10 Best Interior Design Schools in the US

10 Best Interior Design Schools in the US SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips An education in interior design is getting more and more important for aspiring professionals in the field. In many states, you can’t call yourself an interior designer unless you have a license or a certain level of education. If you’re thinking about becoming an interior designer, you’ll want to know about the best interior design schools you can attend in the US. Whether you want to work on residential or commercial design, the following programs will prepare you well for your future career as an interior designer. But before we get to the rankings list, let's briefly go over what makes interior design programs unique. What's So Special About an Interior Design Program? Interior design schools teach a unique set of skills. These programs focus on the creative aspects of design, of course, but a good program also instills strong technical, business, and management skills in its students. If you attend a top interior design school, you'll learn the following: Client-facing skills, such as researching clients' goals and project requirements How to create 2D and 3D space plans How to select colors, materials, textures, and decor How to ensure space plans meet all public health, safety, and welfare requirements and codes How to prepare project budgets and schedules How to prepare construction documents How to collaborate with other professionals, such as architects and engineers How to oversee, manage, and supervise projects Some of these programs offer a Bachelor of Arts (BA), while others offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or even a Bachelor of Science (BS). I'll talk more about the difference between these degrees at the end of this article. How Are These Interior Design Schools Ranked? To come up with a reliable list of the top 10 interior design schools, I aggregated common ranking lists from interior design industry experts (including DesignSchoolsHub and Design Intelligence). These lists compiled the rankings by surveying design professionals and asking which schools best prepare students' for a career in interior design. Note that the following programs aren’t listed in any particular order. If a school is on this list, it’ll give you a top-notch interior design education, regardless of the order it appears in. That said, I did separate the schools into two tiers based on their aggregate rankings. Keep in mind, though, that the most important consideration in choosing one of these schools is finding the one that best fits your own preferences and interests. Now then, let's get to our rankings of the best colleges for interior design! Best Interior Design Schools: Tier 1 These are the top-rated interior design schools, the cream of the crop. They're likely to be the most competitive of all interior design programs, so be cautious when putting together your applications- you don't only want to apply to schools with very low admissions rates! If you want more information about admissions statistics and requirements for any of these schools, just click their names. New York School of Interior Design - New York, NY Degrees Offered: BFA Rankings: #5 by Design Intelligence, #4 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $350 enrollment fee plus $1060 per credit (16-17 credits per full-time semester) The New York School of Interior Design is the only school on this list that specializes solely in interior design education. It's also a top-ranked grad school for interior design, which indicates strong faculty, networking, and post-grad opportunities. Graduates of this institution have pretty great career prospects: 98% of students find jobs within six months of getting their degrees. If you aren't sure whether you want to commit to a full degree program, or if you don't yet feel prepared to apply to an interior design program, you can also enroll in one of the school's non-degree certificate programs to work on building up your portfolio. One of the best cities to be for any type of arts program. Parsons School of Design (The New School) - New York, NY Degrees Offered: BFA Rankings: #4 by Design Intelligence, #5 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $25,230 per full-time semester The Parsons School of Design (one of five colleges at The New School) boasts some well-developed networks in commerce and industry, so this school might be a particularly good option for those who wish to pursue commercial design. If you're not sure what you want to focus on, however, you can still find your niche here: Parsons offers more than 35 undergraduate and graduate programs (their grad programs are top-ranked as well). This institution states that they put a special focus on collaborative work, meaning you'd have the opportunity to complete group projects, perhaps even with students who belong to different degree programs. As interior designers have to work with many types of professionals to finish a job, this type of collaboration will be vital in helping prepare you for a career in design. Pratt Institute - New York, NY Degrees Offered: BFA Rankings: #2 by Design Intelligence, #2 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: Around $52,000 per year for full-time students If you're hoping to get a job directly after graduation, then you'll definitely want to check out the Pratt Institute. In 2015, 100% of graduates (who responded to the survey) found jobs within just seven months after graduation. Or if you'd rather continue your education with a grad degree, you'll be pleased to know that 100% of graduates in May 2014 who applied to grad school were accepted to at least one program. (Unfortunately, the school doesn't offer any data on the quality of programs students attended.) Like other schools on this list, the Pratt Institute boasts a top-rated graduate program for interior design. In this MFA program, you'll learn about topics such as sustainable practice, environmental quality, aesthetics, and changing technologies. Rhode Island School of Design - Providence, RI Degrees Offered: BFA Rankings: #3 by Design Intelligence, #3 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $51,800 per year for full-time students One of the most famous and well-ranked arts and design schools in the US, RISD is located in the city of Providence, which has one of the highest concentrations of artists in the country. The interior design major is known as "interior studies" or "interior architecture" at RISD. RISD is particularly well-known for teaching students with practical instruction and coursework. If you're interested in eventually going to grad school, you should know that RISD also has a highly ranked grad program for interior design, through which you can earn an MA degree. Savannah College of Art and Design - Savannah, GA Degrees Offered: BFA Rankings: #1 by Design Intelligence, #1 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $37,575 per year for full-time students SCAD is ranked highly across the board for all its art and design programs (not just interior design), ensuring you’ll have access to other artistic and creative resources on campus. While the main campus is located in Savannah, SCAD also has interior design programs in Atlanta and Hong Kong, as well as online. This array of program locations means that you will have more opportunities to land internships in metropolitan areas and even study abroad. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Architecture's not bad for a design school, right? Best Interior Design Schools: Tier 2 These schools are generally lower-ranked than Tier 1 schools, but they still offer pretty strong interior design programs and tend to show up toward the top of many ranking lists. Like with the Tier 1 schools, just click any school name to get more information about admissions statistics and requirements. Cornell University - Ithaca, NY Degrees Offered: BS Rankings: #7 by Design Intelligence, #8 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $37,880 per year for full-time in-state students; $56,550 per year for full-time out-of-state students Cornell is the only Ivy League school that offers an interior design program. This program has a special focus on the impact of design decisions on the environment. Drexel University - Philadelphia, PA Degrees Offered: BS Rankings: #14 by Design Intelligence, #10 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: Around $18,000 per full-time academic quarter Drexel's program in interior design combines the study of interior design with the study of art and art history. Students explore the behavioral aspects of interior design in addition to aesthetic aspects. Fashion Institute of Technology - New York, NY Degrees Offered: BFA Rankings: # by Design Intelligence, #7 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $3,435 per semester for full-time in-state students; $10,396 for full-time out-of-state students Although FIT is well known for its fashion design programs, it also boasts a strong interior design program. It's the largest program of its kind in NYC, with around 400 students. If you attend FIT, you'll have the opportunity to work with top professionals in the area, such as architects and interior/lighting/graphic designers. Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY Degrees Offered: BFA, BID (Bachelor of Industrial Design) Rankings: #22 by Design Intelligence, #9 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: $52,210 per year Syracuse offers a program called Environmental and Interior Design, which is a bit broader than most other programs on this list. At Syracuse, interior design students take studio courses in fine arts and crafts to supplement their main course of study. This program might be a good option for students who want to focus on design but also want parts of a more standard liberal arts experience. University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH Degrees Offered: BS Rankings: #6 by Design Intelligence, #6 by Design Schools Hub Tuition: Not yet set for 2019 onwards as of this article's publication; we'll update as it becomes available The interior design program at UC's School of Architecture and Interior Design emphasizes the physical, psychological, and social needs of people at work and at leisure. The program is five years long- slightly longer than the standard four-year bachelor's degree program- and requires one and a half years of cooperative education experience. Furthermore, about 70% of graduates get jobs within three months of graduating. Let's talk about how to choose the interior design program that's best for you. Picking the Right Interior Design Program for You: 5 Factors Although there isn't a gigantic variety of interior design program choices out there, you still have to sift through a lot of information to pick a school that's right for you. Hopefully, this last has got you started on the right track. That said, there are other things to keep in mind before committing to a particular interior design school. Here are five key factors to consider. #1: Make Sure the School Is Accredited by the CIDA First, you'll want to check that the interior design school you're interested in is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Any program that claims to prepare you for a career in interior design should be approved by this organization. All the schools on our list above are accredited by CIDA and state this fact very clearly on their websites. If you're not sure whether a particular school is accredited, contact its admissions office and ask. #2: Choose a School That Offers the Degree You Want Most interior design programs offer a BA or BFA, with some offering a BS. If you attend a BA program, you'll likely get more of a traditional liberal arts degree, meaning that the program strives to educate well-rounded artists and scholars. BS degrees, by contrast, are more strictly focused on their subject matter than BAs, so you'll take fewer general education courses. Finally, BFAs are professional degrees; you'll take some general education courses, but the main focus of the program will be helping you hone and focus your artistic talent and voice. #3: Decide Whether You Prefer a Flexible or Focused Program Some of the programs above offer plenty of room for students to explore their artistic and design interests, and boast dozens of degree options and specializations, whereas others are more focused and therefore might be better fits for students who already know what interests they want to pursue. Spend some time exploring the programs' websites to get a better feel for whether they're good fits for you. #4: Look for Portfolio Requirements You Can Meet As with any design or arts program, you'll have to submit a portfolio as part of the application process for any of the schools listed above. Some of these portfolio requirements might seem reasonable, while others might be tough to meet. Explore each program's portfolio requirements well ahead of any application deadlines. #5: Take Location Into Account Are there particular fields or specialties where you might have an advantage if you're living in a certain area? Also, think twice before applying to a school in an area you absolutely hate or are really unsure about. Once you consider these five factors, you'll be better able to choose an interior design program that's right for you. The better the fit, the more successful you're likely to be in school and your career! What's Next? Interested in design but don't know much about it? Start with our guide to the 7 principles of design. If you're planning on going to an interior design school, you'll likely need to create a portfolio of your best work. Learn more about how to make a great portfolio that will definitely impress your dream school. Once you're done putting together a list of schools to apply to, the next step should be figuring out how to pay for your education. Learn more about how to apply for financial aid, how to pay for school without loans, and how to get some of the top scholarships in the country. Thinking about going to an art school instead? Check out our guide to the best art schools in the US! Or, whet your appetite for art school with our short guide to contour line art. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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Job Satisfaction And Its Importance In The Workplace Education Essay

Job Satisfaction And Its Importance In The Workplace Education Essay Job satisfaction is increasingly becoming important in the workplace. Employers now recognise that the happier their employees are, the better will be their attitudes towards the work, the higher their motivation and the better will be their performance. Job satisfaction in any field of work depends a lot on how conducive the work environment is. The work itself, the pay and the scope for promotion are only some of the factors which have an impact on job satisfaction. Educators job satisfaction is important as it has a direct impact on students achievement and their future career (Pitkoff, 1993). An educator who is unsatisfied with his/her job tends to be unmotivated and more likely to escape from his/her responsibilities. In these circumstances, we tend to see an increase in absenteeism among teachers. Such educators usually show little concern in school matters and this obviously has a negative impact on the performance of our children. Various studies have been carried out in the past to assess the impact of motivation and job satisfaction on employee productivity and performance (Vroom, 1964). Some of these studies have found a positive relationship between job satisfaction and job performance which leads to the conclusion that satisfied employees tend to perform much better than less satisfied ones. 2.1 Definition of job satisfaction Job satisfaction is one of the most investigated topics in the fields of organizational behaviour. The most-used research definition of job satisfaction is by Locke (1976), who defined it as . . . a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job or job experiences (p. 1304). It is now recognized that job satisfaction is a global concept that also comprises various facets (Judge et al., 2001) including pay, promotions, co-workers, supervision, the work itself, recognition, working conditions, and company and management. Job satisfaction has also been defined as the extent to which a staff member has favourable or positive feelings about work or the work environment (De Nobile, 2003). It refers to the positive attitudes or emotional dispositions people may gain from work or through aspects of work (Furnham, 1997; Locke, 1976). Ivancevich et al. (1997) defined job satisfaction as the feeling and perception of a worker regarding his/her work and how he or she feels himself well in an organization. Davis and Newstrom (2003) and Dessler (2001) describe job satisfaction as a set of favorable or unfavorable feelings for the employees to perceive their work and that determine the possibility of a major disposition to achieve higher performance. Therefore, job satisfaction refers to an individuals general attitude toward his or her job (Robbins, 1998). Jensen (2000) defines job satisfaction as: a sense of personal growth most often measured by the extent of new challenges and learning situations experienced (p. 1). On the other hand, job dissatisfaction refers to unhappy or negative feelings about work or the work environment (Furnham, 1997). There exist many factors which may result in job dissatisfaction. Some of them are poor working conditions, overwork, low levels of pay, no scope of promotion or career advancement and lack of recognition. But what is worst are the consequences of job dissatisfaction which obviously affect both the employees and the organization. It may result in loss of motivation, lack of interest, frustration, poor productivity, absenteeism and even high turnover rates. To sum up, we can say that job satisfaction describes how content an individual with his or her job and also implies doing a job one enjoys, doing it well, and being suitably rewarded for ones efforts. Job satisfaction further implies enthusiasm and happiness with ones work. 2.2 Factors affecting job satisfaction Job satisfaction depends on several different factors such as satisfaction with pay, promotion opportunities, fringe benefits, job security, relationship with co-workers and supervisors and communication within the organisation. (Nguyen, Taylor, Bradley, 2003). Job satisfaction may lead to cost reduction by reducing absences, task errors, conflicts at work and turnover. As work is an important aspect of peoples lives and most people spend a large part of their working lives at work, understanding the factors involved in job satisfaction is crucial to improving employees performance and productivity. 