Saturday, August 31, 2019

30 Seconds to Mars Essay

Launched in 1998 by the band’s front man Jared Leto and his older brother, drummer Shannon Leto, 30 Seconds to Mars found success in the 2000’s with their musical mix of post-grunge, scream, and hard rock. The band gained an audience with its self-titled debut, but it was the platinum-selling album â€Å"A Beautiful Lie† that opened the doors in 2005, gaining the band a spot on MTV while making the way for a long road of tours. The bands mates also showed a high appreciation for marketing, which they revisited several years later by using fan’s pictures for their third album, â€Å"This Is War†. Jared Leto enlisted the help of his brother and co-founded 30 Seconds to Mars in 1998. The group made its studio appearance four years later, releasing a self-titled album whose post-grunge sound betrayed an affinity for groups like Chevelle and Incubus. Although it only achieved modest success, the growing 30 Seconds to Mars still laid the foundation for a healthy career. Before all the great hype the band first started in 1998 it wasn’t well known so they expanded their music by coming to America, gold status in multiple foreign countries, and producing several singles, including two Top 10 rock hits. 30 Seconds to Mars heavily toured as a result, sporting a new lineup that included lead guitarist Tomo Miliceivc and bassist Matt Wachter in addition to the two Letos. Wachter threw in the towel in 2007, the band continued to tour around the world for the rest of the year, making several major festivals such as Roskilde and Pinkpop. They also played opening shows for bands like The Used and Linkin Park. The band has gone through a lot in their background for the band itself and the members. Created in 1998 by Jared Leto (vocals and guitar) and his brother, Shannon (drums), 30 Seconds to Mars merely began as a small family project. Things began to speed up quickly, however, and Matt Wachter later joined the band as bassist. After a small revolving door of guitarists (as the band’s first two guitarists, Kevin Drake and Solon Bixler, left the band due to issues primarily related to touring), the three auditioned Tomo Milicevic to round out the band’s roster. Matt Wachter plays keyboards for the band. Jared Leto might be a name that some people have heard before, before the band started he was a major actor. Their music is filled with emotions and are very personal to them (their songs are based on real life experiences) This band is not about fame, money, and any of that stuff. They are all about the music and they sing from their hearts. Jared never used his title as an actor to promote his band and never will. Their unique style of music and heart moving lyrics fills the listeners heart with so much emotion.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Bosh the Rightful

â€Å"His Airness† – that’s what people call him. Michael Jordan is indeed one of the most notable of all sports superstars. Then came a surprise. Still in his prime and internationally recognized as â€Å"the best basketball player on the planet,† Michael Jordan closed the door on the most glorious NBA stint and walked away in 1997, leaving a tremendous void in the sport and raising the question of who will replace him as the game's ambassador and marquee play.Not since Muhammad Ali has an athlete so dramatically affected a sport on virtually every level — transcending basketball as a sport and becoming an international figure that probably would be recognized in some of the remotest spots in the world. Michael Jordan, born in 1963, is considered by many to be the greatest player in basketball history. The 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) shooting guard first became known as an explosive individual scorer, but as he matured as a player he adopted a more team-ori ented approach to the game.Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six National Basketball Association (NBA) championships (1991-1993, 1996-1998). His widespread appeal to fans helped make basketball one of the world’s most popular spectator sports (Stein, 2005). After his retirement, what's the possibility of someone wearing the crown of a guy who brought an unprecedented level of excitement to the game, did things on the court that other players simply couldn't do – and made it look easy while he was doing it?What's the likelihood of someone sharing the pedestal with the guy who won three MVP awards, led his team to three consecutive championships, had seven straight scoring titles, boosted television ratings an average of 17 percent when the Bulls played, collected two Olympic gold medals, earned an estimated $36 million annually in endorsements, and was the top draw on the road, attracting an average of 18,433 fans per game in his last season? Not surprisingly, there's a p opular thought among Jordan fans who say there'll never be another Michael Jordan.However, there are new NBA rookies out there who might match the outstanding mark Jordan made in basketball history. Then, came Chris Bosh of Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh was born March 4, 1984 and was number 4 in the NBA draft pick in 2003. A power forward, he’s a great inside and outside player. Few are blessed with his athletic prowess as he plays with a good amount of aggressiveness, but doesn't get out of control or lose his composure easily. His long frame and amazing fluidity, he runs the floor exceptionally well.Bosh doesn't have the perimeter skills of Kevin Garnett, namely shooting, but appears to like playing in the post more so than Jordan and could end up filling out into more of a dominating post player. Has great ball handling skills and really can pass the ball. He has some developed post moves and an advanced offensive game for a 21 year old. He can even step out to three point l and and hit a few long range shots. Most sports critics say, he understands the game well, doesn't make unnecessary moves, uses the drop step and jumps hook effectively.Because of his long arms, timing, and explosiveness, he is an excellent shot blocker. The team even goes to him to bring the ball up the court at times as a point forward. He is now dubbed as â€Å"Air Canada† comparable to Michael Jordan’s â€Å"Air Jordan† tag (Forrest, 2005). But, he’s more famous to the title as â€Å"The Future†. When the Raptors claimed the NBA title against the Chicago earlier this year, Bosh is getting a step closer in his path to equal Michael Jordan’s fabulous feats.No one might be comparable to Jordan now, but surely there will be â€Å"The Future† who might be giving us the hopes and the thrills of the game we just love, which is basketball. Works Cited Stein, Marc. â€Å"Michael Jordan. † Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2005 [CD-ROM]. Red mond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005. Forrest, Ben. The Unveiling of Chris Bosh. Brock Press, Ontario, February 22, 2005. Acquired online last November 17, 2005 at http://www. brockpress. com/media/paper384/news/2005/02/22/Sports/The-Unveiling. Of. Chris. Bosh-872851. shtml? norewrite&sourcedomain=www. brockpress. com

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Motivation and Organisational Behavior

