Project Management Organizational Structures Paper Research

Project Management Organizational Structures - Research Paper Example Each form of organizational structure has its strengths and weaknesses, and is able to handle particular projects based on the context. Functional organizational structure involves divisions based on major functional areas such as marketing, finance, human resource, manufacturing, and so on (Meredith and Mantel, 2012). Functional organizational allows flexibility in staff planning and resource allocation because functional divisions can act as the administrative base for a project. Further the functional unit may be specialized to tackle the project thereby providing the technical expertise required to successfully complete the project. Additionally functional structure allows the technical expertise and know-how to be concentrated in the units and hence available to work on different projects. The staff can be shifted from one project to another while the functional division continues to provide a pool of experiences and specialized staff (Meredith and Mantel, 2012). The functional division acts as the center of specialists which ensures availability of specialized staff to work on different projects. The presence of experienced staff also enables the relevant expertise to be channeled into the project for successful execution and completion of the project. Lastly, the functional organizational structure organizes the specialists in a unit so that the arrangement not only helps in project execution but also in the advancement of the appropriate talent. A downside to functional organizational form is that it puts clients at the backseat. Often client interests are not the focus but functional units focus more on the work and how the expert staff is allocated to the projects (Meredith and Mantel, 2012). This sometimes leads to client interests to be ignored. The fact that the functional organizational form deals with functional areas means that the form is more inclined towards the activities involved in the project completion. It is

Individual coursework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual coursework - Assignment Example This theory asserts that administrators make decisions based on the state of affairs at hand rather than a "one size fits all" technique. An administrator takes correct act based on features most significant to the existing state of affairs. Managers in an institution of higher education may desire to utilize a management approach, which includes contribution from workforce while a manager in the armed forces may want to employ a domineering approach. Looking at the M.A.S holdings, Mr. Mahesh the director of this investment used this theory successfully. After the work situations in Sri Lanka had gotten hard, he sought to resolve this matter well within the required period. He decided to put into practice and experience his new-fangled thought, and hired the female labor for the real initial instance in Sri Lanka, knowing the reality that female in Sri Lanka were extremely experts in garments related fields. His target was to utilize the cheapest and most expert professionals to labor for them. Rigby, (2008) affirms that, Hiring women, as employees were not an easy undertaking because the females were not permitted to toil and they were controlled from their families. He started cheering women to abscond their homes and get chances to make wealth. Further, he started diverse operations with the aid of his spouse. He also formed free of charge residence for women, free of charge dispensaries and checkup facilities inside the factories, free of charge breakfast and lunch for women functioning for this undersized entity. This was more than adequate for the deprived families, so they had deep thoughts of it. As time went, the females from diverse parts of the state got optimistic and went for employment. After several course of time, the administrator started manufacturing Bra for the prominent corporation brand called Victoria secrets. It was a prominent corporation, and this was not easy to begin dealing with this corporation. He

Technology In The Hospitality Industry

Technology In The Hospitality Industry Introduction This document explains the technological change which has happened in hospitality industry and in particular hotel industry. The impact of information technology in hotels is quite significant. It has not only given people knowledge as what to seek when looking for a hotel but also a whole preview as what is available in the market. This whole revolution of information technology has changed both the industry and the consumer. Industry has to become more transparent and competitive in order to satisfy customer needs. One needs to keep in mind the enormous variability of the technology rather than assume its determining powers. (Poster, 1995) Information technology is an inevitable part of any organisations functionality. If an organisation seeks to progress in industry then it has to be competitive and up to date in its technological needs. In a world wide technology survey (Hensdill, 1998), hoteliers and other consultants explained how the hotel industry lagged far more behind in terms of automation than other industries. This document will explain what has changed hotel industry from technological perspective and what the demands of consumers are in post modern era. 1.1 Claridges Hotel Claridges hotel is situated in Mayfair, in the heart of Londons west end just a few minutes walk from the shops and boutiques of Bond Street, South Molton Street and Oxford Street. It has 203 rooms including 67 suites. The Reading Room restaurant and The Foyer Designed by Thierry Despont. The Fumoir The intimate, candlelit bar is a push, sophisticated place to enjoy cocktail. Claridges Bar designed by David Collins plays host to Londons movers and shakers. (www.claridges.co.uk) The most important change in recent times is Gordon Ramsay at Claridges restaurant head by Head chef Steve Allen. It offers finest dining in London, celebrating flavourful combinations of the freshest ingredients which is designed by Thierry Despont it is sumptuous and elegant, but intimate. (www.claridges.co.uk) Claridges hotel has always been considered as living in modern era but very famous in royalty and celebrities for its iconic image. But in recent years there have been many changes which has mixed modernism and post modernism in Claridges and this is why author thinks it is the best example to show how information technology has had its impact on Claridges. 