Disaster of Bangladesh

This article is about the distressing incident which took place in Bangladesh where 228 people died in the fall down of eight storey’s Rana Plaza. Rana Plaza had shops, offices and factories crowded with many people. But due to its substandard construction building got collapsed and fell down killing many people. While many of them got trapped and seriously wounded and the Bangladeshi government confirmed a day of national grief.Rana Plaza contained four garment factories which were supplying economical garments to global retailers like Primark and Bonmarchà © with their western customer base. Even it was announced that the building is no safer for work and needs to be evacuated on immediate basis but New Wave workers were forced to work in order to fulfill the orders of Primark and Bonmarchà ©. Initially both British companies accepted that New Wave was among their suppliers and committed to offer the possible support but later on refused to take any kind of responsibility in this regard.In the opinion of retail consultants and other professionals both of the companies are responsible to inspect and monitor the minimum working standards and overall conditions in which their designs and products are being produced as they are earning revenues by selling the same products. The cheap labour and workers who are working in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka etc have the similar rights as of western workers and they should be equally acknowledged for their profession and work.Most of the big retailers like Primark, Bonmarchà © are outsourcing their products from under developed countries and their customers are getting benefits too of buying low priced items. The Government of Bangladesh and all under developed countries have to implement strict standards for construction of factories, industrial and commercial buildings in order to avoid such disasters. On the other hand the Governments of big retailers have to impose certain statutory regulations whic h will protect their manufacturers/suppliers in countries like Bangladesh.Lastly consumers have to play their role by using the purchasing power to force big retailers to follow a book of rule. I would like to add similar incidents which happened in the factories, commercial and residential buildings of Pakistan. Garment factories in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore caught fire on 11 September 2012. The fires occurred in a textile factory in the western part of Karachi and in a shoemaking factory in Lahore.The fires are considered to be the most deadly and worst industrial factory fires in Pakistan's history, killing 257 people and seriously injuring more than 600. The garment factory â€Å"Ali Enterprises†, which is located in Plot 67, Hub Road, Baldia Town, Karachi, used to export its garments to Europe and the United, and had employed between 1,200 and 1,500 workers. Ali Enterprises manufactured denim, knitted garments, and hosiery, and had capital of between $10 million and $50 million.Workers at Ali Enterprises said they earned between 5,000 and 10,000 rupees ($52 to $104) a month for their labour. Margalla Towers Islamabad, Pakistan got collapsed in year 2005. All of these incidents usually take place in developing countries due to the negligence of building owners, lack of construction standards, corruption and lack of governance. Conclusion: The only solution is to build and construct the industrial factories by following international construction standards in order to avoid such disasters.And international retailers should be very careful in selecting their production partners in order to have smooth supply chain function. The most sensible conclusion is to accept that responsibility is shared between companies and consumers. Put simply, all of us have a duty. â€Å"If we want to wear cheap clothes, which are made by people who work in these conditions, then there’s a moral responsibility for us as well as for the brands,â₠¬  says Ms Lissaman. Disaster of Bangladesh This article is about the distressing incident which took place in Bangladesh where 228 people died in the fall down of eight storey’s Rana Plaza. Rana Plaza had shops, offices and factories crowded with many people. But due to its substandard construction building got collapsed and fell down killing many people. While many of them got trapped and seriously wounded and the Bangladeshi government confirmed a day of national grief.Rana Plaza contained four garment factories which were supplying economical garments to global retailers like Primark and Bonmarche with their western customer base. Even it was announced that the building is no safer for work and needs to be evacuated on immediate basis but New Wave workers were forced to work in order to fulfill the orders of Primark and Bonmarche. Initially both British companies accepted that New Wave was among their suppliers and committed to offer the possible support but later on refused to take any kind of responsibility in thi s regard.In the opinion of retail consultants and other professionals both of the companies are responsible to inspect and monitor the minimum working standards and overall conditions in which their designs and products are being produced as they are earning revenues by selling the same products. The cheap labour and workers who are working in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka etc have the similar rights as of western workers and they should be equally acknowledged for their profession and work.Most of the big retailers like Primark, Bonmarche are outsourcing their products from under developed countries and their customers are getting benefits too of buying low priced items. The Government of Bangladesh and all under developed countries have to implement strict standards for construction of factories, industrial and commercial buildings in order to avoid such disasters. On the other hand the Governments of big retailers have to impose certain statutory regulations which will pr otect their manufacturers/suppliers in countries like Bangladesh.Lastly consumers have to play their role by using the purchasing power to force big retailers to follow a book of rule. I would like to add similar incidents which happened in the factories, commercial and residential buildings of Pakistan. Garment factories in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore caught fire on 11 September 2012. The fires occurred in a textile factory in the western part of Karachi and in a shoemaking factory in Lahore.The fires are considered to be the most deadly and worst industrial factory fires in Pakistan's history, killing 257 people and seriously injuring more than 600. The garment factory â€Å"Ali Enterprises†, which is located in Plot 67, Hub Road, Baldia Town, Karachi, used to export its garments to Europe and the United, and had employed between 1,200 and 1,500 workers. Ali Enterprises manufactured denim, knitted garments, and hosiery, and had capital of between $10 million and $50 million.Workers at Ali Enterprises said they earned between 5,000 and 10,000 rupees ($52 to $104) a month for their labour. Margalla Towers Islamabad, Pakistan got collapsed in year 2005. All of these incidents usually take place in developing countries due to the negligence of building owners, lack of construction standards, corruption and lack of governance. Conclusion: The only solution is to build and construct the industrial factories by following international construction standards in order to avoid such disasters.And international retailers should be very careful in selecting their production partners in order to have smooth supply chain function. The most sensible conclusion is to accept that responsibility is shared between companies and consumers. Put simply, all of us have a duty. â€Å"If we want to wear cheap clothes, which are made by people who work in these conditions, then there’s a moral responsibility for us as well as for the brands,† says Ms Lissaman.

Birago Diop’s Vanity Essay

Birago Diop: He was born in 1906 at Dakar, Senegal. He was educated in Senegal and in France where in qualifed in veterinary surgeon. VANITY is one of his many poems he used in expressing the presence of the ancestor. THE POEM VANITY If we tell, gently, gently All that we shall one day have to tell, Who then will hear our voices without laughter, Sad complaining voices of beggars Who indeed will hear them without laughter? If we roughly of our torments Ever increasing from the start of things What eyes will watch our large mouths Shaped by the laughter of big children What eyes will watch our large mouth? What hearts will listen to our clamoring? What ear to our pitiful anger Which grows in us like a tumor In the black depth of our plaintive throats? When our Dead comes with their Dead When they have spoken to us in their clumsy voices; Just as our ears were deaf To their cries, to their wild appeals Just as our ears were deaf They have left on the earth their cries, In the air, on the water, where they have traced their signs For us blind deaf and unworthy Sons Who see nothing of what they have made In the air, on the water, where they have traced their signs And since we did not understand the dead Since we have never listen to their cries If we weep, gently, gently If we cry roughly to our torments What heart will listen to our clamoring, What ear to our sobbing hearts?

