Research methods on financial management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research methods on financial management - Essay Example This paper analysis the Fishers hypothesis using data for the UK over the last 20 years, the main aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between interest rate and inflation, the main aim of this analysis is to show that real interest rate is equal to expected inflation rate plus nominal interest rates, the paper also analysis the underlying theories that depict the relationship between the variables. Interest rates and inflation are important economic variables, high levels inflation in an economy shows that there is something wrong in the economy and policy makers will try and reduce the high inflation rate. However the Fishers model may not hold in the short run given that the policy makers may alter interest rates in the short run, a study by Yuhn (1996) showed that the relationship between interest rate and inflation was stronger over the long run than in the short run. The Fishers hypothesis depicts that nominal interest rates do not depend on monetary policy measures and that there is a positive relationship between nominal interest rate and the expected inflation rate. The Fisher hypothesis model states that real interest rate is equal to nominal interest rate plus expected inflation rate stated as R = I + ÃŽ  e where R is real interest rate, ÃŽ  e is the expected inflation rate and I is nominal interest rate. The Fishers hypothesis model is also stated as I =ÃŽ ± + ÃŽ ²ÃŽ  et where I is nominal interest rate and ÃŽ  et is expected inflation. The value of ÃŽ ² is expected to be positive and a value of ÃŽ ² = 1 shows the strong version of the Fishers hypothesis. The paper analysis the correlation between the variables and help identify whether there is a strong positive relationship between inflation and nominal interest rate, however the correlation coefficient value only shows how two variables move together and this means that there is need to run a regression model that states the

We Can Never Can Tell Essay Example for Free

We Can Never Can Tell Essay It’s funny how things always turn out different than how we expect or want them to. It becomes funny eventually but for the most part, it’s hard. In some cases, painful at first. I am always caught saying â€Å"we can never can tell†. Sometimes, it’s just my excuse and sometimes, I just like saying it because it sounds nice but there is truth to it. Whoever knows what will happen next? Whatever is â€Å"next† – the next time, next person, next tragedy, next tear, next smile. We can plan, predict, speculate, estimate†¦ but truth is, we really can never can tell. Otherwise, where’s the fun in that?†¦ is what they say. Honestly though, don’t you sometimes wish to know what’s next for you in life? Much more, where are all of these life struggles and adventures leading us to? Where am I going to end up? With who? It’s not like you want to impatiently fast-forward to the end of your life but you just want to know if in the end of all these crisis and drama, everything is going to be alfckingright just like what they always tell you when you’re shitfckin depressed. You just want to know if having to struggle today means having a bright future tomorrow or will it be a recurring struggle, or worse, an endless pit of struggle. It’s not fair nor is it right to question life and its purpose but wouldn’t that be nice? A little bit of assurance would be nice. Lucky are those who have their future stable and planned out perfectly fine even before they were born. Trust fund babies, children or relatives of influential people, political dynasties, celebrity children, children of multimillionaires, even those who were born with beautiful genes, because that actually makes their lives easier (feel free to disagree). ***Please don’t refer or send me a copy of The Purpose Driven Life because somebody already did, thank you. On a semi-irrelevant note (depending on how you comprehend it), I have learned that the lack of choices makes you a better person or to put it more rationally, makes you better at what you do. Giving yourself choices is tempting yourself to easily quit one decision and move on to the other instead of making things work; whereas when you’re stuck with only one, you have no other choice but to move forward, make it last, make it work, therefore you strive to be better. Having choices opens up opportunities for comparison, and comparison never leads to contentment and happiness, from what I know. Having a job while knowing that there are still hundreds of available other jobs will make it hard for you to value and stay in your current job (pardon my confusing sentence). You will always wonder what the others has to offer and how you could be wasting your time doing what you think you don’t deserve, instead of working hard to succeed in it and make things better. Having a girlfriend while knowing that there are still hundreds of available other girls who could be sexier and more attractive than her will make it hard for you to be faithful and contented. Especially when you’re fully aware that you’re a good-looking sonuvabitch who thinks you can have any girl you want. You will always wonder if there is someone or something better for you hence disregarding the notion that you may actually have in your hands the best choice. Am I right or am I right? Choices are fallbacks. It’s easy to quit, to let go, to turn around, to give up, to not try hard, when you know you have a fallback that conveniently catches you anytime, everytime. Contentment is inversely proportional to our number of choices (and I realized that just now). The more choices, the harder for us to be contented†¦ and happy. Feel free to disagree.

Deconstructing the clock Essay -- essays research papers

Summary Ever since the dawn of civilization we have observed time by its natural occurrence and we also relied on man made primitive tools to measure time. In the beginning, time has always been a natural event, for example, sunrise to sunset but men’s earlier primitive tools to measure time were inaccurate and were only an approximate indicator, hence often unreliable such as the hour glass.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We became enslaved by the concept of time; our society is controlled by this mechanical device which dictates our schedule accordingly. Time has evolved from a simple method of nature into a measurable product which can be sold and bought. The industrial capitalism owes its existence to the concept of time, without time, the means of worker exploitation wouldn’t exist today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The clock first appeared during the 11th century â€Å"...as a device for ringing bells at regular intervals in monasteries†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Woodcock 883). During the 13th century the first authenticated clock appeared then 14th century came to popularizes clocks â€Å"†¦as common ornaments of the public building in German cities† (Woodcock 883). The early clocks were operated by weight and weren’t really accurate to depend on but during the 16th century, a greater reliability was achieved, the Hampton clock was the first accurate clock in the 1540’s. The Hampton clock only had the hour hands and the two other hands are still not implemented â€Å"The idea of measuring time in minut...

