How the design, function and content of web pages influence the meaning and value of information free essay sample

Web sites are swiftly becoming, and in some cases are already, the preferred media choice for information search, company presentation, shopping, education, gaming, socialising, and much more. In this day and age, where visual symbols play an increasingly important role in our day to day lives, the design, content, and function of web pages, play a pivotal part in influencing the meaning and value of information. The meaning and value of information can be worked out by a few simple questions; who is the author of this information? Who is the supplier? Why is it provided/what is its purpose? Who are the intended audience? What is the source? And finally, how current and accurate is it? The last two questions are probably the most relevant when it comes to the value, as if it were a secondary, out-dated, and inaccurate source, it would not be very valuable. The terms design, function, and content must be looked at and defined to answer this question. We will write a custom essay sample on How the design, function and content of web pages influence the meaning and value of information or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Design of a web page mainly refers to how the page looks to the user and the layout of it as well. Whereas function is all about how the website works, whether it is easy or not for the user to navigate around the site or whether or not links and images work on the site. Finally, content is the text, images and other elements that make up the core of the web page. In this essay we will be looking at issues ranging from the opportunities the web provides us with to present information, to the challenges that are created when information is displayed online. In addition to this, we will also be looking at issues such as how we are able to establish the quality of our information as well as how the presentation and design of web pages influence the value of our information in particular. The web provides us with many opportunities to present our information on our web pages. It enables us to attract key audiences through the use of styling our web pages. This is apparent in websites aimed at children, which will have loud/bright colours, interesting fonts, and easy to use features. A prime example of this would be the cbeebies BBC website, here the site is; easy to navigate, bright and colourful, and even has some cartoon style fonts in use to attract their main audience of children. The web also allows us to present information in a way that enables us to communicate our goals and ideas with the general public. For example, you can use links to websites you want your users to visit. I made use of this in my personal page, where I invited users to check my racing team’s page, to create public awareness. Not only this, but the web allows us to present our information in a way that lets users disseminate between what they want to know and what they don’t. Integral search bars are a perfect example of this but also navigation tools such as putting in a category function to a website. If I had had more information to present a navigation tool would have definitely been a priority for my web pages, however, with there being a small amount of information, I felt this would not be of great use. Finally, the web provides us with the opportunity to present information around the globe. The internet is becoming more world-wide as time progresses and with this, comes the opportunity to reach out to audiences around the globe. With the introduction of browsers that can translate a whole page, language is not a large issue anymore. In addition to the web providing us with opportunities to present our information, the fact that it is on the web influences the way in which it is shared with others. A company who uses the internet, for example, rather than newspapers or local adverts to increase public awareness of themselves, will most likely come across as modern, current, innovative etc. Marc Benioff highlighted this point when he explained, â€Å"The companies that will be successful in the future recognise the need for fundamentally changing the way they engage with their customers, and are transforming themselves into social enterprises and radically altering the way they manage their businesses. † This highlights the need for companies to embrace the internet, and that the web presence of information can indeed influence the way in which it is shared in a positive way. It helps answer one of the questions posed earlier about how current the information is. There are several challenges that derive from having information online on web pages. One of which being the challenge of accessibility. This is a key challenge in having information in web pages being online. A website needs to be as accessible as possible, meaning making your website accessible for people of various backgrounds, abilities and disabilities. To do this, one must design and develop the web page so that all users have the same access to the information, as well as the functionality and features of the site. One such way I found that I was able to do this was through the use of ‘ALT’ tags. An example would be ‘alt=An image of the three OSW racing cars. ’ ‘ALT’ tags are a way in which people who may have a visual impairment are able to know what is on the web page through the use of a screen reader. Getting a website to function, and do so well, can also be a large challenge. Attracting users to your website is only half the battle. If a user arrives at your website and they are unsure of how to navigate their way through, for example, then they will probably leave as quickly as they came. One such way in which I tried to address this was by making it clear to users how to get between my pages. I put my links at the top of the page in a clear and concise way so that users will be able to navigate easily without any stress. These challenges reflect how the design, content and function influence the meaning and value of information. If a website is not accessible for everyone, then some people will obviously be unable to assess the meaning of your information. Just as if users cannot actually use the website they will not value the information. This quote from ‘usability first’ highlights this perfectly, â€Å"When users feel stupid, their blood pressure goes up, their heart rate increases, and they get a little hot under the collar. This visceral negative reaction begins to harm trust and brand perception almost immediately. † Establishing quality of information on web pages is paramount to getting users to value your information. Design, function and content of web pages can all help to establish the quality of information. Information that is presented to you in a disorganised way that is even hard to understand will be of less use to you. This is why design is so important in influencing the quality of information. Getting the design of your web page right can make information so much easier to understand and therefore, perceived as better quality by users. One such way I tried to make my information easier to understand was through separation of my subjects into clear and concise paragraphs. Function is equally as important when it comes to quality of information. As we have seen previously, if the web page is hard to use and functionality is poor then they are not going to value that information. Finally, content also plays a key part in securing the quality of information. In order to secure this quality, the content must be accurate, relevant, and whenever possible up to date. If the information isn’t accurate, relevant or up to date then users will not regard it with high quality, nor will they value the information. The value of information on web pages can be influenced by design and presentation through more than just establishing the quality. A key area within design and an issue that greatly affects how users will value your information is colour schemes. In web design colours play a critical role, they create emotion, they influence purpose and they make us react in different ways. This means that the wrong choice of colour scheme can actually harm how users value the information of web pages. This topic is of particular interest to myself, and actually poses a challenge as I have a colour blind deficiency. When I was making my style sheets I had to keep in mind the fact that colour is so important. Not only did I have to choose which colours to go with but I also had to make a decision on which style sheet I would use for each page and why. In the end I decided to use the creative style sheet for my personal page because I’d like to think of myself as creative and this gave me the opportunity to portray this. I chose orange as the dominant colour on this page for two reasons; one being that it is the colour of my racing team, and two, that it is associated with enthusiasm, ambition and creativity. Again, giving me the opportunity to get across my ideas/goals, i. e. hinting to users that I possess those traits (or that I think I possess them). The meaning and value of information is very important when it comes to making a web page. We have seen that the design, function and content of web pages all play a huge role in influencing this. For example, we have seen that the web provides us with multiple opportunities to present our information such as getting our information across to key audiences and communicating our goals and ideas with them. In addition to this, the web presence of our information helps increase the value of information through appearing to others as modern. We also looked at the many challenges that are created when having a web page and how overcoming these challenges by making your website easier to use through functionality, can indeed influence in a positive way, the meaning and value of information. Also, we assessed the importance of establishing the quality of our information and how the design, content and function of our web pages enabled us to do this. Finally, we looked at how important design and presentation, and colour schemes in particular, are in influencing the value of information. To sum it all up, the design, function and content of web pages have a broad influence on the meaning and value of information. However, in order to have a positive effect, the design, function and content of our web pages must be used correctly and efficiently.

THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE essay

THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE essay THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE: EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE essay THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE: EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE essayIn actuality, the development of the cloud computing becomes extremely popular because the demand on the clouding services grows fast. Companies as well as individual users need to create effective networks which can store and process huge volumes of information. In such a situation, cloud computing becomes an efficient solution because it is affordable and offers users the possibility to use the cloud server to store the information that may be available to all users, who use the particular cloud, for instance, employees of the particular company.Software as a service is likely to dominate in the future in information management because this cloud service offers the best opportunities for businesses to maintain their information management effectively and securely. The main reason for the development of software as a service grows more and more popular because it is convenient to use for companies, who need effective networ k solutions. At this point, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that today many companies suffer from the information overload and they have to process information fast and effectively.In this regard, it is worth mentioning the fact that organizations tend to the wider use of the cloud technology because they need to store and process huge volume of information, while hard drivers installed on their PCs and laptops cannot store such a huge volume of information. More important, businesses need to share the information between employees that forces them to create networks. Local networks connective several PCs allow users to have access to the information but this technology is plausible only, when there are a few employees, who know perfectly each other and where the information is stored on the PC of each other. Such networks become absolutely ineffective in organizations that have a large number of employees because they cannot use get access to the information of all us ers. At any rate, they will definitely have difficulties with accessing that information because they may not always be able to locate where the target information is stored exactly.In such a context, software as a service model is apparently advantageous because all the information is stored on the server, which all users can access anytime they need. The software as a service model eliminates barriers on the access of users to the information. Therefore, employees can access the information they need easily and fast. All they need to do is to access the server and get the information which they need.Furthermore, software as a service allows storing huge volume of information which facilitates the information storage for the organization. In addition, employees of the company can operate autonomously they do not even need to know what other users are doing, where they store their information and so on as is the case of peer to peer networks. Software as a service offers customers p lausible solution based on the use of the software that allows organizations to create and maintain their network effectively. They can modify their networks as they like.At the same time, software as a service is cost efficient-compared to other clouding models. In fact, software as a service allows users the high level of security, on the one hand, the relatively low cost of the implementation of the solution, on the other. Moreover, software as a service offers a ready-made software solution for businesses. They do not need to customize those solutions. Instead, they just buy it and use it. Therefore, software as a service model does not need the extensive training of employees to use it effectively.Opponents of software as a service argue that this cloud service is unreliable because the entire network will shut down in case of the failure of the service. Moreover, the entire network will not work properly even if the server just has some troubles that prevent it from normal fun ctioning. However, such a view on the software as a service is superficial because users can implement software applications that allow creating redundant drives or even using the second server to backup the main server, if it fails to function properly or just shuts down.At the same time, some critics () are concerned with the information security of software as a service model. In fact, the risk of information breaches in case of using software as a service model is higher compared to more complex solutions, such as platform as a service or infrastructure as s service. On the other hand, the information security can be enhanced since software solutions may be complex and effective in regard to the information security. In addition, software applications are normally updated regularly, while information security becomes one of the major concerns of software developers. This is why it is possible to presuppose that developers of software as a service product will minimize the risk o f information breaches. Therefore, this is why service as a service is likely to become mainstream in the nearest future. Moreover, businesses do need using software as a solution, when they need to use cloud services and when they want to save costs. In addition, users will choose software as a service, if they are not proficient in cloud technology and information technologies because this model of cloud services is the simplest and easiest to use. In case of mass use of information technologies, simplest and most efficient ones normally win. Obviously, many companies may be unwilling to invest into the training of their employees or development of their own IT department to use more complex clouding services and technologies. Instead, they are likely to stick to the simpler clouding model, i.e. to software as a service.Thus, the development of the clouding technology and growing demand on the affordable and reliable clouding services make software as a service the most attractive choice for businesses in the nearest future. Software as a service is attractive because it is relatively cheap, reliable and, in spite of criticism, this technology may be secure.

