed with Freud in many respects: Human nature is both good and bad. There are important instincts in addition to sexuality and aggressiveness (including individuation, the forerunner of the humanistic concept of self-actualization)”, (p. 1). He believes that culture has something to do with who we are because it makes up the identity of individuals.

Jung was of the belief that self is something more than ego and it should be analyzed through a broader perspective. It is not what we think it is. Self is what it really should be. There is some power that makes the self what it is. According to Huskinson (2004), “It is generally thought that Jung primarily developed his concept of the Self primarily from his own concept of the ‘transcendent function’, and from Eastern Mysticism, which frequently refers to notions of totality”, (p. 56).

Religion, according to Jung, is the binding factor because it gives meaning to all that you experience. Jung believes that the ones that suffer from neurosis are those that do not believe in religion. Jung put an emphasis over the fact that it is the true self of an individual that is important to be explored. The self, according to Jung, has infinite opportunities to explore in this world and it should not be confined with the domains that physique is acquainted with (Creative personal growth, 2006).

In the concluding lines it can be said that most of the philosophers consider self to be a product of societal stimulus. Many think that we are what we think we should be. The notion, that self is a product of experience, would suppress the stance of Maslow and Horney, who believe that self-actualization is what constructs the dimensions of self, while Carl Jung puts an emphasis over the fact that it is the religion that makes the true self. Whatever could be said, the ambiguity about the question of identity continues to prevail.

References

Ewen, R B. (2003), An Introduction to Theories of Personality, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ

Jopling, D A. (2000), Self-Knowledge and the Self, Routledge, New York

Huskinson, L. (2004), Nietzsche and Jung: The Whole Self in the Union of Opposites, Brunner-Routledge, New York

Solomon, I. (2006), Karen Horney and Character Disorder, Springer, New York

Boeree, G. (2006), Erik Erikson, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/erikson.html

Sharkey, W. (1997), Erik Erikson, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm

Dewey, R. (2007), Karen Horney and Self Analysis, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://www.intropsych.com/ch13_therapies/karen_horney_and_self-analysis.html

Sivers, D. (2008), Maslow’s 8 ways to self-actualize, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://sivers.org/maslow

Creative personal growth, 2006, Carl Jung and his ideas on self, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://www.creative-personal-growth.com/carl-jung.html

Nursing theories, (2011), Sullivan’s interpersonal theory, retrieved on Apr 12, 2012, from http://nursingplanet.com/theory/Sullivan’s_interpersonal_theory_of_personality.html

What cultural/generational trends can you identify in employee relations and work ethics discussed in the two articles?

In the two articles, the matter of unemployment stands out. It is evident that the relations between employers and employees are not very profound and the Japanese case is used as a referral point. Between the two generations, it is evident that the way individuals relate to their employers is not usually appropriate. A case example is Masao Ohashi who after being jobless for over 15 years still cannot apply work ethics when applying for unemployment benefits. It is evident that the way individuals relate is astounding and this has led to the fall of many people thus leading to the probable unemployment rates in Japan (Thomton, 1998, p. 2). It is evident that there is a difference in generations because the way people relate is usually changing with times. The other matter that is of concern is the freeters. These are people who do not have a stationary workplace but are constantly changing jobs (Takashi, 2006, para. 9). These people pose a risk as they eventually make the economy to collapse since their productivity levels cannot be measured. In a survey carried out in Japan, people tend to switch from one job to the other and this leads to the overall decline of the work balance. In the long run, they may end up jobless, which may lead to an overall decline in the economic activities in the country.  Employees related poorly with their employers, but there has been a positive gradual change in recent years.

What aspects of this social, cultural, and economic situations described in the two articles would you attribute to communitarian and/or individualistic cultural tendencies?

There are many aspects of the community that have been changing and are perceived to go through constant changes, and the most notable is the way in which people relate. In earlier generations, people related with each other on the basis of communism. In the past communism world, people were forced to dress and think in the same way. This collectiveness meant that individuals had to develop unilateral ideas, which meant that they were subjected to the same treatment in the society. This led to stagnation in economic and social growth. This was a negative issue since it stood in the way of progress (John, 2000, p. 1). It is important to encourage individualistic ideas and this means that the communist ideologies were not favorable to the overall growth of the economy and individual strengths. The changing world has changed communist ideologies since people are becoming open minded and moving away from the unity of thoughts and ideas.