America’s educational system Essay

Introduction As America’s educational system continues to strengthen and develop, a focus on individualized instruction and intervention within the regular education classroom has been brought forth in an attempt to keep struggling students from falling behind. This specific additional instruction and intervention, known as Response to Intervention in most states (RtI), is not only viewed as a push towards the improvement of education for all students, but is also being used as the means by which decisions regarding a student’s special education eligibility is based upon. However, for such a program to ultimately be beneficial, it will be up to the schools to ensure that the education professionals are putting forth significant effort in using the most appropriate type of intervention for that specific student. It will be the RtI team’s duty to define the student’s problem, plan an intervention, implement the intervention, and regularly evaluate the student’s progress (Martinez & Young, 2011, p. 44). Various interventions should be attempted if the scheduled improvement is not initially apparent. Statement of the Problem The groundbreaking passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, the long overdue act which provided official protection of the rights and individual needs of those with disabilities within the educational system, sparked the remarkable increase of students being quickly diagnosed with a learning disability in whatever subject the specific student was struggling in (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 18). It was also noted that the majority of this increase in special education was found to be packed with minority students due to the deficient amount of teacher cultural awareness within the classroom. The special education identification method of Response to Intervention came about as education personnel searched for appropriate ways to identify students who genuinely required special education and attempted to remove the subjectivity from the identification process that had caused the previous increase (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 18). Instead of instinctively assuming that a struggling student has an LD, therefore immediately referring him or her for special education, educators need to attempt to reach this student by using other methods of instruction  that are research-based and proven to be highly-effective. Purpose of the Study This paper is designed to inform the readers about the core principals of Response to Intervention, the roles of school personnel, effective implementation, how educators are reacting to the process, and how RtI is filtering into the behavioral domains of the classroom. Both positive and negative aspects of Response to Intervention will be presented. The research is current and needs to be added to the available body of knowledge. Significance of the Problem Providing quality education to the children of this nation will hopefully always be unquestionably significant to society. The growth and development of society essentially relies on such provision. Considering this reality, the actual effort an educator makes in order to guarantee that each individual child is presented with the opportunity to reach his or her full potential academically will not only affect this individual child’s future, but the future of all of America. With the proper implementation of the Response to Intervention framework within the nation’s educational system, the appropriate exertion of effort from educators can be ensured. Limitations This article’s content was taken from database research using scholarly sources. It was researched and written in a period of 15 weeks with the required minimum of 15 pages but limited to 20. Response to Intervention is the structured process implemented by education personnel in which individualized instruction and intervention is provided for students who are struggling either academically or behaviorally (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.44). RtI’s purpose is also to serve in the early identification and preventative intervention process with hopes of ultimately reducing the amount of inappropriate special education referrals that are issued due to poor instruction. In order to construct a sound Response to Intervention framework within a school, the core principles of RtI need to be efficiently developed. Attention to each of Rudebusch’s principles from The Source for RTI: Response to Intervention will help to  ensure a more successful intervention process and should be used as a guide for educators. These principles include: We can effectively teach all children Intervene early Use a multi-tier model of service delivery Use a problem-solving method to make decisions Use research based, scientifically validated instruction and intervention Monitor student progress to shape instruction Make decisions by using student performance data Use assessment for a variety of purposes (Rudebusch, 2008, p.20). As the general educator develops and constructs his or her own plan within the classroom, it is important that he or she fully understand that effectively teaching all kinds of children is possible. Thanks to No Child Left Behind (2001), teachers are now expected to deliver high-quality instruction to their students at all times as well as be held accountable for their student’s achievement (Osborne & Russo, 2008, p.17). To push for student achievement, and for high-quality instruction to occur, teachers need to implement both explicit and systematic instruction. This explicit instruction is especially important in the beginning stages of the widely-followed model of teaching provided within the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model. Rudebusch states; â€Å"The instructional sequence gradually moves each student from teacher-dependence to learning-independence. The teacher focuses the lesson with explicit instruction, uses guided instruction and student teamwork to practice the skills, and finally, allows students to demonstrate independent mastery of the skill.† Teacher responsibility decreases as student responsibility increases. This process also helps children in developing crucial self-regulated learning skills. Self-regulation can be defined as â€Å"the child’s capacity to plan, guide, and monitor his or her behavior from within and flexibly according to changing circumstances,† (Bramer, 2011, p.41). The development of this proficiency is critical as it will push the child to take control of his or her own learning helping to bring about a sense of independence which is the main focus of the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model. High-quality instruction has been filtered through the  self-regulated learner’s education. The second core principle of RtI provided by Rudebusch establishes the significance of early intervention. As soon as a child reveals any signs or symptoms regarding academic or behavioral difficulties to come, the educator is to intervene in order to attempt to keep the student on a similar pace compared to others in his or her same grade (Rudebusch, 2008, p.22). Students who receive such assistance early have been known to need fewer special education services as well as fewer rehabilitative services throughout the entirety of their education. The U.S. Department of Education states that intervening during preschool years can â€Å"enhance the child’s development, provide support and assistance to the family, and maximize the child’s and family’s benefit to society† (Rudebusch, 2008, p.22). If the child is identified at an early age then there is a greater possibility that they will benefit from the intervention strategies that are designed to meet their personal needs. Early intervention is also supported legislatively as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) addresses the guidelines. Part C of IDEA â€Å"addresses services for children from birth to age 3 and their families, and section 619 of Part B†¦covers services for children ages 3 to 5,† (Bruder, 2010, p.339). Using a multi-tier model of service delivery allows struggling students to be provided with increasing levels of support in regards to their specific areas of difficulty. Each level varies in time consumption, intensity, and the amount of students receiving intervention. Whether they are receiving intervention in small structured groups using specific organized programs, or more intensive, individualized intervention that is provided for longer periods of time, this model of service delivery has been constructed to ultimately prevent future academic and/or behavioral problems, as well as assist in identifying students who actually posses specific learning disabilities (Rudebusch, 2008, p.23). RtI models are typically created with at least three tiers. From the description provided by Amy Detgen, Mika Yamashita, Brittany Davis, and Sara Wraight, in State Policies and Procedures on Response to Intervention in the Midwest Region, we are provided with a brief description and purpose of e ach tier: Tier 1:  Evidence-based instruction provided to all students in the general education classroom. Student progress is continually monitored. Tier 2: Small-group supplemental instruction provided to students who fail to make adequate progress in the general classroom. Programs and strategies are designed to supplement tier 1 instruction. Tier 3: Specialized and individualized instruction provided to students who are not responding to tier 2 interventions. Throughout each of these tiers, the progress of each individual student is monitored as data is collected and evaluated. This process is completed in order to ensure that the constructed intervention is proving to be effective for the targeted student. If the student continues to underachieve and show no progress, despite the various â€Å"high-quality instruction and targeted interventions† that have been provided, than this student may possess a specific learning disability (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 18). All remaining RtI related decisions have been left up to the schools, such as â€Å"†¦how many tiers are needed; movement from one tier to the next and duration, frequency, and timing of the interventions; and how screening for secondary intervention should occur†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 19). Rudebusch’s fourth RtI core principle consists of using an appropriate problem-solving method when making decisions within this multi-tiered model. This will aid in determining the specific student’s needs, as well as continue to develop and help evaluate student responsiveness to the actual intervention being provided. An efficient problem-solving process that should be used within the RtI framework should involve a variety of professionals’ skills and opinions in order to create the most appropriate intervention for the child in question. This process should involve: using measurable terms when defining the problem; effectively analyzing the problem and its variables; constructing a plan that will appropriately address the problem; putting the plan into action; evaluating the ultimate effectiveness of the plan (Rudebusch, 2008, p.24). Such a problem-solving process will contribute to the validity of a child’s individual plan as each step will help to ensure that appropriate decisions  are being made. Being able to effectively and efficiently solve RtI problems when they arise is of great importance as the child’s first constructed plan will not always be successful. In order for Response to Intervention to bring forth the amount of efficiency that it is capable of, it is essential that educators use â€Å"research-based, scientifically validated instruction and intervention† (Rudebusch, 2008, p.24). In No Child Left Behind (2001), scientifically-based researched is defined as â€Å"†¦research that involves the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs† (Zucker, 2004). Using this type of instruction for your students will be critical for their ultimate academic success. Another important quality to the highly-effective teacher’s style of instruction is differentiation. As the student population continues to expand and diversify, and as it is now known that not all students learn in the same manner or are at the same level in regards to their intelligence, differentiated instruction is crucial so that all types of lear ners can be met. Joan Van Bramer (2011) declares in Teacher Talk and Assistance and Self-Regulated Learning within the Context of RtI and Explicit and Systematic Teaching, that, â€Å"In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where students are, not the front of the curriculum guide†¦In differentiated classrooms, teachers provide specific ways for each individual to learn as deeply as possible and as quickly as possible, without assuming one’s student’s road map for learning is identical to anyone else’s†¦Differentiated classrooms feel right to students who learn in different ways and at different rates and who bring to school different talents and interests†¦Differentiated instruction is the heart and soul of Tier 1, a teaching model necessitated by the wide reading range represented in each classroom.† Providing research-based instruction as well as differentiation on all three tiers can set in motion positive progress from each and every student. In the sixth, seventh, and eighth RtI core principles, Rudebusch highlights the importance of monitoring student progress in order to effectively shape instruction. Decisions made should be based on the student performance data that has been consistently collected from this progress monitoring. Rudebusch also stresses the usefulness of  assessments when checking progress. This progress-monitoring is the most suitable way in which an educator can determine whether or not the specific intervention being provided to the child is actually effective. By monitoring student progress, educators can understand and genuinely witness which types of instruction the child has positively responded to as improvement in their targeted area has been documented. This monitoring can also point out ineffective instruction as a child’s lack of improvement would be noticed. This is equally important as unproductive intervention should be put to an end or altered in a way which will hopefully meet the student’s previously denied needs. Using the collected performance data to identify the most appropriate methods of intervention, as well as using a variety of specialized judgment from the professionals involved, and using â€Å"scientifically validated evidence and information about a student,† are the foundations of the previously mentioned RtI problem-solving process (Rudebusch, 2008, p.25). To continue making the most efficient decisions in regards to student academic and behavioral intervention needs, the schools systems need to: continually collect student data; be able to pull valuable information from the data concerning student needs; use this data to â€Å"make informed instructional decisions at every level of the RtI framework,† (Rudebusch, 2008, p.25). Determining student needs from the data collected from progress monitoring is a reliable way to ensure that the selected intervention for said child is actually helping the child to improve in their targeted area of struggle. Using assessments within this progress monitoring is also another effective way to measure improvement. Assessments are also initially used to screen those children who are believed to not be making appropriate academic or behavior progress before intervention has even begun. Effective implementation of the Response to Intervention program within schools is key if success is to be witnessed among those struggling students who are participating within the program. In order for effective implementation to occur, the foundation of the RtI framework needs to not  only be based upon its eight core principles, but also needs the appropriate amount of dedication and commitment from the school personnel who are involved in the process. There are seven essential skills and competencies identified by Rita Bean and Jennifer Lillenstein in Response to Intervention and the Changing Roles of Schoolwide Personnel that education related professionals need to possess to help ensure the success of RtI within the schools. These seven proficiencies are: in-depth knowledge of literacy development and instruction; an understanding of how to collect and interpret data for instructional decision making; being able to differentiate one’s instruction; a willingness to collaborate and work successfully with others; a commitment to Lifelong Learning; possessing leadership skills; a facility to work with technology (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.493-497). With the workings of RtI within the schools, it is now being found important for all school personnel to understand the â€Å"components of reading acquisition† and to be able to effectively provide evidence-based literacy instruction (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.494). Principals viewed this knowledge as a way to better understand their educator’s struggles and concerns, while specialized personnel, such as special educators and psychologists, who formally did not need to possess such knowledge, now find the understanding of the literacy curriculum to be of great significance. All RtI school personnel involved and knowledgeable in reading and literacy education have a better chance of helping those students who are struggling with language arts eventually reach their full potential. As well as understanding the importance of effective literacy instruction, school personnel also need to be able to collect, interpret, and use the data they pull together from monitoring student progress to construct further instruction and intervention. Teachers need to understand that certain assessments might not be the most appropriate choice for one child while it could be the most effective for another. A wide variety of ways to assess students needs to be used, such as teacher observations and collaboration, rubrics, and student work samples, in order to truly grasp  what the student is struggling with. â€Å"To use data effectively, there is a need for shared expertise, with reading specialists, principals, and psychologists offering their expertise in psychometrics, instruction, and so on,† (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.495). With school personnel interpreting data effectively and using such information to construct the most appropriate instruction and intervention for the targeted student, the likelihood that the student will benefit from the RtI process is much greater. The ability to differentiate instruction, as mentioned previously, is extremely significant to the implementation of RtI, and yet is one of the most difficult factors to achieve. However, successful differentiation is possible when educators take the time to seek out the most effective way to reach the child, understanding that all children learn differently. The support of differentiated instruction can be carried out by principals who help to develop staff schedules that will ultimately increase the availability and numbers of personnel available to aid in the classroom. These professionals can include special educators, reading specialists, or English language learning teachers. Using such professionals within the RtI process will only benefit those struggling students and help to differentiate the kind of instruction they will receive. This will aid in discovering the best way to reach each child academically. Another important ability school personnel needs to posses in order to carry out RtI effectively is the ability to collaborate positively with one another. Being able to work with others toward a common goal is extremely important, and regardless of the situation, this common goal should always be to discover the most efficient way to educate the child in question. Jennifer Lillenstein and Rita Bean (2012) state, in regards to collaboration within the classroom, that â€Å"there was consensus that to collaborate effectively, there must be a sharing of and value for diverse perspectives and preparation to attain the larger goal of enhanced instructional decision making and improved student outcomes.