Organisational Culture and Structure on Business Performance

Organisational Culture and Structure on Business Performance The success of a business depends on its management. Without management it is not possible to run or manage a business or anything else. In regard to managing businesses and associated behaviour the field of management behaviour has originated. Management behaviour is about making decisions. It helps people and businesses to concentrate on their goals and business objectives (Baligh 2006). Nowadays almost all businesses are involved in the practice of management behaviour that will be discussed here in this paper with the consideration of its different aspects. The paper will include an analysis of the effects of structure and culture on business performance. Additionally, it will also include a discussion of changes that have occurred in management in last 40 years and that may occur in next 40 years. In the end, the skill set required by an individual to operate at management level will also be discussed. Organisational structure and culture are significantly related to each other and make effects on business performance. For understanding the effects of culture and structure on business performance it is essential to understand organisational culture, structure and business performance (Ryall Craig 2003). Organisational structure is a formal system of work roles and authorities relations that determine how associates and managers work together with one other. It is a pattern of relationships among different organisational positions. With the help of structure it becomes easy to define the process of management (Clayton Fisher n.d.). It also assists with a framework of order and command that directs mangers in planning, organizing, directing and controlling different organisational activities. Organisational culture refers to the values shared by organisation managers and associates. It includes shared assumptions, beliefs, values, norms and language patterns (Ryall Craig 2003). In addition to structure and culture business performance is the ability of a firm to attain its goals by making an effective use of its resources. All these aspects are interrelated to each other and also include several factors that affect individual performance in the workplace (Orna 1999). Structure and culture are the key elements in an organisations success. If an organisation operates by concentrating on these aspects, it becomes easy to attract consumers and increasing competition. Whether a firm is small or large in its size, its effectiveness depends on how it is structure (Daft 2009). This organisational structure gets developed under the influence of the culture that in turn influences a firms ability to implement changes effectively. If a firm is able to maintain an effective culture, it becomes able to develop well-planned organisational structure that makes it easy for business managers to implement changes and attain success. Organizational structure exercises within an organizational culture, but it is interrelated (Ryall Craig 2003). Organizational culture pertains to a broader view that includes number of small organisational issues and aspects (Harris Hartman 2001). On the other hand, organisational structure refers to the infrastructure, and the number of methods and practices employed within that infrastructure (Clayton Fisher n.d.). All the methods and practices assist an organisations culture to operate with the competence and consistency. In modern era organisations are evaluated on the basis of their culture and structure that need to be managed critically. Structure is an integral part of an organisation culture as it primarily deal with the establishment of culture that in turn motivates employees to work effectively in the direction of organisational goals (Orna 1999). If a firm is not able to integrate its structure with culture it would not become able to encourage its employees to take initiatives and implement changes successfully that are critical for its effective performance (Baligh 2006). Organisation culture involves several issues like how management works, which particular obligations supervisors have and how a complaint or issues can be passed through different organisational levels. All these issues related to culture are directly associated to how a firms organisational structure works. In addition to this, there are also several other issues related to culture that can only be resolved through an effective organisational structure (Clayton Fisher n.d.). For effective performance of business it is vital to resolve these issue as otherwise it would not be possible to attain determined profit goals and objectives. Another significant way to describe the interrelationship between structure and culture and their effect on business performance is to identify that how structure works. Organisational structure allows formation of different interrelated groups that are allowed to operate smoothly with specific role and authorities (Orna 1999). This framework or teams allows effective communication and coordination that builds a healthy culture and motivates employees to work in the direction of organisation goals attainment (Jumpponen, Ikà ¤valko Pihkala 2008). Structure defines the roles and responsibilities of every individual and their interrelation to serve customers. This clear roles and responsibilities increases effective communication and coordination between organisation tasks and jobs that facilitates in developing a positive culture in which everyone works with association and participation (Clayton Fisher n.d.). All these aspects significantly help managers in attaining organisation mission and vision. Changes occurred in Management over the last 40 Years According to senior level employees who are about to retire, it is believed that over the last 40 years several changes have occurred in management and this could be interpreted with the help of evolution of different organisational and motivational theories used by organisations. Previously in regard to management, organisations used to adopt scientific and bureaucratic approach that in present has been replaced by system theory and contingency approaches (Luthans 1998). Previously all organisations used to motivate its employees on the basis of Maslow-Need hierarchy that in present is replaced by McClelland theory and several other theories. Before 40 years, all employees were only responsible for handling their specific tasks but nowadays situation has changed a lot as in present employees are responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling (McKenna 2000). In old times, it was not essential to play multi-purpose role that in present has become critical for effective management. In past, almost all organizations used to Webers concept of bureaucratic structures but the increased complexity of multinational organizations has now created the requirement of a new structures like functional, project management, matrix and virtual (Luthans 1998). In addition to structure, several other new aspects have emerged in regard to management like different strategy levels, system approach to decision-making, socialization, departmentation, and different leadership theories etc (Harris Hartman 2001). All these concepts were not there in past for managing businesses but now scenario has changed completely as every business has its own specific needs and requirements and all of them select different management approaches according to their suitability (Jumpponen, Ikà ¤valko Pihkala 2008). In past almost all firms or businesses used to operate with empirical or case approach but now it is not the situation as firms operate with different approaches as competition has increased a lot and it has become difficult to attract customers. In regard to increased competition, the companies are making use of different management approaches. Some present firms are using system approach that considers organisations to be open system whereas some of them are making use of operational approach that endeavours to develop the science and theory of management by drawing upon the concepts, knowledge, techniques from other fields (Luthans 1998). In between these two approaches there are several other approaches that were used throughout last 40 years. In this way, it can be said that the business environment has changed significantly from the time when present senior level managers started working (McKenna 2000). All present senior level managers commit that they have seen several changes in the process of management but all these changes are based on the altering situations, trends and emerging technologies (Harris Hartman 