Difference in Japan and U.S in regards to employee-employer relations, unemployment, and work ethics

There is a great difference in the two countries in regard to these factors. This is because in Japan, the relations between the employer and the employee have not yet been fully realized and this has led to overall strain in the workplace. In the United States, the relations between the employers and employees are more profound in comparison with Japan. In addition to this, the unemployment rates in the two countries are high. However, the rates of unemployment in Japan continue to rise as more companies lay off workers. This negatively affects the economy and the country (Yūji, 2007, p. 29).

Conclusion

It is evident in the researched articles and reports that there is a significant change in terms of the social and economic structure. These trends have led to the distinct characteristics that are meant to dictate the way in which human beings relate with each other. Overall, culture has shaped the economic situations in many countries. In conclusion, therefore, there is no ultimate economic approach that could be termed as the best, but there are ways and means of getting the best out of all the approaches.

References

John, W. (2000). Individualism vs. Communitarianism. Journal of Social ethics , 1.

Takashi, K. (2006). Weak work ethic is holding back generation of ‘freeters’ and drifters. Japan: Japan Times.

Thomton, E. (1998). Japan Hidden jobless. Japan: Academic Search Elite.

Yūji, G. (2007). Jobless Youths and the NEET Problem in Japan. Social Science Japan Journal , 23-40.

Blade Runner, 1982, directed by Ridley Scott, is based on the Philip K. Dick science fiction novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The dystopian theme played out in the movie, set in a futuristic Los Angeles, makes the location apt because the complexity and interpenetration of living surfaces, work spaces and general infrastructure present a complex setting suited to the idea of the plot (Bukatman, S., 2008).

The moral dilemma which is central to the dystopian post human epoch visualized in the movie allows for the actors to bring a range of human emotions through suggestive placement, timing, behavioral traits and locale in the film (Bukatman, S., 2008). Jordan Cronenweth does a spectacular job with the cinematography given that the topography and the method used to unravel the plot is one rife with visual challenges. The way a futuristic dislocation is established in a book may be a matter of verbal descriptions, but to signify this information visually is a matter of using the appropriate symbols in the right combinations of action.

The background shots shows a futurist Los Angeles landscape further nuanced by sets which create two parallel levels of urban existence; the lower part of the city is dangerous, and is occupied by the poor, the underprivileged and the replicants who are mere slaves to the rich class, who live above (Bukatman, S., 2008). The placement of the higher classes above the lower classes is stratified, and made more diverse by establishing a variety of heterogeneous cityscapes. This lack of centralization, seeming to rejecting cinematically the idea of location by creating diverse spots of action which are all part of a conceptual unity delivered on the promise for visual and narrative brilliance.

The film succeeds spectacularly within the coordinates of film noir for its path breaking visual and auditory effects. The thematic integrity of dystopia is maintained to great effect and director’s vision stands vindicated by its cult status. With literary fidelity in mind however we will have to concede with calling it a considerably successful adaptation. The integration of necessary elements from the book, by way of futuristic sets, and great editing and visual effects made the story come alive.

Harrison Ford as Decard does a commendable job, displaying a range of emotional expressivity; from the tender suggestion romance with his robot colleague to the final dilemma trying to confront his own existential dilemma. The layers of meaning are further developed by showing how the upper class is subjecting humanoids to slavery and hints at the question of race, identity and human dignity by suggesting that man is defined by the role he plays in society (Bukatman, S., 2008). Consequently, can someone who is fixed to the performance of his duty with no scope for his personal emotional development be called human?

Thus this film delivers on all my criteria, and I am at liberty to say this film worked for me. Because it satisfied my experience with the things I was looking for, namely action, integrity and visual effects way ahead of its time.

Works Cited

Bukatman, S., Blade Runner; BFI Modern Classics. British Film Institute, 2008.