1.2 Claridges Hotel Website Claridges website provides facility to both its customers and partners in order to book hotel rooms, table at restaurant or for afternoon tea. Online presence of Claridges hotel is one of the main examples of post modern era. Now any type of customers can just go online and book room for them. Two or three years ago trying to find hospitality IT vendor with an e-mail address, never mind a website, were an almost futile search (Frew, 2000). There were many hotels which were still on the old phone/agent booking system. Now agents have live database in which they can see when to book and Claridges gets these bookings automatically. Dr. Martin Peacock argues that the systems currently being implemented in the hospitality industry emphasise the controlling side of technology: they provide performance measures; they work to restrict the options of both line managers and staff. As he suggests as well that this to be the cause for the irrelevance of management. 1.3 Gordon Ramsay at Claridges Restaurant Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay has his own restaurant in Claridges which is headed by Chef Steve Allen. In todays technology revolutionised era, it is very important to have someone famous to boost the brand. Most of the people know Gordon Ramsay through TV, newspaper and media and having his name with Claridges is key to enhance its brand name. People not only take it as a typical hotel but also a place to spend afternoon and dine out. According to Cline (2002) Hospitality ebusiness is destined to play an increasingly significant role and will have profound impact on the way hospitality business is conducted in the future. Literature 2.1 Research Methods There are various ways to perform research in order to understand technological requirements and changes in Claridges hotel. Dr. Martin Peacock has laid down three fundamental rules in order to choose and research on choice establishment. First, he suggested that it should be of interest of the author, secondly the fulfilment of the criteria of sufficient secondary data which is deemed possible. Finally, a possibility of primary data being available so that core reasons and suggestions can be presented in shape of an argument. This primary data can either be collected by talking to choice establishment or its customers. 2.1.1 Observations In order to understand and feel technological changes in Claridges, author visited the hotel himself and had afternoon tea in the hotel. Author also visited Gordon Ramsay restaurant and saw their seating plan and menu for customers and also understood how customers are being booked at the restaurant. Author also visited halls and visited bedrooms to understand and feel the same which a customer feels. Author understood that online customer booking facility is quite famous among customers due to ever changing consumer demands and post modern era. Claridges also provides online facility to its partner companies/agents to book for rooms/restaurants. 2.1.2 Interviews One of the primary research techniques is to interview the owner or people working in the choice establishment. It is also very important to take interview from customers so that proper analyses can be done. Author tried to book interview with IT staff of Claridges hotel but the concerned person in IT department was not available. So author has relied mainly on observations and secondary data. 2.1.3 Online Sources Main online sources used are hospitality journals available online, website of Dr. Martin Peacock, Claridges website and google search. 2.2 Limitations It was not possible to conduct survey with customers as Claridges does not allow external person to conduct any questionnaire survey with its customers without prior permission from higher management. It was not also possible to take interview with staff of claridges who can give insight about Claridges IT performance except few observational meetings with receptionist just to understand the functionality of basic information systems. Impact of Technological Innovation Technology has often been used as an instrument of control and the term itself has a link with the use of tools to control inanimate objects. Possibly the best illustration of the use of technology to control people is Zuboffs (1988) example of Benthams Panopticon. Here a prison is designed with glass walls and corridors radiating out like spokes from a wheel. The concept is that these corridors can be controlled by one guard situated at the centre of the wheel. The technology (in this case glass walls, a rotating chair and innovative design) is used to control the inmates. This is not an image totally distant from modern information systems within tourism and hospitality. (Chapter in Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism (edited by D.Fesenmaier), Springer, Wien, 2000) (Cultural tourism product emphasising on information and infrastructure, by Daniela Freund De Klumbis Wil Munster in Developments in the hotel industry: Design meets Historic Properties) Sector (significance of under ANOVA 0.000). Hotels had 68.6% in the enthusiastic user category, whilst restaurants could only count 41.9% in this group. (Martin Peacock, 1994) Modern information systems privilege a vision of technology which has close links with Benthams glass prison. In the NEDC working party report on competitiveness in tourism (1992), TGI Fridays use of technology to provide control and monitoring systems, is listed under Case Studies Best Practices. The same report also praises McDonalds use of systems. Baker et al (1998) suggested that the EPOS system developed for Bass Taverns removed the uncertainties of operative fraud and the black economy for public house managers. (Chapter in Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism (edited by D.Fesenmaier), Springer, Wien, 2000) This systematic standardisation of the hospitality product provoked a counter-movement inspired by consumers searching for hotels with unique or sophisticated and innovative characteristics, called boutique, design or lifestyle hotels. In the beginning of the 80s of the last century the term boutique hotel swept through the market and was used to describe unique 50-100 rooms properties, non chain-operated, with attention to fine detail and individual decoration in European or Asian influenced furnishings (literally a boutique as opposed to a department store). Sophistication and innovation explain the growth of the design and lifestyle hotel niches. In order to employ a generic