Human Resources †how individuals are managed within an organisation Essay

Introduction People are an extremely important resource for any organisation. To be a successful business you need to employ staff with the right qualifications skills and experience. The employees of an organisation are collectively known as its human resources, in many organisations, both public and private, the human resources department is also known as the personnel department. However, the difference in name reflects a shift in emphasis from a purely recruitment and welfare role to a greater concern about how to maximise the performance of staff. Human resource management is also an integral part of many job roles. There are many duties performed by a typical human resources department. These duties include drawing up and implementing equal opportunities and health and safety policies, staff consultation, negotiation, appraisal and staff development, as well as training, recruitment and selection of staff. They are the most important resource in the production of goods ands services. Many aspects of the employer-employee relationship are covered by legislation. However, employers are recognising increasingly that good human resource management practice, which goes beyond the letter of the law, can generate benefits for both the organisation and the individual. The role of human resources Human resource management involves managing a range of roles relating to people employed by a business including: Recruitment – The personnel department must advertise accordingly and try to attract the â€Å"best† candidates for the job, and the recruit the â€Å"best† applicants. If the wrong person is recruited, and then finds the job boring or too difficult, then the business will not get the most out of its human resources. Also where employees need to be flexible and autonomous and where direct control over employees is difficult, recruitment is becoming more and more important. To make sure the â€Å"best† person is chosen, personnel departments must be clear about: * What the job entails * What qualities the job requires * What rewards is needed to retain and motivate employees. There are many stages of recruiting, they are: – 1. Analyse what the job entails and decide what sort of person is needed. 2. Decide how the vacancy is to be advertised or announced. 3. The selection process needs to be planned and conducted in such a way as to ensure that the â€Å"best† candidate is successful. Training involves employees being taught new skills or improving skills they have already have. Why might a business train its employees? It is argued that a well-trained work force has certain benefits for a business. * Well-trained workers should be more productive. This will help the business to achieve its overall objectives such as increasing profits. * It should help to create a more flexible work force. If a business needs to increase production, workers then have to be trained in new tasks. * New machinery or production processes can be introduced more effectively, if the staff are trained. * It should lead to increased job satisfaction to employees. Well-motivated workers are more likely to be more productive. * It should reduce accidents and injuries if employees are trained in health and safety procedures. * It may improve the image of the company. * It can improve employee’s chances of promotion. How does a firm know if training is required? One method might be to use the job description to find the skills and knowledge needed to do the job. If the employee’s skills do not match up with the ones in the job description, then there is a need for re-training. Employees can also be asked about areas where they are not quite as confident, and think may need a little work on. This should make them more committed to training. Training needs are found at different levels within a business. Training is often divided into on-the-job-training and off-the-job-training. On-the-job-training takes place when employees are trained while they are carrying out an activity, often at their place of work. Off-the-job training takes place away from the job, at a different location. It may involve the employee being released for periods of time to attend courses at colleges or other institutions. This is by far the most popular form of training. One vital key task of HRM is to keep up to date with employment legislation (UK and EU) and to remain alert to the implications of such legislation for the firm and the workers. The main aim of such legislation is to ensure that employee’s rights are protected. Basic rights include: * Employees must receive a written statement of terms and conditions of employment within 13 weeks of starting work. * They must be paid the same as other people who carry out identical or similar jobs. * Working conditions must be safe and healthy. * Workers cannot be dismissed unfairly. * Employers must not discriminate against any member of staff. Employees have basic rights to: * They are expected to comply with the terms of their contract. * To do jobs with care and skill, to the acceptable standard. * Observe health and safety regulations. * Not to damage the firms property. There are many other responsibilities that then form the basis of the â€Å"contract of employment†. The contract is formed as soon as the employer offers a person a job and they accept it. Motivation at work For many years firms have given financial rewards in an attempt to motivate employees and improve productivity. However in the last 2 or 3 decades firms have realised that: – * the chance to earn more money may not be an effective motivator * financial incentive schemes are difficult to operate * individual reward schemes may no longer be effective as production has become organised into group tasks * other factors may be more important in motivating employees If other factors are more important than pay in motivating workers, it is important for firms to identify them. Only then can a business make sure its work force is motivated. Team work The Swedish car firm Volvo is a well-known example of a company that has effectively introduced teamwork. In both its plants at Kalmar and Uddevalla, it set up production in teams of 8-10 highly skilled workers. The teams decided between themselves how the work was to be distributed and how to solve problems as they arise. It is arguable whether these practices lead to an increase in productivity, but the company firmly believes this method of organisation was better than an assembly line system a similar system is used at Honda UK but with four person teams. If the firm is always changing due to the market, which is causing it to either, expand or de-layer. Then they will have to change the work force accordingly. The case study that I will be looking at is a position as a secretary for Ratcliffe College. P1- Recruitment One of the most important responsibilities of Human resource function is recruitment and selection. The costs of recruitment, training and retaining employees are high, but the costs of selecting the wrong people or losing key members of staff can be even higher. The processes of recruitment and selection must always relate the requirement for skilled staff to the business needs of the organisation. It is also essential that potential candidates be treated fairly. When vacancies arise because existing staff move to other jobs, retire or have to leave work because of illness. Some vacancies occur because the organisation expands or is restructured. Before the organisation advertises a post, it needs to decide whether there is a real need for the position to be filled. It might consider the following alternatives: * Amalgamating one job with another * Giving existing staff overtime * Recruiting temporary staff * Increasing the use of technology or machinery * Once an organisation decides that a vacancy exists, the recruitment process begins. Internal recruitment Internal recruitment strengthens employees commitment to the company, for example Kellogg’s have stated the following in their recruitment policy handbook: * Offer the job to an existing employee, as a promotion or transfer * Advertise internally, if suitable candidate is likely to available internally * Advertise externally if no suitable candidate is likely to exist internally(and display notice internally to the effect that the advertisement is appearing) Except in special cases, all vacancies should be advertised internally before external recruitment methods are used. There are a number of advantages to advertising jobs inside the business. * It gives employees within the company a chance to develop their career * There may be a shorter induction period as the employee is likely to be familiar with the company * Employers will know more about internal candidate’s abilities. This should reduce the risk of employing the wrong person * Internal recruitment may be quicker and less expensive than recruiting from outside the business. However, there are also disadvantages. * Internal advertising limits the number of applicants * External candidates might have been better quality * Another vacancy will be created which might have to be filled * If having investigated ways of filling the vacancy internally the business still does not appoint, then it must find ways to obtain candidates externally. External recruitment There are many ways of attracting candidates from outside the company. The choice of method often depends on the type of vacancy and the type of employee a business wants. Each method has its own benefits and problem, although it could be argued that the overall advantages of external advertising are the opposite of the disadvantages of internal advertising, for example, there is a wider number of applicants. Commercial employment agencies, these are companies that specialise in recruiting and selection. They usually provide a shortlist of candidates for a company to interview, but can also provide temporary workers. For example HMS, Alfred Marks and Kelly Accountancy Personnel. The advantage of commercial agencies is that they are experienced in providing certain types of worker, such as secretaries and clerical staff. They also minimise the administration for the employer involved in recruiting staff. Their main drawback is that they tend to produce staff that only stay in a job for a short time. Another problem for the business is the cost of paying fees to the agency. Recruitment and selection P2-Personnel Specification The first step is to prepare a job description. Before writing a job description, the job itself has to be analysed. This will identify the skills needed to perform the job and will also allow management to consider the overall effectiveness of the post and whether any changes are necessary. Clear job descriptions form the basis for preparing advertisements and for drawing up person specifications. Once individuals are in the post, job descriptions allow them to know exactly what their roles are, and what is expected of them. Before writing a job description, the job itself has to be analysed. This will identify the skills needed to perform the job and will also allow management to consider the overall effectiveness of the post and whether any changes are necessary. Clear job descriptions form the basis for preparing advertisements and for drawing up person specifications. Once individuals are in a post, job description allow them to know exactly what their roles are, and what is expected of them. When preparing a job description, it is important that the business to look to: * Describe the job accurately- if you overstate or understate the requirements of the job, you will be less likely to attract suitable applicants * Avoid discriminatory descriptions wording that implies one sex is preferable to another is unfair, illegal and unnecessarily restricts the number of people you are able to choose from. Below is an example of a job description, advertised in the local paper, for my case study. Ratcliffe College Job title School secretary Department: Administration, including Bursary Location Ratcliffe College, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake Salary à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15,000- 20,000 Requirements for the job: * Enthusiastic, sociable, hard working person. * Taking care of any paper work regarding the school, and answering calls throughout the day on any matter. * Computer skills and experience of working in an office. General information * The hours per day would from 9am-5pm, 5 days a week. * There is a team of six people who deal with the administration of the school; this includes the bursar, the head masters secretary and the four secretaries. The profile of the best person to fill a job is a vital reference document to use during the selection process. It helps eliminate unsuitable candidates, guide’s interviewers and allows selectors to compare candidates objectively. The following are the key areas in drawing up a person specification: * Knowledge and understanding required for the job * Skills and abilities required for the job * Experience required for the job * Educational requirements The following shows a person specification: To fill the receptionist post we are looking for people with most of the following qualifications: 1. GCSEs in Maths and English, additional qualifications such as computer skills required. 2. The applicant must have had previous experience in an office environment 3. Must be computer literate, and able to use a photocopier. 