Category: Relationship

Introduction

The demands of todays fast-paced global environment have necessitated individuals from all walks of life to acquaint themselves with basic mathematical skills. Calculations and mental estimations have become a core component of our lives.

As such, many governments and stakeholders around the world are increasingly stressing the need for educational systems to develop comprehensive strategies that will enhance the intake of mathematics as a subject in educational institutions.

To underscore the importance of mathematics, education officials and stakeholders are working in cahoots with mathematics teachers to develop strategies aimed at enhancing student proficiency in the subject (Clarke 18). It is widely believed that the teacher is the heart of the school (Baker & LeTendre 104).

As such, any attempts to improve the performance of mathematics in educational institutions must be reviewed in the context of roles played by teachers. It is, therefore, the purpose of this paper to review the relationship between students mathematics performance and the support provided by teachers.

Many studies conducted over time reveal that students are more likely to thrive in any subject if they are actively supported by both teachers and parents (Dwyer 27).

However, global mathematics performance patterns reinforce the conviction that the subject continues to present a lot of challenges to students regardless of the many inputs intended to uplift its standards.

Not only must students deal with a wide array of mathematics skills such as the computation of decimals, percentages, fractions, and algebra to accomplish basic and compounded tasks, they must as well understand the fundamental numerical concepts in order to be successful in their day-to-day educational and private activities, in addition to their workplace environment later on in life (Grouws 129).

Research has also invariably revealed that many learners develop a poor attitude towards the subject, and are not convinced about their mathematical inclination to solve problems. What then must teachers do to ensure that such attitudes are reversed at an early age to boost students performance in the subject?

What is the ideal interrelationship between teachers and parents that can be effective in enhancing students mathematics performance? Below, these and many other lingering questions are answered through a review of related literature.

The importance of Teacher-Student Interaction

According to Uekewa and Bidwell, classical theoretical frameworks of interpersonal relationships lead education managers to expect noteworthy effects of instructor-student relationships on the students motivations and conduct (8).

In the book Interpersonal Relationships, Diana Dwyer (2000) reveals that classical theories such as the learning theory can be used to show how teacher-student relationships affect performance (45). She argues that both classical conditioning and operant conditioning described in the learning theory assist individuals to forge friendship and romantic associations.

The former involves learning by association while the latter entails learning by consequences. According to Dwyer, We like people with whom we associate enjoyment and satisfaction, even if they are not directly responsible for these positive experiences (46). In the same vein, we tend to like individuals who reward us and detest those who punish us.

The above theoretical dispensation is fundamentally essential in explaining the relationship between students mathematics performance and the support provided by teachers. Owing to the fact that mathematics is perceived as a problematic discipline by many students, the strength of teacher-student association in the classroom will be absolutely vital in determining performance.

The teacher must strive to introduce some enjoyable shared activities in his or her mathematics teaching strategies that would ultimately result in positive emotional responses among the students (Dwyer 46).

Using the theoretical framework, the teacher may also offer support by introducing to the classroom a system that aims to reward the students who perform better in mathematics while stressing the fundamental importance of teacher-student interaction in the learning process.

Below, some variables that facilitate teacher-student interaction are discussed in relation to students mathematics performance.

Teacher Student Efficacy and performance

Teacher efficacy has been conceptualized as the teachers general competence to positively influence the performance of students (Chang & Wu 2). To provide the necessary support, the mathematics teacher must have an internalized belief in his or her own ability to have a positive influence on student learning and performance.

A research done by the two researchers revealed that fresh teachers from the pre-service training programs lacked the practical teaching experiences required to apply learned theories to instructional problems encountered in the classroom (2).

Apart from inadequate practical teaching experiences, teacher efficacy in improving students performance in mathematics is influenced by factors such as peer interaction, instructional approach, teaching resources, teacher-student interaction, and administrative support (Jamieson-Proctor & Byrne 5-6).

Teacher efficacy is critical in determining the performance of students in mathematics. It can be tied to the classical theoretical frameworks discussed elsewhere in this paper to explain students mathematics performance in many Australian schools.

For instance, mathematics teachers who lack the practical skills to propose questions and direct classroom activities, instead preferring to use lecturing techniques, ultimately decreases the students learning curiosities and motivations as the students are unable to learn through association (Chang & Wu 2; Dwyer 45).

This argument vehemently reveals that teacher efficacy and effectiveness is directly related to students mathematics performance.

In a study aimed at evaluating the factors that contributed to mathematics accomplishment in young Australian students, Greenwood (1997) found out that self-efficacy and home background were major influencers of mathematics performance among the students population.

Many theorists have postulated that an individuals self-efficacy regarding the capacity to successfully execute a given task is a dependable indicator of whether the individual will attempt to complete the task, and how much the individual is willing to persevere in pursuing the assignment (Greenwood para. 16).

Consequently, any support extended by the mathematics teachers must be channelled to the development of self-efficacy among the students due to the reason that higher self-efficacy is often associated with improved performance.

Teaching Strategies and Performance

Recent studies on everyday teaching of mathematics lead to the same conclusion: the organization of the collective life activities in which the mathematics tasks are embedded is of crucial importance for learning and successful performance Seeger, Voigt, & Waschescio 77).

Such life activities include teaching strategies, assistance and teaching preparation. Accordingly, many researchers attest the fact that teaching of mathematics in real-life situations should be basic to any pedagogy.

Studies also reveal that any strategy employed to teach mathematics in schools must be comprehensive since the discipline is known to arouse the curiosity and anxiety of students, challenging them to solve complex problems and inviting them to investigate and develop new mathematics conceptual frameworks that may be used for pragmatic ends (Clarke 28).

A study conducted in 2002 on a selected students sample from Asia identified considerable associations between classroom teaching strategies and students mathematics performance (Daniel para 1).

According to the researcher, teaching strategies such as cooperative learning and use of homework were found to invariably improve students performance on the subject (para 4-5).

This article offers a summary of previous researches attesting the fact that cooperative learning approaches in the classroom context have the capability to positively influence students mathematics performance since they encourage the students to develop more favourable attitudes towards the subject.

Such teaching approaches also improve students self-confidence and prospects to share mathematics-related problems.

According to Daniel, mathematics teachers should actively monitor classroom discussions while applying cooperative learning strategies with an aim of assisting the students to expand their mathematical reasoning abilities (para. 4). A research done by Cooper & Valentine (2001) revealed that students who spend more time on homework tend to show higher levels of academic achievement (para. 5).

Consequently, these teaching strategies serve to facilitate students mathematics performance by availing opportunities for enhanced practice, more frequent teacher-student and parent-child exchanges, enhanced learning involvement, and additional openings for peer interactions.

Most recently, a research conducted on a group of students from Maine revealed a striking correlation between use of technology as classroom instructional tools and improved mathematics performance among students (Silvernail & Buffington 10).

Earlier, a study conducted in Australia on the use of technology in the teaching of mathematics and other science-related subjects revealed that effective use of ICT in teaching facilitates a shift from traditional teacher-centred strategies to more flexible student-centred approaches (SEAMEO para. 14).

The SEAMEO project can only lead one to deduce that technologically oriented teaching approaches enhance students performance in mathematics as they are often characterized by collaborative and investigative strategies to the learning process.

This invariably enhances integration of content across the mathematics curriculum while laying particular emphasis on concept improvement and understanding.

Ultimately, adopting ICT in teaching strategies alters the balance of power and introduces a more conducive learning environment as both teachers and students become co-learners in the mathematics domain through the use of ICT tools.

Teacher Preparation and Performance

Teacher preparation is fundamentally related to students mathematics performance. Various studies conducted over time continue to reveal a strong correlation between adequate teacher preparation and improved mathematics performance (Goodboy & Myers 36).

The level of teacher preparedness to handle a class is influenced by several factors; key among them the training institutions attended, teaching resources at the disposal of teachers, and the efficacy and altitudes of individual teachers (Grouws 89).

A recent study on teacher preparation revealed that some training programmes made teachers to have considerably greater influence on students performance than others (Boyd et al. 26). This particular study found substantial variations across teacher training programs in the average effectiveness of the graduating teachers.

The findings reinforce the concept that some aspects contained in teacher preparation programs can make considerable difference in students performance. This is especially so for mathematics, as the subject is known to require comprehensive training skills.

According to the above study, &teacher preparation that focuses more on the work of the classroom and provides opportunities for teachers to study what they will be doing produces teachers who are more effective in their first year of teaching (Boyd et al. 26).

This is an essential indicator that adequate teacher preparation often leads to improved students mathematics performance. Unlike in many other subjects such as humanities, mathematics teachers need to undergo rigorous content preparation to understand the subject very well and exhibit unwavering pedagogical knowledge of the subject (Preparing the Teachers 2).

In essence, adequate teacher preparation is the most direct route that can be used to improve mathematics and science performance in our educational institutions. According to Boyd and his team of researchers, the effects of teacher preparation on any subject, including mathematics, are cumulative and long-lasting to the overall general performance of the students.

From the discussion above, it is vehemently clear that there exists a close correlation between students mathematics performance and teacher preparation.

The programs aimed at teacher preparation must, therefore, aspire to provide teachers with approaches and strategies to teach mathematics in ways that will aptly engage learners with the desired content (Preparing the Teachers 3).

The training programs must internalize in teachers a variety of techniques designed to assist them in structuring lessons as well as discovering the suitable learning approaches, comprehending concepts, and solving problems.

In all this, it should be remembered that students cant learn what theyre not taught, and teachers cant teach what they dont know (2). In this respect, teachers need a methodical and supported induction into the mathematics teaching profession, as well as continuous professional development all through their careers (5).

Teacher Assistance and Performance

Teacher assistance can never be delineated from conventional learning experiences. In essence, the question should never be if teacher assistance is related to students performance; rather, the question should be how much assistance is required in different subjects to improve performance (Grouws 23).

According to the author, subjects such as mathematics and sciences definitely require more teacher assistance as they often deal with problem-solving (25).

Various studies conducted over time have revealed that teachers with excellent verbal and communication skills are also more likely to generate considerable student performance gains (Preparing the Teachers 2).

Other studies have reinforced the widely held belief that teacher assistance in a mathematics classroom works best when it is provided on individual or small group basis (AYP Handbook 1). Teacher assistance strategies must always ensure that students are able to communicate their mathematical approaches and understandings (2).

Teacher-Student Communication and Performance

A research done on indigenous and non-indigenous teaching methods in rural Queensland, Australia, revealed that the communication channels used in the classroom were fundamentally important for effective teaching (Cooper, Baturo, & Warren 271).

The way that teachers conduct classroom activities and communicate learning materials to the students determines if the students are able to decipher and retain the communicated material (Goodboy & Myers 12).

According to Roschelle, Penuel, & Abrahamson, classroom response strategies and communication systems enable the teachers to develop an instruction methodology that enhances questioning and feedback, scrutinize the participation of all learners, cultivate classroom discussions of essential concepts, and activate students thinking (1).

This clearly reveals that teacher-student communication is absolutely vital in determining the performance of students in various subjects, including mathematics.

Students must be offered the opportunity to express their ideas in an open and free manner.

Various studies conducted over time have clearly revealed that open and responsive classroom communication between the students and teachers results in higher student engagement, enhanced understanding of the subject, increased enjoyment of classroom activities, enhanced teacher-student interaction, and improved understanding of the needs and requirements of both students and teachers (Roschelle, Penuel, & Abrahamson 4).

Whats more, open communication systems acts as motivational incentives to the students (5).