What is motivation? Motivation is define as the stimulus that drives, direct and maintaining the human behavior to reach goals (Wood et al. , 2006). In the context of workplace, motivation will be the one that drive the employee to perform and give more effort to contribute in the company or organization growth. Hence, it is crucial that manager keeps their employee or workers motivated. In this essay, one out of four content theories and one out of two process theory will be defined out and compared out. There are 2 types of motivation theory: Content and process theory. While content theory looks to factors within the individual and attempt to answer most of the â€Å"what† question in the context of motivation, process theory emphasize more on â€Å"how† does someone gets motivated. (Vincent Gabriel, 2003). A few theorists that have contributed to the few famous theories are Maslow, Herzberg, Atkinson, and McClelland (Vincent Gabriel, 2003). In theory, there is a continuous relationship between need (drive), tension, action and satisfaction (Reduction of drive). But in reality, it might be more complex than just those 4 actions. These are because: People’s needs are changing over time, and how people react to failure plays a part too. For example a failure to someone will demoralize him, and yet it might push another person to strive for to be better. Hence, their varying needs translated into varying actions of each individual. (Vincent Gabriel, 2003). One of the famous theories in terms of motivation is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory. In this theory, Abraham Maslow defined out human needs in 5 steps, with each lower step must be satisfied or fulfilled before advancing to the further steps. He identify higher order needs, such as self esteem and self actualization and lower order needs such as social, safety and physiological needs (wood et al, 2006). Maslow rank these needs up by assuming which needs are more important, hence the need to satisfy it before other needs can serve as motivators. (Wood et all, 2006). According to Maslow himself, once the lower needs have been satisfied, it will not serve as the motivator anymore (Udechukwu, 2009). For example, for a normal human, the most basic needs include food, water and a place to live. Once this eeds have been fulfilled, he will then move on to the next hierarchy: safety. To put it in rough term, he will then want to be able to continue to eat and drink, hence he will find a job and a source of income to do so. Once that is satisfied too, and then he will be able to move on to the next level, so on and so forth. Hence, as you can see, a person will continue to climb the â€Å"pyramid† until he reaches the top of the scale: self actualization. From here onward, he then will think on how to expand himself further, and start fulfilling other aspect of needs. As what have written previously, while content theory like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains out on what are the factors that motivate people, there’s process theory that explain on how does the motivator motivate people, or even, whether is the motivator effective or rather counter-productive instead? In this essay, for the process theory, we are going to look at Adam’s equity theory. Equity theory suggests that employee must develop a sense of fairness after comparing themselves against their peer or others. Huseman et al suggest that there are three types of individuals (Shore, 2004). They are: ‘Benevolents’, who are described as â€Å"giver†, who prefer to have given more input than output. There’s also ‘Entitleds’, who are the â€Å"getter†, who on the contrary to the â€Å"giver†, will feel discontent and unfair when their input is larger than their output, and finally, the third type of individual is the one that what Huseman called Equity Sensitives, who will adhere to the old equity theory and will just stick with the balance of input and output (Shore, 2004). With all the individuals defined, Equity theorist starts to predict that benevolent, entitled, and equity sensitives will respond differently to fairness in workplace. For example, benevolent (giver) will feel more satisfied when they feel that they are under-rewarded than when they were over-rewarded. On the contrary, Entitleds (taker), will feel unsatisfied when they were under-rewarded. On a field study done by Huseman, what have been found out about these 3 individuals is that, indeed that both entitleds and equity sensitives are behaving like what was predicted, but on the contrary of the expectation, enevolents do get more satisfied when they were over-reward (Shore, 2004). This strange phenomenon happened too on other studies by King et al (1993), Alien and White(2002), and also Sauley and Bedeian(2000). Even though all those studies have their own limitation, we can safely conclude that the benevolents are the most tolerant to the under-reward and also more satisfied than the other 2 types of individuals (Shore, 2004). To compare and contrast both the content and process theory mentioned above, we can rather say that they both must be practiced in the workplace instead of only choosing either one. As what have been mentioned earlier on, the content theory is only explain out the â€Å"what† factor of a human motivator. For this, Maslow basically theorized based on what does one needs that haven’t been fulfilled and arranging them up in a hierarchy order (Harris et al, 1993). Whereas process theory will be dwelling on the nature on how or what problem does human see and perceived and whether it will motivate them. To put it simply, what have been explained above about equity theory is that even with a reward, it may affect different individuals differently. Before we look into how a job design actually helps in motivating an employee in a company, let’s take a look on what actually is a job design and what are some of the characteristic first. A job design is basically a planning and specification of a job task so that the job are done like how we want it to be (Wood et al, 2006). Under the job design itself, there are four major areas that we will want to cover later on. Those four are: job simplification, job enlargement, job rotation, and job enrichment. To explain these four aspects better, let us examine a short and simple case of a pirate ship (Rao, 2010). In a pirate ship, there are a lot of jobs involved. It can be as small as normal pirate crew, to the extent until the captain of the ships. Different job have different scopes that need to be fulfilled. Now if we were to design a job in this ship, how will we be able to design it up then? A group of people in MBA have actually grouped them up into two categories: the star tasks and the guardian tasks. The star tasks job scope include target identification, command in the battle until the negotiation for alliance between fleet. Whereas, the guardian task job is rather more operational, such as allocating crews, solving conflicts, executing punishment, distributing loot evenly until the role of medic (Rao, 2010). The question is, is it really efficient then, to lump all those tasks into two groups only? Well, the answer is most probably quite obvious: No. In such setting of the pirate ship, it will be rather hard for one individuals to be able to have the skills to be the Great Star or Great guardian, since both of them require a totally different set of skills. What will happen is that with this kind of job design, it will discourage a crew member to apply for the position of the star or guardian position. In this case, we will want to use job simplification to analyze and solve this issue. Job simplification is meant to make someone excel in a job(wood et al, 2006), for example, a crew member of the ship will be task to do a specific job only (eg. Negotiating with other fleet). In the long term, the crew member will get better and better in that area of job. The strength of this job design approach, however, is its biggest weakness also. This is because, since that the job have been simplified, the crew member will get bored doing it again and again for so many years already. This is when we will want to other approach such as job enlargement, job enrichment and job rotation. Job enlargement involves combining two or more skills that were assigned to separate workers previously (Wood et al, 2006). The only difference between this and the job simplification is that now the worker are responsible over different areas and also have more jobs to do (eg. Negotiator can also be tasked to manage the navigation). The other approach that involves equipping the crew or worker with more skills is job rotation. This approach can be defined as working different tasks or in different position for a set of time (Kaymaz, 2010). This approach focus more on the flexibility of the worker, decreasing the monotony, supporting career development, enabling high level of adaptation, and also to decrease stress (Kaymaz, 2010). With all those advantage, the most obvious disadvantage will most probably that the crew or worker will spend too much time to adapt and learn different sets of skills. Last but not least is the job enrichment approach. This involves in adding responsibility to the worker, making their job is more in depth. (wood et al, 2006). With all those job design approach been defined out, it will then enable us to combine and come up with a set of approach that we can use so that our employee are motivated. An appropriate job design can always motivate the employee up if we identify out, each and every single needs of an employee. A new employee that recently joined the company will most probably want to fulfill his physiological needs; hence he will want to have the appropriate salary. If his performance is good most of the time, and the company wants to retain him, the company must takes in the account on whether he is â€Å"benevolents† type or the â€Å"entitleds† type to measure the tolerance level on deciding his pay. Once all of those approach has been made, company must also keep close look on the employee, so that they can react fast to apply other approach such as job enlargement or even to the extent of job enrichment and empowerment if the employees begun to show signals that they are not motivated anymore. And now, we have covered the content theory of Maslow, the Adam’s Equity theory for the process theory in the context of motivation theory, and we also have covered job design approach and how to apply it in the company and organization. Hence it will be pretty obvious, that to motivate people, we will want to know what’s the key motivator is the person, whether he will be motivated with the changes that have been made and also how can the company change to motivate him better.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Disintermediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Disintermediation - Essay Example This direct interaction between the buyers and sellers was perceived to be free from any intermediation of third party firms i.e. middlemen as technology greatly reduced the cost of searching the information regarding the buyers and sellers lessening the dependence on the middlemen. This virtual absence of middlemen kick started the process of disintermediation and it was largely believed that with advances in e-Commerce, disintermediation will increase and will result into the reduction of cost of searching the information. However, the same seem not to be happening as despite improvements in the technology and whole e-Commerce process, disintermediation did not took place as expected. This work will look into exploring the reasons behind this perceived disintermediation and e-Commerce and why it did not took place despite the bright future of doing business electronically was promised by the e-Commerce. However before discussing the core issue it will be very important that some of the latest business models and real example be explored in order to broaden the scope of our study and better understand the linkages between e-Commerce and disintermediation and future survival of disintermediation. Through traffic driving, traditional retail stores are diverting their internet website visitors to their physical stores therefore the traditional retailers as a point of defense has already started to explore a relatively new and unique model of brick and click or bricks and mortars. Bricks and Clicks are traditionally described as a sales model that utilizes both the traditional stores and internet to generate the sales. (This business model, also known as clicks and mortar or clicks and bricks, began to be used in the 1990s. The rise of the Internet opened up opportunities for online trading. Initially this was utilized by companies whose primary business was Internet-based - the so-called clicks companies. Established trading companies followed when it

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Theater Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Theater Art - Essay Example He has let himself in using a killing machine, i.e, a gun. The picture on the wall shows a painting of a forest where the trees cast long, dark shadows, in tune with the general atmosphere of threat radiated by the character in the frame. The frame of the painting is dark, the back of the door behind the hitman is dark and the overall lighting is focused upon the character, showing his progress into the dark room. The darkness could hide many secrets, the darkness associated with the character in every aspect from the clothes to his dark hair, are all suggestive of evil. . The painting of the forest and the darkness of the shadows appears to be only the external reflection of the evil raging inside the character. In this particular shot, as the killer enters the room, his stance and posture suggest his state of mental readiness for action. His glance veers towards the left, towards the wall and TV, as of seeking out in advance, anything or anyone that could be hiding there. The facia l expression and stance suggest a cold ruthlessness, an impression that is conveyed without the use of any overtly threatening signs or gestures, other than the large gun in his hand. The evil emanates from the character in a quietly menacing way.

Ways to Improve Group Productivity within a hospital or medical Research Paper

Ways to Improve Group Productivity within a hospital or medical facility - Research Paper Example In analyzing this problems, this paper focuses on the department of admissions,the department of public relations, the department of social work, and the department of medical records which are found in an hospital organization. This paper gives an explanation on the impact of the problems under consideration, and identifies the policies which administrators within the hospital set up need to enact for purposes of ensuring efficiency in meeting the goals of the hospital organization. This is because if administrators do not develop solutions to the problems the organization faces, chances are high that the hospital might fail to provide better health care services to its customers. This paper contains suggestions ofthe best training program that could enhance group productivity. Lorenzi (2004) denotes that training is a method of continuous appraisal, since the medical staff acquires relevant skills that are essential to serve the current health care needs of the organizations custom ers. This paper has a conclusion, and it is a summary of the main points addressed in it. One of the problems facing group productivity within the hospital set up is the conflict that emanate from lack of a clear guideline on the role of members within a collaborative group. For instance, within the admissions department of the hospital, there is a group that coordinates the admission of patients, another group prepares their admission, while another group arranges for any reservation of a patients admission. These are devise roles within the admission departmentand because of a clear guideline on the role of members who are in this unit, a conflict of roles emanate. For instance, the group that coordinates the admission of patients is headed by a team leader; it is this person who assigns duties, depending on the present circumstance. A situation arises when such an individual did not report for work because of personal or official issues. Members of the group will be confused beca use nobody will assign them duties, leading to each of them carrying out tasks that were not meant for them. This therefore leads to a rise of conflict of roles, and its result is inefficiency in meeting the objectives of the admissions department (Lorenzi, 2005). To improve on this problem, it is important for the organization to develop a policy that will guide in assigning roles to the various members of its staff. To effectively implement this policy, the organization must create an office, whose main responsibility is to monitor the performance of employees in relation to their specific tasks, and how they contribute in meeting the objectives of the organization. Another major problem that arose from the research is lack of an effective communication capability amongst the various members of different groups within the hospital organization. This problem can affect all the departments of the organization, which includes the admissions department, the public relations department , the medical records department, the maintenance and engineering department and the department of social work. This is because communication is the key that drives the growth of any department of an organization. For instance, the duties of the department of public relations are to solve the problems of out and in patients. If the department lacks modernized communication gadgets such as computers, they will be unable to effectively offer this service to their customers (Kongstvedt, 1997).The reason to this argument is because of the modernization of the communication

Monday, August 26, 2019

How does social enterprise differ from the traditional business model Essay

How does social enterprise differ from the traditional business model - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Ridley-Duff et al defined social enterprise as an organization that directs its efforts towards the application of commercial strategies in improving environmental and humans’ well-being rather than maximizing shareholder profits. Unlike the traditional business model, social enterprises are flexible and capable of adopting either profit or non-profit structures, as their central agenda concerns advancing social, human justice and environmental agendas. The traditional business model advocated for concise distinctions with regard to a business’ primary intentions; for example, organizations defined themselves as either private profit-driven entities, governmental parastatals, or non-profit entities. Social enterprises organizations bypass this bureaucracy and are further differentiated from traditional business models by the following characteristics. Firstly, these organizations directly address social needs and direct t heir efforts towards ensuring the common good of the society via product output. Secondly, the business activities of these organizations are revenue driven whereby, generated revenue caters for the costs incurred in their social outreach programs. Finally, these organizations do not have to align their business strategies to encompass Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies, as their core mission and vision entails helping the society. Examined in the paper includes an example of services provided by social enterprises, implications of social enterprises and an analysis of two theoretical social enterprise frameworks and their implications. Social enterprise organizations exhibit diversity in the fields they specialize in; for example, retail contracted providers of human and social services, fee-based consultation and research services, community development and financing services, and sponsoring art and literal exhibitions. Unlike governments and non-profit organizations , social enterprise organizations address social concerns more efficiently, sustainably and fund their beneficiaries more generously. Efficiency results from these organizations ability to mitigate social problems suffocating the limited resources possessed by various governments. The healthcare sector features an increased prevalence of lifestyle diseases that are costly to manage and treat such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. Individuals belonging to the low socio-economic status lack the financial means to seek treatment from health care providers.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

