Organizational Performance Essay Example for Free

Organizational Performance Essay Abstract The measurement of organizational performance has undergone changes in relation to its measurement focus. From a uniquely financial perspective, it began to consider other nonfinancial perspectives, as well as to include a cause and effect relation between the operational dimension and the strategic dimension of organizations. Based on this current view, Performance Prism presents itself as a performance measurement system alternative to be used by organizations, with its main focus being the stakeholders in its field of operation. The objective of this study is to present a conceptual approach to the measurement of organizational performance by means of a review of literature, introducing the Performance Prism as the system for this measurement. Besides introducing the entire conceptual structure, based on the authors who proposed the model, Andy Neely and Chris Adams, this paper introduces a theoretical review regarding the concepts of performance measurement, differentiating the new tendencies of new approaches and showing the relation between performance measurement systems and the management of organizational performance. The Performance Prism model presents itself as a new performance measurement system alternative within the current need that goes beyond the financial approach. In relation to the Balanced Scorecard, a broadly used model nowadays, Performance Prism stands out for having a broader aspect with regard to the stakeholders considered, which are the model’s core focus. However, literature shows that the Performance Prism does not stand out yet as a broadly used model in the world. We conclude that this model can contribute towards organizations that seek changes in how they manage performances, mainly due to the fact that most often the stakeholders that belong to the environment in which they are inserted are who  generate the sustainability of these organizations, and therefore it is reasonable that they should be the focus of this organizational performance. Keywords: performance measurement; performance prism; stakeholders. 1. Introduction The measurement of organizational performance has undergone changes in relation to its measurement focus. From a uniquely financial perspective, it began to consider other nonfinancial perspectives, as well as to include a cause and effect relation between the operational dimension and the strategic dimension of organizations. Based on this current view, Performance Prism presents itself as a performance measurement system alternative to be used by organizations, with its main focus being the stakeholders in its field of operation. The objective of this study is to present a conceptual approach to the measurement of organizational performance by means of a review of literature, introducing the Performance Prism as the system for this measurement. 2. Measuring performance in the new context For a long time, performance measurement was focused only on financial  indicators, failing to address other perspectives influencing an organization’s global performance. Eccles (1998) understands that not considering financial indicators as the basis for performance measurement and treating them solely as a single aspect in a broader array of indicators is a requirement for this current competitive environment. Bogan and English (1997) present a differentiation among performance indicators in past and current contexts. Figure 1 shows the indicator set known as â€Å"old performance indicators†, focused on finance. Source: Bogan and English, 1997, p. 60 Figure 1 – Old performance indicators Figure 2 shows the approach with quality seen together with the financial aspects. Currently, other non-financial dimensions are included, as well as stakeholders such as clients and employees. In this context, changes shown in Figures 1 and 2 reflect the transformation of this performance measurement approach using only financial indicators into a set of financial and non-financial indicators. According to Cavenaghi (2001), for years financial performance measurement was seen as the only way, the correct and legitimate way of assessing effectiveness and efficiency in an organization. Drucker (1998) stresses that, regarding performance, it is important to consider the strategic approach that goes over an organization’s internal boundaries, overcoming the vision contemplating cost centers and approaching issues like proprietary and third-party technologies, changes in economy, markets, clients and future targets and financial markets. Source: Bogan and English, 1997, p. 60 Figure 2 – New performance indicators Dornier et al. (2000) see performance indicators as a guide for making investments, defining goals and also benchmarking vs. the actual status, in addition to a facilitating instrument for predicting and reducing uncertainties, identifying high priority actions, helping in engaging and managing staff and being a dynamic tool reflecting the organizations  behavior. For Simons and Dà ¡vila (2000, p. 73), â€Å"classic financial indicators for measuring performance, i.e. return on net assets, return on assets and return