In the mathematics context, effective and open communication channels are desirable as they enable the students to learn the subject with understanding, enthusiastically developing new knowledge and skills from experience and prior knowledge (Geoffrey & Marcus para. 1).

Furthermore, mathematics teachers must be encouraged to establish classroom communication channels that institutes and nurtures an environment where students collaborate and are at ease in discussing and evaluating their own mathematics ideas, concepts, strategies and solutions. Indeed, this should be the object of developing effective communication channels in a classroom setting.

Reform oriented mathematics instructional approaches are known to improve students mathematics performance more than traditional instruction strategies. However, the former can only be achieved through effective communication strategies and dialogue among students and between the students and teachers (Geoffrey & Marcus para. 4).

In essence, communication plays a fundamental role in a reform-oriented classroom and occurs in various ways, including sharing mathematics ideas and concepts at the board, overhead, or within a small group of students. These forms of communication avenues are known to aid in the development of mathematics understanding among the students (Grouws 654).

Teacher-Parent Communication and Performance

Various studies have found a link between teacher-parent communication on one hand and students mathematics performance on the other. A study commissioned by Kulm & Duncan (2004) revealed that the effectiveness of teacher-parent communication acts fundamentally to determine the childrens attitudes and educational achievement in school.

According to this particular study, the aspirations, interest, and persuasions of parental expectations are potentially imperative factors in directing student success or failure (Grouws 327).

According to the author, communication between parents and teachers is critically important as it assists in the creation of a joint partnership in which teachers and parents work towards the realization of the same objective  assisting the children to achieve success (329).

The guiding principle of any teacher-parent communication should be based on the premise that students learn best when the significant others  parents, guardians, teachers, and other community members  work together as a functional group to encourage and support them (Grouws 333).

This is an essential factor for any educational process. In mathematics context, it is important for teachers to develop close working relationships with parents to motivate the students in mathematics since the subject is known to occasion a lot of anxiety and curiosity.

A parent can also spend time with his or her child to watch the progress made in mathematics then communicate the key problem areas to the teacher either through face to face communication or through technology-based approaches such as email (Edwards 2).

Effective teacher-parent communication presents a window of opportunity that can aptly be used to determine how students perform in their chosen subjects, including mathematics.

Indeed, previous researches carried out by Rogers (2000) and Epstein (2004) revealed that students achieve higher academic performances in critical subjects such as mathematics and sciences if their parents are educated to university level and are directly involved in the childrens schooling (Grouws 267).

In the mathematics context, parents are required to watch the mathematics errors their children are making when doing their homework and share their insights with the teachers in an effective manner devoid of any criticism.

In all this, it is imperative to recognize the fact that both the parent and teacher bear a portion of the picture of the students educational development.

Each of the two significant others in the childrens growth and development can be more effectual when critical information about the childs mathematics abilities and hardship areas is shared.

Morgan & Stanley (2002) study revealed that continuous teacher-parent communication assists in ensuring that both educational institutions and homes are receptive to the needs and requirements of students, and therefore supports the students overall development (Grouws 323).

Conclusion

From all the readings contained in this study, the evidence is clear that there exists a strong correlation between students mathematics performance and the support provided by teachers.

According to the review, it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that the role of teacher-student interaction as well as teacher-parent communication can never be underestimated if a meaningful stride in students mathematics performance is to be achieved (Baker & LeTendre 67).

Important factors such as teacher-student efficacy, teaching strategies, teacher preparation, teacher assistance, teacher-student communication, and teacher-parent communication must all be harnessed and integrated into an all-inclusive approach that can be used to address issues of students performance in mathematics.

Mathematics as a subject is known to arouse curiosity among students. Without using this approach, the subject will be destined to cause more curiosity and anxiety among students.

It should be remembered that the key to mathematical competence is learning with understanding so that students are able to reason, solve problems, and apply their learning to new situations (AYP Handbook 1).

Works Cited

AYP Handbook. Improving Mathematics Performance. (n.d.). Web.

Baker, D., & LeTendre, G. K. National Differences: Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of Schooling. Stanford University Press. 2005. ISBN: 9780804750219.

Boyd, D., Grossman, P., Lankford, H., Loeb, S., & Wyckoff, J. Teacher Preparation and Student Achievement. 2008. Web.

Chang, Y.L., & Wu, S.C. An Exploratory Study of Elementary Beginning Mathematics Teacher Efficacy. In Woo, J.H., Lew, H.C., Park, K.S., & Seo, D.Y. (Eds). Proceeds of the 31^st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Seoul: PME. 2007. Web.

Clarke, V. Effective Strategies in the Teaching of Mathematics: A Light from Mathematics to Technology. University Press of America. 2003. ISBN: 97807561826026.

Cooper, T. J., Baturo, A. R., & Warren, E. Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Teaching Relationships in 3 Mathematics Classrooms in Remote Queensland. In Chick, H.L., & Vincent, J.L. (Eds). Proceedings of the 29^th Conference of the International Group of the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 2: 265-272. Melbourne: PME. Web.

Daniel, H. J. Instructional Practices and Mathematics Achievement of Adolescent Students in Chinese Taipei: Results from the TIMSS 1999 Assessment. Child Study Journal. 2002. Web.

Dwyer, D. Interpersonal Relationship. Routledge. 2000. ISBN: 9780415196246.

Edwards, M. C. Effective Parent-Teacher Communication. Centre for Effective Parenting. 2000.Web.

Geoffrey, O. A. & Marcus, B. Middle School Mathematics Classroom Practices and Achievements: A TIMSS  R Analysis. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics. Web.

Greenwood, L. Psychological and Contextual Factors Influencing Mathematics Achievement. Paper Presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education Annual Conference, Brisbane. 1997. Web.

Grouws, D. A. Handbook of Research on Mathematics: Teaching and Learning. IAP. 2006. ISBN: 9781593115982.

Goodboy, A. K. & Myers, S. A. The Effect of Teacher Confirmation on Student Communication and Learning Outcomes. Communication Education, 57(2) 2008.

Jamieson-Proctor, R., & Byrne, C. Primary Teachers Beliefs about the Use of Mathematics Textbooks. 2008. Web.

Preparing the Teachers our Students Need: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development. (n.d.). Web.

Roschelle, J., Penuel, W. R., & Abrahamson, L. Classroom Response and Communication systems: Research Review and Theory. Paper Presented at the annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, 2004. Web.

Silvernail, D. L., & Buffington, P. J. Improving Mathematics Performance Using Laptop Technology: The Importance of Professional Development for Success. 2009. Web.

Seeger, F., Voigt, J., & Waschescio, U. The Culture of the Mathematics Classroom. Cambridge University Press. 1998. ISBN: 9780521577984.

SEAMEO. Australia Project on Pre-service Teacher Training and Teacher Professional Development in the Teaching of Mathematics and Science. 2008. Web.

Uekewa, K. & Bidwell, C. Student  Teacher Interaction and Faculty Cohesion: Consequences for Students Academic Motivation and Conduct. Paper Presented at the Annual Meeting of American Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA. 2004. Web.

This paper is a summary of an extended discussion comparing pedagogy and andragogy with respect to the role played by experience and the relationship between learners and teachers. From the discussion, we found out that the appropriateness of identified andragogy in classroom activities mainly relied on the knowledge, skills and ideas possessed by the learners (Keiichi, Yuki, & Hiroshi, 2007, p.75).

In this case, we discussed the entry behavior of the learner as a factor to be considered when determining the method of teaching and learning. Finally, we realized that pedagogy model was suitable and applicable when teaching young children. On the other hand, andragogy model was preferred in teaching adults. In my opinion, there are other factors that need to be considered when determining the model to use during teaching. Such factors include the role of the teacher as well as readiness of the learner to be taught.

In the discussion group, we identified numerous features which were used to compare the pedagogy and andragogy models of teaching. In this context, we tried to identify how each model can influence the role and relationship between a learner and a teacher. To begin with, for the pedagogy model, the learner is referred to as a student.

Contrastingly, learners in the andragogy model are referred to as participants. In my opinion, learners participate by answering and asking questions in classroom. Additionally, in pedagogy, a teacher attends to learners individually since their level of knowledge and skills are limited (Keiichi, Yuki & Hiroshi, 2007, p.75).

On the other hand, androgogy model does not facilitate close relationship between the two since the process is learner-centered. Therefore, learners are expected to find out information on their own without close supervision from teachers.

Another comparison is on the learning style. For the pedagogy model, learners highly depend on the teacher and as a result, close relationship is fostered (Kaufman, 2011, p.63). Through the discussion, I observed that such learners lack self-directedness since they have not yet matured enough to know what suites them.

Moreover, they lack problem-solving skills since the knowledge and skill possessed is very little. On the other hand, andralogy model is learner dependent (Keiichi, Yuki, & Hiroshi, 2007, p.75). In this case, the adults have lot of experience gained form learning resources. Besides this, the learners have competent skills in solving their own problem.

It is vivid that in pedagogy model, the teacher or trainer acts as the primary resource. The latter provides learners with ideas and relevant examples. This implies that the absence of the teacher can inhibit learning process. For this reason, the teacher and learners relationship is very tight to ensure that learners get the best ideas, knowledge and skills. For andragogy model, the learner is perceived to be the primary resource.

In my opinion, adult learners have the self-drive to research and thus are updated with information. Moreover, learners relationship with the teacher is loose since they can solve most of the problems by themselves (Keiichi, Yuki, & Hiroshi, 2007, p.75). Additionally, timing factor influence the relationship and the roles played by both teachers and learners.

For instance, timing of events and place in andagogy is learner-centered while for pedagogy, the teacher plays bigger role in controlling time and venues. It is definite that the role of the learner in participation is larger in andagogy model than the case in pedagogy where the learner is perceived as inexperienced (Kaufman, 2011, pp.63-64). The fact that active training is used in andragogy, the role of the learner increases as opposed to pedagogy which is passive.

In conclusion, the role of the learner is greater in andragogy than in pedagogy. This is due to the fact that a learner is perceived to have more experience, knowledge and skills. Their participatory role in learning increases as their readiness to learn advances. In addition, their ability to solve immediate problems limits the teacher involvement and therefore affects the relationship. In other words, teacher-learner relationship is more strict in pedagogy that in andragogy model.

References

Kaufman, D. (2011). Teaching the older adult: online study guide. Burnaby, BC: Simon Fraser University.

Keiichi, Y., Yuki, I. & Hiroshi, Y. (2007). Pedagogy and Andragogy in Higher Education-A Comparison between Germany, the UK and Japan. European Journal of Education, 42(1): 75.

Abstract

It is extremely important for any organization to treat their consumers well and satisfactorily since it is them who decide whether the business will succeed or fail (Windham, 2001, p.14). Consumers are complicated individuals and are all led by a different set of motives that later define a pattern of their consumer behavior.

Commercial Organizations are usually driven by the need to succeed, survive and gain market share in the market and as a result develop appropriate strategies that can assist them to gain dominance within the market.

Customer relationship management is a strategy is used by commercial enterprises to manage the interactions between a corporate entity and its customers (Solomon & Askegaard 2002, p.56-58).

Market evidence suggests that the most successful organizations in the world usually apply more effort towards ensuring that customers are satisfied, by continuously collecting and storing relevant data that can be later analyzed to ensure that all relevant consumer behavior patterns can be identified and used to the benefit of both the organization and customers ( Payne & Peck 2003, p.90-93).