4. Must have an outgoing, friendly personality, and able to communicate efficiently with students and fellow members of staff alike. Most importantly, they must be able to answer the telephone and help with any enquiries. When preparing person specifications, there are several pitfalls to be avoided. * Asking for higher qualifications than are needed, it runs the risk of passing over less-qualified staff who are likely to become frustrated in positions that fail to extend their abilities * Asking for someone with particular or extensive experience, an individual with the right aptitudes, skills and temperament may be a quick learner * Stipulating particular age requirements, tasks that are traditionally regarded as junior can often be done as well, if not better, by older staff. Similar, jobs that have been regarded as the preserve of more mature employees may be performed by able, qualified and highly motivated young people. * Defining narrow physical requirements, these must only be specified where the requirement is genuine and essential. Remember that the specification of physical attributes can lead to direct or indirect discrimination. * Basing your specification on someone who is already doing the job, no matter how good that person might be, he or she is a unique individual and no one else will be a perfect replacement. The newcomer will bring his or her own personality, values and skills. P3-Reviewing Applications Miss Puddleduck- she seems to be able to get on with people and handle situations, as we can see this from her working as a carer in an Elderly Home. She is the eldest to apply for the job and has a good amount of previous experience, which give her the skills needed, like office and computer work. Seems to be a hard work and has good communication skills, and also she has worked with children before so is a strong candidate. From her CV I see that she has three young children, This may cause a problem, as she has a live-in child minder. Mr Langer- Mr Langer sent in an application form with exceptional exam results both from GCSE and A level. He gave some job experience which all showed experience but nothing that was relevant to the job description. His letter of application was very short with not much detail. Being as he hadn’t any experience in secretarial duties then I would have thought that he would have tried to impress me through the letter of application. This didn’t happen but because of his good exam results I offered him an interview hoping he would have something to offer the company. Mr Langer’s CV was average, he had typed it out so that it looked neat, and it was set well but the contented which he needed to impress me wasn’t there. Mr Langer was a very intellectual young man by the language which he had used on his recruitment forms and his given exam results but unfortunately he didn’t have the relevant experience to offer this post. Miss Hill- the weakest candidate looking from her application form, but she seems to be enthusiastic over the job, but from her CV she says she likes socialising, which may be a downfall as she may need to come in any day of the week. Miss Hill has no previous experience. From the CV her GCSE grades are not excellent, however, she has passed English and maths, and has computer skills. I am not sure how well she can communicate with people of different ages, as I have no evidence that she can. However, as she is young she may find it easier to communicate with the student, but she must be able to communicate effectively with the adults as well. She also has a young child, so she may know how to get on with the younger generation in the school Miss Hill has a young child, which could mean that she will need time off work to look after it. She states that her mum could look after the child at the weekends if necessary, however, her mum may not be available in the week if the child is unable to go to playgroup. So it may cause difficulties in the future, as she may have difficulties finding someone to look after the child or she may have to take days off. P4-Contract of employment Once a business has selected an employee, the successful candidates must be appointed. Once appointed. Employees are entitled to a Contract of Employment. This is an agreement between the employer and the employee under which each has certain obligations. It is binding to both parties in the agreement, the employer and the employee. This means that it is unlawful to break the terms and conditions in the contract without the other party agreeing. As soon as an employee starts work, and therefore demonstrates that she accepts the terms offered by the employer, the contract comes into existence. It is sometimes a written contract, although a verbal agreement or implied agreements are also contracts of employment. The employment Right Act, 1996 requires employers to give employees taken on for one month or more a written statement within two months of appointment. This written statement sets out the terms and conditions in the contract. Some common features shown in the written statement are: * The names of the employer and the name of the employee * The date on which the employment is to begin * The job title * The terms and conditions of employment * Remuneration and pay interval; * Hours of work; * Entitlement to sick leave and pay (if any) * Pensions; * Period of notice for employer and employee; * Disciplinary and Grievance procedures. Certain employment protection rights cover employees that are appointed by a business. Government legislation makes it a duty of employers to safeguard these rights. They fall into a number of areas. * Discrimination. Employees cannot be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race or disability. So, for example, a business cannot refuse to appoint a candidate for a job only because that person is female. * Pay. Employees must be paid the same rate as other employees doing the same job, a similar job or a job with equal demands. They also have the right to itemised pay statements and not to have pay deducted for unlawful reasons. Other conditions which may be included are: the need for medical examinations, working from different locations, the right to search employees, the need for confidentiality and the need to obey the specific rules of the organisation. If the employer fails to provide a written statement of the main terms and conditions of employment, an employee could exercise his or her legal right to ask an industrial tribunal to decide what ought to have been in the written statement. This is then imposed upon the employer. Employers with more than twenty employees are also obliged to ensure that every employee has a copy of the disciplinary and grievance procedures. Employers have always wanted workers to be as flexible as possible. In the past this has meant paying overtime for extra hours worked, or higher rates for ‘shift’ work. Faced with competition, businesses attempted to use their existing employees more efficiently. Sometimes this could benefit the employee. An example of a situation in Adam’s is a single woman with a child was able to work between the hours of 9 am to 3 p.m. each day while her child is at school. Working flexible hours could mean an employee may take time off for personal reasons and still work their required number of hours a week. Training would also be given to workers so they become multi -skilled – able to switch from one job to another if needed. This example of job rotation may perhaps lead to the employee being more motivated. From a firm’s point of view, an employee that can change jobs may prevent the need to have temporary workers to cover for illness etc. and so reduce labour costs. An example of this is the ‘workstyle’ initiative at Adams, where team working has been introduced so that workers can change from one process to another and do the work of others in the team if necessary. In 1985 John Atkinson and the Institute of Manpower Studies developed the idea of the flexible firm. They suggested that businesses have a ‘core’ and a ‘periphery’. As a result of increasing competition, firms have attempted to make the workforce as flexible as possible, to increase productivity, reduce costs and react more quickly to change. The business would try to motivate core workers, giving them job security, and employ periphery workers only when needed. Increasingly employers looked to make plans that allow a business to respond to changes. For example, if a large unexpected order arrives, a business will need workers that can ‘get it out on time’. Using a flexible workforce enables a business to react effectively to changes that take place outside the business. Examples of workers that are used by a business includes: * Part time employees. * Temporary employees to deal with increases in demand. * Workers on zero hour’s contracts who are employed by the business but only work and are paid when both the business and the employee agree. * Workers who work to annualised hour’s contracts, where they work a certain number of hours over a year rather than in a week. * Workers who ‘bank time’, by not working when demand is slack but being asked to work that time at a later date. * Office temporary workers to cover for illness. * Self-employed workers. * Job sharing, where two workers are employed to do a full time job that in the past have been carried out by the one person. P5-My Performance in the Interview Before the interview 1. The interviewer should check that the interview arrangements are satisfactory: * Is the seating adequate? * Is the lighting satisfactory? * Is the room quiet or private? * Has it been ensured that the interview will not be disrupted? * Has access for candidates with a physical disability been checked? 2. Check through the job description and the person specification. 3. Read the application forms again, not any special questions or queries. 4. Write down the agreed questions that every candidate will have to answer, so they can make comparisons of each interviewee, this could including: * Why did you apply for this job? * Why did you apply to this organisation? 5. At the beginning of the interview every candidate should be welcomed by name and invited to sit down. 6. Begin the interview with an open or easy question, which should help the interviewees to relax. 7. The interviewer should always stay calm and uninvolved and be ready to listen 8. Keep observing the candidates. Watch for body language signal such as: * The way they sit * Arm and hand movements * Eye movements and eye contact * Voice 9. At the end of the interview the interviewer should: * Thank the candidate * Find out if the candidate has any questions or wants to add anything; * Find out when the candidate could start work; * Ask whether the candidate still wants the job * Tell the candidate how and when they will be told the result of the interview After the Interview 1. The candidates should leave feeling that they have had a fair hearing. An interviewer can ask either open or closed questions. * Open questions cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Answering them allows individuals to express their opinions and to talk at length. Here are some examples of open-ended questions. – What did you enjoy most about a particular job? – Which skills do you think would be most useful in this post? – How do you plan to achieve that? * Closed questions require a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. It will always be necessary to ask a few closed questions, but their use should be restricted. Closed questions do not allow the candidate to talk freely, and they can make the interview somewhat stilted, with the interviewer doing most of the talking. When I was the interviewer I asked open ended questions, which allowed me to find out more about the candidate personality as well as there attitude to work. However from my colleagues point of view I was told that I was to laid back towards the candidate and to disorganise, this was because I had not gone through the CV’s and the application form. This could have meant that I missed some vital information about the candidates. Also I did not write any information down about each candidate, which meant that I could not remember what the candidates where like. Which meant that I could analyse and compare the candidates. As an interviewee I was confident going for the position, willing to answer the questions, with no problems. But in doing this I had not research the position enough, as I had a lack of information about the school. Knowing this would of help me to put across my views on how I would of achieved the job successfully, and showed that I was interested in the job. I feel that during the interviews I fulfilled most of these criteria. The seating was adequate; there were two seats for the interviewers and one doe the candidate. However, there was a desk in between, it would have been better to try and create a more relaxed atmosphere, by either not having the desk at all, or sitting to one side of the desk. I was familiar with the job description and person specification, and had already prepared certain questions for each candidate. I had prepared a sheet with the questions that I was going to ask all of the candidates, a copy of this can be found in the appendix. I welcomed all the candidates by name and shucked there hand, and tried to make them feel welcome. Throughout the interview I used a variety of open and closed questions. I should have used more open than closed questions to allow the candidate to talk more. This would be one aspect I would have to change in future interviews. I thought of some follow up questions, however, could have thought of some more. I observed the candidates several times throughout the interview, which gave me a good idea of their overall body language. At the end of the interview, I allowed the candidates to ask questions, found out when they could start work, and told them when they would hear of the result. I didn’t tell them how they would hear of the result, and I forgot to ask then if they were still interested in the job. After the interview I made some brief notes on the way the candidate had reacted during the interview. All these documents remained private between myself and the other interviewer M4-Local Labour Market Employment by sector Leicestershire TEC Area % East midlands % Great Britain % Agriculture & Fishing 1,500 0.4 6,900 0.4 71,000 0.3 Energy & Water 5,000 1.2 17,600 1.1 214,700 1.0 Manufacturing 116,700 29.4 418,700 25.8 4,060,000 18.0 Construction 13.300 3.3 70,700 4.4 987,900 4.4 Distribution, Hotels & restaurants 80,000 20.1 354,800 5.0 1,319,400 5.9 Transport & communication 22,000 5.5 81,100 5.0 1,319,400 5.9 Banking, finance & Insurance, etc. 58,600 14.8 230,200 14.2 4,183,700 18.6 Public administration, Education & Health 85,900 21.6 378,700 23.3 5,496,600 24.4 Other services 14,000 3.5 65,700 4.0 1,068,900 4.7 Total 397,000 100.0 1,623,800 100.0 22,534,900 100.0 The labour market is split up into three different labour sectors: – 1. Primary – these are businesses that are involved in extracting natural resources from the environment. Examples are the first two rows of the table. 2. Secondary – businesses convert the raw materials from the primary sector into a form that can be used by customers. The third and fourth rows on the table are examples of this sector. 