Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Secret Behind Music Industry Research Paper

The Secret Behind Music Industry - Research Paper Example The other secret involves building some diversity. For instance, when one is building some roster for management, he or she should pick bands that are of the same gender. The bands should be of the same scene, and this is because the bands will have to play together and influence chances off every other including matching the managers music taste. Here, the negatives are usually disregarded while the positives are quite considered. Therefore, in order for one to venture into the music industry, he or she should consider diversity quite remarkably seriously. When one follows such a path, his or her responsibilities will be equal across the music genres. One should not work in only one area. Partnerships and missions also are some of the secrets of the music industry. Almost all bands should purpose to sit down and make some writing about two separate documents. The two documents should form the stamina of the band’s working relationship, and this is whichever one is playing in his or her grandma’s stadium. The first document, in which case it involves the partnership, should contain the names of people in the band, creative splits between the members of the band, the financial agreements, parting agreements, and sharing of money from the band. The second document, in which case it involves the mission statements, should address why every member is playing in the band, including what the band is trying to achieve. The stamen should be realistic and should be re-examined after some period (Byron). The other secret behind the music industry involves the press shots. Press shots are the most significant tools that the bands have at their disposal. However, there exists some crucial... The paper describes the secret about the music industry which involves connection or rather just a plan. The other secret behind the music industry, and which is quite advantageous, involves personal branding. In fact, most of the band managers name their companies using their own names and also booking agents transfer from one booking agency to another, but they have to pull their own brand across with them. Personal branding should not be taken as too personal, in which case one will lose a lot. The last secret involves putting the budget as the first consideration. One should look for a producer who is able to market him or her. Indeed leading producers are quite exclusive, and hence, one should put enough consideration to the budget. Budgeting is crucial in the music industry because one has to record the music, promote, press, and also create some video clips. Lastly, the current world involves the use of technology, in which case the internet and other new electronic allotment platforms play the prominent role, the new artist can display their talents to any person that may be having the computer or any portable electronic device. Some can use the internet to hear from the artist. In addition, the paper talks that most youthful people like using the internet, and hence, the internet will play a big role in the music industry.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Personal & Career Development Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal & Career Development Programme - Essay Example You will carry out a literature search on a business in a specific sector which forms a short report in the journal. The focus of the research should be on their business model, products or services, potential business developments, customer or client base. This is designed to help you prepare for questions in an interview which ask you to display knowledge of their business operations. In carrying out the research you should avoid relying solely on information published by the organization and look for independent views and analysis. Google Business Model Google has made enviable strides in a very short time. The company is only in its thirteenth year but it is bigger than many older companies (Google, 2011). The main mode of income generating at goggle is advertising (Betz, 2011). They place advertisements on various products, which they provide free (Murthy, 2007). They even allow users to share in the advertising fees through Google Adwords and Google Adsense (Hill, 2004). In sho rt, Google provides multiple platforms for advertisers to put their advertisements and provides services to end users without cost. Products and Services Google has a very wide range of products. The most popular ones are the Google search engine and Gmail (Hochman, 2010). The search engine helps internet users to find information from the internet based on keywords (Girard, 2009). Gmail on the other hand is a free email platform that allows users to send and receive emails among other services. Other service offered by Google is the YouTube service. This was an acquisition by Google to help in prop its web presence. In addition, there are services such as Blogger through which Google to give free blogs. Potential Business Developments Google has been in the process of improving its services (Gaist, 2009). One of the recent, changes are the upgrade of the appearance of its search engine and the impending system wide change of the appearance of the Gmail email platform. As a company, Google generally avoids making too many changes on its products, opting to build on existing ones by adding optional functionalities to them (Rothkopf, 2009). A case in point is the recent introduction of Google+, which is Google’s attempt at entering the social media scene. It is simply an extension of Gmail. This ideal also shows in Google’s concept of a single sign in. Once a user signs in to any of Google’s applications, they can access all other products provided they registered to use it. Another interesting development that Google is pushing through is Google Places. This application will make it possible for people to know in real time where others are, based on their cell phone signal (Bailyn & Bailyn, 2011). This product is yet to hit the market in a big way, but it will become significant when people get comfortable with others knowing where they are at any one time. Customer Base Google’s customers are the advertisers who put up their adverts on the platforms Google provides (Betz, 2011). End users of the services are not the customers of the company (Paliwal, 2006). They do not generate revenue for Google. They simply provide Google with potential consumer groups to whom the company’s customers can advertise. Reference List Bailyn, E. & Bailyn, B., 2011. Outsmarting Google: SEO Secrets to Winning New Business. Que Publishing. Betz, F., 2011.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Impact of Teamwork on Organisational Problem Solving

Impact of Teamwork on Organisational Problem Solving Can Groups and Teams be seen as the silver bullet to solve organisational problems? Reflect critically on this issue drawing on theory and research. Introduction In recent years, the implementation of groups and teams has become more commonplace in firms: 78% of US workplaces use teams (Allen and Hecht, 2004) and 72% of UK organizations involve their core employees in formal teams (Kersley et al., 2013). However, scholars have generally been divided about the effectiveness of teams in solving challenges in the workplace, with varying empirical results and evidence. Despite their popularity, are groups and teams always beneficial to workplaces? In observing the drawbacks of implementing teams, it is suggested that alternative factors are equally important in solving organizational problems. This essay attempts to show that teams are not the silver bullet for all organizations by critiquing populist theories on benefits of teams, discussing additional problems that may arise from teams and lastly, by questioning the assumptions of this essay. Although Katzenbach and Smith (1993a, p.45) defined team as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable and working group as a small number of people working in a collaborative style with individual input and accountability, I will use groups and teams interchangeably and not draw a distinction between the two terms for the most part of this essay. This is in line with many