term for these new niches, we will refer hereafter to the boutique, design and lifestyle concepts with the term lifestyle hotels. Being independent enterprises, lifestyle hotels join voluntary groups (membership affiliations, consortia) in order to benefit from the advantages of chains especially global marketing and promotion services, common packages and international reservation systems without having the disadvantages of chain box hotels like absence of management autonomy, architectural uniformity and standardized operational procedures (Yu, 1996; Andrew, 2001). Examples of these voluntary groups are marketing and sales reservation networks (e.g. SRS World Hotels) and free alliances. The confrontation of box and lifestyle hotels by means of Kotler ´s product levels shows clear differences between both concepts. On the core and facilitating product levels, box hotel companies present savings in building and staff costs due to the standards of performance as a major advantage to the hotel operator. In the marketing policy, the uniformity of the concept and the strong recognition of the brand are used to influence the consumers choice. Commoditization generates, within traditional segments, a feeling of security and familiarity. For the widely-travelled tourist, however, the stay in a box hotel turns into alienation and anonymity. Many of them share the experience of awaking in a hotel room while asking oneself: Where am I now? This negative guest experience, caused by impersonality, predictability and boredom, has led to an important loss of clients and turnover with box hotel companies. Table below shows us, by means of a confrontation matrix, the hotel guests main differences in choice criteria (Naber, 2002). BOX HOTELS LIFE STYLE HOTELS Demands quality guarantee Expects quality given the high quality level of lifestyle hotels Minimum standards Exceeding standards No annoying surprises Surprise-adventure-history Experiences are sought outside the hotel The hotel stay is an experience in itself Recognition of the product Recognition as a guest To feel at home by means of the hardware To feel at home by means of the software Reliable unique selling propositions Really unique selling propositions Familiar with the brand image Search for a specific identity (By Daniela Freund De Klumbis Wil Munster in Developments in the hotel industry: Design meets Historic Properties) What is key component to drive todays hospitality industry? Information technology is the key component which is driving hospitality industry. It has already revolutionised hospitality industry in post modern era and now it is driving it as major decisions are being taken and are based on Information systems provided by IT. Claims of overall increases in productivity caused by increasing use of information technology are difficult to justify empirically both at the local and the global level. US improvements in productivity can be linked directly to computer manufacturing (Anonymous, 1999) with productivity growth in other sectors stalled or falling. Landauer (1995) reported Roachs findings that information workers in the US (1960-87) had seen no increase in productivity. Martin Peacock and Humphery Shaw, (1996); Bytes and Bias suggests in this paper that the specific issue of the attitudes to new technology in the hospitality industry. Yet, outside the specific question of the industry, society too illustrates very ambivalent attitudes to new technology. One of the best illustrations of this is the Unabomber debate. The Unabomber is an American mail bomber who has attacked pro-technology targets (principally academics) over the last 18 years. Last year his manifesto was published in the Washington Post and other American publications (Anonymous, 1995). Technological change defines the horizon of our material world as it shapes the limiting conditions of what is possible and what is barely imaginable. It erodes taken-for-granted assumptions about the nature of our reality, the pattern in which we dwell, and lays open new choices. (Zuboff, 1988) New technologies do not spell the end of traditional technologies. The synthesiser has not replaced the piano. Each has their traditional and contemporary roles to fulfil. However, the advent of the synthesiser has effected the way in which we see and use the piano. It is something different to what it was. (Biggs, 1991) Tiles Oberdiek suggests in 1995 that modern technologies in short, behave like ecosystems. When we intervene here, unexpected consequences pop up there. As Tiles Oberdiek suggests in 1995 that on the other hand there are people who have become deeply pessimistic as a result of observing the path of so called technical progress. As they see it, we are strangely impotent in the face of, indeed are enslaved by, a pervasive technology that, ironically, we ourselves have made. Belonging to the primary tourism enterprises, the hospitality industry is an essential component of the cultural tourism product. Hospitality products need to fulfil customers needs on several levels (Kotler, 2003): (a) The core product answers the basic question: what is the buyer really buying? It refers basically to the benefits provided by the hotel to the consumer and not the features, e.g. room comfort and convenient location. (b) Facilitating products are those services or goods that must be present for the guests to use the core product, e.g. bellboy in a luxury hotel. (c) Supporting products are extra products offered to add value to the core product and help to position it through differentiation from the competitors, e.g. full-service health spa. (d) The augmented product includes atmosphere and customers interaction with the service organization and each other, e.g. lobby socializing. The augmented product is an important concept because it is in this level were the main differences arise between the various hospitality concepts, e.g. atmosphere created by focus on lightning, marriage of textures and colours to please the senses. How Technology works in Claridges? The expansion of the international hotel chains, in their vast majority, was accompanied and made possible by a process of standardisation and commoditization. Technological innovation has had huge impact on this expansion. Research data, which hotel chains keep and also have track record of ever changing customer needs is really important in order to expand the hotel chain as well as keeping an iconic image in the market. Claridges hotel has uniqueness which is to keep itself as one and only one hotel. It is part of