Economic Concerns in Brazil

Economic Concerns in Brazil Introduction Most of the developing countries were affected by the 2008 financial crisis, including Brazil. These countries experienced high unemployment rates while production and consumption levels decreased remarkably. The key areas affected by the financial crisis were: unemployment levels; average income; and social welfare programs (Proni, 2010, p.1). This report will therefore focus on the impact of high unemployment rates on Brazil’s economy occasioned by the financial crisis that occurred in 2008.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Economic Concerns in Brazil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Brazilian economy: An overview The Brazilian economy has recorded protracted economic growth since 2000 after several decades of poor performances. For example, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita grew at an average rate of 1.62 % between 2000 and 2007. This was a marked improvement when comp ared with previous period (GDP per capita grew 0.82% from 1980 to 1989 and 0.27 between 1990 and 1999 workers (Rafael et al., 2007, p.4). As a matter of fact, Brazil is one of the key players in global economic performance. This is also manifested in world trade negotiations where Brazil plays a major role. The country has also attempted to create employment opportunities and raise average incomes of its workers. For instance, the country recorded a sustained decline in unemployment rates since 2003. Also, the average annual wage rate increased at 3.7% between 2005 and 2007. The population segment living in absolute poverty decreased from 12.8% in 1999 to about 7.9% in 2006. These achievements were attributed to the rise in average earnings and a robust social welfare program that bolstered earnings among low-income workers (Rafael et al, 2007, p.5). The Brazilian Labor Market during the 2008 Financial Crisis It is vital to note that, unemployment levels are measured on monthly basi s. This exercise is only done in the main metropolitan areas (see appendix). Although high unemployment rate was one of the key concerns for the Lula administration, the country has introduced several remedial measures to solve the problem. For example, in 2003, the unemployment rate in Brazil’s metropolitan areas was over 11.9%. However, in the following years the country recorded positive economic growth. Consequently, the unemployment rates began to drop. It is also important to note the apparent dissimilarities among metropolitan areas in Brazil: in Recife and Salvador (metropolitan areas located in northeast of Brazil), a considerable segment of the workers are affected by unemployment. On the other hand, a small portion of the labor force in Curitiba and Porto Alegre (located in southeast) face a similar experience. Sao Paulo, being the most industrialized and populated region, registered the highest drop of unemployment level (from 14% to 8.3%) between 2003 and 2009 (P roni, 2010, p.10).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is no doubt that the 2008 financial meltdown created havoc to the liberal trajectory of the Brazilian economy: a robust deceleration in the last four months of 2008 and a slump in the first three months of 2009 occurred. As prospects for industrial employments were severely constrained by low levels of economic activities, economic experts predicted that unemployment would recoil to the 2003 levels. Nonetheless, the brunt of the financial crisis on the labor market was much less than previously anticipated. In fact, the unemployment rates attributed to the 2008 crisis was moderate between January and March 2009. In all major metropolitan areas, the unemployment levels rose from 6.7% in December 2008 to about 8.9% in March 2009 (Proni, 2010, p.10). Prior to the onset of the 2008 global financial crisis, Brazil had recorded a robust economic growth that averaged about 4.4% per year between 2004 and 2007 and approximately 6.3% between January and September 2008. In addition, the formal employment sector recorded a marked improvement in wage rates and employment opportunities. Unemployment rate reduced from about 9.1% in 2004 to 7.6% in 2008. Moreover, the number of employees that contributed on regular basis to the social security program was over 50% in 2007 (International Labor Organization, 2010, p.31). Nonetheless, the crisis stalled economic growth and had an instant and severe impact on unemployment. For the example, the year-over-year GDP growth rate between October and December 2008 dropped to 1.2% resulting to a net loss of over 633, 900 formal jobs. This can be compared to a net gain of over 10,300 formal jobs recorded between October and December 2007. As a result of the global crisis, the unemployment level in the major metropolitan regions rose from 7.2% (in the fourth quarter of 2008) to 8.5%% in the first and second quarters of 2009. Nevertheless, between July and September 2009, the economy began to show signs of improvements. At the same time, unemployment levels in all major metropolitan regions regressed to the pre-crisis levels. In addition, over 1.1 million formal jobs were created in the industrial sector (the most affected sector by the crisis) during the first three quarters of 2009. This represented a 3.5% increment in employment stock when compared with the 2008 statistics (International Labor Organization, 2010, p.31).