Four Factors of Organizational Success Essay

There are numerous ways to achieve organization success. Ask any two business guru their opinions and you will undoubtedly get two unique lists. Successful entrepreneurs covet their secrets of success and business school faculty lecture what the latest texts have written. Defining a check list of do’s and don’ts may seem like a rather easy task, but the implementation of those ideas is what will truly lead to organizational success. But what is organization success? That question can have many answers depending on the business. A University might define it as job placement of graduating students, but a middle school may be successful if its American history program is nationally recognized. A publicly traded company (and its stock holders) could define it as profits over the last quarter, whereas a small technology start-up could consider the issue of a patent on their newest widget a success. It’s my assessment that of all the factors pertaining to organizational success, those that revolve around the people within the organization and adaptation within the organization are the largest factors of success. I believe when a commitment to improvement, a continuous workforce development plan, and an implementation of a shared vision are harmoniously integrated by a resilient leader, it will place a company on a path to organizational success. Commitment to Continuous Quality (Process Improvement) There are no perfect scenarios where a company continues to profit and does nothing to improve. Updating a process is a continuous method that involves employees at all levels while focusing on the needs of the customer (John, 1992). Successful organizations are able to identify potential areas for increasing the value of processes or products. Not all products need to undergo substantial change in order to qualify as a process improvement. A change in the perceived value of the product is all that is needed. For example, a recent advertisement from McDonald’s is touting their Egg McMuffin sandwich as a luxury and higher class item. Taking from old consumer adage â€Å"It’s the Cadillac of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , McDonalds has substituted â€Å"McMuffin† for Cadillac. There have been no changes to the recipe of the sandwich, but they have changed the perception of the item by comparing it to a separate premium item and in turn increasing a perceived value (Biasi, 2012). Whether a company modifies a current product, updates a process or simply re-brands, constant improvement is a key factor in the success of an organization. Shared vision In order for a company to achieve a goal, its employees must be on board with the missions of the organization. That is, employees must be aligned with the mission, values and goals of the organization in order to foster growth and achieve long term success (The secrets of organizational success, 1995). In order for an organization to implement any changes, those within (at all levels) must share in the vision of the organization (Kanter, 1988). Every company should have a vision. Without a vision there are no goals to achieve and the company has no definition of success in the future. A successful vision provides a company with a few goals to which they can devote their resources to while inspiring its workforce to achieve those goals (Clancy, n.d.). The importance (as stated by Clancy) lies with inspiring employees. A vision alone needs support. Simply wanting something done, without dedicating recourses to it, is futile. Creating a shared vision, one in which employees have a stake, is significant in the organizations long term success. Providing a personal connection to the product (or process) drastically changes the way employees approach their work and makes a substantial impact on their work quality (Hill & Tande, 2003). People have to want to work, not because they are told to (Senge, 1990). The creation of a shared vision adds value to the work of an employee. A paycheck cannot be the only motivation. The employee must want to take stake in the operation of the company and understand their work is critical to the mission of the company. Continuous Learning / Workforce Development Former CEO of Intel Andrew Grove once said, â€Å"Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure† (1996). It is important for a company to provide its staff with the opportunities to develop and provide new insights into company processes. While in his tenure at Intel, Grove urged executive to allow staff to experiment with new techniques and processes while concurrently performing the production of existing products (Grove, 1996). Acknowledging the importance of creative freedom and invention allows for an improved process to be implemented without a significant reduction in production levels (Sheridan, 2004). Learning enhances people’s abilities; it drives creation, workplace competencies and motivates others to do the same (Loon, Lim, Teck, & Lai, 2012). A company can develop their staff internally while creating new ideas, updating procedures and processes. Constant improvements do not come automatically. Instituting a program that promotes continuous learning and workforce development can eliminate down time between successes and will create a substantial competitive advantage. Strategic decision maker As an organization undergoes change, its leaders also need to have the willingness to do so. Strategic decision makers are flexible yet concise; they must make crucial decisions regarding growth, divestment, new products and cost cutting (Grant, 2008). As a company attempts to succeed in the marketplace, its leader must effectively navigate a myriad of executive decisions that affect the livelihood of the company. While any company can claim they