3. Tertiary – Organisations provide services. The reminding rows are businesses in the tertiary sector. * Manufacturing – contributes nearly 30% to GDP and employs some 27% of the workforce, goods produced range from textiles & clothing through aerospace engines. However, manufacturing output within the region is forecast to fall by approximately 0.5% in 1999 before recovering in 2000. * Service Sector – employment is growing faster than at the national level, but the service sector is still relatively under-represented. IT related employment, in particular, continues to expand. * Agriculture – the East Midlands accounts for 10% of UK agricultural output, and employs 45,000 people across the region, rising to nearly one in five of the workforce in some areas. * Unemployment – the regional claimant rate has been below the UK rate and currently stands at 3.9% compared to the UK 4.4% for May 1999. Current situation & prospects Within the East Midlands, growth in services was estimated to have been stronger than the UK as a whole during 1998. However, the region saw a sharp slowdown in business services growth, reflecting the dependence of the sector on local manufacturing. Manufacturing output declined significantly during 1998, due to deterioration in both domestic and export demand, and a strong pound. Manufacturing output within the region is forecast to continue to decline during 1999, before recovering in 2000. Subdued performance is also expected in retailing & distribution, and in transport & communications. Overall regional GDP is expected to rise only slightly by 0.3% during 1999, with employment levels expected to remain static. Short-term changes in the GDP by sector (% per year) Manufacturing Services Other All services Fin. & Bus. Services 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 E.M. 0.3 0.3 -3.1 1.5 0.2 1.2 4.9 2.2 1.9 6.8 -0.7 -1.9 UK -0.2 -0.2 -3.2 1.3 0.6 0.5 2.5 1.5 1.4 1.6 -1.4 -1.9 Inward investment The region has seen inward investment in manufacturing over recent years. In the first half of 1998 the East Midlands won 16 inward investment projects, which created a total of 2,240 jobs. Approximately 50% of the projects came from the USA. Other inward investment projects within the region include Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer, which has expanded its plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire at a cost of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200m in order to build a second car model, the Corolla. The region has also been successful in attracting call centres, despite competition. In the future as direct banking and insurance services increase, further investment opportunities are likely to arise for the region. The East Midlands’ success in attracting inward investment can be explained by its central location, good infrastructure links with the rest of the country, relatively low land prices, and the quality of its workforce. Leicestershire’s Industrial Profile Leicestershire’s industrial structure has experienced a long period of change and this change is seen to continue. The manufacturing industry consists of textiles and clothing, electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, food processing, printing and publishing, and pharmaceuticals. In Leicestershire 26% of the population are employed in this sector compared with 19% nationally. The most important manufacturing industry group, in terms of output, remains â€Å"other manufacturing† which includes textiles and food manufacturing, currently accounting for half of all manufacturing output. The fastest growing sector was national transport and communications, with an average annual growth of 9.6% since 1992. This growth largely reflects the advantages of Leicestershire as a central location for distribution Industrial sectors Leicestershire TEC area Leicestershire county Leicester city Rutland 1999 Employee estimates Number % Number % Number % Number % Agriculture & Fishing 3,100 0.8 2,700 1.2 0 0 400 3.5 Energy & Water 9,200 2.3 5,600 2.4 3,200 2.1 400 3.5 Manufacturing 102,600 26.0 64,300 28.1 36,300 23.8 2,000 17.4 Construction 14900 3.8 10,000 4.4 4,300 2.8 600 5.2 Distribution, Hotels & restaurants 83,000 21.1 51,100 22.3 29,200 19.1 2,700 23.5 Transport & communication 23,100 5.9 16,100 7.0 6,500 4.3 500 4.3 Banking, finance & Insurance, etc. 54,800 13.9 28,100 12.3 25,600 16.8 1,100 9.6 Public administration, Education & Health 85,900 21.8 41,900 18.3 40,600 26.6 3,400 39.6 Other services 16,600 4.2 9,300 4.1 6,900 4.5 400 3.5 Total employees 393,200 100.0 229,100 100.0 152,600 100.0 11,500 100.0 M5 – Analysing the recruitment documents I think I should have spaced out the application form a bit better and left more room for the forenames and surnames. On the application form I didn’t put a space for sex, this should have been entered, as some people may see it as not giving equal opportunities. I think that it is of a good size, and the font is neither too small nor too large, however, if there had been more spaces left, then it may have been easier to read. There is not a final section asking for a supporting statement. This does not give the applicant opportunity to sell themselves. I should have put some spaces in the â€Å"Employment History† section for reason for leaving the job, and also how long they had been at their last job for. This would have given me some indication on how willing they are. Also if I had left space at the end of the form, there would have been space for the candidates to sell themselves, also giving me more information to base my questions on at the interview. There should have also been more space for them to fill in information about their education. In the references section there should be space to show what relationship the person given as a reference is to the candidate. As it is important for companies to enforce equal opportunities I should have had a section in the application form asking if they had a disability, what their ethnic origin is and also what colour they consider themselves (black, white, other, mixed). This should be an optional section; however, I should have included it. I also provided a sheet for the candidates to fill in just before the interview. This is where extra information could be gathered, and if any details have changed since they filled in the application form, then I could be notified of them. The appraisal documents: during the interview I made some basic notes of the candidates performance. These notes included how well they answered the questions, and their body language. I also gave them marks for their body language, their language and how appropriate it was, and how confident they were (1 being the best, and 5 the worst) In my personnel specification, I should have said more about the job so that they know more about the job and what jobs would be involved in the position. Also how to handle parents and children. Also in the job description, I should stated more about what the jobs would be involved with, like handling children from the ages of 5-18, so they need to be patient sometimes and also authoritative. M6-Strengths & Weaknesses Mrs Jemima Puddleduck Her letter of application was most impressive. It was typed, set out correctly, and lots of good language was used. The recruitment documents that we received from Mrs Jemima Puddleduck showed that she was a well-educated young lady, showing she had studied both GCSE’s, and ‘A’ levels with excellent grades, and also well qualified. The only factor, which made me a little unsure of her, was that she had children, which I felt it might cause some difficulty about the hours she could work. Plus a degree in sports management. It was a very encouraging letter, outlining her strengths and weaknesses, and also stating any previous relevant work experience as well as any other experience to show her enthusiasm for work. Her experiences in jobs show us a very caring girl and she has taken part in work experience in very useful places. Mrs Jemima Puddleduck sent me a very short but detailed letter of application it was in written form very neat and well set out. Her work experiences have given her experience of what this position requires and I feel she would be an excellent candidate for this job. Mr Brett Langer The documents that were given to us by Brett Langer shows that he is ma very hard working person, we know this by looking at his GCSE’s and ‘A’ Levels. So he should then have the basic skills available to do the job successfully, with A grades in Maths and English in his GCSE’s. My impression also was that he may be a little well qualified for the job, nonetheless a very promising candidate. It showed that he had some previous job experience, however, he had never worked in an office before. From the letter of application he seemed to be an all round person, being able to get on with people. We can also see this from his past work experience as a Waiter and Employee at McDonalds, this showing he should be able to get on with any sort of person and situations. The only problem is that he is going to be working on a temporary basis as he’s looking for a job in the business sector, so he will only be working here until he finds a job in the business industry. Miss Tracy Hill Miss Hill is the youngest candidate applying for the position as Secretary. The recruitment documents, which we received from Miss Tracy Hill, she seems to be a nice girl but lack the personnel skills and personality for the job. There are concerns on how sociable she is, and how this may affect her work, as she may have to come in on a Saturday or Sunday. She has the basic skills to do the job with having GCSE’s in IT, Maths and English. She also has no work experience in any field. She is the weakest candidate for the job, but we have decided to give her a chance to prove us wrong in the interview. Jemima Puddleduck questions 1. Will you be able to come in if there was an emergency? 2. Do you think you be able to handle the children when if they get rowdy? 3. Why have you decided to leave your present job? 4. How long would it take to hand in your notice at your present job? 5. How come you haven’t decided to go into the sports industry? Brett Langer questions 1. Do you know how to use the basics of computer software? 2. How long do you think you would work here? 3. Will you be able to come in if there was an emergency? 4. Do you think you be able to handle the children when if they get rowdy? 5. Do you think you would get along with the different age groups that go to the school? Tracy Hill question 1. Why did you leave school after your GCSE’s? 2. Why haven’t you got any work experience? 3. Would it be a problem with the hours you work with a child? 4. Who will look after the child? 5. Will you be able to come in if there was an emergency? 6. Do you think you be able to handle the children when they get rowdy? M7-My performance in the Interviews To start off with I was shy, I was not sure how they would react to me, but as the interviews went on my interviewing technique improved and I started to settle down. I found that I didn’t really help them to relax and settle down, which made them nervous and allowed them t make mistakes, as they didn’t know how to react to me. After settling down I became confident enough to ask the candidate questions about the job and putting them in situations and asking how they would handle a particular situation. Due to this I became to laid back, I was showing poor body language; for example my arms were crossed. I also acted to casual with the candidate; I was told this from my colleagues who were also interviewing the candidate. Due to me being confident and laid back, I asked the candidate opened ended questions, which enabled my colleagues and I to get to know the candidate more intimately and what there personality was like. I also found that I was too disorganised for the interview, compared to my colleagues who where ready for the interview, as they had questions readily decided to ask the candidate. Which didn’t show a good impression on the candidate and made me look silly. I also had not gone through the candidate’s information, which gave me a disadvantage, as I did not ask the relevant information for the job. Which lead to me not writing any information about the candidate, so it made it difficult on which candidate to pick for the job. I think that I also should have changed the tone of voice more, as I felt the candidate was finding the interview was getting to boring. Improvements 1. I should appear to be relaxed from the beginning of the interview so that they can give their best performances through out the interview. 2. I shouldn’t act laid back whilst interviewing the candidate. As this gives a bad impression to the interviewee, about the way things are running in the company. 3. I should look through the application documents before I interview the candidate to have some kind of information about the candidate and question to find out more about their personality. 4. It would be more fairer to all the candidates if I took notes on each applicant, so that I can offer the job to the best person, so that I can compare them with there good and bad points and offer the job to the best person. M8 – Our own design of a â€Å"Contract of employment† 1. Name of employer:_________________________________ 2. Name of employee:________________________________ 3. Job title: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4. Salary: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5. Start date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6. Pay rate:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7. Amount of hours that must be completed in one week:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8. Leave, you are entitled to†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦days-paid holiday per annum in addition to statutory holidays. The leave is to taken at a time convenient to the employer. 9. Sick pay and allowances: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10. Amount of holiday entitlement: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11. What notice is needed when you want to finish that job:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. to ensure flexibility within our workforce, you will at times be expected to work extra hours as required, but you will normally be given advanced notice of times. 12. Grievance Procedures, if you wish to raise any grievance relating to your employment, you should do so in accordance with the grievance procedure shown in the employee information binder, which can be obtained from the Personal office. 13. Pension scheme, details of the contributory company pension scheme, for which you are eligible, may be obtained from the personnel office. 14. Discipline Rules, the company rules form part of your conditions of employment. These are shown in the Employee Information Binder and it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with these and observe them at all times.