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Economic Concerns in Brazil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Labor policies introduced to bolster the welfare of workers Brazil has, in recent years, made remarkable progress in creating labor market policies to help the displaced employees (Caldentey Matà ­as, 2008, p.12). For example, the government introduced unemployment insurance to provide assistance to employees in the formal sector. The program grants remunerations for a period of three to five months to qualified employees who adhere to the minimum contribution obligations. Since the rate of turnover is high in the Brazilian labor sector, approximately 65% of the employees in the formal sector qualify for this program. Nonetheless, the number of beneficiaries is still high. For example, in 2003, over 5.2 million employees were granted an average benefit of R$388 which was approximately equivalent to 1.35 times the minimum income. In addition, the government initiated the Public Employment Service in 1975. This program helped unemployed workers by offering them information on the labor market and assisted in the creation and improvement of labor market strategies. For example, the sharp rise in unemployment levels in 1990s led to the establishment of extra training programs (Polaski et al., 2009, p.9). The government also introduced training pro grams to help unemployed workers improve their skills. For example, the National Plan for Professional Formation (PLANFOR) was started in 1995 to bolster labor productivity and train about 20% of the nation’s economically active populace. PLANFOR was implemented via state agencies and welfare organizations. As a result, over 10 million employees were trained between 1991 and 2000. Nonetheless, most of the courses taught were incompatible with the PLANFOR guidelines. Consequently, in 2003, the National Qualification Plan (PNQ) replaced the PLANFOR program. PNQ developed relevant educational content that would help unemployed workers gain useful skills (Polaski et al., 2009, p.9). Microcredit programs were also established. For example, in 1994, the government introduced the Program for the Creation of employment and Income (PROGER). The main aim of this program was to extend credit to cooperatives, micro-enterprises and other small-scale enterprises in the informal sector. The main goal of PROGER was to create employment opportunities by lending money to these informal ventures that had limited access to credit facilities. Although the program initially aimed to help workers in urban areas, it was later expanded to include workers in the rural regions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, in 2006, approximately 2.7 million loans were granted through different programs with an average loan of about R$8, 900. Cash transfer programs were also established. In spite of the fact that these programs did not fall under labor market policies, the Bolsa Familia and conditional cash transfer program provided a safe haven for employees from underprivileged families. The program was started in 2003 when the existing cash transfer programs were merged. Those families with lower per capita income (below R$ 120 per month) were given benefits, as long as they fulfilled certain conditions. These requirements included: immunizations; school attendance; and prenatal and postnatal care. Consequently, over 10 million households were granted benefits in 2006 (Polaski et al., 2009, p.9). Conclusion There is no doubt that many workers in developing countries lost their jobs as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. Although the Brazilian labor market was somehow affected, the pr esent data suggests that fewer people lost their jobs. In fact, the country’s unemployment rate decreased during and after the financial crisis. This could be attributed to a number of labor market policies that the government introduced to cushion workers from unexpected fluctuations in the business cycles. References Caldentey, E., Matà ­as, V. (2008). Back to the Future: Latin America’s Current Development Strategy. New Delhi: International Development Economics Associates. International Labor Organization. (2010). Global Employment Trends. Geneva: International Labour Office. Polaski, S., Filho, J., Berg, J., McDonald, S., Thierfielder, K., Willenbockel, D., et al. (2009). Brazil in the Global Economy: Measuring the Gains from Trade. Geneva: International Labour Office. Proni, M. (2010). An Economic Analysis of Unemployment in Brazil. Web. Rafael, G., Fabio, V., Marcelo, M., Eduardo, Z. (2007). Conditional Cash Transfers in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico: Impacts up on Inequality. Brasà ­lia: International Poverty Center.