want to improve, the implementation of that vision is the key. R.M. Kanter (1988) discusses that the best of those leaders are called â€Å"Change Masters†; leaders who are able to create a shared vision, encourage innovation, and support internal education. She continues that change isn’t always necessary, but a strategic decision maker will identify times where change is eminent and make adjustment rapidly. Take for example Lee Iacocca and Chrysler. Before his hire, the company was on the edge of complete failure. Something desperately needed to change. With the hire of Lee Iacocca came a decision to layoff those employees not willing to accept changes he believed would right the company. Those who stayed for a maximum $14 per hour salary, redesigned the brand and help the company earn over $2.5 billion within three years of his hire. (Roberts, n.d.). I am not suggesting a change in company culture is necessary, but a leader must be able to identify the need for change, have the ability to implement such change, and the gumption to do so. Finding a leader with the before mentioned qualifications will aid in corporate success. Four factors working together There are many other factors which could lead to (or prevent) organizational success. It’s my belief that the four points briefly discussed are deeply intertwined and provide an ever changing path towards success. The proper mix of these four items creates an environment that fosters company development. Just a few examples of the cohesion of these four factors have been noted in other publications: * Great leaders must be passionate about their visions and responsible for advancing workforce development (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly & Konopaske, 2006; Loon, et al., 2012). * Continuous learning among all levels leads to future process improvements (Zairi, & Whymark. 2000). * Leaders must also have the mindset required for visionary leadership; otherwise they are managers and not leaders (Transforming leadership for success and sustainability, 2011). * Continuous process improvements that are derived from a shared vision are more readily adapted by employees (Guti, Llorà ©ns-M ontes, & Óscar. 2009). The items above are not meant to be all inclusive. There are numerous other factors that one could argue have equal impact on success. While I do not discredit those other factors, it’s my determination that the four mentioned are factors that are able to be controlled within the organization. Other factors such as environmental conditions, consumer behaviors, and external costs, remain out of the control of the business leader. Focusing on supplying staff with the necessary leadership to achieve the company vision will lead to success. As the newest management fads pass and business trends change, one thing will remain constant: the success of organization will rely on heavily people who are a part of the organization. References Biasi, A. (2012) Increasing Perceived Value (of your product or service). Smart Marketing Solutions. http://www.smartmarketingllc.com/2012/01/14/increasing-perceived-value-of-your-product-or-service/ Clancey, K.J. (n.d.). Shocking truth of the month. Most companies are operating without a vision. Retrieved from http://www.thekevinclancy.com/truths_102009_g.html Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H. Jr., Konopaske, R. (2008). Organizations. Behavior, structure, processes. McGraw-Hill Irwin. New York, NY. Grove, A. (1996). Only the paranoid survive. Double Day Publishing. New York, NY. Guti, L. J., F.J. Llorà ©ns-Montes, & Óscar, F. B. S. (2009). Six sigma: From a goal-theoretic perspective to shared-vision development. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 29(2), 151-169. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01443570910932039 Hill, B., & Tande, C. (2003). Personal impact maps: Chart the course to a shared vision. Workspan, 46(10), 38-42. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database. John, S. W. F.,Jr. (1992). Managing process improvement at the cherry point naval aviation depot. National Productivity Review (1986-1998), 11(4), 533-533. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database Kanter, R. M. (1988). Change masters vs. change stiflers. Executive Excellence, 5(3), 12-13. Retrieved from ABI/ Inform database Loon, M., Yet, M. L., Teck, H. L., & Cai, L. T. (2012). Transformational leadership and job-related learning. Management Research Review, 35(3), 192-205. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01409171211210118 Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday/Currency. Sheridan, J.H. (2004). 1997 Technology Leader of the Year, Andy Grove: Building An Information Age Legacy. Industry Week. Retrieved from http://www.industryweek.com/companies-amp-executives/1997-technology-leader-yearandy-grove-building-information-age-legacy Sudhir, K. C., Pullig, C., & F, D. A. (1997). Critical success factors from an organizational life cycle perspective: Perceptions of small business owners from different business environments. Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, 9(1), 47-0_7. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database. The secrets of organizational success: Aligning employees behind new corporate goals and objectives. (1995) Training & Development, 49(8), 28-28. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Database. Transforming leadership for success and sustainability. (2011). Strategic Direction, 27(3), 19-21. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02580541111109598 Zairi, M., & Whymark, J. (2000). The transfer of best practices: How to build a culture of benchmarking and continuous learning – part 2. Benchmarking, 7(2), 146-167. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database.