group of hotels which is called Maybourne Hotel Group who has three big hotels (Claridges, Connaught, The Berkeley) in their portfolio and few other hotels internationally. Customers like to book online using Claridges website. Travel professionals in tourism industry also have online access available through website where they can make bookings on behalf of their customers. Booking online provides facility to customers to request anything extra they want to the hotel and that will fulfilled. Due to recent trend in technology and use of internet has changed the old perspective of booking via phone. A customer can book anywhere while sitting in airport or in a cab and as soon as they arrive at the hotel, everything is ready for them. It is very important to show in this document what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which are being faced by Claridges. This analysis shows this data using SWOT technique which can be applied to other life style hotels as well and will give sufficient information in order to take the required decisions. SWOT Analysis of the Claridges hotel Strengths Weaknesses Well-defined concepts with an unique identity and a modern character, taking into account the four levels of the hospitality product. Need to re-adapt constantly to the fast changing market demands. Diversity in guest experience. In some cases, hotel becomes the cultural attraction in itself Larger hotels groups cause lifestyle-fatigue through over-branding Low costs of soft branded distribution by the sharing of costs of distribution, technology and purchasing Low profitability as compared to box hotels Autonomous control over operations by the hotel itself, allowing the personal expression of passion for hospitality High maintenance and staffing costs Opportunities Threats Emergence of new soft brand distribution models: organization of independent hotels (e.g. Design Hotels Resorts) Global chains dominate supply through acquisition and development. They practise brand management across multiple brands (economies of scale) Design is becoming an element adopted by the various hospitality products (e.g. Accors backpackers concept Base) Emergence of low service stylised concepts or imitators Create programs that allow customers to spend all their money Aggressive down-pricing by box hotel chains to retain market share Needs and wants of the post-modern consumer: quality tourism, traditional hospitality, personal approach, sustainable hotels, the brand as a self image, diversity of experiences Familiar with travelling, nowadays consumers expect value and quality for their money. Effective use of Customer-Relationship-Management databases and customer-choice-modelling experiments can allow hospitality establishments to personalize products and services thus increasing satisfaction, retention and loyalty. Good informed and critical consumers Use of co-branding synergies with other lifestyle brands as the allocation to an existing Claridges brand name enables a quick transfer of the hospitality product values and contents to the client (e.g. Gordon Ramsay at Claridges Restaurant) Because of the unpredictable buying behaviour of the post-modern consumer, brand loyalty is difficult to achieve. Many consumers can no longer be easily segmented on the basis of education, income, social class and geographic origin. Utilisation of opinion leaders in the segment addressed and of the power of famous influencers (e.g. Famous hotel for George Clooney when he is in London) The consumer is wary to media, makes his choices and can hardly be influenced. ICT solutions for one-to-one marketing High cost level of ICT-investments Development of websites that convey the types of pleasurable experiences promised by the hotel and ensure pleasant browsing experiences High complexity of the global distribution model Conclusions By using the research methods and proper use of literature, it is quite apparent that technological innovation is inevitable and in hospitality, any establishment who does not believe in this will be out of the industry in no time. It is and will always be the case of being more innovative and creative in information technology and more strategic decisions are being taken by using proper IT research methods. It is imperative to keep up to date information systems in place if to succeed in the market is the goal. In future, it will not only the case of looking good and be more hospitalise but also to use core hospitality techniques along with good knowledge of customer needs. This knowledge can only be gained if proper information system is in place. Author believes that customer should have the power to customise the facility according to his/her needs. Hotel should accommodate customer and help him/her to customise as per requirement. This can only be done if hotel has sufficient information available which covers all expected and legitimate needs of any customer. Cline (2002) as well as Peacock (1995) point out the industrys slow and measured approach to IT and to innovation generally. But as the sophistication of technology increases (e.g. Fisk, 1999) it was suggested that a more organic or humanistic approach to IT is needed to make the technology more useable to the organisation, employees and customers. Effective innovation appears more at the operative level, at the point of sale. Creative problem solving, product remodelling, and effective marketing have been encouraged by technological change in other industries. New modes of service delivery have grown directly from the potential of new software (Barras, 1990). It is the imaginative coupling of new technology with new services and new modes of organisation which represents its real potential. (Martin Peacock Humphery Shaw, (1996); Bytes and Bias) Competition is fierce on the international hotel market and imitation of successful concepts is a proven method to attract new target groups. So it is no wonder that many of the ingredients which contribute to the lifestyle hotel experience, have been adopted by box hotels. Glocalisation, the combination of globalisation and localisation, has been introduced as a leading principle in marketing policies of chain hotels. In promotional campaigns of box hotels, the role of local culture as component of the hospitality product is highlighted by means of slogans like Think locally, act globally (Hilton Hotels) and International standards, local flavours (Claridges). While ten years ago design and style were unique selling propositions, nowadays they are minimum requirements to attract