Subject Boring

Subject Boring Here lately, Ive been running wide out with deadlines and tasks atop of sick relatives, surgery, a new puppy, and the ice storm from hell. That not only throws me in high gear, but it also makes me sort at a glance much like an agent. Sort what, you might ask? Emails, blogs to read, submissions for FundsforWriters, and requests for reviews. And you might be surprised at the key factor I use in deleting or holding to read. The quality of the subject line. Hey, when time is crazy limited, and I have chapters to write and newsletters to prepare, something has to give. Im a fast reader Yeah, that latter part sounds stupid, but that literally runs through my head. Will I regret having missed this? Butit has to start with the subject. Okay, lets talk about whats good and whats not. Ive snared these good ones from the past week. They got my attention and dragged me to their sites. How Much Should a Writer Charge for Speaking? How I Read Slush: 3 Lessons for Writers. 5 Ways to Add Humor to Your Writing. What doesnt work for me when Im in a pinch is general stuff like these. They tell me nothing. And unless the person being interviewed in the story is a huge household name, whats going to draw me in to read about an unknown? When writing about a relatively unknown individual, at least use the subject to spark interest. How to Write Better How to Build a Platform A Conversation with Novelist (fill in the blank) An Interview with (fill in the blank) A Visit with (fill in the blank) A Talk about Writing Rules On the line is something like: 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Published Three Is in the subject line tells me this piece is about the author, and not necessarily with focus on me and my needs. But I like learning about mistakes so I dont make them. This one is iffy. And if I happen to open up the piece, I scan first. Headers and subheaders then tell me whether to invest my time. Im not making this up! We read about this all the time. Agents, editors and publishers scan. They also have deadlines, sick relatives, surgery and snow. They have the same 24 hours as we do . . . and most of them actually have a life afterwards! So, after youve poured your heart and soul and deep intellect into a piece, whether its a blog post, a list post, or a submission, take serious time to title it skillfully. Think over-the-top wording because thats what captures a readers interest. If your subject doesnt snag them, they never get to read your beautiful words that follow.

The competition between 2 fungi in same sugar (food) source can lead Assignment

The competition between 2 fungi in same sugar (food) source can lead to change PH and color - Assignment Example 1. Firstly inoculate the wood samples in wood agar petri dishes as mention be Robinson etal in International Wood Products Journal, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 103–107.After proper extraction of Scytalidium Ganodermopthorum fungi species from wood, petri dishes of the culture are prepared. 2. The second step involves liquid culture growth, the fungus is grown on malt media amended with white rotted maple prepared in half-pint Mason jars with plastic screw lids. The petri dishes are sterilized via autoclaving before use. 3. After sterilization fill the dishes with 50 mL of autoclaved liquid media (2% malt in deionised water) according to Robinson etal,â€Å"Ability of three yellow pigment producing fungi to colour wood under controlled conditions,†Ã‚  International Wood Products Journal, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 103–107, 2014. 5. Incubate the liquid cultures on an open shelf at room temperature for the next twenty two weeks. Over this period the colour measurements were recorded on a Konica Minolta CR-5 chroma meter for each flask of media before use, with output in the CIE L*a*b* colour space. 6. Filter 3 plate of the media using a Whatman Cat. No. 1002150 filter sheet after every 7 days. The pigments collected after filtrations are then solubilised in dichloromethane and standardized based upon their colours using the colour reading machine for distinguished and precise results every 7 days. For the green colour obtained from the readings in the machine S. ganodermophthorum L* = 87.04, a* = −0.54, b* = 22.21.This is a perfect pitch green colour and any pigmentation close to this will be olive green as shown by the media from the 100 plates. Those from the 10 negative plates will retain their colour. Under natural conditions once the growth of a fungal colony is established, or when supplies of vital nutrients become depleted, parts of the

Fall for the Book Event Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fall for the Book Event - Assignment Example The presenters, qualified and highly professional, vastly expound on the topics and subjects of the presentations. The presenters make the topics comprehensible and understandable for students. I planned to attend a session at the annual festival on Friday, the 27th of September. The session is scheduled to start at half past ten and proceed until noon. The title of the book was ‘The Political Thought of Frederick Douglass’. The presenter is a political science scholar, Nicholas Buccola. The event was to take place at George Mason University. The venue for the presentation was Sandy Spring Bank tent, at George Mason University. My choice to attend the event was because of the passion I have for the political science. The professionalism of the presenter would make the session enjoyable to warrant an attendance by anyone interested in the book’s analysis. I admire any session led by Nicholas Buccola, a renowned scholar of political science studies. The session, courtesy of the sponsorship of Gale Language, would be exceptional, outstanding and jovial to attend. The analysis of the political ideologies of Frederick Douglas would be a charming session in th e event. Buccola’s prowess in presenting a deep analysis of political science topics is plausible. He can analyze how much intrinsic Frederick Douglass explores the possibility of having the promise of freedom for human beings. The analysis would be highly appealing. Given my deep aspiration to attend the event, I arrived at the venue early not to miss any part of the presentation. I planned before the day, enough for the event, and dedicated an ample time and questions to ask during the session. Having prepared for the presentation, I enjoyed the entire session. The presenter, in my opinion, was great in the area of presentation.  