El Nino Fidencio the Mythical Curandero

El Nino Fidencio The Mythical Curandero Throughout the book Curanderismo: Mexican American Folk Healing Trorrer and Chavira make mention of el Nino Fidencio in countless areas of the book. It is mentioned that one of the most important spiritualist movement is based on â€Å"the life teaching, and the spirit of a famous young folk healer (now dead) from northern Mexico el Nino Fidencio† (1997:35). Even today el Nino is an important figure in many aspects of the belief system and practice associated with the Curanderismo folk healing.History plays a major role in culture when it comes to establishing religion and medical practices, which in the case of the Mexican Curanderos many times martyrs or perhaps people with supernatural or mythical abilities lay the foundation for the belief system and its practice. Consequently, this allows such people (those with supernatural abilities) to become saints thus becoming an important part of the Catholic faith, which has become syncratic with the traditional folk healing system.What is interesting about el Nino and his legacy, is that he not only serves as an influential figure in the history of Curanderismo but also plays a large role in the spiritual practices and the contemporary culture associated with the Mexican folk healing practices. In a modern society where immigration has promoted syncretism and a separation between those who still live in or near Mexico and those who have moved to other regions causing them to lose many of their traditional beliefs and practices el Nino serves as an icon from the folk saint movement that helps draw a culture and the people back together.One of the things the turned Fidencio into a saint and a man of great power was the vision or hallucination that he had of a bearded man with a halo who came to him under a tree when he was a young man right after he had been run off by the family with which he had been living with this is what he says he was told in his hallucination. F idencio, you are called to a very high destiny. I put in your eyes a marvelous curative power, which will serve to alleviate the suffering of those with pain.I give you this divine power only for the good of humanity, only in order to that you will cure those who are deserving, never for you to enrich yourself with it, not to benefit those who do not deserve such good things (1973:91) What caused Fidencio to become so well received was not only the fact that he had a gift but the way in which he came to understand develop and use his gift for healing. Many saints receive divine intervention, which leads them on a particular path.When taking on such a role as Fidencio did he made the decision to leave the secular world behind to enter into a practice, which is often ill-defined and perceived based upon the fact that it involved dabbling in the supernatural and the lines between good and evil are thin. â€Å"The curandero is considered different from ordinary people, and this differe nce produces respect, distrust, and even fear. Sometimes it produces the accusation that the curandero is a brujo, a witch, doing antisocial magic so not everyone feels drawn to this profession† (1997: 110).However, Fidencio was not perceived in such a way; he was known to give, and share with the people. Thus using his gifts as instructed by what many refer to as â€Å"the heavenly father†, for good striving to benefit those around him as he was told to do. It is said that, â€Å"Fidencio accepted his mission and devoted the remainder of his life to curing. But from time to time intense fatigue would weaken his resolve. On these instances he would weep and say that he has been ordered to cure and had no choice but to do so† (1973:91).In doing so he inspired others and created a legacy that would be remembered and celebrated long after his death. The â€Å"fidencistas† (Fidencios followers) have built a number of temples (called centros) in Mexico as well as in the United States where Mexican immigration are prevalent. Such temples are important when it comes to the practice of spiritual curanderimo. This is because although many of the foundational aspects if folk healing stem from some of the methods used by Fidencio mediums who work in the spiritual realm have special gifts thus they look to the guidance of Fidencio’s spirit.This has created a sort of sub culture or cult in which those who have the ability to become a medium sometimes choose to spend their lives living and working in such temples. The centros are staffed by trance mediums who, often†¦ go into trance, and (in their words) let the spirit of el Nino descend on them, their bodies forming a link between the material and spiritual realms of existence. Through this linkage, the immortal spirit of el Nino performs cure, does consultations, even predicts the outcome of future events for members of his cult (1997: 35).Followers of Fidencio and other spirits tend to have much more religious beliefs due to the fact that they are wholly focused on doing their work through the guidance, protection and possession by that saint. Although it is interesting to note that people consider the curenderos to be a saints because of the connection that they have with the seen unseen realms associated with the gifts that mediums possess. Not all mediums choose to become part of a cult dedicating themselves and their work to the will of a saint who will ultimately work through them.Others might choose to work alone, some for profit and some solely for personal growth knowledge and gratification as is mentioned in chapter six of Curanderismo: Mexican American Folk Healing. Yet these Mediums might still attempt to gain guidance and protection from the saints such as Fidencio conversely; they do so with the help of a master curendero or by making a trip to a temple while making no commitment to the cult. Today although it has been more than 72 years since the death of el Nino Fidencio’s death many people still attribute their successes in both giving and receiving healing to the saint el Nino Fidencio.He serves not only as an important figure to those who practice Curanderismo but also those who receive treatment from the curandos. The saint plays such a large role in the culture in Mexico (even today) that people make pilgrimages to his burial place located outside of the small town of Espinazo on the eve of his birthday. According to the Houston Chronicle, the procession and rituals are as big a deal for many Mexicans as it is for those who have immigrated and become Mexican Americans. Thousands of Hispanics come to this high desert site in northern Mexico on the eve of the birthday of legendary healer el Nino Fidencio.Through song and ceremony, pageantry and ritual, they have come to invoke El Nino's spirit, to prostrate themselves in acts of humility and submission, to crawl up the road of penance that leads to his tomb, and to find rebirth through immersion in a muddy pool of water (1995:8). For many people the pilgrimage represents more than just going to honor the dead saint for the most determined believers, (both those who practice and those who are served) it is a quest for answers and solutions to the myriad of problems common to the human condition.Through the spirit of el Nino, they believe that they can find a way to cope with illness, business, marriage, money, the community and ultimately, with life itself. The ceremonies associated with the pilgrimage are so large that they draw the attention of newspapers, which publicize the special evens that take place in honor of the dead saint. In the National Catholic Reporter is was noted that, â€Å"During the week of Oct. 17 and again in March, to honor El Nino’s patron St.Joseph, throngs of devotees carry flowers and copal incense like ancient Aztec celebrants. They wend their way through narrow Espinazo streets to El Pirulito (which is t he little pepper tree where he had his Hallucination), where El Nino received his healing powers† (Burbank1997: 3). In participating in such ceremonies the people are celebrating and honoring not only the saint but â€Å"God† as well, thus insuring that they will have a prosperous rest of the year. The celebration is a time for people to not only honor el Nino but also the Virgin of Guadalupe.People dance in headdresses and costume near the tomb and vendors have to opportunity to make money off of the crowds by selling items like balloons and medicines. Many of the people who attend the pilgrimage are poor, marginalized, and have little to no access to health care. For many, it is about more than just honoring a saint and being a Catholic; these celebrations allow people to gather and seek healing for ailments that they could not otherwise afford to get treated.The reasons for the celebration go beyond the fact that he was a saint; he also represents the freedom that Cu randeros have to practice their craft. In 1928 Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles suppressed the Catholic priesthood, which resulted in a revolt the following year he went to Mexico to arrest el Nino for practicing without a license. However, he and his daughter were ill and el Nino healed them both in Espainazo. This attracted much attention and caused him to not only escape a jail sentence but also made him the most famous Mexican curandero according to the National Catholic Reporter.This proved not only that he was a gifted healer but also that he was willing to help those who wished to oppress him and keep him from his craft. Thus proving to be a symbol of hope, strength, and power for the people of Mexico, and Mexican Americans who come to celebrate him. The Curanderismo folk healing of Mexico has a long legacy and although it has changed and become synchronic due to religious influence and Western medicine. Its fundamental roots have survived; the spiritual and physical h ealings that result from the craft are still received by those who live both within as well as outside of Mexico.Saints such as el Nino Fidencio help remind the people of amazing healing powers that curenderos can possess and serves a figure which causes the people of the culture to unite yearly despite the fact that some have immigrated or moved to other geographical locations. The tale of the saint El Nino and his legacy not only serves as an influential figure in the history of Curanderismo but also plays a large role in the spiritual practices and the contemporary culture associated with the Mexican folk healing practices.Works Cited Burbank, J. (1997). Catholics, too, venerate el nino fidencio. National Catholic Reporter, 33(14), 3. Macklin, B. J. , ; Crumrine, N. R. (1973). Three north mexican folk saint movements. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 15(1), 89-105. Spaulding, G. (1995, January 8). JOURNEY OF THE SPIRIT ; pilgrims by the thousands are drawn to the town where curandero el nino performed his legendary healings. The Houston Chronicle, pp. 8. Trotter, R. T. I. , ; Chavira, J. , Antonio. (1997). Curanderismo: Mexican american folk healing (Second ed. ). Athens, Georga: University of Georgia Press.