2001). Changes likely to occur in Management in coming 40 Years In regard to the discussion of the changes occurred in management in last 40 years, it can be stated that it is also likely to change in next 40 years. In present almost every aspects of business and its management are changing that will also continue to alter in coming years. An individual who is about to start his career in present 21st century is exposed with significant challenges and is likely to confront several other key changes (Pappas 2006). In present employees are required to play several roles like interpersonal, information and decision making roles but in coming time employees will be required to operate in virtual environment. Presently employees are making use of advanced systems, discussion, meetings to collect information and perform their duties but in future they could do all these things in a virtual environment (Luthans 1998). As well, employees who are about to start their professional career will also confront changes in their roles, levels of management, communication, business strategy, approaches to management and tools used to manage business related aspects (Jumpponen, Ikà ¤valko Pihkala 2008). The pattern of communication and business management followed till now will substantially changes in coming 40 years. From last half decade the electronic mail has emerged as a key element of corporate communication but in coming years it will also change. In coming years, the management of communication will also change in regard to the change in organisational structures and cultures (Harris Hartman 2001). The employees will be exposed to make use of powerful information-management and collaboration tools that are likely to emerge. With these tools, employees will become able to link associated messages and track message flows more expeditiously (Pappas 2006). As well, it is also believed that the automatic language translation will take foot hold and interconnected messaging will appropriate young employees and managers with a facility to check e-mail, mobile messaging, voice mail, and fax machine from an only inbox (Fast Forward: 25 Trends That Will Change the Way You Do Business 2003). In regard to the changes in communication and business management, it can be said that in coming 40 years most of the employees will depend more on computers rather than their own evaluations or perceptions. More and more softwares will be employed for different jobs and roles that will increase human capabilities (McKenna 2000). In next 40 years, it is likely that the firms and its employees will growingly make use of artificial intelligence to solve different business problems and the pattern of doing work will also change as everyone will be allowed to operate in a virtual environment (Fast Forward: 25 Trends That Will Change the Way You Do Business 2003). Skills Set Required to Work at Management level Working at management level is not as easy as it seems because it involves different skill sets and an ability to involve in team work and group. Nowadays managers are responsible for different roles that cannot be fulfilled if they operate on their own without communicating and coordinating with others. A manager is responsible for performing five functions that are planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling (Drucker 2007). In addition to this, a manager is also required to interact with many people both within the organisation and outside the organisation and hence perform interpersonal roles (Montana Charnov 2000). For effective interactions and management it is vital to have an ability to communicate, understand, listen, interpret, convince and lead others. If an individual have all these skills and abilities then he can effectively interact with organisations internal as well as external customers and associates. With these skills, a manager can easily play interpersonal roles that may be of figurehead, leader and liaison (Drucker 2007). With the above discussed skills a manager also become able to perform his informational (recipient, disseminator, and spokesperson) and decision roles (entrepreneurs, disturbance handle, resource allocator and negotiator). In addition to these skills several other skills are also required by an individual to operate at management levels that are as follows: Technical Skills: Technical skills pertain to the ability of an individual to perform specific activity. In order to perform specific activity an individual should have all-essential knowledge of methods, processes and procedures as otherwise it would not be possible to carry out given task or duty (Atwood 2008). This could also be understood with the help of examples of some positions like engineers, accountants, computer specialists and project managers who have necessary technical skills for their specialized fields. These skills are essential for an individual to operate at management level as he may also be given responsibility to manage and evaluate others. Without technical skills, it would not be possible for an individual to operate at management level that includes functions like planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling (Pride, Hughes Kapoor 2009). Human Skills: Human skills required by an individual to operate at management level are also known as interpersonal skills. It refers to the ability of an individual to work well with other people in a group or team. It refers to the ability of an individual to direct, motivate and communicate with people to help them to attain given objectives (Drucker 2007). These skills are highly important for a person in regard to the creation of an environment in which everyone feels comfortable, free to communicate and share their opinions. This kind of environment can only be create when a manager have human skills. With human skills, a manager can help its employees throughout their interactions with supervisors, peers and people outside the work like customers, suppliers and public. These skills are imperative for an individual to operate at all management levels of an organisation (Montana Charnov 2000). Conceptual Skills: Conceptual skills mean the ability of an individual to think and conceptualize abstract situations. It refers to the ability to comprehend and match up all essential corporate objectives and activities. These skills are critically required when a person is employed at top management level as top managers are highly required to predict changes and see big picture in regard to future (Montana Charnov 2000). Top managers are required to interpret present internal and external changes and trends for the identification of future business strategies. Without conceptual skills an individual cannot operate at management level as it is essential to identify meaning and develop business strategies accordingly (Drucker 2007). The significance of this skill set can also be understood in regard to present competition that requires managers to make appropriate interpretations and appropriate business plans and strategies accordingly. Design Skills: In addition to technical, human and conceptual skills an individual who is going to work at management level is also required to have design skills. Design skills refer to an individuals ability to identify solutions of problems in a way that can significantly benefit organisation. Having the design skills is essential for individuals that are going to operate at management level as at this level there is a critical need of solution rather than just identifying problems (Montana Charnov 2000). Until or unless an individual is not able to propose solutions of different organisational problems with his design skills, he would not be appropriate to work at management level. Conclusion With the help of above discussion, it can be said that management behaviour is an important practice that should be followed by all organisations for attaining an assured success. With the considerations of management related aspects like structure, culture and their interrelationship, affect on business performance a firm can become able to attain high profits and increased performance (Montana Charnov 2000). As well, the evaluation of changes occurred in management in last 40 years and the changes that can occur in coming 40 years is also quite effective as it directs present companies with all essential changes that they should follow for attaining their aims and objectives. Additionally, the identification of skill set required for an individual to operate at management level is also critical as with this a firm can hire or develop employees accordingly. An appropriate skills set is essential to effectively work at management level.