† By effectively working with one another in an attempt to make the best decisions in regards to what the targeted student needs, the educators establish joint responsibility for the  student. From this joint responsibility, the educators will be able to discuss the student’s strengths and weaknesses when making decisions concerning instruction (Bean & Lillenstein, 2012, p.495). Efficient collaboration between those who are a part of the RtI process is critical if what is best for the targeted student is truly in question. This consistent collaboration also provides opportunities for education professionals to learn from one another as they maintain and inspire their commitment to lifelong learning. Educators can always learn from the strategies, thought processes, and experiences of their co-workers. The final two skills and/or competencies mentioned by Rita Bean and Jennifer Lillenstein (2012) are leadership qualities and competency within the field of educational technology. Leadership qualities can involve a variety of skills, such as interpersonal skills, communication skills (such as assertive communication), skills related to the principle of trust, and skills involving active listening and problem solving. Other important aspects of leadership qualities an educational professional should possess include being able to successfully collaborate with a team, and leading and participating in conversations with individuals or groups concerning pressing matters. During these times of discussion, a leader should be able to not only provide positive feedback to his or her fellow co-workers, but must also be able to provide critical feedback if necessary. When critical feedback is taking place, a leader needs to treat his or her other co-workers with respect, be able to back up his or her claims with data and evidence, and should always keep the student’s best interests in mind. In regards to school technology, educators need to possess facility concerning these kinds of classroom advancements. Collecting data, monitoring the process of students, finding ideas for differentiated instruction, and learning more on one’s own are merely a few of the ways technology is now being used in the classroom. The collection, reviewing, and monitoring of student data and performance is critical to the success of their individualized RtI plan (Bean & Lillenstein, 2012, p.496). To find out how schools are implementing the entire Response to Intervention process within the classroom, as well as how educators are responding to the  process, a specific example is provided. In South Eastern Texas, an online survey in both rural and urban schools was completed. In Response to Intervention: How is it Practiced and Perceived?, by Rachel Martinez and Andria Young, the various aspects of RtI, as well as the results of the survey are examined. Ninety-nine educators completed this online survey in rural and urban schools in South Eastern Texas answering questions regarding the RtI process and their opinions about the procedure. The questions related to the RtI initiation practice, documentation of the student’s goals, data collection, intervention procedures, the resulting follow up decision process, and the educators’ overall opinions regarding the entire implementation. In reviewing the results, it was discovered that 87% of the respondents stated that it is the general education teacher who initiates the RtI process for the struggling student (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.47). Seventy seven percent of the respondents indicated that this course of action is most often initiated after a student scores poorly on a school-wide screening test. Now that this student has been identified as one who will participate in the RtI process, an RtI Team is formed. This team usually consists primarily of the general education teacher, special education teacher, administrator, and a reading specialist. Only 34% of the respondents stated that the child’s parent was a part of the team (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.46). In order for a child to be properly monitored, school personnel are to write specific academic goals concerning the student’s targeted areas and the amount of progress he or she is to make before a certain time period. These areas are to be operationally defined so that they can be continually examined (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.47). This is extremely significant to the RtI process as student progress needs to actually be seen in data form in order for the specific intervention to continue. Yet the comments left by the respondents concerning writing these measurable goals indicate that this is an area of weakness for educators and needs improvement. Concerning the follow-up process, results indicate that a follow up meeting was usually held by the RtI Team in order to appropriately monitor a student’s progress.  Seventy six percent of the respondents’ answers points towards the fact that at least half of the time students are making some sort of progress (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.49). Seventy one percent also indicated that students actually met their goals at least half of the time (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.49). If a student does not reach their goals, it is indicated that a new type of intervention is started and if progress is still not made, a special education referral is conducted. Yet the majority of the respondents, 74%, indicated that this eligibility is determined using a combination of RTI results and standardized testing data instead of just relying on RTI data alone (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.49). This specific example has provided evidence of the positive results of RtI and that the greater part of the respondents involved in this study felt that such a process ultimately benefited students. Yet comments concerning how the process is perceived by educators in this area were not all entirely positive. Some educators indicated that the same students who were being put through this process were actually already being provided extra help by their teachers. There was also an overwhelming amount of complaints in regards to the time RtI paperwork and documentation takes (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.50). In Special Education Teacher’s Perceptions and Instructional practices in Response to Intervention Implementation, by Elizabeth Swanson, Michael Solis, Stephen Ciullo, and John W. McKenna, some similar complaints involving RtI are stated. These negative aspects include scheduling challenges—as it is sometimes difficult to set aside a time in which all those who are required in the RtI process are available, the increased amount of paperwork necessary for each student, and the probability that additional staff may be needed. Despite these challenges, teachers find the early intervention opportunities, meeting the unique needs of each student, and the positive collaboration with other staff members to outweigh the previously mentioned negative features. The results of the specific study completed in the South Eastern Texas area indicate that the school personnel are consistently tending to the important components of the RTI process, despite such challenges, as they attempt to help each individual student reach their full potential academically. As Response to Intervention continues to show success in regards to aiding students academically, the use of RtI to help students who struggle with the social, emotional, and behavioral aspects of school is now an option. Since this type of negative behavior can be associated with poor school-related outcomes, the use of RtI behavioral interventions may prevent further dire behavior as well as prevent the need for special education services. A specific example where such intervention took place is provided in Response to Intervention (RtI) in the Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Domains: Current Challenges and Emerging Possibilities, by Elina Saeki, Shane R. Jimerson, James Earhart, Tyler Renshaw, Renee D. Singh, and Kaitlyn Stewert. This study uses RtI as a constructive approach for preventing and remedying emotional, social, and behavioral problems in students. The study took place at a public elementary school in a midsized city in Southern California by a collaborative problem-solving team consisting of the school psychologist, the principal, university faculty supervisors, and school psychologist interns. The participants included 55 third-grade students from three separate classrooms who all participated in Universal Intervention (Tier I). During Tier I, the two school psychologist interns conducted impulse control lessons for the students and administered a specific assessment both before and after the intervention. At the conclusion of Tier 1, the teachers nominated nine students who would possibly benefit from further behavioral intervention within Tier II. One student was chosen from this group by the school psychologist to receive intensive intervention (Tier III) targeted to his specific emotional areas of difficulty (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011 p.48). In regards to the implemented Tier I Universal Intervention, 81% of the students improved their score on the assessment provided. For those receiving intervention at Tier II, four scores increased, one decreased, and two showed no change. The remaining two students were not present for either the pre- or post-assessment (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011, p.50). However it must be stated that in this particular study the type of lessons provided to these children at this level were based on teacher recommendation and not on their actual testing scores. In regards to the child identified for targeted intervention, no pre- or  post-test measures were actually conducted and the school psychologist’s clinical judgment was used. Yet the results were stated to be favorable concerning the child’s progress. Bringing the RtI framework into the area of social, emotional, and behavioral issues among students, instead of only issuing such intervention in regards to their academic insufficiencies, is a way school personnel can provide additional support for those students who are at-risk but are not eligible for special education services. However, it is of great importance that educators use a combination of both quantitative and qualitative data and that the interpretation of both must be objective. In the previous example, teacher input was used as the main source concerning the identification of students who would be receiving Tier II and Tier III intervention (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011 p.50). This specific example of how behavioral issues are being tended to by RtI is shown to have overall positive results. Yet every school who implements such a structure for behavioral purposes must use a multifaceted evaluation process to avoid strong subjectivity in the decision making procedures. The implementation of the Response to Intervention program within classrooms, schools, and the entire educational system can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on those students who are struggling, either academically or behaviorally, when the process is executed in the proper manner. For this to occur, the eight core principles of RtI need to be apparent among educators and flourishing throughout the schools. These core principles include the understanding that all children can be taught effectively, the necessity of early intervention when possible, using a multi-tiered model of service delivery, using an effective problem-solving method to make decisions, using research based, scientifically validated instruction and intervention, monitoring student progress in order to shape instruction, making decisions involving implementation and instruction by using student performance data, and using the appropriate assessments for a variety of purposes when necessary (Rudebusch, 2008, p .20). Each of these Response to Intervention aspects are critical to RtI’s strategic implementation and crucial to the ultimate success of the program. Behind the eight Response to Intervention core principles are the educational  professionals who are following such guidelines and putting them into action. As RtI continues to grow and expand within the educational system, the various roles and tasks of school personnel also continue to develop. There are a mixture of skills and competencies that each educator should possess in order to carry out the RtI core principles effectively. These proficiencies include an in-depth knowledge of literacy development and instruction, an understanding of how to collect and interpret data for instructional decision making, the ability to differentiate one’s instruction, a willingness to collaborate and work successfully with others, a strong commitment to Lifelong Learning, various leadership qualities, and the ability to work with educa tional technology (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.493-497). RtI implementation will have a greater chance of success for its students if the educators involved grew to be knowledgeable and comfortable in each of the previously mentioned areas. A study conducted in South Eastern Texas provided an amount of insight in regards to how schools are implementing the Response to Intervention process. This study also presented the manner in which school personnel responded to the program. RtI initiation within the schools, documentation of student goals, collection of data, intervention procedures, follow up decisions, and the educators’ overall opinion concerning the entire process is reviewed (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.47). Although the study ultimately praises RtI for its effectiveness, complaints regarding the amount of paperwork, time, and documentation procedures were noted. South Eastern Texas is not the only area in which these complaints have been made. Another source complains about the RtI scheduling challenges, the increased amount of paperwork, and the need for additional staff. Negative aspects aside, educators praised the early intervention opportunities, meeting the individual needs of each student, and the overall positive and informative collaboration with other co-workers. Since Response to Intervention has proven effective in aiding its participants academically, the use of RtI within the social and behavioral domains of the classroom is now an option. This behavior-driven intervention is used as a preventative measure as well as a remedy for those students who are already struggling with poor behavior. A study conducted in Southern California used this type of multi-tiered intervention to address some of the behavior issues taking place within the school as well as  appropriately aiding those children who were struggling both emotionally and socially (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011 p.50 ). Although the results were deemed positive, the subjectivity of the educators in charge was questioned. Objectivity is a must if behavior-driven RtI is to truly address those who require the program. In conclusion, the Response to Intervention process is one that can benefit scores of struggling students if the structured program is adequately conducted by the professionals involved. In order for RtI success to occur, these professionals will need to consistently work together in discovering the most efficient way to sufficiently educate the students in question. Although the appropriate materials, specialists, and other intervention tools can be extremely significant to the RtI process, it is the distinguishing quality of effort that will ultimately hold the entire program together. If educators and other related school personnel do not exert the proper amount of effort in carrying out this process, then Response to Intervention will eventually be deemed worthless. It is up to the ed ucators and school personnel involved in this program to help RtI genuinely reach its valuable potential.

