Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 71

Reflection - Essay Example complish God’s will.† This is the actual meaning of life; that is, to attain God’s will by making the best use of your competencies that He has blessed you with. Secondly, as Johnson (1990, p.17) asserts, I would also like the world to believe that that we find the true happiness in worldly possessions, positions, wealth, and status, if only we are able to relate the acquiring of these to God’s will. For me, true happiness, which is the essence of life, comes not from worldly possessions but from obedience of God. Thirdly, my last lesson is that one should limit one’s lust for the world. One should start living according to ethical boundaries set by God, because only then will God intrude in one’s matters to shower His blessings. The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, contradicts this viewpoint with his idea of nihilism, in which he argues that human existence does not have any meaning. According to him (as cited in Keiji, 1990, p.29), t he idea of afterlife is so strong that the worldly life becomes meaningless. This idea denies the importance or the ultimate meaning of life. Still, I believe that it is important to spend this life whole-heartedly while remaining within the ethical boundaries. Sharpe and Bryant (2005, p.130) raise the concern in their book: Does the success of science mean that we must abandon the Divine like a plaything we once loved but have now outgrown? Such and other concerns raised by the authors make us ponder upon the relationship between science and religion. This course has, thus, impacted my understanding of science and religion to a great extent because I have been able to understand how science has proven what religious scriptures mentioned many hundred years ago. I have understood that science and religion do not stand far apart; instead, they strengthen each other’s claims and findings. I have understood that Diving power can never be put in the background or can never be forgotten, because it is the Divine that

SWOT Analysis Essay Example for Free

SWOT Analysis Essay A SWOT analysis is a tool to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a business. Strengths mean characteristics of a business in advantage over others, while weaknesses are disadvantages relative to others. Opportunities mean elements that a business can exploit for its development, while threats are trouble will be face to. SWOT is to carry out the environment analysis and separate information into internal and external factors. Then, it determines whether they are favorable and unfavorable to achieve the objective so as to help an organization enhance advantages and minimize disadvantages. A SWOT analysis needs to be conducted in a proper and realistic procedure to get the complete and objective results. The participants of this analysis should be a group of people with different perspectives so that they can contribute different valid viewpoints. They can be various stakeholders of a company, such as shareholders, managers, employees, and even customers. It is typically conducted using a SWOT matrix and holds a brainstorming session to identify the factors and bullets them with priority in each of the four categories. Participants must be realistic about the environment analysis of target organization and try to keep the analysis compact. There are two most important part of a SWOT analysis, to help a business reduce risk and improve performance (Markgraf 2013). Firstly, this analysis can identify critical threats coupled with internal weaknesses that may put a company in a trouble. It improves the viability of a business about changing environment and highlights the most serious issues. For example, a new export policy issued by government could be a serious threat to the export-led industry. They should reduce resources allocated in export business and shift focus to domestic markets. Laurence (2013), a judicious recognition of global realities, states that to adapt to the appreciation of its currency, China’s farsighted plan is to have switched the economy to a domestic consumption-driven model. The external threats require companies to adjust their business plan to adapt to new circumstances. Secondly, a SWOTÂ  analysis can indicate actions to improve the performance of a business. Taking advantage of an opportunity from a position of strength helps ensure the success of the corresponding venture. If a company has a capital advantage and the other one has technological advantage, they can integrate firstly and then dominate other competitors. For example, Peak the top two Chinese video-sharing websites, Youku and Tudou, jointly announced that the two companies have signed a definitive agreement to integrate into Youku Tudou Inc. on March 12th, 2012 (Peak 2012). This Merge helps them to strengthen competition power in the online video market with 35 percent share. To achieve the objective, a business has to find connection between its strengths and external opportunities. A SWOT analysis has become a popular method to help a business to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. People should conduct this analysis in a proper way to appraise critical internal and external factors so that SWOT will be valuable to reduce risk and improve performance of a business. Reference Markgraf, B. (2013). The Two Most Important Parts of SWOT Analysis. Chron. Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/two-important-parts-swot-analysis-61546.html Neville, L. (2013). Cover: A New Economic Model For China. Global Finance. Retrieved March 18, 2015, from https://www.gfmag.com/magazine/january-2013/cover-a-new-economic-model-for-china Peak, K. (2012). Chinese online video companies Youku, Tudou merge. Vatornews. Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://vator.tv/news/2012-03-12-chinese-online-video-companies-youku-tudou-merge