2.2.1 Age Age is one of the factors affecting job satisfaction. Various studies carried out in this field have shown that job satisfaction tends to increase with age. That is older employees tend to report higher satisfaction and younger employees report the lowest job satisfaction rates (Warr, 1992). However, the study carried out by Oshagbemi (2003) in United Kingdom (UK), found that the relationship between job satisfaction and age was insignificant for employees of the UK universities. 2.2.2 Gender Several researchers have examined the relationship between job satisfaction and gender (Mason, 1995). However, most studies have shown contractions in the relationship between job satisfaction and gender of the employees. On one hand, some studies have found women to be more satisfied than men (Ward and Sloane, 1998), whereas other studies have found men to be more satisfied than women (Forgionne and Peters, 1982). 2.2.3 Working environment It is essential to provide employees with a work environment which is conducive to their overall development. They need an environment which is healthy and safe and which caters for both personal comfort and facilitates doing a good job. As mentioned earlier, people spend a high percentage of their lifetime at work. So we can say that employees expect more than money for the work they do. Hence, it can be said that having a friendly and supportive environment can lead to increased job satisfaction. Syptak, Marshland and Ulmer (1999) advise organisations to do everything they can to keep the companys equipment and facilities up to date. In their article, they also recommend organisations to avoid overcrowding and allow each employee his or her own personal space, whether it is a desk, a locker or even just a drawer (p. 1). 2.2.4 Fair policies and practices Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in a fair and just manner are likely to experience satisfaction from their jobs (Witt and Nye, 1992). Very often employees are demotivated and dissatisfied with their jobs because unfair policies and practices prevail at their place of work. It is therefore of utmost importance for organization to have a fair and equal system in terms of practices and policies so that there is no discrimination and frustration. It is a fact that organization which follows the right procedures to promote employees creates a culture of trust, loyalty and beliefs in the whole organization. When an employee gets fair promotion, which is generally based on his true assessment, he gets a type of recognition, and hence, increases his job satisfaction. In other words, we can say that promotion provides opportunities for personal growth, more responsibilities, and increased social status. 2.2.5 Caring organization Taylor (2000) suggested that job satisfaction is directly related to a companys investment in its employees well- being. Arthur (2001) pointed out that employees want to believe their company really cares about them. Care can be shown in various ways, but generally it takes into consideration career development, adult treatment, being taken seriously and being appreciated for a job well done. (p. 221). When people feel that the organization for which they are working cares for them and takes actions in order to improve their work and lives, they are happy and this creates higher satisfaction. These employees furthermore become loyal and committed. Advantages of job satisfaction to the organisation The Frederick Herzbergs theory and job satisfaction To better understand what keeps job satisfaction high, it is important to recall Frederick Herzbergs theory. The latter put forward that satisfaction on the job depends on two elements: hygiene issues and motivators. Hygiene issues (dissatisfiers) Motivators (satisfiers) Organisational policies Work itself Kind of supervision Achievement Salary Recognition Interpersonal relations Responsibility Working conditions Growth opportunities Job security According to the Herzbergs theory, Hygiene issues cannot motivate employees but they can help to minimize dissatisfaction, if handled properly (p. 1). These issues are directly related to the employees working environment. On the other hand, motivators create satisfaction by fulfilling individuals needs for meaning and personal growth (Syptak, Marshland and Ulmer, 1999). The above theory can be very helpful in guiding organizations on how to maintain employee satisfaction. Job satisfaction and productivity Studies have shown that, only a few organizations believe that job satisfaction is a crucial element in their overall strategy and very little is being done to promote it. This can be due to the fact that many organisations fail to understand the link between job satisfaction and productivity. Should we not care about job satisfaction? Is it true to say that happy workers are productive ones? In fact, in the right conditions and settings, job satisfaction can to a great degree lead to higher productivity. If employees feel that their jobs are fun and interesting, they will be more willing to give extra effort at work for the benefit of the whole organization. Instead if employees have the feeling that their occupations are meaningless and boring, they will have a negative attitude which will definitely lead to a decline in productivity. Job satisfaction helps to create a better working environment When employees are enjoying a higher degree of job satisfaction they tend to be more helpful and friendly with their colleagues at work. This helps to promote teamwork where sharing of information and knowledge is enhanced. Moreover studies have shown that job satisfaction among employees may lead to a better and safer working environment with lesser negative conflicts which otherwise would impede the smooth running of the organization. Job satisfaction and absenteeism and turnover High rate of turnover has always been a great problem to many organizations. It obviously results in loss of potentials and talents and causes huge losses in terms of additional costs. According to Sattler and Mullen, generally, the more productive people are, the more satisfied they tend to be and when employees feel satisfied they are less likely to leave the organization. (2007). From this, we can say that in order to retain talented people in the organisations, managers need to devise strategies in order to bring about job satisfaction. Once employees are happy and satisfied at work, the rate of absenteeism and turnover will be lower. Achievement and responsibility According to Herzberg theory, achievement and responsibility are two important motivational factors which can be used to create job satisfaction at work. Noe (2005) suggests that learning can be facilitated by providing employees with specific challenging goals and objectives (p.111). In this context, managers need to set clear and achievable goals to their employees. This will help to provide employees with a sense of achievement on completion of tasks and may bring about more satisfaction. Furthermore organisations need to empower and encourage their employees to take more responsibility. Such strategies do help to bring more satisfaction in employees and make them more loyal, committed and will have ownership interests in their jobs. Employee satisfaction can lead to customer satisfaction Numerous studies have been carried out to look at the link between customer and employee satisfaction. Many of them have shown a relationship between employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction and profitability. For example, a study carried out at Sears Roebuck Co. showed that a five-point improvement in employee attitudes led to a 1.3 rise in customer satisfaction which, in turn, generated a 0.5 increase in revenues. Brooks (2000) reviewed the relationship between financial success and customer and employee variables (e.g., customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, etc.) and found that, depending on market segment and industry, between 40 and 80 percent of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty was accounted for by the relationship between employee attitudes and customer-related variables. Similarly, Vilares and Cohelo (2000) found that perceived employee satisfaction, perceived employee loyalty, and perceived employee commitment had a sizable impact on perceived product quality and on perceived service quality. In other words, when our staff is happy, our customers will be too. At the heart of these endeavors is a strong belief that todays employee satisfaction, loyalty and commitment influence tomorrows customer satisfaction, loyalty and commitment-and, ultimately, the organizations profit and growth. Job satisfaction is a matter of great significance for employers. As shown above, organizations benefit a lot from satisfied employees in the following ways: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower staff turnover à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Higher productivity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduction in conflicts and complaints à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Punctuality (reduced lateness) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Better worked morale Therefore, we can say that job dissatisfaction affects both the organisation and the employees negatively. If job dissatisfaction prevails, the organisation