Tata Ace- Case Study

MARKETING STRATEGIES ASSIGNMENT â€Å"TATA ACE† CASE STUDY 1) Why do we feel Tata Motors was targeting LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) segment under commercial segment for TATA ACE? – – – Better highway systems like the Golden Quadrilateral meant that Commercial vehicles in 45+ Tonnes could carry bulk loads covering large distances in shorter time and at lower per tonne per km cost. Government also went about the task of improving road network between medium sized cities and also building all weather tertiary road network covering rural towns- only smaller and rugged vehicles could operate on these roads ( Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadhak Yojana).Increased congestion & pollution in most of the cities forced the government to regulate the movement of Large/ Heavy trucks (larger than four tonnes) in the cities. Tata motors considered the above primary factors in determining the need for large commercial vehicles for the highways and smaller sub 4 Ton category co mmercial vehicle for operating on both Inter city/ Town and Intra city road network.Ruling out the possibility of developing large commercial vehicles due to the high cost of development and fearing loss of revenues from their niche standard size truck segment, Tata motors decided to develop TATA ACE targeting the Light Commercial Vehicle Segment. Also helping their decision process were some key policy initiatives: – Discouraging the use of Old. Polluting & uneconomical vehicles Scrapping of >15 years old vehicles Ban on overloading of vehicle. ) Highlight the Key outcome of Market Research which was conducted before launching TATA ACE and do we think there was a gap which can be addressed by a Product like TATA ACE? Market research involving interviewing of over 4000 truck and three wheeler operators across the length & breadth of the country highlighted the following needs, though there was a section which opined that even a three wheeler under TATA banner would be welcome d by the market: (i) Owning price of the vehicle should not exceed INR 200,000/(ii) Fuel Efficiency. Reduce â€Å"per ton per km† cost. iii) Maneuverability of three wheeler but with higher level of a. Safety b. Durability c. Ruggedness d. Reliability e. Higher payload f. Comfort of a four wheeled truck. (iv) And finally â€Å"Personal Motivation† to drive a four wheeler to enhance the status of operators in the society and thereby create transportation entrepreneurs . Tata Motors addressed all the key requirements of the market with TATA ACE, A four wheeler with economical pricing, Fuel Efficient engine, pay load of 1750 kgs and built in safety features including enhanced comfort. ) How was Segmentation & Targeting done for TATA ACE? As a Functional segmentation, Tata motors decided that the ACE would address the spectrum of LCV to transport 750 – 1500 kgs over 100-200 kms and position it between the Rickshaws/Cart and Pick up trucks; meeting the functional nee ds of different customers. They also further segmented this functional segmented customers into four groups viz. , – Performance sensitive (7%) o Interested in status, Brand image and speed o Willing to pay higher prices for features Current owners/ operators of larger SUVs or cars. – Balanced perspective (25%) o Return on Investment o Comfort and features o Owners – Entrepreneurs o Purchasing three wheeler, due to absence of an alternative. – Return on Investment sensitive (55%) o Per Ton per Km cost o No value for Non-monetary purchase considerations o Generally fleet owners/ operators- who hired drivers – Acquisition price constrained (13%) o Lacked credit o Could not afford for slightly expensive vehicles. o Prefer three wheelerFinally they identified a group that could not afford any motorized vehicle; using bullock & horse carts, cycle rickshaws, manual pull carts. However this group over time can move up and be a TATA ACE customer. Based on functional & customer segmentation and also considering potential growth of the market , TATA Motors estimated and targeted: – 45% of the ACE’s customers planning to purchase 3 Wheeler – 15% from potential pickup & LCV purchasers – and 40% from first time CV purchasers. 4) Explain the Marketing Mix 4P's [Product, Price, Place, Promotion] strategy adapted for TATA ACE?Product: TATA ACE was designed to address three major customer needs in terms of product ie. , – Overloading capability – 2 cylinder water cooled engine, based on the proven Indica diesel engine – Safety, Comfort and aesthetic considerations Price: Though the price apparently was higher at ` 225,000 as against ` 100,000-200,000, they addressed the Per ton per km cost. Tata Ace would cost Rs. 6. 70 for delivering one ton of goods over per km as against `7. 88, their nearest competitor could offer and segment average of ` 8. 54. Place:Tata motors decided to roll out in phas e beginning with 5 states in Western and Southern parts of India; where the demand for three wheelers were high. They also benchmarked distribution network against two & three wheeler dealer network. Based on the data, they developed new dealership format called 1S (Sales), as against traditional 3S dealership network. Each existing Tata Motors 3S Dealer (Sales, Service & Spares) was required to set up 8 to 20 1S centers in their region and staff them with existing employees. Within 3 months 300 new distribution points were set up.Promotion: Tata motors used both Print and TV media to position and promote the product. – Chota Hathi – Symbol of Power, Reliability and â€Å"Mini† product A boy rushing to school, Wife seeing off for the day, Off to Work in Tata Ace and Going to School in Tata Ace. Also their positioning statements viz. , o India’s first Mini truck o Small is Big o Stability & Trust of big truck o Economic liberation o Feel good about jab o T ransportation at the last mile 5) What is the current trend of TATA ACE. Who are their competitors and suggest a future steps taken for TATA ACE?Present day competitors are : – Mahindra Gio – Mahindra Maxximo – Piagio Ape Mini Truck Force Trump Minidor. A few steps suggested for TATA ACE to continue to be the top seller are: – Continue to innovate and ring in changes to make the vehicle more fuel efficient. Increase engine torque to demonstrate performance in hilly regions Continue to control costs and offer competitive price to customers Increase Go Green initiative with increase in ENG and Electric drive variants Target export market aggressively; with both features and better pricing.

How to Make Liquid Oxygen or Liquid O2

How to Make Liquid Oxygen or Liquid O2 Liquid oxygen or O2 is an interesting blue liquid that you can prepare quite easily yourself. There are several ways to make liquid oxygen. This one uses liquid nitrogen to cool oxygen from a gas into a liquid. Liquid Oxygen Materials A cylinder of oxygen gas1-liter Dewark of liquid nitrogenTest tube (approximately 200ml)Rubber tubingGlass tubing (to fit inside test tube) Preparation Clamp a 200-ml test tube so that it will sit in a bath of liquid nitrogen.Connect one end of a length of rubber tubing to an oxygen cylinder and the other end to a piece of glass tubing.Place the glass tubing in the test tube.Crack open the valve on the oxygen cylinder and adjust the flow rate of the gas so that there is a slow and gentle flow of gas into the test tube. As long as the flow rate is slow enough, liquid oxygen will begin to condense in the test tube. It takes approximately 5-10 minutes to collect 50 mL of liquid oxygen.When you have collected sufficient liquid oxygen, close the valve on the oxygen gas cylinder. Liquid Oxygen Uses You can use liquid oxygen for many of the same projects you would perform using liquid nitrogen. Its also used to enrich fuel, as a disinfectant (for its oxidizing properties), and as a liquid propellant for rockets. Many modern rockets and spacecraft use liquid oxygen engines. Safety Information Oxygen is an oxidizer. It reacts very readily with combustible materials.  According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS),  materials you may ordinarily consider non-combustible, such as steel, iron, Teflon, and aluminum, may burn with liquid oxygen. Flammable organic materials may react explosively. Its important to work with liquid oxygen away from a flame, spark, or heat source.Liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen are extremely cold. These materials are capable of causing severe frostbite. Avoid skin contact with these liquids. Also, take care to avoid touching any object which has been in contact with the cold fluids, since it may also be very cold.Dewars are easily broken by mechanical shock or exposure to extreme temperature changes. Take care to avoid striking the Dewar. Dont slam a cold Dewar on a warm countertop, for example.Liquid oxygen boils off to form oxygen gas, which enriches the concentration of oxygen in the air. Use care to avoid oxyge n intoxication. Work with liquid oxygen outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms. Disposal If you have leftover liquid oxygen, the safest way to dispose of it is to pour it over a noncombustible surface and allow it to evaporate into the air. Interesting Liquid Oxygen Fact Although Michael Faraday liquefied most gases known at the time (1845), he was unable to liquefy oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, and methane. The first measurable sample of liquid oxygen was produced in 1883 by Polish professors  Zygmunt Wrà ³blewski  and  Karol Olszewski. A couple of weeks later, the pair successfully condensed liquid nitrogen.

baroque art1 essays

baroque art1 essays The baroque has been called a theatrical style, one that deals in spectacle, grandeur, and dramatic contrast. Test these concepts in an essay that discusses the baroque as an expression of the Catholic Reformation, Protestant devotionalism, the Scientific Revolution, and the Age of Absolutism. Define your general statements with specific examples. The following essay will discuss the baroque period and how the Catholic Reformation, Protestant devotionalism, and the Scientific Revolution influenced it. The Baroque period generally refers to the years 1600 to1750. Classicism of the Renaissance has been replenished during the Baroque period. During the Baroque artistic period, the exploration of the fundamental components of human nature and the realm of senses and emotions were very crucial. The Baroque era was a very dynamic time that showed an abundance of radiance and color. Artists of this time were passionate and sensual. Their works were many times considered to have an overpowering emotional effect. The superficial form of light was fascinated during this period due to the thoughts of godlike sun or the truth of the Holy Spirit. The Baroque naturalism maintains the religious themes in content. The elements of perception in the Baroque art are how we perceived the natural human figures are in motion through s pace, time, and light. We present and analyze the extent of human actions and passions in all its degrees of lightness, darkness, and intensity. The scientific revolution also had a tremendous impact on art during this time. Scientists started to study the earth and its positioning in the universe. This was a time when the people started take more of an interest in astronomy and mathematical equations. During the time of the Catholic Reformation artists began to challenge all the rules that society has set for artistic design. Artist starting with Parmigianino, Tintoretto, and E ...