Leadership Style Of Richard Branson And Steve Jobs Commerce Essay

Leadership Style Of Richard Branson And Steve Jobs Commerce Essay This essay is required to conduct a better understanding of leadership styles (transactional and transformational leadership styles) from researching on Richard Branson and Steve Jobs success, and discuss about different types of changes (incremental and radical changes) may occur in an organisation in order to learn change management methods can be applied to a real case (Virgin Group). Although both of the excellent leaders exhibit characteristics of both transactional and transformational leadership styles, this essay will identify Steve Jobs as a transactional leader and Richard Branson as a transformational leader with three reasons for each statement. Changes are inevitable for all kinds of organizations and business. This essay will share and identify six examples (incremental and radical) of changes for each leader (three examples each type). At last, this essay will discuss the concepts of change management and explain Kotters 8-Step Change Model by applying to a real case (Virgin Group). Transactional Leadership VS Transformational Leadership Good leadership is the key to the success of an organization. Transactional leadership is performance-oriented and transformational leadership is people-oriented. To be more specific, transactional leadership involves contingent reinforcement to monitor and justify followers performances by using reward and punishment, while transformational leadership tends to inspire and motivate the followers loyalty and concentration by leaders charisma. Steve Jobs as Transactional Leader Transactional leaders characteristic behaviours are: (Barbuto, 2005) Contingent Reward Contingent reward is actually a usual way that most of the managers use to motivate teams, create positive competition and improve effectiveness. Steve Jobs had the impressive ability to notice talent and active employees and allocate them to the right place within the company. Each year, Jobs took his top 100 people on a retreat. It is not only a reward as a vacation, but also an acknowledgement from STEVE JOBS! In my opinion, acknowledgements from successful genius would be the best reward for my hard working. Management by exception Transactional leaders take actions based on the exceptions (performance) of the employees. Steve Jobs categorised his followers as either geniuses or bozos, and quickly firing those who fall in the latter camp (Greene-Blose, 2012). Another characteristic of transactional leadership would be the desire for control which is typical Steve Jobs style. His favourite presentation tools were a whiteboard and a Magic Marker, which gives him fully control in the conference. After his reinventing Apple, Jobs had several weeks of product review sessions. Finally he run out of patience and shouted the team to stop, grabbed a Magic Marker to the white board and wrote down four words: Consumer, Pro., Desktop and Portable. Then he said:Here is what we need! (Isaacson, 2012) This is Steve Jobs, full of power and passion, who gave clear incentives and strategies to his followers with his wisdom and visions. Richard Branson as Transformational Leader Transformational leaders characteristic behaviours are: (Barbuto, 2005) Idealized influence Richard Branson has become a role model for his followers inside or outside of his Virgin Empire by his own passionate and fearless life style. With his own words, You want to create something you are proud ofà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ That has always been my philosophy of business (Branson), Richard Branson broke many world records such as the fastest recorded Atlantic crossing by boat, the first Atlantic crossing by hot-air balloon, etc. He proved that anything is possible to his followers and the rest of the world with real examples. (Ocker, 2008) Inspiration motivation Richard Branson is a visionary leader with dreams and relentless work attitude which make those dreams come true. At the early stage of Virgin Group business, he once said:I want Virgin to be as well-known around the world as Coca-Cola. (Branson) After decades of time, the brand of Virgin have become world well-known, and covers many different areas of business which Coca-Cola wound not dare to try. Those kinds of ambitions and courage ties his group together and close, and leads him to keep on improving Virgin Group services and productions. Individualized consideration Richard Branson business maxim is staff first, customers second and shareholders third (Locke, 2009). One of his most famous and interesting story would be the lawsuit against British Airways for its protracted libel actions and ended with a settlement of about  £600,000 total. After Richard Branson got the money, he divided it to all his employees for their hard working. On the other hand, the major reason of Richard Bransons business success is that he takes care of customers needs with innovations and consideration, such as placing a rubber ducky in each bathroom of Virgin-owned hotels in order to make guests feel ate home, putting Listening Posts in their record stores and allowing customers to listen to entire CDs before purchasing. (Richard Branson Virgin) In general, transformational leadership is considered more friendly and flexible way to organize a company, while transactional leadership is considered more tough and efficient. It is hard to say which one is better. All the good leaders all over the world (include the two above) have the characteristics of the both leadership styles., such as Steve Jobs charismatic characteristics and spiritual motivating speech skills (Transformational), and Richard Branson strict management ways on the lower level position in the organisation (Transactional). Transformational leadership does not replace transactional leadership but improves the effectiveness of transactional leadership from a different angle. (Bernard, Bass, Riggio, 2005) Incremental Changes VS Radical Changes Changes are inevitable in human lives as well as in business operations. Incremental change takes place over a long time period for development purposes, while radical change is more often triggered by a crisis or a business opportunity. There are several differences listed in the following table. Incremental Changes Radical Changes Reasons Business development Expansion Dealing with crisis Seizing a significant business opportunity Period Long period of time Short period of time Examples Improvement Such as TQM, new system implementation Revolutionary changes Such as restructuring, merger, take-over Approaches types May be small, slow, on-going May be onetime events, quick Respond and effect Hardly noticed by the management level Immediately adapt May cause resistance to changes Steve Jobs Incremental Changes Example1: Pixar In 1986, Steve Jobs bought The Graphics Group from Lucasfilm for $10 millions, changed the name to Pixar and started his career in animation manufacturing. With his visionary plans and technology support from his computer company NeXT, Pixar developed a software package called RenderMan (which has been widely accepted and used in filmmaking industry). RenderMan was implemented into the existing Pixar production line slowly. After ten years time, Pixar finally achieved an amazing success in the animation filming industry. It kept producing a series of animation films, beginning with Toy Story (1995), which led Pixars worth to over $1.5 billion. It took 10 years to implementing and perfecting the new software into production and transferring Steve Jobs leadership style into Pixars existing operation, and achieves a remarkable improvement at the end. This is an incremental change made by Steve Jobs. Example2: Digital hub strategy After Steve Jobs returning to Apple in 1997 as an interim CEO, he successfully brought Apple back to profitability with a amazing consumer desktop computer iMac. By facing negative predictions about proclaiming PCS would disappear within a couple of years, Steve Jobs continuously led Apple to keep on perfecting i products with the meaning of internet, individual, instruct, inform and inspire as the same way Apple always do. (Steve Jobs introductory 1998 iMac slide show) In 2001, Steve Jobs unveiled the Digital Hub Strategy to the public and in the next 10 years time he kept on launching a series of new products which extremely changed and led the trade of the whole world. (Kurian, 2012) There was an interesting event that Steve Jobs called himself as the iCEO of Apple instead of interim CEO humorously which entertained the public very much (Macworld San Francisco 2000). It was also a smart way to promoting i products while teasing with the board of Apple for rehiring him with the temporary executive position. This huge successful change took 10 years to be accomplished followed by Steve Jobs leadership piece by piece. It was a long period on-going process of implementing Jobs wisdom into Apple Company. Example3: Retirement from Apple Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, but he kept on denying any serious problem. That is why everyone was surprised when Apple announced that Steve Jobs would not go on stage for the Macworld keynote in 2009, and he took six months off at the same year. Jobs finally resigned as CEO of Apple in 2011 but remained as the Chairman of the companys board, and he passed away after 6 weeks. (Kurian, 2012) There may be some radical changes involved fro restructuring purpose, but in general, Steve Jobs took care of his retirement carefully to avoid negative impact slowly for 3 years time. For instance, he distributed his responsibilities to other executives step by step, and before his final resign, he strongly recommended Tim Cook in written, that letter was released to the public lately. The whole process was carefully planned and implemented in a long time. In my opinion, it can be an incremental change. Steve Jobs Radical Changes Example1: Macintosh VS Lisa In the early 80s, Apple was creating a business-oriented computer named Lisa under Steve Jobs supervising, but later after that, Steve Jobs thrown out of the Lisa project because of his bad temper. He was so angry and decided to take revenge by developing a small project called Macintosh in order to destroy the sales of Lisa. (Kurian, 2012) It was a radical strategy. Macintosh had user-friendly interface (point-and -click) which inspired other computer manufactories and changed the direction of computer industry since then, but it was not welcome to the market then. At that time, IBMs PC was more compatible with its cheaper price. Because this action was taken rapidly without well planning and careful market researching, Macintosh project failed. Example2: Staging a Coup There was another revenge taken by Steve Jobs after his removal from Lisa project, he tried to stage a coup. As we all know, he failed again. (Kurian, 2012) It was a restructuring plan, and he took actions rapidly. But without endorsement from Apple board of directors and support from other colleagues, he got fired from his own company. Example3: Reinventing Apple By 1996, Apple rehired Steve Jobs as an informal adviser to the CEO. At that time, Apple was keeping on losing money and Steve Jobs staged another coup. He successes this time and became an interim CEO in 1997.The first thing he had done after his promotion is cutting off the production lines and focused on four products. This effective decision brought the lost confidence back to the Apple community (Kurian, 2012). In the meantime, Jobs took other actions such as announcing a new slogan Think Different and launched an amazing project which brought Apples resurgence lately, the iMac. (Edwards, 2008) Those actions and decisions above are radical changes (restructuring and redesigning the production processes). They were new strategies to the company for solving a financial crisis in a short time period. Richard Branson Incremental Changes Example1: Virgin Atlantic There are some unique features Virgin Atlantic has while other airways may not have can be considered as incremental changes. Such as, serving a cup of ice cream while passengers watching movies during travelling in order to provide a better service. Virgin Atlantic does not provide meals for short distance flight in order to reduce ticket price. This kind of services is provided for improving quality of service. Example2: Virgin Group Because Richard Branson received a lot of support from his family and friends during hi early period of business stage (borrowed money from his auntie and supported by John Lennon), the whole Virgin Group services can be considered as a long term process for implementing Richard Bransons plan of giving back to the society and helping those people who has ambitious but doesnt have opportunities. Such as, Virgin Money provides a set of formalised documentations help people who need loans. Example3: Eco-friendly efforts In 2007, Richard Branson launched Virgin Earth Challenge dedicating in to environmental issues. He made several decisions that supervised the whole world, such as a $25 millions prize for inventors who comes up with a viable solution for scrubbing carbon gases from atmosphere. He also pledged to reinvest all profits from Virgin transportation business over the decade into developing ecologically benign fuels. This kind of actions may not affect other Virgin companies, but it will improve Virgin Groups reputation, it is also a long time period project. Richard Branson Radical Changes Example1: Virgin Records Shop At the beginning, Richard Branson started his records business as mail ordering company in London, and it went well. After a postal strike, the mail order business was crippled. Richard Branson was forced to seek new outlets and he opened his first retail store in Oxford Street in 1971. This was a strategy for dealing with a crisis situation, and operated immediately. It changed Virgin Records business process and structure. Example2: Selling Virgin Music Group Selling Virgin Music probably would be the hardest decision Richard Branson has made in his whole lifetime. This decision was made in order to get money to take Virgin Atlantic back into private ownership. (Vinnedge, 2009) This change was forced by a financial crisis and included restructuring process. Example3: Closing Virgin Money U.S. Richard Branson launched a loan servicing company called Virgin Money U.S. in America in 2007, and began its withdrawal after 2 years (Lepro, 2010). Its social loans were transferred to Graystone Solutions. This time, Richard Branson misjudged the market and had to make the decision in order to limit the damage. Other reasons of this collapse might be the bad economy and different culture in America. This change included restructuring and take-over in a short time. Change Management in Virgin Group Story In 2007, Virgin Group announced the completion of its biggest challenge which brought over 10 million customers and 13,000 employees merger of NTL, Telewest and Virgin Mobile under the Virgin Media brand. It is known as the largest Virgin Company in the world. This operation took more than two years to complete the merger, and Virgin Group handled it carefully, especially on employees resistance. Reasons of employees resistance to this change Fear Mostly, employees fear comes from uncertainty about their career: whether they are going to loss their job, will they fit the new way or follow the new process probably? No faith in new process Comfort personal preference Lack of knowledge Lack of trust Strategies for overcoming barriers to changes Involving employees during the managing changes Establishing clear processes and procedures Establishing Clear Strategies Effective Communication with Employees Efficient Leadership Application Kotters Change Model Conclusion

Essay --

I believe having positive dispositions are the key to a healthy and fulfilling classroom, and as a future teacher, I know the importance of evaluating my dispositions on a consistent basis. I have reflected upon my strengths and weaknesses as a future educator, and an area of strength for me is in reflection. Reflection will also be an important part of my professional teaching because it will allow me to assess my strengths and identify areas for improvement. Through the practice of self-reflection and evaluation in my studies, I have been able to evolve and grow into an educator. Clinical practice and classroom observations have also helped me develop and fine tune my self-reflection skills. My mentor teachers instilled in me the importance of reflection and how to use it as a tool to benefit not only my students, but also myself as a professional. They have helped me gain an insight into the world of teaching and how to improve as an educator. Another area of strength for me is in my critical thinking skills which I have developed through my studies at Dominican University. Critical thinking allows teachers to analyze and evaluate information in order to solve problems in their instruction. Teachers must be responsive and use questioning as a tool for critical thinking. I have learned about fostering critical thinking skills through problem-based learning and I have developed confidence in my own ability to lead the student towards their learning goals. I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner and I believe a teacher should always be a student so they can enrich their classroom and instructional skills. I have worked hard at Dominican University to become an effective teacher and I believe in the importance of... ...l allow me to teach effectively in diverse classrooms and facilitate learning. The other area of improvement for me is in my commitment to social justice and the ability to critically analyze social problems or conditions. I want to be sensitive in the recognition of individual forms of oppression and be able to correct injustices in my classroom. Oppression can have such a profound effect on teaching and learning, so I want my students to understand that each classmate is valuable and they deserve to be treated with kindness. My goal is to develop a classroom culture that discourages bullying and promotes friendship. I will teach social justice by using lesson plans that help students learn how discrimination feels and to identify strategies for combating it in the real world. Through my teaching, I will be a humanitarian and promote social welfare for all.