is likely to be affected through poor customer service, quality production and profitability. It is a clear and obvious that employees lacking loyalty and commitment will show very little original thinking and will absent themselves very often from work. All these put together will clearly result in poor performance and low profitability for the organisation. Job satisfaction in the primary educational sector It is known to everyone that reward and recognition are very scarce when it comes to the primary educational sector. Numerous studies carried out by sociologists have confirmed this. Moreover, as most of the teachers work is being carried out within the walls of closed classrooms, teachers often find themselves isolated from others without any support from peers and superiors. Due to such organisational structure, teachers do not receive appropriate feedback from others and often find it hard to work together so as to improve their work. According to Frase, 1992, many teachers leave teaching within the first three years of employment as a result of these conditions. Decision makers therefore need to find ways to retain teachers in the profession and keep them motivated and at the same time promote satisfaction. Studies have shown fairly convincingly that teachers are motivated more by intrinsic than by extrinsic rewards. Pastor and Erlandson (1982) Carried out a survey which found that teachers identify their needs and measure their job satisfaction by factors such as participation in decision-making, use of valued skills, freedom and independence, challenge, expression of creativity, and opportunity for learning. In a survey conducted by Brodinsky and Neill (1983), a majority of school administrators (and teachers) cited three policies that effectively improved morale and motivated their staffs: shared governance, in-service education, and systematic and supportive evaluation. New Theories of Teacher Motivation Frase, 1992 identified two sets of factors that affect teachers ability to perform effectively and therefore derive job satisfaction. These two factors are 1. Work context factors 2. Work content factors. Work Context Factors Work context factors are those which meet the basic needs such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the class size à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ discipline conditions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ availability of teaching materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the quality of the head masters supervision and his/her leadership style According to Frase, 1992, the above context factors do not bring job satisfaction as such. However, during their absences or if not well handled, problems which might affect the teaching and learning process might crop. They may thus lead to job dissatisfaction. Work Content Factors According to Frase, once again, work content factors are intrinsic aspects related to the work itself. They include opportunities for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ professional development such as further on job training leading to personal growth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recognition of hard work à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ challenging and varied tasks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ increased responsibility and empowerment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ achievement and authority. Studies carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics in the United States (1997) have clearly shown that teachers who do not feel supported in the above fields are less motivated to do their best work in the classroom. Their data confirm that staff recognition, parental support, teacher participation in school decision making and control in the classroom are the factors most strongly associated with teacher satisfaction. Difficulties educators face in the classroom As an educator, it can bring much satisfaction to see students develop new skills and competences and achieve success in terms of knowledge. However, it may be frustrating when one is dealing with unmotivated or disrespectful students. Very often, teachers must cope with unruly behaviour and violence in the schools. Teachers may experience stress in dealing with large classes, heavy workloads, or old schools that are run down and lack many modern facilities. Accountability standards also may increase stress levels, with teachers expected to produce students who are able to exhibit satisfactory performance on standardised tests in core subjects. Many teachers are also frustrated by the lack of control they have over what they are required to teach. Working Conditions It takes a decent work environment to teach well. Art 8 or the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation states that, we must improve the working conditions and school environment so as to best promote effective learning and teaching, and enable teachers to concentrate on their professional tasks. Workload has to be fair to be able to carry or tasks effectively and must not have a negative impact on the health and safety of teachers. Also, the authorities must devote equal teaching resources to all educational institutions. School climate The values, attitudes, expectations and behaviour more or less shared by the members of a school community are generally referred to as school climate. A positive school climate plays an important role in fostering teachers performance, academic achievement of students and school motivation. A positive school climate nurtures an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect between each and everyone in the school. Teachers would like to work in schools where they can feel comfortable with their colleagues and the school leadership. Therefore, creating a healthy school environment for everyone begins by supporting healthy relationships among the staff. Healthy relationships produce a climate conducive to honesty, open communication, and risk-taking (Ames Miller, 1994). In a true learning community, cooperative learning and mutual respect are expected of faculty as well as students. Establishing a supportive school environment increases self-esteem and achievement (Cantwell, 2003). Leadership Teachers are more satisfied when their head teachers are good and model leaders. This includes motivating employees to do a good job and striving for excellence. Effective head teachers create structures in which it is clear that teachers have a certain authority. In certain schools some head teachers empower their teachers to work on certain tasks like creating a media and audio visual room, or creating other structures for the benefit and welfare of students as well as for staff members. Such kind of empowerment and trust in employees yield commitment, loyalty and higher performance at the place of work. Such leaders motivate subordinates to do more than originally expected. They raise the consciousness of subordinates about the importance and value of designated outcomes and ways of reaching them and, in turn, get subordinates to transcend their own immediate self-interests for the sake of the mission and vision of the organization. (Yammarino, Spangler and Bass,1993). Teachers performance Educators job is one which does not produce tangible goods whose quality could be measured quantitatively. Their jobs consist of preparing pupils of 5-11 years old academically and help them in their overall development. As a matter of fact, it is difficult to measure their performance. A few years back, with ranking system at the CPE level, inspectors and school head teachers used to assess the performance of their staff by analyzing the performance of students in the final exam. However, this is not an ideal way of measuring performance as there are other factors apart from the CPE pass rate which are linked to the teachers performance. Training After completion of a two year diploma course at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), the educator is posted in a given school and is assigned the responsibility of a class. The MIE together with the Ministry of Education offer supplementary courses so as to upgrade the standards of educators and at the same time keep them abreast changes occurring in terms of methodology, contents and curriculum. Some of these courses are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Certificate in Educational Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Diploma in Educational Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Advanced Certificate in Educational Management After the completion of these courses, educators are eligible for a rise in their salary and furthermore are eligible to postulate for jobs like Deputy Head Teacher and Head Teacher. It is a fact that the more positive the perceptions employees have concerning the usefulness and scope of advancement the training sessions will provide to them, the higher will their job satisfaction. Promotional prospects Promotion in the primary sector is based on seniority. It is only after about twenty five years of service that a teacher will be automatically promoted to Deputy Head Teacher. From there, the latter will have to wait for some five more years to aspire to become the head of a school. As a matter of fact, the promotional scope is rather restricted and this is a real demotivating factor to many educators in the field.