Greenhouse Gases

We know electricity is a form of energy and energy is the ability to perform work or make things happen, we also know there are several sources of energy and â€Å"wind† happens to be one of those sources. Since â€Å"wind† is simply air in motion, what then is â€Å"wind energy† and how can we generate electricity from it? Well, based on my research, wind energy is the result of the sun’s energy interacting with the earth’s surfaces. It is also an ideal renewable energy source that is infinitely sustainable; pollution free; doesn’t use fuel; and doesn’t produce greenhouse gases, toxic or radioactive waste.This type of energy is considered a green power technology because it has minor impacts on the environment. When using wind to generate electricity we use machines known as turbines and this turbines use blades that are connected to a drive shaft to collect the winds’ kinetic energy which creates a lift that causes them to tur n and then produces electricity using an electric generator. Okay now we know basics, how does this energy source reduce greenhouse gases? First of all, what are these â€Å"greenhouse gases†?Greenhouse gases are gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range . The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide (the principal greenhouse gas), methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. From definition, we know that generating electricity for wind does not produce any of these GHG. Before analyzing how efficient wind energy is in reducing GHG, let us consider some other sources of energy. These other sources include: hydropower (water), solar (sun), geothermal (heat) and nuclear.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 14

She got David's room number from a receptionist at the front desk. She didn't ask if she was allowed to visit. All Gillian could think as she walked down the hall was, Please. Please, if David was only all right, there was a chance that everything could work out. At the door she stopped and held her breath. Her mind was showing her all sorts of pictures. David in a coma, hooked up to so many tubes and wires that he was unrecognizable. Worse, David alive and awake and smiling†¦ and looking at her with violet eyes. She knew what Angel's plan had been. At least, she thought she knew. The only question was, had he succeeded? Still holding her breath, she looked around the door. David was sitting up in bed. The only thing he was hooked up to was an IV of clear fluid. There was another bed in the room, empty. He looked toward the door and saw her. Gillian walked toward him slowly. She kept her face absolutely expressionless, her eyes on him. Dark hair. A lean face that still had traces of a summer tan. Cheekbones to die for and eyes to drown in. But no half-quizzical, half-friendly smile. He was looking back at her as soberly as she was looking at him, a book slipping unnoticed from his lap. Gillian reached the foot of the hospital bed. They stared at each other. What do I say? David, is it really you? I can't. It's too stupid, and what's he going to say back? No, dragonfly, it's not him, it's me? The silence stretched on. At last, very quietly, the guy on the bed said, â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Yeah.† The word came out clipped and dispassionate. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Yeah, pretty much. I was lucky.† He was watching her. â€Å"You look-kind of different.† â€Å"And you're kind of quiet.† Something like puzzlement flashed in his eyes. Then something like hurt. â€Å"I was†¦ well, you walked in here looking so deadpan, and you sound so †¦ cold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head slightly, his eyes fixed on hers. â€Å"Gillian-did I do something to make you want to hit that pole?† â€Å"I didn't do it on purpose!† She found herself lunging forward, reaching for his hands. He looked startled. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"David, I didn't. I was doing everything I could not to. I would never want to hurt you. Don't you know that?† His face cleared. His eyes were very dark but very calm. â€Å"Yes, I do/' he said simply. â€Å"I believe you.† Strangely, she knew he did. hi spite of all the evidence to the contrary, he believed her. Gillian's hands tightened on his. Their eyes were locked together. It was as if they were getting closer, although neither of them moved physically. And then it was all happening, what had started to happen at least twice before. Feelings so sweet and strong she could hardly bear it. Strange recognition, unexpected belonging†¦ impossible knowing†¦ Gillian's eyes seemed to shut of their own accord. And then somehow they were kissing. She felt the warmth of David's lips. And everything was warm and wonderful†¦ but there was more. It was as if the normal veil that separated two people had melted. Gillian felt a shock of revelation. This was what it meant, what Angel had