Collaborative Health Care

Running head : IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 1 Improve Productivity with Leadership Natalie Misyuk Chamberlain School of Nursing Marilyn Smith NR 447 Collaborative Health care IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 2 Improve Productivity with Leadership Introduction Working in the VA has made me become a leader, I have been employed here for about 4 years and it feels like family.I started becoming a leader by learning though out my experience from my colleagues of my other jobs that I held and the knowledge I have acquired through my school that helped me prepare for the future. I want to be there for my whole career as a Registered Nurse and as a Leader in my clinic to improve productivity and processes. The two SMART goals that I have choose are: 1. Reduce late and cancelled appointments in the Women's clinic. 2. To provide the female veterans with the newest technology available on the market. I choose them because I want to be the best nurse advocate to my patients.Goal 1: Leadership Development My leadership development is about being a natural leader. I attend conferences, read books and keep myself updated on the different theories of leadership. I always wondered what kind of leader I would become but over the years I have learned to lead and improve my skills to become a natural leader. It is about certain strategies that you just have to have. Strategic thinking helps you to learn to step back from the day-to-day tactical details and focus on the â€Å"why†, not just the â€Å"what† and â€Å"how†.Being a good listener means to learn to pay attention and demonstrate to others that I value what they have to say. IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 3 Peer-Reviewed Articles The article that I found is called â€Å"Empowering others to take an active role in patient care† This article talks about how leadership traits are very difficult to apply into the real world when you try to learn them from someone. Each individu al is a leader within himself and is a product of individual xperiences, individual opportunities, and individual training who has been exposed to challenging situations, unique opportunities (Sara J. White 2012). It is simply not realistic to think, â€Å"How can I be like her? ,† or in â€Å"How can I be as good a leader as Abraham Lincoln? † When we think about the great leaders that we have come across in our lives, it would be difficult to retrace the knowledge, experiences, and perspectives that shaped their ability and effectiveness. It is difficult to acquire or develop the attributes necessary to be a good leader by seeing examples of ood leadership in others. Good leadership ability will result from applying knowledge useful in situations that require leadership, practicing the skills associated with leadership, and having the desire and motivation to exert these in appropriate situations. (Sara J. White 2012) Leadership is â€Å"about coping with change. â €Å"‘ This requires more specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The individual must have the knowledge necessary to be a good leader, including the knowledge necessary to develop a vision, stimulate change, work well with people, and become a person of influence.Credible Websites The website that will help me with the development of my SMART goal talks about â€Å"10 Tips to Improve productivity at work. † by Adam Gurian. It is a business professional website, but it can be applied to anyone that wants to improve processes in their work. He talks about how to quickly manage IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 4 difficult situations and how to be a leader at work, which will result in productivity in the workplace.The number one is to Act immediately on phone the messages, I never knew how important this is for my patients, but if you can return the phone call back to a patient that is in a great emergency then it can accomplish much maybe even and save the patien t's life. It all starts from the little things that we do as nurses to help our day run smoothly. Another important tool is to organize your tasks for the day, so you can tackle your most important priorities together, you will save time and be more efficient and produce higher quality work. By starting your day ith the most important task, you will increase your productivity and get your day off to a good start. This is a credible website that applies to my specific SMART goal because it talks about different positive ways to get the job done. This website is very helpful for employees in any field to be productive in their job. Informational Expert I have spoke with the Nurse Educator in my job about how to reduce late and cancelled appointments in the Women's Clinic. The nurse educator had informed us, for all the clinics the number one priority to reduce late and cancelled appointment is to make reminder calls at least 2-4 days in advance.We all forget things, and appointments a re among the easiest things to lose track of. Appointment cards are helpful, but in the end, a phone call is your best bet. Email, text message and other automated solutions are starting to make some headway, but a good old-fashioned telephone call is still the most effective tool to combat schedule disintegration. We are very busy in our clinic, so not all the time these phone calls are able to be made but for the most part we have to start making it our number one priority.The Nurse Educator told us to create a workbook where we will type everything out; the patients name, date or appointment, time, which doctor and for what reason. In this work book IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 5 we will keep track of patients who received the call, who the message was left for and who cancelled or just didn't show up. My goals are to be on top of these reminder phone calls and try to call everyday to the patients scheduled when I have some free time. In the worst case scenario when phone calls weren't able to be made, our clerk will send out reminder letters.I can definitely achieve my SMART goal this way, by working together as a team and collaborating with each other to meet our clinics goals. Goal 2: Organizational Planning I know this goal is a difficult one to achieve, because it is all about the timing and the finances of the VA hospital. It is one of the goals for our clinic to have the most recent and newest technology offered to the Women Veterans. A few months ago I went to a conference and I heard about the new Mammography technology that is being offered, which is called Computed Tomography Laser Mammography.This medical imaging technique uses laser energy in the near infrared region of the spectrum, to detect angiogenesis in the breast tissue. The technology uses laser in the same way computed tomography uses X-Rays, these beams travel through tissue and suffer attenuation. It would be great to see my clinic have one of these in the near future, I know how painful getting a mammogram can be and this new way o f getting a laser detector can do the best job pain free. Detect tumors, and any abnormal tissue with this pain free mammogram. Peer-Reviewed ArticlesThe article named â€Å"Exploring the Influence of New Technology Planning and Implementation on the Perceptions of New Technology Effectiveness† by Bellamy, Al talks about that organizations that recently installed new technology bettered the workplace and its effectiveness. Technology is believed IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 6 to have more effective outcomes when it is integrated systematically within an organization’s strategy process. Organizations that have good leadership, have good decision-making processes, and rganizational policies and procedures. Organization with new technology is much more effective in every way. An organization that is characterized by its members as being rigid and unwilling to change would probably approach new technology planning and implementation differently than an organization described as open and that does not resist change. There may also be parallel differences in the effectiveness in which new technology is deployed. The perceived climate of the organization may mediate the relationship among technology, the planning processes, and the perceived effectiveness of he deployment of technology (Bellamy, 2009). This all means that new technology in the workplace is for the better in every way, and the number one goal is to to better patient outcomes. The way that this article relates to my SMART goal, is by talking about that new technologies improves production and patient satisfaction. Credible Websites The website that talks about why technology is very beneficial to the workplace because it simplifies and reduces the labor involved to complete the task at hand. Technology is the use of any tool that was developed by man to enhance the productivity of any given task.This website has a differe nt approach about technology because it does not talk about the medical field with its new technologies, but it talks about technologies in the work place. This specific website talks about farmers utilizing various technologies to increase their farm production. New farm technologies improved in quality production and more foreign exchange was brought into our country because of this. The way that this IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 7 ebsite applies to my SMART goal is by talking about new technologies benefiting any work environment to improve the quality of the produce. The actual website is http://www. fiji. gov. fj Informational Expert My nursing manager has told my team that it is a great goal that we have thought of, however it is something that will take place not until the year 2015. The financial situation is very bad right now with the VA Hospital, after the hurricane Sandy, the Manhattan VA was destroyed which put us in great financial loss. New technologies are o n their way but we will just have to wait.My nurse manager recommended that the patients that are in a lot of pain doing mammograms the old way, can be referred to an outside specialty clinic that provide these types of special services with laser Mammography machines. Summary I have learned a lot in this research paper, being a leader in the work environment lets me realize that there are many things to look out for to keep the clinic running smoothly. Make pre-visit telephone calls is one great goal that I came up with, with the Nurse educator in order to improve productivity and efficiency.My goal is to continue learning about different leadership styles in my workplace and to continue to build and lead high performing teams is especially in the Women's Clinic. We must work closely together and wear many different hats to effectively meet our company's demands. I appreciated doing this research and learned a lot about how we can improve quality and productivity. Creating an envir onment that will promote problem solving is part of creating an effective team.My informational expert has taught me that you should never be afraid to communicate whatever it is you want to learn IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH LEADERSHIP 8 more about, because it will only help you learn something new, you can never be wrong from asking a question instead of doing something without the correct answer. References Bellamy AL. (2007). Exploring the Influence of New Technology Planning and Implementation on the Perceptions of New Technology Effectiveness.Journal of Technology Studies, v33 n1 p32-40. 9 pp. White SJ ; Wilkin NE ; McElroy SR. (2012). Leadership development: Empowering others to take an active role in patient care. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association:(J AM PHARM ASSOC), 2012 May 1; 52 (3): 308-18. http://www. businessnewsdaily. com/3272-improve-productivity-tips. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Computed_tomography_laser_mammography http://www. fiji. gov. fj/index . php? option=com_content&view=article&id=739:technologies-improve-production&catid=97:features&Itemid=198