Instructional Design Models Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Instructional Design Models - Case Study Example This essay offers an in-depth description of the ADDIE model, examines the strengths and weaknesses of the ADDIE design process, and ultimately considers the implementation of this instructional design process in terms of a twelfth-grade high school English lesson. Perhaps the greatest strength of the ADDIE model is its flexibility in variations. While there are a multitude of variations on the ADDIE model, one of the most common includes the process of rapid prototyping (Branch 2009). This process functions to provide instant continuous feedback on the model’s efficacy. While the ADDIE model presents an effective design paradigm, as with all instructional design models it’s necessary to consider education and psychological theories, including constructivism, behaviorism, and cognitivism, in developing a workable platform for learning (Branch 2009). Even within this flexibility, one can contend that the process of learning is complicated to the extent that high levels or learner interaction with the instructor and material is necessary to achieve higher levels of thought. In these regards, a weakness of the ADDIE model is its static nature (Leshin, Pollock, Reigeluth 1992). During the ‘analysis’ phase of the ADDIE model, the designer identifies the learning problem that is to be approached. This involves a wide variety of questions, including what goals are to be achieved, the learners’ specific prior knowledge, as well as other important characteristics (for instance, learners with learning disabilities). Furthermore, one must consider educational and psychological theoretical approaches. In terms of the example of a twelfth-grade high school English lesson the problem that has been identified as needing of a design model is the students’ writing skills. The students are in a twelfth grade honors English class so they have a relatively strong understanding of the English language, and have written a

Effects of Language Difference on Subsidiary Performance Essay - 1

Effects of Language Difference on Subsidiary Performance - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that multinational enterprises investment firms struggle to diversify in their field of investment in foreign countries. This is because they focus on hiring and recruiting new employees of different language backgrounds in their respective nationalities. Language can be termed or described a chosen unique system of conceptual symbols that let individuals communicate effectively. Language generally is the greatest used mediator which facilitates understanding and relation between management, employees, and customers of every given business. A multi linguistic human resource usually gives out benefits, for example, a larger and wider range of perspectives. This workforce also gives a greater competitive ability generally in the marketplace globally. Multinational enterprises that are venturing into new economies are faced with the new language and cultures which should be overcome to ensure organizational goals and objectives are achieved. M ultinational enterprises can be defined as financial firms and entities that are involved in the supply of services and goods in at least two or more economies. These corporations are large in size and they are involved in different forms and fields of business activities in different countries. Increased competition, venturing into new business form and globalization has forced most business firms alongside with their employees to interact with different nationalities. This has been caused by variation in availability of resources. Surveys show that languages play an important part in communication in multinational enterprises. A workforce with different language background may encounter language barrier if working together. This leads to misunderstanding it also suggests that language barrier causes ineffective communication or it may cause miscommunication within a company. According to past studies, they indicate that language does not only facilitate communication. The language barrier will not affect the human resource only, it also hinders effective communication. Customers will find it hard to communicate out their need or even fail to get important information about particular or certain services or products being offered by Multinational Corporation.

Importance of Communication in Daily Life

Importance of Communication in Daily Life To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others. Anthony Robbins Communication Is Integral To Human Life Communication is deeply intertwined with the human existence. It is an integral part of it. One cannot think of human life without communication. Can you imagine what would happen if you are not allowed to talk for a long time? You would feel suffocated. In personal life, we need to communicate to deal with various concerns and problems of daily life. In professional life also, it is communication that helps us to build healthy relations and credibility with co-workers. Only speaking/talking is not communication. Communication can take place in many forms. Sometimes, we communicate by talking about our ideas, thoughts or emotions; at other times, we may wish to communicate through the written word or even non-verbally. Whatever form we choose, getting the message across is what communication is all about. Communication is a process that is dynamic, continuous, and irreversible but at the same time, it is reciprocal in nature. It is an ongoing process. Roughly, we can define communication as a shared meaning between two or more individuals. The shared meaning arises out of the individuals experiences, background, education and training. Similarity in experiences, background, training, etc. makes communication successful between individuals. Communication helps us to understand others. The inability to communicate can lead to a lot of problems both personally and professionally. Imagine a day without communicating! We can instantly feel the void it would create. Can we ever forget that it is our ability to communicate verbally that distinguishes us from animals? Communication helps form a powerful bond among people and makes us social beings. Besides, knowledge is not the sole requirement for the achievement of success. A person may possess good knowledge, but his/her performance will be evaluated largely on the basis of his/her ability to communicate. Therefore, if you are a good communicator, you have better chances of success in life and in business. 