Black Women Who Have Run for U.S. President

Black Women Who Have Run for U.S. President Black women are among the Democratic Party’s most loyal supporters. As such, they have buoyed everyone from white men to a black man and, now, a white woman to the top of the ticket. Unlike Hillary Clinton, a black woman has yet to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for president. But that doesn’t mean several haven’t tried. Multiple black  women have run for president- be it as Democrats, Republicans, Communists, on the Green Party ticket or that of another party. Get to know the African American women who tried to make history before Clinton did with this roundup of black female presidential candidates. Charlene Mitchell Many Americans have the mistaken belief that Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to run for president, but that distinction actually goes to Charlene Alexander Mitchell. Mitchell ran neither as a Democrat nor a Republican but as a Communist. Mitchell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1930, but her family later moved to Chicago. They lived in the famous Cabrini Green projects, and Mitchell took an early interest in politics, acting as a youth organizer to protest racial segregation in the Windy City. She joined the Communist Party USA in 1946, when she was just 16. Twenty-two years later, Mitchell launched her unsuccessful presidential bid with running mate, Michael Zagarell, the National Youth Director of the Communist Party. Given that the pair were only put on the ballot in two states, winning the election wasn’t just a longshot but simply impossible. That year wouldn’t be Mitchells  last in politics. She ran as an Independent Progressive for U.S. Senator from New York  in 1988 but lost to Daniel Moynihan. Shirley Chisholm Shirley Chisholm is arguably the most famous black woman to run for president. That’s because, unlike most of the black women on this list, she actually ran as a Democrat rather than on a third party  ticket. Chisholm was born on Nov. 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. However, she grew up partly in Barbados with her grandmother. The same year that Mitchell launched her failed presidential bid, 1968, Chisholm made history by becoming the first black congresswoman. The following year she co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus. In 1972, she unsuccessfully ran for U.S. president as a Democrat on a platform in which she prioritized education and employment issues. Her campaign slogan was unbought and unbossed. Although she didn’t win the nomination, Chisholm served seven terms in Congress. She died New Year’s Day 2005. She was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Barbara Jordan Okay, so Barbara Jordan never actually ran for president, but many wanted to see her on the 1976 ballot and voted for the groundbreaking politician. Jordan was born Feb. 21, 1936, in Texas, to a Baptist minister father and a domestic worker mother. In 1959, she earned a law degree from Boston University, one of two black women that year to do so. The following year she campaigned for John F. Kennedy to be president. By this time, she set her own sights on a career in politics. In 1966, she won a seat in the Texas House after losing two campaigns for the House earlier. Jordan wasn’t the first in her family to become a politician. Her great-grandfather, Edward Patton, also served in the Texas legislature. As a Democrat, Jordan ran a successful bid for Congress in 1972. She represented Houston’s 18th District. Jordan would play key roles in both the impeachment hearings for President Richard Nixon and in the 1976 Democratic National  Convention. The opening speech she gave at the former focused on the Constitution and is said to have played a key role in Nixon’s decision to resign. Her speech during the latter marked the first time a black woman gave the keynote address at the DNC. Although Jordan did not run for president, she earned a single delegate vote for president of the convention.    In 1994, Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. On Jan. 17, 1996, Jordan, who suffered from leukemia, diabetes and multiple sclerosis, died of pneumonia. Lenora Branch Fulani Lenora Branch Fulani was born April 25, 1950, in Pennsylvania. A psychologist, Fulani became involved in politics after studying the work of Fred Newman and Lois Holzman, founders of the New York Institute for Social Therapy and Research. When Newman launched the New Alliance Party, Fulani became involved, running unsuccessfully for Lt. Governor of New York in 1982 on the NAP ticket. Six years later, she ran for U.S. president on the ticket. She became the first black independent and first female presidential candidate to appear on the ballot in each U.S. state but still lost the race.   Undeterred, she ran unsuccessfully for New York governor in 1990. Two years after that, she launched a failed presidential bid as a New Alliance candidate. She has since continued to be politically active.    Carol Moseley Braun Carol Moseley Braun made history even before she ran for president. Born Aug. 16, 1947, in Chicago, to a police officer father and medical technician mother, Braun decided to pursue a career in law. She earned her law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1972. Six years later, she became a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. Braun won an historic election in Nov. 3, 1992, when she became the first black woman in the United States Senate after defeating GOP rival Richard Williamson. This made her only the second African American elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. Edward Brooke was the first. Braun, however, lost her reelection race in 1998. Braun’s political career didn’t come to  a halt after her defeat. In  1999, she became the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand  in which she served until the end of President Bill Clinton’s term. In 2003, she announced her bid to run for  president on the Democratic ticket but dropped  out of the race in January 2004. She endorsed Howard Dean, who also lost his bid. Cynthia McKinney Cynthia McKinney was born March 17, 1955, in Atlanta. As a Democrat, she served a half-dozen terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. She made history in 1992 by becoming the first black woman to represent Georgia in the House. She continued to serve until 2002, when Denise Majette defeated her. However, in 2004, McKinney won a seat in the House once more when Majette ran for Senate. In 2006, she lost reelection. The year would also prove to be a difficult one, as McKinney faced controversy after reportedly slapping a Capitol Hill police officer who  asked her to present identification. McKinney ultimately left the Democratic Party and ran unsuccessfully for president on the Green Party ticket in 2008.    Wrapping Up Several other black women have run for president. They include Monica Moorehead, on the Workers World Party ticket; Peta Lindsay, on the Party for Socialism and Liberation ticket; Angel Joy Charvis; on the Republican ticket; Margaret Wright, on the People’s Party ticket; and Isabell Masters, on the Looking Back Party ticket.

Restrictions on Overseas Trade in Turkey Case Study

Restrictions on Overseas Trade in Turkey - Case Study Example Turkey being a natural bridge between the old continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, has a vast scope of overseas trading. But still the government of Turkey plonk restrictions on overseas trade. (Fletcher, 2006) The investment climate of Turkey, that forms barriers for any outsider, whether large or small, domestic or foreign, cause problems that affect all economic sectors of the country, particularly the telecommunication sector. The major problems which agitate Turkey's economy are shortage of well functioning capital market, limited expertise in banking system and technologically oriented companies, partial regulatory process that always intend to restrain new companies and buoy up existing companies, specially those belonging to prominent business families of the country. Companies in Turkey both the private enterprises and public enterprises specially, suffer from corruption in various levels of the organizational hierarchy. The judicial system of the country, up to some extent, can be suspected to be influenced by external political and commercial mal forces. Growing personal and political relationship between government officials and business representatives form the basis of corruption, which appears to be the most serious problem biting up the economy of the country. Barriers in investment of the private sectors and the foreign companies in the markets in Turkey is also a matter of concern. The Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between Turkey and United States of America came into force in May 1990. Due to liberal investment regime of turkey, foreign investors are provided with national treatment in the country. In Turkey companies possessing foreign capital are treated as local companies. Regardless of nationality, private sector investments are always hindered by the facts like political and economical uncertainty, lack of judicial stability, and unwarranted bureaucracy, and high tax rate, unpredictable changes in legal and regulatory environment, fragile framework for corporate governance etc. All areas except finance and petroleum sectors are fully open to foreign participation. Though the petroleum and financial areas are open to the private sectors and foreign investors in Turkey, Special permission is required for the foreign companies to establish business in these sectors. (Lamb, 2006) Foreign share holders have restricted equity participation ratio, such as near about twenty percent in Broadcasting industry, forty nine percent in aviation, marine transportation and value added telecommunication services industries. Sometimes arbitrary legislative action under cut the rationale for the investments of the foreign companies committed to the Turkish market. International settlement of investment disputes between foreign investors and the state remain bonded by efforts of the government of turkey, following the inscriptions mentioned in the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) signed by both the concerned parties. For several years the government of Turkey was providing concessions in public services, to the private investors and specially the foreign investors. According to the

Direct Request Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Direct Request - Essay Example Answers should be directed to your department and then to a manager of a corresponding project. Each quality should be rated on a scale of 1-10, and evaluation should be repeated every sixth month. We understand that this procedure means more work for departments' managers and forces suppliers for higher achievements in their work. On the other hand it will facilitate access to important information about suppliers' company and enable its financial success. Project manager is also benefiting from this program, because it will enlarge his/ hers personal experience and create new career opportunities. We will appreciate your support of the program and believe that it will make a significant difference in our work effectiveness. Level of understanding is high (about 90 % in both groups), because the idea of project is simple and doesn't require extraordinary level of competence. Problems with understanding could be related to little working experience or otherwise to a lack of basic knowledge (when promotion to the post of manager was based on personal relations instead of working achievements). Audience expects payment increase and career promotion due to the new responsibilities, 10-30 % of the audience prefers to work as before and get the same payment, but the most part will agree for a larger amount of work in exchange for higher income. At the beginning of the project audience wou

Future of newspaper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Future of newspaper - Essay Example Information technology changed the era of mass communication to an era of mass communicators where more people could set up media outlets (Steinberg 1). This affected newspapers adversely. Mary Vipond identifies that newspapers had a near monopoly on advertising revenues in the Canada in the 1950s (60). However, in 1960, newspapers lost their share of adverts to television and this fell to 30.9% at the end of the decade. It declined further to 27% between 1990 and 1995 and has continued to fall since then (Vipond 60). In the United States though, the American Newspapers Publishers Association announced a steady increase in advertising revenues of $5,704 million in 1970 to $25,170 million in 1985 (Fink 6). After 1990 though, the revenues began to decline since there was the introduction of new media outlets like the Internet and computers. Since the running of a newspaper company is strongly based on revenues from advertising, most newspapers declined. Technologically, the proliferation of computers and consumer electronic products made a major difference. This is because news is a commodity that is based on timeliness. As such, stronger and faster methods of presenting news always cause slower methods to disappear. The coming of the Internet and mobile phones have caused a lot of traditional newspapers to open online outlets. More significantly, new broadcasters have set up their own media outlets to disseminate information. This has led to so much competition. Newspapers have responded to these changes by setting up Internet outlets through which they present their news and try to advertise. As such, most newspapers now run both a digital and the traditional paper prints. As more and more people continue to use the Internet, it is predicted that traditional newspapers are going to focus more on the Internet. This is because there is a continuous increase in the number of people who spend their time on the Internet. As such, more