MBA sem 1 Essay

Parts of vision statement 1. The core values are those things very close to your heart that you will not give up at any cost. It can be integrity (for example, I will never cheat on the taxes I have to pay) or quality (I will never use a lower quality wood), etc. Usually we say that you should have only 4 to 6 core values. Of course, personal values and business values may differ. For example, love may be a very important personal value but it may not be so relevant in your business of furniture though it can be relevant if you were having a home for the aged. 2. Core purpose is the purpose of the organization, for example, to make furniture. This is something that you want to achieve within the framework of our core values. It gives the achievement orientation to the business and therefore the focus. When we get an opportunity to expand or sell off and if we are in a decision dilemma, this acts as another light house. we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees†¦ that’s proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in (b) Differentiate between ‘process’ and ‘tasks’ (Parts of vision statement, Difference between process and tasks) Answer: Processes Process is a set of logical activities that lead to some final or interim output. For example, taking pieces of wood, making it smooth, cutting it, making grooves, connecting them, finishing them, and polishing them are processes to create a table. These have to be done in some logical sequence. This is what a process is. Let us now look at we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees†¦ that’s proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q2. Planning is called as the cornerstone of management. Define planning and describe the importance of planning. Explain the types of planning. (Definition of planning, Importance of planning, Types of planning) 2,3,5 Answer: Definition and Importance of Planning Planning can be defined as a basic management function which enables one to select the purpose of the business, and how the resources should be mustered to achieve that purpose to include using the available resources optimally to do that. Planning implies goal setting for the organization keeping in mind the constraints, opportunities, and threats as much as what the person or business which is planning wants to do. Thus, a plan is a blueprint for goal achievement, a blue print that specifies the necessary resource allocations, schedules, tasks, and other actions to achieve the purpose. A goal is a desired future state that the organization attempts to reach. Goals are important because an organization exists for a purpose, and goals define and state that purpose. Goals specify future ends; plans we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees†¦ that’s proof we are not f ake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q3. What is meant by ‘span of control’? Differentiate between narrow span of control and wide span of control. What are the factors that influence the span of control? (Meaning of ‘span of control’ ,Difference between narrow span of control and wide span of control, Factors that influence the span of control) 2,3,5 Answer: Span of control The number of subordinates that a manager or supervisor can directly control. This number varies with the type of work: complex, variable work reduces it to six, whereas routine, fixed work increases it to twenty or more. we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees†¦ that’s proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q4 Define Organizational behavior. What are the various approaches to Organizational behavior? (Definition of OB, Approaches to OB) 2, 8 Answer: Definition of OB: OB can be defined as a systematic study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups and organizational factors on productivity to include effectiveness and efficiency, absentee, turnover, organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction. ? By systematic study we mean looking at relationships and attempting to attribute causes and effects, and drawing conclusions based on scientific evidence. ? By productivity we mean a performance measure that includes both effectiveness (achievement of goals) and efficiency (ratio on output versus input required to achieve it). ? By absenteeism we mean failure to report to work especially without informing. ? we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500 /sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees†¦ that’s proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or ? mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com ? web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in ? www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in a whole is to function effectively. Q5. Perception is the way we see and interpret things. Explain the importance of such ‘perception’. What are the factors affecting perception? (Importance of perception, Factors affecting perception) 4,6 Answer: Importance of perception Perception is perhaps the most important aspect of OB that we use in our daily life and in management. The importance of perception is: ? While creating vision for an organization, our perception of the future and the way things should be is a deciding factor. ? While making strategy, out perception of the opportunities and threats make us see the same situation differently. ? Perception gives the impetus to seek more information to make more rational decisions e.g., the perception of Rakhi on the situation of the bakery in trouble, made her travel and talk to the employees to gain more information. If she had perceived what the manager did was right or that it is too small a thing to intervene, she would not have made the effort to find out more information. ? we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees†¦ that’s proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for m any student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or ? mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com ? web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in ? www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q6. Give the definition and importance of ‘motivation’. Describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. (Definition of motivation, Importance of motivation, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory) 2,3,5 Answer: Definition and Importance of Motivation Motivation is â€Å"the process that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.† (Robbins, 2003) Intensity is concerned with how hard a person tries. This is the element most of us focus on when we talk about motivation. Directionis the orientation that benefits the organization. And persistence is a measure of how long a person can maintain his/her effort. Motivated individuals stay with a task long enough to achieve their goal. Motivation is important to an individual because: ? Motivation helps to achieve personal goals. ? Motivation gives job satisfaction. ? Motivation helps in self-development of individual. ? An individual would always gain by working with a dynamic team. Collins, James C. and Jerry I. Porras. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. First Paperback Edition. New York: Harper-Collins, 1997. 219-239.

The Dark Side of the Domus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Dark Side of the Domus - Essay Example The Concept of Dwelling The conception of the dwelling has significantly become a normal subject in architecture. It connects predominantly well to the sustainability revolution as well as green architecture. These concepts share a viewpoint of profound pace attachment and correlation inside the environment. The theorist Lyotard holds the viewpoint that, the dwelling requires a location of permanence so that when threatened with alteration can result to a reactionary community of separating those with divergent principles. These similarities of the sustainability revolution connect to Lyotard’s fear of a place of abode and suppose a refocus of attempts toward tackling matters of equity. There are varied attempts globally to re-establish an individual scale of locales that promote an individual’s relationship with the environment, as well as each other. These attempts fall under certain hypothetical approach, for instance, sustainability, ecological design, as well as li veability. Scale and correlation among individuals is a significant quandary in the West. The sustainability upheaval correlates and reacts to Heidegger’s conception of dwelling, the significance of being in the universe. However, Lyotard visualizes dwelling as a prospective driver of isolation and disparity due to its dependence on commonly held principles. Lyotard refutes the notion of dwelling as a way to warn and criticize the standing and limitation of sustainability as well as ecological building uprisings nowadays (Ballatyne, 1998). The significant notion in the conception of the dwelling is the comprehension of how appropriate individuals can exist in their surroundings. For instance, the presumption of th building is dwelling and these buildings offer the act of residing in a certain place. A house, nonetheless, provides the act of residing but is not a place of abode. Individuals work within the city but live outside. Individuals also commute and live here and there . The concept of dwelling simply describes the occupation of temporary housing. It is the fundamental nature of human existence the summation of all the principles, and needs a connection to the soil. The individual fundamental, nature is present in the globe as in a heimat. This location specificity is further explicated as the real meaning of dwelling. This connection to a locale elucidates the other connotations of dwelling to be revealed. The principal element of the dwelling is to be at tranquillity and secure inside an individual’s preserve. Dwelling offers one of the most crucial human requirements and security. Individuals usually build to safeguard themselves from the universe. A place of abode is not just for individuals to be guarded. It is also meant to conserve the items that encircle the individual. This implies that nature is to be safeguarded. The mutual interrelationship calls for an innate understanding of a certain region that does not correlate to the pers istent structures of movement of varied present day individuals (Neil, 2009). People’s spatial existence has become detached by a rapidly altering community; consequently, the notion of the dwelling has emerged in the living areas as well as the daily existence in the city. This elucidates the

Rene Descartes Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy Essay

Rene Descartes Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy - Essay Example He even questions whether at the time of his writing he is truly awake or is indeed in an unceasing dream. In the dream doubt argument, Descartes fears that his present experiences could all turn out to be a huge dream and that in the end senses can be deceitful. He writes, ‘How often, asleep at night, am I convinced of such familiar events – that I am here in my dressing-gown, sitting by the fire – when in fact I am lying undressed in bed... I see that there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep’ (Descartes, 1). He thus renders the verdict that the truest source of knowledge of science and life comes not from senses (which are deceitful) but from the mind. He hence holds that the data obtained from senses are not always true and that the only way to obtain reliable knowledge is through strict adherence to reason in all problems/ questions encountered in life (and science). Using dreams as evidence of the flaws in trusting one’s senses, Rene postulates that at the very least, our senses must be test ed and thoroughly examined to ascertain the truth in them. He argues that the possibility of tricking the senses into accepting a false dream world as real denotes that the simulated realities is a common phenomenon and one that mankind should watch out for. In this argument, one could be dreaming at a time of a discovery/ new insight/ belief or the whole of life could be a dream (inexistent). After arguing out the dream doubt, Rene wanders on to the evil genius doubt. Descartes hypothesizes that (since God is infinitely good and incapable of deceit) there is a malicious being (demon), wielding immense power and who is very cunning/ clever, that has gone on in all the aggression it is capable of to seamlessly deceive him (Descartes, 1). He therefore regards the earth and all in it as mere deceptions of an evil demon in order to alter his perception and reason of things. In

Using the media 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Using the media 6 - Assignment Example In order to influence public opinion and as a nurse, I would use the media to apply pressure and advance the public policy issue. This would serve as a way of marshaling the constituents. Additionally, in order to communicate the public policy issue through the media, the message to be conveyed would need to be framed to make the information understandable by the public (Mason et al., 2011). The media can also be ineffective if the messages are conveyed to the wrong target group. It is at this point that I would determine the target group or audience for the communication. The social networking media can be effective means of communicating the public policy issue. A message passed through any of the social media sites and websites such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs can be weighty (Anderson & Puckrin, 2011). Therefore, it would be effective to have a post in all social networking websites and blogs on the current state of the policy issue, and an expounded state of the policy issue a nd comments of a policy maker in an opinion editorial. However, although social networking websites may be helpful in conveying useful information, there are numerous concerns that need to be considered (Miller, 2011). These include privacy and confidentiality of information. Patient confidentiality and privacy is an essential issue that continues to be violated by social media users (Anderson & Puckrin, 2011). It would be ethically and professionally wrong for a nurse to expose patient information without their

Define our approach to developing a Lifce Cycle Cost for the RRRP - to Research Paper

Define our approach to developing a Lifce Cycle Cost for the RRRP - to help prime develop logical path to developing and fielding technical solutions - Research Paper Example By working towards maximizing value in terms of achieving economic competitiveness and value through lowering the lowest long term costs of ownership, a good objective will be achieved for all the departments. The assessment of life cycle costs includes the cradle to the grave costs and provides a method to accurately consider long term decisions. Six different radar test centres have come together in order to create a single unified program to replace their existing ageing radar systems, hence this new umbrella organization is the one that stands to benefit the most from the improvement of the radar life cycle. The first stage in the improvement of the radar life cycle is the acquisition stage, where old and defective parts of the system would need to be replaced by new components. One of the first aspects which must be taken into consideration is that the existing radar systems are fifty years old and therefore practically obsolescent, and will require periodic upgrades of both software and hardware, which would only involve further costs. How often such upgrades would need to occur would depend upon how often computer capacities would increase. For example, Moore’s law states that the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit would double every two years, so this effectively means that existing technologies would become obsolescent very quickly. Hence hardware and software upgrades may be required at least once every four to five years. Moreover, in the case of older systems, manufacturers of some of the parts could stop making them and it wou ld become difficult to replace the parts, thereby necessitating upgrades, because some components are no longer available. Where radar systems are concerned, the accuracy and complexity requirements are also quite high; therefore the capacity of all the

Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Business Essay

Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Business - Essay Example tly, the paper recommends that the NIOC would respond through prioritized strategies: increased environmental preservation programs, building technological capabilities, expanding programs for socioeconomic concerns, monitoring Iran’s geopolitical status as well as adjusting operations to cope in a stringent legal environment. This approach would ensure sustainability by minimizing unfavourable uncertainties. The global business environment is very dynamic and present trends that could lead to the failure of the business. Analysis of the recent trends could give insight on future trends in the business environment and enable planners develop long-term sustainable strategies for their company. This is important to ensure the businesses do not experience undesired difficulties that may lead to failure or decreased profits. The current business scenario for the oil industry could provide rich information on the anticipated scenario in the long future and enable oil firms such as the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) develop effective sustainable strategies. The present oil business environment experience changes in geopolitical, technological, socioeconomic, legal and environmental factors useful in developing sustainable response strategies for a firm. Current trends include increased environmental concerns due to pollution of oil products and practices of cutting costs to increase compe titiveness. There are global politics on Iran’s oil supplies associated with involvement in the manufacture of nuclear weapons as well as support for terrorism. This paper will discuss about the present oil business scenario for NIOC to project the scenario in 2055 and develop sustainable response strategies for the company’s future scenario. The global oil industry experience huge concerns over the negative impacts of oil on the environment. Oil is the main source of pollution through emissions of carbon dioxide gas, which the main contributing factor in global warming

Hacking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hacking - Essay Example e first technology for hacks was determined; a single whistle from the box ‘Cap n’ Crunch’ was being used for making long distance phone calls free of any charge (Himma, 2007). In 1981, Ian Murphy hacked data of AT&T and changed the clocks so that people could avail late night discounts and he was the first hacker to be convicted of felony charges. At the same time, Kevin Mitnick was the leading hacker who hacked into IBM, DEC and Pacific Bell. In the late 1990s, the biggest hacking cases were reported such as Gary Mackinnon who was convicted of military crimes in US, Albert Gonzalez got the biggest jail sentence for stealing about two hundred million debit and credit numbers that cost losses of about  £200 million (Ward, 2011). According to Sengupta, Mazumdar and Barik (2005), the hackers can be classified into four various generations. The first one was defined as technology-oriented and smart programmers, computer scientists and students from MIT as they hacked for professional and academic curiosities. The second comprised of hackers who were the technological radicals that developed the blue boxes for giving long distance calls on phone without any charges. The third generation constituted of people who were young and loved computer and personal computer games. The latest generation comprised of hackers who were involved in criminal activities that were triggered by power, revenge, greed or other cruel intentions. Hacking is defined as a way of gaining unauthorized access to the data that is stored in a computer. Hacking activities creates many problems for the users and users have a risk when dealing with IT systems for conducting money transaction. Risks are also present with the information of the user. In addition to getting access to valuable data and information, hacking includes invasion or attack on the people’s confidential information; majority of the people doing online transactions especially E-commerce are concerned about the

Geology of Shanghai Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Geology of Shanghai - Term Paper Example Upon further study, it has been discovered that â€Å"In the Shanghai area, unconsolidated materials, about 300 meters thick, of alternating marine and continental [material] were deposited on the bedrock during the Quaternary Period† (Jiangang, 2007, p. 21). This provides for quite an array of soil and rock formations present in Shanghai and the surrounding areas. There is, for example, 150 meters of clay soil alone along the delta region. This data also provides the researcher with a living history of the structure of the entire region that explains how life has evolved in the region over time. All of the clay and soil formations have caused at least five aquifers to be created over time. These aquifers are quite flat and thick. They provide for an extensive flow of ground water that continues to this day. These aquifers cover all areas of Shanghai, except for certain parts of the Eastern coast and localized areas along the Whangpoo River (Xu, 2009, p. 481). In essence, nearly every area of Shanghai, if properly resourced and developed, has access to a continual and ground water supply. For the most part, as mentioned, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact date that landforms around Shanghai were created. Because the area is so flat, there are not many rock formations to speak of, other than spots of bedrock. The main geographical feature of the region lies in its system of tributaries and natural canals. This is what has sustained life in the area around Shanghai for thousands of years.

Gender and Video Games Essay Example for Free

Gender and Video Games Essay The current development in the literature concerning videogames and gender constitutes the formulation of perceptions of how not only game developers but also players establish their individual and collective identity in this process. Their relationship then corresponds to creating specific norms and principles that seek to identify specific ideas concerning their representation of reality and also their ability to capitalize on existing genres for cultivating game play and the issues related to acceptance of existing norms. Due to this, to better understand the relationship circumventing around video games and gender, fair amount of analysis must be made not only in its ability to represent the gaming public but also in the impact it creates towards taking the issue into a bigger picture as it relates to the construction of social norms and roles. Assessing Video Games and Gender Indeed looking at previous literature studies, it can be seen that misrepresentation remains apparent especially among the representation of gender in video games. Here, common patterns of male masculine figures and characters continue to dominate different platforms and games. Such idea remains to be seen particularly, during the earlier times wherein there is a corresponding depiction of players that are relatively male and ultimately dominate both the primary and secondary characters. Here, Williams, Martins, Consalvo and Ivory (2009) study highlights these apparent trends by arguing that â€Å"the most popular games are less representative than the typical game produced by developers, indicating that players also play a role in the cycle of creation and consumption† (p. 828). Similarly, such actions then establish the formation of implications relating towards both businesses and gamers alike. Given the constant marketing and exploration of new strategies to expand the level of gamers within a specific platform, there are indeed restrictions that this gender bias and formulation of games create. It necessitates not only hindering the potential appeal of these games towards consumers but also induce common means for limited appreciation and also shortage in sales. These dynamics in turn necessitate a constricted response to the ever growing number of patrons of video games as it encompasses the majority of participants and involve other actors who also place emphasis in their capacity for media to exhibit their common associations and relationship within the platform (Williams, Martins, Consalvo, Ivory, 2009). Opening up Patterns for Diversity and Change Assessing the validity of how video games embrace diversity, careful analysis needs to be made in the manner that video games seek to portray and outline the views concerning the gaming culture. Since social symbols often connote this process to be a male/masculine endeavor, earlier platforms somehow inhibit female participation in such activity and more often than not associated with male roles and tendencies (Williams, Martin, Consalvo and Ivory, 2009). However, this started to change as new designs and models have been introduced to cater to the changing perceptions of gender roles related to video games and adherence to the objectives to transcend over common representations that platform has over male and female responsiveness. Recognizing the current needs for embedding gender equality within the video game platforms, many game developers now seek to apply these strategies in the formulation of new titles that seek to connote better ability for people to utilize their perception of themselves within a particular game. This brought about significant changes as designers brought into consideration diversity and equal representation of male and female roles in the process. This dynamics then consolidated better means for outlining not only significant areas related to the overall game play but also in the appeal it gives towards different individuals regardless of their racial and gender associations (Brandtzaeg and Heim, 2009). Seeing this, the study by Jansz and Vosmeer indeed offer a good analysis of how the game ‘Sims 2’ address these changing trends and outline the evolution of gaming from a masculine and male dominated genre to a more lax and diverse area that induces common connections between masculinity and femininity. By using this game as an example, the study was able to highlight significant changes in these perceptions and was able to ascertain common ideals shaping and furthering opportunities accounting to how diversity serves as an instrument in merging the idea of gender and video games together. To complement this process, it takes into account creating video games that are not only responsive to the needs of gamers but also reach out towards their ability to utilize connections over the roles specific characters play. Here, Jansz and Vosmeer (2010) argues, â€Å"developing gender and games theory requires more detailed insight into the mutual shaping of game content, game play, and gender identities† (p. 247). By collaborating on these three aspects accordingly, the ability of growth of video games have indeed showcased a reality that is more conducive and responsive to the needs of individuals by offering a variety of platforms wherein interaction and associations remain possible. Videogames, Violence, and Gender Roles Another precept shaping the understanding concerning the idea of videogames and gender is the corresponding perceptions and roles it provides participants. Since this element is one part of media, it is through this that representations about culture and gender roles are provided among individuals regardless of age, race, or cultural affiliations. These dynamics in turn necessitate both positive and negative responses in terms of the establishment of identity and formulation of specific patterns of behavior innate within the characterization of primary and secondary characters in a particular game. In essence, there continues to be a relationship in the way individuals ascertain their preferences in games with their innate social behavior and ability to denote a particular response to each theme of a video game played (Brandtzaeg and Heim, 2009). Seeing these diverse variations concerning the ability to extract experiences and ideas from video games, it then presents the formation of specific behavior and inputs depending on the themes provided. Such actions then result in current diversity of games available in the market today. As Brandtzaeg and Heim (2009) argue, â€Å"the new electronic gaming landscape is complex, and consists of a vast array of choices in different game content genres tailored towards a range of user profiles in regards to highly different interests and content preferences† (p. 71). These in turn result in the formulation of specific behavior that equally shapes an individual’s personality and the manner that each one seeks to equate this in the formulation of their identity and role within social institutions. Associated with the formulation of gender roles, there are also instances of video games promoting violence as themes in its platforms. Such dynamics then necessitate impact on individual behavior as they try to ascertain specific tendencies towards the acceptance of violence to be a social norm and apparent in different scenarios and environment. Though research and literature may argue differently concerning this stance, it also goes to show the impact that video games can provide towards the inducement of violent and aggressive tendencies among gamers. Here, it is what Kim refers to as desensitization of violence within video games genre and points out its impact not only in the formulation of gender roles but also the acceptance of its role within the development of a player’s identity (Kim, n. d. ). Under this process, there continues to be new developments happening in video game technology that aides the desensitization of violence among consoles. These in turn contributes to further exposure and creates a real-life scenarios wherein players experience an almost-real setup where violence as a theme is depicted. Here, Kim (n. d. ) argues that â€Å"as video games become more sophisticated, there is a wide range of input devices at various levels of realism – from pushing keys on a keyboard to a turning wheel to drive or actually shooting a gun† (p. 5). Such realities then brings about the question of how such games provide the means to explore means to correspond the manner to ascertain violence, videogames and gender. It does take into account the value of how these themes permeate within choices and ability to partake in the gaming experience of individuals. By establishing these relationships, it can help analyze the formulation of behavior as well as how it corresponds to the nature of furthering opportunities to extract behavioral responsiveness on the part of individuals who partake in such endeavor. (Jansz, and Vosmeer, 2010). To conclude, the idea of gender and video games have undergone an expansion of literature that takes into account its development from a more conservative and masculine-oriented dimension towards the creation of games that seeks to highlight and induce elements of diversity. By taking account of these areas, it was able to consolidate better means to reach out towards different gamers and allow better means for access among people. Though there may still be corresponding bias views concerning gender, it was able to construct a new playing field wherein new games are able to cater towards the dynamic needs among gamers. Alongside this development, there is also the corresponding perspective of shaping new means to carry out effective means to extract gender roles among players. These elements manifest in the themes and perceptions utilized by individuals who participate in such endeavor. One element that can be seen in these areas is the corresponding violence that video game creates. Though there are contrasting views in the impact on human behavior, it plays a crucial role in establishing analysis in its association with the interplay of social norms and roles through the spectrum of perceptions and choices of video game genres. References Brandtzaeg, P. B. and Heim, J. (2009) Children’s Electronic Gaming Content Preferences and Psychosocial Factors: Is there a connection? Nordicom Review. 30 (2), pp. 69-86 Jansz, J. , Avis, C. and Vosmeer, M. (2010) Playing The Sims 2: An exploration of gender differences in players’ motivations and patterns of play. New media and Society. 12 (2), pp. 235-251 Kim, O. T. Effects of Violent Video Games on Desensitization: The Role of Gender, Previous Exposure, and Input Device. Williams, D. , Martins, N. , Consalvo, M. and Ivory, J. (2009) The virtual census: representations of gender, race, and age in video games. New media and society. 11 (5), pp. 815-834