the sybaritic post-modern guest. Large hotel groups are even causing lifestyle-fatigue through over-branding and, at the same time, the number of low service stylish concepts is increasing with design becomi ng an element adopted by various hospitality products, e.g. Base, the backpacker concept of the Accor group. In this competitive struggle, the cornerstone of success for the lifestyle hotel product will be to pursue to satisfy the fast changing needs and wants of the post-modern consumer by offering an inimitable individuality and a full-balanced hospitality experience. The effective use of customer-relationship-management databases and one-to-one marketing actions has to be strengthened in order to be able to personalize products and services, thus increasing satisfaction, retention and loyalty. The quality of the staff will continue to be a key success issue because the lifestyle traveller seeks more than advice or recommendations. Hotel employees should not only be trained to manage the information exchange, but also be required to match guests to experiences. To perform such a consultancy task, they are expected to be informed about the hospitality product itself as well as its cultural environment (Freund, 2002). Furthermore, hospitality employees will be required to possess commercial skills based primarily on making the most out of each customer transaction by creating experiential programs that push the guest to spend the greater part of their money at the hotel. It should be noticed in this respect that consumers see food, accommodation and culture merely as elements of a greater whole relating to a total experience. Because of this, a relevant opportunity for lifestyle hotels, from a marketing perspective, consists in co-branding the property with a leading brand outside the tourism industry, e.g. fashion designers, retail companies, lifestyle brands. As the allocation to an existing brand name enables a quick transfer of the product values and contents to the client, co-branded hotels (e.g. Cerrutti, Armani and Bulgari Hotels) have a competitive edge in penetrating the market. However, co-branding in the hospitality industry requires a profound evaluation of both brand partners strengths and weaknesses, a strategy for the long term co-operation and, above all, a prudent implementation. References Freund de Klumbis, D. (2002), Seeking the ultimate hotel experience, paper originally presented at the XIIe International Leisure and Tourism Symposium ESADE-Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona, April 2002, and published in Gestià ³n en H, No. 11, May-June 2003, pp. 58-76. Naber, T. (2002), Chain or independent: box hotel or boutique hotel? lecture given at the Eurhodip Conference 2002 Hospitality Management in Europe: Moving into a New Dimension, Maastricht, May 2002. Andrew, G. (2001), Evolution of tourist offers: the importance of an individual hotel experience in an independent hotel chain, lecture given at the Eurhodip Conference 2001 The Hotel and Catering Trades for Employment and Economic Development in Europe, Venice, November 2001. Peacock, M., Information Technology in the Hospitality Industry, Cassell, London, 1995 Smith, T., Does Technology Drive History, The MIT Press, London, 1994 OConnor, Peter Using computers in Hospitality, Cassel, 1996. `Bytes and Bias: Technophilia in technology writing, (refereed conference paper for `Hospitality Information Technology Association Worldwide Conference, 1996). Ms. Rita Fernandas (2010); observations during meetings held with Ms. Fernandas, a receptionist at Claridges hotel. Online Sources: www.claridges.co.uk http://www.maybourne.com/page.aspx?id=4458 http://www.maybourne.com/uploadedFiles/Claridges/About_the_hotel/Claridges_London_English.pdf http://www.maybourne.com/uploadedFiles/Maybourne/Supplementary_Navigation/Travel_professionals/Downloads/Group_Guarantee_UK.pdf http://www.avlk87.dsl.pipex.com/martin/hospital.htm , (Hospitality managers who love computers too little?) by Dr. Martin Peacock

Child Witch Hunts in the Congo :: Informative Essays, human rights, Africa

All in the name of ‘God’ witch hunting has been a justification for many years of the harshest capital punishment of innocent men; children and women. Witch hunts have occurred for more than 200 years and it has been an on going issue of abuse of human rights. Witch hunting dates back to the 14th Century in Europe, the starting point of these witch hunts, and Britain. Thus reaching its peak in America during the 16th Century. The famous of all witch hunting cases was ‘The Salem Witch Trials’. Witch hunting has been a major human rights abuse in The Democratic Republic of Congo. The process of witch hunting and exorcism began during late 2001 and has continued to this current day. Present issues such as this have risen again in early 2009. The witch hunting crisis in Congo has circulated issues of these so called ‘exorcisms’ as being an abuse of human rights as well as child abuse. In order to prevent any further acts of human rights abuse the C ongolese Government has taken a considerate amount of legal and non-legal measures. As the death toll rises to 40,000 due to witchcraft exorcisms, more than 14,000 have been abandoned by their parents. The Congolese Government has used non-legal measures as a means of protecting children’s rights. The non-legal measures were forcefully used by the Congolese Government through rounding up homeless children that were disowned and accused of witchcraft by both their parents and pastors. Abandoned children have been taken into custody by the Congolese authorities, as a use of legal measures, and put into orphanages as a means of protection. Many Congolese authorities have taken use of this opportunity to start addressing the abuse committed against children via the use of non-legal measures. Through the effective use of non-legal measures Congolese authorities have used such measures to re-educate the people of Congo. Using religion as a strong non-legal measure to educate the parents and religious leaders that such abuse on children is unwarranted. In an alarming trend increasing number of children are being accused of witchcraft. This has prompted the government to launch a parliamentary commission of inquiry with a view to toughening the law. Such accusations are specifically prohibited by Congo’s new constitution, which distinctively prohibits accusing children of witchcraft. The Congolese Government has reviewed the constitution through parliament, as a legal measure to prevent child abuse.