How Does The Civil Rights Act of 1991 Changes the Workplace Research Paper

How Does The Civil Rights Act of 1991 Changes the Workplace - Research Paper Example As noted by the US Congress, other than the unlawful harassments and intentional discriminations as reasons, there was a need to strengthen civil rights laws because the decision of the Supreme Court in Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Antonio, 490 U.S. 642 (1989) weakened the scope and effectiveness of Federal civil rights protection (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). To address other challenges in civil rights law, the Civil Rights Act codified the concepts of â€Å"business necessity† and â€Å"job-related† acts that can amount to discrimination (Section 3, Civil Rights Act of 1991). Further, the law confirmed the statutory authority as well as providing guidelines on the adjudication of suits under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Further, as a response to the Supreme Court decisions that emaciated the civil rights laws, the Civil Rights Act of 1991 expanded the scope of civil rights laws. Almost twenty years after the Civil Rights Act of 1991, it becomes possible to assess how the legislation contributed to the realization of non-discrimination in the workplaces. In this section, we assess employment figures for possible traces of discriminations in the workplace and interpret possible improvements in the workplaces as the achievements of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 even as we are aware that the legislation related to civil rights are not limited to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1991. Table 1 on the earlier page shows that whites in management, professional, and related occupations compose about 33.6% of these occupations. In contrast, Table 2 shows that the whites who are no Hispanics in the US population are roughly 65.1% as of 2010. The data indicate that discriminations based on race are no longer as strong during the time of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Predictors of Medication Errors in Elderly in Nursing Homes Research Paper

Predictors of Medication Errors in Elderly in Nursing Homes - Research Paper Example The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (2011) explains that "A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient, or consumer.† This means that medication errors do not only occur at the hands of medical professionals. In this essay, the writer review predictors of medication errors in elderly in nursing homes. This means that the bulk of the writer’s attention shall be based on factors that medical practitioners in nursing homes and taking care of elderly people can use to predict possible medication errors. As seen in the definition of medication errors, the writer’s view of predictors shall be varying and widespread, not centering only on the health practitioner but on all other causative factors including patients and consumers. Predictors of Medication Errors in Elderly This section of the essay reviews five major predictors of medication errors that can take place among elderly people in nursing homes. Number of Home Medications The fact that elder people under consideration are based on nursing homes should not eradicate the possibility of medication error occurring as a result of a number of home medications. Nursing officers and other health professionals taking care of elderly people in nursing homes must predict the fact that once admitted at the home, the history of a number of home medications received by patients before their admission at the nursing home can interfere with the efficacy and functions of medications administered to them at the nursing home. For this reason, it is rightly appropriate that nursing and other health professionals have a fair idea of medications patients on admission might have received at home before being admitted. Over the years, it is because nursing practitioners have been negligent of the need to assess the number of home medicati ons taken by elderly patients admitted at the nursing homes that Prasanatikom and Madigan (2004) concluded in a research that â€Å"incidence of medication error was highest at the first visit (23.5%)† Self-administration of medication Self-administration of medication is something that is common among elderly patients in nursing homes. Pollick explains that self-administration of medication or self-medication is the â€Å"practice of using illicit or legal drugs without proper medical supervision is known as self-medication.† The commonest cause given to the problem of self-administration of medication among elderly patients in nursing homes has been found to be over anxiety among the elderly patients (Akakpo, 2003). As a matter of fact, due to degeneration psychological problems among elderly patients, they tend to be very anxious about their health and always have a feeling that taking medications in overdose or taking extra medications aside what is prescribed for them may lead to a quick recovery of their health. Health practitioners in nursing homes must, therefore, have a forecasted knowledge that if self-administration of medication takes place among their patients, the patients risk the problem of medication error because there is the tendency of self-medicated drugs conflicting with the functions of prescribed drugs.  

Friday, August 23, 2019

Nutrition for Health and Social Care (DISCUSSION) Assignment

Nutrition for Health and Social Care (DISCUSSION) - Assignment Example One protein is differentiated from another by the sequence of amino acids, and this is responsible for the tertiary structure that defines the function of the protein. The digestion of proteins takes place in the stomach and the small intestines. In the stomach, pepsinogen is secreted from gastric glands and activated by hydrogen ions to pepsin. Pepsin works on long amino acid chains to produce fragments of various sizes referred to as peptides (Protein Digestion & Absorption , 2005). Protein digestion continues in the small intestines where hydrolysis is accomplished by the action of three proteases including procarboxypeptidase, chymotrypsinogen, and trpsinogen (Murray, et al., 2006). Digestion in the small intestines breaks peptides into smaller chains finally resulting into dipeptides and tripeptides (Protein Digestion & Absorption 2005). Individual amino acids that are yielded at the end of the digestion are absorbed through the cell lining the small intestines into the blood stream. After digestion, proteins are used in the body for various functions. About 20 amino acids are yielded after digestions are used to construct proteins for different functions in the body. Proteins are basically used to produce antibodies, for body tissues (production and repair), production of enzymes and storage of products including amino acids. Most of the fats consumed in diet are in the form of triglycerides (Murray, Harper, Granner, Mayes, & Rodwell 2006). Triglycerides are identified by the presence of a backbone, to which fatty acids are attached. Triglycerides are determined by the type of fatty acids attached, and this varies to a large extend (Murray, et al., 2006). There are three types of fatty acids that are classified depending on the number of double bonds in the molecule. The three are identified as Saturates, Monounsaturates, and polyunsaturates (Rose 2013). Polyunsaturates can

