The International Quality of Life Awards - Case Study Example

International Quality Awards: The International Quality of Life Awards. Background: Over the years there have come to exist many international awards for quality, some that were started locally and have slowly gained popularity like the Ohio Awards for excellence, while there are others that from their very conception have awarded people at a global level. In this term paper we shall look at one such award, the International Quality of Life Awards. This award was launched by the Human Sciences at Auburn University with the collaboration of United Nations, in the year of 1994 which was the year that the United Nations celebrated as the International Year of the Family and the award was in conjunction with this. The Human Sciences at Auburn University through these awards wanted to honor those individuals or groups who had made significant contributions to the society in various ways, and have helped in the improvement of individuals, family and even the community as a whole which are both important and lasting. These contributions could have been made either at the local level or have impact nationally or internationally in the global arena. The main purpose of these awards is to provide students with role models who will inspire them in achieving great objectives and also help set up an example of aware citizens who participate in the society and to give birth of the concept of “giving back to society.” Criteria: These awards are awarded by the Human Sciences at Auburn University to all those who have made significant contributions to society. This leaves a wide scope for interpretation and thus the list of those who have received this award is a mixed bag. The basic criteria for awarding these are listed below: All those who are made laureates have to demonstrate a strong commitment to empowerment through public policy. All those who receive this award have to be strongly committed to the ideas of education. They have to be committed to the idea of social welfare and its spread in the global community through various processes like spread of awareness, education, etc which help empower people and raise their standard of living. They have be strong role models who can in their being exemplify the beliefs and the ideas that are represented and promoted by the College of Human Sciences. They have to have the ability to inspire the youth and the coming generations of attaining goals that help in the betterment of the society. Those who have made significant contribution to the field of social services are eligible for this award. All those who have contributed funds to the community in the attempt of helping in its improvement and development are also eligible to this award. Those who have invented methods or contraptions that help in the improvement of the human life are also eligible to these awards. These awards are also presented to those who have stepped forward on the various occasions to help provide resources and aid those who require it in the times of natural calamities or disasters are also included in the list of laureates. Thus one can see how there are no certain boundaries as to who are eligible to these awards, but these are awarded to anyone who has made noteworthy and momentous contributions in the betterment of the human race. Benefits: These awards have been in existence since the early 1990s. Every year a number of people belonging to different categories are awarded by them for the work they have done and for contributing to society in their own respective ways. These awards have also provided the students of the university with role models and thus encourage them to develop as responsible citizens who are aware of their responsibilities to the society. There also exists the Fund for Global Understanding which underwrites the International Quality of Life Awards. This fund has been over the years helping in the College of Human Sciences in their international programmes and does a number of things such as it pays the travel expenses of undergraduates who are pursuing international minors, supports students in pursuing international study experiences. The fund also provides faculty support for short term stays so as to help develop academic relationships, assists faculty scholars from around the world and also helps in the facilitation of foreign exchange students and faculty so as to support exploiting opportunities in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and other countries. The awards also help in acknowledging the contributions that these individuals make to the society, and helps bring their contribution to the fore front. But there are also some down sides of these awards. Firstly, the fund is not extended to certain countries and due to this certain numbers of people are unable to benefit, even if they are deserving. Another drawback is that a number of acts of contribution are gone unnoticed due to the lack of proper facilities that would bring these contributions to the attention of the College of Human Sciences. Due to this many of the changes that can help in the global arena go unnoticed and remain localized. That said, one cannot deny the benefits and the contributions made by these awards in the improvement of society. They recognize changes and help in promoting new ideas and lend support to growth and development of the global community in both professional and personal arenas. Past Winners: In July 1998 Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and former star athlete Bo Jackson were awarded with the International Quality of Life award. The then dean of the college Dean June Henton had said “students today need concrete role models to see the many ways that people are working worldwide to enhance human well being.” (McCoy 1998). Tutu was awarded for his efforts in fighting apartheid for more than three decades in South America. He was a respected leader in the Anglican Church, and helped in promoting non violent protest against social oppression and subjugation. He was the first black Anglican archbishop of Cape Town and was awarded the Nobel Price in 1984 for the work that he had done and for all that he had accomplished. Jackson on the other hand was a renown athlete and after retiring worked for social causes especially for the welfare of children and youths and was a part of a number of programs like Children’s Miracle Network, America Goes Back To School, and many others. Jackson believed that “Children are our future and to reassure a solid future for them, it is imperative that we, as parents and members of respective communities, become actively involved in our children’s dreams”. The AU’s college also awarded Ratan Tata and the Hugh L. Carey Batter Park City Authority in 2005 for their contribution in the restoration of the parks in New York after the attacks on the twin towers. Tata made financial contribution which helped in the aid of the people and also in redeveloping the infrastructural facilities, which was done with the cooperation of the Hugh L. Carey Batter Park City Authority. June Henton said on the occasion “it is great to honor Mr. Ratan Tata and the Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority. As is true for each IQLA Laureate, their work reflects the spirit of the award by promoting the respect and dignity of all citizens around the world. Conclusion: The awards are an annual occasion to honor people who have contributed to the society while keeping in with the spirit of the college’s own goals of individual, family and community well being. Thus we see hoe the award has helped in promoting the views of the college around the world, and has helped create more awareness among the people. It has also helped raise funds for the faculty and students, helped in development of international programmes, which have led to better education and development skills foe both the faculty and students to exploit. The standard of education has also increased and there has been a greater demand for the college’s services, and it has received global and international acknowledgment. Thus, awards are a better way of promoting accountability of an organization, it helps to inspire more and more people to perform better and to set higher goals of achievement, it helps in the acknowledgement of the work that people have done and leads to social and cultural awareness and development. Thus, if one has to increase their productivity of one’s employees and encourage and motivate them to perform better then they can do this by introducing a system of awards. It acts as motivation and gives them a reason to perform better, promotes healthy competition among the workers and helps in increasing their productivity and working capacity. Awards are thus very important part of the management process in ensuring greater motivation and better working capacity of the employees. Reference: The International Quality of Life Awards: http://humsci.auburn.edu/iqla/; http://humsci.auburn.edu/iqla/global_understanding.php; and http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/iqla.php. McCoy M.L. 1998: TUTU; BO JACKSON RECEIVE QUALITY OF LIFE AWARDS FROM AUBURN, accessed on Sunday, July 19, 2009 at http://www.ask.com/web?o=101851&l=dis&gct=&gc=&q=international%20quality%20of%20life%20awards&qsrc=2873&inttb=1. Auburn University accessed on Sunday, July 19, 2009 at http://toolbar.ask.com/toolbarv/askRedirect?gct=&gc=1&q=html&crm=1&toolbar=BT . Read More