Analytical Essay Even Wives Want a Wife

The main points made in the essay are what the wife would do for the author such as household chores, taking care of children, catering to her friends and many other satirical duties. All the while several literary devices are used to enhance the article. She uses these elements to show sexist and selfish ideas of men that are prevalent in society. â€Å"I Want a Wife† efficiently reasons for how the male gender generalizes the role of a wife in a sexist way in our society by making use of ethos, logos, pathos, satire and repetition. Ethos is used in the essay as Brady is a wife herself. Since she is she must have a certain expertise of being a wife. As she states in one of the beginning paragraphs â€Å"I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, not altogether incidentally I am a mother† (Brady 542). This shows her credibility; that all the jobs and duties she mentioned must have been personally experienced by her. The many jobs and chores discussed make the audience feel sympathy for wives and the author herself through pathos. The author concludes the essay by saying â€Å"My god, who wouldn’t want a wife† (Brady 544)? This rhetorical question allows the readers to determine that this idea is wrong and treats women like a lesser being compared to men. The ending also evokes the reader to take action towards the topic. The author utilizes logos by stating many facts such as jobs women often do while speaking through experience. She lists all of these over exaggerated duties to indirectly saying that women are expected to do too much in today’s society. Brady speaks of several seemingly unethical chores like cleaning the house, preparing dinner to serve to friends and not speaking when the husband is talking (Brady 543). This helps get her point across by exaggeration to show how the wife is expected to have a servant like persona. Brady uses satire from the beginning of the essay to the very end of it. It is mainly used to show a male viewpoint of a wife. â€Å"And I want a wife who understands that my sexual needs may entail more than strict adherence to monogamy. I must, after all, be able to relate to people as fully as possible† (Brady 544). Here the author satirizes the man’s view of what the wife must do and what he should be able to do, which in this case is have various partners. The use of satire is very effective in this article demonstrating how a man expects to have a perfect wife further illustrating the author’s image of sexism in society. Repetition is used in several of the author’s paragraphs. â€Å"I want a wife† (Brady 543) is used in the beginning of a few paragraphs to catch your eye and to get Brady’s idea burnt into your brain. This also helps as a smooth transition for the many duties described that the wife must do. Continually stating this phrase raises the thoughts of the audience making them want a wife as well. The author made fantastic use of literary devices throughout the essay. The effectiveness of satire to me was the most powerful using it to demonstrate how men expect so much from women and how many of the duties they perform are almost slave like. Ethos, logos and pathos were used successfully in many instances that appealed to the senses. As Brady is a wife and mother herself this make her a credible source so she clearly knows what she is speaking of. There was emotional appeal making the audience sympathize for the wife and feel anger towards men. Logic was used to show the wife’s duties and what their husbands expect of them. In conclusion I thought this was a very well thought out and written article because it attempts to make the reader want to take action against the topic through all of these elements. Analytical Essay Even Wives Want a Wife The main points made in the essay are what the wife would do for the author such as household chores, taking care of children, catering to her friends and many other satirical duties. All the while several literary devices are used to enhance the article. She uses these elements to show sexist and selfish ideas of men that are prevalent in society. â€Å"I Want a Wife† efficiently reasons for how the male gender generalizes the role of a wife in a sexist way in our society by making use of ethos, logos, pathos, satire and repetition. Ethos is used in the essay as Brady is a wife herself. Since she is she must have a certain expertise of being a wife. As she states in one of the beginning paragraphs â€Å"I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, not altogether incidentally I am a mother† (Brady 542). This shows her credibility; that all the jobs and duties she mentioned must have been personally experienced by her. The many jobs and chores discussed make the audience feel sympathy for wives and the author herself through pathos. The author concludes the essay by saying â€Å"My god, who wouldn’t want a wife† (Brady 544)? This rhetorical question allows the readers to determine that this idea is wrong and treats women like a lesser being compared to men. The ending also evokes the reader to take action towards the topic. The author utilizes logos by stating many facts such as jobs women often do while speaking through experience. She lists all of these over exaggerated duties to indirectly saying that women are expected to do too much in today’s society. Brady speaks of several seemingly unethical chores like cleaning the house, preparing dinner to serve to friends and not speaking when the husband is talking (Brady 543). This helps get her point across by exaggeration to show how the wife is expected to have a servant like persona. Brady uses satire from the beginning of the essay to the very end of it. It is mainly used to show a male viewpoint of a wife. â€Å"And I want a wife who understands that my sexual needs may entail more than strict adherence to monogamy. I must, after all, be able to relate to people as fully as possible† (Brady 544). Here the author satirizes the man’s view of what the wife must do and what he should be able to do, which in this case is have various partners. The use of satire is very effective in this article demonstrating how a man expects to have a perfect wife further illustrating the author’s image of sexism in society. Repetition is used in several of the author’s paragraphs. â€Å"I want a wife† (Brady 543) is used in the beginning of a few paragraphs to catch your eye and to get Brady’s idea burnt into your brain. This also helps as a smooth transition for the many duties described that the wife must do. Continually stating this phrase raises the thoughts of the audience making them want a wife as well. The author made fantastic use of literary devices throughout the essay. The effectiveness of satire to me was the most powerful using it to demonstrate how men expect so much from women and how many of the duties they perform are almost slave like. Ethos, logos and pathos were used successfully in many instances that appealed to the senses. As Brady is a wife and mother herself this make her a credible source so she clearly knows what she is speaking of. There was emotional appeal making the audience sympathize for the wife and feel anger towards men. Logic was used to show the wife’s duties and what their husbands expect of them. In conclusion I thought this was a very well thought out and written article because it attempts to make the reader want to take action against the topic through all of these elements.

Appeal to Review the Diabetes Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Appeal to Review the Diabetes Assignment - Essay Example Let me first take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for being of great assistance to me during the entire course of taking Episodes of Nursing Practice. You had been very patient and inspiring, as a mentor, instructor, and counselor.I was obviously pleased to meet you yesterday, and I was very pleased with the information that helped to highlight the most important lessons about acute renal failure. The theories and knowledge that you provided made it easily to understand the minute threads as I pursue the course through home study. Based on our discussion yesterday about the recent assignment on diabetes, I respectfully thank you for giving me hope at possibly improving my mark. I blame myself first about the mark that was generated and relayed to me, thinking all that while that I did well during the semester. However, I honestly believe that I think I deserve to have a higher mark given the efforts, commitment and dedication that I applied to this course.I hope you will give a second look at my assignment and relay your feedback to enable me to address my weaknesses and be able to improve in my future academic courses. I am hereby uploading the assignment for your review and evaluation.You will remain to be one of my best instructors who have given me the needed support and guidance through these academic challenges. Your teaching style inspires me to continue my studies and to complete the program to enable me to achieve my personal and professional goals.