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example for Free

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Summarize a situation that required U.S. diplomatic efforts during President Reagan’s time in office.  The situation that required U.S. diplomatic involvement was the Reagan Doctrine. In the 1980 election, Ronald Reagan advocated the elimination of all assistance to the Nicaraguan government. As a candidate, he ran on a platform that condemned the Marxist Sandinista takeover of Nicaragua and pledged support for the efforts of the Nicaraguan people to establish a free and independent government. Once Reagan took over the Presidency, high-ranking policy makers suspended and then canceled economic aid to Nicaragua. The administration began to formulate more coercive measures. President Ronald Reagan took office determined to do something about what he considered a growing tide of Soviet expansionism. To do so, his administration developed a strategy to aid anti-Soviet insurgencies in the Third World in their attempts to overthrow Marxist regimes (Alan Riding, 1980). In February 1981, when Robert McFarlane (then assistant to Secretary of State Alexander Haig) submitted a proposal for a coordinated political, economic, military, and covert approach to the Central American crisis (El Salvador and Nicaragua), the issue reached the White House. Eventually labeled the Reagan Doctrine, the strategy had matured enough by 1985 for the president to assert that the United States must not break faith with those who are risking their liveson every continent, from Afghanistan to Nicaragua to defy Soviet supported aggression. In 1986 President Reagan declared, America will support with moral and material assistance, your right not to fight and die for freedom, but to fight and win freedom in Afghanistan, in Angola, in Cambodia, and in Nicaragua. However, a conflict developed over the application of the Reagan Doctrine to Nicaragua, where rebels known as the contras opposed the Sandinista government, which came to  power in a successful revolution in 1979. This conflict reflected the high priority assigned the issue by the president and the intense scrutiny given the policy by Congress. Since the policy making process extended over several years and included many players, the Nicaragua case makes for a splendid study in the American foreign policy making process (Scott, James M., 1997). Explicate the diplomatic doctrine the president followed, with reference to specific actions or events that occurred. During the Reagan’s first term, the Soviet leadership changed from Leonid Brezhnev to Yuri Andropov to Konstantin Cherenkov. Over that four year period, Reagan maintained his hardline rhetoric about the Soviet Union even referring to it in a Florida speech as an evil empire. He also launched a massive military expansion program, as President John Kennedy had done twenty years earlier, to impress Soviet leaders that he intended to deal with them from a position of strength in Europe, Asia, and Africa, where they had made significant gains in Angola, Mozambique, and Ethiopia. He believed he had a clear mandate from the American people to reverse the trend of the previous decade and make America militarily strong and politically decisive in foreign policy. During President Reagans time in office the Reagan doctrine was in affect, which involved military and material support for indigenous resistance movements struggling to overthrow Soviet-sponsored tyrannies. The Reagan administration supported such guerrillas in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Angola and Nicaragua in efforts to â€Å"rollback† the Soviet empire. In addition, President Reagan worked with the Vatican and the international wing of the AFL-CIO to keep alive the Polish trade union solidarity, despite a ruthless crackdown by General Wojciech Jaruzelski’s regime. During this time in 1983 President Reagan ordered American troops to invade Grenada and liberate the island from its ruling Marxist dictator. In 1983 President Reagan also announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a new program to research, and eventually deploy missile defenses that offered the promise, in Reagans words, of making nuclear weapons obsolete. (Luard, Evan. 1987) Describe the effects of these diplomatic efforts for the U.S. and other countries. A primary achievement was reestablishment of a strong relationship with  NATO. When President Reagan came to office, European governments mistrusted the United States because of what they perceived as President Carters indecisiveness in foreign policy and excessive moralizing about human rights. President Reagan reversed those perceptions, even though he shocked many Europeans with his strong anti-Soviet rhetoric. NATO leaders applauded his defense buildup and the forceful way in which he handled the decision to proceed with INF deployments despite intense Soviet pressure against the move and massive demonstrations in Europe by antinuclear groups (J T Rourke, C T Guilford, 1991). President Reagan established a particularly strong relationship with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher by supporting her effort to regain control of the Falkland Islands in 1982. He did so in the face of strong opposition by Washingtons Latin American allies, which supported Argentinas seizure of the islands by force, and some opposition within his administration. However the major drawback of President Reagans doctrine was that it antagonized some of the other countries. Assess, in conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages of the particular doctrine that was followed.  In conclusion the advantages of the Reagan doctrine are the relative low cost of supporting guerilla forces compared to the Soviet Union’s expenses in the build up of client states. Another was the lack of direct involvement of American troops, which allowed the U.S. to confront Soviet allies without any casualties. Another was the fact that President Reagan was able to build up our military forces for other countries to take note that we are a force to be reckoned with. However the disadvantages is that policies such as our support of the fighters in Afghanistan created possibilities for blowback as people armed by the United States did not necessarily share the interests of the United States beyond resisting Soviet influence. One might also argue that it perpetuated, even added to, a military-industrial complex that soaks up billions in budget spending. Then, of course, there was the fact that American money and weapons went toward killing people around the world, which scarcely enhanced the image of the country. The major drawback of Reagans doctrine was that it antagonized some of the other countries. Summarize events between the U.S. and at least one (1) of the countries you wrote about in the first paper since the end of the Cold  War. In summary the events that took place between the U.S. and Nicaragua had taken place from 1981-1986. The first event was that the U.S. ended aid to Nicaragua after finding evidence the Nicaragua, Cuba, and the Soviet Union where supplying arms to Salvadorian rebels, The second event was the U.S. House of representatives passed the Boland Amendment which prohibits the U.S. from supplying the Nicaraguan contras with arms for overthrowing the Sandinista government. The third event is when the CIA mines Nicaragua’s harbors in a covert operation. Both U.S. enemies and allies condemn the action. Nicaragua sues the U.S. in the world court, and in June 1986 the court finds the U.S. guilty of violating International law. The fourth event is Daniel Ortega, leader of the FSLN, is â€Å"elected† president of Nicaragua. The fifth event is that the U.S. suspends talks with Nicaragua. U.S. president Ronald Reagan describes the Nicaragua contras as â€Å"Freedom Fighters† and compares them to America’s founding fathers. President Reagan initiates economic sanctions against Nicaragua. The sixth event was the U.S. congress approves humanitarian aid package for the Nicaraguan contras. The seventh event that took place was a plane carrying a U.S. military supply to the contras was shot down and the only American survivor is captured. And finally the U.S. government announces that contrary to the Boland Amendment the U.S. has been providing military aid to the contras. The supplies were purchased with funds diverted from the sales of U.S. arms to Iran. This would come to be known as the Iran-contra affair. Identify and describe the current relationship between the U.S. and one (1) of the cou ntries you wrote about in the first paper. The U.S. Government has clearly stated that the November 2011 elections marked a setback to democracy in Nicaragua and undermined the ability of Nicaraguans to hold their government accountable. The United States has promoted national reconciliation, encouraging Nicaraguans to resolve their problems through dialogue and compromise. It recognizes as legitimate all political forces that abide by the democratic process and eschew violence. U.S. assistance is focused on strengthening democratic institutions; stimulating sustainable economic growth; supporting the health and basic education sectors; and increasing the effectiveness of Nicaraguas efforts to combat transnational crimes, including narcotics trafficking, money laundering, illegal alien smuggling, international terrorist and criminal organizations, and trafficking in persons. Key U.S. policy goals for Nicaragua also include improving respect for human rights and resolving outstanding high-profile human rights cases; and developing a free market economy with respect for property and intellectual property rights (U.S. Department of State, Diplomacy in Action, 2011). Select a country you did not write about in the first paper, and describe the current U.S. diplomatic approach to the country. First, the United States simply did not have a diplomatic mission to Iraq that could have taken on public diplomacy responsibilities in 2003 because the United States severed its diplomatic relations with Iraq following that countrys invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990. In the absence of civilian human infrastructure that could have taken on public diplomacy and other civilian tasks, the Bush Administration turned to the US military which possessed a readily available and deployable capability to meet this crucial need. Since the 2003 US invasion and occupation of Iraq, a country that poses the most challenging and important test of American engagement in the region, the American military has led public diplomacy efforts throughout the country. Following the invasion, the US military began conducting many forms of public affairs and public diplomacy (PD) functions throughout Iraq. Military Public Affairs Officers held press conferences, engaged American and foreign journalists, organized cultural events, and highlighted the positive aspects of the United States continued presence in Iraq, among other significant public diplomacy activities. Needless to say, these are not functions normally conducted by the US military (S. E. Duggan, 2012). Contrast and compare the two (2) relationships The relationship between the United States of America and The Republic of Iraq are currently guided by two historic agreements: a Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) that covers our overall political, economic, and security  relationship with Iraq, and a Security Agreement – otherwise known as the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) – that implements our security relationship. Both agreements protect U.S. interests in the Middle East, help the Iraqi people stand on their own, and reinforce Iraqi sovereignty. However the relationship between the United States of America and Nicaragua relations, the bilateral relationship, though tense at times, appears to be generally intact. One cause of tension has been President Ortega’s tendency to vacillate between anti-U.S. rhetoric and reassurances that he will respect private property and pursue free-trade policies. The United States provides significant foreign assistance to Nicaragua, and the two countries cooperate on counter narcotics, trade, and security matters. The relationships between the two countries and the U.S. as you can see are different, however the U.S. tends to help anyone and everyone that asks for it. The United States of America has spent billions of dollars helping these two countries get back on their feet. Using the (2) countries as examples summarize how the U.S. has changed the way it relates to other countries in the past 20 years. American political culture has changed considerably in the past twenty years, particularly with regard to American foreign policy and its relationship with the rest of the world. Your text discusses the debates surrounding the issue of â€Å"exporting democracy† to other parts of the world; this debate encompasses the humanitarian, economic, and political ramifications of the spread of democratic regimes. The changes in American political culture over the last twenty years have impacted this debate, and have affected the role that America plays in the world at large. References Alan Riding, Central Americans Split on U.S. Voting, New York Times, 4 August 1980 Scott, James M., Political Science Quarterly, Interbranch rivalry and the Reagan Doctrine in Nicaragua. 00323195, Summer97, Vol. 112, Issue 2 Luard, Evan. International Affairs. Autumn87, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p563. 12p. J T Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, Guilford, CT: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1991, pp 295-296, 307-308. U.S. Department of State, Diplomacy in Action, 2011, www.state.gov Duggan, Sean E. Middle East Journal. Winter2012, Vol. 66 Issue 1, p53-78. 26p. Nuechterlein, Donald E., Perspectives on Political Science, The Reagan doctrine in perspective.10457097, Winter90, Vol. 19, Issue 1 McDermott, Rose. Journal of Cold War Studies. Fall2002, Vol. 4 Issue 4, p29-59. 31p. DOI: 10.1162/15203970260209509. Roskin M.G., Berry N.O. The New World Of International Relations. 2010, Pearson Education Company, Ch4, p58-59.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Food, Inc. Essay Example for Free

Food, Inc. Essay Food, Inc. broadens the consumers prospective on the production of foods such as chicken and cattle. The documentary was convincing in regards to showing the consumer what manufacturers are afraid to show us, consumers. Nowadays, there are approximately 47 thousand products in a grocery store. That of which four producers have 70% of the market. Food, Inc. had many facts and statistics telling the viewers of todays farmers and other large corporations in the food industry. It used to be that it took three months to produce a chicken from when it hatched to the time it was ready to slaughter, now, it takes only 48 days. Farmers average a borrowing of $500,000 in which they only make $18,000 profit. Large producers are keeping farmers in debt. Rather than letting the plants and animals take the time they need to produce naturally companies are always thinking faster, faster, bigger, bigger. Candy, chips, pop, and hamburgers from McDonalds are all examples of cheaper food than compared to vegetables or fruit. Although they are higher subsidized, they are low in cost. Food, Inc. could have overlooked the value some Americans have on these cheaper meals. A Hispanic family was shown on the documentary. This family was faced with having to choose between buying medication for their diabetic father or getting groceries. Him, as well as one and a half million other Mexican farmers lost their jobs due to larger corporations and with all the debt that is due, they dont have a lot of money for the quality of food they may want. Food, Inc. however did overemphasize all the negative larger companies were doing to farmers, as well as animals. Some interesting facts are as follow: at a slaughter house located in Tar Heel, 32,000 pigs are slaughter a day; thats 2,000 per hour. If a plant is always failing the USDA testing, they are said to be shut down. However, the law never took affect, instead, the plants took USDA to court. In 2008, 90% of soybeans did not have the original seed. Although documentaries are usually biased, there were many times throughout the film where a large corporations were asked to talk, however, they declined. Large corporations could have helped their side of view by taking time to conduct an interview with the Food, Inc. crew. Food, Inc.was very intriguing, although it could have furthered explained through a corporations prospective overall the documentary was successful. The harsh facts with the jaw dropping graphics were just a bonus on the heart touching stories all of the farmers told. The graphics of reality was most bothering. The fact that companies could get away with employing illegal immigrants than do nothing when they were arrested was annoying, as well as knowing that a company could sue anybody for anything even if they knew they would lose. Something that was realized as result from watching this piece, is that to eat well in this country you need money. Questions that could be asked are how can companies like Monsanto have all of one farmers bank accounts and check written from the last 10 years. How can this company sue farmers (and win) for the farmers crops being contaminated against their knowledge. Why did patenting a seed ever become acceptable when the seed needs to be grown and consumed by millions. And why can the FDA sell food without a GMO label.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Risk Management To Avoid Delays In Road Construction Construction Essay