writers (e.g. Allen and Hecht, 2004), who regarded them as the same and that teams are two or more people working interdependently towards achieving a common goal. Section 1: Critiquing popular theories on benefits of teams Historical view of teams: Sociotechnical systems theory (STS) The term STS was originally coined by Emery and Trist (1960) to describe systems which involve a complex interaction between people, machines, and the organizations external environment; it was about utilizing the human and technical aspects to make an organization more effective. STS was the basic foundation for the empowerment of teams, arguing that as workers gain more autonomy over their jobs, team members can make greater use of their skills and judgment to better tackle organizational problems (Cohen et al., 1996). Groups were suggested as an alternative to routine Tayloristic and Fordist frameworks by reducing boredom and by allowing workers to be more involved and interested in their tasks. This works in theory, but teams may not be that autonomous or beneficial in practice. Murakami (1997) studied the introduction of teams in fourteen car plants worldwide and although teams were given some autonomy about work distribution and internal leadership, he found that managerial power in the most important areas of car production remained unchallenged. Barker (1993) argued that while teams may appear to give workers more autonomy over their jobs, groups may represent a more subtle and intensive form of control as team members can control each others actions through surveillance or social pressures. Besides that, research has indicated that in becoming group members, individuals often lose their problem-solving facilities, become emotionally segregated and blame others for their failure (Wells, 1980 cited in Sinclair, 1992, p.616). In line with that, Naquin and Tynan (2003) agreed that teams receive joint credit for successes but often blame team failure on an individual member , leading to conflict within the group. Dunphy and Bryant (1996) argued that the implementation of self-managed teams shifts the burden of problem-solving from managers to employees, leading to intensification of work and heightened stress levels. This is in line with Rothschild and Whitt (1986) who revealed that groups can often be a source of stress rather than satisfaction and have a negative effect on employees well-being. Nevertheless, even if some workers enjoy their job more through teams, there is no evidence that this will always lead to improved performance. Some researchers have suggested that job performance leads to job satisfaction but not the reverse (Bagozzi, 1980). And even if it does improve individual performance, it may not necessarily lead to organizational effectiveness in solving problems (Sinclair, 1992). Belbins Team Roles Another theory which popularized team effectiveness was Belbins model of team roles. Belbin identified nine team roles/ contributions that are seen to be crucial for organizational effectiveness (Belbin, 1993). Each team role is considered important because it helps to provide a good balance for achieving tasks. The essential contributions are solving problems, exploring resources, coordinating tasks, imparting drive, evaluating information, developing team members, implementing ideas, perfecting details, and providing knowledge. Some modern workplaces form teams on the basis of Belbins team profiles as they supposedly allow organizations to recognize and use others strengths to best advantage (Belbin, 2014). To a certain extent, Belbins model of teams and team roles may appear to solve certain organizational problems. For example, problems at organizations may occur due to ambiguity and role conflict. When there is role ambiguity, workers are uncertain which responsibilities they should tackle, leading to anxiety. This may also lead to conflict if one worker believes that another is impinging on their role, putting newcomers in a difficult position as they are apprehensive of taking on tasks (Slaughter and Zicker, 2006). By clearly defining team roles using Belbins model, organizations may be able to avoid some of these problems. However, Belbins model has been re-examined with mixed results. For example, Fisher (1996) argued that Belbin team roles have little psychometric support and that it is unreliable to use it as the basis for team roles. Another criticism is that Belbin insinuated that there are only a limited number of ways in which people can usefully contribute to teams when in practice, roles are complex and varied. Imposing team roles onto people and expecting them to contribute to workplaces in a certain way may lead to stereotyping. For example, an individual who is actually more efficient working alone may be accused of being a bad employee just because they are not a team player (Sewell, 2001). Apart from that, Belbins original research mainly focused on upper-management level executives in Britain in the 1970s, consisting mostly of middle-class white men. This does not mean that Belbins theory of teams and team roles cannot be applied to other cultures, but it could be biased as the research was based on a specific demographic. Katzenbach and Smiths Wisdom of Teams Katzenbach and Smith (1993a) argued that teams will always outperform individuals when teams are properly understood and supported. They suggested that the mutual accountability, commitment, and skills of team members will encourage open discussions and critical problem-solving. The better teams will move beyond individual responsibilities and pursue team performance goals like increasing work quality or responding to customers faster, reducing inefficiency problems. Storey (2007) argued that this theory adopts a unitarist view of management where employees and managers are constantly in pursuit of higher productivity, which may not always be true in practice. The main critique is that Katzenbach and Smith wrote from their personal work experiences (Wilson, 2013). Their research had no solid empirical evidence and while they claimed to collect information through interviews, they did not divulge how they analyzed the data. They were also inclined to ignore public service sector or third sector examples, which could make their findings biased. Additionally, this theory played down the intrinsic qualities of organizational problems such as job satisfaction or workers feelings and personal motivations. Metcalf and Linstead (2003) argued that this approach is masculinist as it adopted a view that only emphasized better performance, with the soft components such as sensitivities and feelings of members being marginalized. However, to successfully solve organizational problems, we should consider both masculinist and soft aspects as organizational problems can be related to both. Hence, this theory fails to explain why teams would be the solutio n to all challenges. Section 2: Problems that arise from implementing teams Social loafing Secondly, teams should not be seen as a panacea because they may cause even more organizational problems. One of the problems that arise from teams is social loafing, colloquially known as free riding or laziness. Simply stated, it refers to a situation in which certain members of a group exert less effort than the others (Clegg at al., 2016). Primarily, people exert less effort in groups as they feel less accountable when they know other members will compensate by exerting additional effort on their behalf (Harkins and Szymanski, 1989). Ezzamel and Wilmott (1998) observed workplace social loafing in a company they dubbed StichCo. When teams were introduced to StitchCo, the younger and more inexperienced workers with no responsibilities were less pressured to increase their wages through bonuses. They were seen to reap the advantages of a shared team bonus, working below the minimum level of efficiency while older workers overcompensated for their lack of efforts. This created resentment and conflict among those workers who were working harder. Although challenges occur when implementing team roles as discussed earlier, one way of countering social loafing is by ensuring that team members have clear responsibilities and accountability. Theoretically, one would assume that social loafing would be much less likely to exist