Can Technology Replace Teachers Essay Example for Free

Can Technology Replace Teachers Essay TV, computers have fully integrated into urban life in many spheres like education, entertainment, and commerce, and therefore, some people consider that the technology such as multimedia teaching would replace teachers in class. I would say this does not sound very convincing because the superiority of the teachers are obvious. The first and most apparent advantage that face-to-face conversation is a vital ability for the environment of the social working is clear. Teachers give students direction to have a good grasp to work in the team or respect each other. It is possible for one to have a video communication with teacher to achieve that, however, the meaning of much of what we say depends on our body language and tone of voice which can not be transmitted by the computers. The interaction between teachers arid students is the core of teaching process. Additionally, it is generally thought that multimedia always connects with Internet which is a double-edged sword. The Internet with innumerable news sources about curriculum let us make the paradox of choice. For instance, we downland a mass of materials for TOEFL tests but do not know which one to start. Teachers play significant roles to guide our study, and they can tell us where we begin with, what we should do, and which reference we should choose, hence their proposal always make a huge difference especially in a brand new discipline. As a facilitator ,teacher can make us learn efficiency. Whats more, students,with low self-control, also easier to indulge in bad or rather faulty information and act on it. Teachers also play significant roles in supervising students. In conclusion, the computer has been widely used in class,it cannot replace the role of teachers who impersonated an essential part of modern education. Nevertheless,multimedia teaching facilitates our education like PPT teaching which can avoid the chalk dust. Teachers can use this trait to mend and consummate our education.

Analysis of JNY and LIZ Financial Data Essay -- GCSE Business Marketin

Analysis of JNY and LIZ Financial Data The following paper will compare the five-year performance of two apparel manufacturers utilizing the DuPont Framework and Return on Equity. Then a three- year analysis of common-size income statements will be undertaken to explain changes in income and expenses within each company. Jones Apparel Group (JNY) and Liz Claiborne (LIZ) are the industry leaders in the manufacturing of better clothing, footwear, fragrances, and costume jewelry, and the subject of this analysis. Jones Apparel Group’s recognized brands include: Jones New York, Polo Jeans Company, Nine West, Napier, and costume jewelry licensed under the Tommy Hilfiger brand. Jones aims to gain stability in the apparel industry as well as retail markets through building â€Å"complete lifestyle brands serving a wide breadth of consumers in a wide range of income levels and shopping destination preferences.† (PR Newswire, 2/7/01). Liz Claiborne’s brands include: Claiborne, Curve, Lucky Brand, Monet, and licenses to produce DKNY Jeans and DKNY Active. The company’s success can be attributed to its â€Å"multi-brand, multi-channel strategy† of diversification in the apparel marketplace. (PR Newswire, 2/23/01). The apparel industry is among the most volatile sectors in the market today. Subject to overnight changes in trends and fashion, the industry leaders must be accurate with their predictions and quick to accommodate changes. Because of these fluctuations, it is very hard to assign a competitive advantage to one company over another. While Jones Apparel Group seems to have a comparative advantage in profitability and leverage, Liz Claiborne has been historically more effective at generating revenue from its assets. While Liz is surging to eclipse Jones’ ROE numbers as of late, Jones Apparel Group holds a historical comparative advantage in return on equity and overall financial health. One look at the common-size income statements for these companies can tell a story. While Jones Apparel Group was lagging at year ended 1998, even with a restructuring charge on Liz Claiborne’s income statement, 1999 was a different story. Huge growth at Jones lead to revenues double of that one year ago while Liz, while increasing, was quickly falling behind. The growth for both of these companies continued into the year ended 2000, but Jones Apparel Grou... ...eaders must be accurate with their predictions and quick to accommodate changes. Because of these fluctuations, it is very hard to assign a competitive advantage to one company over another. While Jones Apparel Group seems to have a comparative advantage in profitability and leverage, Liz Claiborne has been historically more effective at generating revenue from its assets. While Liz is surging to eclipse Jones’ ROE numbers as of late, Jones Apparel Group holds a historical comparative advantage in return on equity and overall financial health. One look at the common-size income statements for these companies can tell a story. While Jones Apparel Group was lagging at year ended 1998, even with a restructuring charge on Liz Claiborne’s income statement, 1999 was a different story. Huge growth at Jones lead to revenues double of that one year ago while Liz, while increasing, was quickly falling behind. The growth for both of these companies continued into the year ended 2000, but Jones Apparel Group’s results were brilliant compared to Liz Claiborne’s. One billion dollar growth in revenues as well as higher net income is making Jones Apparel Group the company of the future.