Risk Management To Avoid Delays In Road Construction Construction Essay The challenges in the construction industry are of same nature irrespective of geographic locations. The areas of concern in construction project management are timely completion of projects within the allocated cost, also serious concerns about resources utilization and project planning/control measures. Risk management is the art or practice of dealing with risk. It includes planning for risk, assessing (identifying analyzing) risk issues, developing risk handling strategies, and monitoring risks to determine how they have changed. My core area of works is in the field of engineering consultancy for various road projects in Dubai, which includes project planning and monitoring the performance of these projects, most of the times we face delays as well as cost overrun at these projects. Intension of doing the project works in this area is to form a procedure/systematic approach for identification and management of various risks in the road project with the help of various lean tools and TOC concepts. The risk management is not new to the organizations where as there is lack of awareness and systematic approach towards it. Risk management plan is successfully being implemented in Banks, Oil Companies, Health care etc also the IS 31000 suggests the frame work which can be implemented in any kind of industry irrespective of type place. IS 31000 guidelines can be modified as per the specific industry requirements. (Ref ISO 31000 page v Introduction) Risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has an effect on at least one of the following project objective; Complete Project in allocated time Complete the project in allocated budget Maintain all quality standards as per Quality Management Plan Cover entire scope of works Project has known as well as unknown risks, in which known risks are considered for the risk management plan which can be identified, analysed and response plan can be prepared but to handle unknown risks we can have a contingency plan ready. The project work will require access to highly sensitive data of RTA (Road Transport Authority Dubai ) Parsons Overseas Ltds road projects and use of these data will be limited up to academic purpose only. Working with the various road projects in Dubai, I first derived the basic data which shows how many projects are delayed in terms of time/days as well as how much more the client has to pay for these projects other than the budgeted cost. (Ref Chart 1 for Days Chart 2 for Cost) Chart 1 Chart 2 The data above is taken from ten road projects in Dubai which clearly suggests that the delay in days has caused the respective increase in the cost this cost also may include the variation in scope. Causes behind the delay in these kinds of projects are external as well as internal, e.g. the global recession has caused client (RTA) to change the policy in terms of executing some projects, changing the priority, suspending some works etc is an external factor for the road projects where as the delay in material purchase is an internal factor. My work is more focused on the internal operational risks in these projects, where the data base in of ten RTA road projects will be used where as the sample risk management plan will be prepared based on ongoing project R800/6 for analysis purpose. Also the risk management plan for occupational Health safety as well as environmental risks are not considered for this exercise. Objectives behind Risk management plan Encourage Proactive rather than reactive management Be aware of the need to identify and treat risk throughout the organization Improve identification of opportunities and threats. Comply with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and international norms Improve reporting Improve corporate governance Improve stakeholders confidence trust Establish reliable basis for decision making and planning Improve Control Effectively allocate and use resources for risk treatment Improve operational effectiveness and efficiency Improve incident management and prevention Minimize loss Improve organizational learning RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PARSONS GOALS Lead industry in Safety Continuously enhance the value of Parsons Corporation Maintain sustainable growth consistent with the demand in each market Grow consolidated net operating income and sales at least 10% annually Maintain a strong balance sheet. PARSONS STRATEGY Provide responsive, high quality service to our customers Develop long term relationships with customers who share our values. Promote best value solutions to our customers This document describes how we will perform the job of managing risks for RTA road projects in Dubai. It defines roles and responsibilities for participants in the risk processes, the risk management activities that will be carried out, the schedule and budget for risk management activities, and any tools and techniques that will be used. The objective behind this plan is to give systematic approach to identification, analysis, and monitor the various risks involved in the construction of Road/Bridge projects in Dubai and to avoid delay in the project. The risk identification at design phase is not considered for the exercise; largely emphasis is on construction activities. As a part of continuous improvement this plan has to be updated bimonthly or whenever necessary modifications are need to be done, with the consent of Risk Management team. SCOPE OF SAMPLE PROJECT This project is a component of the overall R800 Project Ras Al Khor Crossing Corridor. This Contract matches R800/5 Contract on one side. It involves the construction of a major grade-separated interchange to replace the existing Interchange No. 1 at Shaikh Zayed Road. The new interchange involves the construction of several bridges and underpasses to allow free flow of traffic and caters for the high volumes of traffic that will access new developments such as the Burj Dubai Developments, Business Bay and Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) from Shaikh Zayed Road. The bridges of this project are connected to the elevated viaducts above Doha Road that will be built as part of Contract R800/5s. The existing Interchange No. 1 structure will be demolished as part of this project The project also include the construction of roadway signage and pavement marking, landscaping, street lighting, irrigation ducts, diversion and/or protection of services such as DEWA-ED, DEWA Water, Etisalat, Sewerage, Storm Drainage and Irrigation Systems. Engineer M/s Parsons Overseas Limited Contractor M/s Salini Costruttori S.p.A. Contract Sum (Dhs.) AED 617,871,651.00 Project Commencment Date 11 October 2006 Contractual Completion Date 28 March 2009 ( Work is in Progress ) Time of Completion 730 Days ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The risk management team is not a separate task from the project management; it is an integral part of the project and requires team work. So as the construction team at project site is the part of risk management plan, where as to organize this work following members are assigned certain responsibilities. TEAM MEMBER RESPONCIBILITY PROJECT MANAGER RESIDENT ENGINEER Form a risk management team Review the risk management reports Decide a mitigation / contingency plan. Decision making. Review the exposure assessments for any new risk items. The Project Manager and other members of the Project Management team shall meetbiweekly suggestedto review the status of all risk mitigation efforts. RISK OFFICER PLANNING ENGINEER The Risk Officer has the following responsibilities and authority Coordinating risk identification and analysis activities. Maintaining the projects risk list. Notifying project management of new risk items Reporting risk resolution status to management. Project Member Assigned a Risk Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer Quantity surveyor Material Engineer The Risk Officer will assign each newly identified risk to a project member. Assess the exposure and probability for the risk factor and report the results of that analysis back to the Risk Officer. Assigned project members are also responsible for performing the steps of the mitigation plan and reporting progress to the Risk Officer biweekly. ROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESSES PLAN RISK MANAGEMENT This is the controlled document to be prepared which suggests how to conduct risk management for projects. Risk planning is important to provide enough resources time for risk management activities. To start the risk planning the following major inputs are necessary; Scope of project Schedule management plan Cost management plan Communication management plan The output of this process in a Risk Management Plan which can be modified as the project progresses also as the project scope changes. Risk management plan includes; Methodology How to approach the risks, what are the tools to be used, data sources to be used in order to perform risk management. Roles Responsibilities Risk management is not an individual task it is a team work. Organization chart to be prepared. Budgeting Assign resources, estimates funds needed for risk management in case of contingency plans if any. This part we are not considering at present for our risk management plan assuming the budgeting is readily available. Timing Establish the review for RMP during tenure of the project as well as establish a mile stone to prepare and approve RMP before the commencement of actual project woks. Risk Category Prepare a Risk Break down structure that can provide a systematic approach to identify risks from different categories from the RBS. Risk Probability, impact and matrix The risks for qualitative as well as quantitative analysis can be measured as a defined scale and the specific combinations can be rated for planning response. Reporting Out come of the risk management processes to be documented and reported. Tracking How risk activities will be recorded for the benefit of the current project as well as for future needs and lessons learned, as well as the audit of the risk management processes. IDENTIFY THE RISKS The risk identification information is to be collected from all departments using tools such as document review, unstructured interviews, check list, assumptions, and experience from old projects. The risk team can extend this task to all other projects team members in identifying the risks then it can be compiled together to prepare a risk register. The risk identification can be initiated by forming a risk breakdown structure. RISK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE As per the project scope and nature of the project the risk breakdown structure can be prepared, for the sample project the risk are identified using the following risk breakdown structure. RISK REGISTER Once the risk break down structure is final then the risk identification can be done and can be listed in the following format called Risk Register. Sr No Risk Risk WBS Probability Remark 1 132 kv electic line relocation Obs Utility 0.9 Obstructing NW bridge 2 1200mm dia water line Obs Utility 0.9 Bridge work 3 Sewerage line Obs Utility 0.9 Can delay the traffic diversion 4 Etisalat Line Obs Utility 0.75 Obstructing NW bridge 5 Mobilization Res- Manpower 0.4 Overall project 6 Trial Trench works Int- Authority Approvals 0.8 Utility Relocation works 7 Traffic Diversion scheme implementation Obs- Traffic Diversion 0.9 Utility Relocation as well as bridge works 8 Toyota Building Obs- Expropriation 0.8 Traffic Diversion 9 Diversion of the Existing 600mm 300mm Water Diversion Obs Utility 0.8 affecting bridge UW3 10 Programme submission and approval PM- Planninng 0.8 Overall project 11 132 Kv electric line, water pipe valves , irrigation pipe valves , long lead material Int- Material 0.8 Relocation works 12 Soil investigation , Pilling, Rebar subcontractor finalization Int-Subcontractor 0.8 Road Structure works 13 Plant machinary Res- Machine 0.4 14 utility line crossing along Sheikh Zaid Road Int-Method Statement 0.3 Special works required 15 Change in design Int-Scope 0.5 QUANTITAVIE RISK ANALYSIS ( Monte Carlo Simulation ) Monte Carlo simulation is a statistical method used to produce number of trials to determine the expected value of a random variable. The Risk register mentioned above indicates a variable Risk Probability the major task in a risk management plan is to ascertain the probability right. The above variable can range from minimum to maximum probability limits which are taken from individual interviews as well as the experts opinion. Aim of the simulation exercise in to derieve Expected probability value. This exercise is done on MS Excel separatly results of which are attached in Appendix D First step is to prepare a table as shown below which Sr No Risk Probability Minimum Probability Maximum 1 132 kv electic line relocation 7 10 2 1200mm dia water line 6 10 3 Sewerage line 5 10 4 Etisalat Line 4 8.5 5 Mobilization 4 4 6 Trial Trench works 6 9 7 Traffic Diversion scheme implementation 7 9 8 Toyota Building 6 9 9 Diversion of the Existing 600mm 300mm Water Diversion 6 9 10 Programme submission and approval 2 2 11 132 Kv electric line, water pipe valves , irrigation pipe valves , long lead material 4 6 12 Soil investigation , Pilling, Rebar subcontractor finalizatin 4 7 13 Plant machinary 3 6 14 Utility line crossing along Sheikh Zaid Road 4 6 15 Change in design 4 6 Once the table is ready the data is transferred to the excel sheet to perform simulation. The results from the simulation are summarized below Sr No Risk Probability Minimum Probability Maximum Probability From Simulation 1 132 kv electic line relocation 7 10 8.5 2 1200mm dia water line 6 10 8.0 3 Sewerage line 5 10 7.5 4 Etisalat Line 4 8.5 6.2 5 Mobilization 4 4 4.0 6 Trial Trench works 6 9 7.5 7 Traffic Diversion scheme implementation 7 9 8.0 8 Toyota Building 6 9 7.5 9 Diversion of the Existing 600mm 300mm Water Diversion 6 9 7.5 10 Programme submission and approval 2 2 2.0 11 132 Kv electric line, water pipe valves , irrigation pipe valves , long lead material 4 6 5.0 12 Soil investigation , Pilling, Rebar subcontractor finalizatin 4 7 5.5 13 Plant machinary 3 6 4.5 14 utility line crossing along Sheikh Zaid Road 4 6 5.0 15 Change in design 4 6 5.0 The above simulation is just a guide line to reach to a specific probality figures where as there are limitations to this method , one it is assumed that these variables for each risk are independent and analysed independently but practically there can be relationship between two or more risk issues. PERFORM QUALITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS Risk probability and Impact Matrix With the help of risk register, risk management plan the risk will be identified for qualitative analysis. These risks are listed and assigned a risk rating using Risk probability and Impact Matrix. Aim of this method is to identify the critical risks based Risk rating which represents frequency of occurrence and the risk probability it self. The listed risks are then categorized as per the matrix established below. The numbers in the matrix represents the risk numbers from the risk register, from the above matrix we can establish the below categories High Risk, Medium Risk Low Risk. Sr No Risk Risk Rating Probability Risk Type 1 132 kv electic line relocation 8 8.5 High 2 1200mm dia water line 7 8.0 High 3 Sewerage line 6 7.5 High 4 Etisalat Line 4 6.2 High 6 Trial Trench works 5 7.5 High 7 Traffic Diversion scheme implementation 8 8.0 High 8 Toyota Building 3 7.5 High 9 Diversion of the Existing 600mm 300mm Water Diversion 8 7.5 High 15 Change in design 6 5.0 High 10 Programme submission and approval 3 2.0 Low 5 Mobilization 5 4.0 Medium 11 132 Kv electric line, water pipe valves , irrigation pipe valves , long lead material 4 5.0 Medium 12 Soil investigation , Pilling, Rebar subcontractor finalization 2 5.5 Medium 13 Plant machinery 4 4.5 Medium 14 utility line crossing along Sheikh Zaid Road 3 5.0 Medium ROOT CAUSE / CURRENT REALITY TREE ANALYSIS The above identified and categorized risk need to be further analysed to identify the root cause in order to avoid a potential delay or prepare a mitigation plan or to prepare a recovery plan. The above major risks are here classified by Current reality tree method Appendix E and the Plan Risk Response The process of developing options and actions to enhance opportunities and reduce threats to project objective. Monitor Control Risk The process of implementing risk response plans, tracking identified risks, monitoring residual risks, identifying new risks, and evaluating risk processes effectiveness throughout the project. Indentify Risks The risks to be identified based on historical events of other projects as well as the expertise opinion on the current project. 1. Risk management methodology to be used Risk Identification The objective behind this is to prepare comprehensive list of risks based on those events that might enhance, prevent, degrade or delay the achievement of objectives stated earlier. Also consideration has to be given to all risks whether they are with in the control or not in control. Risk Assessment Questionnaire, historical delay events/reports of other projects will be used to identify the risk. The questionnaire will be asked to the Design Engineers, Resident Engineer, Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Quantity Surveyor, Quality/Material Egg, Planning Engineer etc. The data to be entered as per the formats attached in Appendix 1A. B. Categorize Risks The data collected from risk identification templates will be categorized as per the risks High Risks, Medium Risks, Low Risks also the probability of risk occurrence to be mentioned. The data to be entered as per the formats attached in Appendix 1B. Risk Impact Assessment For the each risk identified, the probability of risk occurrence for the particular risk will be established then asses impact of the same in terms of cost and time delay. Monte carols simulation, Decision tree analysis, and Failure Mode effect analysis to analyze risks one of these tools will be used to analyze the risk and forecast the impact. D. Prioritize Risks Risks that meet the threshold criteria will be recorded in the Risk Response Plan. E. Risk Response Planning: For each risk in the Risk Response Plan, determine the options and actions to reduce the likelihood or consequences of impact to the projects objectives. Determine the response based on a cost/benefit analysis (cost vs. expected effectiveness). Describe the actions to be taken to mitigate the risk Describe the actions to be taken when the risk event occurs (contingency plan) Assign responsibilities for each agreed upon response. Assigned a due date where risk responses are time sensitive Incorporated this information into the Risk Response Plan F. Monitor Risk: Document the dates and the actions taken to mitigate the risk Document the actions taken when the risk event occurred (contingency plan) Document any subsequent actions taken Incorporate this information into the Risk Response Plan Refer appendix 1F for the templates. Establish systematic reviews and schedule them in the project schedule. These reviews are to ensure: All of the requirements of the Risk Management Plan are being implemented Assess currently defined risks Evaluate effectiveness of actions taken Status of actions to be taken Validate previous risk assessment (likelihood and impact) Validate previous assumptions State new assumptions Identify new risks Risk Response Tracking Communications H. Control Risk: Validate mitigation strategies and alternatives. Take corrective action when actual events occur Assess impact on the project of actions taken ($$, time, resources) Identify new risks resulting from risk mitigation actions Ensure the Project Plan (including the Risk Management Plan) is maintained Ensure change control addresses risks associated with the proposed change Revise the Risk Assessment Questionnaire and other risk management documents to capture results of mitigation actions. Revise Risk Response Plan Communications 4. 8. Assumptions Only the project related risks are considered, the corporate issues, economy risks are not considered. Separate risk management plan is to be prepared for Occupational Health, Safety Environment as per IS14000 18000.The other significant assumptions to be mentioned if any. The application of the risk management plan is only limited to the construction work The objective behind risk management exercise is to implement a plan for a new project where as for dissertation purpose I have taken a old, ongoing project which gives realistic picture of delays happened so far and helps in analysis.