Management concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management concepts - Essay Example Traditionally organisations were designed keeping bureaucratic structure in mind. Bureaucratic structure can be defined as a kind of organisation structure which is based on judgment, order and reasonable use of proper authority. This type of organisational structure is destined to be organised, reasonable and highly efficient. The bureaucratic structure consists of clear allotment of job, ‘strict hierarchy of authority’, strict rules and actions and capability based promotions (Cliffnotes, n.d.). Bureaucratic organisational structure is based on official structure of authority which is formed cautiously and followed strictly. The features of bureaucratic organisation structure are: Clear job specialisation Departmentalisation by job Formal model of allocation High extent of centralisation ‘Narrow span of management’ Clearly described line and staff manager position Strict relationship between manager and subordinates Source: (Pride & Et. Al., 2009) Bureaucr atic Structure In Contrast To Matrix Organizational Structure In contrast to bureaucratic structure, matrix structure is based on vertical and horizontal form of authority. The delegation of authority in this type of organisation can flow in both ways down and across, however in bureaucratic structure the authority flows only from upward to downward. In each department there are cross functional groups. The groups consist of individual employees with varying specialty, proficiency and capability which are brought together to accomplish a mutual objective. For example, in the Matrix Structure, the less recognizable team is known as Project A, B, C team. The managers of these teams are known as project managers. The projects might be temporary; when the project is completed the teams will be separated. These teams have the authority to make major decisions. Any individual employee who is performing in the team can directly communicate with project manager as well as individual superio r manager (Fontaine, 2007). Contrary to matrix organizational structure, the bureaucratic organisational structure has strict control over their employees. The organisation is tall in nature. Max Weber, a German sociologist had introduced the bureaucratic theory. He had highlighted the requirement for hierarchical structure in organisations. The theory acknowledged the significance of allotment of labour and specialisation. A formal set of regulation is bound into the structure which ensures managerial constancy and regularity. Unlike matrix structure, the information in this organisation must pass through each layer of the structures which result in deliberate decision making. There is no authority of team with respect to decision making in this type of structure (Advameg, 2011) & (Walonick, 1993). Fig 1: Contrast of Bureaucratic and Matrix Organisational Structure Bureaucratic Organisational Structure Matrix Organisational Structure High Degree of standardisation Regular working m ethod are pursued in bureaucratic structure Low level of discrimination The organisation structure is mainly tall in

Assessing the past performance of a security or asset Research Paper

Assessing the past performance of a security or asset - Research Paper Example Secondly, asset turnover is an important reflection of the sales against assets relationship which can be used to demonstrate performance. The other ROE tool is the financial leverage function that highlights the measure of assets against shareholders’ equity. ROE is therefore a fair representation of elements of the balance sheet as well as the income statement since the variables uses in these rations are picked from the two performance reports. To obtain ROE, the three ratios are multiplied to demonstrate the summary of the performance. From such an assessment, it is possible for investors to monitor the performance of the investment in which they have an interest on. Alternatively, another important performance indicator usually applied in economics is the return on assets (ROA). Simpler in calculation than ROE, ROA reflects actual performance that every investment unit has over a particular period. One of the two ways to obtain ROA is multiplication of asset turnover with the profit margin which reflects performance with respect to total return element on assets (Higgins 2001, p37). On the other hand, net income against assets gives the same consideration. Apparently, this tool of performance is also a reflection of variables of the balance sheet as well as the income statement which account for performance over a specific period. Further asset turnover analyses through a number of control ratios enables consideration of specific asset types for clearer asset performance. Some of these control ratios include; inventory turnover, fixed asset turnover, collection period, days’ sales in cash and payables period. Liquidity ratios also assist in determination of performance which determines the management’s application of returns in furthering business and investment. In terms of operating capital requires a certain sufficiency level

Artistic Area Changing From 19th Century to 20th Century Essay

Artistic Area Changing From 19th Century to 20th Century - Essay Example During this era, Paris was reconstructed which can be termed as a symbol of a world of freshness in the field of art. This city acted as a cultural capital offering great chances to people who were interested in the field of art. Art training institutions came up and artists were able to travel all round Europe to widen their knowledge and ideas. Consequently, artists were able to reflect their own feelings and emotions through art such as poetry (Yanli 54). With the decline of the enlightenment age, philosophers and poets started to question the ideals of enlightenment such as science, rationality and logic. At this point, poets sought to find out if these ideas were good enough for mankind (Barrette 60). They did this through Romanticism and Idealism, which revolutionized their way of thinking completely. The two movements existed concurrently and were characterized by the nature of poets putting emotions and feelings before reason. The main aim of romanticism and idealism movement s was for artists to express what they felt inside regardless of the rational perspective of those feelings. This was mostly done in the expression of romantic feelings. The romantic period lasted approximately 25 years, and is still said to be the greatest movement in the field of literature. Some of the poems at this time included: A Brother in Need by Henrik Ibsen, The Dole of the King’s Daughter by Oscar Wilde and The Grave and the Rose by Victor Hugo (Monius 1406). A critical study of the three poems depicts a social satire expressing the oppression that existed in the field of love. Tillmann and Dowling (628) assert that romantic poets made nature to be central in majority of their works, where they used it metaphorically to represent human relations to one another. These poems expressed passion indirectly, hence readers were expected to imagine and read them with an open mind. The message in these poems was clear as it openly portrayed the heart to be central in our li ves. As a result, the way we relate with nature and other people is determined by our hearts, and it reflects our lives. Through these poems, the ego-centric nature of man is put forth, where people were ready to do anything to have what their hearts desired (Barrette 79). This perspective was later taken over by the rational perspective as poets changed their poetic styles. The 20th Century Artistic thought during the 20th century was highly influenced by science as it dictated almost every aspect of man (Yanli 55). At this time, nuclear weapons were being used during war, making people to adopt new ways of looking at life. The two major literary criticisms of this time were: modernism which was later followed by post-modernism. After the enlightenment era, the educated elite gained confidence within themselves as they were able to explain nature and science. However, the industrial revolution brought about its own evils, creating a feeling of resentment within poets, which was exp ressed through modernism (Tillmann and Dowling, 629). The social lives of people were affected with the subsequent urbanization, while the field of politics was marked by diverse views of capitalism and communism. According to Sacvan (574), during this era, American poets had dominated the field of poetry as they sought to give explanations to what was happening around the world. Some of the poems composed during this time include: Allen Ginsberg’

Assessing the past performance of a security or asset Research Paper

Assessing the past performance of a security or asset - Research Paper Example Secondly, asset turnover is an important reflection of the sales against assets relationship which can be used to demonstrate performance. The other ROE tool is the financial leverage function that highlights the measure of assets against shareholders’ equity. ROE is therefore a fair representation of elements of the balance sheet as well as the income statement since the variables uses in these rations are picked from the two performance reports. To obtain ROE, the three ratios are multiplied to demonstrate the summary of the performance. From such an assessment, it is possible for investors to monitor the performance of the investment in which they have an interest on. Alternatively, another important performance indicator usually applied in economics is the return on assets (ROA). Simpler in calculation than ROE, ROA reflects actual performance that every investment unit has over a particular period. One of the two ways to obtain ROA is multiplication of asset turnover with the profit margin which reflects performance with respect to total return element on assets (Higgins 2001, p37). On the other hand, net income against assets gives the same consideration. Apparently, this tool of performance is also a reflection of variables of the balance sheet as well as the income statement which account for performance over a specific period. Further asset turnover analyses through a number of control ratios enables consideration of specific asset types for clearer asset performance. Some of these control ratios include; inventory turnover, fixed asset turnover, collection period, days’ sales in cash and payables period. Liquidity ratios also assist in determination of performance which determines the management’s application of returns in furthering business and investment. In terms of operating capital requires a certain sufficiency level

Theory of Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Theory of Knowledge - Essay Example Some areas of knowledge do require reason in order to functions, like mathematics and the natural sciences, while some others, like art and history, do not, because they are based on humans, which are, by nature, partly irrational. This inability to apply reason to all aspects of knowledge means that in order to get a better understanding of these areas, we must use different ways of knowing. (Wok). There are four Ways of Knowing (WoK) perception, emotion, reason, and language. One is supposed to use the Ways of Knowing and the Areas of Knowledge to acquire, perceive, and apply knowledge. To understand the world and to achieve knowledge, people have developed a number of ways of knowing. These are well known as perception, emotion, language as well as reason. The question "each and every other way of knowing are controlled by means of language" is a statement that needs more investigation as well as reflection. Knowledge can be said to be information that the brain has received that meets a certain set of criteria. When someone states that they know something they must also believe that, that something is so. A word is a unit of language that carries meaning and consists of one or more morphemes which are linked more or less tightly together, and has a phonetical value. In general a word will have a root or stem and zero or extra affixes. Words can be joint to make phrases, clauses, and well structured sentences. A word that consists of two or more stems combined together is known as a compound.