How Diversity Relates to Education Essay

In the general education system, it is very important that there is a wide array of diverse groups in the classroom. â€Å"It is important to have a diverse student body, not only to create a realistic setting but also to encourage people to grow outside their boundaries and learn something new about a culture they may not be familiar with. (Pendulum 1) I believe diversity is an important part of the educational system. It is something positive, and not something one should fear. I also believe that diversity I crucial to a growing child. In this essay, I will address how diversity relates to education in general and how it relates to me as a future teacher. Diversity and education in America is an important topic in today’s education system. Inclusion is a key factor in the classroom; it helps bring diversity in to the lives of many children all over the world. By having diversity in the classroom students can learn about peoples differences that make them special and unique. Through my time in taking this diversity class I have come to realize how important it is to teach children that everyone is different and special in their own way. As the student population in American schools becomes increasingly diverse, educators must respond with school reform efforts that meet the needs of all students. In order to do so, teachers need to be prepared to take on the diverse student population. Going through the school of education and this diversity class, I am able to understand now that teachers must develop a culturally sensitive curriculum that integrates multicultural viewpoints and histories, to apply instructional strategies that encourage all students to achieve, and review school and district policies related to educational equity. From my educational background so far I know that teachers must become adept at choosing printed, electronic, and audiovisual materials, and in selecting topics and assignments that value the wide variety of perspectives and interests that exist among the students in any given classroom. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect, it means understanding each student in the classroom is unique and recognizing their individual differences. â€Å"Children exposed to diverse cultures in the classroom learn to understand different points of view, which is an important part of education† (Canadian Teachers 1). Children learn to celebrate differences and learn how to work together to be successful. If teachers are accepting of students differences they will be able to look at students for their potential instead of with a bias in mind, and this will help them teach more successfully. As a future teacher, I think it is important to create a tolerant, accepting and caring classroom atmosphere and here are a couple things one can do as a teacher to incorporate diversity in the classroom. By discussing diversity, and why it is a positive thing, creating lesson plans that discuss the cultures of my students and cultures of the community I teach in, by discussing religious beliefs of the community, and by speaking to students about disabilities and at risk students will help children in my class realize that these differences do not make someone less than them. I would also teach students about socioeconomic issues and how they affect students, and will teach the differences in gender and about gender stereotypes. I will teach these stereotypes but allow both boys and girls in my classroom the same equal opportunities. I believe discussing these issues to today’s youth will help show students that all people have needs, and I would emphasize that it is important for students to accept and help each other in order to benefit themselves and the world around them. I think that by teaching lessons that incorporate diversity students can identify and overcome biases, and as a teacher I will also learn about my biases from the students in my care. As a teacher it is important to make sure the classroom atmosphere is comfortable in order to ensure productivity. Teaching students that differences are a good thing and those differences can be learned from and valued is a way to help ensure a positive classroom environment. As a teacher I will help my students understand biases, and I will help them be able to accept differences and treat people fairly by educating them about the differences of the people around them. I believe there are many ways a teacher can incorporate diversity lessons into the classroom. Overall, I believe that teaching students to respect each other despite their differences will benefit the students, the teachers, and the rest of the world. Diversity is an important topic today because everyone is different and unique; as a teacher I understand that I will never be in a school that is not a diverse teaching environment. I think that by taking this diversity class, it has helped me to realize and understand the importance diversity in the classroom and the community has to offer.

Dante s Daughter

Their family is then forced to leave their home town of Florence Italy by the co instant dueling of political groups in the cities, between the white Gulfs, who opposed the p papacy influence and the black Gulfs, who supported the papacy. Dante, her father, also a white Gulf supporter, went to Rome on â€Å"business† to see Pope Boniface VIII, when the black Gulfs take over the CIA TTY, the Aligner family knew that they had to escape the city in fear that they would all be killed by ca use of Dent's political standing and the fact that he was not present in Florence.Antonio was to fool w her brothers out of the city and their mother would meet them later, they had to run out of the city, s he saw many gruesome events of war while she was fleeing the city, she saw the true chaos that came from people during times of war. Their family had to disperse amongst their relatives and some of her b rooters even went away to become apprentices Gina went to their Uncle Francesco, while P itter and Jackpot became ablates with the Dominicans at Santa Maria.As for Antonio she went to stay and help with her father's sister, Deviant, and her family, Disco her uncle who was a painter, and her cousins Margarita and Foe in Siena. As for her mother, she had went to work on her mother's farms. Antonio lived with her aunt and uncle for nearly five years. Her mother visited her as often as she could. She worked along with Disco in his shop learning to paint, and hell peed out with the housework with Deviant, Margarita and Lecturer, Disco's sister. She had SSH eared a bed with Margarita who was only a couple of years older than her and got to know he r real well.One day Notation's father sends a letter to her, inviting her to come along with him to P arise France since he will e studying at the university there, he already offered her brothers to come w tit but they could not. Shortly after Antonio receives the letter her father. Dante arrived so soon that Antonio had barely got ten to make up her mind, but she decided to go along with her father on this DVD endure. Through their travels Antonio gets a new understanding of her father. Antonio along with he r inattentive father travel from city to city spending their nights in either inns or with nobles, in their cash tiles. Pond their arrival to Paris, Dante