on sales, are useful, but are not specifically destined to reflect the company’s quality of work when implementing strategies†. According to Corrà ªa and Caon (2002), traditional corporate performance measurement systems, in addition to focusing almost exclusively on financial indicators, did not support adequate decision making by the executives, since they did not adequately reflect the level in which the organization is being able or unable to reach meet strategic goals. According to Miranda and Silva (2002), any action to be implemented in a company needs follow-up to know to what extent it is progressing regarding defined goals and which corrective actions should be adopted if required. According to these authors, companies need to valorize performance measurement for the following factors: Controlling the companys operating activities; Feeding employees’ incentive systems; and Controlling planning. Thus, performance measurement needs to be a part of the control process, involving strategic, tactic and operating levels, continuously assessing planning and actions implemented under different perspectives, such as clients, processes, collaborators, shareholders and other that can interfere with an organization’s global performance, not solely contemplating the financial perspective. 3. Performance Management and Performance Measurement System To Neely et al. (1995), a performance measurement system must contain individual indicators, but inter-related regarding a specific environment, as shown in Figure 3. According to these authors, when designing a performance measurement system the following aspects must be considered: What performance indicators are to be used? What are they used for? How much will they cost? What benefits will they bring? Source: Neely et al, 1995, p. 81 Figure 3– A structure for the performance measurement system design According to Lebas (1995), measuring performance and managing performance are not separated. He states that there is an interactive process between those two aspects. Performance management is an organizational philosophy supported by performance measurement. According to the author, approach types are different, but in the first case, it is worried with related issues, such as training, incentives, compensation, management style and communication. In the second case, it is aimed at measuring potential, inputs, outputs and deviations. Bititci, Carrie and Mcdevitt (1997) understand the performance measurement system as the information system that represents the core of the performance management process. Figure 4, presents the performance management system according to the authors and the position of the performance measurement system. Source: Bititci, Carrie and Mcdevitt (1997) Figure 4 – The performance management process and the position of the performance measurement system. For these authors, performance management is the process in which a company manages its performance aligned with corporate and functional strategies. The goal of this process is to promote a continuous, proactive control system where functional and corporate strategies are outspread to all business process, activities, tasks, and people and feedback is obtained through a performance measurement system, allowing for an adequate decision making management. According to Martins (1998), the performance management process must be the way in which a company manages performance, aligned with corporate and functional strategies and goals derived from these strategies. According to this author, strong market competitiveness characterizes corporate environment, requiring products with quick technologic innovation  and short life cycles, forcing the performance management to be aligned to these concepts, as presented below:- Acknowledgement of manufacturing  (operations) as the missing link in company strategies and a subsequent source of competitive advantage; Appearance of Total Quality management as a management philosophy – continuous improvement for products and processes; Leaving the mechanistic view of the world for a systemic view; Company aimed at the satisfaction of its stakeholders; Multiple competitive criterions: quality, cost, reliability, time, flexibility, innovation and service; Importance of integrating the company’s supply chain, both external and internal; and Valuing teamwork and proactive decision making, anticipating potential future problems. Regarding the performance measurement system, Martins (1998) sees it in the core of the performance management process, integrating all relevant system information, such as strategy development and review, managerial accounting, management by objectives, nonfinancial performance indicators, bonus incentive structure and individual performance evaluations. For this author, new performance measurement systems must possess the following characteristics: Be aligned with competitive strategy; Contemplate financial and non-financial indicators; Drive and support continuous improvement; Identify trends and advancements; Be clear in cause-effect relationships; Be easily understood by employees; - Encompass the entire supply chain process; Real -time information and be dynamic; and