Neurology and Neurosurgery Essay -- Medical Brain Health Essays

Neurology and Neurosurgery Neurology Overview Although our primary interest is with the Medial Temporal Lobe, also called the V5 area, a discussion of the entire motion perception pathway is instructive. Motion perception actually begins with the specialized visual receptors in the retina known as M-cells (from the Latin word magnus, for large). As the name implies, the M-cells are relatively large, located in the peripheral retina, and respond quickly to transient visual stimulation making them ideally suited for motion detection. By contrast, P-cells are smaller, located in the fovea, react more slowly to stimuli, and are suited to fine-detail vision. Impulses from the retina then travel via the optic nerve to the optic chiasm where fibers of the optic nerve from the inner (nasal) half of each retina cross while those from the outside (temporal) half of each retina stay on the same side. This partial crossing is a feature of mammals, whereas for most vertebrates below mammals, all the fibers cross. It must be pointed out that no motion processing is actually done in the optic chiasm. About 20% of the axons leaving the optic chiasm go to the Superior Colliculus, which is responsible for certain eye movements and spatial localization. The remaining 80% of the axons go to the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, LGN (Schiffman, 2000, p. 71-73). The LGN represents the next motion processing step after the M-cells in the retina. The Magnocellular Division of the LGN specifically processes the impulses from the M- cells in the retina and is uniquely suited to distinguishing small contrasts between light and dark areas thereby enhancing three-dimensionality and motion ef... ..., J. W. (2004). Biological Psychology (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson-Wadsworth. Naikar, N. (1996). Perception of apparent motion of colored stimuli after commissurotomy. Neuropsychologia, 34(11),1041- 1049. Nawrot, M., Rizzo, M., Rockland, K.S., Howard, M. (2000). A transient deficit of motion perception. Vision Research, (40),3435-3446. Schiffman, H.R. (2000). Sensation and Perception (5th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Ulbert, I., Karmos, G., Heit, G., & Halgren, E. (2001). Early discrimination of coherent versus incoherent motion by multiunit and synaptic activity in human putative MT+. Human Brain Mapping, 13(4),226-238. Vaina, L.M., Cowey, A., LeMay, M., Bienfang, D.C., & Kikinis, R. (2002). Visual deficits in a patient with kaleidoscopic disintegration of the visual world. European Journal of Neurology, (9),463-477.

Tibetan Education Essay -- Educational Education Tibet Essays

Tibetan Education Since 1951, education in Tibet has changed dramatically through the Chinese government’s hyper-political agenda. Depending on the source, some view the changes as great improvement to the educational system, and others are gravely concerned. The positive view is that of the Chinese policy-makers and the fear comes from Tibetans who see that their culture is being drained from the classroom. The central Chinese government wants to completely assimilate the Tibetans by removing their true history and religion from lessons and selectively choosing the physical representations of culture that serve to decorate schools for Tibetan students in inner-China. I am going to explore the different schooling experiences for the Tibetans and show how the education options for Tibetans are depriving them of their culture, resulting in poor performances in school and a dishonest, manipulated education. Education in Tibet before the Chinese invasion was quite different from how it is presently. According to a journal out of China, only two percent of school-aged children were in school, and ninety-five percent of the general population was illiterate before â€Å"Liberation.1† The overpowering Chinese government determined that they must be freed â€Å"from Western imperialists.2† Eight years later, in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India, unsuccessfully trying to win back Tibet’s independence. Education for the Tibetans has traditionally taken place in the monasteries. However, of the greater than 2,500 monasteries that once existed in Tibet, all but three percent of them were destroyed by the Chinese government.3 These monasteries served the multiple purposes of university equivalents, religious centers, an... ...emise of Multiculturalism?† 1998 World Congress of Sociology. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 26 July- 1 August 1998. 62. Stites, Regie. â€Å"Writing Cultural Boundaries: Minority Language Policy, Literacy Planning and Bilingual Education in China.† In Gerard Postiglione (ed.) China’s National Minority Education, Ethnicity, Schooling, and Development. New York: Garland Press, 1998. 63. Kormandy, Edward J. â€Å"Minority Education in Inner Mongolia and Tibet.† International Review of Education (2002) 377-401. 64. Postiglione, Gerard A. â€Å"State Schooling and Ethnicity in China: The Rise or Demise of Multiculturalism?† 1998 World Congress of Sociology. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 26 July- 1 August 1998. 65. http://www.tibet.com/Humanrights/EduToday/testimon.html 66. Phuntsog Sipur, Nawang. â€Å"Renewal of Tibetan School Education.