Apple Inc is a leading American corporation that manufactures computer software and consumer electronics. The company is credited for designing products such as the Macintosh range of computers, the iPad, iPhone, and the iPod. Computer software made by this company range from the iLife, the safari web browser, the iOS, and the iTunes among others. The company is currently operating over 350 stores in various countries around the world alongside an online store that offers both software and hardware. In this year, Apple Inc was ranked as the largest company in the globe with regard to market capitalization (Seitz 5). It is equally a company with the largest market in the world with regard to both revenue and profit generation. The company was founded in 1976 and later incorporated the following year. Before the year 2007, this company was known as Apple Computer Inc. The shift to the current name reflects the ongoing innovation in its range of products and market diversification. By September last year, this company had nearly 50,000 employees on full term basis. Apparently the company has a very established reputation in the electronics industry. The shares of this company are traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange market.

History

Apple was founded by the late Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniak in the year 1976.  The company was later incorporated the following year (Young and Simon 35). From 1976 to 1980, the company concentrated on the production and sale of the Apple I and Apple II computers. With the introduction of computer designers in the late 70s, the company adopted the Apple III computers. The later was geared at enhancing a competitive advantage over both Microsoft and IBM. With the incorporation of Xerox PARC in 1979, the company launched the development of Apple Lisa. This company later went public and generated the highest capital in history following the IPO. Between the year 1981 and 1985, the company faced a battle of choices between products with regard to the Macintosh and the Lisa. Later in 1983, the Apple Lisa was given priority over the Macintosh and thus became the first personal computer traded by the company (Reder 185- 209). Though the Lisa had the graphical user interface, its marketability was limited by its high pricing. The sale of the Macintosh was launched in 1984 but its marketability was equally limited by high pricing. The company later shift to the Laser writer which traded well at a customer friendly price.

Having survived several struggles, the company launched the Macintosh Portable in its range of products in the year 1989. Later in 1991, the company launched the powerbook and system 7. The later upgraded the operating system and subsequently increased revenue generation for the company. With the success offered by the introduction of the Macintosh, the company launched the Centris to compete with other consumer software on the market. The later did not amount into any profits for the company following consumer dissatisfaction. The company later plunged in to the design of alternative products from 1991(Reder 185- 209).

In order to create a better computing platform, the company partnered with both Motorola and IBM in the year 1994. During the same year, the company launched the power Macintosh.  Apple Inc returned to profitability in the period between 1988 to 2005 following market diversification (Wong 23). The company also managed to acquire several properties and companies during this time. Later in 2006, the company began manufacturing Intel based computers which subsequently increased its profitability. The introduction of the iPhone, the iPod, and the iPad in the period between 2007 and 2011 has subsequently increased the market share and profitability for the company. The company is currently headed by Tim Cook following the retirement and subsequent death of Steve Jobs.

Market

Apple is a company based on consumer goods and competes with various other consumer goods companies. However, to foster a competitive advantage over its rivals, the company runs a unique advertising strategy for its products (Ahrens 34). Having established a unique reputation in the range of its products, the company enjoys a very large customer base around the entire globe. Apple Inc has diversified its market and range of products to increase its profits and market share. Among its highest traded products is the iPod which enjoys global recognition.

Global Business Development Strategies

With the lead role in innovation and research in the technology industry, the company led the globe with the introduction of the iPod. This made Apple Inc a major market stakeholder in music players. The company later plunged into the phone industry in the year 2007 with the introduction of the iPhone (Brigham 58). The company has greatly revolutionalized both the music, phone and computer industry by signing major companies into its services and products (Merrion 2). Among its main strategies in global business is the diversification into innovative products that are considered difficult to launch and operate by its rivals. The differentiation in its products allows it to command a relatively high market price. The company has equally vested a lot of its resources in research and innovation.

Conclusion

Apple Inc is a leading multination corporation in the technology industry. Though the company faces stiff competition from IBM, HP, and Dell, its business strategies have always put it on top. The company is currently enjoying an added competitive advantage in the technology industry following the successful plunge in to both the music and phone industry.

Works Cited

Ahrens, Frank. “Apple Set to Open in Japan First Retail Store Outside United States.” America‘s Intelligence Wire 27 Nov. 2003: 34.

Brigham, Daves. Intermediate financial management. Mason, Ohio: Thompson South- Western. 2007. Print.

Merrion, Paul. “Inventor of Music Player Takes a Bite Out of Apple.” Crain’s Chicag  Business 28 Nov. 2005: 2.