It is therefore accurate to imply that the benefits that arise out of CRM activities outweigh and burdens and this is why organizations like Apple, IBM, HP, Google and Nike can boast of having very successful business models as compared to other businesses who find themselves performing poorer.

It hence becomes the duty of business executives that they put in place a mechanism that can be used to manage the interaction of the organization and its customers (Baker 2003, p.165-167).

Purpose

Customer relationship management is an integral part of todays business. The nature of relationships and companys interactions are vital to both the long-term and short-term survival (Paul, 2006, p.154-157).

Todays business environment dictates that it is mandatory that organizations take care of their consumers or else they will go looking for business somewhere where they do feel appreciated.

The customer is the pivot and center of all activities of a marketing company and thus has a lot of bargaining power because it is their behavior that most of the time defines how successful an organization will become ( Bennet, 2006, p.67-68).

Marketers need to acknowledge the importance of keeping close relationships using strategic techniques and approaches to ensure that commercial organization regularly interact and respond to the queries of their customers.

The purpose of this paper is to shed light to those individuals who operate commercial organizations/business enterprises and how Customer Relationship Management affects on the organization.

The question is, does it make a difference if an organization dedicates the necessary resources and even sets up departments that are dedicated towards maintaining the relationship of the organization and its clientele?

Why do some organizations dedicate millions of dollars which could otherwise been paid as dividends back to the shareholders just to ensure that the organization sets up a proper interface which will make sure that the needs, desires, wants, expectations and queries of consumers are well catered for.

Methodology

Gathering data is a very important part of any research; this research being a scientific research that has a well defined problem, it is vital that the data gathered is highly accurate and lacks bias. The research will thus be conducted by using secondary data from well known trusted publishers and websites.

The research above is an exploratory type of research whereby the researcher conducts research with the aim of shedding light on a problem/issue which has not yet been well defined. When a researcher embarks on this type of research, the researcher can therefore make accurate and more justified conclusions (Hoffman & Novak, 2000, p. 77-79).

This type of research is well known to use secondary sources of data and qualitative approaches to describe data. The advantage of using qualitative analysis techniques is that the data can give an indication as to why, how and when certain phenomenon occurs.

Findings

The worlds top organizations, especially companies listed on the fortune 500, have revealed that the secret to their success is in treating their entire consumers with the best experience.

Top managers, boards and business executives have realized that the worlds most respected companies like Google, Nike, Apple Inc., Toyota, Dell, HP, Yahoo and Microsoft have put in place the necessary mechanisms to maintain relationships between their organization and consumers ( Parker, 2000, p.199-201).

The Role of CRM cannot be ignored by any business either a small business or a big business, this is because the need to manage relationships between the organization and the consumers is very important.

According to the Gartner group (2009), the practice of CRM is rapidly growing throughout the global business community since business managers have discovered that the key to business success is by understanding the behavior patterns of existing and prospective customers and using it to the advantage of the organization.

Many organizations have realized that companies which are recognized as industry leaders are doing something different that keeps bringing their consumers back (MacHulbert & Piercy, 2003, 212-215).

Consequently, other companies have decided to study and replicate strategies of market leaders as far as CRM is concerned with the aim of understanding their customers better in order to maximize on business opportunities.

Many upcoming companies have thought that it will be easy for them to snatch consumers from market leaders but their efforts have ended up being futile because established companies have discovered that for them to maintain their business models and continue growing even when they are at a stagnant place in the product life cycle, it is important for the company to take good care of its existing customers and encourage repeated purchase.

Companies like PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), KPMG and Deloite are famous companies which are known to consult for the largest world corporations, their services have assisted many companies develop the best CRM departments.

A good example is IBMs superior Customer relationship management process is what it is because the companies worked together with PwC to ensure that their CRM needs were properly addressed when the department was being set up. Companies which have embraced CRM practices are more likely to understand their consumers.

Many organizations like Apple have acquired the appropriate software from vendors that allows them to gather data from their consumers and store them for analysis (Trott 2008, p.160-162). As a result the company has created a large data mine which the company can withdraw useful data that assist the company in improving the customer experience.

Consumer behavior theorists have always insisted that it is important for marketers to understand the tastes, preferences, perception and attitudes of your target market.

This is thus why a company like Apple Inc. is able to narrow down on numerous volumes of data and make useful information that gives them a more precise picture of what their consumers ideally want.

The same cannot be said for companies who pay little attention to customers relationship management practices simply because decision making in this companies is more of gambling/trial and error making it quite hard for the company to narrow down consumer behavior variables and parameters with much more accuracy ( Hoffman & Novak 2000 p. 179-183).

Once a company fails to accurately define and understand the needs and desires of consumers it becomes more difficult to operate at a competitive advantage.

A commercial companys desire is to enjoy a large market share. An organization with large market share is more likely to end up as industry leader. Customer relationship management helps companies be able to retain and also attract new customers.

The process of attracting new customers is not cheap because it involves spending a lot of money in promotion activities which basically reducing the profit margins of a company.

Promotion activities such as advertisements are very expensive especially when they run on popular media such as the TV and radio, business executives thus try to minimize the number of consumer defection and increase the number of consumer retentions in order have a large market share (MacHulbert & Piercy 2003, p. 54).

Apple inc. for example has used CRM practices to retain a high number of consumers and attract new ones by offering complete solutions for their customers, opening dedicated stores that sell only apple products, ensuring that education sales activities assist customers to gain technical and operation knowledge on the products that they sell, the company also understands the need to be technologically alert and thus it is aggressive as far as innovation is concerned.

The availability of technical expertise to repair or answer any technical questions from consumers is also part of Apples superior CRM strategy that has enabled the company over the years to win customers who were earlier loyal to other brands ( Hoffman & Novak, 2000, p.99-101).

In contrast there is a clear difference when smaller companies are put to task on their CRM strategy this is why Apple has been able too gain massive market share by appealing to many consumers to purchase the iPhone as soon as it was developed.

Apple also went a step further to surpass expectation of consumers by manufacturing far much superior models of the iPhone to succeed each preceding model and this is the reason that consumers line up for hours sometimes even overnight to acquire new models of the iPhone as soon as they are launched thus this is therefore why other companies which are known to have good smartphones such as Asus and HTC and Toshiba have not been able to match up with Apples iPhone.

CRM activities usually enable a company achieve a high level of quality and efficiency during its operation. Companies which have understood the needs and desires together with expectations of their target market are able to plan in advance the service delivery process and therefore surpass the expectations of their consumers.

Consumers always want the best and therefore usually expect to get value that is either directly related to the value of their money or even expect that the quality surpasses the price which they paid for the good (Kitchen, 2003, p.23).

If a company markets its products as the best then the consumer approaches the company knowing in mind that the service provider or the product provider will deliver.

Consumer relation management software act as a platform under which the company can obtain relevant information which will assist the company to accurately predict the expectation of their customers and as a result put in place mechanisms that will enable their staff cater to the expectations of the consumers with more certainty. (Gartner 2008 123)

Without a good CRM program or department, it then becomes more difficult for business executives and especially customer care representatives to maintain a consistent level of quality and efficiency while serving consumers (Gummesson, 2002, p. 201-203).

A company like HP has put in place a good CRM strategy that enables the company accurately offer technical support that matches the specifications of each consumer.

The company uses a heterogeneous approach while dealing with their consumers and therefore there are no assumptions that are made especially when dealing with I.T needs of their cherished customers.

The advantage of using such an approach has also enabled cultivate some loyalty especially among their consumers due to high levels of satisfaction that arises out of the high quality of service delivery that the company has put in place as a result of a superior CRM strategy (Kitchen, 2003, p.133-142).

A good Customer Relationship Management strategy is highly advantageous to an organization because it is most likely to increase the levels of profitability and reduce unnecessary costs. A healthy customer base is necessary for excellent commercial performance and CRM usually plays a big role in both financial and non financial performance.

Contrary to common belief whereby businessmen believe that by spending more on satisfying customers a business looses money, CRM activities can be costly on the short run but the cumulative advantage and benefits experienced in the long run are quite advantageous according to Gartner, Inc (2008) businesses that operate using a vigorous CRM strategy are more likely to save on costs and increase their profits over the years.

Companies which do not prioritize their CRM activities are more likely to spend more money to please and attract customers using other avenues that may end up being futile. (Jones 2010 124)

Organizations with CRM programs are most likely to have good reputation and public image. Happy consumers talk and therefore spread positive information about the organization and this is therefore good for business.

When consumers spread positive information about an organization to their friends, then their friends are more likely to trust them and elicit positive behavior towards the company by purchasing products from the company.

Especially with the emergence of viral marketing and numerous social sites, commercial enterprises are more likely to take their CRM activities to another whole new level.

Nike is the leading athletic shoe manufacturing company, the company decided to open its own social site Joga.com so that the process of gathering information and interacting with consumers can become easier (Maselli, 2001).

The website has assisted the largest athletic shoe manufacturer to continue manufacturing innovative shoe brands for the sporting elite community. The site has contributed a lot to Nikes overall CRM strategy and activities and continued to improve the image of Nike as a company which cares for its consumers.

Conversely other companies within the Athletic shoe industry do not exhibit the same and therefore this has affected the way their performance and image as brands in that market. (Hyatt 2010 63)

Research Limitation

Many commercial organizations are quite secretive and protect data that is associated with CRM activities and release more generalized information making it quite hard to understand the nature of systems and specified activities that commercial enterprises in the process of managing interaction between the organization and its consumers.

This move has been put in place in order to protect the various strategies that companies put in place so that competitors cannot replicate them and use them.

The timeframe of carrying out the research was quite short considering that CRM is a very large topic that can be investigated even for months. This fact therefore reduced the quality of research because carrying out particular individualized case studies can take up to months.

Nevertheless the researcher used the time allocated to him/her to ensure that all the relevant secondary data was used to bring about relevant conclusive findings on this topic. (Hersey, Blanchard &Johnson, 2007 45)

The availability of resources such as money also was one of the limitations of this research. A good research can be successfully carried out by a researcher in order to get access to the necessary tools and information that is required to the process of carrying out research.

With limited funds the researcher was unable to access premium websites that charge researchers in order to access them. (Hogan & Kaiser, 2005 78)

Practical implications

The findings of this research will therefore be very important to the entire global business community, this includes both multinational companies and local companies or even small scale businesses (Newell, 2003, p.43; Molineux, 2001, p.12-14).

Since it is clear that CRM practices clearly affect the profitability, costs, customer loyalty, switching rates, delivery of quality and efficiency, it thus becomes necessary that business executives and entrepreneurs formulate, implement and continuously evaluate CRM strategies that will ensure that their organizations are able to accurately identify and narrow down on the needs, wants, desires, motives, tastes and preferences, attitudes and perceptions of the customers who interact with the business (Frazer, 2003, p.87-91).

When businessmen succeed in understanding their consumers, they will be more likely to ensure that their products are customized so that they are able to meet the expectations of their customers.

Since it is clear that organizational success also largely depend on how good their CRM function is integrated in day to day business, it is important that managers acknowledge the fact that CRM plays a big role in deciding the competitive advantage that an organization has in an industry when it is compared with its competitors (Egan, 2004,p.111-114).

With this in mind managers should accept the fact that they are preparing for failure if their organizations decide not to integrate Customer Relationship Management into their business models. (Blyth, 2009 45)

Social implications

It is the duty of a business to ensure that it has a positive social impact on the various environments that the business operate in (East 1997, p. 19-21).

If CRM practices are picked up by every organization within the environment, it will ensure that most consumers within this area will be happy due to the high level of satisfaction that they usually experience as a result of good business.