† Tibetan Review 28 (Aug 1993) 15-17. Tibetan Education Essay -- Educational Education Tibet Essays Tibetan Education Since 1951, education in Tibet has changed dramatically through the Chinese government’s hyper-political agenda. Depending on the source, some view the changes as great improvement to the educational system, and others are gravely concerned. The positive view is that of the Chinese policy-makers and the fear comes from Tibetans who see that their culture is being drained from the classroom. The central Chinese government wants to completely assimilate the Tibetans by removing their true history and religion from lessons and selectively choosing the physical representations of culture that serve to decorate schools for Tibetan students in inner-China. I am going to explore the different schooling experiences for the Tibetans and show how the education options for Tibetans are depriving them of their culture, resulting in poor performances in school and a dishonest, manipulated education. Education in Tibet before the Chinese invasion was quite different from how it is presently. According to a journal out of China, only two percent of school-aged children were in school, and ninety-five percent of the general population was illiterate before â€Å"Liberation.1† The overpowering Chinese government determined that they must be freed â€Å"from Western imperialists.2† Eight years later, in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India, unsuccessfully trying to win back Tibet’s independence. Education for the Tibetans has traditionally taken place in the monasteries. However, of the greater than 2,500 monasteries that once existed in Tibet, all but three percent of them were destroyed by the Chinese government.3 These monasteries served the multiple purposes of university equivalents, religious centers, an... ...emise of Multiculturalism?† 1998 World Congress of Sociology. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 26 July- 1 August 1998. 62. Stites, Regie. â€Å"Writing Cultural Boundaries: Minority Language Policy, Literacy Planning and Bilingual Education in China.† In Gerard Postiglione (ed.) China’s National Minority Education, Ethnicity, Schooling, and Development. New York: Garland Press, 1998. 63. Kormandy, Edward J. â€Å"Minority Education in Inner Mongolia and Tibet.† International Review of Education (2002) 377-401. 64. Postiglione, Gerard A. â€Å"State Schooling and Ethnicity in China: The Rise or Demise of Multiculturalism?† 1998 World Congress of Sociology. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 26 July- 1 August 1998. 65. http://www.tibet.com/Humanrights/EduToday/testimon.html 66. Phuntsog Sipur, Nawang. â€Å"Renewal of Tibetan School Education.† Tibetan Review 28 (Aug 1993) 15-17.

The Failure of the De Havilland Comet Aircraft :: Aerospace Technology Aircrafts Essays

The Failure of the De Havilland Comet Aircraft Following World War II and the jet engine technology that emerged largely toward its end, aerospace engineers knew well that the technology had great potential for use in the commercial aviation industry. The Comet was the first aircraft to utilize jet propulsion; however, its designers failed to consider the metallurgy of the aircraft’s materials under flight conditions or the consequences of their atypical window design. The aircraft was designed by Britain’s De Havilland Aircraft Company and entered service in May 1952. After a year of service, however, the design issues mentioned above resulted in the failure of several Comet aircraft. Extensive evaluations revealed that repeated pressurization stress on the aircraft’s main cabin had caused its structure to fail. At the time when Comet development had begun, De Havilland was aware that Boeing and other leading aircraft manufacturers were also considering jet-driven planes. If De Havilland could build the first jetliner, not only the company but Britain itself could be poised to lead the aerospace industry. With 90% of airline passengers everywhere traveling on Boeing aircraft in 1939 according to Pushkar, R.G. (2002), the British government had been anxious for a development such as the Comet and supported the project enthusiastically. Pressure to develop the Comet before other companies could release their own jetliners likely contributed to some testing negligence at De Havilland. The British Overseas Airways Corporation ordered 14 Comet 1s at  £450,000 each as soon as the aircraft’s design had been decided upon (History Heads: â€Å"The Comet cover-up†), and this was a significant incentive for De Havilland to complete the Comet safely and swiftly. If the B OAC placed so much confidence in De Havilland’s product and other airlines could witness the aircraft’s success, this would garner tremendous support for the Comet and De Havilland overseas. In its design of the Comet, De Havilland used two nonstandard design techniques that contributed significantly to the aircraft failures. The first was that the company heavily employed Redux metal-to-metal bonding in which a strong, light aluminum alloy was fixed to the frame of the aircraft with a very strong adhesive during the Redux process. The engineers based their decision to use that technique primarily on the fact that the Comet’s initial design had a large weight and that its four Ghost engines, also built by De Havilland, could not support it with their thrust.