Provide Displays in Schools Essay Example for Free

Provide Displays in Schools Essay The school’s setting on displays show that displays are allowed on the walls in the classrooms, corridors, in the school hall and sometimes in the offices. By having displays up around the school it gives the children a sense of achievement and the children will feel valued. Also by having displays up on the walls in the school, it makes the school look brighter, and more cheerful. The policy on displays includes that the display should create awareness and give information. It should give information on what ever subject it has been based on. The display should have a clear title and name tags of who ever made the display, which shows the achievement of the child or class. Other pupils should learn from these displays and gain knowledge or experience. The children should always have an input with the displays, including colour, pattern and design of the display because this will get them working together and they will gain experience. A teacher or teaching assistant will decide where to put the display, and make sure that it is an appropriate place to put it, to make sure it is safe. The health and safety of the staff, pupils and visitors should be taken into consideration of the location of the display, just in case things stick out of this display because it may cause harm to someone. You should laminate the paper before sticking it on and blue tack should be used instead of pins because it is a lot safer and cleaner. The staff must be aware of the object on the display that could cause harm to someone. Someone should take regular inspection of the display just in case something has broken and is hanging off or has fallen to the floor, causing a health risk. It’s important to have displays in the school because it shows a sense of pride and appreciation of the children work, because nothing shows you like and appreciate someone’s work than hanging it so everyone can see it. The children will feel their work is thought of and valued. Also by having displays on the wall, they don’t go unnoticed which means when a display has had it’s time and needs to be updated, you can’t ignore it. It also means that you have to look after the display so it keeps a good example on the school and makes the people who made it look good. Displays can decorative and make a classroom look a lot more interesting and brighter. This can directly impact a pupil into a having a positive state of mind, helping a pupil try harder and complete work and learn, all from the motivation of a display. In general when you pass something everyday you tend to notice the details about it, so when you pass a big colourful display in the corridor you will gain more knowledge about it everyday. I think this benefits a child’s learning in the school. The risk assessment of the display is always important because you need to think of a lot of different things to ensure the staff, pupil and visitors safety. The first thing you need to think of is; where is the display? Is it in a suitable area where it will not damage or injure anyone? Another question you need to ask yourself is; what is on the display? You need to ensure that there is nothing on the display that is sharp, could burn or injure. It shouldn’t be able to dislodge, shouldn’t belong to anyone but you, it can’t be poisonous and it should not rot. You need to asses how things are fixed to the display because they should not be able to dislodge. You also need to think of who will interact with the display, for example a small child could be very interested in the display, but there could be heavy object attached to it. Therefore you will need to ensure the child’s safety by either not including this heavy object on the display, or putting it high enough and stable enough out of the child’s reach.