Is Shakespeares Portrayal of the Common Essay Example for Free

Is Shakespeares Portrayal of the Common Essay Is Shakespeare’s portrayal of the common people of Rome realistic? Why did the common people of Rome kill Cinna the poet? Shakespeare’s portrayal of the common people of Rome is realistic since he shows how people act when they are part of a crowd. The image of disordered society also influences the act of Rome populace since there are no rules. Shakespeare realized that people tend to follow the crowd; therefore, he uses this point to exemplify mob mentality which is prevalent throughout the play. In Act I, the commoners are cheering for Caesar after the defeat of Pompey, Marullus, a tribune, reminds them of how they had similarly cheered for Pompey in the same streets. The people once wait â€Å"with patient expectation, to see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome† (I. i. 42-43) This shows how the crowed seems to be easily swayed in their allegiance. This illustrates how fickle the people are and how they are able to quickly change loyalties to whoever is in power. Not much has changed in modern times. Most people still tend to follow whoever is in charge because they feel it is safer to stick with what everybody else is doing. This is an example of mob mentality. Mark Antony understands this fact about the people and uses it to his advantage when the conspirators later assassinate Caesar. The commoners’ new loyalty to Caesar is similar to the ease with which Cassius convinces Brutus (with no real evidence) that Caesar wants to be king and should therefore be murdered. This is another example of mob mentality. In Act III, Scene II, Brutus is the first to speak to the crowd after the death of Caesar. Although Shakespeare portrays the commoners of Rome as people who can be easily persuaded, he also shows how they are reasonable. The crowd decides that they will listen to Brutus before deciding on anything. One commoner yells out, â€Å"I will hear Brutus speak. â€Å" while another says â€Å"†¦When severally we hear them rendered. † Brutus then speaks to the commoners and explains why Caesar had to be killed for the good of Rome. He manages to convince them that Caesar was too ambitious and would have ruined Rome. The people, with their minds made up, begin to chant that they want Brutus to be the new ruler, forgetting all about how theyd recently been singing Caesars praises. They call Caesar out as a tyrant and that â€Å"†¦ We are blest that Rome is rid of him. † This lasts until Antony speaks. Antony is a far better judge of human nature than Brutus and he uses that to his advantage. He tells the crowd of Caesar’s good works and his concern for the people. Within minutes, Antony manages to turn the crowd against Brutus, Cassius, and the other conspirators, once again demonstrating the fickleness of the crowd. The scene at the beginning of Act I where Marullus and Flavius reprimand the commoners for being fickle foreshadows the events of Act III. Antony’s speech causes the people of Rome to become enraged. Brutus first sways them to the plight of the conspirators, but Antony manages to convince them to riot in the end. They become worked up and eager to cause violence. This causes them to kill the poet Cinna in Act III, Scene III. Cinna is in the wrong place at the wrong time. The mob demonstrates an act of herd behaviour, which is when individuals in a group act together without planned directions. They ask Cinna for his name and after learning what it is, they immediately attack him even Cinna explains that he is Cinna the poet, not Cinna the conspirator. The crowd, hungry for blood, kill the innocent poet anyway, explaining that they should. This shows how the crowd, in the heat of the moment, acts irrationally. They realise that he is the wrong Cinna, but they are so enraged, they slay him anyway. Still driven by fury, the commoners then decide to torch the homes of Brutus, Cassius, Decius Brutus, Casca and Ligarius. In the play Julius Caesar, Shakespeare uses scenes to comment on the nature of mob mentality. The scenes where the crowd is easily persuaded to switch allegiance is a realistic portrayal of the common people of Rome. Today, people are still as easily convinced to change their minds. The scene where Cinna the poet is killed shows a juxtaposition of both violence and irrational thought. Violence in that they kill an innocent man, and irrational thought for the completely unjustified excuse for doing so. This insight into the phenomena of mob mentality is accurate and still rings true in modern times.

Football in the 1920s :: Sports

Sports: Football in the 1920's Football changed dramatically in the 1920's. Players such as Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, and Notre Dame's Four Horsemen changed the game forever. With their unique style of play, they escalated football to new heights and more competetive levels. Each had their own style of play, which made other teams try harder to get better and beat the other teams. Other things, such as the forward pass, also changed the game of football in the 1920's. However, it was the players and their talent that forever changed American football. This is a photograph of Jim Thorpe during his playing days in the old football league. Jim Thorpe was one of the first to change the game. He was an American Indian who was tremendously talented at football. He became the president of the league after he was done playing on a team. He named the league the NFL, which stands for National Football League. This name still stands today for the name of the league where the pros play. Red Grange also brought play to a higher level. In one game against Michigan in 1924, he scored five times. The most notable feat accomplished by Grange is that on his first four carries, he scored all four times! This is something no other player has accomplished in American football. He drew thousands of people to the games he played in and gave football a new popularity that it had never gotten before. He also emphasized the importance of other positions besides the running back, such as a defensive lineman to stop a running back. Next came the Four Hoursemen from Notre Dame. Historians argue that they may have been the best backfield in the history of football. Like Red Grange, they also brought in massive crowds of people, making football more popular. The Four Horsemen weren't big, but they all had speed, agility, and strength. They led Notre Dame to an undefeated season and won the college championship with ease. After they got out of college football, all of them went on to successful coaching jobs improving other teams and making better players. You can see the Four Horsemen below. Last of all, the foward pass changed football forever. Before it became popular, most teams thought passing was useless. But after a while, passing started becoming the major emphasis in football. No longer did teams have to run the ball all the time, but now they could also pass.

Stephen in A Portrait of the Artist by James Joyce Essay -- James Joyc

Stephen in A Portrait of the Artist by James Joyce Stephen Dedalus, the main character in most of James Joyce's writings, is said to be a reflection of Joyce himself. In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the reader follows Stephen as he develops from a young child into a young artist, overcoming many conflicts both internally and externally, and narrowly escaping a life long commitment to the clergy. Through Joyce's use of free indirect style, all of Stephen's speech, actions, and thoughts are filtered through the narrator of the story. However, since Joyce so strongly identifies with Stephen, his character's style and personality greatly influence the narrator. This use of free indirect style and stylistic contagion makes Joyce's use of descriptive language one of his most valuable tools in accurately depicting Stephen Dedalus's developing ideals of feminine beauty. As a very young child Stephen is taught to idealize the Virgin Mary for her purity and holiness. She is described to Stephen as "a tower of Ivory" and a "House of Gold" (p.35). Stephen takes this literally and becomes confused as to how these beautiful elements of ivory and gold could make up a human being. This confusion is important in that it shows Stephen's inability to grasp abstraction. He is a young child who does not yet understand how someone can say one thing and mean something else. This also explains his trouble in the future with solving the riddles and puzzles presented to him by his classmates at Clongowes. Stephen is very thoughtful and observant and looks for his own way to explain or rationalize the things that he does not understand. In this manner he can find those traits that he associates with the Blessed Mary in his pro... ...human desires and realizes how beautiful love, passion, and devotion can be from an artist's perspective. Stephan Dedalus's transformation into a "priest of the arts" is parallel to the early life of James Joyce. Both struggle to deal with the conflicts of childhood and adolescence to find a balance in which they can happily live. Since A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is written in third person, yet employs the characteristics of the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus, the use of descriptive language is essential to the reader's understanding of the novel as a whole. James Joyce excellently uses his talent to successfully communicate Stephen's feelings so that we, the reader, can understand the development of his attitudes and ideals about feminine beauty. Works Cited Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York: Penguin Group, 1977.

Oilwell Cable Company, Inc.

1. If Norm chooses to go ahead with the microprocessor conversion on the machinery without passing it by the team he runs the risk of having a conflict with the production team. In the past a similar situation had caused significant trouble and Norm did not want to rock the boat for the sake of it. The company structure is such that each team decides on matters pertaining to their area and Norm’s decision to implement the change would definitely cause a stir. The implementation of the microprocessor would cut production time by 1 percent and reduce scrap from the current rate of 1 percent down to one-half percent (Meredith, 227) .The other advantage of implementing the change without the consent of the production team would be that it would get done at a faster pace. The current management structure was such that it took a lot of time and energy on the employees’ part to come to a decision (Meredith, pg 229). 2. If Norm decides to consult the team prior to implementing the change the number one issue will be the time it takes for them to come to a decision. The team is known for taking a really long time to reach any decision (Meredith, pg 229). This decision process uses a lot of the employees’ time and energy which could be utilized in a much better way.The biggest advantage of including the production team in the decision making process for the implementation of the microprocessor would be that Norm would get their buy in. This would be key for the success of the idea. The team dynamics are such that once the team agrees to a change or idea, the implementation is quick (Meredith, pg 229). 3. The approval and implementation of the microprocessor by the production team represents a functional form of project organization. 4. Given the size of the company and the work they did along with the functionalized project organization it does not make sense to have a PMO.Since most of their work is based around the production of cables I see no poi nt in having a PMO. A major contribution of PMOs is to establish project administration procedures for selecting, initializing and planning, budgeting and scheduling projects as well as serve as a repository for reports on the performance of the planning, budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation processes (Meredith & Mantel, pg 193). The structure of the organization does not require a PMO since decisions are made at the team level and not from a management level hence a PMO is not required. Func†¦

Homework 6a Operations

Justin Prater Chapter 6A 3, 4, 9, and 14 3) a. b. Cycle time = production time per day/required output per day = [(8 hour/day)(3600 seconds/hour)]/240 units per day = 120 seconds per unit c. Work station| Task| Task time| Idle time| I| AD| 6050| 10| II| BC| 8020| 20| III| EF| 9030| 0| IV| GH| 3060| 30| d. Efficiency = Task time / [# stations X avg. cycle time) = = . 875 or 87. 5% 4) a. A B F C D E G 30 35 15 65 H 30 35 40 25 A B F C D E G 30 35 15 65 H 30 35 40 25 b. What is the workstation cycle time? Cycle time = production time per day/required output per day Cycle time = 27000 / 360 = 75 seconds. . Calculate this balance line using the largest number of following tasks. Use the longest task time as a secondary criterion. 275 / 75 = 3. 66 There should be a minimum of 4 work stations Work station| Task| Task time| Idle time| I| ACE| 303015| 0| II| BD| 3535| 5| III| F| 65| 10| IV| GH| 4025| 10| d. What is the efficiency of your balance line? 91. 7% 9. A B F C D E G 20 7 15 10 H 20 2 2 16 8 A B F C D E G 20 7 15 10 H 20 22 16 8 a. Cycle time = production time per day/required output per day Cycle time = 25200 / 750 = 33. 6 seconds. b. What is the theoretical number of workstations? workstations = sum of task times / cycle time 118 / 34 = 3. 5 There is a minimum number of 4 workstations. c. Draw the precedence diagram d. Balance the line using sequential restrictions and the longest-operating time rule. Work station| Task| Task time| Idle time| Feasible Rem. T. | Tasks w/ most foll| Task w/ longest t. | | I| AB| 207| 147| B| B| B| | II| DF| 2210| 122| F| F| F| | III| C| 20| 14| | | | | IV| EG| 1516| 193| G| G| G| | V| H| 8| 26| | | | | e. What is the efficiency of the line balanced as in d? Efficiency = Sum of task times / (# workstations X Cycle time) = 118 / (5 X 34) = . 70Efficiency = 70% f. Suppose that demand rose from 750 to 800 units per day. What would you do? Show any amounts or calculations. New cycle time = 25200/800 = 31. 2 seconds Reduce cycle time t o 31 seconds and work 62-3 minute overtimes. g. Suppose that demand rose from 750 to 1000 units per day. What would you do? Show any amounts or calculations. New cycle time = 25200/1000 = 25. 2 seconds 1. 89 hours overtime; may be better to rebalance. 14) Develop two alternative layouts. What is the efficiency of your layouts? A B F C D E G 1 1 3 1 H 2 1 1 2 1 I A B F C D E G 1 1 3 1 H 2 1 1 2 1 I Cycle time = 4 minutesWhat is the theoretical number of workstations? # workstations = sum of task times / cycle time 13 / 4 = 3. 25 Work station| Task| Task time| Idle time| Feasible Rem. T. | Tasks w/ most foll| Task w/ longest t. | | I| ABC| 11 2 | 32 0| B,F C,D| B C,D | B,F C| | IIIIIIV| DEFGHI| 131121| 303203| EGH| EGH| EGH| | Work station| Task| Task time| Idle time| Feasible Rem. T. | Tasks w/ most foll| Task w/ longest t. | | I| AFG| 11 1 | 32 1| B,F G| B G | B,F G| | IIIIIIV| BCDEHI| 311321| 313021| C,DEI| C,DEI| C,DEI| |