1.2 COMMUNICATION FOR BUSINESS Communication has become indispensable today. Human activity will come to a standstill if there is no communication. All human transactions become possible only through communication. It is the life-blood of every business organization. Especially in todays globalized market economy, effective communication is vital to the success and survival of any organization. Businesses need people with good communication skills because communication is an essential part of the kind of work that is done in business organizations. It extends across all areas of business, including managerial, technical, clerical and social positions. In present times, several factors have contributed to the significance of communication. They are- faster means of communication because of scientific and technological advancements shrinking geographical boundaries because of the availability of faster means of transport growth of the multinational companies that has resulted in the creation of a globalized market economy generation of highly advanced management techniques as a result of the growing importance of professionalism in the management of business the information revolution that has brought with it highly sophisticated networking technologies multiplication of systems of communication at all levels of organization because of specialized knowledge that has lead to departmentalization advancements in the field of social sciences such as in psychology and in sociology that have created an awareness about the human mind and behaviour and how they influence communication Communication undertaken by a business organization with the purpose of achieving certain specific goals is known as business communication. In fact, business communication is a special type of communication undertaken to meet the needs of the organization. Powerful concepts in modern management like participation, motivation, involvement revolve around communication. According to R. Ludlow, Business communication is a process of transfer of information and understanding between different parts and people of a business organization. It consists of various modes and media involved in communication interchanges. Effective communication is needed for growth and development of any organization. H.G. Hicks has rightly pointed out- Communication is basic to an organizations existence from birth of the organization; when communication stops, organized activity ceases to exist. Improving communication skills improves the chances for success of a business. Effective communication brings progress and prosperity to it. Moreover, in this age of specialization, planning, production, sales, advertising, finance, welfare, etc. are handled by different departments. In absence of effective communication, there would be a serious problem of co-ordination among these departments and there would only be chaos and confusion in the organization. Communication is also quite significant keeping in mind the growing importance of human relations and human resource management in todays world. Communication helps a manager in developing meaningful relationships with the subordinates, changing their attitudes, boosting their morale and soliciting their cooperation. Communication links people together to achieve common goals. It is also required to maintain good public relations. Thus, executives are often expected to give speeches and interviews to the media in order to project a favourable image of the organization. Effective communication is required to handle various crises and conflicts of interests in an organization. It is also needed in order to impart adequate training to the employees in handling latest technology. Subordinates often resent the introduction of changes in the methods of working. This poses a challenge to the management to educate the employees so that they can smoothly adapt to the dynamic character of the organization. They also have to work at alleviating the fear that these changes are likely to generate unemployment. Thus, effective communication can help in changing the negative attitude of the employees towards technological advancement. It facilitates meetings which play an important role in the functioning of an organization. Effective business communication depends not only on the skills of the sender of the message but also on the skills of the one who receives that message. Thus, one may say that communication is not an end in itself; rather, it is a means to achieve an end. 1.3 PRE-REQUISITES OF COMMUNICATION Now the question is- What is communication and how it can be accomplished? What do we require to carry out communication? Hence, prior to looking at the meaning of communication, it would be helpful to know how we prepare for it. For instance, you want to write a letter. What all do you need for it? A piece of paper. A pen. A desk for support. Is there anything else that you require besides these things? Certainly you do. You need to dwell on three important things- 1. Purpose 2. Content 3. Skills These three precede all speaking or writing. WHAT TO COMMUNICATE- CONTENT Information Observation/ Receive by Select/Reject Think and Understanding Attention listening or as per your evaluate results into by reading interest, need the information knowledge or expectation This is how information is processed in to being knowledge. Knowledge generates in you the confidence to communicate. If you are well prepared with the content, then half the work is done. It is the urge to express something that begins communication. It can be an idea, an emotion, an opinion or some information. Without this basic idea/need, there can be no communication. However, we do not communicate whatever comes to our mind immediately. There is a need to plan- what to communicate, how to communicate and whom to communicate it to. We do not communicate without a purpose; therefore, it is essential to answer these questions before actually communicating. This helps us to communicate effectively and to get a desirable response from the person with whom we are exchanging our ideas. WHY TO COMMUNICATE- PURPOSE Speakers/ will hear/see Purpose of Writers Listener/ Communication Expectation Reader will listen/read will understand will act/respond THE PURPOSE IS FULFILLED Purpose is the primary pre-requisite of all meaningful communication. The sender initiates communication with some purpose i.e. expectation. S/he expects the receiver to hear/see his message, to listen/read it attentively, to understand it and to act/respond to it. When the receiver gives feedback or performs the expected action, then communication is said to be successful. However, the response would depend on various factors like concentration, physical surroundings and psychological makeup of the receiver. The next question is- how do we communicate? Communication does not just mean speaking or writing. We are communicating even when we smile or shrug our shoulders. However, when we decide to communicate, we need some medium through which to transfer that idea to the other person. HOW TO COMMUNICATE- SKILLS You may possess good knowledge and may be ready to convey it but if you do not know how to do it, it would not be effective. Poor speaking or writing skills is a real hurdle in communication. Speaking Skills Read aloud: Take a small piece of writing from a newspaper, magazine or a book and read it out loud. This will help you to know how you speak- your voice tone, pitch, etc. Observe: Observe how people speak- their pronunciation, accent, intonation, stress, style, rhythm, etc. Try to emulate the speaking style of good speakers. This will help you to improve your own style of speaking. (For a detailed note on speaking skills, writing skills and non-verbal communication, refer Chapter 2 Types of Communication.) Just the idea/information that the communicator has, the media of transmission available and the presence of the receiver are not enough for communication to take place. We need a proper context and an atmosphere where there are no hindrances in the communication process. Does communication end after the idea is communicated? As stated earlier, we communicate with a purpose. Expression of the idea/information is half the work done. But