Roles Of Human Resource Management

Roles Of Human Resource Management In the past few years, roles for HR professionals were viewed in terms of transition from operational to strategic; qualitative to quantitative; policing to partnering; short-term to long-term; administrative to consultative; functionally oriented to business oriented; internally focused to externally and customer-focused; reactive to proactive; activity-focused to solutions-focused (Ulrich, 1997). However, these transitions have been seen as too simplistic. In fact, the roles of HR professionals are multiple, not single. In order to create value and deliver results, HR professionals must not only focus on the activities or work of HR but also define the deliverables of the work. Therefore, Ulrich (1997) came out a multiple-role model for human resource management (See Figure 2-1). The two axes represent the HR professionals focus and activities. Focus ranges from long-term/strategic to short-term/operational. HR professionals must learn to be both strategic and operational, focusing on the long term and short term. Activities rang from managing process (HR tools and systems) to managing people. These two axes delineate four principal HR roles which are: (1) Management of strategic human resources; (2) Management of firm infrastructure; (3) Management of the employee contribution; and (4) management of transformation and change (Ulrich 1997). In a short word, the roles of HR professional are strategic partner; administrative expert; employee champion and change agent. Table 2-1 summarizes the deliverables, metaphor and activities the HR professional must perform to fulfill the role. Figure 2-1 HR Roles in Building a Competitive Organization Source: Ulrich, 1997 Table 2-1 Definition of HR roles Role/Cell Deliverable/Outcome Metaphor Activity Management of Strategic Human Resources Executing strategy Strategic Partner Aligning HR and business strategy: Organizational diagnosis Management of Firm Infrastructure Building an efficient infrastructure Administrative Expert Reengineering Organization Processes: Shared service Management of Employee Contribution Increasing employee commitment and capability Employee Champion Listening and responding to Employees: Providing resources to employees Management of Transformation and Change Creating a renewed organization Change Agent Managing transformation and change: Ensuring capacity for change Source: Ulrich, 1997 Management of Strategic Human Resources-Strategic Partner As Ulrich said, HR professionals pay a strategic role when they have the ability to translate business strategy into action (Ulrich, 1997). To achieve this, the HR manager must be able to ask appropriate questions and contribute to business decisions. As a result, the HR manager must develop business acumen, a customer orientation and an awareness of the competition to be able to link business strategy to HR polices and practices. However, research suggests that only a minority of CEOs involve their HR managers in formulating business strategy (Nankervis, 2000 and Johnson, 2000). Evidence indicate that there is growing awareness of the need for HR managers to become actively involved at the strategic level, and increasingly recognize that organizations that have a CEO who recognizes the significance of HRM have a competitive advantage (Fisher and Dowling, 1999; Way, 2000). Management of Firm Infrastructure-Administrative Expert According to Ulrich, to become administrative experts, HR professionals must be able to reengineer HR activities through the use of technology, rethinking and redesigning work processes and the continues improvement of all organizational processes; see HR as creating value; and measure HR results in terms of efficiency (cost) and effectiveness (quality) (Ulrich, 1997; Blackburn and Rosen, 1995). Research also indicates that the competency levels of HR managers in high-performing firms are significantly higher than those of HR managers in low-performing firms (Yeung, 1998) Management of Employee Contribution-Employee Champion Work as employee champion requires that the HR professional must be able to and meet the needs of employees. This can achieve by being the employees voice in management discussions, by being fair and principled, by assuring employees that their concerns are being heard and by helping employees to find new resources so that enable them to successfully perform their jobs (Ulrich, 1997). Failure to be an employee champion will see HRM facing a loss of trust for losing sight of the needs, aspirations and interests of the workforce (Kochan, 2003). Ignoring employee-related outcomes may result in lower jog satisfaction, lower commitment and reduced performance, which in turn, negatively affect organizational performance (Guest, 2002). Management of Transformation and Change-Change Agent Act as change agent can be achieved by learning change in the HR function and by developing problem-solving communication and influence skills. Gloet argues that one way for HRM to reinvent itself is via the development and maintenance of learning environments, where knowledge creation, sharing and dissemination are valued (Gloet, 2003). Ulrich, D. (1997) Human resource Champions: The nest agenda for adding value and delivering results, Harvard Business School Press, USA Nankervis, A. Small packages, HR monthly, November 2000, pp.42-3 Johnson, E.K. (2000), The practice of human resource management in New Zealand: Strategic and best practice?, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resource, vol.38, no,2, 2000, pp.69-83. Fisher,C. and Dowling, P. (1999), Support for an HR approach in Australia: the perspective of senior HR managers, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resource, vol.37, no.1,1999,pp.2-19. Way, N. (2000), A new world of people power, Business Review Weekly, 16 June 2000, pp. 62-6. Blackburn and Rosen, Does HRM walk the TQM talk?, HR Magazine, July 1995, pp. 68-72. Yeung, A, Human Resource Competencies in Hong Kong; Research Findings and Applications Guide, HKIHRM/University of Michigan Business School, Hong Kong, 1998, p.4. Ellig, B, HR must balance demands of dual roles, HR News, July, 1996, p.9. Allen, C. and Lovell, K., The effects of high performance work systems on employees in aged care, Labour and Industry, vol.13, no.3, 2003, p.14. Kochan, T., quoted in Trinca, H,HR needs to rebuild trust, Australian Financial Review, 11 November 2003, p. 59. Guesr, D, 2002, op. cit., p.335. Gloet, M, The changing role of the HRM function in the knowledge economy; the links to quality knowledge management, paper presented at the 8th International Conferece on ISO and TQM, Montreal, April 2003, pp. 1-7. 2.2 Human Resource Management overview in China Since the late 1970s, China has been going through a transition. The economic reform in China has led to impressive growth and significant integration into the global economy. These developments have resulted in major changes in the management of industrial enterprises and hold considerable implication for HR practices in the nation with the largest workforce in the world. In China, HR practices have been shaped by a host of ideological, historical, political and economic factors. Under the economic reform programmed, although some market forces have been introduced into the HR system, the influence of the state is still considerable (Nyaw, 1995:193). In 1979, China introduced the open door policy. Since then, economic reforms have brought many changes to the business environment. The end of the iron rice bowl policy has created a new employment market. SOEs have to compete with joint ventures and privately owned enterprises. With reforms in HR practices, managers in SOEs have more a utonomy including the authority to hire and fire. There are significant differences in HR practices between firms of different ownership. MNCs and joint ventures have brought into China not only investment but also management practices. For example, labour contracts have replaced lifetime employment. A performance-based pay system is gradually replacing the seniority pay system. These practices have an important influence on domestic firms in changing their HR practices (Warner, 2001) Benson and Zhu (1999) observed that there were three major models of HRM in Chinese enterprises. The first was a traditional model that existed in large SOEs where there was surplus labour. These SOEs had close ties with the government and contributed to local development. They had traditional HR management systems. The second model was observed in foreign-owned enterprises or newly established domestic private enterprises. They had fewer constraints than SOEs. They realized that their success based either on western or Japanese systems. The third model was observed in firms that were undergoing a transition from the old to the new systems of HR management. They adopted a HR management style with Chinese characteristics. Nyaw, M.K. (1995) Human resource management in the Peoples Republic of China, in Moore, L.F. and Jennings, P.D. (eds), Human Resource Management on the Pacific Rim, Walter de Gruyter, New York, 187-216. Warner, M. (2001), Human resource management in the Peoples Republic of China, in Budhwar, P.S. and Debrah, Y.A. (eds), Human Resource Management in Developing Countries, Routledge, London and New York, 19-33. Benson, J. and Zhu, Y. (1999), Markets, firms and workers: The transformation of human resource management in Chinese state-owned enterprises, Human resource management Journal, Vol.9., No.4, 58-74. 2.3 Human Resource Management Outcomes HRM is concerned with both organizational performance and employee wellbeing which means that any evaluation of HRs contribution must incorporate both organizations and employees perspectives. The contribution of HRM to the organizational performance included aligning HR strategies with organizational strategies, managing the corporate culture to win employee commitment and being efficient in managing HR activities. On the other hand, the contribution to individual wellbeing relate to employee attitudes and behavior. High-performance HRM benefits the organization because the way employees respond to HRM initiatives is linked to their job performance and ultimately to organizational performance (Guest, 2002). Therefore, when evaluate HRM performance, following outcomes should be considered: Adaptability: that means HRM strategies and policies foster organizational and employee flexibility. The whole organization and employee ready for change and accept change. After that, innovation and creativity encouraged, knowledge is recognized as a critical asset and the organization utilize people with different background and value systems. Commitment: this concern with HRM policies enhance employee identification with and attachment to their job and the organization. High level of commitment can result in more loyalty, increase teamwork and reduced labour turnover, along with a greater sense of employee self-worth, dignity, psychological involvement and feeling of being integral to the organization. Competence: Relates to the extent that HRM polices attract, retain, motivate and develop employees with the abilities, skills, knowledge and competencies to achieve the organizations strategic objectives. Congruence: concern with HRM polices generate or sustain congruence between management and employees, different employee groups, the organization and the community, employees and their families, and within the individual. In other words, HRM strategies and policies promote the achievement of employee goals, at the same time, satisfy the organizations strategies business objectives. Lack of congruence can be costly to the organization in terms of time, money and energy, resulting low levels of trust and lack of common purpose and stress or other psychological problems will happen (Beer, Spector, Lawrence, Mills and Walton, 1984) Cost-effectiveness: the HRM strategies and polices can reduce personnel-related costs, help correctly size the organization, eliminate unnecessary work, reduce compensation and benefit costs, reduce labour turnover and absenteeism, improve employee health and safety, improve employee productivity and avoid costs from litigation and negative public relations. Job satisfaction: HRM strategies and polices can produce employees have positive attitudes and feelings about their jobs. Common employee satisfaction components include pay, promotion opportunities, fringe benefits, supervision, colleagues, job conditions, the nature of the work, communication and job security (Spector, 2000). Rose (2002) suggested that employees frustrated and bored with repetitive and standardized work have low commitment. A satisfied employee tends to be absent less often, make positive contributions, stay with the organization and radiate positive feelings towards customers (McShane and Von Glinow, 2000). Justice: HR strategies, polices and practices are powerful communicators regarding managements trustworthiness, fairness and commitment to employees. If management is perceived favourably, employees reciprocate with increased commitment to the organization (Whitener, 2001). Motivation: HRM strategies and policies stimulate employees to achieve a designated goal. Highly motivated employees work hard, come to work early and contribute more to the organizations strategic objectives. Performance: HRM contribute to employee job performance and productivity and the organizations overall profitability, growth and success. Trust: HRM promote trust between employees, management and the organization. Under trust, employees are willing to share information, genuinely cooperate with one another and not take advantage of other. Stone, R (2005) Human Resource Mangement, 5th ed, John Wiley Sons, Australia. Beer, M, Spector, B, Lawrence, P. R, Mills, D.Q, and Walton, R. E, (1984), Managing Human Assets, The Free Press, New York, p.19. Rose, E, The labour process and union commitment within a banking services call center, Journal of Industrial Relations, vol.44, no.1, 2002, p.40. McShane, S. L. and Von Glinow, M. A, (2000), Organization Behavior, McGraw-Hill, Boston. Whitener, E. M., Do high commitment human resource practices affect employee commitment A cross level analysis using hierarchical linear modeling, Journal of Management, vol. 27, no. 5, 2001, p.515. 