Court History and Purpose Paper Essay

The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is the largest single unified court in the United States. This court serves over 40 courthouses and operates about 600 courtrooms and staffs approximately 5,400 employees. The Municipal court is devoted to resolving and recording legal matters while upholding values of Integrity, Accessibility, and fairness. Growing up in Los Angeles has always fascinated me with how the court system processes so many criminals in the amount of time they have, with the amount of employees they staff. How do they do it (Hansen, 1998)? The traffic court handles cases that start off with citations or tickets written by a law enforcement officer. Parking tickets are not process at traffic division courts, only by local city or Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases are handled in criminal court division. When cases the State has filed against one or more persons involved in criminal offenses such as, infractions, felonies, and misdemeanors the criminal court handles these cases. Criminal division also handles warrants, fugitive warrants and extradition proceedings, and grand jury indictments. The policy makers of the U.S. Constitution requested that the federal government have limited power, to regulate the kind of cases federal courts would have. Most of the laws that are passed are decided by usually the state which allows the state court to handle most disputes that govern our lives on day to day bases. The federal courts defend our freedom of speech and our equal protection under the law. Federalism is the significant idea of a government dividing the power amongst a national government and a state or regional government. State courts primarily handle all cases that the federal court will not take. When federal courts portray federal laws, state court interprets a state law which is called â€Å"General Jurisdiction†. The federal court system only hears  special cases under certain circumstances. Basically, the federal court hear two types of cases; those that raise a â€Å"federal question† and those that involving â€Å"diversity of citizenship† (Gray, Ritter & Graham, 2012). A common law legal system is a system of law identified by case law which is developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals. Common law systems also include images enacted by legislative frame. In comparison to common law systems, civil law systems are created on a set of legal codes, which are organized laws that pursue to cover exhaustively the various legal domains. It is characterized by an absence of precedent in the judicial application of these codes. Common law courts have had the authority to make law where no legislative statute exists, and statutes mean what courts interpret them to mean. By contrast, in the civil law jurisdictions the legal tradition that prevails or is combined with common law is statured. The criminal justice system is made up of sets of agencies and processes that are established by governments to control crime and impose penalties on those who violate the law. The criminal justice system operates differently depending on the jurisdiction it is in charge of, whether it be city, county, state, federal or tribal government or military installation. Different jurisdictions have various laws, agencies, and ways of managing the criminal justice process. The justice system is the mechanism that upholds the rule of the law. The courts provide a forum to resolve disputes and to test and enforce laws in a fair and rational manner. The courts are an impartial forum, and judges are free to apply the law without regard to the government’s wishes or the weight of the public’s opinion. Court decisions are based on what the law says and what the evidence proves. There is no place in the courts for suspicion, bias or favoritism. This is why justice is often symbolized as a blindfolded figure balancing a set of scales, oblivious to anything that could detract from the pursuit of an outcome that is just and fair. Though a number of rights derived from the Constitution protect the accused from abuses and overreaching from law enforcement officers, the arguably most important of these rights are the Miranda advisement and the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_County_Superior_Court http://judiciallearningcenter.org/state-courts-vs-federal-courts

How will you measure your life? Essay

1. How can I be sure that I’ll be happy in my career? Some people assert that money is the most powerful motivator in their lives, and the more money they earn, the more happiness they will have. However, from my personal perspective, I believe that getting more opportunity to learn what I am not familiar with, taking responsible for my behavior, contributing to others in need in the society, and trying my best to achieve my goals in my career are the most happiest things in my professional career life. In addition, from my point of view, management is the most effective way to get these points, if management practice well. The author states that â€Å" No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team.† So, it is important for me to learn well about management. This occupation of management also help the managers improve their skills. Learning from the process of doing business , what I have learned, is able to mak e my career more successful. For me, it is the reason to enable that I will be happy in my career. 2. How can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring sourceof happiness? In the business relationship, people invest to a program probably get reward immediately, but contributing to a family is not the same case of investment. For example, family may bring me what I need of happiness is a long-term process. In my case, the reason I try my best to work hard is to give my family members better lives and it is an indispensable goal of my life. In addition, I believe most individuals take the same responsibilities to hold a family. With the personal development, some people change their focus from families to their work. Consequently, they might forget the original purpose., so people should balance their work and family because of everyone’s limited resource, if not, people might make their lives to the different places what they previous intended to. Paying attention to what my family members need and how they feel about in this period is the most important thing for me.

Domestic Child Abuse Essay Example

Domestic Child Abuse Essay Example Domestic Child Abuse Paper Domestic Child Abuse Paper â€Å"Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. † These are the words of Saisan, Smith and Segal (par 1). in their article on Child Abuse and Neglect. Children have been abused at home by their parents, older siblings as well as those who take care of them. Perhaps they are punished because their misbehaviors but any punishment that goes beyond the boundaries is child abuse. Physical abuse is shocking because of the scars left behind but emotional abuse can even be worse. Little is known that ignoring the needs of a child or making a child feel stupid and worthless is child abuse (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 1-2). Why would parents assault their children? What are the dangers of after a child abuse? Is there any cure to end domestic violence? This research paper aims at exploring the causes, effects and solutions to domestic child abuse. Facts about Domestic Child Abuse Child domestic violence is a reality and it is happening at an alarming rate. It is however not committed out of an abnormal condition of the mind but it is committed by people who would be considered as normal. Child domestic abuse occurs everywhere in the world irrespective of a people’s culture, race, social class, religion or creed. Newman adds that â€Å"It is not an abnormal aberration; it is a fundamental characteristic of the way we relate to one another in private, intimate setting† (Newman 212). A survey carried out by Dr. C. H. Kempe in the early years of 1960’s, brought the society to the attention of domestic child abuse. Parents, siblings and caretakers did not only assault the children at home physically but also sexually. They did this more than the strangers did according to the surveys that Dr. Kempe made. He and his fellow colleagues referred to domestic child abuse as ‘battered child syndrome’ (Davis 3). Domestic child abuse is something that has been learnt. United States in particular is famously known for applying violence to achieve a goal. To the psychology of many people, it is only through violence that certain problems can be solved. Violence has pervaded culture. It starts from movies running down to schools, spectator sports, governments and at home. Families increase the intensity of the violence that already exists (Newman 212). Types of Child Abuse Though there may be different types of domestic child abuse, the core element is their effect on a child’s emotions. Whether the child was abused by slapping, a comment that is harsh, stony silence, or going without dinner, they all breed a feeling of insecurity, not being cared for and loneliness (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 13). Physical Abuse Physical injury or harm can result from a deliberate attempt by the parent or the care giver to hurt a child. It can also be as a result of instilling discipline in a child. Severe beating given as punishment that is not in accordance to the age of a child is physical child abuse. Additionally, when a parent physically attacks a child out of anger, he or she is abusive. A child should be made to know what is right or wrong in a calm way and not when the parents fumes with anger (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 18-20). This is the most common type of child abuse. According to reports 143, 300 children had suffered serious injuries out of physical abuse in US in the year 1990 (Carter, par 23). Emotional Abuse The old adage â€Å"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me? (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 14). As quoted by Saisan, Smith Segal in their article on Child Abuse and Neglect this saying will not apply when it comes to domestic child abuse. Emotional child abuse such as humiliating a child constantly, calling negative names, constant yelling and threatening the child, limited or no contact with the child such as hugging causes severe mental damage to a child leaving psychological scars that will for ever remain (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 15). Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is not always a body contact. Even exposing a child to a sexual materials and situations is abusive. Both girls and boys are at risk of sexual abuse from close relatives and caregivers. This abuse leads to shame, guilt and makes a child feel stigmatized. They develop a hate towards themselves leading to sexual problems at later days such as failure to indulge into intimate sexual relationships (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 21-23). Child Neglect Failing to meet the basic needs of a child such as enough food, clothing and even supervision can be dangerous. A parent might physically or mentally fail to provide for the child and this will hurt their parent-child relationship. The older children in case of neglect will play-act as if all is well but neglect also affects them (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 16-17). Causes of Domestic Child Abuse Personal factors like stress and frustration are the major causes of domestic violence on children. The children spend most of their time with the members of his/her family. They are the people that children interact most with. Emotions in families run deep. For instance, anger towards a stranger cannot be compared to the anger towards a child at home. Newman in his book points out that â€Å"Family life contains endless sources of stress and tension† (Newman 212). Children expect so much from their families ranging from warmth, intimacy, emotional to financial support. When the children’s expectations are not met, stress takes toll. The child will start grappling and this can lead to their attack by parents or even elder members of the family. On the other hand birth and bringing up a child, employment transitions, financial problems, illnesses, among other factors are enough stressors to parents such that when slightly provoked by their children can lead to beatings and other forms of child abuse (Newman 212). When a parent or a caregiver is frustrated by life’s stressors, he or she may displace his anger to the vulnerable creature in the house. In the process, children are injured not because they have committed any crime but the parent’s failure to control their emotions (Williams, par 1). Addictions to alcohol and other drugs make great contributions to child domestic violence. Addiction to Alcohol leaves one with less self control not only when one is drunk but also when he/she is sober. The poor self control make one abusive to his/her children or the children that are put under the care if him/her. This is the leading cause for sexual child abuse at home (Williams, par 1). Domestic violence between parents leads to child abuse. When a child witnesses his/her parents in a tug of war, he is emotionally affected. It may become implanted in a child and may lead to youth and adult violence as well as other criminalities (Carter, par 4). More so, children can be physically injured in the process. The injury may be accidental during their parents’ attacking each other. For instance when an object is thrown and hits the child. Small babies may be hurt while it is being held. Children also are attacked while trying to make interventions to the fighting parents. Dangerously, a child can also be hurt intentionally in an effort of one parent trying to intimidate the other. Whether emotionally of physically, accidentally or intentionally, domestic fights between partners is one of the leading causes of domestic child abuse (Carter, par 6). Gang affiliation especially for children who are at their teens is also a cause to domestic abuse. The teens are bound to give away their family loyalty to their gangs. They for this move disrespect their older siblings and more importantly their parents. This can lead to attack by the family members even when they mean no harm for the child. The teens who now feel above the family law are constantly reported of attacking their parents and elder siblings (Williams, par 1). Symptoms of a Domestically Abused Child Children who are domestically abused are normally angry and aggressive after a slight provocation. More so, they are withdrawn and keep to themselves without indulging in any social activity. They are never cheerful and always wear a dull face. Other signs of domestically abused children include fear, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and low self esteem (Jones . 41). Effects of Abuse Domestic child abuse leave life long scars irrespective of the abuse type. The scars might physically be seen and will heal away but emotional scars have effects that are long lasting. The emotional damage caused by domestic abuse is the most severe and affects a child in almost all aspects. Children who are emotionally abused find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships, cannot function properly at home and at school among other damages (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 8). Physical abuse can lead to severe injuries or death. Children get bruised faces, broken legs and hands among other injuries. (Carter, par 5). Some children cannot endure the torture and they die in the process. â€Å"More than three children die per day because of child abuse† (Carter, par 22). Carter laments in an article on, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Youth Violence: Strategies for Prevention and Early Intervention (Carter, par 22). Following a research carried out between the years 1990 to 1994, about 5,400 children had died as a result of domestic child abuse (Carter, par 5). As Newman in his book Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of everyday life â€Å"Child abuse can sometimes be fatal† (Newman 212). According to a study carried out in the year 2004, approximately 1, 5000 children faced death as a result of abuse and neglect. Further studies revealed that of the deaths, 90% of the children had been killed by parents, a parent’s unmarried partner or close relatives. Most of the children, about 80%, who succumbed to death, were less than four years of age (Newman, 212). The children lack trust with their parents. Saisan, Smith Segal in their article on Child Abuse And Neglect ask a very sensitive question, â€Å"If you can’t trust your parents, who can you trust? † (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 8). When the primary caregivers have damaged their relationship with a child, the child lacks trust in them. They feel that their emotional needs as well as physical needs cannot be met by people responsible for taking care of them. When a child grows up with this mistrust, it is difficult in future to trust other people. The children will have problems in keeping relationships for fear of abuse and control. More so the child had never known what it means to have a good relationship and may end up in unhealthy relationships (Saisan, Smith Segal, par 10). Neglect and abuse of the child at home can break the attachment of the child from the caregiver or a parent who is abusive. The relationship between the parent and the child can easily be lost if the child constantly faces domestic violence. It can be so dangerous when the relationship is broken as the child can even deteriorate in behavior with an effort of hurting its parent. The child lacks respect for its parents (Jones 41). Domestic child abuse leads to a low self esteem. Due to constant abuses at home, the child feels worthless. It sees itself as a bad child who cannot do the right thing. For instance, when one grows in a family where he/she is always regarded as stupid, this is cultivated in the mind of the individual and it is very hard to change these feelings even as an adult. They will therefore end up doing poorly in school because they believe they are stupid. Even in working conditions an individual will not aspire for high level jobs because they believe they cannot deliver (Saisan, Smith Segal, par. 11). Very Young children cannot understand why they are being abused and tend to believe they must have committed a crime while it may not be the cause. They therefore start blaming themselves. Since they lack the ability to express their feelings, they become withdrawn and silent. Their self esteem is destroyed in the process (Volpe, par. 13). A pre-adolescent child can greatly externalize the negative emotions and will loose interest in any social activity. They become defiant at home and in school aggressive to other people especially in school and worse still, they are likely to indulge into drug and substance abuse (Volpe, par. 14-15). Children who have been victims of domestic abuse have difficulty in expressing their emotions. Their emotions come out in ways that are unexpected. In the adult life, the person will always have struggles with anxiety, anger, depression that cannot be explained. These painful feelings may lead them into alcohol and drug abuse in a way of numbing them (Saisan, Smith Segal, par. 12). Children who are assaulted in their families can loose concentration in class leading to poor performance. They can at times drop out of school as they have lacked meaning in life. Due to physical injuries, they are constantly absent from school to nurse their injuries. This negatively affects their studies (Jones 41). Generally, children who experience victimization at home are negatively affected in development, psychological functioning as well as in their adjustment. The effects are demonstrated in the behavioral and emotional symptoms. However, a child can be affected in the way he/she perceives events, coping with stress as well as reacting to problems. These and many more problems result fro domestic child abuse (Jones 41). Solutions to Domestic Child Abuse It is possible to curb domestic child abuse. According to the many researches that have been carried out, giving children adequate material, emotional and social support as well as giving them safety can end domestic abuse (Spears 6). Parents can stop from being abusive to their children and in turn cultivate love towards their children. Kids want to feel loved and special. By so doing, they are capable of making their dreams come true (Prevent Child Abuse, par 1). Parents should stop fighting between themselves. Their fights hurt children in one way of the other. The emotional injury that is done to a child during domestic violence between