Evaluate the group, not the individual, in addition to influencing the attitude of collaborators. For Corrà ªa and Corrà ªa (2005), performance measurement systems are part of the control and planning cycle, crucial for operations management, provided that performance indicators provide the means for collecting performance data that, after evaluated according to certain standards, support the decision making process. According to these authors, establishing an adequate performance evaluation system is crucial for influencing desired behaviors in people and in operations systems so that certain strategic intentions are more likely to become actions aligned to the desired strategy. Thus, performance measurement systems provide, through a set of information, support for the performance management process, which has a broader approach. When designing  a performance measurement system, one must understand the adoption of me measurements, in terms of acquisition costs, justification and utilization and these must be inter-related, being part of the organization’s planning and control cycle. 4. Performance Prism as a Performance Measurement System Evaluating organizational relationships with its main stakeholders and their links to strategies, processes and competencies can be a way to leverage and improve corporate performance. For Frost (2000), depending on business nature, stakeholders can be external, internal clients, regulation authorities, shareholders and others. This author understands one should consider all stakeholders involved with the organization, to the extent of if one is forgotten in  the management and evaluation system, consequences can be dramatic for the business. â€Å"Our business is to create value for our stakeholders; our first job is to know who those stakeholders are and what they value in our performance† (FROST, 2000, p.31). The Performance Prism was created by Nelly and Adams (2000). These authors proposed the model from the premise that several approaches or methodologies for measuring performance have their own context; nonetheless, they all seek to measure performance. In this conte xt, these authors propose the Performance Prism, stating that it is a broader models, since it considers the five surfaces of a prism. According to Adams and Neely (2003), in the structure of the Performance Prism, stakeholder satisfaction, as well as its contributions act at the core of the search for success in an organization. For the authors, even though process perspectives, strategies and competencies are involved and serving as supporting perspectives to reach stakeholder satisfaction or receive their contribution, as shown in Figure 5, stakeholders are the focal point of Performance Prism. According to Neely, Adams, and Crowe (2001), the model has been applied in a real number of situations. It has also been used in mergers and acquisitions, aimed at improving these processes. Adams and  Neely (2006) understand that the Balanced Scorecard, proposed by Kaplan and Norton (1992), takes only three stakeholders into account: investors, clients and employees. The Performance Prism also considers employees, vendors, intermediaries, regulation authorities and the community. The model considers stakeholder satisfac tion and contribution in a unique way. Source: Adams and Neely (2003) Figure 5 – Performance Prism in action Since this model is derived from the process strategy, thus acknowledging the required competencies, the Performance Prism promotes a more comprehensive approach and stimulates views at a magnified angle, in other business dimensions, where possibly performance is missing in the measurement structure. The result is much more realistic for business leadership (ADAMS; NELLY, 2006). Each of the fine surfaces of the Performance Prism represents a key area crucial to success. The weight of each surface will depend on established strategic goals, such as cost reduction, brand increase, research synergies and others. Figure 6 presents the five surfaces of the Performance Prism model and its approaches. Each surface of the Prism must represent an approach perspective processes, strategies, competencies, contribution and stakeholder satisfaction – in performance measurement. Source: Adams and Neely (2006, p.2) Figure 6– The five surfaces of the Performance Prism model For Adams and Neely (2006), the following are fundamental questions that must be considered when approaching the Performance Prism: a) Who are our key stakeholders and what do they want and need? b) What strategies are we using to meet their needs and desires? c) What processes are needed to put them into practice and reach these strategies? d) What competencies are required to operate and augment these processes? e) What do we want and need from the stakeholders to maintain and develop these competencies? This way, the Performance Prism model, in addition to considering perspectives of processes, strategies and competencies, also considers stakeholders contribution and satisfaction. It focuses on stakeholders involved in the environment of an organization through five perspectives, considering stakeholders satisfaction, stakeholders contribution ad deriving objectives