Resource Distribution and its Consequences

Resource Distribution and its Consequences Resources are materials found in the environment that humans use for food, fuel, clothing, and shelter. These include water, soil, minerals, vegetation, animals, air, and sunlight. People require resources to survive and thrive. How are Resources Distributed and Why? Resource distribution refers to the geographic occurrence or spatial arrangement of resources on earth. In other words, where resources are located. Any particular place may be rich in the resources people desire and poor in others. Low latitudes (latitudes close to the equator) receive more of the suns energy and much precipitation, while higher latitudes (latitudes closer to the poles) receive less of the suns energy and too little precipitation. The temperate deciduous forest biome provides a more moderate climate, along with fertile soil, timber, and abundant wildlife. The plains offer flat landscapes and fertile soil for growing crops, while steep mountains and dry deserts are more challenging. Metallic minerals are most abundant in areas with strong tectonic activity, while fossil fuels are found in rocks formed by deposition (sedimentary rocks). These are just a few of the differences in the environment that result from different natural conditions. As a result, resources are distributed unevenly across the globe. What Are The Consequences of Uneven Resource Distribution? Human settlement and population distribution. People tend to settle and cluster in places that have the resources they need to survive and thrive. The geographic factors that most influence where humans settle are water, soil, vegetation, climate, and landscape. Because South America, Africa, and Australia have fewer of these geographic advantages, they have smaller populations than North America, Europe, and Asia. Human migration. Large groups of people often migrate (move) to a place that has the resources they need or want and migrate away from a place that lacks the resources they need. The Trail of Tears, Westward Movement, and the Gold Rush are examples of historical migrations related to the desire for land and mineral resources. Economic activities in a region related to the resources in that region. Economic activities that are directly related to resources include farming, fishing, ranching, timber processing, oil and gas production, mining, and tourism. Trade. Countries may not have the resources that are important to them, but trade enables them to acquire those resources from places that do. Japan is a country with very limited natural resources, and yet is one of the richest countries in Asia. Sony, Nintendo, Canon, Toyota, Honda, Sharp, Sanyo, Nissan are successful Japanese corporations that make products that are highly-desired in other countries. As a result of trade, Japan has enough wealth to buy the resources it needs. Conquest, conflict, and war. Many historical and present-day conflicts involve nations trying to control resource-rich territories. For example, the desire for diamond and oil resources has been the root of many armed conflicts in Africa. Wealth and quality of life. The well-being and wealth of a place are determined by the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people in that place. This measure is known as the standard of living. Because natural resources are a key component of goods and services, the standard of living also gives us an idea of how many resources the people in a place have. It is important to understand that while resources are VERY important, it is not the presence of or lack of natural resources within a country that makes a country prosperous. In fact, some of the wealthier countries lack natural resources, while many poorer countries have abundant natural resources! So what do wealth and prosperity depend on? Wealth and prosperity depend on: (1) what resources a country has access to (what resources they can get or end up with) and (2) what the country does with them (the efforts and skills of workers and the technology available for making the most of those resources). How has Industrialization Led to a Redistribution of Resources and Wealth? As nations began to industrialize in the late 19th century, their demand for resources increased and imperialism was the way they got them. Imperialism involved a stronger nation taking complete control of a weaker nation. Imperialists exploited and profited from the abundant natural resources of the acquired territories. Imperialism led to a major redistribution of world resources from Latin America, Africa and Asia to Europe, Japan, and the United States. This is how industrialized nations came to control and profit from most of the worlds resources. Since citizens of the industrialized nations of Europe, Japan, and the United States have access to so many goods and services, that means they consume more of the worlds resources (about 70%) and enjoy a higher standard of living and most of the worlds wealth (about 80%). Citizens of non-industrialized countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia control and consume far fewer of the resources they need for survival and well-being. As a result, their lives are characterized by poverty  and a low standard of living. This unequal distribution of resources, the legacy of imperialism, is the result of human rather than natural conditions.

buy custom Robert Frost “Mending Walls” essay

buy custom Robert Frost â€Å"Mending Walls† essay Mending walls is a classical poem, which was written in 1875 by Robert Frost. It is a poem that can be differently interpreted both at a glance and figuratively. it talks of a great wall and its characteristics which have to be rebuilt every spring as a habit. The poem has no stanza breaks, or rhyming patterns. However many of the words end with assonance such as balls, hills, wall, well as well as stone sun and mean. A great wall separates the narrator from his neighbour who meets every spring to repair the wall. It is relating to a countryside set up whereby the neighbours have to divide their farms by creating a wall between them. One neighbour insists on the truth of the proverb that good walls make good neighbours. The other neighbour however does not see the huge importance in going back every season to rebuild the wall. The argument that good fences create good neighbours illustrate the importance of the fence in keeping all the nuisance from neighbours away by reducing the conflicts that emanate from frequent interaction. The poem has two personas and one neighbour does not see the relevance of the wall; they do not understand what it is they are walling in or walling out and who they are likely to offend. Thi neighbour cites forces of nature such as snow and decay which will eventually destroy the wall making them to rebuild it every spring. The narrator perceives his neighbour as one who is still informed by traditions as he still holds on to old beliefs and practices. He nevertheless seems to appreciate the wall as he turns up every season to help repair the damages made by hunters. He is the one who contacts the neighbour to remind him of the wall. It is ironical and humorous to hear him say that he does not see the need for a wall. According to him (author) the wall would have been still important if the two had cows that needed to be separated. The wall building can be viewed figuratively. In both literal and figurative contexts, the poem marks the foundations of a societys thinking and perceptions. Boundaries are very important as the help maintain peoples privacy. The rules and laws that govern societies are figurative walls. Going to courts is the justice method of trying to mend the walls. Figuratively the author questions the need for rules and the forces that lead to breaking of societys tolerance on each other. people like to socialise and at the same time maintain their privacy. For thhe wall it is the forces of nature and the hunters which ensure that the wall is not in a stable condition. Just like the frost and the hunters, there are factors in our lives that ensure our walls are never intact. Everybody wants freedom, from habit and from laws however, the poet makes us realise that it is not backward to build walls. These are the societys constructs which reduce or increase in intensity as the society changes. T he two neighbours must have to accommodate each other. There is great irony in the task which brings these men together, a wall keeping them apart. Just like the good and the bad people meet in court to settle something good. The two men repair the wall each one on his side. They repair the wall between them and leave, and to each side the boulders fall (14-15) they see this as an outdoor game knowing that in the next spring they will be back to the same job. Frosts poems are best taken literally. It makes more sense to assess the habitual things that people do. It is about barriers that people put around them mentally and physically and how people help one to maintain the barriers. Figuratively it can be the societal barriers regarding acceptance of some people, habits, new initiatives, which could be beneficial to us or least of all harmless. Buy custom Robert Frost â€Å"Mending Walls† essay

Laptop Research Paper †Information Systems (200 Level Course)

Laptop Research Paper – Information Systems (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Laptop Research Paper Information Systems (200 Level Course) First web site: laptops-computers.biz 1.Is the site promoting the product category or promoting a specific brand? What value does the site offer consumers? The site is promoting the category of laptop computers. It offers used laptops bought from big corporations updating their system and selling them at a lower cost. This site is valuable to the consumer because it offers a way to get the name brand laptops at a cheaper cost 2.How helpful is the site for making decision in this product’s category? This web site is not that helpful in choosing what type of laptop to buy. It is optimal for a â€Å"smart consumer† who has already done their homework and knows what they want. This site would give them the cheapest computer for what they were looking for. 3.Do you think this Web site is a reliable source of information? Why or why not? The site is a not a reliable source of information because there is not any information on this site. This site offers what the computer is equipped with for the price but does not offer service information. 4.How effective is this site in communicating its message? If it has a persuasive message, how effective is it? The site is effective in promoting its message because it is exactly what is advertised. Used computers are what it sells and what it offers. There is not a persuasive message that I found that would influence me to buy a computer off this site. Product: Laptops Second Web Site: www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/default.htm?rpo=true 5.Is the site promoting the product category or promoting a specific brand? What value does the site offer consumers? The site is promoting a specific brand Dell. The site offers free ground shipping if you buy a dell today online. It is an official site so it can offer consumers the best dell products at their best prices. 6.How helpful is the site for making decision in this product’s category? Dells site is helpful in making a decision because you can see exactly what product you will be buying and exactly what it is loaded with. 7.Do you think this Web site is a reliable source of information? Why or why not? The site is a reliable source because it is an official dell site. It stands buy what it is selling on the web. 8.How effective is this site in communicating its message? If it has a persuasive message, how effective is it? Dells site is not very persuasive. The site is offering free ground shipping and free upgrades that are down loadable so these are an example of persuasion. However, if you do not know a lot about computers these promotions might not persuade you to buy a dell or use their products. I do not think the upgrades are effective in the message. Product: Laptops Third Web Site: www.zdnet.com/special/filters/sc/notebooks/ 9.Is the site promoting the product category or promoting a specific brand? What value does the site offer consumers? The site is promoting the category I am researching on the internet. This site offers a lot of value to the consumer because it has information on a lot of different brands of laptops. It tells their weights, battery life and other valuable information. 10.How helpful is the site for making decision in this product’s category? This web site is amazingly helpful. The different brands that are rated are also on a price watch so the consumer knows when the laptop drops its price. The web site reviews most of the popular brands new releases. 11.Do you think this Web site is a reliable source of information? Why or why not? I think this site is reliable because it has advertisements for the big computer companies. It also looks very professional. 12.How effective is this site in communicating its message? If it has a persuasive message, how effective is it? This site is not very persuasive it just puts out the information it has collected and lets the consumer make his or her own decision. Product: Laptops Fourth Web Site: www.fringeweb.com/fringe.html 13.Is the site promoting the product category or promoting a specific brand? What value does the site offer consumers? This site promotes the category of laptops. This site offers a lot of information on laptops and their manufacturers. 14.How helpful is the site for making decision in this product’s category? I don not feel this web site is that helpful. It does not have a lot of pictures or pretty pages. It is very precise and to the point. I do not like this web site, but it could be very helpful to the consumer that likes to cut to the chase. 15.Do you think this Web site is a reliable source of information? Why or why not? I think this site is reliable because it has a very complete list of laptops and their manufacturers. This web site is very complete and has a lot of information on it that is very reliable. It has addresses and phone numbers for all of the company’s it rates. 16.How effective is this site in communicating its message? If it has a persuasive message, how effective is it? There is absolutely nothing persuasive on this web site. If you are looking for knowledge then this is the place to go. Product: Laptop Fifth Web Site: pcportable.com/ 17.Is the site promoting the product category or promoting a specific brand? What value does the site offer consumers? This site promotes the product called a lunch box computer. It is a laptop computer that is designed to look like a lunch box. 18.How helpful is the site for making decision in this product’s category? If you are looking for a lunch box computer then this is the place for you. It has a lot of information on the site about big companies that use its products and why you should use it. 19.Do you think this Web site is a reliable source of information? Why or why not? Yes, I think this site is reliable. It looks very professional and has numbers where you can contact them with questions. 20.How effective is this site in communicating its message? If it has a persuasive message, how effective is it? This is a very persuasive web site. It tells all the advantages in having a lunch box style laptop. It is very effective. It shows the computer on the web site. Research Papers on Laptop Research Paper - Information Systems (200 Level Course)The Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalHip-Hop is ArtNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceDefinition of Export QuotasThree Concepts of PsychodynamicResearch Process Part One