partners is life-long. If at all these injuries have to be stopped, parents should learn to solve their problems in other ways apart from fighting. They should even do it in their privacy out of the reach of children. In so doing most of domestic child abuse will have found a solution (Carter, par 6). Parents need to know how to control their emotions. As a parent or a caregiver who is faced by life challenges such as frustrations and tress from the work place, it is important to take some time out controlling your emotions and not reflecting it to the children (Prevent Child Abuse, par 3). Relatives, friends and neighbors can help their families who are struggling with domestic child abuse. They can spend their time together with the family helping them resolve their conflicts or look after the children for sometime to help parents relax and sort themselves out (Prevent Child Abuse, par 2). The public needs education to change their social norms that expose children to abuse at home. Educational campaigns on domestic child abuse will play a great role in informing parents and caretakers about the effects that result fro child abuse. They will hopingly apply what they have learnt and stop domestic child abuse (Carter, par 27) Finally, the community at large has a role to play to stop domestic child abuse. In case there is a feeling that a child is being domestically abuse, it is important to report the matter to the relevant authorities such as the local children’s department, family services or the local police. Children are vulnerable and cannot report their problems to others. Further more most of them are warned against spilling family private information to the outside world. Some of them do not know that they are being abused. The community therefore has to take initiative to help them out of domestic abuse (Prevent Child Abuse, par 10). Conclusion Domestic child abuse just like any other problem has its roots, adverse effects and can be solved once and for all. Children are constantly physically, psychologically, sexually abused and neglected by their parents or caretakers all around the world. Many are the root causes of these assorts ranging from frustrations, drug abuse to domestic violence to name but a few. The effects of any kind of domestic child abuse are far reaching; the child is affected emotionally. The future life of a child is destroyed at a very tender age though many people do not know this. There is therefore an urgent call to curb domestic child abuse especially by parents. When children feel secure, special and loved, they can sore to great heights to realize their dreams. Work Cited Carter, Janet. Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Youth Violence: Strategies For Prevention and Early Intervention. Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2004. Web. 8 July 2010 mincava. umn. edu/link/documents/fvpf2/fvpf2. shtml. Davis, Richard. Domestic Violence: Intervention, Prevention, Policies, and Solutions. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2008 Jones, David. Communicating With Vulnerable Children: A Guide for Practitioners. London: Bell Bain Limited, 2003 Newman, David. Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life. California: Pine Forge Press, 2008 Prevent Child Abuse. Ten Ways Parents Can Help Prevent Child Abuse. Prevent Child Abuse. Web. 9 July 2010 preventchildabuseutah. org/tenwaystopreventchildabuse. html. Saisan Joanna, Smith Melinda Segal Jeanne. Child Abuse and Neglect. HelpGuide. org. nd 2010. Web 8 July 2010 http://helpguide. org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect. htm. Spears, Linda. Building Bridges between Domestic Violence Organizations and Child Protective Services. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Feb. 2000. Web. 8 July 2010 cwla. org/programs/domestic/domesticviolence. pdf Williams, Glen. Domestic Violence Facts. Hope. org. Web. 8 July 2010 way2hope. org/domestic_violence_facts-2. htm. Volpe, Joseph. Effects Of Domestic Violence On Children And Adolescents: An Overview. The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. 2006. Web. 8 July 2010 aaets. org/article8. htm.

Infosys and Corporate Social Responsibility in India Essays

Infosys and Corporate Social Responsibility in India Essays Infosys and Corporate Social Responsibility in India Essay Infosys and Corporate Social Responsibility in India Essay Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined as a businesss policy to encourage positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities and all other member of the public who may be considered its stakeholders. [8] Analysis The Infosys Foundation The Infosys Foundation was established in the year 1996 with the goal of serving the under-privileged sections of the society The focus areas of the foundation are: Learning and education in 2007, the foundation embarked on the Library for Every Rural School program to get people to donate books in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and Kerala. It has since set up 35,000 school libraries, the largest rural education program in India. Healthcare Since its inception in 1996, the foundation has constructed hospital wards, donated medicines and advanced medical equipment to hospitals, and organized health camps in remote areas, all in order to get the under-privileged access to modern medical practices. Arts Culture The Infosys Foundation sustains and preserves several art forms that are unique to our country and form a part of our heritage. Over the years it has sponsored art and music shows by rural artists, sponsored documentaries on Indian culture and published books that delineate the roots of art in Karnataka. Social Rehabilitation and Rural Uplift The foundation works for the welfare of destitute women and children and also helps towards developing rural India by providing education and vocational skills. It has built orphanages where education is prioritized and organized training centres for destitute women in and around Karnataka. Assessment There are a number of observations to be made from the above. Firstly, Infosys is seen to be engaged in various, unconnected welfare activities. Though laudable, this may not be the best policy to adopt towards CSR because many of these have little or no relevance to its core business ability. Thus, there is a chance that it may drop them in the future if aspects of the activities start to clash with their normal business working. This will damage the entire premise of sustainability that the company promotes about its CSR. The extremely local nature of these activities (most are based in and around Karnataka) show that Infosys is perhaps trying to build a good relationship at home where it wants to address as many problems as possible. However, scaling up of these activities will be the real test of its CSR practices because being a global company it cannot afford to limit its welfare activities to only one region. This may raise questions about their sincerity as their efforts may be construed as simply trying to appease the authorities at home and maybe get benefits over its competition. In the next section we will see that in matters in which it has expertise, Infosys has already expanded its activities to the global level. Sustainable Social Change Infosys makes the proud claim of influencing sustainable social change through its varied development initiatives. [1] The following are some of these initiatives: Education and Intellectual Capability It is no secret that India is engineering-mad with Indian Engineering Institutions churning out over 500,000 science and engineering graduates every year. However, even as rival IT companies and a host of other recruiters vie with Infosys over the recruitment of the fresh, inexpensive engineering talent, there is little that these corporates have done to aid in the recognition and reward of top Indian research. This is a matter of pressing concern because not only does this hamper the intellectual capital of our country in relation to competition from overseas (Even China has more PhDs per capita than India) but it promotes a lack of systematic learning that ultimately results in making a lot of these graduates unfit for immediate industrial employment. It is here that Infosys has once again differentiated itself from the competition by undertaking ventures that promote science and engineering education as more than simply a means of landing a job. The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) was set up with the goal of achieving the above. It was set up by some of the companys founder members in February 2009 with the aim to elevate the prestige of scientific research in India and inspire young Indians to choose a vocation in scientific research. The ISF honours outstanding contributions and achievements by Indians in various streams of science with the Infosys Prize in five categories: mathematical sciences, physical sciences, engineering and computer sciences, life sciences and social sciences. The award is given to Indian scientists below the age of 50. The Foundation is funded by an amount of Rs. 215,000,000 contributed by the members of the Infosys Board and an annual grant from Infosys Tech. Ltd. The annual award in each category amounts to Rs. 5,000,000. The importance of this award is highlighted by the names of its past winners and their achievements, for e.g. last year the award for Life Sciences went to Dr. Chetan Chitnis for having discovered the first viable malaria vaccine and the award for Engineering Sciences went to Prof. Ashutosh Sharma for his applications in energy storage. Along similar lines is the ACM Infosys Foundation Award in Computer Sciences, established in August 2007 and carrying a cash award of USD 150,000 provided by the Infosys Foundation Endowment. It aims to reward educators and researchers whose work in software systems foster innovations that address existing challenges in the domain. Assessment Unlike a number of Indian companies whose education related welfare activities focus primarily on issues of primary/basic education, Infosys initiatives are unique in that they are associated exclusively with the domain of higher technical education, a segment in which it is arguably the most respected company in the country. This allows it to create perfect synergy between its everyday business activities and its investments in the above initiatives because unlike a lot of other companies who