Developing Positive Assertiveness

Summary Developing assertiveness is more than just learning to speak differently. Being assertive requires thinking assertively, behaving positively and feeling self-confident. We must all make a conscious effort to be consistently assertive. As we learn to become more assertive we reduce our stress, failures, dissatisfactions and conflicts. Developing assertiveness requires effort but the rewards are worth it. Successful behavior change requires thinking and doing. Behavior change is possible once you understand that it is an evolving, ongoing process that can be accomplished by moving through various stages.This essay discusses and describes the different behavioral types along with recipes to lead to successful behavioral change. It examines the effects of positive mental imagery and the self-fulfilling prophecy towards programming yourself towards success. It explores the four steps for powerful assertiveness along with how to deal and prepare for confrontation. Assertiveness is the antidote to fear, shyness, passivity, and even anger, so there is an astonishingly wide range of situations in which this training is appropriate.The case study demonstrates how after assertiveness training employees feel empowered with tools and skills to handle any communication situation. All of us should insist on being treated fairly — to stand up for our rights without violating the rights of others. This means tactfully, justly and effectively expressing our preferences, needs, opinions and feelings. We do this through the development of positive assertiveness. Introduction When we hear the word assertive most people think of someone standing their ground refusing to give an inch and pushing to have their own way.Others think of someone who is stubborn on certain issues but overall a nice individual. Others do not know what assertive behavior really is. Assertive behavior is a natural style while being honest, direct and respectful while interacting with others. Wh y is there a need for assertiveness training books and courses? They are essential as most people do not understand the importance of using assertive behavior. As more and more people develop assertiveness and start to influence others, the awareness and acceptance of this behavior type will increase.Everyone should aspire to be assertive – it is a desirable behavior, it is vital for honest, healthy relationships. It is the behavior necessary for positive outcomes in negotiation, normal business dealings, conflict resolution and also in family life. †The assertive individual is a tower of strength with high self-esteem with clear self-knowledge and able to accept their own shortcomings as well as their strengths. † Figure 1: The Assertiveness Triangle. The Three Main Behavioral TypesNo one is consistently assertive, we all follow these three basic behavioral types depending on the situation: Passive – this behavior is passive and indirect. It conveys a mess age of inferiority. By being nonassertive, we allow the needs, wants and rights of others to be more important than our own. It creates a behavior of â€Å"win-lose† situations. A nonassertive person loses or is disregarded while allowing others to win. This leads to being a victim not a winner. Aggressive – this behavior is complex, it can be either passive or active.Aggression can be direct or non-direct, honest or dishonest. It communicates an impression of disrespect and superiority. Assertive – this is when a person stands up for their legitimate rights in such a way that the rights of others are not violated. It communicates respect for others behavior. It is an honest, direct and appropriate expression of one’s beliefs, feelings and opinions. Figure 2: Assertiveness, graph mode. Figure 3: The different behavioral types. Figure 4: Examples of the different types of behavior.Successful Change of Behavior Successful behavior change requires thinking a nd doing. Behavior change is possible once you understand that it is an evolving, ongoing process that can be accomplished by moving through various stages. Real change comes only after persistent action. The more frequently people perform a behavior, the more habitual and automatic it becomes, requiring little effort or conscious attention. Figure 5: Motivation and ability graph. Figure 6: Target behavior graph showing effects of core motivators. Positive Mental ImageryWhen developing positive assertiveness you will begin to start practicing new ways of expressing yourself and handling yourself. It is a good idea to also practice the technique of positive mental imagery. This is using your imagination to visualize yourself saying and doing things successfully and assertively. Envision situations in which you see yourself being assertive, feel confident, powerful and effective. Only imagine positive outcomes. Think of positive mental imagery as being proactive in the journey of deve loping positive assertiveness.Four P’s of Successful Change Any type of change whether big or small can be challenging. For many, large scale change only occurs when after a traumatic experience. However, one does not need a traumatic upset to prompt change. To make a successful change, you do need to be prepared. There are 4 rules which help to retain these changes. 