in work teams because team pressures can be a powerful source of conformance. Sewell (1998) pointed out that non-performing team members may be pressured to perform or leave through immense social pressures. Hence in some ways, conformance and cohesion can cancel out social loafing. Groupthink Nevertheless, cohesion in groups are not always beneficial to organizations as it may cause another problem: Groupthink. Janis (1982) coined the term Groupthink when he studied historical situations where teams with prestigious and well-educated members make disastrous decisions, such as the Bay of Pigs incident. One key characteristic of Groupthink is when members choose to stand by decisions that the group has committed itself to, despite evidence that these decisions are bad or disturbing the conscience of its members. Janis argued that the more cohesive the group, the more likely it is for each member to avoid creating disunity. It is not so much that the members are afraid of revealing their objections, but that they will readily accept the majority decision without scrutinizing its pros and cons. Groupthink also brings about risk shift, an illusion of invulnerability and enthusiasm for a decision that polarizes the group towards higher risk. For example, in May 2015, six banks were fined a total of $5.7 billion for manipulating foreign exchange markets. The traders appeared to reinforce each others belief that they were not going to be arrested, allowing them to knowingly break the law (King and Lawley, 2016). The concept of groupthink therefore undermines one of the main argued benefits of teams: workers sharing multiple perspectives to examine potential risks and to better solve problems. However, Janis argued that this does not mean all cohesive groups suffer from groupthink and that mild Groupthink may not necessarily influence the quality of a groups decision. Furthermore, there are ways to avoid Groupthink: the team might encourage people to voice their opinions by establishing that any critique of the teams decision is encouraged or some members may be assigned to analyze all decisions in a critical way. Alternatively, the organization may set up several independent groups working on the same problem and compare the decisions reached. Section 3: Questioning the assumptions of this essay Groups vs Teams We will now discuss if it is possible for teams to be the silver bullet when they are defined correctly or implemented in the right settings. One of the main assumptions of this essay is that groups and teams are the same. However, Katzenbach and Smith (1993b) argued that while many workplaces claimed to use teams, in practice, teams are uncommon as most workers are in what they called working groups. Working group members mostly work independently and focus on individual performance whereas high performance team members focus everything on the team. Since team members rely on each other and focus on team outcome rather than individual needs, they can exploit each others strengths to better tackle challenges. So perhaps, the failure of teams found by researchers such as Hackman (1998) were due to people using the term team too loosely in the workplace, when they were in fact, the failure of working groups. Katzenbach and Smith (1993b) argued that it is important to distinct working groups and teams so that managers can make better decisions about whether, when, or how to encourage and use teams. By properly defining teams, we can learn when they should be seen as a solution to organizational problems. Size of teams and organizational context This essay also used Allen and Hechts definition of a team: two or more people working interdependently towards achieving a common goal (2004). This definition is quite vague, when in workplaces, the size of a team is very important and should be defined according to the task. For example, larger teams may be inefficient for routine tasks due to overcrowding, but they are good for complex tasks as smaller teams will not have enough resources or abilities (Clegg at al., 2016). Nevertheless, Laughlin (2011) found that high ability individuals can outperform groups composed of two, three, four or five low ability members. So while team size definitely has an effect on team performance, more research needs to be done to fully understand how different factors mediate the effect of team size on effectiveness. This brings us to the next assumption of this essay: groups and teams are not the silver bullet for all organizations. However, teams can be very effective if they are used in the suitable organizational context. Wright Cordery (1999) proposed conditions for teams to succeed and fail in outperforming other organizational frameworks and there is evidence that system-wide changes are better at solving organizational problems than individual changes (Bacon Blyton, 2000). Thus, it is critical to recognize that effective problem-solving does not magically occur simply by introducing teams; time, high-level resources, and revamped support structures need to be in place to create a high performance team-based organization. Only then, perhaps teams can be perceived as a silver bullet to organizational problems, although creating the perfect setting for every task would be nearly impossible. Conclusion In a nutshell, this essay argued that teams are not the panacea by examining opposing views and limitations of popular theories such as STS, Belbins team roles, and Katzenbach and Smiths Wisdom of teams. It also discussed additional problems that may arise and questioned the assumptions of this essay to demonstrate the pros and cons of teams in different situations. Due to the word limit, this essay did not discuss all the challenges which would prevent teams from working effectively (e.g. resistance to teams, leadership of teams). Nevertheless, the original essay question remains important as teams can be effective or destructive depending on how and where they are implemented, so they should not be used sweepingly across organizations. Instead, future research on teams should be done in various industrial settings to properly define teams and to examine other factors which would affect their effectiveness in problem-solving. References Allen, N.J. and Hecht, T.D., 2004. The romance of teams: Toward an understanding of its psychological underpinnings and implications. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 77(4), pp.439-461. Bacon, N. and Blyton, P., 2000. High road and low road teamworking: Perceptions of management rationales and organizational and human resource outcomes. Human relations, 53(11), pp.1425-1458. Bagozzi, R.P., 1980. Performance and satisfaction in an industrial sales force: An examination of their antecedents and simultaneity. The Journal of Marketing, pp.65-77. Barker, J.R., 1993. Tightening the iron cage: Concertive control in self-managing teams. Administrative science quarterly, pp.408-437. Belbin, R.M., 1993. Team roles at work. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Belbin UK, 2014. How toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Use Belbin to Increase Employee Engagement. [pdf] Cambridge: Belbin. Available at: http://www.belbin.com/media/1173/belbin-howtousebelbintoincreaseemployeeengagement-oct2014.pdf> [Accessed 23 December 2016] Clegg, S., Kornberger, M. Pitsis, T., 2016. Managing Organizations. Fourth edition. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Cohen, S.G., Ledford, G.E. and Spreitzer, G.M., 1996. A predictive model of self-managing work team effectiveness. Human relations, 49(5), pp.643-676. Dunphy, D. and Bryant, B., 1996. Teams: panaceas or prescriptions for improved performance?. Human relations, 49(5), pp.677-699. Emery, F.E. and Trist, E.L.,1960. Socio-technical Systems. In C.W. Churchman M. Verhurst (Eds), Management Science, Models and Techniques, Vol. 2, pp.83-97. London: Pergamon Press. Ezzamel, M. and Willmott, H., 1998. Accounting for teamwork: A critical study of group-based systems of organizational control. Administrative Science Quarterly, pp.358-396. Fisher, S.G., Macrosson, W.D.K. and Sharp, G., 1996. Further evidence concerning the Belbin team role self-perception inventory. Personnel review, 25(2), pp.61-67. Hackman, J.R. and Tindale, R.S., 1998. Why teams dont work. Theory and research on small groups. New York: Plenum Press Harkins, S.G. and Szymanski, K., 1989. Social loafing and group evaluation. Journal of personality and social psychology, 56(6), pp.934-941. Janis, I.L., 1982. Groupthink: Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes (Vol. 349). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Katzenbach, J.R. and Smith, D.K., 1993a. The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Katzenbach, J.R. and Smith, D.K., 1993b. The discipline of teams. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Kersley, B., Alpin, C., Forth, J., Bryson, A., Bewley, H., Dix, G. and Oxenbridge, S., 2013. Inside the workplace: findings from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey. Routledge. King, D. and Lawley, S., 2016. Organizational behaviour. Second edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Laughlin, P.R., 2011. Group problem solving. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Metcalf, B. and Linstead, A., 2003. Gendering Teamwork: Reà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Writing the Feminine. Gender, Work Organization, 10(1), pp.94-119. Murakami, T., 1997. The autonomy of teams in the car industry a cross national comparison. Work, Employment Society, 11(4), pp.749-758. Naquin, C.E. and Tynan, R.O., 2003. The team halo effect: why teams are not blamed for their failures. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(2), pp.332-340. Rothschild, J. and Whitt, J.A., 1989. The cooperative workplace: Potentials and dilemmas of organisational democracy and participation. CUP Archive. Sewell, G., 1998. The discipline of teams: The control of team-based industrial work through electronic and peer surveillance. Administrative science quarterly, pp.397-428. Sewell, G., 2001. What Goes Around, Comes Around Inventing a Mythology of Teamwork and Empowerment. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 37(1), pp.70-89. Sinclair, A., 1992. The tyranny of a team ideology. Organization studies, 13(4), pp.611-626. Slaughter, J.E. and Zickar, M.J., 2006. A new look at the role of insiders in the newcomer socialization process. Group Organization Management, 31(2), pp.264-290. Storey, J.W. (2007) Human resources management: A critical text. Third edition. London: Cengage Delmar Learning. Wilson, F.M., 2013. Organizational behaviour and work: a critical introduction. Fourth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wright, B.M. and Cordery, J.L., 1999. Production uncertainty as a contextual moderator of employee reactions to job design. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(3), pp.456-463.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Identifying and Conquering Bulimia Essay -- Health, Eating Disorders

Before 1995, the island of Fiji had no reported cases of eating disorders. In three years of obtaining American and British television programming, more than two-thirds of the Fijian girls developed eating disorders and three quarters of the girls felt fat (Hall 1-2). Girls and guys are feeling more insecure about their bodies and are trying to cope with smothering feelings that come with being insecure. Some people aren’t well-educated on this topic, and because of that, they don’t see its seriousness. One example, bulimia, has been around for thirty years, and people are still not very familiar with the harm it can do physically and emotionally. Bulimia is when people choose to vomit their food up because they’re unsatisfied with their body. Bulimia nervosa can destroy not only a person's life but others around him/her, and it can be stopped with support and counseling. Bulimia exists for numerous reasons. It is normal for a person’s body to get bigger when it is growing. Most people handle that badly though, so they will do anything to get rid of that newly added weight. A handful of young people use bulimia to postpone growing up. This way of thinking may explain why college students are prime candidates for becoming bulimic (Hall 1-2). It is a way of expressing thoughts that cannot be put into words. It provides instant relief from the pain being caused from life. The throwing up replaces other actions, thoughts, and feelings. When the binge/purge episode is over, the bulimic gains control, but only for a moment. A sense of calm is felt. Nevertheless, the negative feelings soon return, and the cycle begins again. Another reason bulimia occurs is because of life changes or stressful events. If a close friend or family mem... ...d life. It takes time to work, but knowing that it’s going to work can make a bulimic person feel like he/she is taking the necessary action to get better. Bulimia is a serious eating disorder that needs to be addressed. It affects not only the bulimic, but also the bulimics friends and family. There are many solutions to this problem, but they go unnoticed because people chose to ignore bulimia and its seriousness. We need to spread the word. We need to make people aware of things they choose to ignore just because it isn’t affecting them. We need to make resources such as books, movies, and Prozac more accessible. A person with bulimia should not be scared or embarrassed to reach out to a friend or family member. He/she would want to help in any way they can. No one wants to sit back and watch a loved one suffer, especially if something can be done about it.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Into the Wild Trans Essay

Transcendentalism is a long word to describe very free-minded people. Throughout the novel â€Å"Into the Wild† Chris McCandless, the main character, ventures off into the wild to experience nature at a personal level. Chris comes from a household in which personal relationships, between him and his parents, were not present. While living in this environment, Chris never really felt as if he belonged. It did not take too long before Chris had packed up his bags with nothing but a rifle, rice, and a roadmap and was off into the wilderness. The actions and thoughts in which Chris had experienced resembled those of a transcendentalist thinker. The most distinct three transcendentalists in whom he coincided with include: Whitman, Thoreau, and Emerson. During Chris’s journey, he spent the fair majority of his time camping out or exploring what nature had to offer him. Miles and miles from home, Chris had started to feel a little sense of relief. Whitman was a strong believer in the idea of separation of oneself from everything in order to feel relieved and free to learn and understand who they truly are. This technique helps one to truly get to know themselves and the person that they actually are, not who they are when they are living under the standards of society. Once Chris had reached a resting place far enough away from home the author described his state as follows, â€Å"He was unheeded, happy, and near to the wild heart of life. He was alone and young and willful and wildhearted, alone amid a waste of wild air and brackish waters and the seaharvest of shells and tangled and veiled grey sunlight† (31). This helps to reveal that as Chris got farther and farther into the wilderness and away from society he was overjoyed and all wrapped up in nature and what it has to offer. Whitman himself also spent a sufficient amount of time amongst nature. His spot was in a dark and somber swamp, a place in which people do not usually live. During his time there, he studied nature, plants and animals all in which helped his to â€Å"unravel† himself. Likewise, Chris came to some personal realizations in which he didn’t know before. â€Å"I prefer the saddle to the streetcar and the star-spangled sky to a roof, the obscure and difficult trail, leading into the unknown, to any paved highway, and the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bred by cities†(87). This statement was made by Chris, when he finally departed from the city and into the free land. If he had not left he would have continued to belief that he liked what he was experiencing in society. When people do not know any other way of living, they truly do not know what else is out there. During ones childhood they are placed under the standards of society and do not know any better, this was Chris’s way of breaking free. Chris experienced himself through studying and living amongst nature, just as Whitman