Effectiveness in the global organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Effectiveness in the global organisation - Essay Example This study evaluates fundamental functions and concepts of management and the challenges that global organisations face with respect to management function. Leadership as the essence of management has defined or determined the fate of many organisations, at local and global levels. However, leadership at global levels is greatly influenced by factors such as behaviour, perception, attitudes, and knowledge impacted by sociocultural aspects. An awareness of challenges to leadership through ground-breaking principles proposed by Hofstede and Trompenaars is necessary to understand how leadership can contribute to the success of global organisations. Management has been defined in many ways by various people. Earlier, management was defined as ‘getting things done through other people’; currently, management is referred to as ‘working with and through other people to accomplish the objectives of both the organisation and its members’ (Montana & Charnov, 2000; p.2). Evolution of this concept is traced back to Frederick Taylor’s scientific management, also known as Taylorism; later refined by Henry Ford, known as Fordism. However, the foundation for management principles is said to have been laid by Henry Fayol in the form of five elements or functions of management: planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Fayol also developed 14 management principles from these functions (see appendix 2.1). These management practices were framed to direct workers to follow specific steps that will help in achieving the larger organisational goal, driven through managers (Lucey, 2004). The process of trans-migration of humans from one place to another for food, eventually trade and business solidified attributed to the huge monetary gains; this process further intensified with increasing needs, development of means of transportation, technology, communication; further reinforced by increasing population, demand for

Externship at Riddle Hospital Essay Example for Free

Externship at Riddle Hospital Essay During my externship at Riddle Hospital I’ve endured a great experience of what an Medical Assistant duties consist of on a daily basis. These duties are mainly multi-tasked oriented, which requires you to sometimes be able and flexible to perform your duties in a quick pace. You basically have to be on point at all times, but never overdo because this will cause you to exert yourself. Most of my duties consisted of performing EKG’s throughout the day. It became very easy and more comfortable after applying the leads and placing them in different directions that suited me to obtain a perfect reading. I’ve also had the chance to administer injections; the influenza and the pneumonia vaccines. I replaced old charts with new ones. Retrieved and wrote messages off the office voice-mail. I faxed medical documents, such as prescriptions and correspondence letters. I called patients advising them of their insurance company conducting an audit for mammograms and colonoscopy testing. I’d filed and pulled charts, I did referrals, took patient’s weight and blood pressures. I did appointment verifications and made appointments for patients. I was able to view patient’s charts to better familiarize myself with medical terms and abbrievations. I inserted documents into charts and learned how to properly arrange the documents in the charts. I was also advised about universal precautions. The others nurse’s in the office were most helpful and showed a great deal of patience whenever questions were asked and took the time to explain the faithful duties of an Medical Assistant. And without hesitating, they were always pleased with my helpful hands and always willingly to share information, advice and experiences. The Doctor’s in the office were extremely professional at all times and appreciated the help that I was to their assistant’s. The patients were also nice and understanding that I was in training and allowed me to practice on them. They were always greeting me with a warm and pleasant attitude. For the short time I was on the job I’ve began to feel like I was part of their family. Overall this was an experience I had the pleasure of being involved in and took great heed to this advancement to expand my knowledge as to becoming an Medical Assistant. I can’t begin to express the overwhelm feeling this was as I’m about to take a new journey of success in the world of healthcare. Without this experience none of this information would have been grateful to me then it is now. Because of the knowledge I’ve gained I’m able to grow in this profession with strength and stability that it takes to succeed in this business, that I can always love and enjoy by taking care of others.

Full Kinetic Chain Manipulative Therapy on the Knee

Full Kinetic Chain Manipulative Therapy on the Knee The relative effectiveness of full kinetic chain manipulative therapy and full kinetic chain rehabilitation in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Brief Synopsis of the Research Therefore in this study we aim to establish the effect of the KFC manipulative therapy alone, FKC rehabilitation alone and the combination of the two interventions on osteoarthritis of the knee. This will be done by means of a quantitative randomised comparative clinical trial. 60 patients will have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and will be randomly divided into 3 groups. The first group will receive 6 treatments using FKC manipulative therapy alone, the second will receive 6 treatments using FKC rehabilitation alone, and the third group will receive 6 treatments using FKC manipulative therapy combined with FKC rehabilitation. Subjective (Beck Depression Inventory, McMaster Overall Therapy Effectiveness Tool, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and Berg Balance Scale) and objective (Inclinometer) measures will be taken at baseline, 1 week and 1 month follow up. These results will be recorded and the data analysed using SPSS statistical package at a 95% confidence interval. Section B: To be typed in Arial 12-point font in one and half line spacing (expand sections to fit contents, but keep within the specified maximum lengths) 1. Field of Research and Provisional Title The relative effectiveness of full kinetic chain manipulative therapy and rehabilitation in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. 2. Context of the Research 1. Osteoarthritis is a very common condition, affects 9.6% of men and 18% of women aged >60 years worldwide (Woolf and Pfleger, 2003). 2. Although multi-factorial, falls cause nearly two-thirds of all non-intentional injury related deaths in older adults (Hawk et al., 2006). One of the causative factors is loss of hip and knee proprioception secondary to increased joint degeneration, thus by addressing these problems with the rehabilitation and/or adjustment there may be a decreased risk of fall. 3. There is research to suggest that applying manipulative therapy and rehabilitation to the full kinetic chain yields greater benefits for KOA patients than at home rehabilitation alone (Deyle et al., 2005), however this combination of treatments has never been compared against full kinetic chain manipulative therapy alone. 4. KOA stiffness, pain and dysfunction was shown by Deyle et al., (2000) and Deyle et al., (2005) to improve better when adding manipulative therapy to a rehabilitation program as compared to placebo and exercise alone, respectively. 3. Research Problem and Aims Aim: The relative effectiveness of full kinetic chain manipulative therapy and rehabilitation in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Objectives: i) To determine whether manipulative therapy alone is effective in the short term treatment of KOA in terms of subjective and objective measurements. ii) To determine whether manipulative therapy alone is effective in the intermediate term treatment of KOA in terms of subjective and objective measurements. iii) To determine whether rehabilitation alone is effective in the short term treatment of KOA in terms of subjective and objective measurements. iv) To determine whether rehabilitation alone is effective in the intermediate term treatment of KOA in terms of subjective and objective measurements. v) To determine whether manipulative therapy combined with rehabilitation is effective in the short term treatment of KOA in terms of subjective and objective measurements. vi) To determine whether manipulative therapy combined with rehabilitation is effective in the intermediate term treatment of KOA in terms of subjective and objective measurements. vii) To compare short term results and intermediate results, respectively. viii) To determine whether manipulative therapy combined with rehabilitation is effective in decreasing the risk of fall according to the Berg Balance Scale. ix) To determine whether rehabilitation alone is effective in decreasing the risk of fall according to the Berg Balance Scale. x) To determine which treatment method is more effective in decreasing the risk of fall according to the Berg Balance Scale. 4. Literature review Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disorder with a complex aetiology (Felson, 2000). It is characterized by focal loss of articular cartilage within synovial joints, associated with hypertrophy of bone (osteophytes and subchondral bone sclerosis) and thickening of the capsule, resulting in alterations in biomechanical properties (Woolf and Pfleger, 2003). It is a very common joint disorder, affecting mostly those above the age of 60 and can occur in any joint but is most common in the hip; knee; and the joints of the hand, foot, and spine (Symmons, Mathers and Pfleger, 2003). As many as 40% of people over the age of 65 suffering symptoms associated with knee or hip OA (Zhang et al., 2008), resulting in OA becoming the fourth leading cause of disability in the years 2000 (Symmons, Mathers and Pfleger, 2003). Although no cure exists, a number of treatment options exist to provide symptomatic relief as well as improvement of joint function. Amongst these are non-pharmacological in terventions, such as rehabilitation, manual therapies, acupuncture and electromodalities, as well as pharmacological measures such as oral medication and intra-articular injections. In severe cases, where nonsurgical interventions have failed, more invasive approaches may be needed (Scher and Pillinger, 2007). McCarthy (2004) compared the effectiveness of an at home exercise program on its own or when supplemented with a class-based exercise program. There was found to be a greater improvement in WOMAC score in the class-based exercise group (20.6%) than the at home group (8.8%). These relatively modest effects may be owed to inability of exercise to address a number of factors that prevent patients from maximising results from their exercise program. Fitzgerald (2005) identified quadriceps inhibition or activation failure, obesity, passive knee laxity, knee misalignment, fear or physical activity and self-efficacy as examples of such factors. The necessity for additional interventions to address these factors therefore becomes apparent. Tucker et al. (2003) compared the relative effectiveness of knee joint manipulation versus a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and found manipulation to be just as effective as NSAIDs in the treatment on KOA. Fish et al., (2008) had similar results when comparing the effectiveness of knee joint mobilisation against Topical Capsaicin Cream. Capsaicin has been previously demonstrated superior to placebo in many painful disorders including knee and general osteoarthritis. Pollard, Ward, Hoskins and Hardy (2008) applied a manipulative therapy protocol, consisting of soft tissue mobilisation and an impulse thrust to the symptomatic knee joint complex. This was found to have a statistically significant improvement in knee pain, mobility, crepitus and function when compared to the control group (interferential current set at zero). Pollard et al. (2008) also noted that knee treatment had a significant improvement in hip movement of those in the intervention group compared to the control group. This may be owing to the effect that treatment to a single joint may have on the full kinetic chain (hereafter FKC). A number of studies have been conducted on various joints of the full kinetic chain of the lower extremity to determine their effect on the knee. Cliborne et al., (2004) aimed to determine the short-term effect of hip mobilization on pain and range of motion (ROM) measurement in patient with knee osteoarthritis (OA). It was demonstrated that the presence of hip pain and pain on squatting, restricted hip flexion and/or a positive scouring test predicts a better knee OA outcome. Currier et al., (2007) suggest that pain over the hip, groin or anterior thigh; limitations in passive knee flexion and internal rotation of the hip; as well as pain with hip distraction predicts a favourable short-term response to hip mobilizations. In fact it was found that, based on the presence of one variable, the probability of a successful response was 92% at 48-hour follow-up, which increased to 97% if 2 variables were present. Iverson et al., (2008) suggest that the strongest predictor of whether adjus ting the lumbopelvic spine will decrease knee pain (in patellofemoral pain syndrome) is if there is a side-to-side difference in hip internal rotation greater than 14 °. The presence of this variable increased the likelihood of a successful outcome from 45% to 80%. These studies collectively show that correcting the various dysfunctions within the kinetic chain will have a favourable effect on knee joint dysfunction. However, there has yet to be a study that seeks to improve knee osteoarthritis by treating all indicated joints in the full kinetic chain. Few studies have looked at what effect combining manipulation and rehabilitation would have in the treatment of KOA. Deyle et al., (2000) applied manual therapy to the knee as well as to the lumber spine, hip and ankle as required. Additionally patients where given to knee exercise program to perform in the clinic on treatment days and at home. WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) scores are used to detect changes in the patients perception of function and quality of life, specifically related to the disease process. In this study, there was a 55.8% improvement in the treatment group as compared to a 14.6% improvement in those patients receiving placebo (subtherapeutic ultrasound), thus proving the effectiveness of combining manipulation and rehabilitation. Using similar methodologies, Deyle et al., (2005) compared an at home versus in clinic physical therapy program. Those being treated in clinic received supervised exercise, manual therapy to the F KC and a home exercise program, while a second group received at home exercise only. Significant improvements where seen in both groups, however the clinic treatment group had an improvement in WOMAC scores of 52% and only a 26% improvement was seen in the home exercise group. The author attributed this difference between groups to the application of manual therapy to the full kinetic chain. However, the clinic group performed the exercises under supervision and where corrected where necessary while the home group were largely unsupervised and may have performed the exercises incorrectly as a result, thus decreasing the benefit such exercises would have. One should therefore not consider the difference in group performance to be solely due to the addition of manual therapy. To date there is no study which compares the effect of manual therapy alone versus the above mentioned treatment combinations. Therefore there is a need for a study to determine whether FKC manual therapy combined with a standardised rehabilitation program is more effective than either intervention alone in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. 5. Research Methodology Design type: Quantitative comparative clinical trial conducted at the Durban University of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic (hereafter DUT CDC). Advertising: [Appendix A] Old age homes and retirement villages throughout the greater Durban region will be approached, as well as advertisements placed on notice boards of DUT, community halls, shopping centres and places of worship. Sampling procedure: A sample size of 60 (n=60) will be selected by means of convenience sampling (Brink, 2006). Those individuals responding to the advertisements will be screened and accepted based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Telephonic interview: Patients are required to contact the DUT CDC telephonically to determine whether they meet the requirements of the study. This will be determined by asking the patient the following questions; * Are you between the ages of 38 and 80? * Have you had knee pain for longer than 1 year? * Do you have a history of trauma or surgery to the lumbar spine or lower limb? * Are you able to stand and walk on your own, with minimal need and/or without significant dependence on canes and walkers? * Do you suffer from a chronic medical condition that would require you to take regular medication? * Would you be prepared to have radiographs taken of your lower limb? If the patient meets the criteria for the study, a consultation will be made, at which they will be presented with a letter of information and informed consent form [Appendix B], which they will be required to sign. The following inclusion and exclusion criteria will be assess using a case history [Appendix C]; physical exam [Appendix D]; lumbar and pelvis [Appendix E]; hip [Appendix F]; knee[Appendix G] and; ankle and foot [Appendix H] regional examinations. Inclusion Criteria: A. Criteria, as developed by Altman (1991), requires a minimum of one of the first three clinical criteria below (#1, 2 or 3) for diagnosis of KOA (sensitivity 89 % and specificity 88%). 1. Knee pain and crepitus with active motion and morning stiffness ≠¤ 30 min (with age 38 ≠¤ 80 years of age). 2. Knee pain and crepitus with active motion and morning stiffness >30 minutes and bony enlargement (with age 38 ≠¤ 80 years of age). 3. Knee pain and no crepitus and bony enlargement (with age 38 ≠¤ 80 years of age). B. The following 4 criteria are all required: 4. Knee pain of ≠¥ 1 year duration and able to stand and walk without severe varus/valgus deformity and/or severe instability (Kellgren and Lawrence, 1957). 5. Diagnosis of concurrent subluxation/or joint dysfunction (S/JD) complex: a. Diagnosis of S/JD will be supported throughout using the PART(S) system. 6. A patient must have a score of ≠¥720 mm (≠¥30%) on the WOMAC scale to be included (Tubach et al., 2005). 7. No history of meniscal or other knee surgery in the past 6 months (Pollard et al., 2008). 8. A diary will be kept to monitor whether medication consumption is increased, decreased or stays the same. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Significant visual disorders, severe vestibular disorders, neurological and peripheral sensory disorders which may be a contra-indication to exercise 2. History of knee or hip joint replacement, severe varus or valgus deformity, instability, fracture and severe osteoporosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, or frank avascular necrosis with or without moderate or severe deformity, 3. History of significant lumbar herniated disc injury with sequela, 4. Severe balance and proprioception problems (i.e. inability to stand with and/or without marked spinal or hip deformity) 5. Symptoms of moderate to severe osteoarthritis in both knees and/or hips: Note: both knees can be treated if there is KOA or joint dysfunction in the opposite knee and otherwise no other severe complications as noted above. However, only data collected from the worst knee will be used for the purpose of the study. 6. Long term chronicity combined with multiple treatment failure especially multiple failure with previous physical treatment (≠¥ 3), with and/or long term severe pain, and/or a severely complicated or complex disorder (such as multiple co-morbidities combined with KOA such as a mix of: knee, hip and lumbosacral OA, and/or cardiovascular and/or auto-immune disease), or a severely disabled and/or a patient with severe and decreased functional ability and/or a severe clinical depression, may lead on a case by case basis, to exclusion. A basic guide for #6 to be used on a case by case basis: I. Pain: The patient gives a history that can be interpreted as having stayed constantly or chronically at a high level of an estimated verbal analogue score (VAS) of ≠¥ 7 or WOMAC score of 1680-1920mm (70-80%) (out of a maximum worst score of 2400mm) for 3 to 5 years or longer. II. Complicated or complex: 3 or more disorders at one time in the same patient (with KOA) as listed from #1-5 above. III. Severely disabled: dependent on a cane, brace or walker 75 to 100% of the time when ambulating; severe cardiovascular disease; severe instability in the knee or other joints or possibly less than, or markedly less than half the normal ROM. IV. Clinically depressed: determined by history and use the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The BDI has been validated for measuring depression in clinical and nonclinical settings (Beck et al., 1961). Radiological analysis: Although diagnosis of KOA will be made primarily through clinical examination, knee x-rays will be taken on patients who qualify and consent to participate in the clinical trial. The purpose is to determine the grade of osteoarthritic change (according to the Kellgren-Lawrence scale (reference)), to confirm suspicions of contra-indications to treatment, or to rule out a pathology outside of OA. Additionally, the subjects history and physical examination may indicate the need for lumbosacral/pelvic, hip, ankle and/or foot x-rays (see exclusion criteria below). Procedure: Time Baseline 2 weeks 4 weeks 6 weeks 1 week F/U 1 month F/U # Rx 2 2 2 Outcome measurement WOMAC ROM BBS BDI WOMAC OTE ROM BBS BDI WOMAC OTE ROM BBS BDI Once accepted into the study, patients will be randomly allocated into 3 (three) groups using a randomised allocation chart (reference). Interventions: Group A will be treated with only manipulative therapy of the FKC. Group B will be treated with only rehabilitation of the FKC. Group C will be treated with manipulative therapy combined with rehabilitation of the FKC. Manipulative therapy: [Appendix I] FKC manipulative therapy (manipulative therapy to the knee, and any indicated axial or appendicular joint dysfunction, such as to the spine, hip, ankle, and foot) for KOA has been hypothesized as superior to localised manipulative therapy (Deyle et al., 2005). Treatment will focus on carefully restoring knee flexion and extension by lesser grades of mobilization as recommended by Deyle et al., (2005) and Fish et al., (2008), and patellar mobilization as per Pollard et al., (2008), along with careful high velocity low amplitude axial elongation of the knee joint as per Fish et al., (2008). Additionally, manipulative therapy will be applied where needed to the full kinetic chain using other diversified techniques, such as HVLA manipulation or mobilization as outlined in Shafer and Faye (1990), and/or Peterson and Bergman (2002). Also, the hip technique, as outlined by Hoeksma et al., (2004) and the use of HVLA knee manipulation methods from Tucker et al., (2005) will also be utilized when indicated. The particular joint dysfunction also known as the subluxation complex or manipulable lesion will be chosen based upon findings in the regional examinations. Rehabilitation: [Appendix J] Rehabilitative therapy will include exercises, focused soft tissue treatment and stretch to the knee and elsewhere along the full kinetic chain where needed based upon functional assessment (Deyle et al., 2005). Also included in rehabilitation will be patient advice, education and home exercise recommendations for managing their KOA. The rehabilitation protocol will be standardised across groups B and C, with minor case by case variations. Intervention frequency: All patient will receive: 6 treatments in the first three (3) weeks (2x treatments/week). Training in a rehabilitation program, to be completed daily. Regular telephonic communication (every 1-2 weeks) following the completion of the 6th treatment. All groups will be required to return to the clinic no more than one (1) week after the 6th treatment and at the one (1) month follow up to have readings taken. Measurement Tools: All data will be collected previsit 1, no more than 1 week after 6th treatment and at 1 month follow up, with the exception of OTE which will not be collected at previsit 1. Subjective data will b obtained by means of; Beck Depression Inventory [Appendix K] The McMaster Overall Therapy Effectiveness (OTE) Tool [Appendix L] will be used to assess patient satisfaction and general improvement. o The OTE is a valid and reliable questionnaire that allows the patient to classify the change in their health status: whether their KOA symptoms, or overall quality of life has improved, remained the same, or worsened since the last visit (Chan et al., 2006) The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) [Appendix M] detects change in function and quality of life in patients suffering from KOA using multiple questions with the visual analogy scale (VAS). o The WOMAC is valid and reliable for KOA, and has a long history of being broadly and frequently utilized to assess knee and hip OA, thus allowing comparison to a large number of studies and trials (Bellamy et al., 1988). Berg Balance Scale (BBS) questionnaire [Appendix N] is a predictor of fall risk and will be delivered if the one legged standing test is failed (Hawk et al., 2006)). KOA patients who are +ve for the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) will be monitored as a subgroup (with a + OLST and BBS) at all clinic assessments Objective data will be obtained by means of: Inclinometer [Appendix O] readings for knee flexion and extension only to evaluate the patients range of motion (ROM) (reference). Statistics: The latest version of SPSS will be used to analyse the data. 6. Plan of Research Activities Provide a summarised work plan for each year of the project giving information for each research activity per year, under the following headings: Activity Timeframes (target dates for the duration of the project) 7. Structure of Dissertation / Thesis Chapters 1. Introduction 2. Review of the related literature 3. Subjects and methods 4. Results 5. Discussion 6. Recommendations and conclusions 7. References 8. Potential Outputs  § Provide details on envisaged measurable outputs (e.g. publications, patents, students, etc.);  § Expected national and/or international acclaim for the research and contribution of research outputs to building the knowledge base;  § Exploitability of outputs, e.g. applicability to community development, improved products, processes, services in SA, region and/or continent;  § Expected effects of research results. 9. Key References Brink, H. 2006. Fundamentals of research methodologies for health care professional. 2nd edition. Juta and co. Cape Town. Cliborne, A., Wainner, R., Rhon, D., Judd, C., Fee, T., Matekel, R., and Whiteman, J. 2004. Clinical hip tests and a functional squat test in patients with knee osteoarthritis: reliability, prevalence of positive test findings, and short-term response to hip mobilization. Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy, November; 34(11): 676-685. Currier, L., Froehlich, P., Carow, S., McAndrew, R., Cliborne, A, Boyles, R., Mansfield, L., and Wainner, R. 2007. Development of a clinical prediction rule to identify patients with knee pain and clinical evidence of knee osteoarthritis who demonstrate a favourable short-term response to hip mobilization. Physical Therapy, September; 87(9): 1106-1119. Deyle, G., Allison, S., Matekel, R., Ryder, M., Stang, J., Gohdes,D., Hutton, J., Henderson, N., and Garber, M. 2005. Physical Therapy Treatment Effectiveness for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomised Comparison of Supervised Clinical Exercise and Manual Therapy Procedures versus a Home Exercise Program. Physical Therapy, 85(12): 1301-1317. Deyle, G., Henderson, N., Matekel, R., Ryder, M., Garber, M., and Allison, S. 2000. Effectiveness of Manual Physical Therapies and Exercise in Osteoarthritis of the Knee. Annals of Internal Medicine, 132(3): 173-181. Felson, D. 2000.Osteoarthritis: New Insights Part 2: Treatment Approaches. In: National Iinstitute of Health Conference, Annals of Internal Medicine; 133: 726-737. Hawk, C., Hyland, J.K., Rupert, R., Colonvega, M. and Hall, S. 2006. Assessment of balance and risk for falls in a sample of community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older. Chiropractic and Osteopathy, 14(3). Haynes, S. and Gemmell, H. 2007. Topical treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee. Clinical Chiropractic; 10: 126-138. Iverson. C., Sutlive, T., Crowell, M., Morrell, R., Perkins, M., Garber, M., Moore, J., and Wainner, R. 2008. Lumbopelvic manipulation for the treatment of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: development of a clinical prediction rule. Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy, June; 38(6): 297-312. McCarthy, C., Mills, P., Pullen, R., Roberts, C., Silman, A., and Oldman, J. 2004. Supplementing a home exercise programme with a class-based exercise programme is more effective than home exercise alone in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Rheumatology; 43: 880-886. Pollard, H., Ward, G., Hoskins, W. and Hardy, K. 2008. The effect of a manual therapy knee protocol on osteoarthritic knee pain: a randomised controlled trial. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, December; 52(4): 229-242. Symmons D, Mathers C, Pfleger B. 2003. Global burden of osteoarthritis in the year 2000 [online]. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: URL: http://www3.who.int/whosis/menu.cfm?path=evidence,burden,burden_gbd2000docslanguage=english Tucker, M., Brantingham, J., Myburg, C. 2003. Relative effectiveness of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (Meloxicam) versus manipulation in the treatment of osteo-arthritis of the knee. European Journal of Chiropractic, 50: 163-183. Woolf, A.D. and Pfleger, B. 2003. Burden of major musculoskeletal conditions. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 81 (9). Zhang, W., Moskowitz, R. W., Nuki, G., Abramson, S., Altman, R. D., Arden, N., Bierma-Zeinstra, S., Brandt, K. D., Croft, P., Doherty, M., Dougados, M., Hochberg, M., Hunter, D. J., Kwoh, K., Lohmander, L. S. and Tugwell, P. 2008. OARSI recommendations for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis, Part II: OARSI evidence-based, expert consensus guidelines. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 16:137-162. Appendix L The McMaster Overall Therapy Effectiveness (OTE) Tool (for general improvement and patient satisfaction) Patient No.â‚ ¬Ã…’â‚ ¬Ã…’â‚ ¬Ã…’â‚ ¬Ã…’ Visit No. Page No. . Overall Treatment Evaluation KOA We would like to find out if there are any changes in the way you have been feeling since treatment started: after 6 treatments, and also at the 1st week and 1st month follow ups. Since treatment started, has there been any change in your ACTIVITY LIMITATION, SYMPTOMS AND/OR FEELINGS related to your knee osteoarthritis? Please indicate if there has been any change by checking ONE of the three boxes below (Better/About the same/Worse): Better About the Same Worse ⇓ ⇓ If you have checked ABOUT THE SAME, ⇓ Please stop here. ⇓ If you have checked the box If you have checked the box BETTER: WORSE: How much BETTER would you say How much WORSE would you say your ACTIVITY LIMITATION, your ACTIVITY LIMITATION, SYMPTOMS AND/OR FEELINGS SYMPTOMS AND/OR FEELINGS have been since treatment started? Have been since treatment started? Please choose ONE of the options Please choose ONE of the options below: below: Almost the same, hardly better at all Almost the same, hardly worse at all A little better A little worse Somewhat better Somewhat worse Moderately better Moderately worse A good deal better A good deal worse A great deal better A great deal worse A very great deal better A very great deal worse Patient No.â‚ ¬Ã…’â‚ ¬Ã…’â‚ ¬Ã…’â‚ ¬Ã…’ Visit No. Page No. . Overall Treatment Effect CHF, continued Answer the following question whether or not you answered BETTER or WORSE and what your response was. Note if you have improved, the change will be important since you likely will be able to carry out your responsibilities with greater ease and comfort compared to before the study. If on the other hand you are worse, then you will have more difficulty carrying out your responsibilities; this will also be important for you as you have more difficulty with your activities. Is this change (BETTER/WORSE) important to you in carrying out your daily activities? Not important Slightly important Somewhat important Moderately important Important Very important Extremely important THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION! Description of scales and how they will be assessed: * Pages one and two are graded separately. * Page one is graded on a 15 point scale. Scored from +7 to -7 * If the answer to the first question is Better then you have a + integer * If the answer to the first question is About the Same the score is 0 * If the answer to the first question is Worse then you have a integer * With a + or integer, the answers below the better or worse response are numbered sequentially from top to bottom. Almost the same, hardly better is a 1 and A very great deal better is a 7. * Page two is graded on a 7 point scale. Scored from 1 to 7 * The answers are numbered sequentially from top to bottom. Not important is a 1 and Extremely important is a 7 Later we will dichotomize the scores on page one between scores > 1 (improved) and Appendix M The WOMAC Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS Name:_________________________________________________ Date:___/___/______DOB:___/___/_____ In Sections A, B and C questions will be asked in the following format and you should give your answers by putting a straight vertical (up-and-down) mark on the horizontal line. Note: 1. If make a straight vertical (up-and-down) mark on the line, at the left-hand end of the line, i.e. NO PAIN EXTREME PAIN Then you are indicating that you have no pain. Note: 2. If make a straight vertical (up-and-down) mark on the line, at the Right-hand end of the line, i.e. NO PAIN EXTREME PAIN Then you are indicating that you have extreme pain. 3. Please Note: a) that the further to the right-hand end you place your straight vertical (up-and-down) mark on the line, the more pain you are experiencing b) that the further to the left-hand end you place your straight vertical (up-and-down) mark on the line, the less pain you are experiencing c) Please do not place your straight vertical (up-and-down) mark on the line outside the markers. You will be asked to indicate on this type of scale the amount of pain, s

The 5 People you meet in heaven Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   thefivepeople you meet in heaven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mitch Albom   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eddie, an 83 year old war veteran who spends his days and nights fixing rides at Ruby Pier, has been through a lot of ups and downs in his life. From having a rough child hood with his father, to meeting the girl of his dreams, Marguerite, to fighting in world war 2 and totally messing up his leg, to coming home to Marguerite and living his life with no kids, just Marguerite and Ruby Pier, to his 83rd birthday..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It’s just another day at Ruby Pier. Pretty much the same as it’s always been since he was a kid. Well, except for the rides, it’s all new technology now a days. Anyways.. Eddie’s always had Ruby Pier in his life, from when he was little to playing there, to having his father work there, to Eddie working there as a teenager, to now. So it’s just like any other day at the sea side amusement park, Eddie’s there to open the park up, test all the rides to make sure they’re working properly, waits for the kids to come, then lingers around the park all day, making animals out of pipe cleaners for the kids, picking up, and working at the rids until it’s time to close up. But today, is a bit different then any other day. A warm, sunny afternoon interrupted by the sounds of â€Å"OH my god look! OH MY GOD those people are gonna fall!† Eddie turned his head towards Ruby Park’s newest ride, Freddy’s free fall. And high in the sky he sees the cart dangling from a few cables, and three people holding on to the bar. A million thoughts rushed to Eddie’s mind at once. How could the cables brake? Why did the cart go off the tracks? How are we going to get the people down? He had to react fast, he got Willie, one of the workers, to get a ladder and get the people off the ladder. Meanwhile Eddie was trying to find a way to get the cart back in place. His first idea was to pop the safety release. He instructed Willie to do so. Then Eddie got thinking.. ‘The cable is unraveling..’ if the safety release is hit, the cart is going to come crashing to the ground. â€Å"DON’T RELEASE THE CART! IT’LL SNAP!!!!!† â€Å" WILLIE STOP! NO NO DON’T!† Too late. â€Å"EVERYONE GET BACK! HURRY!† Eddie tried to warn everyone that the cart was about to come crashing down wh... ... would go to my heaven on earth which is my camp on the ocean. I would go to bed thinking how amazing it would be if I could die, and go to my heaven, where I have no problems, no cares or worries, and I would be happy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I finally reached the end of the book, I’d made decisions I regretted, but those decisions have made me a stronger person. What I’m trying to say, is, when I finished reading your book, I came to a realization that god has a plan for all of us. He chooses when it’s time to go, he put us on this earth for a purpose, and when we are done fulfilling that purpose, it’s our time to go.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So I write to you, to thank you for taking the time to write such an amazing book. I know it touched my life and I’m sure it touched the lives of so many other people who read it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sincerely,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   

Managing People Motivation Essay

Human resources are the Heart and soul of the organization. It is important that you should manage them effectively to optimize the full utilization of their talents. It is not enough to attract and retain talented people, you should motivate them to use their talents. Keeping an employee working at full potential is the ultimate goal of employee motivation. The employment contract provides a symbolic relationship between employers and employees. Employers expect employees to work hard, committed to the values of the organization, loyal and dependable, keep the work standards set by management, observe the rules and regulations and provide output in terms of product or services that are of good quality. Employees, on other hand that they should be rewarded well and equitably, treated fair and humanely, provide opportunities for career development and promotion given work that suits their abilities and have a happy and safe working environment. The success of the business is largely dependent upon the ability of the managers to motivate workers to achieve the high results. Managing people motivation is a must. Definition of Motivation Motivation is the internal condition that activates behavior and gives it direction; energizes and directs goal-oriented behavior. Motivation Helps explain why people do the things they doo. Understandin motivation is a major concern f all managers. History of Motivation The oldest technique used to motivate others is known today as the Carrot and Stick method. The name evolved from the stubbornness of the donkeys that could only be moved by taunting them with carrots. Early managers regularly offered economic â€Å"carrots† to entice people to work harder. This theory created misconception that money always motivated people to work harder. The awakening field of psychology was looking for a new way to motivate people, and n short time, managers would begin looking for psychologist for new methods of management. On 1923 Elton Mayo made clear the inadequacy of the pure carrot and stick motivation. Performing an experiment Philadelphia textile mill, Mayo concluded that the reason for the low was hat spinners had low opportunities to communicate with one another. Financial incentives failed to increase productivity. Mayo felt that the solution to his productivity problem was change the atmosphere of the workplace. The introduction of (2) ten minute break for the spinners produced immediate results. Morale improved and output increase tremendously. The spinners experiment confirmed Mayo belief that it was important for managers take into the account the psychology and well being of the worker. The Era of Industry Psychology Douglas McGregor was one of the few Americans n the 1950s who believed that the workers actually cared about doing good work. Building tradition with roots in the early work of pioneers such as Elton Mayo, He questioned a deeply held assumption that guided managerial efforts for centuries. He and the other psychologist held the view that it was unfair and bad psychology. They argued that people’s skills, attitudes, energy and commitment are resources that can make or unmake the enterprise. This new era of industrial psychology led to a sensitive understanding of people and their symbolic relationship with organization. 1. Organization exist to serve human needs rather than the reverse. 2. People and Organization need each other 3. When the fit between individual and system is poor, one or both suffer. 4. A good fit benefits both.

Analysis of The Merchant of Venice

Analysis of The Merchant of Venice Short plot summary. The film is about the jewish businessman Shylock who lived during the 1500’s. The wealthy prince Antonio wants to borrow money with reason to help his friend Bassanio. Antonio invested all his money on merchant ship’s. But, Antonio’s plan failed – the merchant ship’s were wrecked and now he didn’t have the money to re-pay Shylock. When Shylock didn’t receive his money, he and Antonio both agreed that Shylock would receive a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. The married couple Bassanio and Portia, are friends with Antonio and they realized they had to help him.Portia offered Shylock triple the amount of what the money was really worth. Shylock rejected the offer but Portia had a plan to solve the dilemma – Disguise as a male judge to save her friend and also be more extreme by making Shylock worthless. Analysis. In the movie there are several motives such as good vs. evil, kindness and cruelty, religion dilemmas (Christian vs. Jew), tragedy etc. These opposites are all common with Shakespeare’s writings. Among the main character’s, Antonio is the one who is unselfish because he wants to help his friend, he represents goodness.Shylock isn’t actually the â€Å"evil-one†, he’s more of a vindictive individual because he lives in a society full of anti-Semitism and with a daughter who left him for a Christian man. I think Shylock has full right to receive a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body because both parties signed a contract (they both agreed on this) The movie is also about destiny and power. Whatever happened to the merchant ships is nothing Antonio, or any other human, can do about it. When Antonio borrows money of Shylock, he gives the Jewish businessman all the power.During the final scene when they’re all gathered in court, Shakespeare clearly shows he wants to maintain the Christian morali ty and make Shylock â€Å"clean† by converting to Christianity. Because Shylock is a Jew, he’s featured as an evil person. From the film’s and Shakespeare’s perspective, there is only one religion that is acceptable. This could be a symbol for the fights between the two religions and the main characters. Revenge is one of the main parts in this movie. Shylock uses his work and abundance to pursue his revenge. If the loan never had occurred Shylock would never had been able to take the evenge to another level. Though Shylock never succeeded his revenge, his main goal was vengeance and never hesitated to stop his work. Tragedy occurs when Shylock looses everything in court and has to beg for mercy. He has to give all his abundance to his daughter, convert to Christianity. He didn’t do anything wrong, lived in a anti-semitism society. Above all, he had a signed contract of the deal. But, Portia’s rhetorical skills turned the situation around wh en she argued that no blood, not more than the weight of a pound was allowed when cutting the flesh. This was impossible to accomplish.

Free Essays on War

Peace: it’s wonderful. Everyone likes it as much as the next man, and have none wish to be willfully gloomy at a moment when optimism about the future shape of the world abounds. My thesis in this essay is that we will soon regret the passing of the Cold War. I intend to show that it will not be the by-products of the Cold War - such as the Korean and Vietnam - that we will miss, but the order that it brought to the area of international relations. To be sure, no one will want to replay the U-2 affair, the Cuban missile crisis, or the building of the Berlin Wall. And no one will want to revisit the domestic Cold War, with its purges and loyalty oaths, its xenophobia and stifling of dissent. We will not wake up one day to discover fresh wisdom in the collected fulminations of John Foster Dulles. We may, however, wake up one day lamenting the loss of the order that the Cold War gave to the anarchy of international relations. For untamed anarchy is what Europe knew in the forty -five years of this century before the Cold War, and untamed anarchy- Hobbes’ war of all against all - is a prime cause of armed conflict. Those who think that armed conflicts among the European states are now out of the question, that the two world wars burned all the war out of Europe, are projecting unwarranted optimism onto the future. The theories of peace that implicitly undergird this optimism are notably shallow constructs. They stand up to neither logical nor historical analysis. One would not want to bet the farm on their prophetic accuracy. The world is about to conduct a vast test of the theories of war and peace put forward by social scientists, who never dreamed that their ideas would be tested by the world-historic events announced almost daily in newspaper headlines. This social scientist is willing to put his theoretical cards on the table as he ventures predictions about the future of Europe. In the process, alternative theories of war an... Free Essays on War Free Essays on War After reading the article â€Å"Lessons From Yesterday’s Frontier Wars for Tomorrows Asymmetric Conflicts,† one thing was left unclear to me. Are we finding ways to practice asymmetric combat or are we training for ways to counter the opposing force? As I began reading, it seemed like we were learning ways from the Indians on the most effective ways to attack or defend. However, as I continued reading it appeared as if the writer is concerned that we one day be the culprit of asymmetric warfare. We are studying ways to respond to asymmetric tactics under the impression that our enemies will use this type of warfare in their defense because they will most likely be on familiar land and not have the technology that could match up to a dominating military such as our own. While talking to my best friend Pat who is in the Marines told me a story to give me a little better understanding of the concept of asymmetric warfare: Two countries are at war. One decides to attack the other. Its tanks, in regular columns, cross the border between the two combatants. However, its approach to war and its approach to the border have been constantly and comprehensively monitored by the defending side. Suddenly, without warning, small missiles silently attack the invading tanks. Each missile hovers momentarily above the tanks, selects one and attacks it by firing a high-speed projectile at the weakest part-the turret and engine cover. The deadly accurate missiles are very selective: they don't attack any tank that has been selected for attack by another missile. These missiles are fired from 30 to 40 kilometers away, far beyond the range of the tank's guns. Few survivors crawl out of the burning wrecks, since red-hot pieces of metal ricochet around inside and hot, suffocating gases spread rapidly throughout. Only three of the tanks survive. Their morale shattered, the crews decide to retreat. â€Å"Asymmetric warfare,'' referrers to an enemy who ... Free Essays on War What exactly is history? The dictionary defines it as â€Å"A chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events†. If this is all that history is, why does it always seem to arouse so much controversy? Also, who decides on the point of view that goes into these historical documents that are written everyday? Unless you’ve witnessed the event first hand, you’re relying on someone else to get the story to you. These views can sometimes be partially biased or distorted. History is told through the mouths of many, but a person only knows the one hundred percent truth if they’ve witnessed the event themselves. This is where the problems occur, especially when people evaluate wartime history and events. One of the most controversial issues involving wartime history and events would have to be the Smithsonian Institutions push to display the Enola Gay to mark the 50th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The exhibit stirred great controversy because many felt that it was biased and benefitted the Japanese. People believed that it would distort history by making the U.S. look like the aggressor, or the bad guy, during the war while Japan would be depicted as the victims who unknowingly had two bombs dropped upon them. As of now, history states that on December 7, 1941 the U.S. without warning was attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. To retaliate, the U.S. dropped a bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and then on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 without warning as well. These views on history could have very easily been altered if they had gone on and displayed the exhibit the way it was supposed to be displayed, which they did not . As history will tell you, the Smithsonian revamped the whole exhibit and left nothing more but just the Enola Gay cockpit and brief videotape for al... Free Essays on War Peace: it’s wonderful. Everyone likes it as much as the next man, and have none wish to be willfully gloomy at a moment when optimism about the future shape of the world abounds. My thesis in this essay is that we will soon regret the passing of the Cold War. I intend to show that it will not be the by-products of the Cold War - such as the Korean and Vietnam - that we will miss, but the order that it brought to the area of international relations. To be sure, no one will want to replay the U-2 affair, the Cuban missile crisis, or the building of the Berlin Wall. And no one will want to revisit the domestic Cold War, with its purges and loyalty oaths, its xenophobia and stifling of dissent. We will not wake up one day to discover fresh wisdom in the collected fulminations of John Foster Dulles. We may, however, wake up one day lamenting the loss of the order that the Cold War gave to the anarchy of international relations. For untamed anarchy is what Europe knew in the forty -five years of this century before the Cold War, and untamed anarchy- Hobbes’ war of all against all - is a prime cause of armed conflict. Those who think that armed conflicts among the European states are now out of the question, that the two world wars burned all the war out of Europe, are projecting unwarranted optimism onto the future. The theories of peace that implicitly undergird this optimism are notably shallow constructs. They stand up to neither logical nor historical analysis. One would not want to bet the farm on their prophetic accuracy. The world is about to conduct a vast test of the theories of war and peace put forward by social scientists, who never dreamed that their ideas would be tested by the world-historic events announced almost daily in newspaper headlines. This social scientist is willing to put his theoretical cards on the table as he ventures predictions about the future of Europe. In the process, alternative theories of war an... Free Essays on War Keeley’s is attempting to prove that primitive warfare throughout history has been effective and occasionally more successful than civilized methods. Throughout Chapter five of â€Å"War Before Civilization†, evidence is displayed showing the different success rates of primitive warfare compared to its civilized counterpart. Two examples that offer proof to Keeley’s theory are: 1. Julius Caesar’s Roman legion was incapable of conquering England, which was defended by the undisciplined, barbarian hosts of Celts and Germans. Raids and ambush tactics demonstrated by the barbarians deferred a Roman triumph for a century. (A.D.9.) (Pg.72) 2. During the Battle of Little Big Horn, two hundred U.S. soldiers led by Colonel Custer were ambushed and defeated by one thousand and eight hundred Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. (1866) (Pg.73) Certainly, aspects of primitive warfare have had high success rates throughout war and history, yet the majority of Keely’s examples are only of individual battles. The majority of Primitive societies lack the required population, food, and artillery to win the war. Attempting to differentiate the success rate of primitive and civilized warfare is an unattainable task. While particular historical battles have proved the effectiveness of uncivilized warfare, economic and social resources should be considered in every individual case. Keely’s illustrations and examples of past war patterns disprove the myth that primitive societies will always be defeated by civilized armies in time of war. Proving primitive effectiveness is clearly Keely’s aspiration in Chapter Five. (Pg.71) Keely’s various examples from different centuries demonstrate that primitive warfare has occasionally been victorious in opposition to civilized societies....

association of drugs and pleasure essays

association of drugs and pleasure essays Throughout life we are subjected to countless stimuli, and our responses to those stimuli shape and affect our lives and those surrounding us. This example of real life classical conditioning is one that took a negative affect on a close friend of mine. My senior year in high school my friend formed a new group of people he associated with. This was not a problem until drugs entered the equation, and soon after he began to associate drug use with fun, and enjoyment whereas before just hanging out with his new friends provided his fun and enjoyment. This conditioning occurred because he was too ignorant to realize that it was his friends and not the drugs that provided the good times. This example is one of classical conditioning, because it involves the association of two stimuli, drugs and friends, one of which had no previous effect one him (the drugs). Eventually through classical conditioning drugs triggered a response of enjoyment. This differs from operant conditioning because his behavior with the associated stimulus (drugs) was not strengthened or diminished from reinforcement or punishment. The critical elements in my example include: the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned stimulus, the unconditioned response, and the conditioned response. The unconditioned stimulus is the group of friends he hung out with. These friends of his naturally and automatically triggered a response in him, and that response was enjoyment and happiness. The unconditioned response was his reaction from his friends, and this reaction was one of happiness and enjoyment. The conditioned stimulus was the drugs he started using. He began to associate this stimulus, which was neutral when introduced, with the enjoyment he had when with his friends. The conditioned response was the same as the unconditioned response, happiness, and enjoyment. However, the conditioned response was in response to t ...

Literature Searches Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literature Searches - Research Paper Example This level identified and individualized factors which were very specific and also analyzed specially care units and the dynamics within which contribute to work related stress. Critically appraised individual articles are written by authors who evaluate and provide a brief synopsize of the individual research studies. There were five results found with this criteria. These articles identified studies with implications related to the topic and provided a brief summary of the study without opinion or conclusions of their own. For unfiltered information I used MEDLINE. For RCT’s only one result was found with the search term nursing related stress. This evaluated nursing students stress level at the bachelor’s level and was a quantitative study. Cohort studies involve groups of individuals who are linked in some way and observed. 2 results were found with this criteria. Only one was relevant which observed Chinese nurses to determine factors related to stress. This linked individuals of a certain ethnic group. Case controlled studies are merely observational with no intervention attempted and compares individuals with certain characteristics with those who do not have those characteristics, such as a disease. For this group I used cancer as the differing factors and 212 results were found. These results weren’t very useful as most focused on the patient rather than the stress of the caregiver. These studies would not be my first choice in researching nursing related stress. For background information or expert opinion I focused on validation studies. There were 502 results though most were not focused on my particular topic or phrase which I used. These results actually provided physical and biological evidence of nursing related stress. These studies were very in depth and specific, some measuring levels of stress hormones or using defined scales to determine levels of

Implementation of Infrastructural design for information technology in Research Paper

Implementation of Infrastructural design for information technology in financial environment - Research Paper Example Keywords: servers, farm, co-location, co-lo, IT, information technology, location, maintenance, email, instant messaging, ticketing system Implementation of Infrastructural Design for IT in a Financial Environment I. INTRODUCTION i. Background of the problem The recent advancements in information and technology have resulted in widespread adoption of networked information systems thereby creating new threats to the integrity, and safety of the information infrastructure and transactions in a number of financial environments across the globe. Consequently many banks and other financial organizations are increasingly implementing secure infrastructural designs of information technology in their financial environments not only to secure their sensitive communications and transactions but also to improve the reliability and integrity of their systems. According to Harris (2001, p.39), an effective IT infrastructure design reduces the risks of potential financial losses due to network fau lts while at the same time reducing the expenses related to network management. A properly implemented infrastructural design for information technology in a financial environment often integrates a number of technological components to support business needs of the particular organization. IT infrastructure comprises a group of shared tangible IT resources that offer a foundation to enable present and potential business applications. These recourses include the operating systems, key data. Core data-processing applications network and telecommunication and shared its services. Information management is the heart component of government infrastructure; it is the intellectual capital of accountability governance. Best practices and standards leads in efficient, responsible and cost effective use of resources. IT comprises of a full spectrum of technology and services that back-up information management. Financial institutions are often demanding environments dealing with massive quan tities of sensitive information. In this regard, it is critically important to implement reliable and secure infrastructural designs for such environments to ensure their robust performance as well as provide secure access to information. This paper seeks to detail the specific server farm setup that will be utilized by the company, the design of the IT department, the type of software and hardware that would be best suited for the company, as well as the different possibilities for co-location sites that would be used for the servers themselves. ii. Researcher’s Work Setting and Role The researcher is a graduate student pursing masters of Science Degree in Management. As the lead researcher, my primary role will be to outline the specific research problem and work closely with the other members of the research team towards the achievement of the research goals. I will also be obligated to participate in the data collection processes as well as to provide a supervisory role t hroughout the research. iii. Statement of the problem For any information and communication system in any enterprise to run smoothly a

Revolutionary Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Revolutionary Era - Essay Example Although the paper deals with significant aspects of the Revolution in connection with the African Americans, it fails to present the topic in an effective, organized way. One of the essential features of the paper is that it incorporates several essential facts in relation to this topic and attempts to establish the vital connection between the American Revolution and the African Americans. Thus, it suggests how the African Americans contributed to the revolution in America and vice versa. In order to substantiate the arguments, the paper makes reference to online textbooks such as digitalhistory.uh.edu, which enhances the relevance of the paper. The website used in the paper is authentic and reliable on the topic, especially relating to ‘Slavery, the American Revolution, and the Constitution’. It is also important to maintain that the paper effectively incorporates quotes from these sources, which include a book source. However, the paper is lacking in organization and effective presentation of the arguments. The thesis of the paper is vague and it is not presented in connection with the supportive arguments. Even the references from the websites and book are not presented in a way as to support the main arguments in the paper. It also does not use the scholarly information in reinstating the main arguments and fails to merge the material from the sources effectively in the paper.

Dole Food Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dole Food Company - Essay Example In July 2001, it was reincorporated as a Delaware corporation. Its headquarters is located in Westlake village, California. Dole is one of the world’s leading producers of pineapples, bananas, packed fresh vegetables, salads and fruit products. In the fiscal year ended 2, 2010, this company generated operating income of about $352 million and total revenue of approximately $6.8 billion. By January 2, 2010, Dole had total revenue of $4.1 billion. Dole has divided its business operations into three segments: the fresh vegetable segment produces and distributes fresh-packed and value added salads, and vegetables to institutional customers and retailers primarily in Europe, North America and Asia (Dole Food Company, Castle & Cooke, Inc, 2003). The fresh fruit segment is divided into several departments, which are responsible for the production and distribution of fresh fruits to retail, wholesale and institutional customers worldwide. The third segment is packaged foods segment, w hich also includes a number of divisions that process and distribute packed foods including frozen fruit, juices, fruit and healthy snack food (U.S. International Trade Commission, 2002). The writer chose to analyze the accounting process and financial statements of Dole Food Company because of its outstanding performance in the food processing industry. In addition, it was not difficult obtaining the company’s financial statement since my mother works in the company as a quality assurance manager. The financial statements used for this project were obtained from the internet, by opening the company’s Website link I was given by my mother. The main aim of this paper is to understand the analysis of the accounting process and financial statements of Companies by focusing on Dole Food Company. In the paper, I will analyze Dole’s balance sheet, statements of cash flow, and income statements. Before analyzing Dole’s accounting process and financial statements , it is necessary to understand some of the key accounting concepts and terms that are used by Dole’s accountants when recording and balancing financial statements and other transactions. 1) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) - this principle refers to the standard framework of guidelines for financial accounting (Bernstein & Wild, 2000). It includes conventions, standards and principles that accountants observe when recording and balancing financial statements and other transactions. GAAP can be obtained from several sources including promulgation of the Accounting Principle Board and Financial Accounting Standards (Pefianco & Rosario, 2006). 2) Accrual Basis verses Cash Basis Accounting: accrual basis is the income earned and reported in particular periods despite of when it was received (Costales & Szurovy, 1993). It also includes the expenses that were incurred regardless of whether they were paid or not. In the financial statements used for this project, it is evident that Dole’s accountants recorded both expenses and income when they occurred. Cash basis accounting involves recording of transactions based on cash position and cash flow. Revenue is recorded upon cash receipt, and expenses when cash is paid. This accounting method is evident in Dole’s financial statements; however, it is not commonly used like Accrual Basis Accounting (Hey-Cunningham, 2007). 3) Current Assets and Liabilities verses Non-Current Items: Current assets are items that are available in cash form, or can be changed into cash within a short period (Dyckman, 2001). Example that is present in Dole’s financial statement is inventory or accounts receivable. Fixed assets, on the other hand, are assets which cannot easily be converted

Title is Open Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Title is Open - Essay Example Much emphasis will however be given to his noteworthy accomplishments and their importance or influence in the current century. Gauss had a lot of influence in the field of mathematics. He was the first mathematician to prove the theorem of algebra, a concept that is used to solve many mathematical problems even today. Writing of the book by the name Disquisitines Arithmeticae is another great achievement of Gauss. Another significant achievement is the discovery of the Law of Quadratic Reciprocity. This is an incredibly fundamental concept in today’s world. It allows individuals to establish whether there can be a solution to quadratic equations. Gauss also made a lot of contributions to science. For instance, he made it easy to understand the concepts of the nature of electricity and magnetism (West, 2008). Algebra is widely utilized today. Companies use it to project annual budgets. It is also combined with statistics to predict companies’ annual turnover. Algebra is also used in learning institutions to prepare annual reports of students as well as in predicting usage of the different materials used in examinations. It is also used in the calculation of payable income tax, bank interest as well as annual table income. We also use algebra unconsciously in our day to day lives, for example, in comparing of various products with respect to quantities while doing shopping. These are just some of this century’s applications of algebra, a concept attributed to Gauss. The other achievement is the publication of the book; Disquisitines Arithmeticae, at the age of 24years. Although written long ago, it is considered as one of the most significant books in the mathematics field today. This book has made the understanding of various mathematical concepts easier. This is because Gauss brought together the isolated theorems and conjectures from works of other mathematicians thus filling the gaps that

Reading a Health Record Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading a Health Record - Coursework Example Abdomen: Benign, Genitalia: normal with red sacral area. Extremities 3+ pitting edema to the knees. Neurological: good and on track. The patient doesn’t sleep well, has increased pedal edema and no symptoms of coughing or fever. X-ray displays Left pleural effusion, congestive heart failure and pneumonia. In the case of patient assessment with cognitive heart failure, left pleural effusion and pneumonia a dosage of Diurese was administered, four antibiotics, blood cultures and sputum test. The patient is admitted and put on bed rest with oxygen mask. Behavioral problem – patient constantly complaining of poor living conditions of the facility, staff and food. She doesn’t want to sleep in her room. Causal factor appears to having trouble with anger or adjustment problem and severe end-stage cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is caused by hardening of the arteries responsible for bringing blood into the heart. As the arteries narrow the heart lacks oxygen and gradually it becomes difficult for the heart to pump blood. This condition is diagnosed when heart has irregular heartbeat and fractional ejection is lower. Fractional ejection can be tested through MRI of heart, echocardiogram, cardiac blood pooling image and gated SPECT. Change of certain lifestyle habits that lead to heart failure. Introduction of a Pacemaker to help the heart beat slow down or beat normally. There are surgery procedures like angioplasty and cardiac catheterization that helps good flow of blood in the veins. If a patient fails all treatment then heart transplant would be the only alternative left. (Libby & Braunwald, 2008) The patient was put under the right diagnosis given her symptoms and the treatment of the disease. The patient tested positive for Ischemic cardiomyopathy. The patient displayed all symptoms as projected in the hospital records that matched the

Dole Food Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dole Food Company - Essay Example In July 2001, it was reincorporated as a Delaware corporation. Its headquarters is located in Westlake village, California. Dole is one of the world’s leading producers of pineapples, bananas, packed fresh vegetables, salads and fruit products. In the fiscal year ended 2, 2010, this company generated operating income of about $352 million and total revenue of approximately $6.8 billion. By January 2, 2010, Dole had total revenue of $4.1 billion. Dole has divided its business operations into three segments: the fresh vegetable segment produces and distributes fresh-packed and value added salads, and vegetables to institutional customers and retailers primarily in Europe, North America and Asia (Dole Food Company, Castle & Cooke, Inc, 2003). The fresh fruit segment is divided into several departments, which are responsible for the production and distribution of fresh fruits to retail, wholesale and institutional customers worldwide. The third segment is packaged foods segment, w hich also includes a number of divisions that process and distribute packed foods including frozen fruit, juices, fruit and healthy snack food (U.S. International Trade Commission, 2002). The writer chose to analyze the accounting process and financial statements of Dole Food Company because of its outstanding performance in the food processing industry. In addition, it was not difficult obtaining the company’s financial statement since my mother works in the company as a quality assurance manager. The financial statements used for this project were obtained from the internet, by opening the company’s Website link I was given by my mother. The main aim of this paper is to understand the analysis of the accounting process and financial statements of Companies by focusing on Dole Food Company. In the paper, I will analyze Dole’s balance sheet, statements of cash flow, and income statements. Before analyzing Dole’s accounting process and financial statements , it is necessary to understand some of the key accounting concepts and terms that are used by Dole’s accountants when recording and balancing financial statements and other transactions. 1) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) - this principle refers to the standard framework of guidelines for financial accounting (Bernstein & Wild, 2000). It includes conventions, standards and principles that accountants observe when recording and balancing financial statements and other transactions. GAAP can be obtained from several sources including promulgation of the Accounting Principle Board and Financial Accounting Standards (Pefianco & Rosario, 2006). 2) Accrual Basis verses Cash Basis Accounting: accrual basis is the income earned and reported in particular periods despite of when it was received (Costales & Szurovy, 1993). It also includes the expenses that were incurred regardless of whether they were paid or not. In the financial statements used for this project, it is evident that Dole’s accountants recorded both expenses and income when they occurred. Cash basis accounting involves recording of transactions based on cash position and cash flow. Revenue is recorded upon cash receipt, and expenses when cash is paid. This accounting method is evident in Dole’s financial statements; however, it is not commonly used like Accrual Basis Accounting (Hey-Cunningham, 2007). 3) Current Assets and Liabilities verses Non-Current Items: Current assets are items that are available in cash form, or can be changed into cash within a short period (Dyckman, 2001). Example that is present in Dole’s financial statement is inventory or accounts receivable. Fixed assets, on the other hand, are assets which cannot easily be converted

Reading a Health Record Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading a Health Record - Coursework Example Abdomen: Benign, Genitalia: normal with red sacral area. Extremities 3+ pitting edema to the knees. Neurological: good and on track. The patient doesn’t sleep well, has increased pedal edema and no symptoms of coughing or fever. X-ray displays Left pleural effusion, congestive heart failure and pneumonia. In the case of patient assessment with cognitive heart failure, left pleural effusion and pneumonia a dosage of Diurese was administered, four antibiotics, blood cultures and sputum test. The patient is admitted and put on bed rest with oxygen mask. Behavioral problem – patient constantly complaining of poor living conditions of the facility, staff and food. She doesn’t want to sleep in her room. Causal factor appears to having trouble with anger or adjustment problem and severe end-stage cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is caused by hardening of the arteries responsible for bringing blood into the heart. As the arteries narrow the heart lacks oxygen and gradually it becomes difficult for the heart to pump blood. This condition is diagnosed when heart has irregular heartbeat and fractional ejection is lower. Fractional ejection can be tested through MRI of heart, echocardiogram, cardiac blood pooling image and gated SPECT. Change of certain lifestyle habits that lead to heart failure. Introduction of a Pacemaker to help the heart beat slow down or beat normally. There are surgery procedures like angioplasty and cardiac catheterization that helps good flow of blood in the veins. If a patient fails all treatment then heart transplant would be the only alternative left. (Libby & Braunwald, 2008) The patient was put under the right diagnosis given her symptoms and the treatment of the disease. The patient tested positive for Ischemic cardiomyopathy. The patient displayed all symptoms as projected in the hospital records that matched the

Mary Kay ash speech outline Essay Example for Free

Mary Kay ash speech outline Essay Faith first family second and career third perseverance and dedication to these principal took Mary Kay Ash to be named the greatest female entrepreneur in American history by Baylor University (Notable biographies) a lady never reveals her age Mary Kay Date of birth unknown Excelled in school Married at 17 had three children son is now owner of the company after her death in 2001 Three things Mary Kay is most known for her generosity her legacy and her drive (Her generosity) (Mary Kay tribute) Mary Kay hoped that anyone who did business with the company would be richer for it, not only financially but also spiritually. She built her business on the golden rule and the go give spirit with honesty and integrity as cornerstones (Mary Kay tribute) (Entrepreneur ) Believing it was important to reward hard workers Mary Kay has given away over 9000 cars to their consultants, from red Grand Ams to pink Cadillacs. Mary Kay also founded the Mary Kay charitable foundation which included programs devoted to the prevention of violence against women. (Notable biographies) She helped raise money for cancer research and in 1993 she was honored with the dedication of the Mary Kay Ash Center for Cancer immunotherapy research at St. Paul medical center in Dallas (Her legacy) (Mary Kay Ash tribute). Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around their neck that says make me feel important, not only will you  succeed in business but also in life (Mary Kay Ash) This attitude That she portrayed made her known world wide Even after her death in 2001 Mary Kay was honored as the greatest female entrepreneur in American history by a panel of Business historians Mary Kays goal for providing women an unlimited opportunity for personal and financial success still drives the company today. (Mary Kay tribute) (Her drive) (Notable biographies). Her drive was her belief Womens abilities And her willingness to provide opportunities for hundreds of thousands of women worldwide (Entrepreneur website) Today there are more than 500,000 sales consultants in 29 countries, generating more than $2 billion a year When asked what her biggest accomplishment was Mary Kay said The legacy of a whole community of children who believe they can do anything in this world because they watched their mama do it

Challenges Of The Hr Specialist Management Essay

Challenges Of The Hr Specialist Management Essay As a HR specialist, what are the challenges you may face and what HR intervention mechanisms would you consider using in an attempt to drive individual and organisational performance in a multinational company? Critically evaluate this question by utilising the appropriate academic literatures. This thesis proposed the challenges of the HR specialist when there engage in attempt of increasing the individual and organisational performances in Multinational Companies through developing a set of coherent HRM best practices, especially relating to employee recruitment and selection, performance management and staff retention. Since the organizations are multinational number of concerns are arises such as dealing cultural issues with the organizational goals as well as individual goals. Furthermore organizational behaviors and tools such as engagement, motivation and empowerment are basically highlighted; without those it is merely a dream to achieving the business goals. Basically Multinational companies are aiming profits and there for individual and organisational performance are very vital for their existence. HR has been organized in a different ways over the years. Some functions have emphasized delivery by location or by business structure. In these models an integrated HR team has serviced managers and employees at specific location or with in specific businesses units, with some more strategic or complex tasks reserved for the corporate centre. The degree to which these different arms of HR were centralized or co-located and the question of whether they were managed by the business unit varied. Within the HR teams, depending up on their size their might have been specialization by work area (especially for industrial relations in the 1960s and 1970s) or by employee grade or group (responsibility, say, divided between those looking after clerical staff from those covering production) The advancement of personal management starts around end of the 19th century, when welfare officers came in to being. This creation was a reaction to the harshness of industrial conditions, coupled with pr essure arising from the extention of the franchise, the influence of the trade unions and the labour movement and the campaigning of enlightened employers, often quakers, for what was called industrial betterment. (CIPD Research Role of HR) Personal Management(PM) is mainly concerned with obtaining, organizing and motivating the human resources required by the corporation (ARMSTRONG, Michael, 1977) PM includes a range of activities which deals with the workforce other than the resources and also more administrative in nature. HRM deals with soft issues rather than administrative tasks of personnel management and explain a wide vision of how management would like the resources to organise to the success of the organization. Becker and Gerhart (1996) and Wright,Dunford and Snell (2001) have concluded that although the traditional view as HR acost to be minimised (Becker Gerart,1996:779)is being challenged by the rise of strategic HRM, the conventional view is still prevalent in the professional domain. Wright, Dunford and Snell(2001)expand on this by stating that the HR function hasconsistently faced a battle in justifying its position in organisations (Wright,Dunford Snell 2001:701) and during times of economic hardship, the HR function is usually the first function to feel the full effect of organisational streamlining and cost cutting efforts. There are various models exists to explain the peoples role in an organization. The business oriented approach to people management described by Storey (1989) as Hard HRM emerged as a method of responding to and supporting the enterprise culture of the 1980s. Hard HRM and Soft HRM are two contrasting styles that helps to tackle workforce in an organization. Hard HRM mainly focused on achieving organisational goals while Soft HRM deals with more insightful functions like Human Resource Education, Leadership Development, Organization Culture, Relationship building while the achieving organisational goals. More recently the importance of involving and developing people which is characteristic of current approchches to personal management has been emphasized by the resource based theory of the firm formulated by Barney(1991). This explains that competitive advantage is achieved if a firm can obtain and develop human resources which enable it to learn faster and apply its learning more effectively than its competitors. An approach based on this concept will aim to improve resource capability(Kamoche,1996)achieving strategic fit between resources and opportunities and obtaining added value from the effective deployment of these resources.(The name has changed but has the game remained same, Armstrong) Ulrich described how HR practitioners employ in a set of roles defined along two axes: strategy versus operations and process versus people. The four key roles that become known from these two dimensions are Strategic partner, Administrative Expert, Employee Champion, Change agent. Strategic Partners help to successfully accomplish business strategy and meet customer needs. Administrative Experts continuously improve organisational efficiency by reengineering the HR function and other work process. Employee Champions maximize employee commitment and capability while Change Agent delivers organisational transformation and culture change. (CIPD Resarch Of HR, 2007) There have been considerable tensions around the conceptualizations of roles and how the work of Ulrich and others has been interpreted. According to Ashton and Lambert (2005),while Ulrichs original four roles have been influential, whether and how they are put in to practice varies. (The changing HR functions) There are some organizations where HR is seen as a central, corporate function with little advancement to business units. Some other organizations position themselves in the opposite direction, with a very small corporate centre and all the activity distributed to business units. The question of best structure is how the function best organizes itself between the pulls of centralization and the pushes of decentralization.(The changing HR functions) The HR assumptions and HR practices observed in high performing firms are the key elements to the formation of the Best Practice theory. Employment security, selective hiring, self managed teams, high pay contingent on company performance, extensive training, reduction of status difference, and sharing information are the key element of the theory. However less concern about the organisational goals and culture are given as draw backs for the theory. According to the best fit theory a firms that follows a cost leadership strategy designs narrow jobs and provides little job security, whereas a company pursuing a differentiation strategy emphasizes training and development. In other words this argues that all SHRM activities must be consistent with each other and linked to the strategic objectives of the business. Selective hiring of new employees are greatly support to achieve both individual and organisational performance. Recruitment and selection is more or less subjective in its nature, with the objectives of any given business at the forefront of process. To select the best fit there is no specific way. It is clear that combining techniques greatly increases accuracy. The combination of intelligence test or work sampling leads to a substantial improvement in validity (Shmidt and Hunter(1998)). Comprehensive recruitment and selection policy will be enable an organization to become competitive with in the market and also, with right people in the right place at the right time, will lead to a high performing culture with in the organization while adding extra value to the organisation. The main focus of Employee Recruitment is to generate a pool of appropriate candidates for the selection process. This to be carried out in cost effective way and while remain in lawfull. Organizations can de cide whether to select externally or internally. Internal recruitment may not always be beneficial. Ex: no one suitable or stagnation. Best way is to recruit both internally and externally (Torrington, Hall Taylor, 2008). But many organisations prefer to look to recruit internally first especially when this represents a promotion (Newall Shackleton, 2000) To select the best fit there is no specific way. It is clear that combining techniques greatly increases accuracy , the combination of intelligence tests with structured interview, integrity test or work sampling leads to a substantial improvement in validity (Schmidt Hunter (1998).) At the interview stage attitude based competencies should give more priority in order to select the best candidate. In addition during the recruiting and selection process psychological contract between employer and the employee is distinct and specify. According to the report Engaging for Success: enhancing performance through employee engagement,engaged employees have a sence of personal attachment to their work and organization; they are motivated and able to give of their best to help it succeed and from that flows a series of tangible benefits for organization and individual alike'(Macleod Clarke 2009:7) HRM uses various technologies to direct employees behavior towards objectives and tasks that deliver approved organisational performance. Many organizations try to frame these levers with an overall performance management system, and attach incentives and rewards to achievements of objectives and targets within this. In recent years PM has become massively popular. The basic idea was to fix behavior to targets and attach financial rewards. Howe ever performance related pay was not always introduced for the best reason; there was a preoccupation with defining measures to which individual rewards could be attached and the connection with performance was often tenuous (IPM/IMS, 1992) For many line managers PM is still means no more than the appraisal process and it seen as time consuming, bureaucratic, paper driven and top down with little reference to organisational performance and goals.(Egan,1995) Despite significant efforts to present performance management as a systemic process and to raise managers sights (eg.Armstrong,1994;Hartle, 1995) many fundamental problems remain. A PMS may, indeed, support employee development, but this is often undermined by number of problems, among the most important which are, The link between individual behavior and business objectives, Defining and aligning objectives, Motivation theory and managers own assumptions and beliefs, Performance management as a management process, The impact on the employment relationship etc.. A analysis of above issues highlights fundamental questions about performance linkages and how rewards are attached to these and how the motivation to control unnecessarily and inappropriately vitiates the design of rewards and incentives.(Human Resource Management Journal, vol 10-No-3) In addition people performance is vitiated by the obsession with control and therefore is liable to undermine, rather than contribute to, performance. It should only be done within a context of strict attention to corporate business objectives and limited number of specific improvement goals. Engagement is a crucial organisational tool that can generate both individual and organisational performance and can be defined as a set of positive attitudes and behaviors enabling high job performance of kind which are in tune with the organization mission'(Storey, Wright Ulrich 2008) Recent research concluded that there are 3 broad groups of employees. Engaged (loyal, productive, would recommend their organization to friends) , Non-engaged (productive but not bonded, tempted by job vacancies, instrumental, focus on hours JDs), Disengaged (physically present but psychologically absent, negative, uncooperative, hostile, uninvolved) (Buckingham (2001) What a waste PM October) We can perhaps distinguish between two types of employee turnover: Functional vs Dysfunctional turnover functional turnover serves to promoted ideas and methods and can thus renew a stagnating organisation (Carrell et al, 1995, 177). According to Hom and Griffeth (1995), functional turnover is more common than dysfunctional: In addition, high turnover is often less troubling in relatively low skill occupations; especially customer-service related ones (fast-food restaurants, telesales, etc). Kearns (1994) suggests this is because organisations want to harness short-term enthusiasm. Thus, empl oyee turnover may not be a bad thing, however, there is likely to be a point beyond which it is unhealthy. Taylor (2008) suggests this is a rate of 5-10%. The more valuable the employee to the organisation, the more damaging the resignation especially if he/she chooses to work for a competitor Indirect concerns/costs include:-Productivity losses,Impaired quality of service,Lost business opportunities, An increased administrative burden,Employee demoralisation Direct costs include: Recruitment costs (advertising, admin, etc),Induction/training costs,Other admin costs associated with new hires,Overtime/ cost of temporary workers,Reduced productivity during induction Taylor (2008)-The employee turnover decisi Evaluate existing job, Experience job dissatisfaction, Think of quitting, Evaluate expected utility of search for new job and cost of quitting, Decide to search for alternatives, Search for alternatives, Evaluate alternatives, Compare best alternative with present job, Decide whether to stay or quit, Quit on process Mobley(1977), ten stage model. There are ways to investigate why employees leave from the organisation.,Exit interviews (89%)Anon. exit questionnaires (28%),Word of mouth (25%),Extrapolate from staff attitude surveys (23%),Exit interviews external consultant used (2%),Surveys of ex-employees (rare) (CIPD survey 2009) Following ways are considered as most effective way to address staff retention.Realistic job previews, Job e nrichment, Workspace characteristics (environment), Induction practices, Leader-member exchange, Employee selection, Reward practices, Demographic diversity,Managing inter-role conflict (Hom Griffeth, 1995) Multinational Corporation has its facilities and other assets in at least one country other than its home country. Such companies have offices and factories in different countries and usually have a centralized head office. Nearly all dominant multinationals are American, Japanese, or Western European such as Nike, Coca-cola, Wal- Mart, AOL, Toshiba, Honda and BMW. MNCs may take any of four forms: a decentralized that has a strong home-country presence; a global and centralized corporation that can acquire a cost advantage through centralized production; an international company that builds on the parent companys technology or research and development; or a transnational enterprise that combines all three of these approaches. In the modern world the capabilities and the knowledge incorporated in an organisations human resources are the key to performance. So on both the cost and benefit sides of the equation, HRM is crucial to the survival, performance and success of the enterprise. For MNCs, the additional complications of dealing with multicultural assumptions about the way people should be managed and differing institutional constraints become important contributors to the chances of that success. A culture is a set of basic tacit assumptions about how the world is and ought to be that a group of people share and that determines their perceptions, thoughts, feelings and to some degree, their overt behavior. Culture manifests itself at three levels. The level of deep tacit assumptions that are the essence of the culture, the level of espoused values that often reflect what a group wishes ideally to be and the way it wants to present it self publicly and the day to day behavior that represents a complex compromise among the espoused value, the deeper assumptions, and the immediate requirements of the situation. (1996)(Sloan Management Review/fall 1996) Geert Hofstedes theory of cultural dimensions describes the effects of a societys culture on the values of its members, and how these values relate to behavior, using a structure derived from factor analysis. The theory has been widely used in several fields as a paradigm for research, particularly in cross-cultural psychology, international management, and cross-cultural communication. The original theory proposed four dimensions along which cultural values could be analyzed: individualism-collectivism; uncertainty avoidance; power distance (strength of social hierarchy) and masculinity-femininity. (task orientation versus person-orientation) With compared to UK Asian countries characterized by high power distance and week uncertainty avoidance. The HRM approach in Asia generally accepted as being humanists rather than materialistic. Therefore MNCs in Asia focus much concentration on personal growth and development of employees. In return for an organization creating opportunities, employees reciprocate with increased commitment and lower levels of absenteeism and turn over. (Ayree, Chen and Budhwar,2004) In European context highly focus on Individualism and masculine with low power distance and week uncertainty avoidance Hofstede,1980). Performance Appraisal Systems (PAS) basically aimed towards being achieving individual-level targets for employees and preparing cutting edges to identifying performance ratings for rewards. Individualism is more common in western cultures unlike Asian culture is more parental. Therefore western HR practice may be not measured the required standards in Asian MNC employees performance if it not ideally matched for the cultural and organisational targets. However some argues that the world is becoming more globalised, all aspects of business and HRM are becoming more alike which indicate the convergence divergence debate. In conclusion there is evidence to suggest that including the practice out line within this thesis organisational behaviours and tools can used to drive organisational and individual performance in Multinational companies. It is essential to have suitable recruitment and selection process, Performance Appraisal System and Staff Retention plan to ensure the right people, In the right place, at the right time with right attitude. Training and development is also vital to improve HR performance. In addition HR Specialists role will be more specific when these techniques applying in to multi cultural environments where people perceptions and behavioral patterns are different from each other.

Altruism: Our Desire to Help Others Essay -- Psychology

Over the endless cycles of generations, human life has lived up to its fundamental purpose of survival. Not only have we survived as a species, but we have evolved into the most complicated species on earth. Creatures riddled with mystery, emotion, morality; we have outdone ourselves in overcoming our basic reset function of survival. We originated in the mindset of survive and reproduce only to morph into a race rooted in emotion and intricate thought. Darwin’s theory, survival of the fittest, calculates that humans basic goal and reason of life is to survive, and reproduce; to have only ones self in mind. But why then, if natural selection filters us down to survival of the fittest, might one creature stick its neck out for another? Regardless of Darwin’s theory, we have evolved into a species in which our fundamentals are ‘good’ in nature; significantly outweighing our instinct of selfish survival. Over the years, science has been able to put the human selfish instinct to the test, and divulge the truth on why we help others. A method of selflessness called altruism is the belief in complete lack of selfishness in exchange for genuine concern for the well being of others. One of the most famous and haunting stories of a person engulfing themselves in this way of life is George Price. Throughout his life, George Price was a fluctuating and ever changing scientist. Accepted to Harvard and the University of Chicago, he eventually obtained a doctorate degree in chemistry. Price worked on the Manhattan project, a program during World War I focusing on building an atomic bomb. He later went on to work in various fields such as computer science, psychology, politics, and eventually moved to London where he discovered his love for e... ... Web. 22 May 2012. James Marshall attended Bristol College and is currently teaching at Sheffield College. He earned a Doctorate in Evolutionary studies, as well as has substantial experience with computer related studies. His quote further describes the Price Equation and its affiliation with genes themselves. Weintraub, Stanley. Silent Night: The Story of the WWI Christmas Truce. New York: The Free Press, 2001. Print. Stanley Weintraub is a professor, historian, and biographer. He spent many months in Korea, during the Korean War with first hand experience on the hardships of war. He began writing after the bombing of Pear Harbor. His telling of the events of the Christmas Truce on the western front is both enlightening and accurate. The way he phrases things causes a realization that this moment was fleeting. After all, it was in the middle of a war.