communication is considered complete only when there is some response from the receiver. Only then we can say that the purpose of communication is fulfilled. Communication involves three basic activities on the part of both the participants i.e. the sender and the receiver. On the senders part, they are- Thinking to develop the content to form a message Speaking/Writing to convey the message to the other person Feeling to make the message persuasive On the receivers part, the activities include- Listening/Reading to absorb the idea/information contained in the message Interpreting to understand the meaning of the message Responding to convey the acceptance or the disagreement with the message Communication has always been an important part of human life. Language and the ability to express ourselves using that language come to us spontaneously. And the need to communicate is so inherent in human nature that we hardly realize that effective communication skills can be acquired and honed. There are four basic communication skills- speaking, writing, listening and reading. They always work in the following adjacency pairs- Speaking/writing is handled by the sender of the message and listening/reading by the receiver of the message. Mastering these four skills is very essential if one wants to become an effective communicator. As children, we learn to speak by listening first. Thus, listening is the first skill that we acquire as we develop the language instinct. Then follows the reading skills once we start schooling and lastly we learn the writing skills as a part of our formal education. Thus, learning language/s and the related communication skills follow a systematic process. It does not happen accidentally and instantaneously. Despite of this, people often turn out to be poor communicators as most of us tend to take its importance for granted. Most of the time, we fail to achieve our objective while we communicate. This happens because of our failure to convey our ideas in a precise and clearly understandable manner. There may be a lack either in the content of the message or in the way in which it is conveyed to the intended audience, or both. The point is we do not normally focus much on what to communicate, when to communicate and how to communicate. Also, we need to consider another equally important aspect why to communicate i.e. the purpose. Thus, it is very important for us to recognize and study the essential elements involved in the process of communication in order to become effective communicators. Every aspect of life, whether personal, social or professional, involves communication. The basic meaning of the word communication is- an exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behaviour. The meaning of the word has not undergone much change. However, the ways and means of communication have changed greatly as a result of technological and other socio-cultural developments in recent times. Thus, these advancements have added numerous new dimensions to the communication process, which has become more complex over a period of time. It, thus, calls for a detailed study of the various components that are involved in it in order to be able to communicate effectively. 1.4 DEFINING COMMUNICATION In order to understand the term communication, it would be useful to have a look at some definitions given by the experts. The word communication is derived from the Latin word communis which means to transmit, to impart, to exchange, to share, or to convey. Communication means the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. (Oxford English Dictionary) Communication is a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information but also create and share meaning. (Business Dictionary) According to Newman and Summer, Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons. Keith Davis states Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. F.G. Meyer defines communication as the intercourse by words, letters or messages, the intercourse of thoughts or opinions. It is the act of making ones ideas and opinions known to others. In the words of Theo Haimann, Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to anotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it is the process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others. According to C.G. Brown, Communication has been defined as the transfer of information from one person to another, whether or not it elicits confidence or becomes an exchange or interchange. But the information transferred must be understandable to the receiver. William Scott defines communication as a process which involves the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of eliciting actions which will accomplish organizational goals. Louis A. Allen says, Communication is the sum of all the things which a person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening, and understanding. According to McFarland, Communication may be broadly defined as the process of meaningful interaction among human beings. More specifically, it is a process by which meanings are perceived and understanding is reached among human beings. These definitions explain communication as a process of passing information and understanding (Keith Davis) a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding (Business Dictionary) the act of making ones ideas and opinions known to others (F.G. Meyer) the process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others (Theo Haimann) the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of eliciting actions (William Scott) a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening, and understanding (Louis A. Allen) a process by which meanings are perceived and understanding is reached among human beings (McFarland) Thus, these definitions adequately highlight and express in concise form the important features of the process of communication. In short, we can define communication as a process in which two or more elements of a system interact in order to achieve a desired outcome or goal. (Larry L. Barker and Deborah A. Gaut, Communication; 2001) 1.5 FEATURES OF COMMUNICATION On the basis of the above discussion, let us now discuss certain important features of the process of communication. 1. It is an exchange of ideas. Communication is the process through which an exchange of information takes place. It is the sharing of information, ideas, concepts and messages. 2. Two parties are involved in it. In communication, the exchange of information takes place between two or more persons. This implies that there are minimum two people involved in the communication process at any given time. The one who initiates the exchange is the sender of the message (speaker/writer) and the one who receives and interprets it is the receiver of the message (listener/reader). 3. It is a two-way process. Communication is a two-way process of exchanging ideas or information. One person alone cannot carry out communication. When you communicate, there has to be a receiver or an audience that would reciprocate. Then only your communication can be complete. Thus, communication is a process of transmitting and receiving verbal and non-verbal messages. It is considered effective only when it achieves the desired reaction or response from the receiver. The response may be positive or negative. In case of absence of any response, communication is incomplete. Thus, communication is effective only when a concise and clear message is delivered well, received successfully, understood fully, and responded to promptly. 