Technology implementation paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technology implementation paper - Essay Example The traditional business generally relies on a series of technologies, including separate payroll systems, distinct inventory and warehousing applications, and various accounting software in order to meet the needs of the business environment. When such a disconnected series of systems exists, the business tends to require multiple support staff, from the information technology team to the end-user, in order to make the business function efficiently. However, in the fast-paced, contemporary business environment, with rising labor costs and the economics of cost reduction initiatives, the need for a more enhanced, streamlined method of doing business is required so as to stay competitive within any particular industry. For firms in search of enhanced business applications, SAP can mean the difference between business success or failure. purchasing, human resources, and logistics, into a singular program (Blackstone & Bujold, 2005). The process of implementing SAP is not a simplistic operation, as with most companies the set-up process involves group representatives from each division of the business, who must offer advice and suggestion to the SAP programmers in order to incorporate actual business practice into the design of the new technology, thus making SAP a unique application, custom-tailored for the needs of each individual firm. Having offered a brief understanding of SAP and its purpose, this report will highlight the long-term plan required for incorporating this application across the domestic divisions of ABC Industries. There are four phases required to SAP implementation: The planning stage, blueprint and training development, tangible program development, and the testing phase, in which a significant portion of the business staff are involved in running divisional scenarios to test the integrity of the system and the viability of its programmed features (Vogle, 2004). This process, based on the needs of ABC Industries, will

Current resources and support available to SME's in the UK to support Essay

Current resources and support available to SME's in the UK to support them overcome linguistic and cultural barriers - Essay Example SMEs have currently recognised language skills and cultural awareness as critically important for achieving success in the international trade. Furthermore, it has been reported that language prevents SMEs from developing exporting market. It has been widely proclaimed that absence as well as acquisition of language skills has tremendous commercial and financial impacts. It has been further observed the SMEs in the UK have generally low language skills (House of Lords, 2013; Senik & et. al., 2010; Hornby & et. al., 2002). In this backdrop, the essay intends to present a critical report on the current resources and support available to SMEs in the UK to support them overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. In addition, the essay also intends to outline key recommendations pertaining to language management strategy (LMS) towards a one stop shop solution. It has been argued that exporting is similar to conducting business in domestic trade in terms of challenges faced by the business for gaining substantial profit from the operations. In this regard, success of exporting largely relies on identifying the potential barriers to businesses that are likely to be faced by SMEs. Notably, SMEs dealing with exporting are often faced with certain imperative challenges associated with complexity and fear of unknown related to foreign market. These challenges associated with SMEs dealing with exporting are ascertained to be a combination of various complexities which include language and cultural differences, political turmoil, poorly established legal and regulatory institutions and ordinary infrastructure (Parcelforce Worldwide, 2014). However, among this combination of challenges, it has been ascertained that a lack of language skills and cultural awareness has resulted in considerable amount of loss of business across Europe. SMEs were repo rted to lose their

Open System Approach to Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Open System Approach to Organizations - Essay Example The company will be used as a case study to answer the questions in the subsequent paragraphs. An open approach system to organization implies that an organization interacts with its outside environment, which in turn influences the structure and operations of the organization. The fact that an open system interacts with the outside environment implies that an organization is an open system should always adapt to changes in the environment. For a long time, Icy Foods Ltd. has been operating on informal basis judging, by the way, operations are loosely divided into five departments with no clear-cut framework. Moreover, the company used to accept orders with less or no regard to quality or quantity specifications of the product. This lack of organization explains why the company lacked customers from major supermarket chains. The other apparent misgiving that characterized Icy Foods Ltd. is the lack of clear division of labor and specialization. This fact is inherent in the way the company conducts job rotations (Weiner, 2002). Job rotation is not a good concept because it does not give the employees the chance to gain experience in a given line of duty. The fact that the company did not embrace quality and efficiency in its operations negatively affected its business performance. Before the takeover by Megastores Plc., the company had adopted an organic organization structure in managing the various operations. The management, prior to the takeover, operated an open-door policy. The management was keen on hearing employee’s ideas on new products and operational improvements. There was also a flexible approach to handling employees’ issues such as working hours and leave. After the successful takeover, the management came up with a raft of new changes that were more bureaucratic as opposed to the organic system that the management had used to all along.

A Hole in His Parachute Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Hole in His Parachute - Essay Example On the other hand, stockholders are those that have shares in a company and are directly affected by the ups and downs of the market affecting their operation as a business. A corporation being a creature of law cannot refuse to abide by the acts of its incumbents as long as it is being provided by the general law in business and ethics. With all these said, the lawful and right decision of whether to give Knight the right to collect the balance of the salary from the corporation which Murdoch promised to give him while he serves as adviser to the newspaper company for five years strongly relies on the intricacy of laws behind the accountability of Murdoch, the new owner of Knight-Ridder Corporation towards his stakeholders, which includes employees. In this case, because Knight had a sort of proprietorship of the company because he is providing his services for it, he has the right to run after Murdoch and get his salary even when the company has already been dissolved before any amount was given to him. This is because of the fact that any company has the responsibility to be able to deliver on every provision that is stated in any contract relating to Knight’s employment, which would hold his right to be paid the exact amount in exchange for completed work, whatever the circumstance is. Another point that would support Knight’s right to demand his salary from Murdoch would be the fact that it is being provided in Corporate law that the property and assets of a certain corporation includes not only the assets of any subsidiary of the corporation instead the whole entity comprising the company, directly or indirectly, that encompasses corporations, partnerships, and its liability partnerships which is where employees fall in. Thus, the dissolution of the company does not dissolve its obligation to pay Knight what is due

Analysis of three different health systems Assignment

Analysis of three different health systems - Assignment Example The similarities and differences are based on the different economic capabilities of the two countries and the population size. This paper is based on  a comparative overview of the American health care system, the Japanese health care system, and the Australian health care system. The differences between the three health care systems are analyzed as well as the evaluation of the systems in terms of equity, efficiency, and effectiveness. The necessary reforms to the health care systems are also discussed in the paper. The healthcare system in the United States comprises of both the private insurers and the public health system that covers the low-income families and the elderly (Emanuel, 2014). Many Americans receive insurance coverage via the employer-sponsored private insurance with most of the services being provided by private insurers. The Medicaid program serves the disabled and poor families. Different states in the country are also required to cover the medical expenses of low-income pregnant women, the elderly, children, and the disabled (Gillies, 2003). States can also expand their eligibility, but the Medicare program is a universal healthcare program that covers people aged over 65 years. The children whose families do not qualify for the Medicare program and do not make enough to buy the private health insurance are covered in the State Children Health Insurance Program (Levine, 2009). A separate health program is also available for the veterans in the United States. The health benefits in the US vary based on the insurance type. The program comprises of both the inpatient and outpatient hospital care and a home visit by the physicians. Other services also include dental care, preventive care, and the use of prescription drugs. The employer-sponsored plans accept patients at the same cost and are underwritten based on the weight, age, smoking status, and health history of the patient. The Medicaid program covers

Noam Chomsky's Theory of Universal Grammar and Development of Language Coursework

Noam Chomsky's Theory of Universal Grammar and Development of Language Abilities in Humans - Coursework Example   According to Chomsky, the process of language acquisition is genetically programmed and occurs as a consequence of the complex mental processes in the human brain. Simply stated, individuals possess inherent abilities and capacities, needed to understand the principal rules of grammar and apply them to construct meaningful sentences.Ample evidence supports the Chomskyan thesis. A profound analysis of language typology by Herman (2009) shows that all languages within and beyond the Austronesian group exhibit the same grammatical characteristics and operate the same list of grammatical conventions. These conventions reflect the ways, in which sentences in different languages are constructed (Kay & Fillmore 1999). Crain (2009) uses disjunctions to show, that children have a grammatical view of language different from that of adults, meaning that they develop their language structures, based on the a priori knowledge of grammatical rules. That the changes in language do not prevent c hildren from acquiring and learning it is one of the principal arguments in favor of the UG thesis. However, not all scholars readily agree with this viewpoint.Language diversity refutes a belief in grammatical universality across languages. The absence of certain grammatical categories in different languages further challenges the UG viewpoint. Ultimately, the UG thesis itself is a result of the lack of observational and analytical skills in professional linguists.The current state of literature does not fully support the UG thesis but does not reject it. Objectively, Chomskyan theory exemplifies one of the essential dimensions of scholarly research into English grammar and other languages and creates a foundation for future linguistic research. Even if Chomskyan universal grammar theory seems to neglect the differences between languages and the cultural/ social factors affecting language development, it operates strong arguments supporting the generalization and standardization of grammar patterns across languages. Apparently, future research must concentrate on the investigation of genetic mechanisms and their role in first and second language acquisition by English learners.