2.3.1 Employee Job Satisfaction As mention before, one of the outcomes of HRM is job satisfaction. However, what causes employee satisfaction? The researchers Judge and Bono (2001) found that one of the primary causes is the perception of the job itself. And also job itself is the most important situational effect on job satisfaction. Other research also show that of all the major job satisfaction areas, satisfaction with the nature of the work itself which includes job challenge, autonomy, variety and scope are best predicts overall job satisfaction (Fried and Ferris, 1987; Parisi and Weiner, 1999; Weiner, 2000). Some general statements about the facets that seem to contribute the most to feelings of job satisfaction for most North American workers include mentally challenging work, high pay, promotions and friendly or helpful colleagues (Locke, 1976). For more detail, Spector (1997) concluded that the causes of job satisfaction can be classified into two major categories. First, the job environment itself and fac tors associated with the job are important influences on job satisfaction. This includes how people are treated, the nature of job tasks, relations with other people in the workplace, and rewards. Second, there are individual factors that the person brings to the job. This includes both personality and prior experiences. Both categories work together to influence employee job satisfaction. In this study, we mainly focus on the environment antecedents of job satisfaction. Following factors are the environmental causes of job satisfaction: Job Characteristics and Job Characteristics Theory Many studies have advocated job design as a means of enhancing job satisfaction by making jobs more interesting (Herzberg, 1968; Herzberg, Mausner and Snyderman, 1959). The job characteristic theory is that people can be motived by the intrinsic satisfaction they find in doing tasks. When they find their work to be enjoyable and meaningful, people will like their jobs and will be motivated to perform their jobs well (Hackman and Oldhams, 1976). The characteristics model see figure 2-2. Figure 2-2 Hackman and Oldhams (1976) Job Characteristics Model Core Characteristics Critical Outcomes Psychological States Skill Variety Task Identity Task Significance Experienced Meaningfulness Autonomy Experienced Responsibility Feedback Knowledge of Results Work Motivation Job Performance Job Satisfaction Attendance Growth Need Strength Source: Hackman and Oldhams, 1976 Organizational Constrains Conditions of the job environment that interfere with employee job performance are called organizational constraints. The constraints come from many aspects of the job, including other people and the physical work environment. As the study of Peters and OConnor (1980), organizational constraints have been shown to relate to job satisfaction. Significant relations have been found between various measures of constraints and job satisfaction (Jex and Gudanowski, 1992; Keenan and Newton, 1984; OConor et al., 1984; Spector et al., 1988). OConnor, Peters, Rudolf and Pooyan (1982) reported correlations of organizational constraints with five job satisfaction facets which are coworker, pay, promotion, supervision and work itself. Work-Family Conflict Work-family conflict has been found to correlate significant with job satisfaction. Employees who experience high levels of conflict tend to report low levels of job satisfaction (Bedeian, Burke and Moffett, 1988; Holahan and Gilbert, 1979; Lewis and Cooper, 1987; Rice, Frone and McFarlin, 1992). Organizations can adopt policies that either help people cope with or reduce work-family conflict. Thomas and Ganster (1995) studied the impact of organization policies and supervisor behavior on employee experience of work-family conflict and job satisfaction. Their research provides evidence that organizational policies such as child care and flexible work schedules can reduce work-family conflict and enhance job satisfaction. Behavior by supervisors that supports employees with family responsibilities was also found to have positive effects. Pay The correlation between level of pay and job satisfaction tends to be surprisingly small. Spector (1985) found a mean correlation between level of pay and job satisfaction. However, although pay level is not an important issue, pay fairness can be very important. Rice, Phillips and McFarlin (1990) reported a moderately large correlation between pay level and job satisfaction in a sample of mental health professionals who all had the same job. Workload Workload has been found correlated with job dissatisfaction as well as other job strains (Jex and Beehr, 1991). Jamal (1990) found significant negative correlations of workload with job satisfaction, and Karasek, Gardell and Lindell (1987) found that workload was negatively associated with job satisfaction. Control Control has been found to correlate significantly with all three categories of job strains (Jex and Beehr, 1991). Spector (1986) showed the mean correlations across studies of relations between control and job satisfaction. Spector, P.E. (2000) Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2nd ed, John Wiley Sons, New York, p.19. Poulin, J. E., and Walter, C. A. (1992) Retention Plans and Job Satisfaction of Gerontological Social Workers, Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 19, pp. 99-114. Porter, L. W. (1962), Job attitudes in management: I. Perceived deficiencies in need fulfillment as a function of job level. Journal of Applied Psychology, 46, 375-384. Wolf, M. G. (1970), Need gratification theory: A theoretical reformulation of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction and job motivation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 54, 87-94. 2.3.2 The Consequences of Job Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction There are many positive or negative outcomes that relate to job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. These include not only work variables such as job performance and turnover but also non-work variables such as health and life satisfaction. Job Performance In fact, a large body of research shows that the relationship between satisfaction and performance is positive but usually very low and often inconsistent (Iaffaldano and Muchinsky, 1985). Why is this correlation between job attitudes and job behavior so low? Intuition suggests that we might work harder to pay back the organization for a satisfying job. However, intuition also suggests that we might be so busy enjoying our satisfying job that we have little time to be productive. For example, satisfying coworkers and a pleasant superior might lead us to devote more time to social interactions than to work. These contradictory intuitions provoke suspicion that the satisfaction causes performance might be incorrect. Iaffaldano, M.T. and Muchinsky, P.M. (1985), Jo satisfaction and job performance: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 97, 251-273. Organizational Citizenship Behavior Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is behavior by an employee intended to help coworkers or the organization that contributes to organizational effectiveness (Organ, 1988; Schnake, 1991). Schnake (1991) hypothesized that OCB is caused by good treatment from the supervisor and by job satisfaction. In fact, job satisfaction and OCB have been found to intercorrelate (Becker and Billings, 1993; Farh, Podsakoff and Organ, 1990) Withdrawal Behavior Many theories hypothesize that people who dislike their jobs will avoid them, either permanently by quitting or temporarily by being absent or coming in late. Absence is a phenomenon that can reduce organizational effectiveness and efficiency by increasing labour costs. On many jobs, floaters or substitutes are required for each absent employee. The employee might continue to get paid, resulting in increased costs to pay substitutes. Where absence rates among employees is high, the costs can be quite high. Not surprisingly, organizations are concerned about absence. Theories of absence hypothesize that job satisfaction plays a critical role in an employees decision to be absent (Steers and Rhodes, 1987). People who dislike their jobs should be expected to avoid coming to work. On the other hand, most theories of turnover view turnover as the result of employee job dissatisfaction (Bluedorn, 1982; Mobley, Griffeth, Hand and Meglino, 1979). People who dislike their jobs will try to fin d alternative employment. Studies have been consistently in showing a correlation between job satisfaction and turnover (Crampton and Wagner, 1994; Hulin, Roznowski and Hachiya, 1985). Furthermore, it seems certain that this correlation is causal job dissatisfaction leads to turnover. Models of turnover place job satisfaction in the center of a complex process that involves factors both inside and outside of the employing organization. Figure 2-2 is a simplified model that shows how this process might work. Characteristics of the individual combine with characteristics of the job environment in determining level of job satisfaction. If the job satisfaction level is sufficiently low, the person will develop a behavioral intention to quit the job. That intention may lead to job search activities, which if successful will lead to turnover. Alternate employment opportunities are important because a person is not likely to quit without another job offer. Figure 2-2 Model of Employee Turnover as a Function of Job Satisfaction and Unemployment Rate Organization Factors Person Factors Job Satisfaction Intent to quit Search Behavior Turnover Availability of Alternatives Source: Spector, 1997 Burnout Burnout is a distressed emotional/psychological state experienced on the job. Where job satisfaction is an attitudinal response, burnout is more of an emotional response to the job. Burnout theory proposes that a person who is in a state of burnout experiences symptoms of emotional exhaustion and low work motivation, not unlike depression. Burnout correlates significantly with job satisfaction in that dissatisfied employees are likely to report high levels of burnout (Bacharach, Bamberger and Conley, 1991; Shirom, 1989). Physical Health and Psychological Well-Being Concerns have been raised that both physical and psychological health might be influenced by job attitudes. Individuals who dislike their jobs could experience adverse health outcomes. These outcomes include both physical symptoms and psychological problems (Spector, 1997). It has also been suggested that job dissatisfaction results in a shortened lifespan (Palmore, 1969). Many studies have been shown a link between health and job satisfaction. For example, researchers have reported significant correlations between job satisfaction and physical or psychosomatic symptoms, such as headache and upset stomach (Begley and Czajka, 1993; Fox, Dwyer and Ganster, 1993; Lee, Ashford and Bobko, 1990; O Driscoll and Beehr, 1994). Job dissatisfaction has also been found to be associated with emotional stated of anxiety (Jex and Gudanowski, 1992; Spector et al., 1988) and depression (Bluen, Barling and Burns, 1990; Schauboeck et al., 1992). Counterproductive Behavior Counterproductive behavior includes aggression against coworkers, aggression against the employer, sabotage and left (Spector, 1997). These behaviors have many causes, but often, they are associated with dissatisfaction and frustration at work. Chen and Spector (1992) found that job satisfaction correlated significantly with employee reports of engaging in aggression against others, hostility toward others, sabotage, and theft at work. Keenan and Newton (1984) found a relation between experiencing feelings of hostility at work and job satisfaction as well. Dissatisfied employees are more likely than their satisfied counterparts to engage in all of these behaviors. Life Satisfaction The research suggests that feelings in one area of life affect feelings in other areas. A person who is satisfied on the job is likely to be satisfied with life in general (Weaver, 1987). Studies consistently find that job satisfaction and life satisfaction are moderately and positively correlated (Judge and Watanabe, 1993; Lance, Lautenschlager, Sloan and Varca, 1989; Schaubroeck et al., 1992; Weaver, 1987). 2.4 Employee Satisfaction and Organizational Performance Organizational performance is a multidimensional concept. As illustrated by the list of thirty criterion measures identified by Cambell (1997). Performance is measured in terms of output (inappropriately referred to as productivity in the table) and outcome, profit, internal process and procedures, organizational structures, employee attitudes, organizational responsiveness to the environment and so on. More recently, one approach to measure organizational performance has become popular. This approach attempts to capture some of the contradictory nature of organizational performance is termed the balanced scorecard (Kaplan and Norton, 1992, 1993, 1996). This aims to measure performance in terms of four sets of indicators, each taking a different perspective (Kaplan and Norton 1996:76): Financial: to succeed financially, how should we appear to our shareholders? Customer: to achieve our vision, how should we appear to our customers? Internal business process: to satisfy our shareholders and customers, what business processes must we excel at? Learning and growth: to achieve our vision, how will we sustain our ability to change and improve? Therefore, about the relationship between employee satisfaction and organizational performance, the service-profit chain concept supported that there are direct relationships between profitability, customer loyalty, and employee satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity (Heskett et al. 1994). Moreover, a study conducted by a national retailer found that a happy employee will stick with the company, give better service to the customer and recommend company products to others (Wall Street Journal July 22, 1998). Other study of the 100 Best Companies to Work For finds that the companies with the most satisfied employees had an above-average annual return to shareholders (Fortune December 1, 1998). A Gallup study finds positive correlation between employee satisfaction and financial performance (Economist August 8, 1998). What is more, there are many studies about different industries also approved that the employee satisfaction correlated with organizational performance. Such as Kaplan an d Norton (1996) has found significant correlation between employee morale and customer satisfaction in an oil company. A survey of hospital employees finds significant correlations between nursing-staff satisfaction scores and patient loyalty (Atkins, Marshall and Javalgi 1996). Another correlational study using data collected for 298 public schools finds support for the link between satisfaction levels of teachers and school performance (Ostroff 1992). Thus, according to the previous literature, employs satisfaction is correlated to customer loyalty, financial performance, which in turn, affects the organizational performance.