Conflict in the Boat

Conflict in â€Å"The Boat† In our daily life, we always try to avoid conflict with others in order to make a good relationship to benefit each other. However, in a story, it needs to do opposite thing since conflict is the engine to start and drive the story progress. In â€Å"The Boat† by Alistair Macleod, the conflict between the mother and father effectively reflects the clear theme that people’s feeling is complicated exposing the impact of change that resulted from the conflict between tradition and modernization in Eastern Canada. † 1.The conflict between the mother and father reflects people’s different attitudes toward the change of life style. The mother loves traditional life; the father favors new life. The mother tries to keep the tradition alive, whereas the father looks forward to the changes. The mother does not want any tourists in her town and does not want her family to go out and spend time with the people who do not come from the village. The father was encouraging the change to happen, and he was kind enough to take the tourists out for a ride on his boat. The mother despised the room and all it stood for.Her room’s door always opens and its contents visible to all. The father knew that change is inevitable. The father's room symbolizes the change occurring within the household, and the father was the one who first accepted the change and allowed it to start taking place. Compared to the rest of the house, the father's room went against all of the traditions that were taught to the children within the kitchen. The father also knew the value of books and how important reading is because of all the knowledge that he could learn from the books whereas his wife said that reading was absolutely pointless because there was always work to do. . The conflict between tradition and modernization also deeply causes people’s interior conflict through father and the narrator’s inner mind contradict ion. The narrator remembers that his father had little interest or passion for the work he performed. â€Å"And I saw then, that summer, many things that I had seen all my life as if for the first time and I thought that perhaps my father had never been intended for a fisherman either physically or mentally† In the father’s inner mind, he is always struggling between doing the traditional work that he did not like and looking forward to his own life.Maybe the father realized that it was too late for him to make the change because he was too old and had spent his entire life with the boat and the sea, so he left it up to his children to go out and make the changes, to leave behind the family traditions and choose their own paths in life. The father, a fisherman who clearly would have preferred to get an education, but he does not realize her dream since it is too late when he is clear sense of it. The narrator also encounters an interior conflict. He loves study and wan t to go back school. However, his father’s example let him feel he is liable to assist his father fishing. I thought it was very much braver to spend a life doing what you really do not want rather than selfishly following forever your own dreams and inclinations† With this realization he decides to give up his â€Å"silly shallow selfish dream† of completing high school to enter into tradition and fish. Both conflicts link to the impact result from the conflict between tradition and modernity. The fact that the kitchen's contents were always visible to all shows that the father has some shame in the fact that his room is different from the rest of the house.Although he has accepted the changes that are going to occur he is still ashamed to be leaving everything that he has grown up with and is why it does not mention anything about the father's room door being opened or closed. With the death of his father, however, he abandons fishing for a life of education an d books. As the narrator's story attests, the conflict between his mother's desires, and his father's wishes, as well as his own uncertainty, has remained for many years after this period of his life. The continuing grief that the narrator feels in relation to the loss of his father is in large part due to these unresolved conflicts.

Way to Right an Recommendation Letter

Spirited, outgoing, fun are words that people use when describing Miss Maiya Mayo. Maiya really is an energetic student and it is with pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation. Maiya is a hard worker and goal oriented as a student. She has been a great student mentor in the counseling office here at McEachern High School. She takes on tasks and sees them through to completion. Gabby has been involved with several clubs on campus. She has volunteered with the DECA Club as well as being a student mentor.The DECA Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is a nationally recognized organization that helps students to become more business minded. Maiya’ s up beat attitude is a testament to this organization. Maiya s parents describe her as being strong willed and not easily swayed. Their home is full of laughter and song. ’s favorite pastime is singing and she shares her vocals with the entire house. Gabby has always played sports. She is extremely social and enjoys spending time with family and friends. At school Gabby maintains a 3. 125 grade point average (GPA) and rank 161 in her class of 506 graduating seniors.Gabby has taken a college preparatory course load, with several Honors level classes. Maiya has completed three years of Spanish and one year of German in foreign language and has passed all of the required state testing requirements for graduation. Gabby’s teachers describe her as dedicated, honest and a true leader. They have ranked her in the excellent category which includes the top 15% of all students. I have no doubt that Gabby will reach her goals and work to her highest potential. She is a charming individual and I gladly give her this recommendation.