immediately goes to into his studies in search h of new knowledge, while in the first couple of days Antonio is just sitting around the an. Eventually, Antonio met up with an old friend of her fathers, at a Beguine, a community of sings e women living under Nun like conditions but could work to make a living and could break free of an y vows and leave if they like. Antonio decided to stay with the women of the Beguine while her father r studied at the university.The three ladies Antonio stayed with, Claire, Mated, and Assess, worked as illumination, an art form done to liven up a page of a book or a document, Antonio helped with her prior knowledge f pa inting. Events quickly went downhill for the group of girls, Assess died, and later her mother Claire. As for Antonio, Dante decided that the knowledge he had sought, could d not be obtained at the University and they decided to head back to Italy. Antonio had returned to Siena to stay with her Uncle Disco's family again, who ill Dante had left her to work with the emperor of Germany and Italy.Disco was on a new commission that had made them much wealthier, and of course everyone was much older than the y were previously. Margarita was soon to be engaged with Pitter, and Antonio had also begun t experience her share of romantic relationships, first with Seeing a loving apprentice to Disco, then Tit ere to Farina, a young man who lived in Florence, when she had moved there to live with her mother r and uncle. Yet neither one worked out, she left Siena forgetting about Seeing, and when the emperor r failed at capturing Florence, the Aligner name meant little and was hated in Florence, so Farina a didn't want to marry her.Notation's Family was reunited and continued to live on in a house of their owe n in Vienna. Antonio struggled with what the true meaning of her life was to be with god. S he had gotten malaria, which she was lucky enough to surpass. Imbroglio, on of her best friends fro m back in Siena had came to visit her in her State Of illness and wanted to marry her, Antonio agrees and they live happily, until Imbroglio dies of plague. Antonio then decides, knowing her fate, to join the c invent of San Stefan Dogleg Alive.The Historical fiction novel, Dana?s Daughter had gotten many things right with barely any wrongful descriptions, the author, Kimberly Houston surely did their homework. Not only did she write this novel accurately she did it in SST of the different aspects of the book. Whether it was from their lifestyle of different social classes, like what they ate, wore and how they lived, the way they traveled, the events that happened in the time p eriod of the early fourteenth century, their beliefs, and even the fact that most of the characters actually existed in this time period.The author portrayed the lifestyles of the people in the book very realistically. The roles of women in the 1300†² in actuality was to stay home maintain the household, cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children, which was the name roles the author portrayed, the mothers of different households always prepared their food and spent the day cleaning and tidying up the house. Younger girls like Antonio in the novel helped with such chores like the laundry. In the novel they did the laundry down at the river which was common in that era (McKay, John P. ). Antonio mother wore a turban when she would clean, which was also accurately explained.Clothing worn by characters was only described for the females, it was always gowns with different colors, always handmade by the mothers of the household, and silk as very dressy and expensive. In histo ry, it was common for families to make their own clothing and women only really wore gowns, silk was of the most valuable cloth in this time frame as well (McKay, John As for the common diet of Italians in the thirteen hundreds, consisted mostly of bread, which was the most important staple of their diet and stews, made of whatever ingredients they could get.Houston wrote about what they would eat, they would always eat bread with olive oil, and Notation's mother would always have the best soups made from the best ingredients she could mind, which would have been correct for the time period and the wealth of the Aligner family. Between the pair of Antonio and Dante, when they were traveling they had a mule and horse, which only the higher class could afford since many poor pilgrims could only travel on foot which was accurate for the time too.The Nobility that Dante and Antonio stayed with also had a very descriptive lifestyle differing from the Aligner family. The upper class lived in large palaces or castles and had feasts very often, in which they ate exotic foods, crayfish, eels in plum sauce, asparagus, cheese tarts, green beans eked in almond milk, roast venison with garlic, partridge stewed with lentils and shallots, chicken cooked with pears and brandy, tiny spring lettuces dressed with olive oil and perceive, junket, strawberry tarts, and many other dishes.The nobility also had the ability to house many subjects they sought useful for their skills. There were two major patrons of Dante, lady Cluenice, and Can Grandee. In history little is known about the true paths Dante had taken, there is no account of him staying with a lady Cluenice, but there is documentation of him staying with Can Grandee for the reason of Can Grandee's interests in the importance and reasoning behind The Divine Comedy, that Dante was writing the evidence is found in the letter that Dante had written to Can Grandee explaining the books (Aligner, Dante).Dante Aligner was a famou s poet in the time period who had written many books the three parts that make up The Divine Comedy, Inferno, Purgatorial, and Paradise, all mentioned in the book plus his writings of other books, and The Banquet, although over fifty poetic works are known from Dante. Antonio was very fascinated by the large structures of the gigantic cathedrals in Paris, mainly Notre dame. She was very intrigued, and found peace amongst its' large mosaics held together by lead.This account was very accurate, Notre dame is famous for its' large mosaics, and it started its construction in 1160 and finished in 1345, well within Notation's lifetime. Kimberly Houston portrayed the lifestyles of different social groups very accurately throughout the novel. There was one common disease that multiple people contracted throughout the happening of the book, and it was malaria, a disease carried by mosquito. Antonio had contracted it, and during the time it was almost a death sentence (McKay, John P. , yet sh e survived through it.Antonio had experienced immense pain and was deathly ill, for a couple of weeks, then would endure eight hour long fevers and intense pain that would go away and return two days later. Antonio went through series of pains much like the actual symptoms which were, headaches, fever, lethargy, chills, abdominal pains, sickness, muscular pains, diarrhea, and coughing fits. Kimberly Houston had shown the symptoms characters were experiencing accurately as they would be in the real world. The common scientific beliefs of people in the novel were also of accurate details in the novel.Accurately for this time, people in the story believed in the Ptolemaic system. Which stated that the heavens rotated on big crystal spheres