1.6 OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION There is no human action that is done without any purpose. Even the simplest and most natural action like breathing has a purpose- to stay alive. Communication is also always carried out with some purpose. (Refer 1.3 Pre-requisites of Communication) Communication begins with two-fold objectives or purposes that occupy the senders mind: Immediate or Primary to convey or to share Objectives information of Communication Ultimate or Secondary to convince or to persuade people To inform and to persuade are the two basic purposes (goals) that are ever present in the mind of a communicator. Sometimes, he seeks only to inform, as in scientific writings; sometimes, his goal is to persuade the reader, as in journalistic writings; and oftentimes, he wants both to inform and to persuade the reader, as in sales letters, advertisements, etc. Communication is vital to business. The communication activities of an organization fall into three broad categories: 1. Intra-organisational Communication FORMAL Business 2. Inter-organisational Communication Communication 3. Personal INFORMAL Communication 1. Intra-Organisational Communication It is communication within an organization. It is done to implement business plans. It takes many forms like orders, instructions, reports, emails, etc. 2. Inter-Organisational Communication It is communication that a business organization does with people outside the organization i.e. with other companies, customers, clients, general public, etc. It takes the form of planned publicity to improve its image and public relations with the help of business messages, advertising, displays, etc. The success of a business depends on its ability to fulfill the customers needs. Besides providing services, it must communicate effectively with outside people and groups for its success. 3. Personal Communication It is communication without a specific business objective i.e. without an ulterior motive or purpose. Man is a social animal, therefore we have a compulsive need to communicate even when we have nothing substantial to convey. Such communication also occurs in the workplace. For example, personal conversations, gossip, Grapevine phenomenon, etc. If one is not allowed to engage in such casual communication, it may lead to frustration and other such psychological problems. (For a more detailed discussion on corporate communication, refer Chapter 7 Formal and Informal Networks of Communication.) The primary objective of communication is to convey or share information. Business organizations have to deal with a large and varied amount of information on a daily basis in order to conduct various business activities. Thus, proper flow of information helps them to make right decisions. Another equally important objective of communication is to persuade people to accept a point of view or to change their attitude and accept a new or modified attitude. Persuasion is achieved through logical arguments or an emotional appeal to accept the change. Advertisements are an apt example of the persuasive nature of communication. Essentially, all communication is a deliberate and intentional act of persuasion. A communicator wants the reader not only to understand the message but also to be influenced as intended by him. (For a detailed discussion, refer 10.6 Persuasive Communication, Chapter 10 Nature of Attitude and its Influence on Communication) Communication helps to convey information from experts to trainees in an organization for the purpose of educating or training them to handle new technology or to adapt to the changes in the work environment. Communication is an effective tool in the hands of the managers to motivate and to boost the morale of the employees. This enables the organization to achieve higher productivity. Through advice and counseling, the management can help the employees in dealing with their emotional problems as well as problems pertaining to maladjustment and also to give career guidance. By means of letters of appreciation, special mention in reports, minutes of meetings, etc., the management can appreciate the work of the employees. In case of strikes, lockouts, and dismissal of individual employees or disciplinary action against them, the management uses communication channels to issue warnings. Communication also helps in co-ordination of intra-organisational activities, inter-organisational transactions, business transactions, and commercial transactions by means of conferences, meetings, advertisements, requests, suggestions, reviews, and discussions. Without communication, coordinating the activities of different persons engaged in running a business is a remote possibility. The management and the subordinates come closer through communication. Communication promotes cooperation and good industrial relations as it conveys feelings, ideas, opinions, and viewpoints of one party to the other party. The policies and programs formulated by the organization to guide the workforce have to be conveyed to those who are responsible for the execution of work to achieve the organizational objectives. Only effective communication can translate the plans into actions. It aids teamwork by enabling people to work together. It helps perform basic management functions like instructing, coordinating, staffing, planning, etc. Thus, these are the few important objectives of communication in the context of business organizations. So far, we have discussed what comprises communication and the significance of communication in our personal, social as well professional life. We have also highlighted some of the fundamentals of communication. Let us now analyse the process of communication and see how it is accomplished. 1.7 PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION Process is a series of things done to achieve something. Communication also follows a process. Communication begins when the sender/encoder identifies the need to communicate some idea/concept/information. He then encodes/formulates it into a message using a medium which can be understood by the receiver/decoder of the message who in turn processes it in his mind and responds to it. When the decoder understands the message completely, fidelity of communication is said to be 100% and the communication process is said to be complete. (Refer David Berlos Model of Communication) Thus, communication is a two-way process. Fidelity of Communication Idea Idea Concept Encoder Medium Decoder Concept Message Message Information Information Fidelity of Communication David Berlos Model of Communication If necessary, the receiver may send a reply or may respond or react to the message. This response or reaction is also known as feedback. But sometimes, there may be no response at all from the receiver even if it is required. Absence of feedback can be attributed to either of the following reasons- a) the message does not reach the receiver or b) the receiver fails to understand the message. Such situations may arise due to the presence of some factor/s that can- a) obstruct the message from being transmitted or b) distort the meaning of the message. The factors that hamper the flow of communication are known as barriers to communication. (Refer Chapter 4 Resolving Barriers to Communication) Communication occurs in five phases and it consists of the following eight components which are inter-related: Idea Sender/Encoder (Speaker/Writer) Encoding Message Channel and Medium Receiver/Decoder (Reader/Listener) Decoding Feedback Let us now discuss in detail the various stages and elements involved in the communication process. PHASE I- IDEATING: 1) Idea Every message whether oral or written has its origin in an idea that germinates in the mind of the sender of the message. Every idea refers to some context. Context is a common frame of reference within which the sender and the receiver communicate with each other. Thus, the idea or information that the sender wants to convey to the receiver is the source of the message in the communication process. 