A satisfied consumer is a happy consumer;. The happy customers translate to a happier community and a happier society (OMalley & Tynan, 2001, p.17-23)

Originality

This research is original and unique in the sense that it has taken a more social and one on one approach by looking at various industry practices of the worlds most respected companies to bring an insight into the importance of CRM in todays business environment.

Conclusion

From the study, Customer Relationship Management activities do affect the performance of organizations either positively and negatively.

Organizations which take CRM activities more seriously are able to enjoy better financial and non-financial performance as compared to those organizations which ignore the importance of CRM in their business operations.

With such facts in mind, business managers are required to be more aggressive and dedicate a lot of time towards ensuring that their organizations plan carefully and integrate CRM activities with the activities of other departments to ensure that the concerns of both the organization and consumer are taken care of.

References

Baker, S., 2003. New Consumer Marketing.New Jersey: Wiley and sons.

Bennet, P., 2006. Marketing Management and Strategy, 4th edn. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.

Blyth, M., 2009. Business Continuity Management: Building an Effective Incident Management Plan. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.

East, R., (1997). Consumer Behavior: Advances & Applications in Marketing FT New: York: Prentice Hall.

Egan, J. (2004). Relationship Marketing: Exploring Relational Strategies in Marketing. 2nd ed. New York: Prentice Hall.

Frazer, R, J., 2003. Its All About Customers. New York: Kogan Page.

Gartner, Inc. 2008.Gartner Says Worldwide Customer Relationship Management Market Grew 23 Percent in 2007. Gartner Inc. Web.

Gartner, Inc. 2009. Gartner Says Worldwide CRM Market Grew 12.5 Percent in 2008. Gartner Inc. Web.

Gummesson, E., (2002). Total Relationship Marketing. 2nd edition. New York: Butterworth- Heinemann.

Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H. and Johnson, D. E., 2007. Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.

Hoffman, D., & Novak, T., (2000). How to Acquire Customers on the Web. Harvard Business Review, 179-188.

Hoffman, D. & Novak, T., (2000). Relationship Marketing. Bunbury Road: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Hogan, R., and Kaiser, R. B., 2005. What we know about leadership. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 169-180.

Hyatt, K., 2010. The influence of the leadership practice challenging the process on perceived organizational support. Proceedings of ASBBS 17(1), 351-361.

Jones, G., 2010. Organizational theory, design, and change. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Kitchen, P., (2003).The Future of Marketing: Critical 21st-Century Perspectives New York: Palgrave.

MacHulbert, C. & Piercy, H., (2003) Total Integrated Marketing: Breaking the Bounds of the Function. New York: Kogan Page.

Maselli. J., 2001.Lack Of Integration Hurts CRM Efforts: The PwC survey also finds that businesses still dont understand whats important to consumers when interacting with a business. Information Week. Web.

Molineux, P., 2001. Exploiting CRM: Connecting with Customers London. New York: Hodder and Stoughton Educational.

Newell, F., 2003. Why CRM Doesnt Work: How to Win by Letting Customers Manage the Relationship. New York: Kogan Page.

OMalley, L., & Tynan, C., 2001. Reframing Relationship Marketing for Consumer Markets. Interactive Marketing 2(3), 240-246.

Parker, R., 2000. Relationship Marketing on the Web. London: Adams Streetwise Publications.

Paul, G., 2006. CRM at the Speed of Light 4^th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill.

Payne, C. & Peck, C., 2003. Relationship Marketing for Competitive Advantage Burnbury Road: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Solomon, B., & Askegaard, L., 2002. Consumer Behavior: A European Perspective FT. New York: Prentice Hall.

Trott. P., 2008. Innovation Management and New Product Development, 4^th edn. London: Pearson.

Windham, L. 2001. The Soul of the New Consumer. The Attitudes, Behaviours and references of e-Customers. New York: Allworth Press.

The Asia-pacific area is an economically, culturally and politically diverse region. Asia has risen to become a leading global market due to proper implementation of proposals to upgrade ports. A lot of public ports have been transformed into profitable business entities.

This has been due to the universal emergence of reform- based privatization. Kalpana and Jolly (2001, p. 200) describe that to date, communication industry in the Asia-pacific area have been boosted by flexible and mobile networks and the relevant maintenance of data systems.

However, the industry is affected by barriers that tend to limit opportunities. Such limitations include fluctuations in network prices and destruction of delicate equipment used in the industry.

The transport industry in the Asia-pacific area boasts of greater development largely attributed to influential stakeholders in the industry. Traveler realization and baggage allowance techniques are aimed at improving overall passenger satisfaction and experience.

The healthy economic growth in the Asia-pacific area is attributed to a quick recovery from the recent global economic crisis. The remarkable recovery and improvement in economic growth is due to good governance and great involvement of such international economic organizations as the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The maintenance of high economic growth reduces the hardships that the people from the Asia-pacific area had to endure previously. The growth has also been due to efficient supply chains, regional cooperation and integration. In addition, aids to trade have acted as powerful engines in poverty reduction and in ensuring equitable growth.

The Asia-pacific area can attain high economic growth with a systematic institutional arrangement that aims at arriving at political decisions that will enable individuals to acquire the power to decide, and have the freedom to join unions and organizations. The democratic systems in this area have respect for human race and the supplementary systems of administration that have grown into vibrant market responsive economies.

Experiences from the Asia-pacific economy show that democracy has an indirect progressive influence on growth. This is because democracy positively impacts on the key determinants of economic growth.

The key determinants of economic development are education, human capital, inflation, investment, and income distribution. Democracy promotes cost-effective responsibility and reliance because its relevance governs financially viable contacts and public policy.

Universal and democratic social liberties influences donor funding because this encourages free journalism that helps in uncovering corruption or incompetent paperwork. Media freedom also helps in sending early warnings thereby putting pressure on the state to take prompt action.

Fostered democratic government helps to release creativity amongst members of the society, thereby enhancing accountability and active participation, leading to economic development (Maus 1997, p.47). Democracy also encourages human rights agenda and this serves to strengthen the influence and competence of nongovernmental organizations that form an integral part of the positive growth of the economy.

The democratic administration has helped in reducing the level of poverty and removing the restrictions that previously hindered proper decision making. This symbolizes the standard shift in the governments task to oversee and contribute in responsible and equitable promotion of the rule of law. This ensures that all citizens are included in the decision making process.

Reference List

Kalpana, R. et al., 2001, Maternities and Modernities: Colonial and Postcolonial experiences in Asia and the Pacifi.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Maus, I., 1997, Inequality, Democracy and Economic Development. New York: Praeger.

Introduction

Economic growth is deemed a positive attribute and it is one of the major aspirations of all nations. This growth results in prosperity for the nation as citizens the per-capita income rises and individuals gain a higher purchasing power.

In addition to this, other positive outcomes such as improved standards of living, better education opportunities, and better health care are attributed to economic growth. Researchers suggest that good health and economic growth influence each other in profound ways and each has major consequences on the other (Guillem et al. 240).

Ascertaining the influence of economic growth in health care is necessary for policy makers since such an intimate understanding of the relationship between economic growth and population health will enable them to formulate astute policies that will foster economic growth and enhance population health. This paper will argue that there is a clear relationship between economic growth and the nations health with greater economic growth resulting in better health outcomes for the general population.

Positive Impact of Economic Growth on Health Outcomes

There is a strong correlation between economic growth and better environmental protection measures. Panayotou reveals that as a countrys economy becomes stronger, greater environmental protection measures are adopted therefore countering the negative impacts that increased industrial activity might have on the environment (45).

Growth in economic activity results in an increase in business expenditures on pollution abatement costs. Researchers demonstrate that as countries increase their industrial activity in order to fuel economic growth, the amount of money dedicated to reducing the emission of pollutants increases (Guillem et al. 250). Data from the OECD reveals that expenditures by the government and private establishments to reduce pollution increased with the increase in income per capita.

The pollution abatement costs in the Netherlands rose from 1.6% in 1990 to 2.0% of GDP in 1998. This increase in abatement costs is the norm in industrialized countries reflecting the desire by governments and private entities to reduce pollution with the increase in economic growth. Economic growth therefore drives nations to take action to protect the environment and therefore improve the health outcomes of the population by ensuring that they are not subjected to high levels of pollution.

A growing economy is by itself an indication of a healthy population since economic growth is fostered by good health among society members. Guillem, Rivera and Luis reveal that good health raises levels of human capital and this has a positive effect on economic growth rates (3). Healthier populations generally exhibit higher productivity further boosting economic growth.

Healthier workers will exhibit higher work productivity since they will have reduced incapacity, and absent days from work therefore raising performance. The UN and ESCAP state that Good health increases the physical capacities of workers thereby enhancing their productivity (6). Economic growth will only be experienced if there is good health among individuals in the population. This growth is therefore an indicator of thriving health outcomes among individuals in the nation.

Economic growth results in an improvement in the standards of living and nutrition for the general population. Guillem et al observes that these outcomes of economic growth result in better health for individuals (242). Poor economic conditions are characterized by lower standards of living where sanitation levels are low therefore exposing people do diseases. A poor economy is further on characterized by low incomes by individuals, which makes it impossible for them to enjoy a good nutrition.

High standards of living ensure that people are able to observe good hygiene and avoid opportunistic infections. The UN and ESCAP states that diseases such as typhoid and diarrhoea are caused by poor sanitation and such illnesses are confined to areas where standards of living are low (7). Economic growth will therefore ensure that people are not prone to diseases that are exacerbated by poor standards of living.

Economic growth has been fuelled by technological advances made by humans over the centuries. With new technological progress, the economic growth of a nation is elevated. Guillem et al documents that this technological progress is reflected in improvements in medicine and medical technology (242). These improvements mean that better cures are obtained for illnesses that typically afflict people and the mortality rate is therefore reduced.

Research supports this assertion with studies showing that life expectancy is a significant predictor of income levels and also of future economic growth (Guillem et al. 242). Improvements in health outcomes in the last century were attributed to the technical progresses made. UN and ESCAP document that mortality declined by about 50% from 1960 to 1990 because of technical advances, which can be directly linked to economic development (8).

This assertion is corroborated by Swint et al. who elaborate that new technologies developed because of economic growth have increased health knowledge and this has led to tremendous declines in childhood mortality rates and contributed to human longevity (78).

Economic growth enables the government and individuals to invest in health. The successful economy will result in surplus capital that will enable people to access better health. The UN and ESCAP document that lack of financial investment in health is the critical factor behind underdeveloped health systems in many countries (7).

This underdevelopment in health care facilities makes it impossible for governments to provide access to universal health care for their citizens. Financial constraints also affect the quality of services in the available health care facilities that contributes to the prevalence of ill health in many poor countries. Sustained economic growth will create wealth that will enable the government and private actors to invest in the health sector.

Investment by the private sector is encouraged by economic growth since the investors are assured of getting returns on their investment since the population will be able to afford health care. This premise is confirmed by Guillem et al note that economic growth leads to greater consumption and investments in health care: a fact that has led many economists to admit that improvements in economic growth and health are mutually reinforcing (250).

Data indicates that the environment is improving in developed countries and these improvements are credited to the growth in the economy. Aguayo-Rico observes that cities in the US are cleaner than they were in the past and there have been some cases of dramatic improvements in environmental quality as the emission of health threatening toxics is reduced to marginal levels (5).