Christian Education Essay

I. The Definition of Education 1. We affirm that in its most basic meaning, education is the triune God teaching His truth to mankind. (Genesis 1:27-31; Psalms 19:1-9; 94:8,9; John 1:1-9). We deny that education is solely mental or physical activity associated with learning the thoughts and experiences of other human beings. (Psalm 119:99). 2. We affirm that education is the action or process by which a person comes to know and use God’s truth, and the education is learning to think God’s thoughts after Him and to see things as He sees them. (Isaiah 55:8,9; John 5:19,20). We deny that education is merely the action or process by which a person acquires knowledge or skills. 3. We affirm that education is lifelong and that it incorporates every thought, experience, and activity of man. (Deuteronomy 6:7-12; 11:18-20; Isaiah 29:24; Matthew 9:13; 24:32; Mark 13:28; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 14:31). We deny that education is confined to formal schooling in traditional classroom settings or to tutorial relationshi ps. (Matthew 5:1-48; 6:1-34; 7:1-29; 11:29) II. The Purpose of Education 4. We affirm that the purpose of education is both to reveal God and to bring students into conformity with His revealed will. (Luke 24:27; John 7:17; 14:21, 23,24). We deny that the sole purpose of education is to accomplish human perfection and understanding of the material world. 5. We affirm that the ultimate goal of education should be to orient human beings Biblically toward the knowledge of God, humanity, and the rest of God’s creation, in order to prepare them to take their places in family, Church, and society to the glory of God and in the service of Christ’s Kingdom and their fellowman. (2 Kings 22:8-23:26; Malachi 4:4-6; Matthew 20:26-28; Acts 16:30-34). We deny that the ultimate purpose of education should be human self-development and self-fulfillment. (Acts 2:37-47). III. The Nature and Role of God in Education 6. We affirm that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things and is the Source of all truth. (Genesis 1:1-27; Psalm 55:22; 119:151; 121:1-8). We deny that human beings, society, or the external world are sources of truth in and of themselves. (Psalm 14:1). 7. We affirm that God created, sustains, and will consummate all things through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, education must focus on the Person of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). We deny that â€Å"education† that omits reference to Jesus’ role in this world is education at all. (John 14:6). 8. We affirm that the Holy Spirit of God teaches and enlightens every believer in Jesus Christ and leads that person into all truth. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13).We deny that human beings can find or understand all truth through human effort alone. (Romans 3:11,12) 9. We affirm that the existing personal God has communicated truth to all mankind through personal revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ and through propositional, verbalized revelation of Himself in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. (Genesis 15:1; 17:1; Exodus 3:2-15; Isaiah 6:1-8; Mark 9:7; Luke 3:22; 24:27; John 1:1,2; 12:28; Acts 9:4,5; Hebrews 1:2,3). We deny that the individual person is capable of learning all truth from within himself or from human teachers and secular learning materials. (John 7:15,16; 1 Timothy 6:3-5) IV. The Nature of Truth and Reality in Education 10. We affirm that truth is what is known to God about Himself and all of His creation, and that it is absolute, eternal, and objective. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 25:10; 57:3; 119:142,151). We deny that truth is solely what is known to one or more individuals or to mankind collectively, and that is relative, temporal, or subjective. (Romans 1:25; 3:3,4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) 11. We affirm that the existing, personal-infinite God has chosen to reveal truth to us both through special revelation, which is communicated to us by means of the Bible and God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and through general revelation, which is communicated to us by means of His rational and nonrational creation; and that education should entail the pursuit of learning, which is derived from all of these sources of revelation. (Genesis 1:28; 2:19,20; Daniel 4:37; John 1:14,17; 14:6; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 1:1,2). We deny that truth is found only in human beings, in nature, or in a combination of the two, and that a person’s sole purpose in education should be to attain learning apart from God’s revelation. (I Kings 17:24; 1 John 2:27). 12. We affirm that in God’s design all of the particular elements of the universe are united into a meaningful whole; that it is one purpose of education to help learners to find relationships among these elements and, thus, to find their meaning; and that Biblical revelation is the ultimate criterion for this meaning. (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 19:1). We deny that the particular elements of the universe exist without rationality, order, and meaningful relationships derived from the Supreme God. (Genesis 3:1-24) 13. We affirm that true reality originates with God and is spiritual and eternal, as well as material and temporal, and that the content of education is complete when it includes all true reality. We deny that true reality originates with mankind; that it is limited to what is material and temporal; and that the content of education is complete when it is limited to the study of material reality. (I John 2:27). V. The Content of Education 14. We affirm that freedom of inquiry is central to man’s innate desire for truth, and that all truth is God’s truth. Therefore, we encourage inquiry into all fields of knowledge not forbidden in the Bible. (John 8:31,32; 2 Corinthians 3:17). We deny that public and private schools ought to restrict freedom of investigation into religion by teachers and students so long as that investigation does not interfere with the legitimate duties of teaching and learning. 15. We affirm that freedom of inquiry and academic freedom have a legitimate place in the pursuit of truth and in the framework of the learning and teaching process. (John 8:32,36). We deny that academic freedom implies the right to disobey or contradict the Scriptures as the embodiment of God’s truth in this world, or to violate a contractural agreement with an employer. (James 3:14; 5:19) 16. We affirm that all curriculum content must be integrated with and interpreted by God’s truth as revealed in the Bible. (John1:9; Romans 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:15-17). We deny that there is any real separation between secular and sacred truth, and that secular learning should be treated in isolation from God’s revealed truth. (Philippians 4:8,9). 