Reder, Margo. Case Study of Apple, Inc. for Business Law Students: How Apple’sBusiness Model Controls Digital Content Through Legal and Technological Means.” Journal of Legal Studies Education 26 (2009): 85-209.

Seitz, Patrick. “Apple Sees Healthy “iPod Economy.” Investor’s Business Daily 5 Dec. 2005:  A5.

Wong, May. “Apple Sets Pace in Consumer Electronics.” America‘s Intelligence Wire 15  Dec. 2005: 23.

Young, Jeffrey and William Simon. iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the Histor  of Business. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. 2005. Print.

Instrumental Actual Self: “How does an individual carryout himself/herself to influence other people for obtaining either positive or negative response”?  This is an influential actual self as the character traits of an individual normally serve as instruments which eventually would direct the response from other people.  An individual can be understood well through the actions and through the interaction with the society (Elizabeth, 2005).  “The physical characteristics of a person are purely hereditary, but the psychological characteristics of a person are partly hereditary and partly conditioned by the environment.  According to psychologists, personality is a dynamic concept that describes growth and development of a person’s psyche (Frederiksen, 1982) ((ICMR), 2003).”  Personal characteristics or personality in short will help to garner attention from others and also helps in self introspection with the help of the feedback obtained from others.

Expectant Actual Self:  The question derived from this component of self construction is, “What characteristics do one have that would enable him/her to have an expectation of positive experiences with others”?  The feedback provides numerous useful insights on personal or individual expectation particularly after an explicit conduct, act, or behavior.  It is basically an assessment tool that would enable an individual to constantly evaluate and monitor the social progress in life (Anderson, 2000).  For instance, an individual’s participation in activities like sports would enable the individual in evaluating various behavioral characteristics like shyness, outwardness, competitiveness, selflessness, and ability to work under pressure.  Through expectant actual self, individuals can get to know better about their attitudes, competencies, and preferences thus making well-versed and suitable decision about a number of issues in life (Baum, 2011).

Similarly, the environment that an individual is exposed to also plays a very significant role in shaping individual personality.  “Environmental factors include the culture of the society in which an individual is brought up, the norms set by the parents, teachers and other social groups with which the individual interacts, and other situations and experiences he undergoes in his life ((ICMR), 2003).”

Monitored Actual Self: This component of self triggers the characters that an individual portrays related to the individual goals that are aimed to be attained in life.  It has a co-relationship with the actual self monitoring (Baum, 2011).  Through this lens, individuals receive information regarding the steps that are to be taken for pursuing goals and ambition in life.

In The Social System (Parsons, 1991), Talcott Parson measures pattern variables as being extremely broad in the potential orientations an individual can encompass in a given circumstance.  These pattern variables form the core qualities of social interactions which eventually replicate a definite set of options for an individual’s point of reference and patterns of communications.  The following are the five basic pattern variables as defined by Parsons:

(1) Self vs. Collective Interest, (2) Universalism vs. Particularism, (3) Achievement vs. Ascription, (4) Specificity vs. Diffuseness, & (5) Affectivity vs. Affective Neutrality (Parsons, 1991).

Moreover, the pattern variables listed above, according to Parson, can be clustered on the basis of their significance to the individual’s assessment orientation or motivational course in a particular social system.  He suggested the universalism-particularism and achievement-ascription pattern variables are strongly associated to value orientation when compared to the other variables that he defined.  On the contrary, specificity-diffuseness and affectivity-affective neutrality are very strongly associated to individual’s motivational orientation.

The pattern variable self-collective is rooted within the value and motivational orientation patterns and can, consequently, be looked upon as an impartial or a holistic pattern variable.  The blend of the pattern variables and the assessment of potential interrelationships amid variables can present the foundation for a widespread assessment of any form of social interaction (Parsons, June 1956).

Social stratification gains relevance at this point.  Social Stratification, in view of structural-functionalism, can be defined as “The differential ranking of human individuals who compose a given social system and their treatment as superior and inferior relative to one another in certain socially significant respects (Parsons, 1991).”  A few sociological theorists state that society is a stable and orderly system which has interrelated elements which eventually serve a specific function.  According to Anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, culture helps the people of the society to satisfy their biological needs and integrative needs like religion and art.  As already mentioned above, societies in which people share a common language and core value system are more likely to live in accord and agreement (Cherry, 2010).