Come and Go Back :: essays research papers

The book I read is called â€Å"Come and Go Back†. This book was written by an anthropologist by the name of Joan Abelove whom lived in a village like the one in the book to study there culture. She wrote this book to explain to people through a story how there way of life is and some things which she experienced when she was there. This book is under fiction and is referred to as realistic. This book is based on events that took place in the 1970’s. This book was printed in 1998 in the United States of America; it is a Los Angeles time’s book prize finalist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alicia lives in the Brazilian Rainforest. Her people are visited by two anthropologists named Joanna and Margarita. These women are called old ladies by Alicia's people even though they are only in their late twenties. They are asked to stay for a year. During the visit Alicia and the anthropologists come to respect each other's cultures, which are very different. Her people believe that if you have something you must share it with everyone, and they don't believe in saving anything for another time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tribe gets upset when the anthropologists want to save some of the liquor they have for another occasion. They feel that the supplies the women have brought should be community property. At the beginning of the story Alicia doesn't want the newcomers to stay, but by the end of the story they have become good friends and truly regret the end of the visit. Also part of the story, Alicia is believed to be mature enough to have children of her own. Although she is still a young teenager. When Carmella, a young trader's wife in Alicia’s tribe, fears that her husband will kill their baby, Alicia volunteers to take care of the baby on her own. None of her people think that the baby is worth much, and they don't think it will survive since it is not fat. They call the baby a Nawa, but Alicia learns to love the baby she has agreed to care for.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this story the author tried to educate people on how this tribe had different values, beliefs, customs and well just a totally diverse way of living altogether, but the simple fact that even though there way of life was different from us we still shared similar problems and feelings.

Christopher Marlowe Essay -- essays research papers

Christopher Marlowe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Comparisons are odious†, was once said by Christopher Marlowe in Lust’s Dominion, Act iii scene4. Christopher Marlowe has been identified as the most important Shakespeare’s predecessors. He was born in Canterbury, England, on February 6, 1564 and then baptized at St. George’s Church, Canterbury, on February 25, 1564. Marlowe was the eldest son of John Marlowe, a shoemaker and Katherine Arthur, a Dover girl of yeoman stock. Christopher’s intermediate family and extended family had a reputation of getting in trouble with the law. His sister was known for being a selfish person seeking the unjust vexation of her neighbor’s, while his father was always continually engaged in lawsuits containing debts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christopher Marlowe entered the King’s School at Canterbury in 1579. There he held a scholarship requiring him to study Ministry. The school was a canter of theatrical interests. It contained a large library filled with a number of volumes which have been claimed as sources for Marlowe’s plays. In 1584, Marlowe received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree. Following that, in 1587, he had received a Master of Arts Degree. Shortly after receiving his Master’s degree, Marlowe went to London. There he was part of a circle of young men which were: Rawley, Nashe, and Kyel. By 1587, his first play was â€Å"Tamburlaine the Great†, had been performed on stage. As a result of his first play, Marlowe has started getting ...

Individuals vs. Society Essay -- essays research papers

An individual’s role in society can vary with the number themes the characters exhibit. When there are signs of fate, cruelties, weaknesses, and desires for justice and catharsis the role of an individual becomes more complicated. In Antigone, most of those themes are shown thus a single person’s influence or role on society is very small and complicated to attain. However in The Lottery the society has most of the control and there is not many signs of those characteristics so the role of a person is simplified because they are nothing compared to the society combined. Finally, in The Penalty of Death, there are signs of many of the themes but since it is the societies influence against that of an individuals, it is simplified because they have to work together. Out of the three readings, I believe that Antigone exhibits most of the characteristics that complicates an individual’s role in society. There is a considerable amount of fate shown in this story. For example, the most evident is that of our main character Antigone. Her fate is shown from the Prologue where she makes her decision to bury her brother Polyneices. â€Å"Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?† There is a point that sort of suggests where her conflict will arise where she defies Creon’s law by saying, â€Å"Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way.† Weakness was shown on the part of Creon. His main weaknesses were his cruelty and hubris. He seems especially cruel when he is enraged with Haimon for t...

Hand Sanitiser

Lab Management Assignment Hand Sanitizer 2012 xxx [Pick the date] HAND SANITISER * * A hand sanitizer or hand antiseptic is a supplement or alternative to hand washing with soap and water. * Various preparations are available, including gel, foam, and liquid solutions. * The active ingredient in hand sanitizers may be isopropanol, ethanol, n-propanol, povidone-iodine. * Inactive ingredients in alcohol rubs typically include a thickening agent such as polyacrylic acid for alcohol gels, humectants such as glycerin for liquid rubs, propylene glycol, and essential oils of plants. Alcohol based hand sanitizers are more effective at killing germs than soaps and do not dry out hands as much. * Common non-alcohol, rinse-free hand sanitizer brands use either small concentrations of the nitrogenous cationic surface-acting agent benzalkonium chloride or the chlorinated aromatic compound triclosan or povidone-iodine * All hand sanitizer products require NDC designation in United States and NPN d esignation in Canada. Hand sanitizer is controlled as a biocide in Europe. Alcohol Based Hand Sanitizers: Dr.Bronner's Organic Hand Sanitizing Spray, Purell, Germ-X, GermFree, Hygel, Deb, Aqium, Dettol, Avant, Germ Out, Aquawet, Method Products. Non- Alcohol Based Hand Sanitizers: Gold Bond Ultimate, MicroAromor, Hy5, Soapopular, Handclens. HAND SANITIZERS WITH THEIR USAGE ; INGREDIENTS Hand Sanitizer Brands| Places of Use| Active Ingredients| Inactive Ingredients| Efficacy| Application| Dr. Bronner's Organic Hand Sanitizing Spray| Home & Hospitals| 62% Organic Ethanol| Water, Organic Glycerine, Organic Lavender Oil. Gram positive, and Gram negative bacteria, yeast and molds. | Direct Rub| Purell| Widely in Hospitals| 63% ethyl alcohol| Water, Isopropyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerine, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Myrisate, Fragrance| E. coli, Staphylococcus sp. , Streptococcus sp. , Salmonella sp. at > 99. 99| Direct Rub| Germ- X| Desk, Car, Restroom, School, Garage , Retail Counter. | 63% Ethyl Alcohol| Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Cross polymer, Benzophenone-4, Fragrance with Vitamin E, Glycerine, Tocopherol, Water  | 9. 9% of many common harmful germs and bacterial  | Direct Rub| GermFree| Travel, Hotels & Hospitals| 62% Ethyl Alcohol| | Bacteria, Virus & Fungi| Without water| Hygel| Home & Hospitals | Ethyl Alcohol| Water, isopropyl alcohol, vit A & E, carbomer, glycerine, popylene glycol, fruit fragrance| Germs & Bacteria's| Without Water| Deb Instant FOAM| * * Outdoor * Office/Commercial/Leisure * Medical Rooms ; Laboratories * Food Service ; Catering| 70% Ethyl Alcohol| Water, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Behentrimon-ium Chloride, PEG-200 Hydrogenat-ed Glyceryl Palmate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Coco-Clucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Dihydroxyp-ropyl PEG-5 Linoleamm-onim | 99. 99% effective against common germs and bacteria's| Foam basedUsed without water| Aqium| Home & aloevera aqium is hospital formulation| 66% Ethanol| Thickener, Dexpanthen -ol, DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, Fragrance, pH neutraliser, Water – purified| Bacteria and Viruses| Apply on dry hands| Avant| Hospitals, Restaurants, fitness centres| 70% Ethyl Alcohol| Isopropanol| Clostridium difficile,Enterococcus faecium; Enterococcus faecalis; and Staphylococcus aureus MMRSA. | Foaming hand sanitizer; apply without water| Germ Out| Schools, Work place,Pub-lic restroom| 70%Isopropanol and 0. 02%Benzalkonium chloride| No inactive ingredients| Bacteria's, Viruses ; Fungi| Gel based used with water| Aquawet| Schools, Hospitals, Public Toilets. | 60% Ethyl Alcohol| Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Carbomer, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Triethanolamine,Water  | 99. % of offending germs| Used without water| Hand Sanitizer Their Ingredients ; Long Term Side Effects: * The research for various commercially available hand sanitizer's shows that most effective sanitizers are those which are alcohol based; and the active ingredient in them is Ethyl Alcohol w hich ranges from 60 to 80 % depending on their efficacy and level of disinfection. * Contradictory evidence about the safety of such topical applications of the alcohol can be found in the scientific literature. * The first and foremost concerns of topical ethanol applications for public health are its carcinogenic effects, as there is unambiguous evidence for the carcinogenicity of ethanol. Topically applied ethanol acts as a skin penetration enhancer and may facilitate the transdermal absorption of xenobiotics (e. g. carcinogenic contaminants in cosmetic formulations). * Alcohol is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and oesophagus. * Ethanol use is associated with skin irritation or contact dermatitis, especially in humans with an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) deficiency. * After regular application of ethanol on the skin (e. g. in the form of hand disinfectants) relatively low but measurable blood concentrations of ethanol and its me tabolite acetaldehyde may occur, which are, however, below acute toxic levels. Besides skin cancer, alcohol abuse has been associated with the development of several skin disorders including psoriasis, discoid eczema and superficial infections. * Using antibacterial hand sanitizer can increase your skin sensitivity to the ultra violet rays that may cause sunburn in sunlight. * Antibacterial hand sanitizer use may cause skin sensitivity in the form of itching, burning sensation or dry skin. Most forms of the sanitizer contain alcohol, which can easily cause redness, dryness and even peeling of skin, especially if used too often. CONCLUSION: The study of various commercially available hand sanitizers provide with the information that alcohol based hand sanitizers are the most effective and having high level out disinfection compared to non-alcohol based ones.Simultaneously, the SDS and various science studies provide the information regarding long term use & side effects of the active ingredients in the hand sanitizers. Even though there is still further research work going on to provide sufficient proofs against topical application Ethanol(ethyl alcohol). Knowing long term side effects of regular use hand sanitizers, it should be concluded it is not always important to use hand sanitizers. The use should be restricted on to visits or work in hospitals or any germ prone place as such the hand sanitizers will help getting rid of germs, bacteria, fungi and virus it won't help getting away from dust and dirt.Hence it is more important to cleans hands with soap and water on regular basis and restrict use of hand sanitizers on to visits to germ prone places. REFRENCES: Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/4521097, Median Biopharma, http://www. hygel. com/hygel/default. htm, http://www. germx. com/product_detail. aspx? id=18, http://dailymed. nlm. nih. gov/dailymed/drugInfo. cfm? id=38145 http://www. majacmedical. com. au/msds/MSDS%20Aqium%20Gel. pd, http://www. b4brands. com/products_avantoriginal_fragrance-free. html http://www. germout. com/germ_out_kill_claims. pdf http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596158/, PDR Health: Hand Sanitizer, Drug Watch: Hand Sanitizer http://www. livestrong. com/article/174149-antibacterial-hand-sanitizer-side-effects/#ixzz25bhJL12O,