did. On this expedition, not only did Chris connect with nature, but he also found that inner connection with himself. Thoreau theorized that if man was to become unconcerned with his outward person and only follow and live by the needs and desires of ones self they would thrive and live in a natural state. He advocated that alone in the woods one is stripped of their expression, because there is no one to express ideas and thought to except oneself. If there is no one or no society to force fake expression what is found is the real and true self and identity. Chris had escaped from the society standards and was finally left to be on his own. After recognizing this he suggests that, â€Å"As if all your life you had been led by the hand like a small child and suddenly you were on your own, you have to learn to walk by yourself. There was no one around, neither your family nor people whose judgment you respected†(103). No longer did Chris have to follow traditions, customs, or rules. Once Chris had abandoned society, he had left certain regulations and standards, leaving him to be himself. Chris was almost starting on a fresh slate and striving to find his own identity. This coincides with Thoreau’s belief that by living alone in the woods, one could achieve a state of tranquility and through experience he could come to a better understanding of life and the â€Å"self†. By testing and experiencing new ideas, in the eyes of Thoreau, one was truly â€Å"living the life†. Throughout Chris’s adventure, there were numerous times where he would stop and reflect on another part of himself in which he had just recognized and discovered. Later on in the novel Chris blissfully exclaims, â€Å"The beauty of this country is becoming part of me. I feel more detached from life and somewhat gentler (†¦) I have always been unsatisfied with life as most people live it. Always I want to live more intensely and richly† (91). As stated before, Chris had always felt as though he was and had to live up to a certain standard and it was really starting to debilitate him. As soon as Chris started to think for himself and make his own decisions, which is necessary to survive in the wild, he realized his own ideals and the way in which he wanted to live his life. Just as Thoreau theorized, Chris would not have not had the ability to â€Å"live the life† if he hadn’t had gone out and tested/experienced new ideas. Courage and self-trust really motivated Chris to keep going and to not give up hope. Emerson was a strong supporter of the phrase â€Å"trust thyself†. He believed that every individual possesses a unique identity that can only be revealed when the individual has the courage to trust his or her own thoughts, attitudes, and inclinations even when the public may not approve. During Chris’s trip he never really knew what to expect when he departed and as he continued on. â€Å"Setting out in small, open boats, built from cowhide stretched over light wicker frames, they crossed one of the most treacherous stretches of ocean in the world without knowing what, if anything, they’d find on the other side† (97). Just as all the other people to go out and take on this same challenge, courage and trust from within was what kept them going. If Chris had not have believed in himself that he could go out and survive on this journey he may not even have made it out the door. Emerson had a strong opinion that each individual must develop a personal understanding of the universe. Chris really reflected this opinion in his desire to go out and experience the world on a more personal level. Emerson writes in â€Å"Prospects†, â€Å"The reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken in heaps, is because man is disunited with himself. † Emerson believes that in order for a strong society to develop each individual needs to have a strong sense of who they are. This was one of the main reasons why Chris went on this trip, to figure out who he truly was. Throughout the novel, Chris McCandless resembles all three of these transcendentalist thinkers. Whether it was through his actions or thoughts, Chris exemplifies many ideals and beliefs of these men. If it was not for Chris’s free mind and free spirit he may not have ever thought to encounter such a journey. Although the journey did not turn out well in the end, Chris learned bountiful lessons that benefitted him as an individual.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Walt Disney Company

In organizations where there seems to be an increasing focus on unethical behavior within public companies from senior managers, it is vital that organizations establish policies and processes to ensure that it is complying with the rules and regulations put in place by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Walt Disney Company is able to meet its reporting requirements for the Security and Exchange Commission by using the following resources. The availability of technology, internal disclosure controls, internal controls over financial reporting, and independent accounting auditors who verify that these controls are in place and working as intended. The SEC requires that Disney posts all Interactive Data Files. These files are required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months. Viewing the Investor Relations tab of The Walt Disney Company corporate website shows that historical SEC filings are listed by category for a variety of required reports, including forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, 11-K, S-8, 425, S-4, and proxy statements. Disney uses internal disclosure controls by their policy that all SEC filings be signed by a senior member of the management. These people are President, CFO, Managing VP and Internal Counsel helps ensure that the filings are correct, comply with reporting requirements, and are communicated to the other stakeholders in the management of Disney. These are Board of Directors and other Senior Members of the management team. In an era where CEOs and CFOs are continually being called before US Congress to testify on the financial situation within their firms, this policy adds a layer of accountability to senior management. Internal Controls over Financial Reporting. Company management explicitly acknowledges their accountability for being able to create accurate, reliable, sufficiently detailed, and timely external financial reports Independent Accounting Auditors. Disney makes use of PricewaterhouseCoopers as an independent auditing firm to provide a third party analysis of their internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ own report to the Board of Directors and Shareholders of The Walt Disney Company is included in the Annual Report and discusses the process by which Disney’s internal controls over financial reporting are tested and audited to provide a reasonable level of assurance that the controls are working and that external financial reports are being reported based on generally accepted accounting principles as required by U. S. Law. By following all of the procedures that Disney has put into place they can be positive that they are following the SEC rules and regulations.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The eNotes Blog 5 Unlikely Stories That You Wont Be Able to PutDown