Managing Human Resources in H&SC Essay

Rules and regulations: Plagiarism is presenting somebody else’s work as your own. It includes: copying information directly from the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as an individual effort; copying another student’s coursework; stealing coursework from another student and submitting it as your own work. Suspected plagiarism will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be dealt with according to the procedures set down by the College. Please see your student handbook for further details of what is / isn’t plagiarism. Coursework Regulations 1 You are required to submit your coursework on-line through online e-learning system http://stponline.org.uk. Detailed information about this  is available in the student handbook submission 2 Details of submission procedures and penalty fees can be obtained from Academic Administration or the general student handbook. 3 Late coursework will be accepted by Academic Admin Office and marked according to the guidelines given in your Student Handbook for this year. 4 If you need an extension (even for one day) for a valid reason, you must request one, using a coursework extension request form available from the Academic Admin Office. Do not ask the lecturers responsible for the course – they are not authorised to award an extension. The completed form must be accompanied by evidence such as a medical certificate in the event of you being sick. 5 General guidelines for submission of coursework: a All work must be word-processed and must be of â€Å"good† standard. b Document margins shall not be more than 2.5cm or less than 1.5cm c Font size in the range of 11 to 14 points distributed to including headings and body text. Preferred typeface to be of a common standard such as Arial or Times New Roman for the main text. d Any computer files generated such as program code (software), graphic files that form part of the course work must be submitted either online with the documentation. e The copy of the course work submitted may not be returned to you after marking and you are advised to have your personal copy for your reference. f All work completed, including any software constructed may not be used for any purpose other than the purpose of intended study without prior written permission from St Patrick’s International College. Outcomes and assessment requirements Outcomes Assessment criteria for pass To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: LO1 Understand processes for recruiting individuals to work in health and social care 1.1 Explain the factors to be considered when planning the recruitment of individuals to work in health and social care 1.2 Explain how relevant legislative and policy frameworks of the home country influence the selection, recruitment and employment of individuals 1.3 Evaluate different approaches that may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals for work in health and social care LO2 Understand strategies for building effective teams for working in health and social care 2.1 Explain theories of how individuals interact in groups in relation to the types of teams that work in health and social care 2.2 Evaluate approaches that may be used to develop effective team working in health and social care LO3 Understand systems for monitoring and promoting the development of individuals working in health and social care 3.1 Explain ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care can be monitored 3.2 Assess how individual training and development needs can be identified 3.3 Analyse different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace LO4 Understand approaches for managing people working in health and social care. 4.1 Explain theories of leadership that apply to the health and social care workplace 4.2 Analyse how working relationships may be managed 4.3 Evaluate how own development has been influenced by management approaches encountered in own experience. Case Scenario – St – Patrick’s Nursing Home You have recently been appointed as a trainee Human Resources Officer at  St-Patrick’s Nursing Home located in central London. During the first formal meeting with the Board of Directors you were told about the recent expansion of the nursing home by your HR Director. You were also informed about the various problems that St Patrick’s Nursing Home have been experiencing, such as the high rate of employee turnover(caused by low pay, poor working conditions, long hours, not enough benefits or a negative atmosphere from management, fixed/inflexible contracts; inadequate salaries; recruitment based on favoritismetc.). Alsocomplaints from residents and families about the quality of care, and staff errors due toInsufficient knowledge or application of clinical-care standards and protocols; lack ofguidelines; inadequate supervisionthat compromised the safety and efficiency of care. The HR Director is under pressure to increase staff retention in order to reduce future traini ng and recruitment costs. She believes that the current recruitment and selection policies of St-Patrick’s Nursing Home are partly responsible for the turnover problem. The HR Director also suggested that care workers’ performance, satisfaction and commitment to the organisation depend on collaborative team-working. She mentioned that staff members were often blamed for not communicating important messages to one another whilst on shift, not handing over effectively at the end of their shift, and coming to work â€Å"just to do their shift and go home†. As part of your job, you are required to ensure that the recruitment planning and selection approaches are used effectively and that the relevant legislative and policy framework of the home country are implemented during this process; andprepare a comprehensive and appropriate Performance Evaluation Plan for all of the employees working in your organisation; also you should to make some recommendations on the types of training nursing staff will require considering their current level of competence and future development requirements. At the end of the training, the employees will acquire the knowledge and skills to enable them apply the core standards set by the Care Quality Commission. You have been asked by your boss to arrange a training session for the care staff in order to enlighten them about the techniques and leadership skills that you have used and applied over the period of time in managing and leading people at the workplace, and which they can apply to their roles. You r training session also needs to educate them about the relevance and application of different  leadership theories in leading people and managing relationships with peers and subordinates. Finally, make them aware how you have been continuously updating your knowledge and developing yourself throughout, and what the benefits of ‘investing in yourself’ were. A grand party would be organizedby your HR director praising all your hard work and achievements you would have accomplished in a short span of time working at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home. More information can be accessed from the following websites: www.CQC.org.uk., www.legislation.gov.uk, www.acas.org.uk, www.cipd.co.uk Assignment: Based on the scenario above you are required to complete an ESSAY of 3,000 words (this is an indicative word limit).You should refer to the assessment criteria and the relevant unit content, when preparing your evidence of assessment. The essay is formed of the following four sections below which relate to the learning outcomes. Learning Outcome 1 (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) 1.1 Explain the factors that need to be considered when planning the recruitment of individuals to work at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home. (M1) 1.2 Explain how relevant legislative and policy frameworks of the home country influence the selection, recruitment and employment of individuals to work in St-Patrick’s Nursing Home(M1 and D1) 1.3 Evaluate the different approaches that may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals, and make recommendations for St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M1 and D1) Learning Outcome 2 (2.1, 2.2) 2.1 Explain the theories of how individuals interact in groups in relation to the types of teams that work in health and social care (M2 and D2) 2.2 Evaluate the approaches that may be used by staff at different levels to develop and promote effective team working at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M2 and D2) Learning Outcome 3 (3.1, 3.2, 3.3,) 3.1 Explain the ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care can be appraised(M3 and D3) 3.2 Assess of how individual training and development needs can be identified at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M3 and D3) 3.3 Analyse the different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace (M3 and D3) Learning Outcome 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3,) 4.1 Explain theories of leadership that apply to the health and social care workplace (M2 and D2) 4.2 Analyse how working relationships may be managed at St-Patrick’s Nursing Home (M3) 4.3Evaluate how your own development has been influenced by management approaches that you encountered in your own experience (M3 and D3) Formative Submission How and why will formative assessment take place? Formative assessment will take place to advise you on your progress within the term (during 4th and 8th week) and the ways in which you could improve before the final (summative) submission. The feedback is for your benefit and is not part of your final grade for the unit. Formative feedback may however not be as detailed as the final feedback you receive, and may be in verbal and/or written form (at the teacher’s discretion). You will be asked to submit your work for formative feedbackin electronic form to your teacher or as hard copy, to which you will receive verbal and/or written feedback. Final (Summative) Submission You need to submit all of the documents relating to your final assignment covering all learning outcomes i.e. LO1, LO2, LO3 and LO4 via stponline.co.uk on or before 12TH April 2014 latest by 23:55. Merit Descriptors Indicative characteristics Contextualised Indicative characteristics (All the characteristics need to be achieved) M1 Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions Complex problems with more than one variable have beenexplored. Has demonstrated an understanding of therelevant legislation and policies framework of the home country andknowledge of the different approachesthat may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals to work in health and social careLO 1.1 1.2,1.3 M2 Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques The application of relevant theories, techniques and methods, and also justifying all sources of information. Has shown the understanding of the Leadership and team theories and applied them by developing the effective team and workingrelations.LO2.1,2.2,LO4.1 M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings The appropriate structure and approach has been used Has identified the appropriate method of performance appraisal and evaluated the correct staff training and development needsLO3.1, 3.2 Distinction Descriptors Indicative characteristics Contextualised Indicative characteristics (All the characteristics need to be achieved) D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified Has critically evaluated their work and drawn conclusions with justification on how the conclusions were arrived at in relation to the different approaches used to ensure the selection of the best individuals for work in health and social careLO 1.3 D2 Take responsibility of managing and organising activities Independent thinking has been demonstrated and all activities have been managed. Has applied the different leadership and team theories for team management and workingrelationships.LO4.1 4.2 D3 Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking Self-evaluation has taken place. Has critically evaluatedhow their own development has been influenced by management approaches. LO4.3