Compare and Contrast Pieces of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compare and Contrast Pieces of Art - Essay Example This paper seeks to highlight the similarities and the differences between the â€Å"Dying Gallic Trumpeter† and the â€Å"Column of Trajan† in terms of balance of style, function, iconography, technique, and cultural meaning. Both â€Å"Dying Gallic Trumpeter† and the â€Å"Column of Trajan† are made of marble pieces. Trumpeter is nude, and the fluid motion of the marble inflicts an impression of strained-movement (Ridgway 151). On the other hand, the â€Å"Column of Trajan† is made of 29 pieces of marble weighing up to 77ton. However, there are several differences between these two sculptures. In terms of balance, the â€Å"Dying Gallic Trumpeter† lies on his oval shield, with trumpet at his feet the. This gives it asymmetrical balance as compared to the â€Å"Column of Trajan† that stands all round erected from a base giving it symmetrical balance. Trumpeter takes the shape of a human being, while Trojan takes the shape of a tall building. In terms of texture, Trumpeter is smoother than Trajan that has a rough surface from boom to head (Ridgway 278). Trumpeter has long, bushy mustache, hair, and neck ornament, while Trajan has a band of curved reliefs all round the co lumn. Trumpeter signifies a â€Å"barbarian†. Culturally, in ancient Rome, a â€Å"Barbarian† was more than a monstrous enemy, but a wounded soldier, unlike their own soldiers. Trojan, on the other hand, tells the story of Dacian wars between 101-102 and 105-106 A.D (Ridgway

TD 5- HRM - 402 Delivering Training and Development Essay

TD 5- HRM - 402 Delivering Training and Development - Essay Example This will also help the management to develop further their future training programs, including pinpointing the relevant topics or areas that are absent from the training. Level 2: Learning – Under this level, Walmart Human resource manager measures what the employees under training have learned and by how much their knowledge has increased due to the training. This level of evaluation allows the management to measure learning using the specific objectives set for the training, and this will influence their decision on whether to changes in skills, knowledge or attitude. This is beneficial to the Walmart organization as it helps them to know what the employees are learning and what they are not as this will assist them to improve future training sessions. (Clifford & Thorpe, 2007) Level 3: Behavior – On this level the management evaluates how the employees’ behavior has changed basing on training that they underwent. Behavior change translates to how much information the employees got from the training program. The Walmart management, through training, they can now provide the necessary conditions to initiate the change in their organization. (Siddons & Development, 2006) Level 4: Results – The Management analyzes the results of the training at this level. This consist of outcomes that the organization has resolute to be the best for the business, best for its employees, good for the overall Walmart

Fire Protection Hydraulics and water supply Essay - 2

Fire Protection Hydraulics and water supply - Essay Example Conversely, the elevation pressure must be decreased in order to maintain the level of the forward pressure. These adjustments are done by controlling the flow and turning the nozzle in order to get the elevation pressure required. To relieve the backpressure, the nozzle is turned downward, while in order to relieve the forward pressure, the nozzle is turned upward (Cote, 2003). In a Fire protection system, the backpressure and the forward pressure must be properly controlled in order to maintain a particular quantity of fluid that passes through the nozzle. This is done effectively by controlling the elevation pressure (Cote, 2003). If the backpressure and the forward pressure are not adequately controlled, the fire protection system would definitely not function properly. In essence, the knowledge of the amount of elevation pressure that is required to produce a particular amount of backpressure and forward pressure is of high importance as this would go a long way in making the fire protection hydraulic system more

The Impact of 2008 Financial Crisis on UK's Cross Border Mergers Dissertation

The Impact of 2008 Financial Crisis on UK's Cross Border Mergers - Dissertation Example II.2 Cross Border Mergers as a Mode of Entry in a Foreign Market †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 12 II.3 Cross Border Merger as a Value Creating Strategy .. 17 II.4 Impact of Financial Crisis in the Field of Investment Through Cross Border Mergers in UK †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20 III. Research Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.. 24 IV. Research Findings and Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 28 V. Conclusion and Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 39 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 42 – 46 Chapter I – Introd uction A merger is a business process by means of which, two or additional number of companies can pool their business assets and form a single organization. In general, the stocks of the parent companies’ are given up. Instead, the stock of a new company is issued. For instance, when the Daimler-Benz and Chrysler merged, both the companies stopped to exist and in their place Daimler-Chrysler was formed. Cross border mergers are those mergers wherein the involved companies are set up in different countries. Over the years, this type of merger comprises of a growing percentage of all the mergers. In general, cross border mergers can happen through either inward cross border mergers or outward cross border mergers. In an inward cross border merger, the entire or parts of domestic companies are put up for sale to overseas investors. This often results to inward movement of capital. In the case of an outward cross border merger, domestic companies tend to purchase the entire or s egments of foreign companies. This often results to an outward flow of capital (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Economic Analysis and... The findings of this research will provide insight of a merger as a business process by means of which, two or additional number of companies can pool their business assets and form a single organization. In general, the stocks of the parent companies’ are given up. Instead, the stock of a new company is issued. For instance, when the Daimler-Benz and Chrysler merged, both the companies stopped to exist and in their place Daimler-Chrysler was formed. Cross border mergers are those mergers wherein the involved companies are set up in different countries. Over the years, this type of merger comprises of a growing percentage of all the mergers. In general, cross border mergers can happen through either inward cross border mergers or outward cross border mergers. In an inward cross border merger, the entire or parts of domestic companies are put up for sale to overseas investors. This often results to inward movement of capital. In the case of an outward cross border merger, domes tic companies tend to purchase the entire or segments of foreign companies. Cross-border mergers are a very significant occurrence in the global economy. In fact, cross-border mergers encompass more than 50% of all the foreign direct investment that is taking place around the world (Gugler et al. 2003). In most cases, companies enter into a cross border merger activities for the following reasons: (1) to intensify the company’s position in the global markets; (2) expand the business; (3) get hold of other company’s complementary resources; and (5) to improve the company’s efficiency in the global markets.

Mans Happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mans Happiness - Essay Example Like other subjects belonging to the realm of the humanities, the use of Philosophy is not that apparent as compared to the relevance of the natural sciences like Biology or Chemistry. Such studies have direct physical consequences. The effect of their absence can easily be perceived and felt by the Human Being. The absence of Philosophy, on the other hand, has no direct physical repercussion. The effect is something that is unseen; it is something that is internal to Man. The use of Philosophy lies in its capacity to help Man scratch that internal "itching" of his, his itch to know the truth. Just like what we have seen in the discussions, Man has always had that itch to know what the truth is. All the Greek Philosophers that we've discussed all try to do this by answering certain questions that boggled their minds. The Mileasans were itching to know what made up the universe. The Pythagoreans tried to see the arrangement of the universe through the use of numbers. Socrates concerned himself with the Interior Man. All of these Philosophers were trying to know what the truth is, as posed by their questions. That is where the use of philosophy comes in. Like these philosophers, we will also be bogged by questions in our modern world, questions that cannot be simply answered through empirical observation or experimentation. Philosophy helps us answer these questions. Supposing we don't answer them, the physical consequence may not be that great. When someone who earns a Billion Dollars a year for example, asks what is Man's purpose in life is for example and fails to answer it, he will not automatically lose his wealth. He will still be rich, but internally he will be empty, for he has not found any meaning to why he exists. He will be no different to a machine who works, round the clock. It may be efficient, but it does not know its purpose. Indeed, the ability to scratch that internal itching for truth is something that is very much important to Man. As what we have said, it helps him be more "human", that he can ask and know what the truth is about himself and the world around him. This care for the truth and the satisfaction of the interior side of Man is something that is advocated by the philosopher Socrates. As what we has been said in the discussions, Socrates asserted the importance of improving the soul; that truth and virtue should be given a lot if importance. If Man does not do this then he will not be Happy. This thought is very important given how the world views happiness these days. A lot think that material things could easily satisfy man, neglecting that there are certain things that we cannot see but still satisfies Man from within. Ironically though, whenever Man tries to scratch that sensation for truth, he ends up being itchier. Sometimes the way to answering a question is through another question. We have seen this in the Greek Philosophers we have discussed. The Milesians asked what the basic stuff that composed the universe is. Answers were given. Thales said its water. Anaximander questioned this and so on. Just like the Greeks, the modern man asks his own questions. It may be about the purpose of his life or even what life even means. Philosophy aids man in answering such questions,