around the earth. This was the common belief until 1 543, when Copernicus published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, which proved the earth was not at the center Of the universe (McKay, John Many of the events that took place in the book h appened in real life. In the book, King Phillips armies had harried Boniface VII to death, and engineered Clement V into office, and brought the papacy into France.While written accurately, the papacy was stationed in Avignon, France in 1309, in the time frame covered in the book, and in fact it was King Philip IV that that is responsible for both moving the papacy and bringing in a tradition of having French popes. Another event including King Philip IV of France is that there is a scene from the book where the Knights Template and everyone associated with them are being arrested for the Kings' benefit. What the book failed to mention is the reasoning behind Philip Avis' actions and motives of this action.King Philip IV was very much in debt to the Template, whereas in the novel had explained it s the ‘Template were engaged in unnatural and illegal activities offensive to god†¦ † (Houston, Kimberley Burton), which was not true since the Template Were a strictly ran group, by the pope, to be a religious army, but King Philip did have them arrested in real history for his own benefit. The Template, described by Houston, were very large, muscular men, with the knowledge of scholars, which is an accurate description of the way the Knights Template would have been since they were knights.Antonio along with the other women of the Beguine, had done work for the Template illuminating comments, which would have been against the code of the Template to have any contact with women (Temporarily. Com). Another event that took place was the newly elected emperor Henry VII, who in the novel was convinced by Dante Aligner to march on Florence to capture it amongst his empire and to hopefully redeem the Aligner name in Florence, Italy.The holy roman emperor Henry VII of Germany historically had the support of Dante, and did wage war on Romancer since they were part of the Gulfs, both Dante and Henry VII were Gibberellins (McKay, John P). Yet another event tha t occurred in he book happened in Verona, Italy, it was that the palace that Can Grandee lived in was frescoed by an artist named Ghetto, nothing is known of his work in Verona, Ghost's Personality in the book was that he was very enthusiastic and compassionate towards art, he also had a very high pitch girl laugh, Not much is known of his personality although he did work on many frescoes.In addition, the Aligner Family was forced to leave their hometown of Florence by cause of the dueling political parties, the Gibberellins and the Gulfs, which were actual groups at the time which either liked the pope's influence on everything or despised it.Lastly, the fall of Rome to the Byzantines and barbarians who began to construct huge basilicas with large mosaics on the interior, was mentioned towards the latter part of the book, the Byzantines had actually built these large basilicas although it was really the decline of the holy roman empire that brought in these Byzantines and barbarian s to influence Rome (McKay, John The options a women could take throughout their life was described in the book as, if they did not get married, they could use their dowry from their parents to join a convent and become a nun, join a Beguine, or become a requisite.This statement made in the book by Antonio is not completely true, not only could women become housewives, nuns, or prostitutes, but they could also work as servants or join a Beguine. In the book none of the younger people had known about Beguines, and even when Antonio had found out she only thought that they existed in France. Although many of the surviving Beguines exist in Belgium albeit there was one in France, and many of the ancient Beguines had existed on the outskirts of Paris, the Beguine described in the book, sounded like it was nearly in the center OfParis, because it was within a short walking distance to important areas like shops and Dante could be there quickly to visit, plus there were buildings they wen t to on both sides of the Beguine. The tools and procedures used by the different artistic professions were described briefly in the novel, it had listed the linoleum, what processes they would make paints and glues for frames, and the different layers in a fresco. The linoleum was a moon shaped knife meant for preparing parchment by scraping the excess skin and hairs off of pelts.This linoleum knife was actually seed almost exclusively for illuminating because illuminating required a special type of medium to be written on (â€Å"Illumination parchment). Antonio had known the preparation steps to make this parchment from learning it from Disco he uncle, who was an artist, one would take calf skin stretch it out, scrape the excess skin and impurities from it, then split it into separate sheets until of desirable thickness, and then scrape it again with the linoleum to get rid of any shiny surfaces.This process of manufacturing parchment was common through the middle ages and into t he Renaissance (Differences teens Parchment, Vellum and Paper. ). When Disco was working on the Masses;, an actual painting done in sienna by the real Disco (Disco Did Obnoxiousness, Masses; Altarpiece), him and his apprentices, would always be asking for egg whites from the girls to mix with pigments from plants, and asking for cheeses which they would use to make their glues to put together frames. Egg whites were in fact used to make the popular paint tempera during the Renaissance, and so was cheese used inn glues during this time period.The base layers of frescoes described in the novel, by Houston, was Ricoh, and intonation, these were the easiest and required the least artistic ability out of the whole Fresco process, and they were the top finishing layer and the base starting layer (â€Å"Categories Terms†. ). The author had gotten every detail right, when it came to the tools and procedures that had been used in the making of the artwork in the story. The river syste ms as described in the novel were the Aaron River of Florence, and the Adage River of Verona.The Main character Antonio had described the Aaron River as Very muddy and not very navigable whereas the Adage River in Verona was better navigable and as a result had more trade coming in. The Aaron River in Florence has many tributaries which makes it harder to navigate and the Adage River does not making it easier to navigate. In Conclusion, the author, Kimberly Houston, did a very good job in the development of Dent's Daughter. She had gotten about ninety-nine percent of the detail, events and people right in the development of this book.She had made the fiction life of actual characters very accurate and convincing for the time period. She had gotten the tools and procedures for certain artistic jobs right or the time frame, the correct people doing the right events in the right year, correct descriptions of travel and the river ways, the ways certain groups acted, the food they ate, t he clothes they wore, the ideology of the common people, the side effects of malaria, artistic terms, and even the existence Of certain characters and their connection in history.