A review of air pollutant emissions in the US since 1940 demonstrates that the levels of emissions decrease as the income per capita increases. Data from 1940 to 1998 shows that emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide all decreased by an average of 98%, 60%, and 88% respectively during this period (Aguayo-Rico 6). Economic growth will result in significant reduction in pollution levels and therefore lead to a decline in the number of diseases caused by pollutants.

Economic growth may directly lead to less pollution by driving nations away from the pollution intensive industries. Swint et al argue that countries are likely to shift to less pollution intensive industries as their economy grows and this will lead to better health outcomes since pollution levels will be lowered (96).

This argument is supported by the realities in the United States where the manufacturing industry has experienced a slow but steady shift towards less pollution intensive industries and therefore significantly reduced the pollution levels in the country. Economic growth has made it possible for the country to do away with some of its most pollution intensive industries over time with positive health outcomes being realized by the population.

Negative Impacts of Economic Growth on Health

Economic activity is often accompanied by industrial activity that results in environmental pollution. Davis reveals that economic activity affects the levels of air pollution and by extension human health (1951). The level of air pollution is influenced by the economic activity with high levels of economic growth translating to higher industrial action and therefore higher air pollution levels. Air pollution is a health risk and it results in marked increases in mortality rates.

Aguayo-Rico asserts, The levels of particulate matter in the air are associated with the risk of death from all causes and of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (5). Economic growth leads to the emission of chemicals that cause severe health effects such as cancer, damage to the immune system to name but a few. Economic growth often results in the emission of unwanted by-products, which have to be disposed of.

Nature is expected to act as a sink to these harmful pollutants and when a country lacks good waste management practices, environmental quality falls. It is therefore probable that declining economic growth would increase the health outcomes of the population since it would be characterized by lower industrial activities and environmental pollution.

Economic growth in most countries is characterized by a growing margin between the rich and the poor. This statement holds true for most developed countries as well as developing countries such as India and China. The income inequality fuelled by economic growth does not foster the development of public health since there is inequitable access to health care opportunities.

Aguayo-Rico argues that people in highly industrialized regions such as cities are forced to spend more on health care since they are exposed to higher risks due to pollution (5). However, only the richest portion of the urban population can afford to indulge in these expensive health care services.

Orme et al. argues that societies that are more egalitarian are healthier and more socially cohesive (216). The authors further argue that good health outcomes in a society are not just the by-product of economic growth but rather a product of domestic social policies that promote equitable health care opportunities. Economic growth is therefore not necessary for progress to be made in public health and the health outcomes of the population

Economic growth poses an emerging public health risk for many societies. Orme et al. explain that as a nation experiences economic growth, it experiences an increase in its urban-based population, a transition that brings new public health risks (217).

The effect of communicable diseases such as the recent outbreak of the Severed Acute Respiratory Syndrome in urban populations is major due to the dense population in these areas. Non-communicable diseases such as coronary heart disease and cancers are also on the increase due to economic growth and development.

Coronary diseases are mostly caused by the lifestyle choices of the individual. As the economy advances, people have more money to use on The World Health Organization reveals that, there is a link between economic growth in the developing world and tobacco-related diseases (Orme et al. 217). Increase in tobacco-related morbidity and disease is therefore directly linked to economic growth.

Economic growth has caused global environmental changes. Researchers agree that key global environmental changes have been brought about by the intensity of modern consumer driven economies (Orme 220). These changes to the earths climate have long-term risks to the health outcomes of the population.

The WHO illustrates that fluctuations in climate variables have been responsible for the spread of infectious diseases (Orme 220). As the economic growth accelerates, the rate of environmental changes will increase therefore exposing the population to more infectious diseases. Economic growth will therefore contribute to the negative health outcomes of the population.

Discussion

While the link between health and economic development is straightforward, the link between economic development and health is complicated with some researchers arguing that economic growth is detrimental to a nations health care while others declare that it is beneficial to the health outcomes of the nation. This paper has demonstrated that economic growth will cause both positive and negative impacts on the health of the population. However, research demonstrates that the negative impacts are only temporary in nature.

The Environmental Kuznets Curve that proposes that the environmental first worsens as economic growth begins and then improves at higher economic growth levels can be used to explain the impacts of economic growth on health.

From this theory, economic growth will at the beginning result in poorer health outcomes as the environment is intensely degraded to cater for the demands of the economic activity. However, the environmental impacts will be reversed when the levels of development are sufficiently high since the economy will move to technology that is more efficient, raise the levels of environmental quality, and therefore decrease environmental degradation.

Conclusion

This paper set out to argue that there is a positive link between economic growth and the health of the population. The paper has demonstrated that health and economic outcomes are mutually reinforcing in all the developed nations in the world. The spill over effects of economic growth result in higher health outcomes for individuals in the society and economic growth leads populations to live better lives and enjoy better health outcomes.

Even so, it has been documented that economic progress does not automatically lead to better health and it may in fact be responsible for adverse impacts on the health of the population. Addressing the pollution effects of economic growth is integral to ensuring that economic growth and development do not impede the populations health.

From the discussions presented in this paper, it can be projected that economic growth will continue to be an important goal of economic policy in our country since it has mostly positive impacts on the health and well being of the nations citizenry. However, this positive impact will only be achieved if humans make use of the technological advances to make improvements in air quality and provide sanitation and proper waste management.

Works Cited

Aguayo-Rico, Andres. Empirical Evidence of the Impact of Health on Economic Growth. Issues in Political Economy 14.1 (2005): 1-17. Web.

Davis, Mary. Recessions and Health: The Impact of Economic Trends on Air Pollution in California. American Journal of Public Health 102.10 (2012): 1951-1956. Print.

Guillem, Lopez, Rivera Berta and Luis Currais. Health and Economic Growth: Findings and Policy Implications. Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2005. Print.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Pollution Abatement and Control Expenditures in OECD Countries?. Paris: OECD Secretariat, 2003. Print.

Orme, Judy, Powell Jane, Pat Taylor, and Grey Melanie. Public Health for the 21st Century. NY: McGraw-Hill International, 2007. Print.

Panayotou, Theodore. Economic growth and the environment. Economic Survey of Europe 5.2 (2003): 45-72. Web.

Swint, Michael, Luisa Franzini, Chika Honda, Yuki Murakami, and Rafia Rasu. Relationships between Economic Growth and Population Health in Low and Middle Income Countries. Osaka Economic Papers 58.2 (2008): 74-106. Print.

United Nations (UN) and Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Development of Health Systems in the Context of Enhancing Economic Growth towards Achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific. Paris: United Nations Publications, 2007. Print.

Introduction

Cost estimating relationship (CER) is a common term in business. As the name suggests, the concept uses an established independent variable to estimate prices or costs of items. The other general term is the life cycle cost (LCC), which is the cost of a product, asset, or part of the two as it is undergoing its cycle life while still serving the desired functions.

Total ownership cost is a concept used in management accounting and manufacturing industries. This assay uses an example of a large business with strong capabilities to take an idea from the concept phase to its full production within a very short window due to the use of robotics in the machinery department. The business is ready to expand by competing for government contracts for unique products.

The essay uses the organization to analyze the differences between the Cost Estimating Relationship (CER) method and the Engineered Cost Estimate method in the effort to determine, which approach to Life-Cycle Costing (LCC) approach will be the best for the business. It also evaluates the design-to-cost (DTC) changes while analyzing the role of cost as a key independent variable in the production of unique products. The aspects of cost-refund treaties that create the largest predicament for particular businesses are also analyzed.

Life-Cycle Costing Approach

Engineering cost estimate is one of the ways of estimating the cost of a project. It is very crucial to have an approximate budget of the resources that the project will need in the effort to curb any unnecessary inconveniences such as delays because of lack of money, equipment, or workforce. This cost is calculated through the estimation of all the activity costs, adding all of them, and including the overheads to produce detailed cost estimation.

The method is also frequently referred to as the bottom-up cost estimation method (Hofmann, 2007). Although this method is detailed and useful in the engineering industry, there are disadvantages that exist to make it unreliable in cost estimation. The use of this method has been described as useful where the design of a project has reached technical maturity (Ramachandra, 2006).

Cost Estimating Relationships (CER) and parametric cost estimation methods that exist between the bottom-up and the top-down methods are useful in cost estimation (Ramachandra, 2006). The method uses mathematical formulae and expressions to calculate the cost and variables in a production process.

According to Hofmann (2007), CER links price as a dependent element to the price-running elements that are selected based on their autonomy. The vulnerability of costs in a project to past forces is assumed to be the same for the future costs, and hence the use of the method to evaluate the relevant total cost of a project (Ramachandra, 2006).

The two methods of cost estimation are relevant in the described project. Both have advantages for the application. A bottom-up approach may lead to the overestimation of costs in the project. It would thus make it difficult to acquire government contracts because the organizations costs will be higher than for the other bidders. The CER method is the best suited for the organization. The result will be a competitive pricing to enable contract wins.

Design-to-cost (DTC) Changes

Design to Cost (DTC) management technique is one of the techniques used by organizations and their interactions with the government (Chris, 1987). In this technique, the cost is controlled using a specific goal in the design in hardware development (Ramachandra, 2006).

The elements of a design-to-cost approach include the understanding of the costumers ability to afford the products and the pricing required by the key participants. The allocation target costs must also be established to a level where the costs can be effectively managed in the process.

The main changes in the government DTC policies include the pricing of the different commodities and services that are required. The government has put a minimum price for the various commodities and the tendering process that should be followed. Therefore, the business is required to demonstrate the ability to cover the costs of the whole project before it can undertake the production of the required hardware for the government.

The changes in the DTC in government approach will affect the business in a number of ways. The business will be required to have the exact amount to cover the costs of any project that it intends to carry out for the government. The other effect is that the company will be required to improve in terms of competence by ensuring that it is able to produce the required machinery at a lower cost than most of the other organizations that are in direct competition with the company.

The DTC change also affects the duration of contracts, with the government introducing segmentation of contracts at different stages to ensure competition in the process. This strategy will affect the company since there will be a constant need to update the production process to ensure consistent efficiency.

Role of Cost

Cost is a significant part of any project in an organization. It determines the exact competitiveness of any organizational processes. This section analyses the role of cost as a key independent variable in the production of unique products. Cost can be described as a unique factor in the production process. It can be an independent and dependent factor in the process (Ramachandra, 2006). However, cost is an independent factor in most production process because it influences many of the other factors.

The costs incurred in the production process determine the values of the final product. In the production of new and unique products, the costs of production are usually dynamic (Hofmann, 2007). Production of unique products allows organizations to stay ahead of the competition.

However, the whole process of designing the production line, making the unique product, and marketing it usually consumes financial resources from the organization. The cost in the design process is mainly in the hiring of designers and setting up the automated processes of production for the mechanized production companies such as the one in focus. The design costs are also consumed by the acquisition of the appropriate tools for the production process (Hofmann, 2007).

In the marketing of the new unique products, the costs are also consumed in bulk by the large marketing input. The finance that is available in the production of the unique products determines the level of marketing to be undertaken, with the result being the final cost of the complete products.

The unique products that companies develop are harder to market because they are new to customers (Hofmann, 2007). Therefore, the costs are greater compared to the ones incurred in marketing other products. There are often difficulties associated with the setting up of the costs of the unique products. This means that companies can underestimate the costs or overestimate them based on the initial cost assumptions.

For the company under focus, the intention is to act as a formidable organization that can win contracts from the government and begin the production of any unique products as spelt out in the contract terms. Cost is a major independent factor in this process. It affects all other factors within this organization if it is to engage in the contract.