Income Tax in India :: Tax Taxes Taxation

Income Tax Estimator Income tax is a tax imposed on any individual or by a corporate by the government who earns income. In simple words, it is the tax paid on income. A survey says that paying Tax has been in existence for more than 2,500 years. People need to pay tax based on their profession. India is a pioneer in developing a stable tax system. The source for the income may be from salary, House/Property, Business and Profession, capital gains, and income from other sources. This tax is the contribution by an individual or group of individuals for the development of the Country. Income from Salary: All income received in the form of salary can be taxed. It is the money received by an individual from an employer. †¢ Medical reimbursements (up to INR 15,000 /yr) are tax free when it is supported by necessary bills. †¢ Conveyance allowance (up to INR 800/month) is tax free and no bills are required. Income from House / Property: Income from House or other property is estimated from the Annual value. The annual value includes the Rent received, Municipal Valuation and Market value. Capital Gains: Capital gains are form of income acquired from selling capital assets. The capital assets include real estate, equity, shares, bonds, Jewellery, art work and paintings etc. Sale of capital assets is a form of income. Income Exempt from tax: †¢ Any Money received from an Insurance company by maturity of an insurance policy is an income which has tax exempt. †¢ Income from Public Provident Fund (PPE). †¢ Some deduction also comes under tax exempt if the total limit of the deduction is not more than INR 100,000. The deductions can be from any one of the following: †¢ Contribution for Provident Fund †¢ Money paid for life insurance scheme. †¢ Investment in pension plans. †¢ Investments in mutual funds. †¢ Investment in National Savings Certificates. †¢ Re - payment of housing loans or any registration fee paid. †¢ Payments made for tuition fees for children paid to school or college or any other educational institution. Medical insurance: Medi-claim policies provide us a deduction from tax up to INR 15000 and for the senior citizens it is INR 20,000. This deduction is not applicable only for the amount paid for them but also for the amount paid for their spouse, parents or children. Interest paid on Housing Loans: Interest paid on a housing loan up to INR 150,000 per year is tax free. Tax brackets: Income tax brackets for individual is divided into three slabs Income tax is not applicable for individuals whose annual income does not exceeds INR 110,000 and for women it is INR 145,000 and INR 195,00 for senior citizens.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Free Essays - Role Playing in A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

Role Playing in A Farewell to Arms In Hemingway's novel, A Farewell to Arms, the principle characters, Henry and Catherine, are forced by the war to face the fact of human mortality. As a defense mechanism, the two main characters, and several others, turn to "role-playing" as a way to escape reality. Hemingway utilized role-playing as a way to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. By placing Henry's ordered life in opposition to Catherine's topsy-turvy one, and then letting each one assume a role which will bring them closer together, Hemingway shows the pair's inability to accept their own mortality. John Stubbs' has written an essay that examines the "role-playing" that Henry and Catherine use to protect themselves from the discovery of their insignificance and "powerlessness...in a world indifferent to their well being..." Stubbs begins by showing other examples, notably in In Our Time and The Sun Also Rises, in which Hemingway's characters revert to role-playing in order to escape or retreat from their lives. The ability to create characters who play roles, he says, either to "maintain self-esteem" or to escape, is one Hemingway exploits extraordinarily well in A Farewell to Arms and therefore it "is his richest and most successful handling of human beings trying to come to terms with their vulnerability." As far as Stubbs is concerned, Hemingway is quite blatant in letting us know that role-playing is what is occurring. He tells that the role-playing begins during Henry and Catherine's third encounter, when Catherine directly dictates what is spoken by Henry. After this meeting the two become increasingly comfortable with their roles and easily adopt them whenever the other is nearby. This is apparent also in that they can only successfully play their roles when they are in private and any disturbance causes the "game" to be disrupted. The intrusion of the outside world in any form makes their role-playing impossible, as evidenced at the race track in Milan, where they must be alone. The people surrounding them make Catherine feel uncomfortable and Henry has to take her away from the crowd. He goes on to describe how it is impossible for them to play the roles when they are apart and how they therefore become more dependent upon each other's company. Stubbs goes on to explain how, "neither mistakes role-playing for a truly intimate relationship, but both recognize that it can be a useful device for satisfying certain emotional needs.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Authors Character in A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConn

â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is a short story written by Flannery O’ Connor. O’Connor was an American writer whose writings always incorporated humor into a sad or devastating situation. Her collections include 31 short stories, two novels, and a couple of letters and speeches. O’Connor is most famous for her short story works. In numerous works of her, her conscious craftsmanship was revealed and also the devoted role that Roman Catholicism plays in her life (Flannery) O’ Connor was born the only child to her parents in Savannah, Georgia. Her father was a real estate agent and her mother was born into a very prominent family. When O’ Connor was twelve years old, her family moved back to her mothers hometown of Milledgeville, GA where her father was also the mayor of for a couple of years. Milledgeville was known as the ‘crazy’ town in Georgia. Milledgeville was home to one of the largest mental institutions in the United States. At the time this story was written, the hospital had 13,000 mentally ill patients hospitalized there. She was surrounded by crazy people. The influence of living in Milledgeville helped her in writing her stories. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is one of O’Connor’s best and well known works. The work tells the story of a normal every day family and their trip to Florida. The trip begins as normal trips do, but then turns and there is an unexpected twist thrown in. The family encounters an escaped criminal who named himself The Misfit. The criminal and his accomplices threaten the family’s’ life, but while doing so are also very friendly and courteous. In a desperate attempt to save herself and her family, the grandmother begins talking to The Misfit telling him that she believes he really is a g... ... job with this story and I believe any reader can find some one or something in the story they can relate to and can apply the story to their every day life. The story has many lessons and morals that can be learned but adds a humorous twist to things. So I leave with this final though, in the words of Wendell Berry, â€Å"Practice Resurrection!† Works Citied â€Å"Flannery O’Connor† Tegasos Literature. 1 Feb 2006. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† Discovering Literature. 3 Edition. Hans P. Guth and Gabrielle Rico, Eds. Uppersaddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall,2003:(355-365)† Woodiwis, Anna. â€Å"Jesus thrown everything off balance† Writings @ Swarthmore. 2003. WA Program at Swarthmore College. 1 Feb 2006.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Art of public speaking Essay