A Hole in His Parachute Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Hole in His Parachute - Essay Example On the other hand, stockholders are those that have shares in a company and are directly affected by the ups and downs of the market affecting their operation as a business. A corporation being a creature of law cannot refuse to abide by the acts of its incumbents as long as it is being provided by the general law in business and ethics. With all these said, the lawful and right decision of whether to give Knight the right to collect the balance of the salary from the corporation which Murdoch promised to give him while he serves as adviser to the newspaper company for five years strongly relies on the intricacy of laws behind the accountability of Murdoch, the new owner of Knight-Ridder Corporation towards his stakeholders, which includes employees. In this case, because Knight had a sort of proprietorship of the company because he is providing his services for it, he has the right to run after Murdoch and get his salary even when the company has already been dissolved before any amount was given to him. This is because of the fact that any company has the responsibility to be able to deliver on every provision that is stated in any contract relating to Knight’s employment, which would hold his right to be paid the exact amount in exchange for completed work, whatever the circumstance is. Another point that would support Knight’s right to demand his salary from Murdoch would be the fact that it is being provided in Corporate law that the property and assets of a certain corporation includes not only the assets of any subsidiary of the corporation instead the whole entity comprising the company, directly or indirectly, that encompasses corporations, partnerships, and its liability partnerships which is where employees fall in. Thus, the dissolution of the company does not dissolve its obligation to pay Knight what is due

Noam Chomsky's Theory of Universal Grammar and Development of Language Coursework

Noam Chomsky's Theory of Universal Grammar and Development of Language Abilities in Humans - Coursework Example   According to Chomsky, the process of language acquisition is genetically programmed and occurs as a consequence of the complex mental processes in the human brain. Simply stated, individuals possess inherent abilities and capacities, needed to understand the principal rules of grammar and apply them to construct meaningful sentences.Ample evidence supports the Chomskyan thesis. A profound analysis of language typology by Herman (2009) shows that all languages within and beyond the Austronesian group exhibit the same grammatical characteristics and operate the same list of grammatical conventions. These conventions reflect the ways, in which sentences in different languages are constructed (Kay & Fillmore 1999). Crain (2009) uses disjunctions to show, that children have a grammatical view of language different from that of adults, meaning that they develop their language structures, based on the a priori knowledge of grammatical rules. That the changes in language do not prevent c hildren from acquiring and learning it is one of the principal arguments in favor of the UG thesis. However, not all scholars readily agree with this viewpoint.Language diversity refutes a belief in grammatical universality across languages. The absence of certain grammatical categories in different languages further challenges the UG viewpoint. Ultimately, the UG thesis itself is a result of the lack of observational and analytical skills in professional linguists.The current state of literature does not fully support the UG thesis but does not reject it. Objectively, Chomskyan theory exemplifies one of the essential dimensions of scholarly research into English grammar and other languages and creates a foundation for future linguistic research. Even if Chomskyan universal grammar theory seems to neglect the differences between languages and the cultural/ social factors affecting language development, it operates strong arguments supporting the generalization and standardization of grammar patterns across languages. Apparently, future research must concentrate on the investigation of genetic mechanisms and their role in first and second language acquisition by English learners.

Experimentation Essay Example for Free

Experimentation Essay Cell Transport Mechanisms and Permeability: Activity 2: Simulated Facilitated Diffusion Lab Report Pre-lab Quiz Results You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly. 1. Molecules need a carrier protein to help them move across a membrane because You correctly answered: d. they are lipid insoluble or they are too large. 2. Which of the following is true of facilitated diffusion? You correctly answered: c. Movement is passive and down a concentration gradient. 3. Examples of solutes that might require facilitated diffusion include You correctly answered: d. all of the above.Which of the following would not affect the rate of facilitated diffusion? You correctly answered: a. the amount of intracellular ATP 08/30/12 page 1 Experiment Results Predict Question: Predict Question 1: What effect do you think increasing the number of protein carriers will have on the glucose transport rate? Your answer : a. The glucose transport rate will decrease. For facilitated diffusion, increasing the concentration of glucose on one side of the membrane is the same as You correctly answered: b. making the concentration gradient steeper 3. When all of the membrane carriers are engaged, or busy, we say they are You correctly answered: a. saturated. Â  Na+ Cl- had no effect on glucose transport because You correctly answered: b. odium is not required for glucose transport in the simulation. 08/30/12 page 3 Review Sheet Results 1. Explain one way in which facilitated diffusion is the same as simple diffusion and one way in which it is different from simple diffusion. Your answer: Simple diffussion moves molecules from an area of higher concentration to lower without an input of energy. facilitated follows the same rule but uses protein carrier molecules to allow substance that are fat solubles to diffuse through the cell membrane. The larger value obtained when more glucose carriers were present corresponds to an increase in the rate of glucose transport. Explain why the rate increased. How well did the results compare with your prediction? Your answer: My prediction was wrong the glucose transport rate would increase 3. Explain your prediction for the effect Na+ Cl- might have on glucose transport. In other words, explain why you picked the choice that you did. How well did the results compare with your prediction? Your answer: The rate should stay ther same 08/30/12 page 4