from this process strategy and evaluating inherent competencies to support them. 5. Final Considerations Through the approach mentioned here, developed using a bibliographic research on the theme, it is possible to see that the Performance Prism model is a new alternative as a performance measurement system within the current perspective, going beyond the financial approach. Compared to the Balanced Scorecard, a model widely used currently, the Performance Prism is different because it possesses a broader aspect regarding the considered stakeholders, who are also the core of the model. This model also has a cause-effect relationship structure that follows an orientation from stakeholders demand, over which the strategy is designed, driving processes and competencies for an organization that wants the satisfaction of these stakeholders. Because it is a more recent model, compared to others, consecrated by their application in organizations, the Performance Prism still does not represent a widely used model  worldwide. Nonetheless, it can contribute to organizations seeking changes in the way they manage performance, especially because most of the times, their stakeholders generate the sustainability of these organizations, thus  being only reasonable that are central to the organizational performance. As a recommendation for future studies, it is required to study the application of the Performance Prism in depth, allowing for a review of its adaptability and effectiveness in a larger set of organizations, since there are currently a few cases regarding the application of this model for measuring performance in literature. References ADAMS, Chris.; NEELY, Andy. Using the Performance Prism to Boost the Success of Mergers Acquisitions, Accenture, New York. In: . (out. 2006). ADAMS, Chris.; NEELY, Andy. The New Spectrum: How the Performance Prism Framework Helps, Business Performance Management, Norwalk, nov. 2003. In: . (jul.2007). BITITCI, Umit S.; CARRIE, Allan S.; MCDEVITT, Liam. Techniques integrated performance measurement systems: an audit and development guide. The TQM Magazine. v.9, n.1, p. 46-53, 1997. BOGAN, Christopher E.; ENGLISH, Michael J. Benchmarking: Aplicaà §Ãƒ µes prà ¡ticas e Melhoria Contà ­nua. Sà £o Paulo: Makron Books, 1997. CAVENAGHI, Vagner. Gestà £o do desempenho empresarial: A contribuià §Ãƒ £o da à ¡rea de manufatura. 2001. Tese (Doutorado em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o) Programa de Pà ³sGraduaà §Ãƒ £o em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o, USP, Sà £o Paulo. CHIAVENATO, Idalberto; CERQUEIRA NETO, Edgar P. Administraà §Ãƒ £o Estratà ©gica: em busca do desempenho superior, uma abordagem alà ©m do Balanced Scorecard. Sà £o Paulo: Saraiva, 2003. CORRÊA, Henrique L.; CAON, Mauro. Gestà £o de Servià §os, Sà £o Paulo: Atlas, 2002. CORRÊA, Henrique L.; CORRÊA, Carlos A. Administraà §Ãƒ £o de Produà §Ãƒ £o e Operaà §Ãƒ µes: Manufatura e Servià §os: uma abordagem estratà ©gica. Sà £o Paulo: Atlas, 2005. DORNIER, Philippe-Pierre; ERNST, Ricardo; FENDER, Michel; KOUVELIS, Panos. Logà ­stica e Operaà §Ãƒ µes Globais: Textos e Casos. Sà £o Paulo: Atlas, 2000. DRUCKER, Peter F. The Information Executives Truly Need. In: Measuring Corporate Performance. Boston: Harvard Business Review, 1998. p. 1-24 ECCLES, Robert G. The Performance Measurement Manifesto. In: Measuring Corporate Performance. Boston: Harvard Business Review, 1998. p. 25-45. FROST, Bob. Measuring Performance, Dallas: Measurement International, 2000. KAPLAN, Robert S.; NORTON, David P. The Balanced Scorecard: measures that drive performance. Harvard Business Review. p. 71-79, january-february 1992. LEBAS, Michel J. Performance measurement and performance management. International Journal of Production Economics. v. 41, p. 23-35, 1995. MARTINS, Roberto A. Sistemas de Medià §Ãƒ £o de Desempenho: Um modelo para Estruturaà §Ãƒ £o do Uso. 1998. Tese (Doutorado em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o) Programa de Pà ³sGraduaà §Ãƒ £o em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o, USP, Sà £o Pa ulo. MENDES, Dilermando P. O Balanced Scorecard como instrumento de avaliaà §Ãƒ £o do nà ­vel de desempenho logà ­stico em uma empresa de prestaà §Ãƒ £o de servià §os. 2002. Dissertaà §Ãƒ £o (Mestrado em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o) – Programa de Pà ³s-Graduaà §Ãƒ £o em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o, UFSC, Florianà ³polis. MIRANDA, Luis C.; GOMES DA SILVA, Josà © D. Medià §Ãƒ £o do Desempenho. In: SCHMIDT, Paulo (Org.) Controladoria: Agregando valor para a Empresa. Porto Alegre: Bookman, 2002. p. 131-153. NEELY, Andy; GREGORY, Mike; PLATTS, Ken. Performance measurement system design. International Journal of Operations Management. Cambridge, v.14, n.4, p. 81-114, 1995. NEELY, Andy; ADAMS, Chris. Perspectives on Performance: the performance prism. In: Handbook of Performance Measurement. London: Bouine, 2000. NEELY, Andy; ADAMS, Chris; CROWE; Paul. The Performance Prism in Practice. Measuring Business Excellence. v.5, n.2, p. 6-12, 2001. SIMONS, Robert; Dà VILA, Antà ´nio Medindo o Desempenho Empresarial. Rio de Janeiro: Harvard Business Review, Campus, 2000.