1. Protection – Change is often very scary. One of the reasons we do not change is because of fear. Our fear can be vague but enough to sabotage successful change. Having protection can help to stick with a commitment to change.It may be best to start your successful assertiveness in an environment which feels very safe. Change one thing at a time – slow and steady wins the race. 2. Potency – Change is an active process not a passive process. It is necessary to put in some mental effort, emotional involvement and physical activity. To tap into your potency: define your goal in simple, active, positive words. Write down your change goal and display it where you can see it every day. Imagine practicing your goal of positive assertiveness and visualize yourself doing this with ease. . Permission – Each of us requires permission of change ourselves. Be sure to give yourself permission to change. 4. Practice – To become skillful with any behavior requires practice. A large amount of practice may be needed before your new behavior becomes natural and integrated into daily life. Develop a practice schedule, be specific about how often, when and where. Record your efforts and successes. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy The self-fulfilling prophecy is a statement that alters actions and therefore comes true.For example, a person stating â€Å"I’m probably going to have a lousy day,† might alter his actions so that such a prediction is fulfilled by his actions. This may be an unconscious gesture. A person who embraces the self-fulfilling prophecy in a positive way â€Å"I’m going to have a great day† might act in ways that will actually make this prediction true. Programming Yourself for Success If you want to program yourself for success you will need to understand that if you only put rubbish into your head, you will only ever get trashy results in your life!The human minds works just like a computer- when it comes to basic programming the same basic rules apply: if only negative stuff goes in then only negativity will come out. If you want to program yourself for success then you need to lock your mind against every single thought that is not coloured with success and covered with positivity. Many people struggle with reprogramming themselves for success because although they practice positive thinking, they visualize and say their affirmations, negativity is still the predominant factor in their lives.It is not the affirmations and the visualizations that are getting in the way, but rather the thoughts and the feelings that are active the rest of the time! The only way you are going to program yourself for success is to go on the offensive, and to make a conscious effort to not only have a constant intake of positive, success-filled thoughts and feelings, but to also avoid any thoughts and feelings that cancel out your success-driven mentality. The Four Steps for Powerful Assertiveness There are four basic steps that can help you to become more assertive in everyday dealings with others.Step 1: Repeat the Question or Statement To add power to your assertiveness the first thing to do is to repeat the question. Ensure that you have good eye contact and speak with confident, assertive voice tones. It may be necessary to emphasize certain words the second time to increase the chances of getting your point across. Step 2: Command, don’t ask If the person continues to refuse to co-operate, switch from asking to commanding. Being directive tends to sound more powerful than a request to most.Learn to use the request for the majority of people, the average person will hear your request as polite and appropriate, there is less risk of sounding pushy. If the request does not produce results then change the request to a command. Step 3: Add Some Emotion If your efforts are still unsuccessful you can add emotion as another way to add power to your assertiveness. People are unaccustomed to open emotions and honesty and by using these you can add significant power to your communication. Step 4: Introduce Consequences By introducing consequences it is a final way to add power to your assertiveness.They are not threats, they are simply statements of what your intentions are if you do not get co-operation. Consequences need to be stated in advance to give the other person a chance to change their behavior. Consequences need to be strong and believable, the action needs to be something undesirable. You must be willing to follow through on the consequence if necessary. If you are tested by the other person and you do not take the action you said you would, you will lose all credibility and power not just with that person but perhaps also with others.Case Study Assertiveness training helps administrative assistants forge positive relationships with internal and external customers. Situation: A college recognised that its administrative assistants work with a range of internal and external customers and assertiveness training with this these employees could have a positive impact throughout the organisation. This group also tends to be passive. Challenge: The administrative assistants report to multiple faculty members, and they felt powerless