5 Unlikely Stories That You Wont Be Able to PutDown When I hear â€Å"public domain,† I picture the free books on my Kindle with the boring primary-color covers and uninspiring content assigned to my AP English classes in high school.   So when I decided to comb through our library and find â€Å"guilty pleasures in the public domain,† I was shocked to find more titles than I could fit in this blog posts. Ghosts, sci fi dystopias, Mean Girls-esque revenge- the public domain has it all! Plus, they’re all super low time commitments and will make you sound smart to all of your friends. Pull out your beach chair, throw on some sunscreen, and have a go at these five short stories that you won’t be able to put down all summer. 1. Scandal in Bohemia Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Read time: 40 minutes Genre: Victorian detective mystery  Ã‚   Similar to: Obvious television references aside, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. No doubt you have seen Benedict Cumberbatch (swoon) play this manic, brilliant, and frighteningly perceptive detective in the BBC show Sherlock. Lucky for us, the original Sherlock of 1887 is equally as entertaining. In â€Å"Scandal in Bohemia,† meet the original Irene Adler, the woman, as she contends with Sherlock’s cunning attempts to retrieve a scandalous photograph of a compromising situation. 2. The Open Window  Ã‚   Author: Saki Read time: 10 minutes Genre: Ghost Story Similar to: Henry James’s Turn of the Screw Do you know, sometimes on still, quiet evenings like this, I almost get a creepy feeling that they will all walk in through that window- Have you ever stayed in an AirBnB and thought that something was just wrong with it? Saki takes you into that house and describes in juicy, gorey detail exactly why this renter has the heebie jeebies. More specifically, he has a fifteen-year-old girl do it for him. Packed with ghosts, suspense, and comically formal language, this is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the punchline. 3. The Mask Author: Robert Chambers Read time: 35 minutes** Genre: Surrealist sci fi Similar to: It’s on the Poe-Bierce-Lovecraft continuum The mask of self-deception was no longer a mask for me, it was a part of me. Three sculptors and their paramour live in Paris when one discovers of a powerful new liquid that can turn living things into pure, beautiful marble. Meanwhile, an ominous play can infect the minds of its readers and cause madness. If you loved True Detective (season 1, obviously) and didn’t quite understand Wikipedia’s definition of Carcosa, this maze of a story will tell you all you need. Try to guess the ending. Just try. **If the Yellow King pulls you into his madness, read the whole collection of short stories. Carcosa demands it. 4. 2BR02B Author: Kurt Vonnegut Read time: 15 minutes Genre: Smart Dystopian Fiction / Sci Fi Similar to: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The world could do with a good deal more mess, if you ask me. Although I have to admit that this one is a bit of a downer, it’s definitely my favorite on the list. It is not only compelling but also one of those beautifully poignant reads makes you think. It’s set in a world where science has cured aging. For every child born another person has to volunteer to die, and Mr. Wehling has just had triplets. This story will make you rethink whatever deep-seated beliefs you have about reproduction and over-population. You know, light summer fun. 5. Bernice Bobs Her Hair Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald Read time: 50 minutes Genre: Tales of the Roaring ‘20s Similar to: It’s like Mean Girls, but with more flappers  Ã‚   But, of course, you’ve either got to amuse people or feed ‘em or shock ‘em. This story is simply delightful. It has all the charm of 1920s’ dialogue and the teeth of the best female rivalry story. Bernice visits her posh cousin Marjorie for a month before she goes to school in New York. Unfortunately, Bernice is simply a bore that Marjorie can’t stand. Marjorie’s offered â€Å"makeover† turns out to be a slippery slope akin to a deal with the devil. Toss back some juice and settle in for some good old-fashioned malarkey. This tale’s the bees knees! Happy reading!

Monday, October 21, 2019

Il Faut Laisser Maisons.. Essays - Pierre De Ronsard, Sonnet

Il Faut Laisser Maisons.. Essays - Pierre De Ronsard, Sonnet Il Faut Laisser Maisons.. Analysis of Il Faut Laisser Maisons... Il Faut Laisser Maisons... is a poem written by Pierre Ronsard and published in the book Derniers vers de Pierre de Ronsard in 1586. This poems central idea is that the spirit is more important than the body, because the spirit has far fewer limits than the body. As soon as one dies, the spirit is free from the bonds of the body. These lines: Laissant pourir a-bas sa dpouille de boue and Franc des liens du corps, pour ntre quun esprit. show that Ronsard succeeds in establishing the theme by making it clear that it is necessary to leave the possessions of this world and material things to become a spirit. Ronsard is the speaker of the poem which takes place late in his life. Cest fait! jai dvid le cours de mes destins and Jai vcu, jai rendu mon nom assez insigne, prove that Ronsard has lived awhile and accomplished some things in life. Ronsard intends to teach a significant moral lesson which is the theme. The message is implied, because Ronsard wishes and challenges the reader to interpret and look deeply to understand this moral lesson. He places most emphasis on ideas to help develop this message. Ronsard skillfully develops the poems mood, one of inspiration and thoughtfulness. He believes in the freedom of the spirit in life after death. This line: Heureux qui ne fut onc, plus heureux qui retourne illustrates the poets pensive mood and logical thinking. Ronsard feels that it is better to have lived than never to have lived at all. He thinks deeply about what must be given up and accomplished to become a spirit. Ronsard also knows that there is always hope once he becomes a spirit. Pierre Ronsard uses examples of personification and symbolism to emphasize the theme and to create a deeper meaning of the poem. One example of symbolism is the second line: que lartisan burine(that the artist engraves) which represents something eternal or everlasting that he leaves behind. Et chanter son obsque en la faon du cygne(And sings his funeral song in the manner of a swan) in the third line shows symbolism and personification. The symbolism of a funeral song of a swan signifies the end of something or death. Ronsard personifies a swan as a human singing his own funeral song. The words in line eleven, Jsus-Christ(Jesus Christ), represent salvation and everlasting hope for those seeking everlasting hope. This line: Dont le Sort, la Fortune et le Destin se joue(Fate, Fortune, and Destiny make fun) personifies that Fate, Destiny, and Fortune, like little children, play with the useless corpse of mud, while the bonds of the body are freed. The first three stanzas present the situation of the poem and the thoughts of Ronsard, while the final stanza has the greatest impact and strongest feelings of the author. This poem uses some description like the things he must leave behind(maisons et vergers et jardins, etc.). He frequently speaks of nature(flowers, trees, etc.) and of love. The examples of description help to create his intended effect by showing that he must be less concerned with material things. This lyric poem is a sonnet consisting of four stanzas(4,4,3,3) and fourteen lines. Written in meter verse with twelve syllables per line, the rhyme scheme is rime Embrasses: abba, abba, ccd, eef. The language contributes to the mood through such words as Jsus-Christ and Franc les liens. His concrete words include maisons et vergers, etc. while his connotative words are sa dpouille de boue and son obsque. His uses of assonance are laisser maisons and fait - dvid, while his diction is one of simplicity. Writing mostly Alexandrian poems and sonnets, Ronsard uses classical style which affects the meaning of the poem by his examples of nature such as vergers et jardins. His style also affects the mood through his personal experience, because he bases many of his poems on his life. This poem reveals that Ronsard is an optimistic and realistic man of action who closely observes life, especially nature. This poem is interesting, because it is about something that all will have to experience in life. The poem is good and lasting, because it teaches a

Sunday, October 20, 2019

ACT Test Center Has These Problems - SPEAK UP