Chapter 1: Speaking in public Power of Public Speaking Greek Pericles: one who forms a judgment on any point but cannot explain it clearly might as well never had thought at all on the subject† Public speaking is consistently rated high on employers lists The Tradition of Public Speaking Historical people who used speaking effectively Similarities and Differences in Public Speaking and Daily Conversation Similarities Organizing your thoughts logically Tailoring your message to your audience Telling a story for maximum impact- building up your story Adapting to listener feedback Differences Speaking to groups is very highly structured Strict time restrictions Most don’t allow for question interruptions (must plan for and anticipate questions that might arise in listeners mind) Public Speaking requires more formal language No slang jargon bad grammar or curse words Highly structured Public Speaking requires a different method of delivery Proper posture, no vocalizing fillers for times ( uhh, urm, ehh) and avoid distracting mannerisms (hand talking) and verbal habits Developing confidence: In your speech class  40 % of people said public speaking was worst fear Everyone gets nervous at speaking, great speakers use this to help their speech Focus on transforming nervousness to one of positive nervousness ( controlled nervousness that helps energize a speaker for their presentation) Tricks to turn nervousness from negative to positive Get experience in speaking- the more you do it the les scary it will be  because its not new and threatening Be prepared- 1- hours for every minute spoken Pick topics that are close to you Think Positively: 5 positive thoughts for every negative one Visualize you speaking well You don’t look as nervous as you think Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Critical Thinking- focused organized thinking about such things as the logical relationships among ideas, the soundness of evidence and the difference between fact and opinion The Speech Communication Process Speaker Be enthusiastic for people to be engaged in your speech Message Have and intended message that will be actually be communicated Keep a narrowed topic Be aware of the message you are sending with your voice, appearance, gestures, facial expressions and eye contact. Don’t let your non verbal cues distract from your intended message Channel- the means by which a message is communicated by Listener-person receiving spoken messages Frame of reference- the total of the listeners knowledge, experience, goals, values, and attitudes Because the speaker and listener will never have the same meaning of a speech itll carry a different meaning for each of them Feedback- messages sent for listener to speaker Interferencee- anything impeding the communication of the message Extental- outside distracting noises or situations Internal- distractions cominmg from the inside of a listner Situation-time and place communication is going down Taioloring a speech to the context of the event (graduation, funeral, church) Public Speaking in a Multicultural World Language is the biggest barrier betweent difference in cultures Enthocentrisim- belief that ones own culture is superior Chapter 2: Ethics and Public Speaking The Importance of ethics Guidelines for ethical speaking Make sure goals are ethically sound Just because your ethical background makes you for an issue someoe who mamkes a descision against you based on their ethics doesn’t make them wrong Be fully prepared for a speech Be prepared because you not only was your time if you speak badly but you waste the individuals in the audiences’ times as well. Be Honest Hiding the truth to protect the vast community isn’t unethical but lying to protect yourself is Don’t juggle statistics, quote outa context, misrepresenting sources, painting tentative findings as finite, citing unique situations as normal representation or substitute innuendo and half-truths for proof Avoid Name calling and abusive language Name calling- the use of stereotypical labels meant to degrade and dehumanize and silence opposing sides. Using such language is a destructive social force and will also make your audience doubt you entire speech and message Plagiarism- passing off someone else’s work as your own without credit Global Plagiarism- copying an entire document or speech verbatim Patchwork Plagiarism- piecing together more than one document and passing of as your own. Can have some transitions but a vast majority is completely copied Incremental Plagiarism- failing to give credit to an author of a quotation or paraphrase of ideas Ways to stop accidental plagiarism Take note of title of document Group/person responsible for the document Date document was last updated Date site was accessed Guidelines for ethical listening Be courteous and attentive Avoid prejudging the speaker Maintain free and open expression of ideas Chapter 3: Listening Listening is Important Listening- pay close attention to and making sense of what we hear Good listening improves efficient, sales, customer satisfaction and employee morale Effective listening correlates to higher grades Listening and Critical Thinking Types of listeners Appreciative listening- listening for pleasure or enjoyment Music movies comedy Empathic listening- listening to provide emotional support for a speaker Friends, family, psychiatrist Comprehensive listening- listening to understand the message of a speaker Class room lecture, listening to directions Critical listening- listening to evaluate a message for purposes of accepting or rejoicing it Sales pitch, campaign speeches, sermons Four Causes of Poor Listening Not Concentrating Letting your mind wander and not focus on what is being said Listening too hard Trying to remember insignificant amounts of information verses the speakers main points Jumping to conclusions Instead of waiting for answers just assuming the worst and going with it Marking a speakers message as unimportant before even giving them a chance Focusing on delivery and personal appearance How to become a better Listener Take Listening Seriously Be an Active Listener Give your undivided attention to the speaker to genuinely try and understand their point of view Resist distractions Try anticipate what the speaker might say Review what the speaker has already said Don’t be Diverted by Appearance or Delivery Suspend judgment Until you hear the entire speech Set aside your own prejudices, frames of reference and desires to fully  appreciate what the speaker is trying to get across A closed mind is an empty mind Focus your Listening Listen for Main Points Listen for evidence Matched up with the main points to support them Questions to ask about evidence Is it accurate? Is it taken from objective sources? Is it relevant to the speaker’s claims? Is it sufficient to support the speaker’s point? Listen for technique Take note of any speakers techniques of delivering the speech to better your own speech techniques Developing good note taking skills Focus on important main points The key word outline- outline that briefly notes a speakers main points and supporting evidence in rough outline form Chapter 4: Giving Your First Speech Preparing Your Speech Developing your Speech Focusing Your Topic Don’t try and cover everything Stick to the time limit Developing Your Topic Be creative Only use humor if it comes natural and doesn’t offend any one Organizing the Speech Introduction Grab the interests of the audience Orient audience with subject matter of speech Body Organize either chronologically or topically Use effective transitions Limit and focus number of main points Conclusion Relate back to intro without restating Signal that you are concluding End strongly Delivering your Speech Speaking Extemporaneously (appears conversational) A hybrid between writing the whole speech and writing nothing Uses a brief structured outline but uses spontaneity to help fill in the gaps Rehearsing the Speech Presenting the Speech Starting Relaxed natural posture Look confident Plant your feet keep natural small gestures Eye contact Very important and will impress audience Voice Use inflections; don’t go over bored; don’t sound monotone Projection is key SLOW DOWN Chapter 5: Selecting a Topic and a Purpose Choosing a Topic Topics you know a lot about Draws from your own experiences and knowledge Think unusual and unique to you Topics you want to know more about Something you are interested in but have little knowledge in without research Something you have very strong opinions in Brain Storming Personal Inventory Write everything about you( hobbies, experiences, likes, opinions, everything) and decide where to go from there Clustering Make nine lists of about 4-5 entries (people places things events processes concepts natural phemonoms problems and plans) From that big list pick 3-4 entries that interest you and free- associate those out until you get a  unique interesting speech idea Internet Search Scan an online web site based encyclopedia like thing for possible topics Determining the General Purpose To inform Acting like a teacher giving a lecture To persuade Acting like a partisan or advocate Determining the Specific Purpose Narrow down into 1 sentence Tips for formulating the Specific purpose statement Write the Purpose as a complete sentence Express your purpose as a statement, not as a question Avoid Figurative Language Limit to one idea Make sure purpose isn’t vague/ general Phrasing the Central Idea Chapter 6: Analyzing the Audience Audience-Centeredness Important questions Who am I speaking to What do I want them to know/believe/or do as a result of my speech What is the most effective way to compose my speech to get this aim Your classmates as an audience The psychology of audiences People are egocentric and only care about what they are going to get from a speech Your audience will only grasp concepts in their frame of reference Demographic audience analysis Age Each generation has similar general values and experience that shape them differently from the rest Gender Men and woman are not alike in their beliefs so take account of that Religion Sexual Orientation Be inclusive and avoid derogatory terms like lifestyle and homosexual Race, ethnic and cultural Backgrounds Group Memberships BASICALLY BE GENERAL AF AND DON’T STEP ON ANYONES TOES EVER BCZ PEOPLE ARE SENSITIVE Don’t try to fully change their viewpoints just open their minds Situational audience analysis-audience analysis that focuses on situational factors such as size physical setting and the disposition of the audience to the speaker, topic, and occasion Size Larger=more formal Size effects.. Language Choice of appeals Visual aids Physical setting Disposition toward the topic Things that effect the likelihood your audience will be captivated Interest Knowledge and interest goes hand in hand Knowledge Attitude Disposition toward the speaker Talk about things you are an expert on and definitely stay away from things you cant relate to Disposition toward the occasion Don’t go against the norm of typical speeches recognized at such occasions Getting information about the audience Adapting to the audience Chapter 7: Gathering Materials Using your own knowledge and experience Doing library research Resources you should use Librarians Catalogue Reference books Encyclopedias Yearbooks Quotation books Biographical aids Newspaper and periodical databases Academic databases