The functional essential of integration is of particular concern with reference to law as it involves the common adjustments, the interrelations, of the aforementioned subsystems as specific concerns to their offerings to the resourceful operation of the overall society (Tumin, 1953).  Integration seeks to preserve stability and to evade instability and, in the worst-case scenario, collapse.  Societal community and its functional essential of inner integration are perceived as the one that the legal system most candidly serves in a society (Parsons, 1991).  Morality is based on delineated consequences to a few definite choices whereby some may be categorized as immoral, evil, and unlawful.  According to the social conflict theory, compliance is attained when individuals connect to the society through the various elements (R.J. Alston, 1995).  However, it is very important to note that, any kind of social action involves decision-making by the members of the society which in turn pays attention upon achievement of an objective and is defended by opinions and circumstances (Parsons, 2010).

Experience: Experience is another predominant element that plays a larger role in determining the course of an individual’s life and also as a family.  For instance ambition of an individual is not something that is decided instantaneously but rather it is a long in-built issue that was conceived after watching psychologists at work.  An inherent component of the past experiences of individual is the result that would be obtained after psychologist counselors helped restore broken families, drug addicts and helped those whose fate hate had been sealed as hopeless and impossible to rehabilitate.  Through personal experience, individuals tend to build their own self-esteem along with good values and appreciate others thus enabling me the individual to fit in perfectly in the wider society (Quick, 2011).

Among the various other elements that play vital roles in shaping up and individual, Culture has an equally important role.  Culture, according to sociologists, forms the central ingredient of human behavior.  In all societies, people try to either control their environment, live in agreement with it or are acquiescent to whatever happens in their environment (Mullins, 2005).  Their culture and beliefs may strengthen their compliance in respect to their environment.  All these cultural elements can, certainly change with time, as people are exposed to a variety of ways of dealing with their environment (Bégin, 2006).  Culture steers the mind and influences the ways people observe issues, act politically, prioritize decisions, manage their lives and essentially on ways they think about a particular issue.  It is not appropriate to separate self-awareness and cultural awareness.  Individuals need to go beyond the meaning of culture itself in order to have a better awareness of how culture influences our personal lives.  Culture can be thought of as an evolutionary process that has been established, accepted, and internalized over a period of time, by a majority of members of the society.

References List

(ICMR) ICFAI Center for Management Research, 2003. Introduction ot Organizational Behaviour [Book]. ICFAI Center for Management Research (ICMR):  - Hyderabad.

Anderson Donn R. Character Education: Who is Responsible, – 2000. [Journal] // Journal of Instructional Psychology (Vol: 27, No: 3). . - pp. 139-142.

Baum J. Contrada & A. , 2011.  The handbook of stress science: biology, psychology, and health [Book]. - Springer Pub: NY . p. 24.

Bégin Diane Sarah Organizational Culture Counts, January 10, 2006. [Article] // Practice Knowledge Center. pp. 1-4.

Cherry Kendra Social Learning Theory – An Overview of Bandura’s Social Learning Theory- 2010. - [Online] // About.com.  December 16, 2010. - http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/sociallearning.htm.

Eliot Anthony Concepts of the Self, 2001. [Book]. Cambirdge: UK.

Elizabeth Donald C. Reitzes & Mutran J. Self-Concept as the Organization of Roles, Importance, Centrality and Balance- 2005. [Journal] // The Sociological Quarterly. pp. 647-667.

Frederiksen Lee W. Handbook of Organizational Behavioural Management, 1982. [Book]. Interscience – Wiley: New York .

Mullins Laurie J. Management & Organizational Behavior, 2005. [Book].  McGraw Hill: New Jersey.

Parsons Talcott Suggestions for a Sociological Approach to the Theory of Organizations- June 1956.I [Journal] // Administrative Science Quarterly (Vol: 1, No. 1). pp. 63-85.

Parsons Talcott The Social System , 1991. [Book].  Routledge: London.

Parsons Talcott The Structure of Social Action; A Study in Social Theory with Special Reference to a Group of Recent European Writers, 2010. [Book]. General Books LLC: Tennesse.