17. We affirm that scientific investigation is a valid and necessary means of studying the universe and of discovering its orderly operation. (Genesis 1:14; Psalms 19:1,2,4,6,7,8; 104:19; Daniel 2:21; Matthew 16:2,3; Luke 21:25,26). We deny that scientific investigation is incompatible with any truth revealed in the Bible, and that science education may rightly reject or ignore all non-empirical sources of truth. (Romans 1:19,20) 18. We affirm that God is the Author of all true ethics; that true ethics is based on absolute truth and unchanging principles of right and wrong, as revealed in the Bible; that there are ethical absolutes that apply equally to all people everywhere; and that one purpose of education should be to help students to discover these unchanging Biblical standards of right and wrong and to reflect on the logical consequences of departing from these standards. (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 7:7-11; Matthew 5:17,18; Romans 1:19,20). We deny that students should be taught that neutrality with regard to ethics is either possible or desirable in any sphere of human activity; that people can choose what is right behavior for themselves without regard to the absolute standards of moral behavior revealed in the Bible; that ethics is situational; and that ethics can properly be based on the assumption that truth and morality are relative and changing. (Deuteronomy 28:14,15; 30:8-10; Matthew 5:19,20; Romans 1:25-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 10-12; 2 Timothy 3:2,70 4:3,4). VI. The Nature and Role of the Learner 19. We affirm that a human being has worth because he has been created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 8:29,30). We deny that a person has worth merely because he exists or because he says it is so. (Psalm 33:16; 53:1-3; Proverbs 12:15; 14:9). 20. We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God and is, therefore, in need of development in the spiritual areas of existence as well as in the intellectual and physical areas, and that true education of the whole person must include attention to all three aspects of human life. (Genesis 1:26). We deny that human beings are merely higher animals without soul or spirit, and that any education that addresses only the intellect and body, while ignoring the spiritual aspect of human beings, is appropriate to their nature. 21. We affirm that, though we are created in the image of God, because of the fall of Adam we are born sinful and need to experience salvation through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ in order to r each our full potential. (Romans 5:8,10). We deny that we are born perfect and uncorrupted, and that we are inherently good by nature and in need of education alone to achieve our highest potential and to attain a state of fulfillment. (Romans 3:10-12,23). 22. We affirm that education must include the consideration of sin as a fact of human behavior. (Acts 2:38; Romans 1:28-32; 3:23-25; 6:23). We deny that textbooks and curricula should ignore the fact of sin or rebellion against God in human behavior. (Luke 3:7,8; Romans 6:12) 23. We affirm that people who are restored to a proper relationship with God must receive instruction from the Word of God—the Bible—concerning the rights and responsibilities of this privileged position, and that providing such instruction is one of the most important responsibilities of education. (Proverbs 9:9). We deny that people can learn the rights and responsibilities of the Christian life without studying the revelation of God’s truth in the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:14,15) 24. We affirm that students have the responsibility to attend to and to apply effort to a learning task. (Proverbs 23:12; Colossians 3:23; 2 Timothy 2:15). We deny that students are absolved from cooperating with a teacher and from exercising personal effort to learn. (Proverbs 5:12,13; 6:4-11; 13:4; 20:4) VII. What Education Should Produce in Learners 25. We affirm that education ought to cultivate in students the four basic skills of cognition, communication, imagination, and valuation. (2 Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 4:29; Philippians 4:8,9). We deny that complete education can occur without attention to these four skills. (2 Timothy 2:15,16; 3:13; 4:3,4). 26. We affirm that education ought to promote development of the learner in at least three areas, viz., spiritual and moral growth, academic growth, and personal and social development. Examples of specific results in each area follow: 26.1 In spiritual and moral growth, learners should: (Psalm 143:10; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Colossians 3:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Timothy 3:16) 26.1.1. consider the Bible God’s inspired Word and develop attitudes of love and respect toward it. 26.1.2. know the basic doctrines of the Bible. 26.1.3. have a desire to know and obey the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures. 26.1.4. make a decision to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 26.1.5. develop an understanding of a Christian’s role in the Church. 26.1.6. develop the mind of Christ toward right and wrong conduct. 26.1.7. develop self-discipline and responsibility bases on submission to God and all other authority. 26.1.8. develop a Christian world view. 26.2 In academic growth, learners should: (Philippians 4:8,9; Colossians 2:23; 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16,17) .26.2.1. reach their full academic potential. 26.2.2. gain a thorough command of the fundamental processes used in communicating with others, such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. 26.2.3. develop a thorough comprehension and command of science and mathematics. 26.2.4. develop an appreciation for and understanding of the humanities. 26.2.5. develop the use of good study habits. 26.2.6. pursue independent study and perform independent research. 26.2.7. be able to reason logically. 26.2.8. use critical thinking and Biblical criteria for evaluation. 26.2.9. develop good citizenship through understanding and appreciating the Christian basis of freedom, human dignity, and acceptance of authority. 26.2.10. develop understanding of and appreciation for God’s world and man’s responsibility to use and preserve it properly. 26.2.11. develop an appreciation of the fine arts through study and personal expression. 26.2.12. develop physical skill and coordination through participation in physical education and athletic activities 26.3. In personal and social development, learners should: (Isaiah 54:13,14; Matthew 6:19-21; 19:4-6; John 13:34, 35; Romans 8:14-17,31,32; 1 Corinthians 6:13,15,19,20; 7:10-16; 9:27; Ephesians 1:3-6; 5:15,16,22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:8-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13; 1 Timothy 6:10,17; Hebrews 13:5) 26.3.1. develop a healthy personality based on properly understanding and accepting themselves as unique individuals created in the image of God. 26.3.2. learn to respect others because they are also made in God’s image. 26.3.3. become contributing members of society, realizing the interdependence of one person on another. 26.3.4. appreciate time as a God-given commodity and the individual’s responsibility for using it effectively. 