get into CSR without doing their homework and as a result get accused of doing it for ulterior motives, Infosys engagement with the field of technical education is a natural extension of its business practices. Its approach in this direction must also be lauded. While Narayana Murty has been accused in the past of favouring foreign universities when it came to giving grants, his decision of having Infosys establish the above awards is a godsend for the research establishment in India because though grants may be siphoned off by agencies without the threat of accountability, awarding individuals for their excellence is more effective as it provides a greater encouragement for others to follow in their shoes. But Infosys has not completely ignored the primary and secondary education sectors either. It has just approached it in a different way and yet received accolades all the same. A case in point is the Akshaya Patra Foundation, which was founded in 2000 and has three senior Infosys members apart from numerous Infosys volunteers who work towards providing free midday meals to schoolchildren. The foundations functions in partnership with state and central governments and currently serves over 1.3 million students in 7699 schools across India. Its impact is easy to assess from third party recognitions: it was awarded an International Fellowship by the US Congressional Hunger Centre, it received the 2008 CNBC India Business Leader of the Year Award and it even made it to the MBA curriculum as a case study at the Harvard School of Business in 2007. Similarly, Infosys BPOs work on Project Genesis, under which it works to improve the written and spoken communication capabilities in addition to the analytical skills of students in Tier 2 and 3 towns of the country so that they become employable, was awarded as the best CSR initiative at the 8th National Outsourcing Association (NOA) Awards 2011, in London. It was especially lauded for making sure that no expense was incurred by the participating academicians in the program. Community Development Unlike the education schemes already mentioned, community development initiatives do not at first seem the best fit with the companys existing activities. However, Infosys has done its share of work in this domain too and while most of it has been in the vicinity of its offices, there are projects like the Flood Relief Project for the victims of northern Karnataka in which the company has participated quite actively. Only last year the first phase of their initiative to construct 2250 houses across 18 villages was completed and subsequently these houses were handed over to the villagers. Assessment This aspect of Infosys CSR efforts can also be criticized for not matching with the core business abilities of the organization. The question to be asked is whether Infosys could have done a better job as simply a service consultant (a domain in which it already has expertise) to a third-party organization and have the latter handle the actual on-ground developmental work. Also, nearly all of Infosys developmental work has come in the neighbourhood of Karnataka. The scalability of this work can be called into question much like in the case of the Infosys Foundation. Regionalized developmental work can always raise questions about its sincerity, i.e. whether they are simply means to appease the local public/authorities. Infosys Eco Group Plans and Implementation Infosys has been considering the worsening impact of businesses on the environment for several years and has understood the importance of a clean environment and energy efficient solutions. It has hence committed itself to come up with innovations which positively impact the environment and can lead to large energy savings. Many of these have been implemented at Infosys itself. Under this initiative of Green Innovation, Infosys has not only come with a number of ideas but has also implemented some of them in tangible forms: iSustain: Carbon energy and resource management tool that helps the user to generate and monitor the use of various resources such as energy and water etc. being used, take majors to allot them efficiently and also monitor the carbon footprint. InGreen Energy Management: A tool used by Infosys to monitor the energy consumption at micro level and to take majors to cut on unnecessary usage. Using this, Infosys has been successfully reducing its carbon emission at a rate of more than 5% per annum. InGreen Personal Carbon Calculator: A tool that helps the user organizations to assess their impact on ecological systems in terms of carbon emission. Smart Integrator for Smart Grid: A device that continuously monitors the power usage of various devices in the range using a sensor and controls them accordingly. Infosys also plans to become carbon neutral and shift to entirely renewable energy by 2017. The steps taken for the same seem to be promising which include building of renewable energy power generation plants (recently they have built a solar energy plant at Jaipur Campus) and aiming for a platinum rating, the highest rating given by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for environment friendly architecture. In January 2012, the third building at the Mysore Campus achieved this rating. Besides these, Infosys has been taking small but effective measures to reduce its own energy consumption, such as building designs with maximum exposure to natural light, design of windows which could lead to reduction in room temperature thus saving on air conditioning consumption of energy, increasing use of green power and use of recycled water. (Refer Exhibit 1) Assessment In year 2011, Infosys has saved more than 4 lakh units of conventional energy units through the use of the renewable energy sources. Not only has this helped in energy conservation but it has also resulted in savings of Rs. 20 Crore for the organization. In a similar way, innovative ideas such as smart integrator, rooms having maximum exposure to day light, optimum room temperature maintenance measures and use of LED and CFL tubes in place of conventional ones saved more than 7 lakh units of electricity, accounting for monetary benefit of Rs. 35 lakhs. In addition to these, Infosys is working closely with the Karnataka Government and Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) for implementation of renewable energy power plants. It has been successful in convincing KERC to remove the cross-subsidy on renewable energy thus reducing its cost. Moreover as a result of these efforts, KERC has made it compulsory for the power utilities in Karnataka to buy at least 0.25% of total energy in form of solar energy, which will cost the end users only 4 paise more than regular rate per unit. Though listed under the CSR activities and initiated as Green Innovations, the activities mentioned above are not only intended to improve the environmental conditions as a social need but are also aimed at a reduction in Infosys energy consumption thereby giving it a competitive advantage as it can sell these innovative solutions to its clients as well. It is these latter observations that have been points of concern for critics who blame Infosys of hyping its energy savings and accuse it of Greenwashing. [18] Employee-Driven CSR Employees at Infosys are given ample opportunities to contribute to the society. This way of engaging employees to have hands on experience on CSR can also help the society, which needs responsible citizens to contribute man hours. The policy also helps these employees to attain their personal aspirations of serving the society. This sabbatical policy was initiated in the year 2008, where all the employees are encouraged to work through Infosys Foundation to support the needs of the society. The company as an entity is greatly supportive of its employees in executing the initiatives. The employees are made to pledge that they will make a difference to the society on a consistent basis. For effective execution, the company has individual divisions which run independent of each other under major themes like Health, Art, Education, Rural welfare and Rehabilitation and Targeted inclusive growth. A governance framework has also been put in place to streamline and implement the employee driven CSR initiatives in order to provide operational efficiencies and financial transparency.

Journal e Week 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Begin your Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Begin your Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example The article also claimed that it has been observed that people in love have a high level of the stress hormone cortisol and lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This study reported that romance elicits a whole gamut of emotions with varying intensities. An individual in love would experience elation when the romance is at its peak and devastation when the romance ends. The lover also perceives himself differently at different times during the romantic episode. Initially, a person may feel insecure when pursuing the object of his affection, being unsure of how the other feels about him. When he successfully gains the affection of his romantic partner, confidence level is restored or even increased. Furthermore, Slater clarified that love stimulates the production of dopamine. This dopamine is responsible for creating an intense energy, exhilaration, focused attention and motivation to win rewards. Slater explained that dopamine enables the individual to be energetic enough to stay up all night, be bold, bright and risky. He then described that as the relationship between lovers becomes more serious, the hormone oxytocin is released. This hor mone promotes a feeling of connection and bonding. It is mostly associated with feelings of intimacy usually felt when one embraces a long-term spouse. This hormone is also released when a mother nurses her infant. This article assessed that the increased level of self-esteem is a direct benefit of romantic relationships. The article cited the benefits of close relationships. Close relationships encourage the self as it helps one handle the challenges in life such as dealing with failure and setbacks. More importantly, keeping close relationships helps lessen the impact of dreadful life experiences. Close relationships lead to romantic relationships. This article provides the cross-cultural evidence which proves that men tend to place more