spoken to her about. She knew it intuitively even though she'd never spoken the word before. Soulmates. She'd found hers. The one love for her on this earth. The person she was meant to be with, that no one could keep her from. And it wasn't Angel. It was David. That was the other thing she knew, and knew with a bedrock certainty that nothing could touch. This was David, the true David. He was holding her in his arms, kissing her. Her, the ordinary Gillian, who was wearing an old gray sweatshirt and no makeup. It was absurd that she'd ever believed things like makeup mattered. David was alive, that was what mattered. Gillian didn't have his death on her conscience. And if they could somehow live through the rest of what had to be done, they just might be happier than she had ever imagined. How weird that she could still think. But they didn't seem to be kissing anymore; they were just holding each other now. And that was almost as good, just feeling his body against hers. Gillian pulled away. â€Å"David-â€Å" His eyes were full of wonder. â€Å"You know what? I love you.† â€Å"I know.† Gillian realized she was being less than romantic. She couldn't help it. This was the time for action. â€Å"David, I have to tell you some things, and I don't know if you can believe me. But you've got to try.† â€Å"Gillian, I said I love you. I mean that. We-â€Å" Then he stopped and searched her face. He seemed to see something that changed his mind. â€Å"I love you,† he said in a different tone. â€Å"So I'll believe you.† â€Å"The first thing is that I'm not anything like what you think. I'm not brave, or noble, or witty in the face of danger or-or anything like that. It's all been-a sort of set-up. And here's how it happened.† And then she told him. Everything. From the beginning, from the afternoon when she'd heard the crying in the woods and followed it and died and found an angel. She told him the whole story, about how Angel had appeared in her room that night and how he'd changed her whole life. About the whispering that had guided her ever since. And about the very bad things. Her witch heritage. The spell she'd put on Tanya. The Night World. All the way up to the accident last night. When she was done, she sat back and looked at him. â€Å"Well?† â€Å"Well, I probably ought to think you're crazy. But I don't. Maybe I'm crazy, too. Or maybe it's because I died once, myself. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You started to tell me that, that first night- and then the car skidded. What happened?† â€Å"When I was seven my appendix burst. I died on the operating table-and I went to a place like that meadow. I'll tell you the funny thing, though. I felt that rushing thing come at me, too-that huge thing you said came at you hi the end. Only it actually reached me. And it wasn't dark or scary. It was white-beautiful light-and it had wonderful wings.† Gillian was staring. â€Å"Then what?† â€Å"It sent me back. I didn't have any choice. It loved me, but I had to go back anyway. So- zoom-back down the tunnel, and pop, back into the body. I've never forgotten it. And, it's hard to explain, but I know it was real. I guess that's why I believe you.† â€Å"Then maybe you understand what I've got to do. I don't know what Angel really is. †¦ I think he may be some kind of demon. But I've got to stop him. Exorcize him or whatever.† David took her by the arms. â€Å"You can't. You don't know how.† â€Å"But maybe Melusine does. It's either her or that guy Ash at the club. He seemed all right. The only down side is that I think he was a vampire.† David had stiffened. â€Å"I vote for the witch-â€Å" â€Å"Me, too.† â€Å"-but I want you to wait for me. They'll let me out later this afternoon.† â€Å"I can't. David, it's for Tanya and Kim, too. Melusine might know how to cure them. Anyway, I'm certainly going to ask her. And I can't let any more time go by.† David pulled at his hair with the hand that wasn't hooked to the IV. â€Å"Okay. All right, give me five minutes, and we'll go together now.† â€Å"No.† He was looking at the IV as if figuring out how to undo it. â€Å"Yes. Just wait for me-â€Å" Gillian blew him a kiss from the door and ran before he looked up. He couldn't help her. You couldn't fight Angel in ordinary ways. All David would be was leverage in Angel's hands-a hostage-something to threaten to harm. Gillian jogged out of the hospital and through the parking lot. She found the Geo. Okay, now if Melusine would just be at the store†¦ {You don't really want to do this, you know.) Gillian slammed the car door closed. She sat up very straight, looking at nothing, as she fastened her seatbelt and started the car. (Listen, kid. You ain't never had a friend like me.) Gillian pulled out of the parking lot. (Come on, give me a break. We can at least talk about this, can't we? There are some things you don't understand.) She couldn't listen to him. She didn't dare answer him. The last time, he'd hypnotized her