Quakers Case Essay Example for Free

Quakers Case Essay This research paper will argue that the evangelicals were embraced mostly by blacks not only because it’s the nearest imitation of their African nature rituals but because they have given support to the abolition of slavery in the United States. Quakers were known to be the most vocal concerning their opposition to slavery; there were also other denominations that did not favor slavery. George Fox, founder of the Quaker group Society of Friends, preached against slavery in the late 16oo’s, but never really took action against it. Even though Fox, a major Quaker leader, was opposed to slavery, other Quaker leaders owned slaves. This was because they interpreted the doctrines of their religion to exclude slaves. The institution of slavery became a divided issue among Quakers in the Society. Benjamin Lay, for example, was against slavery. Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians were very vocal concerning their dissatisfaction with slavery. (1) However, the main concern was that large amounts of the population were not being exposed to God. They had to resolve whether the larger concern was to end slavery and thus allow many â€Å"unchristian people to go to hell after death, or to evangelize the slaves while letting the issue of slavery slide under the carpet. Subsequently, Methodists and Baptists also became the two denominations to achieve the earliest successes in proselytizing slaves (Lane 184). The first third of the nineteenth century was a significant time for antislavery. Haitian slaves had risen up and freed themselves from French rule in 1803. In England, decades of antislavery agitation led Parliament to abolish slavery in the British Empire by 1834 In the United States, sectional friction related to slavery began in earnest with the Missouri crisis of 1820. Nor were black voices silent. Free African American ministers sermonized against slavery’s cruelties. Periodic fears of slave violence came to a head in 1822 with the discovery of Denmark Vesey’s planned slave uprising (2). As the conflict over slavery heated up, and as news of the Vesey conspiracy broke in 1822, and word spread about the rebellion of Nat Turner in 1831, a great fear enveloped whites (5).   All these factors caused a few whites to begin to renew the spiritual struggle against slavery. The Reverend George Bourne, an Englishman who headed a Presbyterian congregation in Virginia, refused communion to slaveholders and excoriated slaveholding ministers. Way back 1784 Methodists were so bold as to say that they promised to excommunicate all Methodists not freeing their slaves within two years (5). Opposing racism is definitely amongst the strongest reasons for the abolition of slavery. This argument seems quite feasible, considering the fact that only Negroes were slaves. That is to say, skin color was the most deciding factor in whether somebody was a slave or a slaveholder (1). Catherine Meeks, professor of African American studies at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, says, It was the white control of the worship [on slave-holding plantations], the inability to accept blacks as equals, and the negation of black personhood that led to the separation of the black church from the white church and to the emergence of a black religious community. (4) Independent black churches—most of them Baptist or Methodist—were not separating themselves from whites because they held a different doctrinal view of Christianity, notes James H. Cone of Union Theological Seminary. Without exception, blacks used the same articles of faith and polity for their churches as the white denominations from which they separated. Separation, for blacks, meant that, they were rejecting racism that was based on the assumption that God created blacks inferior to whites. (5) Even though white Protestant denominations in the 1840s split over the issue of slavery, the congregations of northern Protestants remained just as closed to blacks who moved north. Given the increasing racial proscription in the mid-1800s, (9) Many Black preachers developed a significant following across the South among both whites and blacks. John Jasper of Virginia was one such man. Slaves would defer funeral ceremonies for as long as necessary to bring him to the plantation for the service. And Jasper was equally popular among whites. During the Civil War, Jasper won a warm response from the Confederate wounded to whom he preached and offered solace (9). A long history of antislavery and political activity among Northern black Protestants had convinced them that they could play a major role in the adjustment of the four million freed slaves to American life. In a massive missionary effort, Northern black leaders such as Daniel A. Payne and Theophilus Gould Steward established missions to their Southern counterparts, resulting in the dynamic growth of independent black churches in the Southern states between 1865 and 1900 (10). Predominantly white denominations, such as the Presbyterian, Congregational, and Episcopal churches, also sponsored missions, opened schools for freed slaves, and aided the general welfare of Southern blacks, but the majority of African-Americans chose to join the independent black denominations founded in the Northern states during the antebellum era. Within a decade the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) churches claimed Southern membership in the hundreds of thousands, far outstripping that of any other organizations. They were quickly joined in 1870 by a new Southern-based denomination, the Colored (now Christian) Methodist Episcopal Church, founded by indigenous Southern black leaders (11). The relentless evangelist figures were catalysts of the constitutional abolision of the slaves. They fought for the freedom through the exposure to God’s theoretical equality. Emancipation from slavery in 1863 posed distinctive religious challenges for African Americans in the South. When the Civil War finally brought freedom to previously enslaved peoples, the task of organizing religious communities was only one element of the larger need to create new livesto reunite families, to find jobs, and to figure out what it would mean to live in the United States as citizens rather than property. Melville J. Herskovits has advanced the thesis that the success of Baptists in attracting blacks was rooted in the appeal of immersion which suggests a connection in the slaves mind with the river spirits in West African religions. Others have attacked this position including, the black scholar E. Franklin Frazier who argues that enslavement largely destroyed the social basis of religion among blacks, and that the appeal of Baptists to blacks concerns the emotional content of their worship. Stanley Elkins (whose views were heavily influenced by what took place in the concentration camps of World War II Europe), has arguedlike Frazierthat slavery was so demeaning that blacks (like the Jews in the camps) were eventually stripped of every shred of dignity and humanity, including their faith. John Blassingame, on the other hand, has provided a significant body of evidence that blacks hung on to their religion as a form of resistance (11). African-American religion dealt with life as blacks lived it. It was about pain and sorrow, sin and shortcoming, pardon and joy, praise and thanksgiving, grace and hope. This version of Evangelicalism provided a wonderful benefit; it was able to accomplish great things in their lives that were frequently shouted about. This transition coincided with the period of intense religious revivalism known as awakenings. In the Southern states beginning in the 1770s, increasing numbers of slaves converted to evangelical religions such as the Methodist and Baptist faiths. Many clergy within these denominations actively promoted the idea that all Christians were equal in the sight of God, a message that provided hope and sustenance to the slaves (12). Slave Spirituals became the creative group expression of these aspirations. The Ring Shout was the most distinctive expression of religious worship in the praise service, with African-derived dancing and body movement emphasized. The invisible religion of the slave quarters also included conjure, a system of spiritual influence that combined herbal medicine with magic and sometimes gave surprising authority to slave practitioners who believed they could affect whites as well as blacks (6). They also encouraged worship in ways that many Africans found to be similar, or at least adaptable, to African worship patterns, with enthusiastic singing, clapping, dancing, and even spirit-possession. It was here that the spirituals, with their double meanings of religious salvation and freedom from slavery, developed and flourished; and here, too, that black preachers, those who believed that God had called them to speak his Word, polished their chanted sermons, or rhythmic, intoned style of extemporaneous preaching. The closest replication of their religious belief was the evangelicals’ approach. African Americans, often termed as ‘blacks’, was so closely intertwined with their total life experience that the starting point in understanding the meaning of that religious life must be the total life experience. For them, before they were forced to become unwilling participants in one of the most oppressive systems of slavery that the world had witnessed, the ancestors of the African Americans in Africa were very much a religious people. In their native land the totality of their lives was informed by what in western Europe was defined as religion, but what, to them meant as a basic and integral part of life (Jones 1991).Thus, they brought that religion with them. Blacks responded to the evangelical message, though, for different reasons than those advanced by slave owner-sanctioned preachers. The potential for spiritual equality, and even the hope for earthly liberty, could be taken from evangelicalism, and that was a powerful appeal to slaves. (8) Evangelicalism’s informal, spirit-driven style of worship could evoke remembrances of the religious ecstasies of African dance religions, another reason to embrace the faith. Nowhere else in southern society did African Americans find the status that they could achieve as in churches. Some African Americans worshipped in separate black churches, but black Baptists and Methodists had shaped evolving Evangelicalism in general since the earliest revivals. Most slave worship was in biracial churches. Evangelicalism took root among African-Americans. Large numbers underwent conversion, baptism, instruction, worship, and lived the life of Christian even in face of oppression. Although, the development of their own religious institutions would await Emancipation and the wars end, there were many thousands of Negro Baptists and Methodists by 1850. Emancipation brought many tangible rewards. Among the most obvious was a significant increase in personal freedom that came with no longer being someone elses property: whatever hardships they faced, free blacks could not be forcibly sold away from their loved ones. But emancipation did not bring full equality, and many of the most striking gains of Reconstruction — including the substantial political power that African Americans were briefly able to exercise — were soon lost. In the decades after Reconstruction African Americans experienced continued poverty and exploitation and a rising tide of violence at the hands of whites determined to re-impose black subordination. They also experienced new forms of discrimination, spearheaded by a variety of state laws that instituted rigid racial segregation in virtually all areas of life and that (in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments) effectively disfranchised black voters. The struggle to overcome the bitter legacy of slavery would be long and arduous. Many abolitionists belonged to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ). AMEZ became a platform for preaching against slavery. The ministry was by far the most common occupation of the black leaders in the abolitionist movement (Sorin 101). AMEZ enabled people like Denmark Vesey to plan revolts. Pennington traveled as far as Europe to preach against slavery. He wrote, If the New Testament sanctions slavery, it authorizes the enslavement of whites as well as us (Voices of Triumph 127). Ward was born into a slave family that escaped in 1820. He lived in upstate New York and was an agent for the American Anti-slavery Society. Ward actively protested the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. He was also an assistant to fugitive slaves (Voices of Triumph 145) (9). Over one hundred and thirty years after Nat Turner was hanged, black theology emerged as a formal discipline. Beginning with the black power movement in 1966, black clergy in many major denominations began to reassess the relationship of the Christian church to the black community. Black caucuses developed in the Catholic, Presbyterian, and Episcopal churches. The central thrust of these new groups was to redefine the meaning and role of the church and religion in the lives of black people. Out of this reexamination has come what some have called a Black Theology’. (10) The secret meetings of praise† of the former slaves was later institutionalized and these assemblies gave rise to independent churches. The first religious institution primarily controlled and administered by blacks was established at Silver Bluff, South Carolina in the 1770s.The Free African Society of Philadelphia, established in 1778 by two former slaves, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones was an example of one of the earliest formal organizational activity- more frequent among the free blacks in the urban North (Woodson 1922). Most of such groups were quasi-religious bodies and churches frequently came into existence from the membership of these societies. The Free African Society of Philadelphia, that newly created independent body, was the mother of two African Amertican churches- St. Thomas African Episcopal Church (later named the St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal Church) established in 1794, and the Bethel African Church (later becoming an independent organization known as the African Methodist Episcopal Church), which was the first black congregation in the Philadelphia Methodist Conference. In 1894 black Baptists formed the National Baptist Convention, an organization that is currently the largest black religious organization in the United States. There may be several reasons that evangelist were able to convert slaves, some would argue that this may be attributed to the verity that the slaves saw religion as the nearest observable fact to freedom. Still, it is quite notable that the evangelist were able to gather members not only because the African- Americans see their way of teaching as the nearest to their old rituals but also because of the evangelists’ unerring efforts to abolish slavery in the United States.