The Speeches of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Declaration of Sentiments, Solitude of Self, and Home Life :: the women’s movement

The Speeches of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments†, â€Å"Solitude of Self†, and â€Å" Home Life† Not long ago, in the nineteenth century, the words that our forefathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"that all men were created equal,† held little value. Human equality was far from a reality. If you were not born a white male, then that phrase did not apply to you. During this period many great leaders and reformers emerged, fighting both for the rights of African Americans and for the rights of women. One of these great leaders was Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton dedicated her entire life to the women’s movement, despite the opposition she received, from both her family and friends. In the course of this paper, I will be taking a critical look at three of Stanton’s most acclaimed speeches â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments†, â€Å"Solitude of Self†, and â€Å" Home Life†, and develop a claim that the rhetoric in these speeches was an effective tool in advancing the movement as a whole. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born November 12, 1815, in Johnstown, New York. She was born unto a conservative, Presbyterian family of considerable social standing. Her father, Judge Daniel Cady, was considered to be both a wealthy landowner and a prominent citizen with great political status (Banner 3). Stanton was one of seven children, 6 of which were girls, to be born to Daniel and Margaret. Growing up in the period that she did, Elizabeth was very fortunate to receive the outstanding education that she did since it was not as important to educate daughters as it was sons. She overcame that boundary when she began attending Johnstown Academy. She was the only girl in most of her classes, which was unheard of in those days. Even when females did attend schools, they were learning about â€Å"womanly† things, like how to run a household, not advanced math and science courses, like she was in. She then went on to further her education at a very prominent educational institu tion, Emma Willard’s Troy Seminary. After that she studied law with her father, who was a New York Supreme Court Judge. It is through this training that her awareness was raised about the discrimination that women were subjected to. In 1840, Elizabeth married an abolitionist organizer named Henry Stanton, much to her family’s dismay.

International Relations Essay

International relations (IR) is the study of relationships among countries, the roles of sovereign states, inter-governmental organizations (IGO), international non-governmental organizations (INGO), non-governmental organizations (NGO), and multinational corporations (MNC). International relations is an academic and a public policy field, and so can be positive and normative, because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State. As political activity, international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides (ca. 460–395 BC), and, in the early 20th century, became a discrete academic field (No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature) within political science. However, international relations is an interdisciplinary field of study.[3] Besides political science, the field of international relations draws intellectual materials from the fields technology and engineering, economics, history, and international law, philosophy, geography, and social work, sociology, anthropology, and criminology, psychology and gender studies, cultural studies and culturology. The scope of international relations comprehends globalization, state sovereignty, and international security, ecological sustainability, nuclear proliferation, and nationalism, economic development and global finance, terrorism and organized crime, human security, foreign interventionism, and human rights. History The history of international relations can be traced back to thousands of years ago; Barry Buzan and Richard Little, for example, consider the interaction of ancient Sumerian city-states, starting in 3,500 BC, as the first fully-fledged international system.[4] The official portraits of King WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw IV dressed according to French, Spanish and Polish fashion reflects the complex politics of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Thirty Years’ War The history of international relations based on sovereign states is often traced back to the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, a stepping stone in the development of the modern state system. Prior to this the European medieval organization of political authority was based on a vaguely hierarchical religious order. Contrary to popular belief, Westphalia still embodied layered systems of sovereignty, especially within the Holy Roman Empire.