to effectively juggle the assignments of multiple bosses.As the university's face to the customer (students), polished communication skills would enable them to more effectively communicate with these customers. Solution: The college hired Mary to present a communication workshop for this group. Mary customised training focused on assertive communication skills and how to work with difficult people. Also, the group participated in a personality assessment to gain insight into their individual communication style and, with role playing, learned how to communicate with people who have different communication styles.Results: The college invites Mary to conduct a communication workshop for this group every year, focusing on various communication aspects. Participants rave that the workshops are interactive and relevant to their job. They feel empowered with tools and skills to handle any communication situation. Dealing with Confrontations Many people cannot handle confrontation and start to shake, they lose control of their voice pitch and cannot control their thoughts. It is frustrating when someone is putting you down and you cannot argue back as you have a touch of confrontation jitters.It is the ‘Flight or Fight’ syndrome kicking in as it pumps adrenaline through your body in readiness of ge tting your body prepared to either ‘Flight’ or ‘Fight’. Some tips to deal with confrontation: * Take a deep breath, this lowers your heartbeat and blood pressure. * If you can, take five minutes to rehearse what you will say. Make key points for your argument. * Realise what triggers your anger and prepare a response to that trigger. By doing this you are aware of what buttons others can push to provoke a certain response.When you know your own triggers it is less likely that someone can push these buttons as you are prepared. * Make the other person aware of how confrontational they are being such as ‘why are you being so confrontational? ’ this turns the energy back on them and lets them reflect on themselves. This may calm them down as most people get lost in the moment and do not realise they are being aggressive. * Don’t get sucked into other people’s arguments where the purpose is to manipulate you into loosing and thereby s howing the other person that they are superior.If you don’t get sucked in there is no argument to win and you will come out looking the better person. Figure 7: Conflict Management Model. Conclusion This essay has examined the positive effects that assertiveness can have on your social and business interactions. It is an ongoing development process where you need to be actively involved in modifying your behavior patterns. Assertiveness includes the right to choose not to assert yourself. There is no rule saying that you have to assert yourself all the time and in some situations you may feel it is better not to say anything.Generally, though, you are likely to find that being more assertive has a significant positive impact on your life. Because some people want to be â€Å"nice† and â€Å"not cause trouble,† they â€Å"suffer in silence,† and assume nothing can be done to change their situation. We appreciate pleasant, accommodating people but whenever a nice person allows a greedy, dominant person to take advantage of them, the passive person is not only cheating themselves but also reinforcing unfair, self-centered behavior in the aggressive person.True assertiveness means without aggression, guilt or fear. It is far more effective in the long run and infinitely more satisfying. Winning others to your way of thinking, the legitimate way, is much more fun. By choosing to be assertive and by following the steps outlined in this essay, you will know that you have the power over any situation, over your own feelings and stress levels. Recommendations Being assertive is being able to express yourself with confidence, without resorting to passiveness, aggressiveness or manipulative.By developing assertiveness and being aware of your strengths and weaknesses you can learn how to modify your behavior in both social and work interactions, therefore enhancing your career prospects and improving your social life. Practice your skills on so meone you are unlikely to meet again. If you fail, realise where you have gone wrong and try again. Attending workshops and seminars can be extremely valuable especially when given the opportunity to use role-play to uncover your response in various interpersonal situations. Assertiveness is closely linked to self-esteem and body language so it is important to build on these ideas too.The Irish Training and Educational Centre (ITEC) run an ‘Assertiveness at Work’ distance learning course online for a fee of â‚ ¬330 covering 6 modules. This course can be signed up for online (https://www. irishtraining. ie/business/assertiveness_work. html) or by phoning ITEC on 01-2897579 Appendices Figure 1: The Assertiveness Triangle Figure 2: Assertiveness, graph mode. Figure 3: The different behavioral types. Figure 4: Examples of the different types of behavior. Figure 5: Motivation and ability graph. Figure 6: Target behavior graph showing effects of core motivators.Figure 7: C onflict Management Model. 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