26.3.5. develop a Biblical view of work and the prerequisite attitudes and skills for success in employment. 26.3.6. develop Biblical attitudes toward marriage and the family. 26.3.7. develop physical fitness, good health habi ts, and wise use of the body as the temple of God.26.3.8. develop a Biblical attitude toward material things. VII. The Nature and Role of the Teacher 27. We affirm that a teacher is a presenter of God’s truth and a guide to its discovery by students through the ministry of God’s Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 30:20,21; Jeremiah 3:15; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-31; Colossians 1:28,29). We deny that any teacher can, without the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, guide others adequately to an understanding of God’s truth. 28. We affirm that a teacher who is a good example in the spiritual realm must consciously and deliberately have accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. (1 Timothy 4:11,12). We deny that a teacher who denies Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord can be a suitable example in spiritual matters. (2 Timothy 3:5-7). 29. We affirm that a teacher is one who models the learning process by being a seeker of God’s truth as revealed in the Bible and by applying that truth to his own life. (Ezra 7:10; Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 6:40). We deny that a teacher should avoid seeking God’s truth or should seek the truth solely in ways others than through the Bible and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. 30. We affirm that teachers must know the content or subject matter to be taught. (Luke 4:4,8,12,16-22; 1 Timothy 6:2-5). We deny that it is possible to teach adequately without a thorough knowledge of the subject matter to be learned by students. (1 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:1,2). 31. We affirm that teachers must create conditions that result in learners’ desire to learn. (Luke 2:46,47,49,52). We deny that it is possible to produce adequate learning in students who are not motivated to learn. (Proverbs 5:12,13,22,23) 32. We affirm that verbal communication used by teachers must be understood by and have the same meaning for both teachers and learners. (Ephesians 4:29; 2 Timothy 1:13). We deny that it is possible for teachers to produce adequate learning in students when they use language or ideas outside students’ daily life and language. (Ephesians 4:29) 33. We affirm that teachers must teach what is unknown through what is already known by learners. (Mark 11:12-14,20-24). We deny that it is possible for learners to learn adequately that which is not based on previous learning or experien ce. (Matthew 6:26-31). 34. We affirm that teachers should give students the opportunity to produce in their own minds the ideas or truths, and to become skillful at performing for themselves the acts or skills, to be learned. (Luke 9:1,2,6; 10:1,9,17). We deny that teachers should require students to acquire knowledge or skills without encouraging original thinking and applications of what they learn to other situations. 35. We affirm that teachers should confirm and test learning by review, repetition, and practical application, where necessary. (Luke 24:44; John 21:15-17). We deny that learning is adequately established generally by having students go once through a learning experience and then be tested for a mark or grade. (Matthew 14:15-21; 15:32-34). IX. Methodology of Education 36. We affirm that there is a variety of teaching and learning methods that may be appropriate for specific curriculum content with a particular learner or group of learners. A limited list of examples follows: 36.1. Demonstration (Matthew 6:9-15: Mark 6:41) 36.2. Involvement of students in learning (Mark 6:7-12) 36.3. Discipline and correction (Mark 11:15-17; 2 Timothy 3:15) 36.4. Discovery (Mark 14:66-72)36.5. Familiar Illustrations (Luke 6:4) 36.6. Individualized instruction (John 3:2-21; 4:5-26; Luke 19:1-8) 36.7. Lecture, formal teaching (Luke 6:20-49; 1 Timothy 4:13) 36.8. Memorization (2 Timothy 3:15) 36.9. Practice (Matthew 10; Luke chs. 9,10; 1 Timothy 5:4) 36.10. Questions and answers (Matthew 16:13-18; Luke 6:39) 36.11. Repetition (Matthew 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:18,19; 26:1) 36.12. Review (Luke 24:44) 36.13. Small group activity (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 6:7-12; Luke 10:1-11) 36:14. Visual aids (Matthew 22:19-21; Luke 13:19) We deny that there is one teaching method that should be used consistently to the exclusion of others. 37. We affirm that learning is most effective for all learners when more than one instructional modality is used, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities. (Matthew 14:27-33). We deny that learning is effective for all learners when one instructional modality is used exclusively. X. Responsibility for Education ROLE OF PARENTS 38. We affirm that God entrusts children to their parents for their nurture and education; that parents have both a right and a duty to raise their children in a manner consistent with Biblical standards of responsible moral conduct; and that parents have the right, therefore, to educate their own children at home or to delegate the task to schools. (Deuteronomy 4:9; 6,7; 11:19; Proverbs 6:20,21; Ephesians 6:4) We deny that civil government or any other entity has legitimate authority to supersede parents in the nurture and education of their children, and that governing agencies have legitimate authority to compel students to attend public schools. (1 Timothy 5:4)39. We affirm that parents have both a right an a duty to teach their children about biological reproduction and sexual health and morality. (Genesis 35:22; 49:4; Leviticus 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 6:6,7; 22:22-30; 23:17; Proverbs 6:20-29) We deny that civil government on any level has legitimate authority to usurp parents’ responsibility to teach children about sexuality and reproduction or to establish mandatory sex education classes for children. ROLE OF SCHOOLS 40. We affirm that it is a schools’ responsibility to assist and to cooperate closely with parents in every aspect of a student’s education. (Mark 9:17-27). We deny that schools have no responsibility to assist and to cooperate with parents in the education of their children. 41. We affirm that it is the responsibility of the schools to be sensitive to the wishes and values of parents with respect to the content and methodology of their childrens’ education. (Philippians 3:5,6). We deny that it is the right of schools to decide arbitrarily and unilaterally what values system shall be the basis for the content and methodology of their students’ education. 42. We affirm that a school is an extension of the home, existing to supplement parent’s primary responsibility to educate their children. (Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:4,5). We deny that schools have the right to supplant parents’ primary responsibility to educate their children.