Quick Debra L. Nelson and James Campbell Organizational Behavior: Science, The Real World, and You (7th Ed) , 2011. [Book]. - Boston, South-Western College Pub: Massachusetts, United States.

R.J. Alston R. Harley, & K. Lenhof Hirschi’s Social Conflict Theory: A sociological Perspective, 1995. [Journal]. - [s.l.] : Journal of Rehabilitation - 4 : Vol. 67.

Tumin Melvin M. Some Principles of Stratification: A Critical Analysis- 1953. [Journal] // American Sociological ReviewVol. 18, No. 4.  pp. pp. 387-394.

According to some physicians, PCMH is the model of care that gives the patient’s needs the first priority. Gerlach (2010) says that it provides the most efficient and effective care to the patients by including the use of health information technology, behavioral health services, health maintenance, patient education, and providing preventive services through health promotion. Medical homes are responsible for providing the patient’s health care needs or it takes the responsibility of arranging care with other professionals who are well qualified (Shortell & Gillies 2010). Provider members of ACOs work collectively across the specialties in order to develop delivery of care programs that focus on coordinating care and outcomes. The ACOs encourage most hospitals and physicians to incorporate care by holding them responsible for both cost and quality.

PCMH and ACO models play a role in improving the quality of health care and reduce the costs. For instance, one of their major objectives is to deliver high value products and good quality services. These can be achieved by coordinating care, consolidating multiple level of care to the patients, being accountable for the quality of care, efficient delivery and having a brawny primary care foundation. Health information technology therefore, helps to ensure that all these are well achieved.

PCMC’s and ACO’s try to provide a solution to control the costs of Medicare by ensuring that the country avoids spending or paying for wasteful procedures, and authorizing nurses and doctors to offer more efficient and high quality care. Some of the rules that are used in the models include; providing equal care among populations, providing care in the right setting, supporting the well being of all individuals, providing timely, convenient, responsive services, efficient services, and should easily access to appropriate care and information when required. Other principles include identifying measurable outcomes and availability of information that helps in providing and planning for the patients effectively. In order to make the two models, PCMH and ACOs successful, it is very necessary to use the HIT (Health Information Technology). HIT should integrate across the health care system from one care site to the other (Gerlach 2010). The modern information technology commonly used includes computers, servers, and database management systems. Technology is capable of supporting the rural access to health care which is very critical when it comes to caring for all the patients.

The implementation of the ACOs and PCMH has various challenges that mainly concern the direct control of the primary care practice. First, the model, PCMH, doesn’t provide direct incentives to the other providers collaboratively with the primary care providers in order to optimize health outcomes even though it calls for practices of primary care to take the task for coordinating and providing care across the health care continuum (Shortell & Gillies 2010). Another challenge is that most primary care practices have no financial arrangements that enable them to share the savings.

The information technology helps in the implementation, processing and even the storage of some important data on health care. Meaningful use of IT is actually intended to enable the significant improvements in the health of the population via a transformed health care delivery system. Currently, in the year 2011, NCQA instituted more stringent certification standards. NCQA has also built on various standards with increased accent on patient-centeredness that actually includes a stronger focus on the integration of behavioral health. In addition, it helps in the management of chronic disease and therefore improving the quality of patients with the use of patient surveys. All the activities in improving the patient’s conditions are more efficient with the use of IT. It is therefore important to note that IT also plays a major role in the two model’s well performance.

The two models of the delivery-system reform tend to redirect the delivery system towards the improved quality and the reduced cost mainly with the use of health IT. ACOs need a stable primary care core in order to succeed and provide the effective delivery-system infrastructure beyond the primary care practice to enable the realization of the PCMH model. The combination of both the models and the use of HIT are all essential for the implementation and success. Due to the information above, it is clear that health information is very much involved in the current rules related to the ACOs and the PCMH. It is therefore necessary for you to incorporate it in the planning in order to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare information and facilities.

References

Gerlach L. (2010). Meaningful Use, PCMH, ACO: One Escalator, Three Destinations. Retrieved on  November 15, 2011 from http://www.nwrpca.org/health-center-news/150-meaningful-use-pcmh-acone-escalator-three-destintations.html

Shortell SM, Gillies R, Wu F (2010). United States Innovations in Healthcare Delivery. Public Health Reviews