The cost that the organization is likely to incur includes setting up of the appropriate mechanical production line, the acquisition of the robotics, setting up of a team to oversee the production process, and the acquisition of space for the production line. The costs of all these factors will be crucial in establishing the required production costs.

The cost in this company will be independent in that it will influence all other production processes and the eventual product cost. This means that the efficient use of cost estimation methods ensures that the company can control the costs incurred throughout the production process. The company can reduce the eventual costs of the unique products that it intends to produce through the introduction of efficiency in its production process.

Problematic Elements of Cost-Reimbursement Contracts

Cost repayment agreements are types of treaties where suppliers are given all the permissible operating expenses of the agreement to a certain acceptable maximum, including imbursement of additional overheads to allow the supplier to make an income (Ramachandra, 2006).

One of the problematic elements of this type of contract is the estimation of the final cost of the project and the contract that may be difficult to establish. In this type of contract, the contractor is allowed a cost that is predicted by the government by using the prevailing economic conditions and costs of the appliances at that point in time.

Despite the government allowing for the provision of extra funds towards the projects being undertaken by the contractor, the final costs may surpass these costs (Hofmann, 2007). If these are not considered and/or more funds are availed, the contractor may end up making little if any profit in the contract. The government may also have to increase the funds available for the project.

The problem of cost estimation in cost-reimbursement contract also has an effect on the overall quality of the contract and the output of the company (Chris, 1987).

The measures that can be taken to reduce the effects of the changes in the duration of the contract to prevent large disparities between the stated cost and the final cost include the thorough estimation of the production costs. Companies can achieve this goal through the contracting of economic experts who can quantify the various inputs to be used and the likely changes in their value.

Another problematic element of a cost-reimbursement contract is the additional oversight that is required to design incentive of award fees (Chris, 1987). The extra oversight or administration required to oversee the design of the incentive fees is often a liability for the two sides involved in the contract (Chris, 1987).

The contractor has the responsibility of ensuring that he or she adequately controls the overhead costs of the production process and that the payments he or she receives are only for the permissible costs of the contract (Hofmann, 2007). On the government side of the contract, the administration has to ensure that the right company with the appropriate market cost is considered for the contract. It also has to exercise oversight over the contractor to ensure that it does not add extra costs in the contract.

It is the role of the government to protect the contractor from the unforeseen costs of the contract (Hofmann, 2007). However, in some instances, the contractor may engage in covering the extra costs incurred in the contract because of poor statement of the costs of the contract.

The result of this act is that the company may incur losses occasioned by the inability to cover the unforeseen costs. For the company on focus, the right procedures should be followed to ensure that any contract that it undertakes with the government has all the costs being accurately calculated, with an overestimation made for some of the most dynamic costs.

As opposed to fixed-price contracts, a cost-reimbursement presents little incentive to the contractor to be efficient in the production process because of the assurances in costs that they have. Efficiency in this type of contract may be increased through the introduction of a strict oversight in the respective organs and/or the introduction of an oversight authority for the side that awards the contract (Hofmann, 2007).

The other way that the problem may be solved is through the setting of limits for contractors in various projects. A contract should be shared by several contractors, with each of the parties being compared against the other. This strategy will lead to direct competition within the contracts since the companies seek to win future contracts or get contract renewals.

Reference List

Chris, K. (1987). An Empirical Validation of Software Cost Estimation Models. Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery, 30(5), 416-429.

Hofmann, P. (2007). Psychology of decision making in economics, business and finance. New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Ramachandra, K. (2006). Business economics. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers.

The relationship between teacher and student should be one for the welfare of a student. The children spend a major part of their life with their teachers. To have a fine classroom atmosphere, the teacher-student relationship plays a major role. A good teacher tries to understand the students at all levels. If the teacher can understand the students problems, she or he will take more care towards them and take the necessary steps to overcome their problems. But in this modern era, it is difficult for one to find a good relationship between teacher and student; their relationship has undergone a sea change. Counselors say that attraction for a teacher is common and normal among the students  male or female. (Student-teacher relationship problems, n.d., para.9).

The attitude of respect towards the teacher may change as the students go on admiring their teachers to a different level which may be awkward in a school atmosphere. Illicit relationship between teachers and students has become a usual practice. When teachers mingle with the students with love and care, they are not aware that sometimes it will make the students misunderstand their teachers. There are many cases where the unethical behaviors of teachers were quoted. One of them was the case of involvement of a teacher with an under-aged student. It was Mary Kay Letourneau who was a sixth-grade teacher. She was 21 years old and met her lover who was a 13-year-old student of herself. In this issue, she was imprisoned and now she has been released. Both of them are going to get married now. This is the case of ethical violation of a teacher-student relationship (Masters Girl, 2006). In the present world, we can see many such examples.

According to the first amendment of the US constitution, the assembly cannot make any law regarding the foundation of religion or barring religious practices nor can they restrict the freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech is the right of every citizen of the state. It is also applicable to the students and the first amendment of the US constitution allows all the students to have the right to speak, write and freely meet others. This law is not applicable only if the expressions of the students can disrupt the school and society. The freedom of religion is also a given right to the students i.e. freedom of worship and belief is an implied right for them. The school authorities do not have any right either to push or to insult any religious practices and beliefs.

For example, in the US, Needville Independent School District (NISD) punished a five-year-old American Indian Kindergarten student conveying and practicing his religious beliefs. The school ordered him to tie his long hair in the band and to tuck it inside his school shirt, which was against his family beliefs. After this issue, the boys parents fought against the school authority and they won the case not only for them but also for all the Texas students in respect of their religious beliefs. (ACLU wins ruling protecting kindergarteners religious expression, 2009).

The teacher must be responsible for every event that happens in the classroom and also must be liable to take necessary actions to find a resolution. If a student faces some difficulties, the teacher should take necessary actions to solve the difficulties and make the student confident and secure. The teacher must save the student without hurt. For instance, if the student is hurt by the bee in the classroom, the teacher must take the necessary steps to save the student from pain and fear. If the condition of the student gets worse the teacher must save the student at any cost. Most often, the first aids such as scrap off the stinger with a fingernail, wash with soap and water and implement cold packs are very effective for a student who is injured by a bee. There is a possibility of allergic reactions such as breathing or swallowing difficulty to the student, which requires emergency medical attention. It is the duty of the teacher to encourage and model a caring attitude, promote positive Inter-personal relationships, and communicate effectively with students and others. (Professional evaluation program for teachers (pep-T) duties of a teacher, n.d., p.2). According to this duty, the teacher is responsible to the student who is stung by a bee, to give proper first aids to protect the student from harm. If I happen to know about these duties I will surely change my attitude and will concentrate more on for caring the students at any cost.

Reference List

1. ACLU wins ruling protecting kindergarteners religious expression. (2009). American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.
2. Masters Girl. (2006). Unethical behavior among teachers and other professional. AC: Associated Content.
3. Professional evaluation program for teachers (pep-T) duties of a teacher: Duty 2 creates and maintains a positive and safe learning environment. (n.d.). State of Hawaii Department of Education Division of Administrative services Personnel Service Branch. 2.
4. Student- teacher relationship problems. (n.d.). Indianetzone Relationships. Web.

Introduction

The Nicomachean Ethics is a comprehensive manuscript by Aristotle covering the study of different methods and humanoid delight. The book has explored the focal point of thematic nature of every single human being and undertakings.

Aristotle instructs us in order to realize that at present the scholar remains pre-determined through breaking down the fundamentals that frame up happiness as contained in Aristotles flawless, logical and elegance reasoning. Therefore, when summarized, this paper presents the key five fundamentals of public relationship as per Aristotle assertions. The paper reviews the traits of the best working places and compares the ideas with those offered by Aristotle.

The ideas of Aristotle on civic relationships

Happiness

According to various studies, Aristotle asserts that pleasure helps us in identifying gladness. A number of individuals support this opinion despite the fact that personal elucidation on whatever pleasure encompasses might show a discrepancy reliant on an individuals environment.

However, individuals might have reason, pleasure, and virtues like integrity in order to own the actual virtues. Similarly, individuals select the same virtues for purpose of contentment. This gives the justification for this viewpoint according to Aristotle claims. Moreover, Aristotle alleges that happiness needs to be eligible using probable human functions given that happiness cannot be termed as the chief good. In fact, happiness ought to be comprehended logically as the worlds utmost pleasing, superlative, and honorable entity.

Aristotle unrelentingly argued that happiness calls for back up from virtues in that pleasure is no longer a standalone culmination. Thus, mechanisms similar to social circles such as popularity, beauty, or prosperity need to be in place to make sure that happiness transpires (Ostwald, 1962). Happiness cannot exist only when there is the absence of perceptional conditions for happiness.

Virtues

With respect to virtues, Aristotle tried to categorize the facts hooked on the intellectual and ethical standards. The intellectual virtues originate from education whereas ethical virtues emerge from tradition. Virtues can merely be fashioned by way of habit, but not any single mechanism can form a habit, which is not the same as its natural surroundings.

Through experience and delayed out period, the intellectual virtue turns out to be perfected in most cases. This deduction is supported by the fact that virtues are influenced by repeated manifestation of various virtue situations. The progress of virtue comes after the virtue is learnt and displayed. Aristotle uses virtue to develop into an upright being by following the profound theoretical definition of a virtue.

In one of the famous statements, Aristotle asserts that virtue should be carried out in an accurate expanse to correctly facilitate the norm to be in existence. While comparing virtue to temperance and healthiness, Aristotle saw that shortages and superfluous of indulgence and courage abolish temperance and bravery virtues.

This stuck up is comparable to the body physique obliteration where a great deal or lack of foodstuff or over exercise leads to the extreme effects. Further, for the determination of employing virtues in branding human lives to become better, Aristotle reconnoitered all features imaginable in the scheme to describe virtues (Ostwald, 1962). The other event existed where virtue is believed to originate from the considerations made. Thus, a virtue is not either a matter of opinion or obligation.

Deliberation

According to Aristotle, deliberation is the psychological exertions that are voluntary and earmarked for the deeds whose conclusions and determinations are not easy. Therefore, deliberations are about the worth at the end instead of the finale itself or it comes around things that are contained by our prospective control. In attesting to these arguments, Aristotle asserted the logical instances that could not be delayed to meet the diverse conclusions.

Thus, deliberation is directed as a way of narrowing down the individuals absolute activities to pick out what is created from the offered options or in the direction of finding a resolution to the prevailing hitches (Ostwald, 1962). Aristotle referred the real depiction of the process of making a choice as the description of deliberation. These procedures lead to the ultimate goal of being happy as an outcome of the eventual virtue development.

Justice

Avery et al. (1998) claim that afterwards beginning with the acts and clear definitions leading human beings to practice one things or the other made Aristotle to scrutinize injustice and justice. Aristotle puts forward that justice contains temperance and bravery as virtues hence the act ought to be at the peak of all virtues.

Justice is positioned high amongst other virtues since it is an aftermath of deliberation about other individuals worthy in all virtues. From the perspective of equality and law, the other Aristotles argument stipulates that justice arise in dissimilar forms. Indeed, justice attached to the view of suitable allocation of honor and wealth such as resources, provides a solitary understanding.

Avery et al. (1998) made further interpretation that, fairness renders both flanks inequitably or evenly stable in that sprite ascends from human dealings. Any additional fairness is similar to a turn that is incorrectly finished and that is arising from a correction or a reparative act.