Friday, August 16, 2019

Business and Administration Unit 1 Assessment 1

Unit one: Principles of personal responsibilities and working in a business environment Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. †¢ The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk †¢ Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly †¢ When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference †¢ Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number.Please note that this Assessment document has 8 pages and is made up of 7 Sections. Name: Devan Primus Business and Administration Unit 1 Assessment 1 Section 1 – Know the employment rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer 1. Identify four main points that would be included in a contract of employment. If possible, use an example contract to support your answer (feel free to obscure any confidential information). Place of employment S. Com Group Limited (Company Registration Number 02209742) whose registered office is at 800 the boulevard, Capability Green, Luton, Bedfordshire.LU1 3BA Job Title Warehouseman Start Date The date in which an employee would commence work Holidays e. g. The contractor will be entitled to accrue, on a pro rata basis, 28 days of paid holiday per year (for the avoidance of doubt the 28 days are including Bank Holidays). payments for holiday will be calculated on the basis of the Normal Rate. Holidays may only be taken with the prior written consent of S. Com. The contractor shall endeavour to co-operate with the Clients requirements at all times and any request for paid holiday should be made as far in advance as possible.The Contractor must record all authorised holiday in the relevant timesheet. 2a) List three key points of legislation that affect employers in a business environm ent. Security Data Protection Health and Safety 2b) List three key points of legislation that affect employees in a business environment. Employment Rights and Responsibilities Grievance Procedure Equal Opportunities 3. Identify a range of places where a person can find information on employment rights and responsibilities. You should identify at least two internal and two external sources of information.You can get internal information from you line manager or a representative from your trade union. You can also find external information from the government websites and libraries. 4. Describe how representative bodies can support employees. For example Trade Unions can help employees with such things as disciplinary hearings and any disputes employees have regarding wages, holidays or even changes in the work place. 5. Briefly describe employer and employee responsibilities for equality and diversity in a business environment.You should give at least two employer responsibilities a nd two employee responsibilities. If possible, provide relevant equality and diversity procedures from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. When hiring a new employee a company should never discriminate. For example if they interview a person who was over weight or from an ethnic background, they should still be considered for the job based on their skill set not their background or how they look.Also as a company stake holder’s, manager and team leaders have a responsibility to ensure and maintain equality and diversity throughout the company to make sure every employee is respected and treated fairly. Every individual employee is responsible for their own behaviour and actions. They should never make another employee feel unsafe, singled out or be unfairly treated. Any employee who is ever witness to such discrimination has a duty to report it to the relevant management without fea r of being discriminated against themselves. . Briefly explain the benefits of making sure equality and diversity procedures are followed in a business environment. Your answer should include one benefit for the employer, one benefit for the employee and one benefit for the overall organisation. Employee By offering employees training opportunities who are willing to gain extra skills to progress in their career, they will find staff will work harder and be more productive. In the long run staff will feel appreciated knowing their all being treated fairly.Employer By offering training opportunities and not discriminating in any way or form, the company can bring in talented people from all backgrounds that in turn will bring fresh and new ideas. Organisation Overall outcome for the company will see a happier work force and productivity increased possibly leading to increased profits. Section 2 – Understand the purpose of health, safety and security procedures in a business en vironment 1. Identify employer and employee responsibilities for health, safety and security.If possible, provide relevant health, safety and security policies / documents from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. An employer is responsible to ensure that all workers have a safe place to work in regards to their health and safety. They must assess any risks an employee will encounter whilst in the work place, not only this but anyone who comes into contact with their business. Risk assessments should be carried out and information given to all employees making them aware of all isks and how to deal with situations if and when they arise, this can be achieved by training staff on relevant protocols and use of equipment. It is an employees responsibility to look after themselves an that of others who may be affected by their actions at work, employee, co-workers and employer must work togethe r to ensure that everyone meets their legal requirements. If an employee has any worries about health and safety in their work place they should voice their queries to either a manager, team leader or a health and safety representative.To support my answer I have some health, safety and security polices from an old place of work. Risk Assessments/Methods Statements †¢ Make sure you know what hazards exist before you start work. Have them communicated to you. †¢ Always follow instructions given to you by your line manager/supervisor. †¢ Risk assessments/method statements have been completed for your protection and are there to create awareness of the hazards you may be subjected to. Ask to read the assessments before you commence work. Machinery and Equipment Use only serviced and tested equipment †¢ Use the machinery or equipment for the purpose it is intended. †¢ Know the location of the cut off switch. †¢ Ensure that you have been trained and authoris ed to use that item of machinery or equipment. †¢ If defective equipment is found, clearly mark it, ensure no one else can use it and report it to your line manager/supervisor. †¢ Read instructions carefully before operation. If in doubt ask. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) †¢ You must co-operate with PALL by wearing PPE to combat potential hazards. Factory floor employees must provide their own safety boots and overalls. †¢ Protective eye goggles are to be worn at all times on the factory floor. 2. Explain the purpose of following health, safety and security procedures in a business environment. Following these procedures is very vital for a company, keeping its staff safe is a main priority when it comes to health, safety and security. Keeping employee’s information confidential meeting legal responsibilities in regards to the data protection act, also protecting staff from personal attack or assault. . Describe three different ways of maintaining a safe and secure business environment. Three different ways of maintaining a safe and secure business could be †¢ Using passwords on computers to stop unauthorised access †¢ Making sure valuables are locked away and kept out of sight †¢ Reporting any security issues to the appropriate person Section 3 – Understand how to communicate effectively with others 1. Complete the table below with descriptions of different methods of communication.You should include two verbal, two non-verbal and two written methods of communication. |Methods of communication |Description | |Verbal communication |1. Standing in front of colleagues giving a presentation. | | | | | | | |2. Having a conversation over the telephone. | | | | | | | |Non-verbal communication |1.Body language i. e. facial expression and peoples attitudes. | | | | | | | | |2. persons posture or hand movements | | | | | | | |Written communication |1.Writing an email to a colleague | | | | | | | | |2. ending a letter to a client | | | | | | | 2. Using two specific examples, explain how to choose the most appropriate method of communication to meet your needs and the needs of others.If you had a deadline to meet and had to make changes at the last minute to a project, you would need to inform all relevant people of the changes as soon as possible. The most appropriate method would be verbal communication as sending an email for instance may get to all recipients to late. Written communication is a most appropriate method when detailed information or instructions are required, for example a client or business associate is far away to easily speak to over the phone or in person. 3. Describe at least two ways of actively listening. Showing eye contact is a good way to show that you are listening to someone when they talking. †¢ Also writing down notes and questions to be asked at the appropriate time. Section 4 – Understand how to work with and support colleag ues 1. Explain the purpose of agreeing standards for your own work. Give at least two reasons. If the employee agrees to work place standards it gives the employee a better understanding of what is expected of them, this also enables them to keep track of their own progress and performance.Work place standards are set and known by managers, if employees don’t stick to them this could lead to employees interpreting the own ways of doing things causing conflict between themselves and other colleagues. 2. Explain the purpose of taking on new challenges and being able to adapt to change at work. Being able to take on new challenges at work would make you more valuable to an organisation, if you are more willing to learn new skills and progress with the company you could find yourself in a new job role with more responsibility.There are many reasons for change in the work place and most of these are made to make the organisation be more efficient for themselves, employees, clients and to stay inline with the ever changing legal requirements. 3. Explain the purpose of treating others with honesty and consideration. As the saying goes ‘do unto others as you would expect them to do unto you’. If u treat everybody the same with honesty and respect they will show you the same in return. This will make the work place and its employees run more smoothly with fewer hiccups.Every person is an individual and has their own problems but if you show respect they are more likely to open up and in turn begin to trust. This doesn’t mean you have to agree with them but shows you are willing to listen to their opinions and ideas, in the long run things can be achieved which will benefit everyone. Section 5 – Know how to plan own work and be accountable to others 1. Explain the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines when completing tasks in a business environment. It is important to stick to work standards and deadlines in a company as failu re to do so could to adverse outcomes for the organisation.Every body has their duties and responsibilities and if they are not executed properly it can have a knock on effect and lead to the loss of clients and not hitting set out targets. 2. Describe two different methods that you can use to plan your own work in a business environment. By planning your work before starting a task you’re making yourself aware of what need to be achieved. You can do this by prioritising your work load getting the more important aspects done first and the lesser important task after.Avoiding any distractions that will cause you to lose site of what you have to achieve in a set timescale, this could be stopping to chat or other colleagues asking you to do trivial task which could be done at a later time, apologise and continue with your work. 3. Describe ways of keeping other people informed about progress and compare their effectiveness. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each approach? T elephone conversation You can keep your manager informed by telephone to update him/her on your progress.He or she will get all the information they need quicker but by communicating in this way it could lead to missed out information Meetings This is a good way of informing your manager and colleagues of your progress. The only draw back is its a little time consuming; nether the less you can fill your manager in with all the relevant information and also give an estimated completion time, if you feel you won’t get the job completed on time you can ask your manager for an extension. Section 6 – Understand the purpose of improving own performance in a business environment and how to do so 1.Explain the purpose of continuously improving your performance in a business environment. Continuing to improve your own performance can lead to better prospects for an employee. The better an employee is at their job the more chance of possible training, promotion or pay rise and h ave a long-term affect on their career prospects. This will make an employee constantly think about what they can achieve and end up with job satisfaction. 2. Describe at least two ways of improving your performance at work. Where relevant, illustrate your answer with specific examples from your own experience.Set yourself career targets as to where you would like to be in life. Try to take on extra responsibility at work and show team leaders/managers that you are capable of hard word. In previous employment I worked harder and it paid off, I was given extra responsibility to run a team of colleagues in the restaurant and make sure my section ran as smoothly as possible. 3. Briefly describe at least two different types of career pathways that may be available to you. I could take on a higher position in my current employment whether that is a team leader, supervisor or manager preferably a managerial position.Other options available to me could be in sales or even IT. Section 7 â⠂¬â€œ Understand the types of problems that may occur in a business environment and how to deal with them 1. Identify at least two different types of problems that can occur in a business environment. A minor incident could be that a customer had booked a table at your restaurant and on arrival be told that there is no reservation on the computer system. This could easily be resolved by apologising to the customer and getting them a new table as quick as possible.A major incident could be that a customer has had a serious trip or fall on the premises and for this type of incident I would call a manager. I feel a manager with more experience than myself would be better at handling this kind of situation in regards to legal obligation and how best to assist the customer. 2. Complete the table below by describing at least two specific problems that can occur at work and how they can be dealt with. |Problem |Dealing with the problem | |1.A customer has been waiting a long time for a me al they had |Go over to the customer and apologise for the delay and with the say| |ordered. |so from my manager offer a complimentary drink. | | | | | | | | | | |2.A customer has a complaint about a meal received from the |Speak to the customer and indentify what the problem is, take the | |kitchen. |food back to the kitchen and explain what is wrong with the food. | | |Ask the customer if they would like a replacement or prefer a | | |refund. | | | 3. Complete the table below by listing at least two problems you are able to deal with yourself and two problems you would need to refer to others to deal with (and how you would refer these problems). |Problems I can deal with: |Problems I would need to refer to others: |How are problems referred to others? | |1. |1. | |Customer toilets have run out of toilet roll. |A cooker in the kitchen has stopped working. |Ring maintenance explain the situation and | | | |ask for help | | | | | | | | |2. |2. | | |There’s a spill age in the kitchen. |You know of a colleague bullying another |Raise awareness to the relevant superior | | |member of staff. |manager. | | | | | | | | | | | | Once you have completed all 7 Sections of this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking.