Is there an association between Chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease Research Paper

Is there an association between Chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease and acquisition of Pulmonary Tuberculosis - Research Paper Example This review of literature will discuss about the possible correlation of COPD to the acquisition of pulmonary tuberculosis. COPD is often diagnosed with middle-aged adults. Unlike tuberculosis, this disease isn’t transmissible. Experts opined that there is no available cure yet to the lungs and airway’s damage caused by COPD but treatments and change of lifestyle can slow down the advancement of the disease to help a person get a better health and sustain his active life (Blanc, Flazon, Fitzpatrick, Floyd, Garcia, 2010, p. 1). Medical experts explicated that an infected person will often have difficulties in breathing because the airways and air sacs could drop its elastic ability; the air sacs walls are destroyed; the airways thickened and are inflamed; or the airways produce more mucus than what it’s normally producing (Caballero, Torres-Duque, Jaramillo, Bolivar, Sanabria, 2012, p. 1) Often, COPD disease is prevalent among cigarette smokers and those predispos ed to getting lung infections. Aside from difficulty of breathing, they cough a lot and produce deep wheezing and excessive amount of mucus, thus, tightened the chest and other symptoms (NIH, 2012; Crothers, Butt, Gibert, Rodriuez-Barradas, Crystal, & Justice, 2006, p. 1326). Family members who live with smokers are likely to get second-hand smoke and may acquire COPD or emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is a situation where the lining of the airways is always irritated and inflamed and the lining begins to thicken because of the irritation and subsequent coughing. In emphysema, air sacs, which are found at the end of bronchial tubes, lose their elasticity and the walls where the oxygen and gas exchanges occur, break down and are destroyed. Airways can also get clogged over time, creating a very dangerous situation in breathing for people. In essence, at its worst example, people are suffocating to death (NIH 2012). As COPD affect the lungs, so its tuberculosis. Un like COPD, tuberculosis is a contagious disease and the transmission could be airborne. Like COPD, if not cured, could lead to the early demise of patient. In similar context as that of COPD, the country is also plagued with numerous cases of tuberculosis that is estimated to have reached the population of 10 to 15 million people of infection. At a global scale, TB has already killed an estimated 1. 9 million people annually. Health experts reported that nearly a third of the global population is affected with pulmonary TB. Both COPD and tuberculosis affect the lungs and offer similar threats to the life of the person affected with it. Both are deadly, if not cured. As it paralyzes a person from taking an active lifestyle if not medicated, victims or those who choose to become victims of this illness will seriously impact their economic well-being and consequently become a social burden too. The stigma embed in tuberculosis could only be dealt when the family and the patient underst ood the need to undergo six months medication to mitigate the advancement of this disease. Health advocates professed that the only way to resolve this health concern is early detection and treatment to gain tuberculosis control. Based on statistical data of the World Health Organization, one-third of the world’s population is infected with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The pandemic has reached an alarming figure of 8.7 million people under new cases of TB

Teaching about discipleship Essay Example for Free

Teaching about discipleship Essay Explain how this teaching about discipleship might affect the life of a Christian today? The teaching of discipleship affects the life of a modern day Christian in many different ways. The teaching of Christian belief, practice, authority, organization and sacrifice affects how a modern day Christian lives his life. Christian belief affects how a modern day Christian lives his life because he must consider how he can show as much belief as the original twelve disciples showed in Jesus and what he did. Belief is shown many times in Marks gospel. Simon and Andrew had belief in Jesus because when Jesus says to them come with me and I will teach you to catch men they just drop everything and go with him. This is very important because if they said no, then there probably wouldnt be disciples, but the didnt say no, they just dropped everything and went with Jesus which showed that they had belief in him. This shows that belief is very important in a modern day Christians life because they are meant to show belief just like the original disciples did. They are to sacrifice their old lives and accept new ones. Belief in sacrifice and service is also very important in a modern day Christians life because Jesus serviced 5000 people by feeding them with bread, if he didnt do this they would have died of hunger. Jesus sacrifice is also shown when he is up on the cross, because he is prepared to sacrifice his life for his beliefs. He says Forget self and carry cross. This is an inspirational quote for many modern day Christians today, which means accepting hardships and always putting others first. This could involve fasting for charity or doing a sponsored run. It could involve training as a nurse or a counselor, despite the poor pay All these beliefs affect how disciples live their lives. The Disciples practice their beliefs in a number of different ways. Jesus shows that discipleship is about belief and practice when the woman in the temple puts all she has into offertory chest without any fuss unlike the rich men who made sure everyone knew that he was going to make a donation. The lesson Jesus taught is that it is not how much is given but the spirit in which it is given that matters most. This is another inspirational quote that modern day Christians follow. Most Christians do not feel called to give up all there money but try hard not to be controlled by it or let it influence their lives negatively. A Christian whose beliefs affected his life and eventually brought about his death, was Martin Luther King, who fought for the blacks right to vote. Martin Luther King used his religion, beliefs and non violent protest to get the vote for American blacks. Martin Luther King was very dedicated to his religion and this affected how he lived his life. Martin Luther Kings beliefs helped him a lot in life, especially when he was protesting. When he was protesting the police often reacted with violence, but he told his followers not to react, but to turn the other cheek and offer them to hit that one. This is just like what Jesus said. Many of Martin Luther Kings speeches had relevance to his religion and beliefs. His most famous speech was I have a dream which he used his beliefs to write. In 1968 he was shot by James Earl Ray who was a white racist. His was murdered because of his beliefs. This is just one person who died for their beliefs. There are many more. Another who died was Maximilan Kolbe who died a horrible death in Auschwitz death camp in Poland. Mother Theresa life was also affected by her beliefs and religion to the extent the extent that she owned no possessions at all Modern day disciples should also respect authority just as Jesus disciples did. Jesus disciples did respect and believe that Jesus had authority over them, just as God had authority over everyone including Jesus and his disciples. Lots of modern day Christian churches have different beliefs in who has authority over the church. Catholics believe that the Pope has the authority that St Peter was given by Jesus, whereas the Church of England recognizes the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the monarch. The Quaker Protestants do not recognize the authority of vicars or priests or bishops, they need only the Bible and the authority of Jesus light inside them Quaker Protestants do not even have a church or a holy place of worship, all they need is the bible. They see the original twelve as having no hierarchy so they dont have either. This is there interpretation of the bible. All these affect how a modern day Christian lives their life because which church they belong to affects their lives in different ways. As you can see the different ways a modern day Christian interprets the bible, influences the way it affects his life. His beliefs also play a big part in affecting his life, just like the disciples, whose beliefs affected their lives almost to the extent that they became new people.

Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Company

Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Company I have been employed with the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Company Limited (TSTT) for the past fourteen years. TSTT was historically, the single provider of telecommunications services in Trinidad and Tobago until the mid 1990s when, pursuant to a World Trade Organisation Agreement in 1997 on Basic Telecommunications, 69 countries agreed to liberalise their telecommunications sectors and to open their domestic markets to foreign companies. This agreement resulted in the entry of several competitors in Trinidad and Tobagos telecommunications market thereby ending TSTTs monopoly status. Against this backdrop, TSTT which provided primarily fixed line, mobile and internet services, engaged Goulet Telecom International Inc. to examine the impact of globalization on its operations. Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Analysis (SWOT) Gregory G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, Alan B. Eisner (2007) Strategic Management Text and Cases, 3rd ed. , New York, McGraw-Hill Irwin states One of the most basic techniques for analysing firm and industry conditions is SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT analysis provides a framework for analyzing these four elements of a companys internal and external environment. It provides raw material-a basic listing of conditions both inside and surrounding your company. The strengths and weaknesses portion of SWOT refers to the internal conditions of a firm-where your firm excels (strengths) and where it may be lacking relative to competitors (weaknesses). Opportunities and threats are environmental condition external to the firm. Opportunities and threats are also present in the competitive environment among firms competing for the same customers.(p 49) An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for TSTT in a competitive environment is highlighted, at Appendix A. Strengths One of the major strength of TSTT is its human resource capital and in particular, the leadership and experience of its executive management team which has steered the Company through the process of liberalisation in 2006, to its current position of sustained profitability. The strength of the Company is reflected in the leadership skills and managerial acumen of the executive team who ensured that the Company retained significant market share since the liberalisation of the sector. Management of TSTT have become more strategic in their thinking and in their of way developing new and innovative technology. TSTT are also developing the intellectual capacity of the workforce through e-learning, training and development program and courses. The strength of the Companys human resource capital is also reflected in the Companys middle management and Senior and Junior Staff employees who have successfully implemented the Companys strategic initiatives such as the deployment on new customer services such as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and BLINK Broadband. Weaknesses One of the major weaknesses which have been identified at TSTT is its poor network infrastructure and aged plant which has occasionally resulted in the delivery of poor customer service to its subscribers in many instances customers are made to wait for as long as a year to have their phones repaired especially if it is cable related issue. TSTTs aged outside plant has also had an impact on the Companys ability to provide new services such as IPTV to some of its customers due to the unavailability of upgraded plant facilities in certain areas of the country. As a result of the aged plant facilities, the Company has not rolled outits IPTV service throughout the country, thereby precluding it from effectively competing with FLOW, the dominant Cable TV provider which services the entire country. Another weakness is that TSTT was only able to focus on customer service when it was faced with competition, only then did the prices of the companys goods and services were reduced. Opportunities TSTT has sought to capitalize on by its foray into the entertainment sector through the provision of IPTV, a new service which it now provides in selected areas in Trinidad. The IPTV product which is branded Blink Entertainmentis a digital television service which, instead of delivering content through traditional broadcast and cable formats, is received by the viewer using internet protocol technology. TSTT, like many of the worlds major telecommunications providers is exploring IPTV as a new revenue opportunity from its existing and potential subscriber base and as a defensive measure against encroachment from competitors such as FLOW, a conventional cable television provider which now provides internet and voice services. Another new market which TSTT has sought to penetrate is the security services sector with the launch of its Blink Vigilance Security Service. This product which was launched on November 3rd 2009 (along with Blink Entertainment) is a wireless security surveillance system which TSTT offers to both commercial and residential subscribers. Trinidad and Tobago Guardian Newspapers, November 4th 2009 stated The opportunity to pursue this strategic initiative is as a result of the growing criminal activity in Trinidad and Tobago which has driven a demand for security services a point which was made by Dennis Gordon, Vice President, Organisational Risk and Security Services at the launch of the product. TSTT provides the infrastructure used by security companies to operate their business, its entrance into the security services sector provides an excellent opportunity for the Company to increase its revenue streams and maintain its viability in a competitive telecommunications market. The provision of these two new services, Blink TV and Blink Vigilance are therefore two examples of how TSTT has created new opportunities for itself based on consumer needs and changes in the social environment. Threats One of the most significant threats faced by TSTT was that provided by its competitors in the mobile services market as a result of the deregulation of the telecommunications sector in 2006. As a consequence of the liberalisation of the market, Digicel, began offering mobile service which for the first time gave the population of Trinidad and Tobago a choice of wireless providers. The introduction of Digicel into the Sector was expected to remove substantial market share from TSTT which had previously enjoyed monopoly status. TSTT Financial Reports stated The extent of the threat posed to TSTT by its main competitor is reflected in the Companys financial results in the immediate aftermath of Digicels entry into the market. In the financial year 2006 to 2007, TSTT suffered a financial loss of TT $122 M as compared to the financial year 2005 to 2006 where it made a profit of $261 million. Likewise, FLOW, a Company that had traditionally provided only Cable TV service, became in May of 2008, the first Triple Playprovider of telecommunications services in Trinidad with its offering of Cable TV, Broadband and Landline Voice Services to the population at large. As a result of FLOWs strategic initiatives, TSTT is now faced with an additional threat to its revenue streams in the Broadband and Landline Voice sectors. PEST ANALYSIS TSTTs PEST analysis focuses on the following factors, Political, Economic, Social and Technological scan of the macro-environment in which the organisation operates. The political environment as it presently relates to TSTT is one of uncertainty. This has been mainly as a result of the change in government of Trinidad and Tobago on 24 May 2010 the board of directors resigned since they were politically appointed and to date no board has been appointed. This has result in the capital expenditure budget for the various departments not being past. To this extent certain activities have been at a stand-still such as the cut-over of new infrastructure in Penal, Fyzabad areas which would allow the company to provide a more efficient and reliable telephone service to the people living in these areas. TSTT has also been impacted by economic factors from the environment with the liberalisation of the telecommunications market TSTT has not given an increase in salary to its junior and senior staff workforce. Due to the liberalisation of the market as stated before this has resulted in TSTT loosing part its customer base to its competitor resulting in a decrease in the companys profit margins in 2005-2006 of TT$122m. TSTT has been a socially responsible organisation, sponsoring local sporting activities and teams, TSTT has been and still is the main sponsor for the Soca Warriors Trinidad and Tobagos national football team. Through its Employee Wellness Program various initiatives have been made available to employees such as Domestic and Substance Abuse Programs. Recently, due to the outbreak in the H1N1 virus TSTT has taken the initiative to bring-in at the various work locations, personnel from the Ministry of Health to immunize staff against the virus and other illnesses. Among the social and cultural events covered by TSTTs Employee Relations department are Thanksgiving prayer meetings at the end of the last year and start of the new-year, Employees calypso competition, secretarys day, Sports and Family day, Emancipation and Indian arrival day activities etc. These are undertaken to allow the various levels staff in this multi-cultural, racial country to interact as one and enjoy the social, cultural and sporting activities. It fosters a culture of trust, harmony and cooperation between the hierarchical levels in the organisation. These activities also encourage or motivate both customers and employees to buy-in to the policies of the company and encourage loyalty. Through the use of innovation, research and development TSTT has been able to develop new technologies which would allow it to maintain its competitive advantage in the face of competition. This can particularly be seen through the companys use of technology to penetrate new markets such as the provisioning of Internet Protocol Television and residential and business security and alarm systems. Industry Attractiveness In determining Industry Attractiveness, the issue of Competition must be taken into consideration, as this will have an impact on the threat of new entrants and competitive rivalry within the market from FLOW and Digicel. TSTT no longer enjoys being a monopoly but now has to share its market with other competitors. Buyers would also have more bargaining power since they have a wider variety from which to choose as a consequence of the liberalisation of the telecommunications market as a result consumers are more likely to purchase where they can get value for their money. TSTT also has to compete against substitute goods and services, for example customers may not purchase their mobile phones from TSTT but from its competitor. The customer may simple pay TSTT for the use of the service of being attached to its network, therefore the company loses on it sale of mobile phone. Suppliers of TSTT would also have bargaining power as to what price they charge you for their goods since they can sell the same goods to your competitors and it you want to maintain competitive advantage over your competitors you would want to enjoy first market advantage and market leadership by providing new and innovation technology to your customers before your competitors. (See Appendix B) STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Stakeholder Analysis is necessary because it provides information indicating the level of influence and expectations of the various stakeholders within the environment. As it relates to the Companys (TSTT) relationship with its employees and the representative Union a great deal of mistrust exists between this group and Management. In addition during times of industrial unrest it is alleged that the Union is able to influence workers to either work-to-rule or down tools. With regards to the customers, if customers are not satisfied with the quality or price, the opening-up of the Telecommunications Sector could cause customers and have caused customers to migrate to other service providers. Customers feel that they can getting better service for their money have chosen to migrate to Digicel or FLOW where they believe they are getting better value for their money. The management group needs to understand, in addition to managing, emphasis needs to be placed on effective Leadership and to an extent leadership by example. Over the past seven years junior and senior staff employees have not received a salary increase while management level continue to be paid incentives on a yearly basis for meeting their set objectives. This has left employees feeling disenchanted and de-motivated with management. (See Appendix C) Assessment of TSTTs position Having assessed the SWOT elements that TSTT is faced with in its internal and external environment since the advent of competition, one may conclude that the organisation has been able to maintain its position as the dominant entity Trinidad and Tobago telecommunications sector. This has been facilitated by the leadership of the executive management team which has taken strategic initiatives such as the investment of over $700 million in new technology in order to address the weakness associated with the Companys aged plant. This investment has also given TSTT a competitive advantage in the IPTV and Security services market as the Company has exploited the opportunities in its external environment to create new revenue streams for itself. Porters five forces can be seen through the threat of potential entrants in this case FLOW and Digicel, since TSTT no longer exist in a monopolistic market customers have bargaining power and this was seen when TSTT had to reduce its prices to be more competitive. Suppliers in this case also bargaining power with more than one telecommunications company to sell mobile telephones so they are able to bargain as to which telecommunications company what to sell them and at what price. Competitive rivalry is evident when TSTT promotes it mobile phones at reduced prices and the competitor Digicel also reduces its prices in order to compete with TSTT. The financial results of TSTT since the liberalisation of the market therefore supports the proposition that the organisation has been able to manage the threats posed by its competitors as evidenced by its after tax profits since 2006. In this type of arrangement, emphasis is being placed on maintaining Strengths, exploring and analyzing Opportunities, improving or outsourcing Weaknesses and identifying, developing and implementing Plans to overcome Threats this is the strategic direction of the company. Conclusion Through strategic planning and implementation TSTT was successfully able to maintain its leadership position in the telecommunications market in Trinidad and Tobago in a liberalised, global market. The organisation was able to convert its weaknesses into strengths and threats in to opportunity to maintains competitive advantage. Though its leadership and strategic management, innovative strategies and technologies were developed allowing for training and development of staff thereby providing opportunities for staff to be promoted within the organisation.

The American Civil War Essay -- History Historical Civil War Essays

The American Civil War In May of 1861 five states in the upper south United States seceded from the Union and joined the seven states already seceded and created the Confederate States of America. This was the beginning of the Civil War; it was the Union against the Confederates. Many People believed that the war would be over quickly they thought it was more of an uprising then a full on war. Nobody expected it to last four years and take so many lives. The Civil War was a serious test for the new democracy of the United States, it tested the strength of the government and all of the people involved. This would be a defining moment for the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the reasons for the south secession was the fact that the north was going to abolish slavery and the south still strongly believed in slavery. It was a very strong part of there work force, most of the income was from agriculture and the slaves worked the fields for the farmers. Then in early 1863 Lincoln passd the Emacipation Proclamation this stated that all slaves in the south were free and were welcome in the north. The north hope this would bring African American workers north and they would fight the war with the north. Another leading cause of the war was the election of president Lincoln he won the election but did not get a single electoral vote from the south. Lincoln was a strong abolishionist and he thought that if slavery was going to stay it should not be allowed in any new states joining the union. This angered the south and they felt that they had not been fairly represented in the election. This fueled many in the south to question if they should stay with the north. There were many important battles in the war but the first was the first battle at Bull Run. The Union sent a group of volunteer soldiers and they were not ready to fight them lacking training and they were disorderly on the battlefield. The confederate?s army was better prepared for the battle and they had a constant flow of troops coming in so they forced the Union soldiers to retreat. There were nearly 5,000 casualties, this showed that this was going to be long and drawn out. Many civilians came out to watch this battle because they thought that it would be a good form of entertainment, they soon learned that this was not true and that this war would be a bloody one. The Union also learned that th... ... was on of the most important points in American history is proved that our government was strong and here to stay. Through out the entire war congress and the other branches continued to function with out problems. They showed that even under dire circumstances like war in your back yard the American people can be strong. Many people today still honor the soldiers who lost there lives by holding civil war reninactments and the sites of famous battles. The largest one is when they reninact Gettysburg they do it every summer and include more then 3,000 people. When the Union won the war it proved a point, it showed that a sound government and solid leadership is best. The entire time the American people stood behind President Lincoln and General Grant. The confederates didn?t have a full government established and they had problems getting descions made and problems solved quickly. America is now a stronger nation because of this war with its self. Works Cited: ?Civil War? www.civilwar.com Online Google 14 Jan. 2005. ?Civil War? www.civil-war.net Online Google 14 Jan. 2005. Keith D. Dickinson ?The Civil War for Dummies.? New York: For Dummies press. March 2001

Organizational Behavior: a discipline for discovery Essay

Ask a manager of 35, 25 or even 15 years ago what their Organization’s Behavioral patterns were or how their employees felt about certain issues and you would probably be met with blank stares. Organizational Behavior (OB) was not a part of the business world in those days. The idea that a manager need only deal with the technical skills of it’s employees while disregarding their own listening skills, communication skills and interaction skills was the common mode of thought. A recent study on employee burnout by Northwestern National Life Insurance shows that at least one out of every four employees views their job as the biggest stressor in their lives (Work, stress and health conference, 1999). Clearly it is time to reevaluate our thinking on the business concepts of the past and focus our attention on our organization with a more humanistic approach. What worked in the past is not necessarily going to work today. As the world changes so too does our environment change. We need to change with it or be left behind. Organizational Behavior is one of those vehicles being used for change. The past 10-15 years has shown an increase in Organizational Behavior studies. OB has become an important tool for businesses striving to meet the needs of its employees while understanding the impact of the individual on an organization’s behavior. History The generational gap between people is apparent. The values, thoughts and dreams of our parents are probably much different than ours of today just like their values were differed from your grandparents. The attitudes and beliefs of a generation are a big part of the make-up of a person’s personality and work ethic. Stephen P. Robbins notes in his text that the previous 3 generations, while similar in some respects, held distinct differences in their values (p.130-2). Organizational behavior is a byproduct of the times. The workers adapted to their organization and grew with it (1940’s and 50’s). As time went on a shift towards quality of life, non-conforming, autonomy and loyalty to one’s own values became prevalent (1960’s and 70’s). Another shift occurred in the mid 70’s. The value system  moved towards ambition, loyalty to career, hardworking, and the desire for success and achievement. This period lasted till about the mid 80’s when another shift moved us towards the value system commonly held today of flexibility, value to relationships, desire for leisure time and overall job satisfaction. Robbins classified these four stages as follows: Protestant work ethic, Existential, Pragmatic, and Generation X (p.131). We can see that what worked in the 50’s in terms of how an organization operated is probably not going to be as effective in today’s organizations. Whether it’s the Protestant work ethic of the 1940’s and 50’s or it’s Generation X of today, the picture should be clear. We need to know what our workers value, how they feel and change with them so as to keep our organization on the cutting edge of productivity and profitability. Research In order to highlight the need for OB studies we need to know what OB gives us, how it relates to our employees and what that overall impact is on the organization. OB is a field of study that investigates the impacts that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations for the purpose of applying such knowledge towards improving an organization’s effectiveness (Robbins, 2001, p.16). Simply put, OB allows us the chance to learn what individuals are thinking, how their though processes work, what motivates them to do certain things, and how their choices relate to an organization. What do workers want? What are their concerns? The answers are not always the same and the methods of discovery are varied as well but some key responses that seem to be constantly mentioned are job security, a balanced work and family life, and a competitive salary (Cohen, 2002, para.5). Another survey, from Watson Wyatt Worldwide, showed that employees listed the desire for trust in their senior leaders as their number one want when considering what would make them committed to their employers (Johnson, 2001, para.10). Almost half (45%) of the 7500 people in that survey said they were not committed to their employers. Another interesting note from one professional is that managers too often try to manage the stress in employees’ lives rather than trying to avoid it (Johnson, 2001, para.11). Why should we be concerned with these surveys and studies? Quite simply,  because other companies are using this information and if we don’t we will eventually be left behind. Scott Gellar, a psychologist, noted a list of companies/organizations that are investing considerable time, money and manpower into addressing the broad cultural issues of their organizations. Fortune’s â€Å"100 Best Companies to work for in America† topped the list of those being proactive (Johnson, 2001, para.19). In 1984 only one of the top 100 companies offered onsite daycare. In 2000, 24 offered it. More than 50 offered onsite university courses and more than 90 offered tuition reimbursement (Johnson, 2001, para.21). The signs are there. We just need to be watching for them and always keeping abreast of the situation. Discussion So now that we have some ideas about what OB studies can provide for us the next question is why do we NEED to investigate it further? Is it of that vital importance that we should alter the way we have been doing things for so long? Procedures have worked in the past why won’t they work in the future? I think it is important to say that just because something has worked in the past does not guarantee you success in the future. As the research above shows, the top companies are adapting and doing what it takes to gain an edge. It is working for them. You may stay in business doing what you have always done, you may even have a modicum of success, but wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get the most out of your business? Let your business maximize its potential. Conclusion It was once said that a good company researches what it is selling and is always learning. Why should we treat our employees any differently than we do our product or our target consumers? Employees tell us what we need to know. We just need to listen and be able to interpret the results. We need to become proactive and not reactive in the future. The study of OB is vehicle we can use to interpret what we learn from individuals. The method is there. Why not use it to instigate change in our organizations? The results of our studies will become more and more useful as time goes on. We  are always changing, learning and adapting to different situations. OB will allow our organizations to change right along with the people that make it up. Works Cited Cohen, A. (2002). Survey says workers want balance. Sales and Marketing Management, 154(9), 13. Retrieved December 9, 2002 from EBSC Ohost database. Johnson, D. (2001). Climate control. Industrial Safety and Hygiene News, 35(9), 1-4. Retrieved December 9, 2002 from EBSC Ohost database. Robbins, S.P. (2001). Organizational behavior (Custom electronic text, University of Phoenix). Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing.

Organizational Design Behavior Essays

Organizational Design Behavior Essays Organizational Design Behavior Paper Organizational Design Behavior Paper If the organizational structure is meant to reflect its situation, the Limora Hospital and the Community Health Centres (LCHC) structures do not do this. The current structure does not reflect the complexity, dynamics, or the environment. There appears to be little consideration given to parameters of design. Organizational design is used to maneuver a series of criterion that determine the division of labor and coordination. The Limora Hospital and the LCHC have weaknesses in their design concerning the decision making system, the lateral connections between the superstructure, the format of the subunits and the individual job positions. These are integral parts of the structure and seem to be a weakness at both facilities. I would describe the structure of the LCHC as almost non-existent. Although the case study doesnt provide a lot of information about the actual parts of the for Limora Hospital or the LCHC, it does appear to be somewhat better at the Hospital then at the LCHC. As an initial step, it would help to combine some areas of the two facilities and better utilize its technostructure, support staff and operating core. The strategic apex is weak with no consistent, committed leadership or administration. There is confusion about the Bishops power of authority. He appears to have given his power away, yet some employees indicate otherwise. In fact, there doesnt appear to be any real management to apply managerial leadership and direction. This kind of confusion and conflict demoralizes the apex and the middle line entirely. A common vision, mission, and active interest in the future must be demonstrated by the Executives if they are to flow down into the core of the organization. This is lacking and is sorely felt by Dr. Macdonald who cannot pass down anything more than he is capable of, or more, than he is receiving from his superiors. There is a small technostructure in high demand, a large support staff, and an operating core that is clearly not well managed. Most evident is the lack of linkages between management and the operating core. Although not as evident are the weak linkages between the core and the supporting staff. A limited horizontal decentralization might work where the strategic apex shares some power with the technostruture that standardizes everyones work and some of these linkages. A well organized management team and employee links to them are necessary. A strong theoretical point is made in The Classical School of organizational theory by Henry Fayol, a French industrialist. He, and other theorists like Urwick, Gulick, Mooney and Reiley, emphasized the universality of the management function in all kinds of different organizations. Fayols theory worked from the board of directors and chief executives down through the organization. He stressed the importance of planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling the administration of an organization from the top down. The weakness in Limora Hospital and the LCHC can be found in the management of the Apex and he middle line, and the operating core. No serious attention has been given to these areas so they can achieve the leadership and administrative control they need. The parts of the organization do not support the coordinating mechanisms required, and neglect to meet the needs of either facility. They should reflect the configuration for a professional organization that relies on the trained professionals who have a high level of control over their work. It is safe to assume that the Doctors and nurses have all been trained and have standardized their professional skills before working at the either facility. Coordination is achieved by the virtue of doctors and nurses having learned what to expect from one another. So they do have this basic mechanism of coordination. What is lacking, is the necessary organizational glue to hold it together. Perhaps the standardization of norms as another coordinating mechanism. The nurses dont seem to be able to coordinate their activities based on their common goal of caring for the sick and standardizing norms would be helpful. There has been an attempt at coordination by Dr. Macdonald, but the organization has been without strong consistent control for too long. Although there doesnt appear to be a middle line, Dr. Macdonald has been left to promote coordination and proper design on his own. His leadership attempt is valiant but he needs the help of qualified middle line managers. The missing parameters of design are Behaviour formalization, Training, and Unit grouping. Behaviour formalization would provide work processes and job descriptions to reduce confusion about what work people should be doing and how they should be doing it. On the surface, one may question whether a group of professionals need stringent rules and regulations. Although these professionals know the essence of their roles, and have a lot of control over what they do, they lack a framework within which to work and make decisions. Behaviour formalization could outline the framework within which they can take control and, identify the boundary where they need the assistance and cooperation of others. Also very important, is to identify the communication linkages to others inside and outside this framework. This would eliminate much confusion, instill confidence into the operating core, and bring cooperation among managers and workers. It seems to me that when you are dealing with the life, death, and the health of others, the last thing you want is dissension and confusion among those who are caring for you. Aside from the professional skills applied by the doctors and nurses, the simplest procedures in administration of core workers could be a disastrous for the patient. As an example, how is a specific report completed, when is it completed, who are the critical receivers of the report, when must they receive it, and what must be included in it, all involve linkages and cooperation among professionals, staff and management. If these are broken in some way or done incorrectly, outside of the prescribed framework, they can impact a life. Chester Bernards book, The Functions of Executives, from the human relations school of thought, emphasized the need for clarity and cooperation among managers and workers to further the interests of everyone. Bernard said that organizations by their very nature are cooperative systems and cannot survive otherwise. He listed three forces to achieve this cooperation; executive leadership, subordinate acceptance of organizational goals, and the power of informal work groups. Clearly in a hospital there is room for strict rules and processes outlined by the leaders, but because there are also large areas of independent decision making, you must have a cooperation and a balance of both. Training, another parameter of design, can teach the professionals what the standards, processes, and procedures are, and clearly define the level of performance for each. The Limora Hospital must had some training on the hospitals procedures but when the nurses came over to work at the LCHC, they complained that they were not oriented to these properly. Training at LCHC is lacking in this area. The essence of the work done by the professionals is no different in either the Limora Hospital or the LCHC. What is different is the purpose for each facility and the level of output. One is a hospital that cares for the people who are already ill, and the LCHC is a community program that focuses on preventative health to try to keep people from ending up in the hospital. The hospital doctors and nurses would likely be prescriptive in their care for very ill patients over a shorter period. The LCHC would also prescribe but would likely be more descriptive in their care over longer periods of time in the community. Teaching these fundamentally different objectives to everyone, and what work is wrapped around them, would facilitate a clear direction for exactly what the jobs are in each facility. The Scientific Management theory advocates a systematic approach to job design, performance, and training. Not necessarily all of the theory components are applicable the systematic approach to training does apply to a health organization. There is a systematic way of applying medical tests to ensure there are no mistakes. Speed and efficiency are critical. There may be a departure from this theory as it relates to division of work and task specialization, but the scientific selection of training remains useful to our health care situation. Adam Winslow Taylor and Henry Gantt emphasized the need for systematic training of workers. Taylor particularly advocated that the role of management was to know their employees and to train them to do well. If this was done, it would produce maximum efficiency. Finally, both the LCHC and the hospital are dependent on the same resources. They both need analysts such as accounting and personnel, they both use the same nurses and doctors in their operating core, and both need the use of land rovers in their work. Conflicts have surfaced because the organizational structure does not leverage these like needs well. For example: Clear and accurate financial accounting for both areas They both need highly qualified doctors and nurses Their primary and supporting staff need similar training They are dependent on each other but the structure does not promote interdependency They both require processes and procedures to perform their jobs well Unit grouping would be the design parameter most required to help facilitate the mutual needs of each unit. Grouping these under the same supervision would encourage cooperation and help to promote a more efficient and cooperative working environment. Once the needs of each area are clear, you need to establish liaison positions, or roles that can coordinate the work of two units. These liaison positions are missing in the hospital and LCHC structure. Task forces are also missing. Task forces can plan meetings, bring the members of each unit together, and integrate mangers to coordinate what is important to the units. These initiatives would eliminate competition for the best nurses and doctors, and provide a fair an accurate financial accounting for both facilities. It is difficult to tell how much impact the support staff for either the Limora hospital, or the LCHC have on the operating core and the quality of care. Im sure the support staff could also be optimized by unit groupings. Unlike the scientific management theory that did not provide a theory of general organizational design, the classical school of organizational theory did. Henry Fayol, from this theory, suggested that all jobs should be regrouped on some common basis to achieve coordination or unity of direction. Henry Fayol also saw the importance of working from the board of directors down into the organization, different from the scientific management school of thought which worked from the bottom up. Both are useful for our purposes. This regrouping theory and focus on the top levels of the organization are very applicable to the Limora Hospital and the LCHC. There are also some situational factors such as age, size, technical systems, power, and environment that need consideration. Understanding the impact of situational factors can help identify the weaknesses in the structure and how to improve them. For example, the hospital and the LCHC are only 10 years old and there are only 280 beds. This means they are relatively young and small and that their behaviours arent yet formalized. The fact is there is a lack of organizational maturity. As the organization ages and grows in size, the behaviours will become formalized and the more homogeneous. Because the environment in a hospital is complex and decisions cannot be made by one person, one might decentralize the structure and push the decision making down. However, with the problems at the Limora Hospital and the LCHC, it would be wise to centralize some of its structure temporarily. Taking this action in the right areas would eliminate the current hostile environment. As the organization matures, selective vertical and horizontal decentralization can be applied where the power over different decisions is spread over different parts of the organization more readily. Finally we have the operating core, the key part of the organization that is composed of professionals. Although the basic coordinating mechanism of standardization of skills exists, standardization of processes, and outputs are weak. These together with the lack of leadership, have politicized the organization and the people are in conflict. Consequently, the structure of Limora Hospital and LCHC has become a professional bureaucracy, not uncommon in Hospitals. A view of Professionals is that they are attached to the organization, but still have extensive autonomy and freedom. This gives them the best of both worlds. From an organizational perspective, however, this environment is very difficult to control and measure. The hospital and the LCHC need to discover then prescribe, when and how the attachment to the organization is essential, and when autonomy is necessary. As stated earlier, as the organization matures, professionals will perfect their own skills and repeat what works for the overall success of their jobs. For right now, framework and guidance are required. Guidance, communication and leadership would maximize the professionals output, efficiency and morale. Another item that may be an issue for the hospital and the LCHC is professional incompetence in its core operations. Although incompetence is not indicated in the case study, it may be an undiscovered issue because it is difficult to identify it in a professional organization that has lots of autonomy. Hence one measure of control is to ensure you hire competent professionals, and you continue to upgrade and train them. The standardization of skills and norms will help, but does not address incompetence. In summary, the weakness in the organizational structure of the Limora Hospital and the LCHC are challenging, but fixable. It is important to step back and look at what parameters of control or freedom a health care organization requires. It seems a portion of a hospital operations needs a very stringent scientific approach to its organization, yet another portion demands that the professional skilled people to have the authority and power to assert their knowledge independently. Theoretically, I would apply Max Webers Bureaucracy theory as an approach. This structure would ensure that there are clear lines of power, orderly procedures and rules that would remove any randomness and unpredictability from the hospital system. The interactions are based on standards Vs the personal feelings of peers and managers. It would add fairness and equity of evaluation. It is a rational and formal-structural response to organizational problems. The immaturity must be aided by making some structural changes. The superstructure appears to need the least amount of work. There is an existing Apex (which needs some focus), a middle line (which needs to grow), a small technostructure (which should be combined for both facilities to use), and an ill managed operating core. I hesitate to say too much about the support staff. Unfortunately, the case does not provide enough information about this unit for comment.. I must assume there is a support staff functioning at the hospital since they could not possibly continue without the support of a support staff. Most of the organizational changes need to be done in the essential design parameters of the subunits. Standardization of skills has already been achieved and the remaining would include: Behaviour formalization to help standardize work processes and procedures Training to teach the standards and procedures and achieve standardization Unit groupings to group jobs under one supervision for maximum efficiency and cooperation The structural changes will also facilitate more effective communications, enhance the ability of the leaders to lead, and increase intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The complexities of organizational structure and organizational behaviour are huge. Because of these complexities, generally one theory, one behavioural model, or one method of structure does not always meet all the needs of the organization. There is no doubt, however, that guiding principles and basic fundamental models work and would work for Limora Hospital and the LCHC. 2. What are the effects on motivation, leadership and communication because of the weaknesses identified in your answer to Question #1 at the Limora Communication Health Centre? The weakness in the organizational structure at LCHC hampers leadership, communication, and motivation. In reverse, the lack of leadership, communication and motivation have impacted the organizational structure. The definition of each of these explains the importance of their interrelationship to one another. Leadership is based on the ability to influence others to achieve organizational goals. Formal leaders hold a high rank in the hierarchy and informal leaders are recognized for outstanding skills and abilities. Managing is sometimes mistaken for leadership. The difference is that a manager brings order to the employees, and a leader makes useful changes in the organization. Communication is the process of two or more people exchanging information. The sender is the initiator of the message and the receiver is the one that the message is direct to. Effective communication is achieved when the message from the sender is received as it was intended. Motivation can be understood as a force within us that is triggered by various needs. This force then drives us to satisfy an unsatisfied need. There are basically two different categories of motivation. One is intrinsic and the other extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from inside ourselves and extrinsic from outside ourselves. All three of these are lacking at the LCHC. Some of them are highly impacted by the weaknesses in the organizational structure, and some are lacking in the individuals as skills. Motivation, leadership and communication are dependent on one another and cannot function very well in an organization on their own. Leadership generally deals with the complexities of humans and human behaviour. There are many approaches to leadership, each with theories and models. The Traits theories would look at leaders and explore their traits or characteristics. Behavioural leadership theories centre around the behaviours demonstrated by effective leaders. Lastly, the contingency approach puts forward the notion that it depends on both behaviour and traits. Situations can effect what traits and behviours are most useful.. The most suitable leadership approach for the LCHC would be the contingency approach since it offers ways to look at behaviour and traits. It also lends itself to approaches for leading tasks and people. There are task issues and relationship issues at LCHC that need leadership. Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchards situation leadership model offers different behaviours suited to either a task situation or a relationship situation. Some of the leadership weakness at LCHC are: The lines of authority for the division of labor between the apex and the middle line are not clear. This makes leadership difficult. The Bishop is not motivated to take on this leadership, or he does not have the leadership expertise to lead. It is the Bishop that should set forth the proper leadership characteristics, and develop the triggers that will motivate his organization. There seems to be no communication from him about the mission, strategy, or goals of either facility. If this is missing at the top, it cascades down throughout the organization very quickly. It is evident that the professionals in the operating core are confused, and dont have clear goals to follow. These goals would help pull all of them in the same direction. The middle line, where Dr. Macdonald is managing, needs qualified managers. When there are no qualified managers, and management systems are in chaos, leadership is compromised for the strongest of leaders. The above points in the structural weaknesses involve task and volatile relationships issues. The application of the Hersey / Blanchard model of leadership will help both the task and relationship concerns. . Regarding communications, the LCHC does not adequately provide the network for good communications among all its employees. Unit groupings are weak and management does not seem to have a lot of integrity in their communications. Its important to have a place that can determine what communications vehicle should be used to gain the highest impact for any given message. Rich communication demands face to face interaction, next is the telephone, and the poorest is via memo or letter. There are no liaison positions in place at the LCHC. These positions could determine communication vehicles, disseminate information and improve upward, downward and horizontal communications. A very large part of good communications is also about listening and knowing how to communicate. Communication involves giving and receiving feedback. These skills are generally part of a good training program. The LCHC does not have a good training program in place that could help them increase harmony, efficiency and mutual understanding. When good communications are in place, feedback is at an optimum, therefore, managers and employees could actively participate in formal and informal evaluations processes. If the managers and employees are involved in the evaluation process, they are most apt to be fair and equitable in their assessment of each other. The employees at LCHC are not motivated. The lack of motivation is a direct result of the lack of leadership and effective communications. It can also be linked to the organization of the subunits. Grouping different jobs under common supervision can pull them together to achieve similar goals thus triggering motivation.. Employees also need, and are more likely driven by intrinsic motivators. These can come from reaching personal career goals, making enough money to buy a new house, or simply feeling good when a patient gets well as a direct result of their care. Putting a Human Resources management in place could provide rewards programs in the form of money, recognition, and promotion. These are all triggers for employees to set themselves goals to reach these rewards. Lockes goal setting theory says setting clear, challenging, realistic and acceptable goals raises performance. Goals invoke motivations since our thoughts and actions are directed by our goals. It is much easier for the LCHC employees to set their personal work related goals if they have been given short term departmental goals or milestones and long term organizational goals. Each department would work in a cooperative setting to reach these goals. When employees dont see or feel a sense of purpose, there is often conflict, competition, and behaviour is based on the fear of not knowing where they are headed. Consequently, this leads to low morale and demotivated employees. The LCHC should consistently communicate the rewards and results of effort and hard work. This will encourage employees to expect a reward for their work. Vrooms expectancy theory supports this idea. He says that if you put effort in, you will get a positive outcome. Individuals will look at a given situation in this way. increased effort will lead to good performance, good performance will lead to certain outcomes, and then are the outcomes worthwhile. If they are, the effort will be put forth. In summary, leadership, communication, and motivation are a must for an organizations success. If the structure is aligned to support all three, there is increased productivity, high level of efficiency and high morale among the employees.

Ohms law Essays

Ohms law Essays Ohms law Paper Ohms law Paper In this investigation I want to find out how the length of and the width of the wire affects the resistance. Resistance: An explanation of what resistance would be that resistance is the opposition of a conductor to a flow of current. It is when traveling electrons in a wire collide with the atoms of a wire. The collisions between the electrons and the atoms cause the electrons to move slower, which causes resistance. So, resistance would be how hard it is to move electrons through a wire. Resistance is measured in Ohms ( ) Resistance = resistivity p (ohm metres) x length l. Cross-sectional area A (square meters) Current flows through a wire by a flow of electric charges. Wire is made up of a lattice of positive ions, surrounded by free electrons. Ions can only vibrate about in their fixed positions but electrons are free to move randomly from one ion to another. When the battery is attached to the wire, the free electrons are repelled by the negative and attracted to the positive. They still have some random movement but they move slowly in the same direction through the wire with a steady drift. Ohms Law: In 1827, a German physicist discovered relationship that the amount of steady current through a large number of materials is directly proportional to the potential difference, or voltage, across the materials. Thus, if the voltage V (in units of volts) between two ends of a wire made from one of these materials is tripled, the current I (amperes) also triples; and the quotient V/I remains constant. The quotient V/I for a given piece of material is called its resistance, R, measured in units named ohms. The resistance of materials for which Ohms law is valid does not change over enormous ranges of voltage and current. Ohms law may be expressed mathematically as V/I = R. That the resistance, or the ratio of voltage to current, for all or part of an electric circuit at a fixed temperature is generally constant had been established by 1827 as a result of the investigations of the German physicist George Simon Ohm. Alternate statements of Ohms law are that the current I in a conductor equals the potential difference V across the conductor divided by the resistance of the conductor, or simply I = V/R, and that the potential difference across a conductor equals the product of the current in the conductor and its resistance, V = IR. In a circuit in which the potential difference, or voltage, is constant, the current may be decreased by adding more resistance or increased by removing some resistance. Ohms law may also be expressed in terms of the electromotive force, or voltage, E, of the source of electric energy, such as a battery. For example, I = E/R. With modifications, Ohms law also applies to alternating-current circuits, in which the relation between the voltage and the current is more complicated than for direct currents. Precisely because the current is varying, besides resistance, other forms of opposition to the current arise, called reactance. The combination of resistance and reactance is called impedance, Z. When the impedance, equivalent to the ratio of voltage to current, in an alternating current circuit is constant, a common occurrence, and Ohms law is applicable. For example, V/I = Z. With further modifications Ohms law has been extended to the constant ratio of the magneto motive force to the magnetic flux in a magnetic circuit. Resistance values in electronic circuits vary from a few ohms, W, to values in kilohms, kW, (thousands of ohms) and megohms, MW, (millions of ohms). Electronic components designed to have particular resistance values are called resistors. Hypothesis: Resistance is caused by electron bumping into irons. If the length of the wire is doubled, the electrons bump into twice as many irons so there will be twice as much as resistance (resistance as a length. ). If the cross sectional area of the wire doubles, there will be twice a many irons and twice as many electrons bumping into them, but also twice as many electrons getting through twice as many gaps. If there are twice as any electrons getting through, as there is twice the current, the resistance must have halved. This means that resistance a 1 (cross-sectional are of the wire). I am assuming that the temperatures are kept constant and that the material is kept constant. We can include this in our equations by adding a constant R=PL/A Where P=Constant R=Resistance L=Length and A=Cross-sectional area of the wire. The equation R=PL/A is found like this: We have 2 equations RAL and RAL/A If we combine them we have RA1 i L/A which becomes Ra L/A If we add a constant P then we have our equation R=PL/A Preliminary Work I will use nichrome wire, because it has more resistance compared to nickel and copper. I have chosen to test the length, as it is simple to compare the average resistance when the length has changed. I tested nichrome, nickel and copper wire and found out that nichrome is the best to use. The resistance of a wire depends on certain factors. Some of these variables are listed below:   Length of wire   Diameter of wire Temperature at which wire is at   The material of which wire is made out of   The potential difference across circuit   Cross sectional area Factors: The factors I believe that will affect what happens in the investigation are: 1) Diameter/Cross sectional area: A good example to illustrate this where two cars are travelling down a dual lane road side by side. As soon as the road changes to become a single lane road, it is impossible for the cars to travel side by side and one must stop and resume behind the other car. This same can be said for electrons in a wire, the larger the diameter/cross section, the more electrons are able to travel trough the wire at the same time. 2) Temperature: When the temperature of a metal increases the resistance of that metal increases. This is because when the temperature increases the atoms of the metal vibrate more vigorously because of the increase in energy. This means that the electrons have more difficulty getting through the wire as they collide with the atoms which are in their pathway. This increases the amount of collisions therefore there is more resistance. However it is hard to keep the temperature exactly the same as the room temperature might change from day to day. It is essential to use a low voltage because it means a low current that will not heat up the wires. If a high voltage is used the energy would be in form of heat which would make the experiment unfair. The investigation will be done at room temperature. The temperature cannot be investigated because it is hard to control the range of temperature needed without the correct apparatus. 3) Length of wire: The larger the length of the wire, the larger the resistance. This is because there are more atoms from the metal so there is more chance that the electrons would collide with one of the atoms therefore there is more resistance. The length of wire will be variable throughout the investigation. Electrons have a longer distance to travel when the wire is longer, so there are more collisions . The length of the wire will make a difference to the resistance. This is because when you have a long wire, the electrons have to squeeze together for longer to be able to pass through the wire than they do in order to be able to pass through a short wire. 4) Type of material: Different materials have different resistances because the materials atomic structures are different so some metals have low resistances and some have high resistances. Therefore it is important to keep the material the same throughout the experiment unless a different material is used to check if the conclusion or theory works for all materials.

The eNotes Blog How to Land an Internship (The RightWay!)

How to Land an Internship (The RightWay!) For college students, the word  internship is one with a lot of weight attached. Everywhere you turn, it seems you can hear fellow students talking about/discussing/desiring/angst-ing over a coveted  internship. So what exactly is an internship anyway? According to  Vocabulary.com, an internship can be defined as a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment, and it can be either paid or unpaid. Its pretty easy to see why in todays economy  something like an internship might be considered of utmost importance. If you have friends or family  wading through the job market (or if youre looking for a full-time position), chances are you know that job requirements often include years of prior experience. Well, where do they expect prospective employees to have gained this experience, given that theyre likely coming straight out of school? Truth be told, that is a very good question and one with no clear answer- which is frustrating to no end (but a good example of a Catch-22!). While you may not feasibly have enough time to rack up years of experience before applying to an entry-level position, at least an internship can provide some skills and know-how when it comes to working in a potentially interesting field! Read on for top eight tips for landing yourself the perfect internship! Double, triple, and quadruple  check your resume and cover letter. We cannot stress this enough. In fact, we advise you even go further than relentlessly checking your own work and say that it may even be beneficial to have a friend, family member, or a well-educated stranger look over your work. Its actually proven that the more time you spend looking at something, the more likely you are to become desensitized to errors- particularly in your own work. Be sure to look out for spelling errors and grammar taboos, from the glaring mistakes to itty-bitty misuse of language. Further, employer, Samantha Burton would like to note that it is important to proofread not only for language mistakes, but also for bigger, certainly more awkward  errors, i.e. who the cover letter is addressed to. Ive been there, Samantha  said. Mass applying to dozens, if not hundreds, of jobs/internships hoping to land an interview, so I understand that youre applying to other companies- but dont send a cover letter meant for another company! Youd be surprised how often this happens, and you can guess it doesnt bode well for the applicant even with an impressive application. Experience can come in many forms. Even when applying for internships, there are some companies that look for related experience. Since its likely youre applying for an internship, its  probably fair to assume that the employer isnt necessarily looking for  work experience, at least, not in the traditional sense. Particularly when youre applying for your first internship, you may look at the phrase related experience with some trepidation, after all, youre a student, what kind of experience can they expect from you? But what about student experience? Have you been involved in any relevant clubs? Have you engaged in clubs/classes/group projects with any sort of leadership roles? Is there a project youve undertaken either through school or in your own time that lends experience to a relevant skill? If so, by all means put that information in your resume or cover letter. Even when youre applying to a full-time position, these little tidbits about your life outside of the workforce can serve to make your application  stand out from the crowd. Be mindful of application guidelines.   When applying for a job, pay attention to how the company requests you go about applying. That is to say, if the given employer requests an application, a resume, and a cover letter- dont just send in a resume and a cover letter, even if a lot of the requested information is already on your resume. Employers will assume that if you cant follow simple directions when it comes to applying to their company, chances are you cant or wont follow any other directions either *throws application away.* Unfortunately, we dont even look at applications that blatantly dont follow the application submission guideline process, Samantha said. It gives the immediate first-impression of, believe it or not: not [being capable of] following simple directions. For goodness sakes, be honest. Undoubtedly, youve heard the advise that stretching the truth doesnt count as a lie, at least not when resumes are concerned. Well, actually, thats not entirely true. Sure, everyone embellishes a little bit on their accomplishments and skills, we get it, but when it comes to work experience youve had and other crucial information, an unimpressive truth is better than a boast-worthy lie. For instance, if you worked as a cashier at Subway: by all means, play up the phrasing, its true that you handled monetary exchanges with customers! However, its probably not true that you were involved in financial management. This kind of truth-stretching may get your application discarded, or even get you fired if youre  fortunate enough to land the job, no matter how otherwise qualified you may be. Just Just dont be creepy.   Follow the cardinal rule that if you wouldnt say something to someone in person, dont write it in your cover letter either. You may think that this principle is common sense, but you would be mistaken. Not to name any specific examples, but has received some applications with questionable cover letter topics and inclusions. Maybe youre trying to be quirky in an effort to jump off the page with the force of your personality, but if youre saying too much about inappropriate subject matter, you make prospective employers, for lack of a better word, nervous. Research a company before you interview. Better yet, research a company youre interested in before even beginning your application. A lot of applicants simply send out the same resume and [pretty much] the same cover letter to all of the companies they apply to- this is a mistake. Yes, any company that is hiring is well aware that most potential employees are sending out countless applications to just about any prospective employer- but employers are interested in applicants who are interested in working for  them, so if you can be specific in why you want a particular internship right off the bat, youre already ahead of the competition. Often, a companys website will have an about us section that details some of the finer points of an organization and explains what it is that the company hopes to achieve. If you can tailor your resume and cover letter to (honestly) be consistent  with a companys ideology, you stand a better chance in getting an interview. Take a look at your social media, because you can bet that employers will. To a lot of younger people (I myself am a millennial, but as the one giving  this advice, I will take the liberty of generalization), the concept of potential employers checking out Facebook and Instagram to analyze potential employees sounds like something your parents tell you to try to keep you in line. As it turns out, parental meddling is only half the battle- employers really  do look at applicant social media pages, and they  do make personality judgments based on what they find. For example, if you have a bunch of pictures of you drunkenly dancing on a table or holding three beers and a margarita, theres a high likelihood that youre going to be overlooked for the applicant  all dressed up at their  grandmothers garden party.* *The above examples may be gross exaggerations, but they are at least  based  in fact. Thoroughly prep yourself for your interview. Congratulations! Your resume and cover letter were interesting! An employer sees how qualified you are, and now he or she wants to meet you! *Gulp.* Okay, now its time to think about more than how you look on paper, and start thinking about how you come across in person. First, surely youve heard the expression, you only get one chance at a first impression. Well, its true, and interviewers tend to put a lot of stock into these  first impression when it comes time to make a final decision on who to hire. With that in mind, remember that the interview doesnt start when you open your mouth; it starts when you open the door. Dress appropriately for the position youre applying to- whether thats business formal or casual (and when in doubt, its always better to be overdressed than underdressed). Then comes the talking part. More important than how you look, is how you speak and what you say. Be prepared to not only answer, but also to  ask plenty of questions. Interviewers will ask you questions relevant to the job youre applying for,  but they most likely will hit you with a bunch of open-ended questions as well, (where do you see yourself in five years? What about this company is particularly interesting to you?). These types of questions are geared toward finding out more about you as a person to see if youll fit in with the company, not just the job theyre looking to fill. Interviewers are also expecting you to ask questions of your own. Not having any questions about the workplace or your specific expectations basically screams that youre just looking for any job you can get- and no company wants to hire an employee like that, even if it  is  true.

Ethical Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Ethical Foreign Policy - Essay Example In addition a global discourse of human rights is emerging, which in turn, reflects in a large number of international legal instruments.2 This discourse warrants intervention where rights are being abused on a large scale and where at the same time a global opinion in favour of democracy is observed. Why This is primarily because the "in time" availability of information makes the issue more sensitive since the natural instinct of "helping" in human nature is effectively activated. In addition due to a more accessible world people and governments (representative of the people) feel themselves to be more attached with the affairs of others as they directly or indirectly affect them politically, economically or sheer as per the national morality/psyche. This essay will first clarify ethical foreign policy. It will then examine foreign policy ethics and interests. Thirdly, it wills discuses how to construct ethical foreign policies in a government. Finally it will conclude that the most important points in the study, with a recommendation for any future work. It iWhat is ethical foreign policy It is not reflective of actual practice to posit a dichotomy between, on one hand, an ethical foreign policy, and on the other, a non-ethical foreign policy.3 The growing interaction amongst nation state at international canvass has made it impossible that the action of one state is devoid of the effect on other state. This existing interconnectedness of actions of one state and the effects on the other state had made it impossible to have foreign policy which is devoid of ethical strings. However, the depth and breadth of ethical paradigms might be different for different nations. Therefore, the issues are focused on rather how governments act ethically, according to certain criteria, and how they balance competing ethical claims. The governments must be pragmatic, because they cannot formulate foreign policy from a predetermined ethical standpoint.4 The pedestal of "ethical standpoint" has to be different for every government. The reason is that the intensity or the will to follow the ethical strings/viewpoints or even formulation of those, is directly proportional to numerous factors within the government which include military/economic might and the resultant fall out on the nation, of the event taking place. Example That is exactly what happened in case of Iraq War. To have a nuclear weapon, if seen from ethical stand point of protecting one's country, was justified from Iraq's point of view. However, US saw it as a direct threat to itself in particular and world in general. This led US to adopt pre-emptive strategy. On the other hand many of the world nations were not interested in US strategy as they were viewing the issue from the "ethical stand point" of engaging and resolving issue through dialogue with Iraq. Further, the resultant expected destabilization of the region and loss of life was not thought to be ethical enough by those nations. Reality is that US did go for the war because it had the

My Style Shoe Store Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

My Style Shoe Store - Essay Example Starting off the store would just be a one brand store because of high customization that is available for the customers there hardly is a need to develop alternative shoe brands, this is so because different brands are made to cater to different segments of society and people but when people can choose the material, design and design that the shoe would consist of there hardly exists a need for having multiple brands of the shoe. In addition to this just having one brand while starting off would make it easier for the store to publicize its uniqueness and would make it easier in terms of costs and marketing activities plus it would be easier for the brand to cut through the clutter of different brands by different companies and hence it would prove very beneficial for the store in the early stages of its development in the market on the whole. In today’s environment it is very important for any upcoming business idea to be unique so that it is able to differentiate itself from the existing brands in the market just not for the sake of differentiation but also because there are market leaders that would not want the market to be penetrated by new comers and hence uniqueness is the answer to the stifling competition that every company faces in this modern day era. What better way would there be to cut through this clutter than the use of technology and at that state of the art technology to cut through the competition and hence the idea of a store where customers are given the maximum customization opportunity- your shoe, you design it! This is the basic theme of the endeavor that we have in mind. The finances for this store have been made through individual contributions made by the partners as well as funding through bank loans because the technology that had to be used in the store had to be specially developed an d hence was costly but this kind of technology has been patented

Design System and Security Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Design System and Security Control - Essay Example This includes user errors, malicious and non-malicious attacks, accidents as well as external attack from hackers, who try to gain access to the system and disrupt the various system operations hence rendering it useless, or data alteration or even data loss. There are a number of system security and control requirements that are required for the implementation of the ACA Technology. The system will need protection in terms of the following aspects of data. The system should ensure confidentiality. This implies that the system should hold information that requires its protection from any unauthorized disclosures. This includes personal information as well as business proprietary information. Authentication Secondly, authentication is another important aspect of any given system. This is defined as the act of establishing the identity of a given user as well as the host being used. The first objective of authentication is usually first to establish that the given person and/ or system which is attempting to gain access to the system has the permission to do so. The second objective is usually the gathering of the information detailing the way the particular user is gaining access to the system. Smart cards, bank cards, computer chips are used to identify the identity of a given person. Some of the devices require the user to also supply a password or personal identification number (PIN) to verify their identity. The third method is by use of Biometric identification. This method uses the Biometric science that identifies a given person based on their physical characteristics. This includes voice recognition, palm, thumbprint identification as well as retinal scan. Authorization Thirdly is the authorization which is another vital aspect of system control. This is defined as the act of determining the access level that a particular user has to behavior and data. Under this aspect of system control, effective approaches to authorization need to be first established . A number of questions need to be addressed i.e. â€Å"What shall we control access to?† As we know it’s possible to implement secure access to both data and functionality for example access to monthly sales figures and the ability to fire a given employee respectively. While this is being done a number of factors need to be checked to ensure that the implementation is cost effective and conforms to the performance constraints. The second question that arises is â€Å"what rules shall be applicable?† to be in a position to answer this question effectively, the stakeholders' requirements need to be factored in and included should be other security factors which the stakeholders may not be aware of. These factors will include; the connection type, update access, the time of the day, the existence, privileges level, global permissions etc.

Children's Learning and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Children's Learning and Development - Essay Example The three main theories are behaviorism theory, constructivism theory and socio-cultural theory. Behaviorism theory states that knowledge exists and learners should discover it. . Constructivism theory states that knowledge can be created in the mind of a child while socio-cultural theory states that knowledge is created and transferred when children interact with members of the society. The society, the state as well as individual members of the societies understand the importance of developing and nurturing the capabilities of a child to develop into a responsible and productive adult in the coming years. There are various ways of promoting learning and development of children. First, according to Blake et al (21), children learn and develop when they feel sense of containment, worth and love. They also need to be inspired, encouraged and challenged to stretch beyond their capabilities to be able learn and develop. As a result, they develop positive attitude towards learning. Secondly, children and young people need a role model who they are able to observe and emulate. This will show them a path to follow as they develop into adults. Thirdly, they need opportunities to practice and internalize different ways of being and behaving. The opportunities can be availed in form of well thought of role-plays, music, acting (drama) and group work. The opportunities enabled them to learn and understand themselves and their personalities as they interact with various members of the society. Therefore, children should receive enjoyable and challenging experiences during their learning and devel opment. Fourthly, the individuality of every child should be recognised and nurtured at all developmental stages. This assures that the children's individual needs as well as interests and abilities are taken into solemn considerations. Fifth, the children should be assisted to identify their talents and hobbies. This is because talents and hobbies make them enthusiastic and the levels of their self-esteem grow. Furthermore, talents and hobbies help children develop passions early in life. This is done by listening to the voices of children when they talk about their interests and likes in life as well as paying attention to the environment where the child learns and develops. Sixthly, children should be praised for every good thing they do. This reinforces positive behavior in their learning environment. It is important to note and understand that children enjoy growing and developing in a stimulating environment. Stimulating environment presents a platform for challenging activiti es and experiences for growing and developing children. If every aspect of a child is taken into consideration, the child would exhibit progress in his or her learning and development endeavors. Seventh, it is important to ensure that children are safe and healthy. Children should be kept away from hazards that can devastate or disempower them in the environment in which they live. Children should be fed with balanced diets. In addition, children should be taught how to keep themselves healthy. They need to learn to wash their hands regularly and brush their teeth after main meals. Whichever the approach utilized

Relationships Among Organizational Culture, Human, Resource Practices Essay

Relationships Among Organizational Culture, Human, Resource Practices and its CEOs Leadership Style - Essay Example However, it should be a representative of the views of the employee’s beliefs to encourage innovativeness and free will. The organizational culture is likely to be shaped by the Human Resources practices, the CEO and the leadership styles applied. For example if stern action is taken by the management due to specific behavior ,then everyone in the organization will follow a certain pattern either to adopt or avoid the occurrence depending on the outcome. The most influential person in the organization to set the organizational culture is the company’s CEO. Although a CEO may come into a company long before its culture has been established, he/she has an upper hand in changing the way things are done in the organization. When mergers and acquisitions are formed, the organizational culture of the organizations involved in the merger is likely to be affected .In turn, this change will affect he effectiveness of the organization (Heller, 2007). Normalcy can be resumed after successful merger of not only the business side but the human resources which is directly related to the organizational culture of the new acquired business. ... nducted during the transition, Joe Moeller stated that he had worked in the Petroleum and Koch industries for the last 39 years .Although GP presented him with a total new playing ground, he was ready to take on the new roles to greater success encompassed on Koch’s culture â€Å"we will develop and leverage what we believe are the core capabilities of Koch companies and build a culture of principled entrepreneurship† (DeGross, 2006). During his leadership position in Koch, Moeller promoted an entrepreneurial culture that awards and develops superior performers in the organization. He believed in people rather than in systems. In Koch, every single employee right from the top to the bottom enjoyed the right to share their opinion under his leadership. From this one can tell that Moeller was a people oriented and democratic leader. He believes in the capacity of every employee in helping the company achieve its goals. He practiced democracy because all employees were at liberty of questioning the status quo. Furthermore, he would easily interact with employees in the lower cadre a characteristic that a servant leader would exhibit. Most of these leadership characteristic that he had were absent in the old G.P. To successfully change the old G.P’s culture to suit the Koch’s one, Moeller introduced entrepreneurial spirit that promoted a people oriented leadership. He did away with the bureaucratic ways of making decision and brought in a democratic and participative culture. He also promoted the free interaction among all levels of employees to exhibit a servant leadership style where junior employees would not fell intimidated by their seniors (DeGross, 2006). GP’s HR policies worked along bureaucratic systems. The employees were accustomed to going through

Oswestry Mutual Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Oswestry Mutual Insurance - Essay Example are   thought   to   be   above   industry   average   cost   per   policy.   The   result   has   been   Omi   financial   solvency,   but   only   barely.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In   1991,   the   company   decision-making   process   was   highly   centralized.   The   growth   experienced   by   OMI   in   the   mid   to   late   1980’s   and   the   need   to   become   more   responsive   to   the   dynamics   of   the   industry,   top   management   decided   to   change   the   operating   structure.   In   1991,   they   reorganized   into   6   sectional-regional   profit   centers.   The   branch   offices   remained   at   68,   each   branch   office   reports   to   a   specific   sectional   profit   centre   and   sectional   office.   The   sectional   office   is   responsible   for   approving   all   policies   written   and   claims   filed   through   both   branch   offices   and   the   independent   agents   locat ed   in   that   region.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The head   office’s   is   suppose   to   establish   overall   corporate   policy   and   provide   support   to   6   sectional   offices.   The   head   office   in   Oswestry   and   the   sectional   offices   were   organized   on   a   functional   basis.   The   functional   units   in   all   locations   are:   Premium   Audit,   Underwriting,   Sales,   Claims/Losses,   Finance,   Human   Resources,   Loss   Monitoring   and   Support.   However,   even   though   the   operational   structure   was   decentralized,   most   of   the   information   services   still   remain   centralized   in   the   head   office,   which   includes   related   planning,   control,   budget   authority   and   decision- making   stays   at   the   head   office.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Computers   were   used,   at   first,   for   financial   and   statistical   report   production:   standard   MIS   reports   included,   profit/loss,   operations,   claim   data,   loss   ratios,   and  

Children's Learning and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Children's Learning and Development - Essay Example The three main theories are behaviorism theory, constructivism theory and socio-cultural theory. Behaviorism theory states that knowledge exists and learners should discover it. . Constructivism theory states that knowledge can be created in the mind of a child while socio-cultural theory states that knowledge is created and transferred when children interact with members of the society. The society, the state as well as individual members of the societies understand the importance of developing and nurturing the capabilities of a child to develop into a responsible and productive adult in the coming years. There are various ways of promoting learning and development of children. First, according to Blake et al (21), children learn and develop when they feel sense of containment, worth and love. They also need to be inspired, encouraged and challenged to stretch beyond their capabilities to be able learn and develop. As a result, they develop positive attitude towards learning. Secondly, children and young people need a role model who they are able to observe and emulate. This will show them a path to follow as they develop into adults. Thirdly, they need opportunities to practice and internalize different ways of being and behaving. The opportunities can be availed in form of well thought of role-plays, music, acting (drama) and group work. The opportunities enabled them to learn and understand themselves and their personalities as they interact with various members of the society. Therefore, children should receive enjoyable and challenging experiences during their learning and devel opment. Fourthly, the individuality of every child should be recognised and nurtured at all developmental stages. This assures that the children's individual needs as well as interests and abilities are taken into solemn considerations. Fifth, the children should be assisted to identify their talents and hobbies. This is because talents and hobbies make them enthusiastic and the levels of their self-esteem grow. Furthermore, talents and hobbies help children develop passions early in life. This is done by listening to the voices of children when they talk about their interests and likes in life as well as paying attention to the environment where the child learns and develops. Sixthly, children should be praised for every good thing they do. This reinforces positive behavior in their learning environment. It is important to note and understand that children enjoy growing and developing in a stimulating environment. Stimulating environment presents a platform for challenging activiti es and experiences for growing and developing children. If every aspect of a child is taken into consideration, the child would exhibit progress in his or her learning and development endeavors. Seventh, it is important to ensure that children are safe and healthy. Children should be kept away from hazards that can devastate or disempower them in the environment in which they live. Children should be fed with balanced diets. In addition, children should be taught how to keep themselves healthy. They need to learn to wash their hands regularly and brush their teeth after main meals. Whichever the approach utilized

Oswestry Mutual Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Oswestry Mutual Insurance - Essay Example are   thought   to   be   above   industry   average   cost   per   policy.   The   result   has   been   Omi   financial   solvency,   but   only   barely.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In   1991,   the   company   decision-making   process   was   highly   centralized.   The   growth   experienced   by   OMI   in   the   mid   to   late   1980’s   and   the   need   to   become   more   responsive   to   the   dynamics   of   the   industry,   top   management   decided   to   change   the   operating   structure.   In   1991,   they   reorganized   into   6   sectional-regional   profit   centers.   The   branch   offices   remained   at   68,   each   branch   office   reports   to   a   specific   sectional   profit   centre   and   sectional   office.   The   sectional   office   is   responsible   for   approving   all   policies   written   and   claims   filed   through   both   branch   offices   and   the   independent   agents   locat ed   in   that   region.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The head   office’s   is   suppose   to   establish   overall   corporate   policy   and   provide   support   to   6   sectional   offices.   The   head   office   in   Oswestry   and   the   sectional   offices   were   organized   on   a   functional   basis.   The   functional   units   in   all   locations   are:   Premium   Audit,   Underwriting,   Sales,   Claims/Losses,   Finance,   Human   Resources,   Loss   Monitoring   and   Support.   However,   even   though   the   operational   structure   was   decentralized,   most   of   the   information   services   still   remain   centralized   in   the   head   office,   which   includes   related   planning,   control,   budget   authority   and   decision- making   stays   at   the   head   office.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Computers   were   used,   at   first,   for   financial   and   statistical   report   production:   standard   MIS   reports   included,   profit/loss,   operations,   claim   data,   loss   ratios,   and