[5] More than the Peace of Westphalia, the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 is thought to reflect an emerging norm that sovereigns had no internal equals within a defined territory and no external superiors as the ultimate authority within the territory’s sovereign borders. The centuries of roughly 1500 to 1789 saw the rise of the independent, sovereign states, the institutionalization of diplomacy and armies. The French Revolution added to this the new idea that not princes or an oligarchy, but the citizenry of a state, defined as the nation, should be defined as sovereign. Such a state in which the nation is sovereign would thence be termed a nation-state (as opposed to a monarchy, or a religious  state). The term republic increasingly became its synonym. An alternative model of the nation-state was developed in reaction to the French republican concept by the Germans and others, who instead of giving the citizenry sovereignty, kept the princes and nobility, but defined nation-statehood in ethnic-linguistic terms, establishing the rarely if ever fulfilled ideal that all people speaking one language should belong to one state only. The same claim to sovereignty was made for both forms of nation-state. (It is worth noting that in Europe today, few sta tes conform to either definition of nation-state: many continue to have royal sovereigns, and hardly any are ethnically homogeneous.) The particular European system supposing the sovereign equality of states was exported to the Americas, Africa, and Asia via colonialism and the â€Å"standards of civilization†. The contemporary international system was finally established through decolonization during the Cold War. However, this is somewhat over-simplified. While the nation-state system is considered â€Å"modern†, many states have not incorporated the system and are termed â€Å"pre-modern†. Further, a handful of states have moved beyond insistence on full sovereignty, and can be considered â€Å"post-modern†. The ability of contemporary IR discourse to explain the relations of these different types of states is disputed. â€Å"Levels of analysis† is a way of looking at the international system, which includes the individual level, the domestic state as a unit, the international level of transnational and intergovernmental affairs, and the global level. What is explicitly recognized as international relations theory was not developed until after World War I, and is dealt with in more detail below. IR theory, however, has a long tradition of drawing on the work of other social sciences. The use of capitalizations of the â€Å"I† and â€Å"R† in international relations aims to distinguish the academic discipline of international relations from the phenomena of international relations. Many cite Sun Tzu’s The Art of War (6th century BC), Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War (5th century BC), Chanakya’s Arthashastra (4th century  BC), as the inspiration for realist theory, with Hobbes’ Leviathan and Machiavelli’s The Prince providing further elaboration. Similarly, liberalism[6] draws upon the work of Kant and Rousseau, with the work of the former often being cited as the first elaboration of democratic peace theory. Though contemporary human rights is considerably different from the type of rights envisioned under natural law, Francisco de Vitoria, Hugo Grotius and John Locke offered the first accounts of universal entitlement to certain rights on the basis of common humanity. In the twentieth century, in addition to contemporary theories of liberal internationalism, Marxism has been a foundation of international relations. Study of IR Flags of the member states of the United Nations Initially, international relations as a distinct field of study was almost entirely British-centered. IR only emerged as a formal academic ‘discipline’ in 1919 with the founding of the first ‘chair’ (professorship) in IR – the Woodrow Wilson Chair at Aberystwyth, University of Wales (now Aberystwyth University[7]), from an endowment given by David Davies, became the first academic position dedicated to IR. This was rapidly followed by establishment of IR at US universities and Geneva, Switzerland. In the early 1920s, the London School of Economics’ department of international relations was founded at the behest of Nobel Peace Prize winner Philip Noel-Baker, and was the first institute to offer a wide range of degrees in the field. Furthermore, the International History department at LSE, developed as primarily focused on the history of IR in the early modern, colonial and Cold War periods. The first university entirely dedicated to the study of IR was the Graduate Institute of International Studies (now the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies), which was founded in 1927 to form diplomats associated to the League of Nations, established in Geneva some years before. The Graduate Institute of International Studies offered one of the first Ph.D. degrees in international relations. Georgetown University’s  Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is the oldest international relations faculty in the United States, founded in 1919. The Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago was the first to offer a graduate degree, in 1928. Now Universities in USA, UK, Europe, India, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Africa, Russia, Indonesia offer Graduate, Post-Graduate & PhD degrees in IR. Theory Main article: International relations theory Normative theory In the academic discipline of International relations, Smith, Baylis & Owens in their Introduction to Smith, Baylis & Owens (2008)[8] make the case that the normative position or normative theory is to make the World a better place and that this theoretical worldview aims to do so by being aware of implicit assumptions and explicit assumptions that constitute a non-normative position and align or position the normative towards the loci of other key socio-political theories such as political Liberalism, Marxism, political Constructivism, political Realism, political Idealism and political Globalization.

Education Is The Most Powerful Weapon - 1343 Words

Knowledge. Education. These are the most powerful weapon in life, and since the dawn of time knowledge becomes the ultimate skill of an individual. Through the blade of knowledge, we can unleash our true full potential, eventually contributing massively to the world in exactly the same way great minds have done. Leaving behind countless contributions is the mark of a truly successful person. According to Nelson Mandela, the celebrated former President of South Africa, â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.† We can absolutely credit education, and by extension, knowledge, to the advancements of civilisation and technology that maximises the potential of the human capabilities. It is because of the growth of knowledge that our ancestors are able to achieve great feats of intelligence that never ceases to amaze us even today. Simply put, knowledge is the reason why they have been successful in all of their endeavours in life. In terms o f the present, ever advancing world of science and technology we live in today, we can see that individuals with knowledge and proper education excels prominently in their life, and it brings evident positive effects in every endeavour they undertook. Why is this so? Knowledge is power. Knowledge is the essence of success because through education, we can improve our critical thinking, empower our overall perception, and obtain new skills and techniques to be used altogether as the decisive weapon to changeShow MoreRelatedEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout our history, most of the revolutions were turning points that contributed and improved the modern society that we are living now. Social reformers such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson have been spreading the message that education is crucial in leading to a successful life. However, there are still many people, especially those from the bottom of our social hierarchy pyramid, are struggling in daily life because of the lack of education. Social problems that we encounter theseRead MoreEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon1841 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world†, says former South African President, Nelson Mandela. While this statement is very true, there are a few caveats to this statement. If students do not want to reap all the benefits of education, they will not be as likely to change the world. Therefore, we need to make sure to provide an education that facilitates change in the world. One way of doing this is improving the quality of instruction to facilitate learningRead MoreEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon878 Words   |  4 PagesEducation has been aimed at helping students learn new and exciting things every day, that later they can use in their own lives. A purpose in education is to teach students developmental skills in; math, reading, language arts, and sci ence. This helps us gain practice, patience, and skills for job preparation, college, and social and moral responsibility for ourselves. During my senior year of high school, all of my teachers were preparing us for college. They prepared us by having us write papersRead MoreEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon1541 Words   |  7 PagesNelson Mandela said, â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.† Miriam-Webster dictionary defines education as the knowledge, skill, and understanding that you get from attending a school, college, or university. In today’s society, education is dispensed and received through different forms: campus-based, internet-based, distance, and home education. Home education or homeschool means a nonpublic school conducted primarily by the parent, guardian or other personRead MoreEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon2016 Words   |  9 Pages Nelson Mandela said, ?Education is the most powerful weapo n which you can use to change the world?. If one were to think introspect on the quote, one can realize the value of education. Education is not only needed for the betterment of any nation but the whole human kind. It is because of education that humans are achieving milestones such leading on the moon and exploring other planets such as Mars. When one is educated, their education gives them endless opportunityRead MoreEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon868 Words   |  4 PagesNelson Mandela one said, â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.† Education is not just a term to explain a process of getting instructions. Instead, education is extremely essential procedure in one’s life to have this weapon as explained by Mandela. As individuals we tend to learn from life experiences and events that go on around us. We not only learn about how to become successful in life instead we learn how to make a living as we encounter new individuals andRead MoreEducatio n Is The Most Powerful Weapon1195 Words   |  5 Pagessaid â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,† and this should be our guiding principle when instituting reform in our country. The United States has the worst economic inequality in the developed world. The wealthy are making more money than ever and the amount of people living in poverty are growing at an alarming rate. As a whole, the impoverished are struggling to provide for their basic needs. A major factor in this inequality is the gap in education. 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If the government proposed free community college to the students, each and everyone will have the chance to get an education as well the opportunity to have a better future. Free communityRead MoreEducation Is The Most Powerful Weapon1598 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Education, the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world. Miriam-Webster dictionary defines education as the knowledge, skill, and understanding that you get from attending a school, college, or university (1). In today’s society, education is dispensed and received through different forms: campus-based, internet-based, distance, and home education. Home education or homeschool means a nonpublic school conducted primarily by the parent, guardian or other person having