Aristotle pinned down the distinct circumstances and deviancies in the inference made. Despite the fact that such parameters disregard the standards of fairness precedence, justice can still be characterized as being fair. Therefore, fairness as a virtue is linked to the public rapport intended to generate companionship.

Friendship

Friendship according to Aristotle destined the factual form of justice and is perceived to be a radiant word termed as a welcoming quality. Besides, Aristotle termed friendship as goodwill reciprocation in the direction of a living being. Aristotle further stated that justice might in anyway ascend from mutual pleasure, mutual advantage, or revenged and mutual affection.

Friendship will not remain comprehensive provided the fundamentals in the norm are not mutual. As a result, the companions ought not to alter any feature that brands them friends to each other, if not; the subsequent two kinds of relationships will not be embraced to be of good reputation.

The situation is no longer a factual friendship that is not incidental of the other individual capability of giving pleasure and utility. However, in true companionship, this might be integrally present. Contrary to other relationships, this motive makes the right friendship less autonomous on conditions that are prevalent and extremely eternal. Aristotle defined friendship as a virtue in a procedural manner during the bid to explore this study in every single perspective.

A review of the best working places traits

According to the institute of the best places to work, any corporation falling under this category must exhibit various traits.

Training and development

In corporations that are considered the best places to work, employees training and development are perceived to be very significant and mandatory. For instance, the departmental executives, managers, and other senior staffs at Chesapeake Energy Corp are obliged to attend the compulsory management regimens including the full week official training and development sessions.

The training programs are intended to develop leadership qualities, team building, and business or operations skills. In this company, training incorporates both the external and internal seminars and courses such as communication or Microsoft courses offered via the local training institutes (Zolkos, 2009).

In fact, the usual courses that Chesapeake Energy Corp offers to the entry-level employees are based on how to conduct market analysis trends; produce versus purchase decisions, and how to manage the universal sourcing or businesses.

Chesapeake Energy Corp also offers the six sigma training and development sessions to the employees, which are factored in the budgetary allocations. Besides, the orientation training sessions are offered to the entry-level employees including the financial management courses, strategic negotiations seminars, and strategic sourcing training programs.

Promotions or advancements

In the best places to work, when the employees talents blossom and training sessions emerge productive, the organizations ensure that the workforces are offered the promotion opportunities in order to manage and run challenging tasks.

The talent review procedure established by Chesapeake Energy Corp for instance classifies the best employees and thereafter looks for the available internal advancement or promotional chances. The promotional or advancement opportunities usually revitalize the corporations management teams besides allowing Chesapeake Energy Corp to retain the best and talented workforces.

Chesapeake Energy Corp has distinguished departments that offer opportunities for the potential leaders development. There are balanced positions in each department meant for employees who would wish to work in the company for a long period and work towards the growth and development of the company (Great Place to Work Institute, 2013).

Chesapeake Energy Corp is deemed the best working place since the company offers equal opportunities to all employees who want to move up the employment ladder, satisfy the main managerial ranks, and equally suit similar career ambitions.

However, prior to the promotions, the corporation takes the employees through various stages of professional development where the workforces hold different ranks with greater commitments.

Such employees development processes and leadership criteria equip the workforce with the necessary skills required for the future high ranked positions. Promotions are thus given to whoever deserves and has proved capable to carry out given assignments.

Annual employees turnover rates

According to Avery et al. (1998), any corporation with low or no employees turnover rates is considered to be amongst the best working places. In fact, low employee turnover rate is a decisive attestation that the organization hardly despises the workforces; there are motivations, and the workforces are empowered.

A company must have the ability to retain most of the employees for the longest time possible to attract other qualified personnel. For example, at Chesapeake Energy Corp, the employees turnover rate derived on the five years standard materializes to be below one percent.

Such an organization normally takes a lot of time searching, recruiting, training, and absorbing the most excellent employment candidates while making sure that such employees feel treasured by the corporation and build up the necessary attachments. Chesapeake Energy offers favorable environment that broadens the employees perspectives, encourages the employees to further their skills, and set visions.

Employees interactions

For any organization to be considered the best working place there must be free interactions amid employees and between departments as is the case in Chesapeake Energy.

However, the interactions should assist the workforces to concentrate on the assignments besides influencing the trajectories of the corporation in various ways. The interactions always help to formally solve emanating problems and in the supervision of quality processes. Furthermore, team members, organizational leaders, and sponsors are able to serve or work jointly as teams.

The cross functional group efforts

The exertions of cross-functional teamwork in the best working places ensure enhanced knowledge and discipline in the organizations. To extend this influence across all departments, Chesapeake Energy Corp is determined to acquire excellent executives who are elaborate, embrace, and enhance diverse teamwork.

For instance, employees at Chesapeake Energy contribute to the decisions made by the cross functional teams on issues about pacts of supply, procedures, and newfangled products. In the operational philosophy of such organizations, cross-functional teamwork engages in the recreation of essential title role (Pangle, 2003). All the administrative echelons from top to bottom as well as discrete contributors contribute to the cross functional group efforts in product sourcing, growth and development.

Compensation

The scheme for the companys mode of compensation can render the corporation an appropriate place to work. In fact, in the best corporation to work, the employees are remunerated with respect to how they are valued. A salary comparison of Chesapeake Energy with other large companies in dissimilar positions is prepared over and done with the subscription of Hay model.

Chesapeake Energy offers employees opportunistic motivations established upon the accomplishment of the assigned tasks. Besides, Chesapeake Energy Corp hardly maneuvers to recompense the personnel either in the upper or lower tier. The staffs enjoy sharing of incomes, work related grants, membership accreditation, and are provided with stock grants and options (Milligan and Brunelli, 1999).

The institution salary packages appear compelled as well as managed through the programs of sharing out profits. For instance, Chesapeake Energy Corp makes certain marketplace competitiveness by taking part in a number of national and local valuations. The benefits and salaries accruing from the company activities are kept up to be the average for every market segment.

They offer short-term disability indemnity, schemes for profit sharing, as well as dental and health cover to the employees. However, Chesapeake Energy Corp distinguishes the exceptional enactments through distinct and cross functional group effort attainment awards. Thus, noble firms to work in have the capacity to keep in mind and appeal to high quality flair that articulates an exceedingly competitive reimbursement package.

Motivation

In the best working places, motivation is regarded as the process of directing and initiating behaviors. Failure to provide Chesapeake Energy Corp employees with motivation can necessarily lead to disastrous consequences. Some of the impetus procedures incorporate the provision of reimbursement plan, pleasurable bureaus as well as education and improvement arrangement.

In most instances, inert recruits imply discontent or unprovoked interaction to the work milieu. A research conducted by Ostwald (1962) showed that organizational job satisfactions are on the decline amongst the employees. Career or tasks replacement is an added feature of Chesapeake Energy Corp and the act incorporates the recruits cross education or coaching a propos each individuals livelihood (Milligan and Brunelli, 1999).

Empowerment

In the best places to work such as Chesapeake Energy Corp, the employees empowerment is achieved through participative communication alongside financial support. For amicable empowerment, the employees need to understand the company in its entirety.

his includes various job finances ranging from new employee hiring to the purchasing of new tools intended to make job easier. Empowerment at Chesapeake Energy Corp is based on decision-making that allows savings, moneymaking, and spending differences to emerge (Great Place to Work Institute, 2013). The old school philosophy that companys finances should not be shared with other employees except those who are directly at the top is wrong.

Comparing and contrasting Aristotles civic relations ideas with the current best working places notions

Generally, the swaying and exhaustive points of view of Aristotle lead us not like the lighthouse but like a railway automobile. It does not leave an individual who read out with copious consideration despite the fact that it leads us to the eventual complete delight. More willingly than the key points, Aristotles embellishment of relationship and virtues has a tendency of pondering all aspects of the subject being discussed and above all that are frequently digressive.

However, happiness in the best working places accrue when there are motivations, employees empowerment, and the remuneration packages are pleasing. The fact is that there must be happiness for peaceful coexistence in workplaces but this can only emerge when the organizations empower, motivate, and pay the best salaries to the employees. In the event that all these parameters are observed, the will be cordial relationships among workforces.

When there is fairness in the organization, for instance, equal promotion opportunities and lack of discrimination in the payments schemes, then justice is perceived to prevail in workplace. However, this is only possible if an organization offers equal training opportunities that warrant employees growth and development.

In fact, through training, the employees are able to develop virtues that enhance interactions, and the formation of cross-functional teamwork. Besides, the employees turnover rates in the best working places will be low only if a worker can deliberate and justify that the existing workplace values and virtues led to good employees relationship, justice, and happiness. Just as Aristotle asserted in the civic relationship ideas, the best working place share similar attributes.

Works Cited

Avery, Susan, Epatko Elena and Fitzgerald Kevin. Best Places to Work. Purchasing, 125.9 (1998): 60-64. Print.

Great Place to Work Institute, 2013. FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For. Web. <https://www.greatplacetowork.com/>.

Milligan, Brian and Mark Brunelli. Training, Opportunity to Advance is Traits of Best Companies. Purchasing127.9(1999): 53-60. Print.

Ostwald, Martin. Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Translated, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1962. Print.

Pangle, Lorraine. Aristotle and the Philosophy of Friendship, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Print.

Zolkos, Rodd. Common Traits of Award-Winning Organizations. Business Insurance43.37 (2009): 9-12. Print.

Introduction

There are various variables that are involved in the effective implementation of Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) in the support of Knowledge Management in organizations. These variables are classified according to their task in the decision making process of organizations.

The various organizational tasks include group activity, complexity, difficulty, behavior requirements, unitary tasks, group member relationships and task performance processes, and the duty presented to the group or individual (Chang, Yeh, & Yeh, 2007). The evaluation of task relationship and its relation to KMS variables is based on the assessment of their contribution to the main activities of KM. These activities are knowledge generation, knowledge sharing, and knowledge codification.

KMS variables

These variables can be divided into various categories including organizational factors, interpersonal and team characteristics, cultural characteristics, individual characteristics and motivational factors. In a larger perspective, these variables are categorized into individual learning, socialization, externalization and combination, and internalization and storage (Chiu, Hsu, & Wang, 2006).

Individual characteristics

Studies show that individuals are influenced by multiple work attitudes and behaviors that influence their dispositions in the process of sharing knowledge.

Individual characteristics influence the norm of reciprocity in terms of in that it defines what the individual gives and receives from an organization. This is, in turn, influenced by the individuals openness to experience. High openness to experience results in a thirst for more information as individuals tend to share more information and expect to be provided with the ideas and insights of other individuals.

Other factors influencing the reciprocal benefits include the level of comfort and ability to use collaborative platforms for information sharing. As a result, individuals with higher level of education and more work experience are more likely to share relevant information with others than those who lack confidence in their abilities (Bock, Zmud, Kim, & Lee, 2005).

Motivational factors

One of the vital motivational factors is the belief of ownership of knowledge, whereby the individual is more willing to share information of they believe that they have the necessary knowledge. The ability of employees to share information is based on their internal satisfaction, which is influenced by various facilitating conditions provided by the organization, such as time, organizational structure, IT, and leadership, among others (Collins & Smith, 2006).

The second motivational factor for the individual to share information within an organization pertains to the perceived benefits and costs. Studies show that individuals assess the perceived ratio of benefits to costs in their decision making process. The process of sharing knowledge is influenced by the need for respect, reputation, and incentives that build on various adoption factors including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, perceived behavioral control, and perceived attitude towards use.

If the individual expects more costs than benefits, then they are likely to be unwilling to share their knowledge. On the other hand, enhanced internal satisfaction, and the perceived obligation to reciprocate the information acquired from colleagues can lead to enhanced knowledge sharing (King & Marks, 2008).