2) Sender/Encoder The person who initiates the communication process is referred to as the encoder. The process of communication begins with the sender who identifies the need to communicate. He may want to inform or to persuade or to influence or to make the receiver take a particular course of action. The sender must have a clear picture in his mind about what he wants to communicate and should accordingly select symbols, words, images, etc. that would best convey his ideas to the receiver. He must identify his audience and formulate the message in such a way that the receiver understands fully what he intends to convey and interprets it within the same context. PHASE II- ENCODING: 3) Encoding Encoding takes place when the sender formulates his idea into a message to be transmitted to the receiver, using a series of symbols- verbal and/or non-verbal, written or oral. The sender should encode his message keeping in mind the purpose of communication and he should select words or symbols so as to make the receiver understand the communication correctly and to achieve the expected feedback. The sender as well as the receiver should attach the same meaning to the symbols or words, otherwise communication would fail. Thus, proper encoding is essential for successful communication. 4) Message That which is encoded, i.e. the idea/concept/information, is the message. Message is an idea transformed into words. It can be expressed in different ways depending on the subject-matter, purpose, audience, personal style and cultural background of the sender. It can be transmitted effectively only when it is well-formulated, clear, and complete in itself. PHASE III- TRANSMITTING: 5) Channel and Medium An appropriate medium chosen to send the message is known as channel. It is the vehicle which facilitates the sender to convey the message to the receiver. Channel is the system used to transmit a message, whereas medium is one of the forms or types used under that system. For example, oral communication is a channel and telephone conversation (a form of oral communication) is a medium. There are three broad channels of communication and there are several media under each- Channel Medium 1. Oral face-to-face conversation, telephone conversation, audio-tapes, voice mail, etc. 2. Written letters, memos, reports, manuals, notices, circulars, questionnaires, minutes, email, fax, etc. 3. Audio-visual cinema, television, video-tapes, video conferences, video chat, etc. Thus, there is a difference between medium and channel. The sender should decide the best possible channel and medium to transmit the message. The selection of an appropriate channel/medium would be influenced by the following factors- a) the nature of the message, b) the urgency of the message, c) the number of receivers, d) the cost factor, and e) the relationship between the sender and the receiver. PHASE IV- RECEIVING: 6) Receiver/Decoder The person who receives the encoded message is referred to as the decoder. He is the intended audience of the message. The receiver may be an individual or a group of individuals. As communication is a two-way process, the receiver is as important as the sender of the message. Communication will not be complete in the following situations- a) in the absence of the receiver, b) if the message does not reach the right/intended receiver, and c) if the receiver does not understand the message. A receiver may be a listener or a reader or a viewer of the message. He not only receives the message but also tries to understand, interpret, and perceive the total meaning of the message, as was intended by the sender, and gives necessary feedback. 7) Decoding It is a process by which the receiver interprets the message and translates it into meaningful information. The meaning of the message is the sum total of the meanings of the words (symbols) together with the tone and the attitude of the sender as reflected by his choice of w

Stakeholder Relations :: essays research papers

Brief Many organisations are addressing the relationship they have with stakeholders. Select an organisation that is currently changing its policies towards stakeholders and, acting the role of a key stakeholder representative prepare a positioning statement/report that summarises key issues for your supporters. Background In 1875 J H Mills in Bristol opened a small family grocery store, and in 1900 became a limited company with 12 shops. J H Mills Ltd. turned into Gateway, in 1950, when a major finance house became the major shareholder. The J H Mills shops were then converted to become self-service type supermarkets. Throughout the late 20th century the amount of stores increased dramatically with takeovers and different acquisitions across the country. In 1996 Gateway food markets turned into Somerfield and was floated on the stock exchange and became a plc. The Somerfield group is made up of four separate businesses, which together operate over 1400 stores nationwide in the UK. Firstly, the Somerfield Stores division consists of around 1,000 stores incorporating Somerfield Stores and approximately 450 Kwik Save Stores. Somerfield is a modern high street retailer offering fresh foods, groceries, and household needs. The Kwik Save division was introduced to Somerfield when they announced their unconditional merger on March 20, 1998. Kwik Save's philosophy is to provide a full range of quality products at the lowest price on the high street. The idea was all about no frills low pricing. Somerfield started a  £1 billion programme to convert Kwik Save stores to Somerfield and also modernising the original Somerfield stores. Somerfield's third business is the Convenience division, a group of about 100 stores, ideal for 'top-up' shoppers, offering a range of groceries and provisions in a small store format located in convenient positions. The last of the businesses is Somerfield 24-7, a new, recent venture that allows people to shop for groceries without going into any of the supermarkets, by using the phone, Internet or interactive television and getting the goods delivered to their door. I am a representative for the employees of Somerfield plc. Report On Thursday November 11 Somerfield announced the sale of up to 490 stores and a reduction in its central office and distribution business. The board has decided to focus Somerfield operations on a potential  £30 billion neighbourhood food retailer market. Somerfield currently has approximately 10% of this market and believes it can increase its market share by further emphasising the importance of fresh food, improving the ease of shopping and developing a more responsive culture from its employees.