Subject Of Human Resource Development Management Essay

Subject Of Human Resource Development Management Essay This report provides an understanding of the subject of Human resource Development . In this report we explain the different learning style and explain the learning theories and its contribution to the planning and design of learning events. and it has been describe the implications of the learning curve and the importance of ensuring the transfer of learning to workplace. Methods of analysis include HRD policy of Nestle,HR practices, types of flexibility could be seen in the organisation, methods of training, and stages of training cycle. And finally analysis of suitable evaluation model for In the second part of the report it has been clearly identified the systematic approach of training methods practiced at Nestle and factors to take into account when planning a training and development event. In the final part of the report it has been explored the evaluation needs, and review the key stakeholders in the evaluation process and evaluation techniques could be practised at Nestle and finally the influencing role of UK government in training and development and the growing emphasis on lifelong learning and continuous development. And examine the range of contemporary training initiatives introduced by the UK government. Table of Contents Introduction The demand of industry and commerce are continually changing and are reflected in the activities of the training department and the training and development programmes. New approaches, skills, operations and procedures require either new training programmes or modifications of existing ones. This in turn affects the members of the training department.- planners, designers, authors, trainers, administrators- who have to develop different programs. Only too frequently the steps proceeding the training event are rushed or inadequate and the training itself is entered into without an effective design The training process in complex and starts at a decision making event. This might be a senior manager meeting at which a new operation or procedure is decided; a personnel report on suspicions of problems gleaned from performance reviews; line managers concerns that they or their staff may be performing at less than total effectiveness ; or staff themselves who realize that they need support, guidance and training to perform their roles or develop beyond their current levels. Whatever the source of the need requirement, if effective training and development is to result , the activities to achieve the needs must be planned in a capable manner. This report describe Nestle training and development policy all over the world and how the successful approaches of training methods and evaluation techniques contribute to the overall success of the companyhttp://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQR_Q1qZpCFk9kfvuK5e67m89By3msSMXwXTeXl4UHYEsS_YOza Task 01 Importance of comparing learning style In practice, effective learning requires that trainees adopt a flexible style, sometime serialist, and sometime hoslist. However, this may not be possible for many people. The implication for differing learning styles for course designers is that training methods should be varied to meet the differing approaches for their course members. Thus, although trainers themselves may wish to use experiential and participative forms of training, these may not always be welcomed by their trainees, who may prefer to opt for traditional methods. Mayo suggests that organizations need to recognize the simple fact that different people learn different ways should take the following actions. Give people the opportunity to discover their most learning style Offer learning opportunities that suit people with different learning style Recognize to complete the full learning style Help people to translate the learning cycle into a continuous spiral of learning Honey and Mumford simplified Kolbs learning cycle and refined his learning style questionnaire. The result is that managers can identify whether they are predominantly: Activist- Whats new? I m game for anything Reflector- Id like to think about this Theorist- How does this relate to that? Pragmatist- How can I apply this is practice? The researchers claim that an understanding of ones learning style will enhance learning effectiveness, whether as a trainee or as a tutor. Different learning theories The way in which people learn best will differ according to the type of person. There are several competing theories about how people learn, and how you can assess your natural learning style. Behaviourism theory As the name suggests, researched were interested Learner must be able to respond actively and it concerned with behaviour than with thinking, feeling, or knowing. Simply it focuses on the objective and observable components of behaviour. Of the trainee. learning is facilitated when objectives are clear and to acquire more skills the frequency of repetition of responses is more important. Cognitive theory Cognitive psychologists saw learning as a complex process involving the exercise of problem solving capacity , mental mapping, intuition, imagination , perception, and purpose. They also held that learning could be latent. i.e stored away until required for use. Social learning approach This theory suggests people learn by watching others. The term modelling was coined by Miller and Dollard to explain learning by imitating others and role models as a label for those individuals who are held up as examples of good practice. The willingness to learn is the key condition that is required by Nestle. And they consider people are they most valuable asset, so when they design a training program, they ensure that by adopting which learning theory will maximise the potential; of the Nestles employees so that they could able to achieve the following objectives through training and development strategy. ensure that a pool of talent team are at the right place at the right time to enable experience through exposure; either through on-the-job training, overseas assignments or project participation. Generate meaningful learning which improve the organisational and personal performance of the employee through effective training programmes (Source :- http://www.nestle-family.com/media/english/people-development.aspx) 1.3 Importance of Learning curve and the transfer of learning Learning curve is a graph showing the relationship between time spent in learning and the level of competence achieved. It describes the progress and variable pace of learning. It basically state the more you learn less steps will be taken to increase the time and effort to complete a given task. in order to get the maximum utilization from the learning it is important to make sure there is motivation and interest is established on the activity that the employee learn, otherwise there could be an imbalance between the learning process and the ultimate performance of the employee . The ability to utilize previous learning in the service of a new learning is called transfer of learning .it is an important factor in any learning , but especially so when basic principles are being learned. Transfer can be two types: positive and negative., Simply nestle encourage people to learn, where it has a strong culture to develop the people from all over the world. So willingness to learn is the most important condition to be employed by Nestle. Their training programmes are purpose oriented and designed to improve relevant skills and competencies. They continuously develop the specific skills to perform the work activities efficiently with minimal time taken. Nestle provide motivation in various ways to their employees, such as providing opportunity to upgrade the literacy skills, on job training, establishment of residential training centres are aimed at improving the learning capacity of Nestlà ©s employees. This will result in higher productivity and efficient work force and having a competitive global market. And the organisation makes sure the employees applied the skills and knowledge learned from the training and work place activities in the task given to them. And update of new skills taught to them http://t1.gstatic.c om/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTSQ8OQctP8TEJK-5ypua5dpnc1r-tjUNUHoZ6mrYRnce5-AQB7 (Nestle case study) Task 02 2.1 Nestlà ©s Approach to training Training is the necessary part at Nestle from the top management to the bottom level. and training is provided continually to develop the individuals who are employed at Nestle throughout the world. e-Learning, classroom courses, management courses and executive courses), are provided by each and every country where Nestle has its operations and it has five training centres including in France, UK, Spain, Mexico and Brazil. Nestle provides the following- Literacy training is provided to upgrade the necessary literacy skills those who missed a large part of their elementary school. This is specially designed for employees who handle new technical equipments and work in independence work teams Nestle Apprenticeship Programs. Apprenticeship programs have been an essential part of Nestle; training where the young trainees spent three days a week at work and two at school. Local Training Programs- On issues ranging from technical, leadership, and communication and business economics. Two third of all Nestle employees work in factories most of which organize continuous training to meet their specific needs. in addition , an number Nestle operating companies run their own residential training centres. International Training Rive-Reine, their International Training and Conference Centre in Switzerland is where Nestlà © people from all over the world meet to exchange information and ideas in seminars and training courses . 2.2 training contribution of training and development policy A systematic approach to training and development will generally follow a logical sequence of activities commencing with the establishment of a policy and the resources to sustain it, followed by an assessment of training needs, for which appropriate training is provided and ending with some form of evaluation and feedback.http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRs5jKLDUyRUvn_xrvqj46c73oxrFqFyXsoMEBLaa7uNPCx9cqC By providing a systematic training Nestle could expect to enjoy the following potential benefits Maintenance of a sufficient and suitable range of skills amongst employees The development of knowledge and skills in the workforce The harnessing of work experience and other forms of on the job development in a planned way Achievement of improvement job performance and productivity Increase value of employee in the labour market Nestle has a decentralised training and learning nature which provide the opportunity to acquire knowledge and tools they need to respond to local needs, which country they are work in. and it has a culture which motivate their people to work with different people with different country ,which leads to a multinational organisation. Training programs are generally purpose oriented and designed to improve relevant skills and competencies which will help them to move on to the next managerial level in their organisations. Specially management and executive courses are provided for managers. Nestle mainly focus on on the job training methods by the Nestle; people it self not by the professional outside trainers, which means part of the training structure in every company focused on developing managers own coaching skills, so in many cases the manager is personally involved in teaching and mentoring practices as a way of communicating knowledge to their fellow members. 2.3 factors Nestle need to take into account when planning a training and development event The introduction of a systematic approach to training and development at Nestle implies the following sequence of activities: Establishing a policy for employee development Setting up an appropriate training function Developing the means for identifying learning needs Planning and designing learning activities Implementing and subsequently evaluating these activities in their context. The Human resource policy of Nestle is give priority to develop the people of their organisation. This simply deals with the recruitment, remuneration, and training and development and emphasizes individual responsibility and strong leadership and a commitment to lifelong learning. At the next stage when identifying the training needs, Nestle need to consider the following factors Since the company has a diverse culture , must encourage employees to work with people from many different countries and cultures in the course of their career. Education in understanding the culture and values of members of a diverse workforce In order to update with the new level of technology , training should be aimed at overall factories Training should be designed to improve relevant skills and competencies A learning need from Nestles point of view is any shortfall in the employees knowledge, skills or attitudes compared with the requirements of the job, and any consequential requirements to adapt to organisational change. In order to satisfy training needs, training plans need to be established. A plan usually has the following components: aims, target group and numbers of employees across the world, diverse culture, nature of employee and their skills, filling the knowledge gap , programme content , including objectives, programme evaluation. Since at Nestle managers are responsible for coaching and guiding their employees as a part of their work so it would not require formally designed programs but learning targets, timescales and evaluation still need to be planned. The content of the training programme should be geared to the knowledge or skills required by the work responsibilities of the target group. The level at which the training pitched will depend on the current level of k nowledge and skills of the trainees. And also nestle basically depend on the job training methods. This method of learning includes learning from experience, colleagues/workmates, coaching and special projects. And finally training can be evaluated at all levels at Nestle from the level of the training activity itself up to its impact, if any on organisational goals. The subject matter of evaluation embraces the following: Nestle culture and structure On the job training methods The managers and the employees at nestle Changes in trainee behaviour Course content And learning methods 2.4 suitable training method based on HRD managers point of view As a HRD manager the first and most important decision concern the type of training approach that will be used to satisfy the agreed objectives for a particular group of learners. At Nestle most of the training programs are provided in house and managers are required to act as coaches . so coaching is a training and or development approach in which learner follows a learning process at work, usually with the involvement of the manager but using real work projects. This learning at work is different from traditional methods, it is achieved by the use of actual work, as opposed to the more artificial nature of training course activities. Coaching techniques are similar to those of many forms of training