somehow, made her relax and give up control to him. That couldn't happen again. But she couldn't shut his voice out. She couldn't get away from it. (And you can't love him. There are rules against it. I'm serious. You belong to the Night World now-you're not allowed to love a human. If they find out, they'll kill you both.) (And what were you trying to do to us?) Damn, she'd answered him back. She wouldn't do that again. (Not hurt you. It was only him I wanted. I could have slipped in as he slipped out†¦) Don't listen, Gillian told herself. There must be some way of blocking him, of keeping him out of her mind†¦ She began to sing. â€Å"DECK the halls with boughs of HOL-ly Fa la la lala†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hadn't been able to hear her thoughts when she hummed before. It seemed to work, now, as long as she kept her mind on the lyrics. She sang Christmas carols. Loudly. The fast ones, like â€Å"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen† and â€Å"Joy to the World,† were best. â€Å"The Twelve Days of Christmas† got her the last few miles to Woodbridge. Please be there†¦ â€Å"FIVE golden rings,† she caroled, hurrying into the Woodbridge Five and Ten with the shoe box under her arm. She didn't care who thought she was crazy. â€Å"FOUR calling birds, THREE French hens †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was at the door to the back room. â€Å"TWO turtle doves †¦Ã¢â‚¬  A very startled Melusine looked up from behind the counter. â€Å"And a†¦ please, you've got to help me! I've got this Angel who's trying to kill people!† She broke off the song and rushed to Melusine. â€Å"You've†¦ what?† â€Å"I've got this-angel thing. And I can't stop him from talking to me†¦.† Gillian suddenly realized that Angel had stopped talking. â€Å"Maybe he got scared when I came in here. But I still need your help. Please.† Suddenly her eyes were stinging with tears again. Melusine leaned both elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hands. She looked surprised, but willing. â€Å"Why don't you tell me about it?† For the second time that day, Gillian told her story. All of it. She hoped that by telling everything, she could make Melusine understand her urgency. And her lack of experience. â€Å"So I'm not even a real witch,† she said at the end. â€Å"Oh, you're a witch, all right,† Melusine said. There was color in her cheeks and a look of fascination in her dark eyes. â€Å"He told you the truth about that. Everybody knows about the lost Harman babies. Little Elspeth-the records say that she died in England. But obviously she didn't. And you're her descendant.† â€Å"Which means it's okay for me to do spells?† Melusine laughed. â€Å"It's okay for anyone to do spells who can do spells. In my opinion. Some people don't feel the same way-â€Å" â€Å"But can you help me take the spells off?† Gillian opened the shoe box. She felt ashamed to show the dolls to Melusine-even though she'd bought them here. â€Å"I wouldn't have done it if I'd known,† she murmured feebly, as Melusine looked at the dolls. â€Å"I know.† Melusine gestured at her to be quiet. Gillian watched tensely and waited for the verdict. â€Å"Okay, it looks as if you've started the process already. But I think†¦ maybe some healing salve†¦ and blessed thistle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She bustled around, almost flying in her chair. She applied things to the dolls. She asked Gillian to concentrate with her, and she said words Gillian didn't recognize. Finally, she wrapped the wax dolls in what looked like white silk, and put them back in the box. â€Å"Is that all? It's done?† â€Å"Well, I think it's a good idea to keep the dolls, just in case we need to do more healing. Then, after that, we can unname them and get rid of them.† â€Å"But now Tanya and Kim will be okay?† Gillian was anxious for reassurance, and she couldn't help the quick glance of doubt she cast-at Melusine's missing leg. Melusine was direct. â€Å"If they've had anything amputated, it won't cure them. We can't grow new limbs.† She touched her leg. â€Å"This happened in a boating accident. But otherwise, yes, they should get better.† Gillian let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for hours. She shut her eyes. â€Å"Thanks. Thank you, Melusine. You don't know how good it feels to not feel like you're maiming somebody.† Then she opened her eyes. â€Å"But the hard part's still to come.† † ‘Angel.'† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well, I think you're right about it being hard.† She looked Gillian straight in the eye. â€Å"And dangerous.† â€Å"I know that already.† Gillian turned and took a quick pace around the room. â€Å"He can get into my mind and make me do things-â€Å" â€Å"Not just your mind. Anyone's.† â€Å"And I'm pretty sure he can move objects by himself. Make cars skid. And he sees everything.† She came back to the counter. â€Å"Melusine-what is he? And why's he doing all this? And why to me?