The Purpose Of Metro Rail

The Purpose Of Metro Rail The purpose of this report is to determine how managers at MetroRail can achieve ecologically sustainable management values and practices utilising planning and controlling methods, while running and maintaining a metropolitan rail network. 1.2 Scope This report will analyse initiatives higher level management at MetroRail can consider in order to achieve ecologically sustainable management, due to investment in new rolling stock and expansion of rail network. The report will look at strategies MetroRail can adopt to run an environmentally friendly transport service with minimal carbon footprint. 1.3 Methodology The information used in this report will use ecological sustainable management values and practices. To facilitate these value and practices, the use of tools such as management planning and organising will be used by MetroRail. 1.4 Assumption It is assumed that MetroRails environmental vision has been promoted to all employees. The policy statement is to establish MetroRails environmental commitments and provides the basis for setting our environmental objectives and targets. This policy will pursue policies that protect the global and local environment and those that are consistent with principles of ecologically sustainable development. 1.5 Limitations This report is limited by its focus on planning and controlling of ecological sustainable management values and practices to satisfy this reports requirements. In addition, only key elements within planning and control have been addressed. Organisational and leadership functions are also represented within MetroRail, however these will not be included in this report. 1.6 Background MetroRail is a state run corporation in the state of Queensland, providing passenger rail services covering suburban Brisbane and extending to south western, western, central west and northern regions of Queensland. MetroRail plans to expand its network as part of the Federal Government Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan, with further investment in new rolling stock to cater for the growing demand for clean, reliable, passenger rail services. 1.7 Plan This report will first discuss the importance of ecologically sustainable management values and practices before discussing planning and controlling methods utilised to achieve their nominated functions. Several practical and theoretical concepts will be outlined to management on different proposals to be taken. A summary of recommendations and justification will be presented at the conclusion of this report. 2. Discussion 2.1 Importance of Ecologically Sustainable Management Values and Practices The introduction of new rolling stock and expansion of rail network raises the need for MetroRail to recognise the growing need for more ecologically sustainable management practices, Robbins, Bergman, Stagg and Coulter (2009). As a result, both state and federal Government have required MetroRail to review its environmental policies and strategies to be eligible for grant funding. Sustainability has become an important value in many corporate cultures, however implementing this concept has been very challenging (Esquer-Peralta, Velazquez and Munguia, 2008). This could be due to sustainability having various meanings according to the interest, needs, and values of different societies. 2.2 Planning Planning is an approach to establishing the long-term future of an organisation and then moving that organisation in an appropriate direction to achieve the future. (Bell, 2002). Through planning a strategy can be developed on the concerns about organisations impact on the natural environment (Robbins et al., p.175). By clearly outlining the ecological sustainable management values of the organisation it can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the company by providing focus and direction (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). 2.2.1 Goals Goals are specific, measurable outcomes that you want to achieve in the next week, month, year, and five years (Chang, 2005). As MetroRail is a government corporation, its goals are set by the state and federal governments. However as governments can change during election periods, MetroRail must be able to set its own goals. These goals must be measurable, an example of a rail company setting goals is CityRail in New South Wales of Australia. The 2009 Customer Charter outlines their specific goals for improving customer service over the next three years, coupled with tangible actions that will directly benefit customers over the next 12 months (CityRail, 2009). Within planning there are two major types of planning that affects a company. Strategic planning is a process of deciding in advance what kind of planning effort is to be undertaken, when it is to be done, who is going to do it, and what will be done with the results (Frank Harrison, 1999). Top level managers such as Chief Engineers, Chief Technology officer and the Department of Transport are usually involved in strategic planning for the corporation. Operation planning is the other type of planning. Manager at both middle and lower levels perform operation planning in order to define the specific tactics and action steps needed to accomplish the goals specified by top management (Morrisey, 1996). Management at MetroRail needs to set clear goals in regards as to how they will expand their current rolling stock, network, and maintaining its existing infrastructure. These goals need to be strategically planned along with operation planning to achieve realistic targets. An example of such goals is to ensure all future rolling stock does not consume more electricity than current rolling stock while featuring extra security features. One way to achieve such a goal is to ensure all new rolling stock is equipped with regenerative braking. This will ensure less wear and tear on brakes as well as less power consumption. 2.2.2 Strategy Strategic planning brings about an integrated perspective of the company, a foresight of the companys direction that is built upon experience and hard data from research (Schmetterer, 2003). Collecting these ideas as building blocks is instrumental to the development of strategic plans. Mintzberg (1994) insightfully said, The big picture is painted with little strokes. There are a number of tools to formulate an effective strategy. Research can be used to see how other companies go about tackling their ecological sustainable management practices. However research in the organisation itself is vital to understand if its current policies and missions are adhered to. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis helps identify where MetroRail is performing well in its environmental policies and where improvements need to be targeted at. Upon completion of a SWOT analysis, the three key points, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat must be carefully taken into account when setting up ecological management values and practices. A strategy on how to lower MetroRails carbon footprint must be developed with industry and community consultation. Management must set boundaries on available resources, such as human resources, budget and facilities before a strategy can be formalised. If MetroRail does not have the necessary resources to initiate environmentally friendly initiatives, it must find ways to implement the strategy with its limited resources. If it cannot allocate the resources to the initiatives, it may need to reduces its goals or form an alliance with key industry partners to get the resource it requires. A key strategy for MetroRail in ecologically sustainable management practices is to ensure the procurement of all equipment, services and resources have the environment in mind. An example would be to purchase a portion of energy to come from renewable sources. MetroRail is committed to becoming a carbon neutral company through policies the management sets. MetroRails environmental policy needs to be filtered through the company to ensure all employees continuously strive to improve its environmental performance. Many of the key strategies are developed by full time planners who would develop business strategies. Mintzberg (1994) points out, one of the key weaknesses of this approach was that the strategic planners, while being superior analysts of hard business data, were outsiders of various business functions. As such, many plans devised by these strategists were poor. In order to create the most effective strategic planning strategies, each specific business or activities is to be planned by those involved with the particular business and activities. Higher level management should only initiate policies and ideas. This paradigm shifts the decisions downwards to lower level persons who have direct knowledge and in-depth understanding of the subject matter at hand (Barney, 2002). 2.2.3 Plans Setting realistic plans is the next important activity once a strategy has been formulated. Planning is the process of establishing specific objectives, action steps, and a schedule and budget related to a predetermined program, task, or project (Kerzner, 2003). Planning helps to focus on critical areas that need attention and action. Short term plan needs must balance with long term plans. Different types of plans are needed to meet each specific department, as they require different methods to reach their goals. The strategic plans will be created by higher level management, while operational plans will be formulated by individual divisions. As MetroRail is a state government corporation, it is bounded by the governments vision. Higher level management at MetroRail will formulate the strategic plan for the whole organisation on how best to minimise environmental impacts. This is usually released as an organisation policy on the environment. An example of strategic planning, is all future rolling stocks must feature regenerative braking to minimise energy use. More specific operational strategic plans will stem from each division. These ecological sustainable management practices and values will flow into divisional employees to guide them and follow. Operational plans include, how to minimise energy with moving empty rolling stock between stations and stabling yards. These plans will be long term as they are on-going issues and are performed repeatedly. Both strategic and operational planning are important, because the success of MetroRail in its ecological sustainable management depends on creating new paths to the future as well as implementing short term operational plans (Noy, 2001). 2.3 Control The function of control process is taking a systematic approach to figuring out if what has been planned is has achieved or not (McNamara, 2008). This process occurs after the planning process. This allows managers to make decisions on whether to modify the plan as required. 2.3.1 Approaches to Control Setting standards specifies criterias by which work and results are measured and evaluated (Chang, 2005). Standards provide guidelines for measuring performance of ecological sustainable management practices. In order to make comparison on how well MetroRail is being measured on its ecological management practices, it will be benchmarked on technical, planning, perception against other corporations. Many of the high level controls put in places come from the strategic planning stage. These need to be measured to show the public and government MetroRail is committed to reducing its environmental foot print. Benchmarking, however has limitations, such as data not been available, and in such cases, estimates must be made. Managers may use techniques to study samples, ratings, data collection to measure the performance of the organisation (Dhillon, 1987). To evaluate performance is to evaluate work in progress, assess job completed and provide feedback. Example would be to control the roll out of new maintenance of pneumatic pressure gauges. This needs to be benchmarked to the old maintenance scheme to assess if the new system lowers leaks from the system, thus reducing waste on compressing air. To exercise control, manager can perform inspections, review progress and define and add variation to plans. Managers exercise control over projects when serving as project leaders (Katz, Light and Thompson, 2003). The main driving forces for the implementation of controls such as Environmental Management System and ISO 140001 in industry are to satisfy customer requirements, to ensure legal compliance, to improve risk management, to improve public image, and in a systematic way utilise the potential to save money and natural resource (Sammalisto and Arvidsson, 2005). 2.3.2 Types of Control There are three types of controls used by mangers, Robbins et al. (2009). The first is feedforward control. The essential feature of a feedback system is that performance is compared to a standard and this comparison becomes the basis for corrective action (Tadepalli, 1991). MetroRail must use feedforward control as much as possible. This comes mostly from the planning process, such as utilising the Environmental Management Plan. The second type of control is called concurrent control. Concurrent control involves monitoring and adjusting ongoing activities, Erdogan, Bauer, and Carpenter (2009). The best way to for managers to continuously monitor and adjust activities is to manage by walk about (MBWA). The final type of control is called feedback control. Feedback control provides managers with information concerning outcomes from organisational activities, Enz (2009). With feedback control, managers measure performance against targets set during planning. An example of feedback control is measuring the power consumption of the new trains to technical plans provided during the planning phase. 2.4 Conclusion Planning and controlling are essential tools in ecological sustainable management values and practices. Planning allows managers to forecast and to regulate plans for sustainable management. Planning to procuring new trains with regenerative braking and effective and efficient movement of trains between stations and stabling yards are sustainable solutions. Proper planning ensures the strategy and goals developed can be achieved. Control process is followed by the planning process. This link ensures plans are controlled to reach their set goals. Control ensures MetroRail is complying with applicable environmental legislation and regulations, and addresses government policy. In summary, planning and control process ensure MetroRail aims to achieve ecological sustainable management values and practices. 3. Recommendations Implement mandatory training on ecological sustainable management values for all employees. Provide an audit and review framework to achieve continual improvement in ecological sustainable management. Establish objectives, targets and key performance indicators to monitor environmental performance and drive improvement. Comply with applicable environmental legislation and regulations, and address government policy. Minimise use of natural resources. Adhere to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Procurement policy to consider ecological sustainability practices and values. Word Count: 2488