Psy 240 the Nature-Nurture Issue Essay

The Nature-Nurture Issue The nature versus nurture perspectives have been have been argued for centuries. The pro-nature perspective follows the theory that genetics and biological inheritance determine behavior, internal forces or stimuli; the pro-nurture perspective follows the belief or theory that experience and environment determine behavior, external forces or external stimuli. The psychology field known as biopsychology researches the aspects of both perspectives using critical thinking and research practices to determine the effects of both of these perspectives on human behavior; the control groups used in experimentation can be human or non-human subjects of a similar species. (Pinel. (2009)). The flaw in attempting to determine what degree of behavior is attributed to nature and what degree is attributed to nurture is that both of these perspectives play a role in how and why a behavior is exhibited. Some of the behaviors which individuals exhibit can be linked to animal or primal instinct, these are behaviors based on nature; however, we must consider that the primal fears we have as children such as fear of the dark, often no longer exhibited in the individual as an adult. This change in the behavior can be attributed to experience over time, the nurture perspective agrees with experience’s influence in behavior. (Pinel. (2009)). The brain is the central focus of the study of biopsychology, and researchers have determined that the brain’s functions are responsible for human behavior; research has determined the neuroplasticity theory of the brain changing based on both genetics and experience. The neuroplasticity of the human brain can be used as an example of why it is important to consider how much of behavior is based on genetics and how much is based on environment; however, it would be difficult if not impossible to determine what portion of behavior is nature or nurture because both effect behavior based on the neuroplasticity theory There are genetic factors that can affect behavior; however, experience and nurturing can assist in controlling some behaviors based on learning or the xpectations set for an individual. This idea makes sense that both genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) play important roles in behavior, the behavior of an individual may change over the course of a lifetime. (Pinel. (2009)). Reference Pinel, J. P. J. (2009). Biopsychology. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Importance of a Team Charter

Similar to developing a solid foundation when building a home, the team charter is the foundation for building a strong team. The team charter acts as a contract between the members of a team communicating contact information and establishing the ground rules and guidelines for the team. â€Å"Chartering is the process by which the team is formed, its mission or task described, its resources allocated, its goals set, its membership committed, and its plans made† (University of Phoenix, 2011, para. ). The implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group because it clearly defines the expectations of the team, permits agreement regarding communication and participation as well as provides the basis for conflict management. The implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group because it will help to eliminate conflicts before they arise. By identifying the likely kinds of issues that might bring team members into conflict and agreeing beforehand how to deal constructively with those conflicts, team members will help to ensure the optimum functioning of the team† (University of Phoenix, 2002, para. 8). An area of conflict that tends to arise often is a team member feeling as if he or she is doing all of the work. It is best to try to avoid this by the agreement that has been reached collectively in the team charter. Each individual has contributed to the formulation of the charter and in doing so, has agreed to abide by its guidelines. This should bring about a sense of duty and responsibility to each member to contribute equally to the team. The charter will allow the team to come to an agreement regarding communication, participation, and the consequences for non-participation. This will provide the basis for establishing trust within the members of the group. Each individual in the group has his or her own level of trust that he or she is capable of giving. This will influence how much they are willing to share and give of themselves. It is important that the members respect the privacy and boundaries of the other members, especially if they are less trusting. The same is true of listening skills. One must accept that some individuals are more outspoken than others and may not be as advanced in their listening skills. Others have honed these skills well and will pick up on the smallest nuances. The most important reason the implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group is that it clearly defines the expectations of the team so that each member is clear of his or her responsibilities. It is imperative that each member is aware of the objectives of the team and what he or she is trying to accomplish. Each member must know what his or her individual contributions to that goal is and understand that it is the expectation of the team that he or she will complete his or her portion in a timely manner. Although some may say that developing a charter is an unnecessary step that requires too much time, the benefits of forming a charter are well worth the time invested. A charter is the foundation by which the team will collaborate to accomplish their goals. In conclusion, although some believe that the charter is not a useful tool and is not worth the time investment, the implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group for two main reasons. First, it will allow the team to come to an agreement regarding communication, participation, and consequences for non-participation. Second, and more important, the team charter clearly defines the expectations of the team so that each member is clear of his or her responsibilities. Just as a person would never think of driving cross country without first checking the oil in his or her car, one should never initiate a group without first developing a team charter. The most successful and productive teams always start with the foundation of a well developed team charter.

Over the Hedge Essay

Over the Hedge is an animated film about the difficulties little harmless animals experience when man encroaches on their habitat (Fry, 2006). The film starts with the end of winter and the animals in the forest are coming out of hibernation. A hyperactive and mischievous raccoon named RJ forages on the junk food of the bear; he escapes alive with the promise of returning all of the bear’s food within a week. On the other side, a family of cute little animals awakens with a green wall in the middle of their forest and suddenly fears what lies beyond the hedge. Verve the turtle ventures over the hedge to find out what was on the other side; however he was subjected to the ferocious human machines like the lawn mower, grass sprinkler, bikes and etc. He returns to the forest and warns that no one should ever venture over the hedge as it is dangerous. The group of animals however had another problem, they had no food. Then here comes, the rascal raccoon RJ and convinces the group that humans throw out their food every time and all they needed to do was go out there and gather it. Verve disagreed and warned them against the idea, but as food became scarce Verve finally agreed with RJ. RJ on the other hand was really thinking of how the group could help him gather the food he owed the bear and here the conflict started. The rest of the film tells about friendship, trust, honesty and love of family. The film does this effectively within the context of man’s environmental responsibility to be stewards of Mother Nature. The plot of the story was actually very simple however, since the characters were cute, furry, funny and adorable animals, the film held much interest. The visuals were very good; it was clear, crisp and very alive. Although one would notice that it was not created in the traditional way, in fact the movie’s animation were all computer generated, from the drawing to the filming. The sound was in the standard Dolby format, and it was clear and loud, however some of the characters dialogues were tweaked to resemble that of the animal, sometimes the dialogue got lost in the way it was pronounced but one could still understand the gist of the sentence. I especially liked the three baby possums because they were really cute, and they were very funny. They had this way of saying things in chorus and then either refuting or supporting each other and their thoughts resembled the candidness of children. The vividness of the colors and images really fed my interest in the film, however I was lost in the burping of the squirrel and the farting of the skunk, maybe the director thought it would add to the comedic element of the film, but it did not feel that way to me. The film talks about the importance of living well with our animal friends, and it shows a very real example of how man react to animals when they start invading our homes and community. The film however had the ability to make us realize that man had been the first to invade the animals’ home and since they get their food from their ecosystem, man’s invasion of their habitat also affects their existence (Peabody, 2006). The film is far from serious and boring, it is funny, entertaining and honest, and brutally honest I must say. The film actually appealed to my sense of justice and equality knowing that man and beast should live together in the best possible way. Although, the film was targeted for children of all ages, some of the dialogues were brazen and crude, thus the film landed in the PG rating, but all the same it contains the essential elements of a good story, interesting characters, excellent animation and great actors and this held my interest in the film until its end.