Knowledge sharing is also influenced by interpersonal relationships, which include trust and justice. The elements of trust and affect are useful in the development of a mutual association between team members and communities.

Identification of individuals with either other team members or communities depends on the level of trustworthiness that is determined by capability, integrity, and benevolence. Studies show that individuals share less information when they regard their colleagues as capable, and share more information with honest and principled individuals (Liao, 2006).

Individual behaviors in team and organizational settings are also influenced by beliefs and attitudes. When individuals perceive their skills, knowledge and information as relevant to the overall organizational objectives, then they are more willing to share their knowledge.

The individuals need for affiliation implies that they tend to share information if they believe that by doing that they can improve their relationships with others. Expected relationships and social interaction ties enhance the attitude of individuals to share knowledge. As such, individual sharing behavior is influenced by their attitude towards their colleagues, management, and organization (Hwang & Kim, 2007).

Interpersonal and team characteristics

Studies show that increased level of team cohesiveness, as defined by team characteristics and processes, leads to high level of knowledge sharing willingness. The elements of shared language, shared vision and shared norms have a significant effect on task relationships.

Studies show that individuals of similar characteristics that may make them a minority such as low education level or gender tend to share less information with their colleagues. Norms such as the use of social networks also influence task relationship practices. For instance, the involvement of individuals in online communities discussions may build ties and personal relationships that cultivate the spirit of sharing information.

Additionally, the need for individuals to enhance their social ties through continued participation also influences them to continue sharing knowledge. This supports studies that show the strong correlation between high emotional closeness and social cohesion to ease of knowledge sharing (Schepers & van den Berg, 2007).

Organizational setting

Variables such as altruism, which refers to the willingness of an individual to assist a colleague, or reputation, are highly influenced by the environment provided by the organization. If the organization creates a work environment that enhances interaction among employees such as the development of communication channels across departments, then such settings enhance knowledge sharing within organizations.

In addition, rewards and incentives enhance individual attitude towards sharing knowledge across cultures. Through organizational incentives such recognition, which enhance the reputation of individuals, and rewards such as promotion and bonus, organizations are able to develop a supportive atmosphere that facilitates task and employee relationships (Yang & Chen, 2007).

Conclusion

The knowledge management variables discussed above fall into four inter-related categories. The first section, individual learning, involves the development of knowledge on an individual level through experience.

The next section refers to socialization, which enhances the process of interactions and inter-change of ideas between individuals. The third section refers to externalization and combination, which allows the transformation of information from tacit to explicit, which is easy to transfer. The final section is the internalization and storage category, which is an attribute of organizational memory.

Organizational memory refers to the process by which past information is made relevant in a current situation, thereby, influencing the effectiveness of an individual in the organization setting (Wang & Noe, 2010). The diagram below shows the relationship impact between the variables of knowledge management systems with task relationship, based on their connection to the four categories mentioned above.

Figure 1: model of task relationship with other KMS variables

References

Bock, G. -W., Zmud, R. W., Kim, Y. -G., & Lee, J. -N. (2005). Behavioral intention formation in knowledge sharing: Examining the roles of extrinsic motivators, social-psychological forces, and organizational climate. MIS Quarterly, 29(1), 87111.

Chang, T. J., Yeh, S. P., & Yeh, I. J. (2007). The effects of joint reward system in new product development. International Journal of Manpower, 28(4), 276297.

Chiu, C. -M., Hsu, M. -H., & Wang, E. (2006). Understanding knowledge sharing in virtual communities: An integration of social capital and social cognitive theories. Decision Support Systems, 42(3), 18721888.

Collins, C. J., & Smith, K. G. (2006). Knowledge exchange and combination: The role of human resource practices in the performance of high-technology firms. Academy of Management Journal, 49(3), 544560.

Hwang, Y., & Kim, D. J. (2007). Understanding affective commitment, collectivist culture, and social influence in relation to knowledge sharing in technology mediated learning. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 50(3), 232248.

King, W. R., & Marks, P. V. (2008). Motivating knowledge sharing through a knowledge management system. Omega, 36(1), 131146.

Liao, L. (2006). A learning organization perspective on knowledge-sharing behavior and firm innovation. Human Systems Management, 25(4), 227.

Schepers, P., & van den Berg, P. (2007). Social factors of work-environment creativity. Journal of Business and Psychology, 21(3), 407428.

Wang, S., & Noe, R. A. (2010). Knowledge sharing: A review and directions for future research. Human Resource Management Review, 20, 115131.

Yang, C., & Chen, L. (2007). Can organizational knowledge capabilities affect knowledge sharing behavior. Journal of Information Science, 33(1), 95109.

Introduction

Bay Area is the region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in North California in the United States (Curtis 10). It is mostly urbanized and well known for high cost of living.

The Bay Area is well known for its rich cultural history and heritage. Majority of the population in the Bay Area consist of mainly the Native Americans consisting of distinct tribes and ethnic communities mostly of Asian Origin. The Native American community can be said to be the native people that were living in North America long before the Europeans came in that land, with their offspring (Curtis 34).

The Native Americans come in many groups, each varying in their traditions, religious beliefs as well as the communication comes in diverse language. The Native Americans mostly reside on western states (48%), south (29%), and the mid West (6%); this distribution reveals the outcomes of the historical pattern of settlement and relocation of the American Indians to the western and southern regions of the country (Curtis 67).

Factors that led to bay area diverse Native American community

The diversity of the Native American community in the Bay Area is due to many factors which are historic, political, economic and social (Margolin 20). The history and heritage of indigenous people who inhabited the American continent forms a significant part in the American and Native American history.

The Bay Areas Diverse Native American Community is due to the fact that the people who discovered the Bay Area were early Christian Indians presently known as the Ohlone, and Spanish explorers and missionaries (Margolin 24). The Indians primarily practiced hunting and gathering.

The availability of extensive land and its proximity to the ocean compelled them to begin farming as their way of life thus resulting to their permanent settlement in the Bay Area. The outcome of their agricultural endowment was that it facilitated their spread and diversification into many distinct cultural tribes (Margolin 34).

Another factor that led to the development of Bay Areas diverse Native American community is urbanization; the urbanization of the American Indians has been taking place for a long period of time, this has led to a large number of Indians moving into the Bay Area metropolitan regions.

Early urbanization of the Native American was as a result of the US pursuing a policy of domestic colonialism, this helped to transform them from rural farming to urban industrial farming which in turn accelerated their urbanization process. Urbanization helped to diversify the Bay Areas Native American community (Margolin 45).

The assimilation of the Native Americans in the late 18^th century contributed to their diversity. Assimilation was an effort by the US government aimed at transforming the Native American way of life to the European-American culture. This transformation enhanced civilization among the Native Americans which in turn facilitated their diversity in the US particularly in the Bay Area (Margolin 45).

They were integrated into the larger American community. This involved relocating the Indians from reserved area to more urbanized regions. The Bay Area was well known as a trade destination for many, and this offered an opportunity for the Native Americans to carry out business in the area.

Another reason for diversity of native community in the Bay Area was that the Bay Areas Indians continually maintained their cultures despite the persuasion by US government for Indians to abandon their culture; they formed social and political organizations through which they could express their rights. This resulted in the San Francisco Bay Areas Native American community as being one of the most organized American Indian communities in the United States (Margolin 57).

Objectives of activists during Alcatraz occupation in 1969

The relationship between America and Native Americans was not good during the first half of the 19^th century. This was after a series of failed policies by the US government, which resulted in Native Americans organizing a movement that protected the rights of the Indian people.

In 1969, Indians publicly protested against violation of their rights through occupation of the Alcatraz Island which was a federal land by then (Troy 30). The take over of Alcatraz Island was one of the most successful American Indian protests and activist movements of the 19^th century which facilitated the modern Native American activism

One of the key objectives of the Alcatraz occupation was to have the island under their ownership so that they could establish a study center for the Native Americans, an American Indian religious center and cultural center and a Museum which was to be based on Indian cultural value.

The building of the cultural centers was aimed at maintaining Indians cultural values, traditions, spirituality, and identity amidst calls by the US government to transform the Indian way of life to the predominant European-American culture (Troy 49). It also aimed at making sure that the Indians religious freedom was not impaired by the United States and ensuring that Indians cultural values remained observed.

Another objective of the occupation was to bring the Indians rights to the attention of United States government and to the public. They demanded fairness and justice towards the Indian population living in the United States because the laws by then oppressed the Native Americans, and were willing to fight for the course.

The activism was aimed at restoring of rights and civil liberties of the Native American community in the United States. It sought recognition of Indians rights and freedom. Restoring the pride of the Indians in the United States was amongst the activists objectives (Troy 56).

The occupation served the major purpose of turning attention of Indians towards a reversal of bad policies of the United States. It was a fight against the bad United States government policies that oppressed Indians.

Some of the bad policies that were being fought against by the activists included the termination policy which was aimed at eliminating all the rights and freedom of the American Indian tribes (Troy 68). The policy was also aimed at relocating thousands of Indian people to cities so as to make them loose touch with their Indian culture, which was very devastating to the natives.

Another objective of the occupation of Alcatraz Island was alerting the US government to honor treaty obligations; by providing education, housing, and health care and elimination of poverty (Troy 35). It was aimed at fighting for reviewing of treaties and treaty violations and they demanded that all Indians be governed by treaties that bounded them to the United States.

The activism was an effort aimed at restoration of Indians cultures, the Indian tribe sovereignty, and political treaty amongst the tribes. The organizers and activists also demanded Indians inclusion in the educational institution while retaining their Indian culture (Troy 36).

The occupation was more than just resettlement of the American Indians; it was a matter of human rights, it was more than just a political movement. The occupation was used to spotlight issues affecting the Native American community (Troy 38).

Impact of Alcatraz occupation

The occupation had an impact on the lives of Indians living in the United States, it served as the foundation for the restoration of Indian culture, identity, tradition, and spirituality (Stuart 26). Through the occupation the rights of the Indians were put into considerations. New policies were adopted that brought justice and fairness to the Indian community.

During 1970 to 1971 the US congress sitting passed 52 legislative proposals to support the policy of tribal self rule aimed at achieving Indians cultural survival as a distinct tribe and help protect the rights of Indians living in the United States. Funds for Indian health care were doubled and an office for Indian rights was established (Stuart 28). The occupation laid the foundation for the next stage in regaining the Indian sovereignty and self-determination.

Conclusion

Generally, underlying objective behind the Alcatraz island occupation was to awaken the American public to the suffering caused by the US governments failure to observe treaties and promises and the need for Indian self determination. Based on this, the occupiers were successful (Curtis 78).

Though the occupation was short term, it was successful for the American Indians eventually. Indians lost the official ownership for the island later; the Alcatraz occupation helped them to independent and gave them the hope for the future and facilitated later occupations up to date. In as much as the occupation appeared a success, it came with many challenges, the inhabitants of the island experienced hardship such as lack of water and electricity (Curtis 80).

Works Cited

Curtis, Edward. The North American Indian: Johnson Reprint Corporation. 2006. Print

Margolin, Malcolm.The Ohlone way: Indian life in the San Francisco-Monterey Bay Area: Book Services inc. Salt Lake City, 2003. Print

Stuart, James. Historical dictionary of the 1960s: green wood publishing group Inc. Westport, 1999. Print

Troy, Johnson. The Occtwation of Alcatraz Island: University of Illinois Press, 1996. Print