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity Essay

Education and experience in the secular set-up or the what we call here as Athens wisdom believes differently from the biblical standpoint in whatever aspect of life. Psychology in general, though embraces somewhat a neutral position according to some proponents, is not able to do justice to a balanced view of human behavior and most if not all of the individual’s activities. Indeed, Author Dr. Entwistle (2004) argues about the general tendency to dichotomize or what he said as â€Å"to buy into the dichotomy between the ‘sacred’ and the ‘secular’ which is what seeing Jerusalem and Athens as â€Å"mutually exclusive categories. † From the outset I would like to say my piece regarding the point where Dr. Entwistle is coming from without sounding arrogant in the same vein. He has mentioned a lot about presupposition while at the same time sounds like he doesn’t anything about presuppositions. When he separated â€Å"Jerusalem† and the â€Å"Church† in his book, I immediately detected his lack of background in the realm of biblical theology. At the heart of Christianity or the Church that Dr. Entwistle is referring to, there is no such dichotomy. The Church in every dimension of it (or Christianity as we aptly put it) does not do any separation unless what Christ has separated. Meaning, our premise or presupposition starts with the fact that the Church and Christian spirituality or faith if one would put it simply, stands on the Judaeo-Christian context not a choice between â€Å"Jerusalem† or â€Å"Church. † The fundamental difference lies in the great divide between Christianity and Athens or secular wisdom. It is only between the secular wisdom and biblical knowledge does the Bible place a dichotomy. Let me state what led me to this view: it is because, theologically speaking, biblical authors explicitly wrote in their letters from the Old to the New Testament Scriptures that God has His own laws and statutes through which life in general must be regulated. The same knowledge explicitly and implicitly runs through the fabric of the whole Scripture (Old & New), which means that the presuppositions of all of the Biblical authors, all fall into one primary presupposition: that there is one God, and that this One God has revealed Himself through His laws and statutes. Without the laws of God, man alone, with all of his learning, if they are all apart from the revelation of God, is mere natural or secular. This is the reason that every man ought to know these laws or statutes or biblical principles and only then can he apply these into all aspects of his secular life. This could have been what Dr. Entwistle intended to mean. One cannot come from the opposite side as what Dr. Entwistle had done instead as he hinged the argument from secular to the theological; though he tried to get his ideas from the likes of great men like Dr. A. W. Tozer and others. All those people’s arguments come from biblical presupposition: they have thorough knowledge of the Scriptures that they applied to various realms of life which in turn caused them to spur their readers to do the same. Trying to oppose the standpoint of apologist Tertullian, Dr. Entwistle seemingly misunderstands all of their positions, thus complicating what could have been an uncomplicated and unified stream of thought. The main contributing factors that led me to this viewpoint are my personal study of the Bible, and some works (massive) of Biblical scholars. The following discussion of renewing the mind then is a by-product of my own presupposition derived from the influence of these Biblical Scholars which include contemporary theologians like Dr. Vincent Cheung, Dr. Philip Johnson, and the father of Presuppositional apologetics Cornelius Van Til, to name a few. This thorough discussion of counsel of the wicked (representing secular or Athens wisdom) and the discriminative counsel which embraces all of Judaeo- Christian principles (as all contained in the Bible) captures best the essence of faith-spirituality molded from this basic presupposition. The dichotomy is between what the Bible says all throughout as the Wicked or ungodly counsel versus that of Godly wisdom. Dr. Entwistle unintentionally pursued a trichotomous delineation of Judeao-Christian theological thinking from secular. This is not proper. Discussion Christians know that a big portion of God’s work in their lives is concentrated on renewal of the mind. Our born again experience signaled the beginning of a new life for us rather than, as have been used by many figuratively, the end of our life’s quest for truth. It is the start of an individual’s real life in that it is the time when a person experiences the quickening work of God through His Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-7). Let’s think for a while our past life as portrayed to us in the Bible: 1. ) We were once dead spiritually – in trespasses and sins; 2. ) We once walked (lived our lives) according to the course of this world; 3. ) We once lived our lives (knowingly or unknowingly) controlled by Satan; 4. ) We once behaved in a way that in everything we do, we only fulfill our desires and what – in our minds – looked good and pleasant. Now, knowing that we are naturally (without the saving power of God) unresponsive to God and fully responsive to the things that are not of God, we recognize our great need to be renewed or our minds oriented to the things of God – things that really matter to Him and in this life (Romans 12:1-2). I. Discriminative Counsel. 1. ) Biblical/Godly Counsel – Its Necessity. There is a trend being proliferated in the area of guidance or direction in one’s life. The premise, if looked at the surface, seems to be sound and Biblical. It is somehow taken from the Bible. They are from the book of Proverbs. â€Å"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. † – Proverbs 11:14. â€Å"Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established. †Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Proverbs 15:22. These verses, however, when balanced with other portions of the Scripture, do not say that believers should heed suggestions from others without discrimination. Let’s take for example Psalms 1:1-6. â€Å"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, or sin- ners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. † – It says here that the â€Å"blessed man† is he whose delight is in â€Å"the law of the Lord. † – He meditates on it â€Å"day and night† (v. 2). What the Bible calls as â€Å"blessed† are not those who just swallow every information or trends who happen to be around. The blessed man’s â€Å"delight† is in the law of the Lord, and his pleasure to God’s law/word is made evident in his â€Å"meditating† on it â€Å"day and night. † â€Å"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. † – Psalms 1:1-2. On the other hand, this is also a warning. A warning to those who are not careful and would let down their guard with regards to their upholding the habit of meditating or checking everything with the teachings of the Scriptures. When someone starts to entertain the seemingly harmless conventional â€Å"advices† of the world without allowing the Bible (God’s Word) to filter those opinions/suggestions, the lurking danger sets in and the undiscerning is on his way to the wrong direction for he has already given thought to â€Å"ungodly counsel. † He entertained and has given a benefit of the doubt to counsel other than God’s counsel. This is a classic case of God’s word versus Satan’s lies. The enemy succeeded in tempting the first couple – Adam and Eve. â€Å"Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, â€Å"Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. † – Genesis 2:15-17. Going back to our immediate text in Psalms 1:1, let’s try to divide its wordings in three divisions and see what does it say? It says: â€Å"Blessed is the man who does not (1) walk in the counsel of the wicked (2) stand in the way of sinners (3) sit in the seat of mockers. These three expressions are actually three stages of wickedness, or three steps towards spiritual deterioration. They illustrate the progressive stages of wickedness into which one who strays from God enters. According to the Word of God, this is what will happen to people who stray from the sound teachings of the Scriptures – they will go from bad to worse. And note that, with each stage, the ungodly (anybody who ventures on this path is called â€Å"ungodly†) becomes more resolute and his hostility against the counsel of the inspired scriptures and righteousness intensifies (Cheung, 2007).