† â€Å"Well, the last question's the easiest. Because you died.† Melusine wheeled quickly to a bookshelf at the end of the counter. She pulled down a volume. â€Å"He must have caught you in the between-place, the place between earth and the Other Side. The place where he was,† she said, wheeling back. â€Å"He pretended to be the welcomer, the one who guides you to the Other Side. That thing rushing at you at the end-that was probably the real welcomer. But this ‘Angel' got you out of the between-place before it could reach you.† Gillian spoke flatly. â€Å"He's not a real angel, is he?† â€Å"No.† Gillian braced herself. â€Å"Is he a devil?† â€Å"I don't think so.† Melusine's voice was gentle. She opened the book, flipping pages. â€Å"From the way you brought him back with you, I think he must be a spirit. There are two ways of getting spirits from the between-place: you can summon them or you can go fetch them yourself. You did it the hard way.† â€Å"Wait a minute. You're saying I brought him?† â€Å"Well, not consciously. I'm sure you didn't mean to. It sounds like he just sort of grabbed on and whooshed down the tunnel-what we call the narrow path-right along with you. Spirits in the between-place can watch us, sometimes talk to us, but they can't really interact with us. When you brought him to earth, you set him free to interact.† â€Å"Oh, wonderful,† Gillian whispered. â€Å"So on top of everything, it's my fault from the beginning.† She looked around dazedly, then back at Melusine. â€Å"But what is a spirit, really? A dead person?† â€Å"An unhappy dead person.† Melusine turned pages. † ‘An earthbound spirit is a damaged soul†¦' † She shut the book. â€Å"Look, it's actually simple. When a spirit is really unhappy-when they've done something awful, or they've died with unfinished business-then they don't go on to the Other Side. They get stuck in-well, the book calls it ‘the astral planes near earth.' We call it the between-place.† â€Å"Stuck.† â€Å"They won't go on. They're too angry and hopeless to even want to be healed. And they can do awful things to living people if they get down here, just out of general miserableness.† â€Å"But how do you get rid of them?† Melusine drew a breath. â€Å"Well, that's the hard part. You can send them back to the between-place-if you have some blood and hair from their physical body. And if you have all sorts of special ingredients, which I can't get. And if you have the right spell, which I don't know.† â€Å"I see.† â€Å"And in any case, that only traps him in the between-place again. It doesn't heal him. But, Gillian, there's something I've got to tell you.† Melusine's face was very serious, and she spoke almost formally. â€Å"You may not need to rely on me.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Gillian †¦ I don't think you really understand who you are. Did he-this spirit-explain to you just how important the Harmans are?† â€Å"He said Elspeth's sister was some big witch leader.† â€Å"The biggest. She's the Crone, the leader of all the witches. And the Harmans are-well, they're sort of like the royal family to us.† Gillian smiled bleakly. â€Å"So I'm a witch princess?† â€Å"You told me that Elspeth is your mother's mother's mother. You're descended entirely through the female line from her. But that's-extraordinary. There are almost no Harman girls left. There were only two in the world-and now there's you. Don't you see, if you let the Night World know about this, they'll flock to help you. They'll take care of Angel.† Gillian was unimpressed. â€Å"And how long will that take?† â€Å"For them to gather and everything†¦ check out your family, make all the preparations †¦ I don't know. It could probably be done in a matter of weeks.† â€Å"Too long. Way too long. You don't know what Angel can do in a few weeks.† â€Å"Then you can try to do it yourself.† â€Å"But how?† â€Å"Well, you'd have to find out who he was as a person and what business he left unfinished. Then you'd have to finish it. And finally, you'd have to convince him to go on. To be willing to leave the between-place for the Other Side.† She glanced wryly at Gillian. â€Å"I told you it would be hard.† â€Å"And I don't think he'd be very cooperative. He wouldn't like it.† â€Å"No. He could hurt you, Gillian.† Gillian nodded. â€Å"It doesn't matter. It's what I've got to do.†

Critique: Effects of Class Size and Instruction on Kindergarten Achievement Essay