and development. In summary these will be: Identify the individuals requiring training and development Confirm that coaching will be best and most cost effective form of satisfying the training needs Discuss with the learner what is needed and agree with them that a coaching process should be followed, Agree with them the terminal objectives for the coaching and the most effective ways of achieving them Construct an agreed coaching plan that will be supported by both of you as the manager and the learners Agree starting and finishing dates for the process Agree interim progress discussions and also the final discussions on completion of the project at which , it is hoped, the results of the project will be accepted Review with the learners the learning resulting from the event and discuss future action The HRD manager as a coach must offer full support to the learners and above all must not look over their shoulder all the time, but remembering that this is basically a training exercise and that they still retain the final responsibility for the success of the task . Task 03 3.1 importance of evaluation of training and development programs to Nestle Evaluation is an activity which attempt to assess either the intrinsic merit of a learning event, i.e whether it was worth doing in the first place or the worth of an event in terms of whether it was useful or not in the circumstances. Evaluation that focuses on training processes and training progress is called formative evaluation , evaluation that focuses on the ultimate worth of training is called summative evaluation. Importance of evolution To determine the effectiveness of the training (whether training objectives met) To help improve the design of training To support accountability (determine the cost benefit ratio or return on investment of the event) Gather information on nature, experience and outcomes of training events so that they can be effectively marketed within the organisation. To allow stakeholders in the training process to give feedback To provide management information Nestle human resource policy mainly emphasis the ongoing learning and the training process to develop the skills of the their employees. It is important to ensure that the trainee is provided the expected outcome at the end of the training session. Since Nestles approach for training is differ in different nations and cultures, it is important to evaluate the different training approaches aimed at different people at different nations. As per the case study learning is an integral part of Nestle culture , in that training and development plays a major role. The effectiveness of evaluating training programs directly contribute the overall success of the company. Effective workforce evaluation helps in ascertaining the relationship between acquired knowledge, transfer of knowledge at the work place, and training.it will maximise the training ROI and help to determine the future from of training programs 3.2 evaluation to be one off or an ongoing process Evaluation does not considered the last process at the end of training and development. It is too important to be treated in this cavalier fashion and it starts long before the end of a training programme. Its important is such that I contend that if you do not evaluate your training and development programs to the maximum extent to which you are allowed or are capable , then it is virtually useless to run the training , if you do not evaluate , apart from highly subjective and personal thoughts, you have no evidence of the success or otherwise of your training. At Nestle pre testing or pre knowledge measures of the learners existing skills and knowledge when it comes to recruit people who have missed their large part of elementary schooling , and in order to develop their skills special development programs are provided by the company. Rive -Reine international Training Center has brought together managers from around the world to learn from senior Nestle managers and from each other. This is a continues evaluation arrangement technique made by Nestle to have midterm evaluation by visiting by the Nestle managers. End of programme evaluation- at the end of the on the job training , employees at Nestle required to perform in a highly technical competencies with adopting to a new working practices. This success is not a measure only of an enjoyable training course that has achieved its objectives. Training is the process of changing people to a more effective state so that the business aspects of the organisation are improved. Training without business improvement is usually training for trainings sake. Evaluation is the process to its final and continued successful application in the workplace. Because of this evaluation over the whole training process, it must be considered early in the design and planning , and must start long before the training event. 3.3 key stakeholders in the evaluation process and discuss the different roles they play Senior management- the senior group must be involved in evaluation at the earliest stage and should be encouraged to be interested , rather than be considered as nuisances. They should State clearly and authoritatively the responsibilities for evaluation Require evaluation analyses and review these regularly The training manager- he performs a range of evaluation activities, principally control measures , including: The control of evaluation strategy and practice Assistance with practical evaluation measures, particularly, when a more neutral assessor than the trainer is needed Presentation of analytic results to senior management The trainer- trainers in spite of their considerable involvement in training itself, must be particularly involved in a large proportion of the evaluation. Their responsibilities include: Designing and implementing validation approaches Designing implementation evaluation measures and supporting these activities Supporting line managers in their briefing and debriefing roles as required The line manager- traditionally , line management has considered the responsibility for evaluation as the training department alone. But the line managers must have an input , if only because of their staff are involved in the training and there is a cost for the training services on their budgets. Ideally line managers should participate in: Evaluation design with the training department- essential as they are a significant party to whatever process is arranged. Pre-programme briefing sessions with their members of staff Post programme debriefing sessions with members of their staff The learner Last but not least, the learners must be involved as far as possible- they have to be relied on for reliable , accurate and honest reporting and comments 3.4 compare and contrast evaluation techniques available to nestle There are so many certain techniques could be used to evaluate the training programms Interviews Questionnaires Direct observation Written test Performance test and etc By activity observation One method of assessing the skill levels of the learners at the start of a training programme is the observation by the trainer of a relevant activity. the basic approach will be assess the skill performance of the learners against some form of pre- planned checklist or analytical instrument. Simply at nestle; on the job training method is used to develop the specific skills to operate more advanced equipment. Technical and behavioural processes are frequently combined for assessments at this early stage, more detailed observation taking place at later stage. when they employed the skills what ever they develop at the early stage. Structured follow up interviews The other main method of performing a medium and longer term evaluation is by follow up interview. Interviews are usually more expensive than questionnaires, particularly if the learners are located throughout the country, or internationally. This may be a difficult task of evaluating trainers at international level for Nestle since it is a multinational company Many of the cost problems can be avoided if the line manager conducts the interview rather than a remote trainer , but you must be assured that the line manager is not too close to the learner, and has the necessary skills to conduct effective interviews. Performance tests This is the most simplest and obvious method of evaluating . under this method the applicants are asked to demonstrate their ability to do the job. These tests are however, useful only for selecting experienced workers. These tests are aimed to find out whether the applicant can perform the job successfully by asking him to do it. this measure work and performance, and include cognitive and skill based learning. Nestle would adapt performance test method to evaluate their trainees , because the on the job training method provide in- house training to their employee while their at work. Apprenticeship programs provide training to young people three days a week at work and two at school. Formal training programs at Nestle generally designed to improve relevant skills and competencies. local training aimed to develop coaching skills of the managers. Performance tests include work sampling methods under which applicants are asked to demonstrate the necessary skills, which they possess by actually doing the tasks. And assessment specially designed to evaluate a candidates managerial potential , is administrated in assessment centres. here where applicants go through a serious of exercises and are appraised by line executives, practicing supervisors, and or trained psychologists. This can be used to evaluate the managers at nestle who act as coachers and mentors and provide continues training to the home grown employees and leaders who provide training at Rive -Reine International training center. 3.5 evaluation models based on each of their contribution There are various approaches for training evaluation Kirkpatrick model Kirkpatrick model is one of the evaluation model used by many companies to evaluate the training programs . the framework classify for levels of which consist , reaction, learning, behaviour, results. The first level reaction evaluate the trainees reaction to the programme. And the next level it measure the whether the trainee learn the principles, skills, and facts that the supervisor given to him, thirdly it look at the behaviour change occur on the job and finally the last level focus on the entire performance of the trainee after the training programme. and whether it has helped to achieve organisational objectives. Each level has its own pros and cons, still it the simple and the practical way of evaluating the training programs, IBM and ATT companies also used evaluation models similar to Kirkpatrick model. but this model is only suitable for the lower level of the management, but it is highly costly to implement this system to the higher managerial levels. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHMeF-0U7a0UQnSgOAdlRwT0kIaCfHsSo7nMxiqnKL43QeCUmZZg CIRO model The abbreviation for CIRO is- Context, Input, Reaction, Outcome. The context level The context level identify the performance needs or desired outcomes from the training and the knowledge and skills or attitude needed to change the behaviour of the trainee. Input level identify the resources to be used and training methods, so that the most suitable method will be chosen the reaction level measure the participants reaction and the satisfaction with the training programmes so that appropriate feedback and suggestion could be provided to improve the performance .the final outcome level will measure the results of the programme in terms of context requirement https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyTONFRTEd6VqAhpZk_LLCYJ_uZNirC1f67RIUwaavdXNfSoKugMiMKDKB21ZGb3ssZbm8aPox8qJHcXMFuKz0XZlxxRt0U3sFUBTA4Y6KI8ysaBm7yR8vUfmjLxg_fwyrT5J3JL0NL8/s1600/Stages+of+Evaluvation.JPG This approach is similar to Kirkpatrick in a few aspects. The reaction level is similar to Kirkpatricks but here the focus has been shifted on getting suggestions from participants. Moreover, the Outcome level of CIRO model encompasses learning, behaviour and end results which are three individual levels in Kirkpatrick. CIRO Model is considered to be a softer approach to evaluation of training. By focusing on analysing the need for training and participants suggestion to improve training program, this model covers the shortcoming in Kirkpatricks model but then lacks the evaluation of impact of training on business. based on the above analysis we could see that CIRO model is suitable to Nestle since it measure the final outcome, the change in behaviour and the learning. Training and developing is the fundamental aspect of Nestle success.so it is important not only to provide training to the employees over the counter , but evaluating the performance, their learning abilities as well the main feature of CIRO model is to provide feedback and the suggestion to improve the employees performance, simply this is very essentials since, the Nestle managers act as mentors and coachers, so it a part of the managers to provide feedback to the trainees. Task 04 4.1 Influencing role of UK government in training and development and the growing emphasis on lifelong learning and continuous development. Government is emphasizing the importance of training and development as they aim to remove the barriers of employability of those that have fewer opportunities to do so. This is where the idea of life-long learning is becoming the main initiative of the government to create such opportunities to a wide-range of communities and backgrounds. The life-long learning aim is remove and combat social exclusions which will then help to promote employability and active citizenship amongst communities. The aim of life-long learning is to: Increase the demand for learning, using vocational learning to create a fun and stimulating learning process Develop world class training, to satisfy the UK and European domestic markets, and also to satisfy the needs of the economy Give people the opportunity to re-develop their skills, without having to continually take courses, but to simply update their current skills and knowledge. The basic education provided by schooling only provides a foundation for learning, however there are then gaps in the skills required for young people to development the skills that they are able to transfer into the workplace. This is also aimed at adult learners, whom have not been able to seek and sustain employment due to their gaps in skills. The life-long learning project aims to remove the barrier of the lack of skills and tries to help those that are not equipped for workplace environments to gain the confidence to do so. The encouragement to keep life-long learning an important part of someones life is being encouraged by the governments continuous investment in education and training; not just for young people but also for adults with no basic skills which are needed in the workplace. Strategies to encourage lifelong learning: Skills for life priority group: the priority group includes the unemployed, prisoners and those supervised in the community, low-skilled employees and others at risk including: Gypsy/travellers homeless people refugees asylum seekers drug users Literacy help is also available t