Introduction This article discusses some very important points that will affect many children as they begin the first steps of their education. It is fairly clear that the authors have done quite a bit of research on the effects of the classroom size and the achievement of kindergarten students. Both authors are affiliated with the same school, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In reviewing the article, the authors point out some important details pertaining to the quality of the teacher as well as their method of teaching in an effort to keep in line with the NCLB Act(No Child Left  Behind Act). The main aim of the authors is to prove that the size of the class may affect a student’s academic progress because there have been mixed findings in the past as to the validity of this issue. Literature Review One of the main sources used by the authors in their review of literature was an experiment done by students in Tennessee in the 1980’s called STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Ratio). â€Å"Researchers have referred to STAR as: â€Å"one of the great experiments in education in U. S. history (Mostellar, Light, & Sachs, 1996). † The variables are mainly the  Kindergarten class size and the teacher’s instruction methods which are well defined throughout the article. Statement of Problem This research study was conducted to determine whether teacher quality is more important than class size for achievement. The hypothesis is explicitly stated in this article and gave sufficient understanding of the specific variables that were to be studied in the article. An example of the hypothesis would be â€Å"teachers may teach differently in larger and smaller classes, Experimental Design 3 some instructional practices may be more effective than others in a smaller class, students may  behave differently in larger and smaller classes†. (Milesi & Gamoran, 2006, pp. 291-293) The authors have made a very convincing argument concerning the stated hypothesis because they used reading and math data collected from children’s classroom experience, classroom size and their teacher’s instructional methods to come up with their definitive conclusion. Methodology The kindergarten class size was measured from a sample of 21,260 children that were enrolled in approximately 1,000 kindergarten programs. It also consisted of children from various racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as socio-economic backgrounds. Some of the children studied were from private kindergartens and others were from public school kindergartens (Milesi & Gamoran, 2006, pp. 293-294). Data was collected twice throughout the year, during the spring and the fall. Most of the authors mentioned used data that was supplied at the beginning and at the end of the student’s kindergarten year. The parents were asked questions concerning their socio-economic background. In determining the student’s cognitive achievement, information was gathered from the children using a one-on-one computer assisted interview. Data in the areas of reading, math and general knowledge was used to assess the students. In evaluating the teachers, they were interviewed in the fall and in the spring of a particular kindergarten year (Milesi & Gamoran, 2006, pp. 291-293). There was some concern about the validity of the study because there were some limitations on how the data was gathered from the teachers. There were questions as well as interviews which investigated the teacher’s instructional methods because it captured more of what a teacher’s intentions were as opposed to the teacher’s accomplishments through the year. Experimental Design 4 The authors had a few limitations but if they wanted to use the descriptive method to demonstrate whether or not the quality of a teachers’ instructional method versus the size of the class played a larger part in a kindergartner’s achievement, it was a necessary step (Milesi & Gamoran, 2006, pp. 296-297). Results The researchers presented very descriptive statistics for all the student levels and class level variables that were used in the analysis. There were descriptive statistics presented for large and small classes. The researchers weighed the statistics at the student level but not at the class levels but they used descriptive statistics for both the original and the mean-imputed variable (Milesi & Gamoran, 2006, pp. 299-306). Discussion The researchers have offered no evidence that the class size affects reading or math achievements for kindergarten. The major findings were that class size does not affect the achievement of kindergarteners on an average nor does it affect any particular group of students. The researcher’s findings for the class size differ from those of Project STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Ratio). It was not determined whether the same teachers use different instructional methods in classes of different sizes (Milesi & Gamoran, 2006, pp. 299-309). Experimental Design 5 References Mosteller, F. , Light, R. J. & Sachs. J. A. (1996). Sustained injury in education: Lesson from skilled grouping and class size. Harvard Educational Review, 66, 797-842. Retrieved on February 17, 2011 from ERIC. Milesi, C. , Gamoran, A (2006). Effects of Class Size and Instruction on Kindergarten Achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 28:4, 287-313. Retrieved on March 17, 2010 from http://eepa. aera. net.

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