If Your SAT/ACT Test Center Has These Problems - SPEAK UP SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips No one likes to be a tattletale. Okay, most people don’t like to be a tattletale. However, when your future dream college is at stake, which it is when you take the SAT/ACT as it accounts for 30-50% of your college application, you NEED to be a tattletale when there are testing issues. In this article, I will run through a list of common problems at testing sites such as: Instruction Issues Timing Issues Noise Issues Break Issues Possible Cheating If any of these issues occur, you should speak up! Let your proctor know and if they won’t listen contact the College Board or ACT after the test (as you are not allowed to access your phone during the test). Most of these issues are based on my personal experience taking the SAT in South Los Angeles. The experience was a nightmare, and it was heavily unfair to the students I took it with. Instruction Issues Issues can begin before the test even starts.The instructions are very important.If you do not understand the instructions clearly when your proctor reads them, ask them questions about the instructions.Do not feel weird about this.Again, your future is at stake. Make sure you understand the instructions fully. Speak up!If your proctor cannot answer your question, ask them to ask another proctor on the campus or ask them to call the College Board or ACT office.NOTE: Because there are many incompetent proctors, as I learned personally when I sat for the June 6th SAT, try to make sure you understand the instructions for the test BEFORE you go sit for the test. Read the instructions on an SAT practice test such as one of these free onesor ACT practice test such as one of these free ones.Read them at least a week in advance of your test date.That way, if you have any questions about them, you have plenty of time to call or email the College Board or ACTabout your question. Timing Issues Your instructors most likely do not know the timing of the test as well as you do,if you have been practicing.If you do not know the timing, you should make sure you do before you take the test. For the SAT, Section 1 - Essay - 25 minutes Sections 2-7 - 25 minutes each Sections 8 and 9 - 20 minutes each Section 10 - 10 minutes 3 breaks of 5 minutes each For the ACT, Section 1 - English - 45 minutes Section 2 - Math - 60 minutes Section 3 - Reading - 35 minutes Section 4 - Science - 35 minutes Optional Writing - 40 minutes Sometimes, the instructors will misread the time and give you more or less time than necessary. Read about the disaster that was the June 6th SAT.I highly recommend timing on your own watch.If your proctormesses up, speak up!If they won’t listen to you when you try to correct them, call the College Boardor contact the ACT. Noise Issues Your testing experience should be relatively noise free, other than page turning or pencils writing.If you are disturbed by any other noises, such as your proctor listening to music on their cellphone (happened to me) or watching a movie on their iPad (happened to my friend), you should speak up!This is your time to shine.Do not let anything get in your way. If there are noises outside that are disturbing you such as kids screaming or an ice cream truck blaring music (both happened to me), speak up!Politely ask your proctor if they can speak to the noisemakers! Here are the steps to take in that situation: Raise your hand. Wait for your proctor to arrive at your seat. Say, "I'm sorry, but that noise (from your headphones, iPad, or outside) is distracting me from focusing on the test. Is there any way you could turn it off / speak to the person making the noise? Thank you so much for your help and understanding! I really appreciate it!" Who could say no to that? If a noise is distracting you, it is probably distracting others, so you are actually being a hero, not a tattletale!If your proctor still refuses to help, talk to another proctor on your break or call the College Board or the ACTafter the test. Break Issues You should receive three 5 minute long breaks during the test for the SAT. For the ACT, you should receive 2 breaks: one after section 2 and one after section 4. The ACT does not have a standard amount of time for the break as they told me when I asked. They said "5-10 minutes, probably 10 minutes." Regardless, do not let your proctor try to cut a break.It happened to me!If you want all three breaks, insist on taking all three. Speak to your proctor about it.If he or she disagrees, speak to another proctor about it or call the College Boardafter your test. Possible Cheating If you spot possible cheating the day of the test, tell your proctor and call the College Boardor the ACT office(I know I've said it about a hundred times, but it is important!).The College Board has an entire office dedicated to test integrity.Your test is being curved based on everyone who sits for the test. If they cheat, you suffer.Don’t let them get away with it. You will regret it if you don't! When you should speak up and why you shouldn't be afraid of speaking up You should speak up if anything severely disrupts your test. That includes everything I have mentioned as well as anything else that might happen to disrupt your test (alarms going off, students talking, etc.). You should not be afraid to speak up. You NEED to speak up. As I said before, this test accounts for 30-50% of your college application. You deserve fair testing conditions, so you can rock the test. You should not be afraid of being labeled a whistleblower. The College Board or ACT will respect you for it and will investigate your concern. Also, they will most likely let you retest for free, so there is an upside to being a whistleblower! Do not worry about your score being cancelled if you complain. If you want your score and the disturbances were minimal, you will most likely have a delay in your scores being reported, but you will still receive your scores. If you feel the conditions were completely unfair, you probably want to retest anyways. If you complain about major issues (such as timing discrepancies), the College Board or ACT may cancel your score as well as the others at your test site, but they will most likely have you retest for free. If you took the SATand would like to contact the College Board to file a complaint about your test center, call this number(609) 771-7710 or email this addresstestcenter@info.collegeboard.org, both ofwhich are specifically for test center complaints. Don't be afraid of calling when they have an entire phone line and email dedicated to addressing your issue. They must get a ton of calls and emails. If you took the SAT and would like to contact the College Board about cheating, call this number609-406-5430 or this number800-257-5123 (on test days only)or email this addresstestsecurity@info.collegeboard.org. Again, they have an entire office dedicated to test integrity. They want you to tell them about potential cheating. If you took the ACT and would like to contact the ACT office tofile a complaint about your test center or to report cheating, send an email to their office using this form. They have a form specifically for this purpose. Use it if you need it! Recap Know your rights! Instructions Read them a week before taking the test. Ask the College Board or the ACT office questions. On the day off, ask the proctor any new questions you have. For test timing, For the SAT, you get 25 minutes for the Essay, 25 minutes each for Sections 1-7, 20 minutes each for Section 8 and 9, and 10 minutes for Section 10. For the ACT, you get 45 minutes for English, 60 minutes for Math, 35 minutes each for Reading and Science, and 40 minutes for the Optional Essay (Writing Test). Time it on your own watch. If your proctor accidentally cuts time, speak up! For the SAT, You get three 5-minute breaks. Don’t get shortchanged! For the ACT, you get two 5-10 minute breaks! If any noise bothers you, ask your proctor to try to resolve it. Report any cheating to your proctor and the College Boardor the ACT office. What’s next? Read about the issues at my testing center that made my test a nightmare. Read about the critical mistake the College Board made on the June 6th test, and the millions of students it failed. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dora Seigel About the Author As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. No spam ever. hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '360031', formId: '2167ba30-e68e-4777-b88d-8bf3c84579af', formInstanceId: '2', submitButtonClass: 'btn-red-light btn', target: '#hubspot-container2', redirectUrl: 'http://ww2.prepscholar.com/blog-subscribe-thank-you', css: '.post-bottom .hs-form.stacked label {display:none;} .post-bottom .hs-form.stacked .field div.input {padding-top: 55px; padding-left: 300px;} .post-bottom .hs-input {width: 220px} .post-bottom .btn-primary, .hs-button.primary {margin-top:0px; padding-left:350px} .post-bottom .hs-form-field {margin-bottom:5px}' }); $(function(){ $(".exclusive-tip-form #hubspot-container2 label").hide(); }); function replace_tag(a, b){ $(a).each(function(index) { var thisTD = this; var newElement = $(""); $.each(this.attributes, function(index) { $(newElement).attr(thisTD.attributes[index].name, thisTD.attributes[index].value); }); $(this).after(newElement).remove(); }); } $(function(){ replace_tag($(".posts-by-topic h3"), "h2"); }) Ask a Question BelowHave any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply! Search the Blog Search jQuery(function(){ var $ = jQuery; var url = 'http://google.com/search?q=site:' + location.protocol + '//' + location.hostname + ' '; var $searchModule = $('.hs-search-module.d7b8d2b6-aba4-4ecf-91cb-688833094d50'); var $input = $searchModule.find('input'); var $button = $searchModule.find('.hs-button.primary'); if (false) { $input.val(decodeURIComponent(location.pathname.split('/').join(' ').split('.').join(' ').split('-').join(' ').split('_').join(''))); } $button.click(function(){ var newUrl = url + $input.val(); var win = window.open(newUrl, '_blank'); if (win) { //Browser has allowed it to be opened win.focus(); } else { //Browser has blocked it location.href = newUrl; } }); $input.keypress(function(e){ if (e.keyCode !== 13) return; e.preventDefault(); $button.click(); }); }); Improve With Our Famous Guides SATPrep ACTPrep For All Students The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section: Score 800 on SAT Math Score 800 on SAT Reading Score 800 on SAT Writing Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section: Score 600 on SAT Math Score 600 on SAT Reading Score 600 on SAT Writing Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? 15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section: 36 on ACT English 36 on ACT Math 36 on ACT Reading 36 on ACT Science Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section: 24 on ACT English 24 on ACT Math 24 on ACT Reading 24 on ACT Science What ACT target score should you be aiming for? ACT Vocabulary You Must Know ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA How to Write an Amazing College Essay What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For? Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide Should you retake your SAT or ACT? When should you take the SAT or ACT? Michael improved by 370 POINTS! Find Out How Stay Informed Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Looking for Graduate School Test Prep? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: GRE Online Prep Blog GMAT Online Prep Blog TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Managing Learning and Development in Organisation Essay

Managing Learning and Development in Organisation - Essay Example All these aspects are inter-related and they should be integrated in every learning process of an organization. Moreover, human resource managers have recognised the importance of aligning learning processes with organisational priorities. This paper will highlight the important aspects of individual and organisational development and how they relate to business success. In details, it will look into how training is effective and its evaluation as well as the importance or its contribution. The second part of the paper explains the importance of training of those prospecting to be teachers to the school, children or students and to themselves. It further explains the principles of effective training importance of teacher evaluation as well as its challenges. Discussion Measuring Training Effectiveness in Organisation Training is a continuous process that involves the transfer of information and knowledge to employers and employees of an organisation in order to meet the needs and goa ls of the business. It can also mean equipping the people to interpret the information and knowledge into practice with a goal to enhance organisation effectiveness and productivity as well as improve the management of the people (Sriyan de Silva, 1997). Normally, training integrates educational policies and systems which are deemed as important to human resources development. Training effectiveness means that training should provide significant added value to an organisational operations by improving quality, safety and production. While it is clear that training provides additional value to products and services, a calculated training effectiveness is tricky because employee performance depends not only on training, but also on other factors for example, job aids supervision, procedures, pre-job briefings, management expectations, and the experience and motivation of the work force. A good number of organisations are nowadays setting up their own training facilities, and outsourci ng talent to carry out in-house training for employees at all levels. This trend has been largely used because new orientation in managerial and technical areas is crucial for effective response to the changing business environment. Training is an expensive task especially if it does not meet the given purpose. Training should be in a position to improve the individual capabilities as well as those of the collective organisation. The training programme should contribute to the building of organisational capabilities and reflect improved performance over a period of time. Otherwise, the organisational loss for example, loss of competitive edge and reduction of market share, is far much greater than the money and time spent on training. Therefore, training should serve stipulated purposes taking into consideration a systematic analysis of its capabilities and the demands brought about by future scenarios. A critical area for achieving expected results from training is the measurement of training effectiveness which is the match between the training inputs and its intended purpose. Most organizations neglect this aspect citing difficulty of measurement even though techniques in social sciences have been developed to sufficiently measure the most important aspects of training. There are kinds of training outputs that an organization need to measure. First is the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Teaching Creativity in British Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Teaching Creativity in British Schools - Essay Example Creative Partnerships brings creative professionals into schools to help educators teach creative skills that those professionals believe are valuable in the workplace (Creative Partnerships 2010). In this way, Creative Partnerships hopes to produce students with a passion for learning who are also likely to be hired by companies after graduation (Princewaterhouse Coopers LLP 2010). On the surface, Creative Partnerships seems like an excellent plan. Encouraging children to meet with artists and other creative practitioners from the workplace would encourage them to study harder and explore their skills to find out in which ways they could succeed too. However, as this report shows, such surface feelings cannot and should not always be taken at face value. Deeper research has dug up a surprising number of flaws and inconsistencies within the Creative Partnerships programme that warrant further investigation. Creative Partnerships was formed in 2002 as a result of the governmental repo rt â€Å"All our Futures†, which was published in 1999 by the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Educations (Creative Partnerships 2010). ... Instead, the authors argue for education that exposes students to creative thinking, which they believe would build a capacity for original thought and translate into life skills for the students. One point of this report which is the cornerstone of the resulting Creative Partnerships project is the idea that creativity is not innate, but can in fact be taught (National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education 1999). However, despite their desire to include creativity in the workplace outside of simply exposing students to visual or performance art, this area of the programme has been found to be decidedly lacking (House of Commons Education and Skills Committee 2007). Creative Partnerships is fond of repeating that their programme will bring about economic benefit. Primarily, they cite an â€Å"independent research paper† that found an economic benefit of ?15.30 for every ?1.00 invested in the programme (Creative Partnerships 2010; Princewaterhouse Coopers LLP 20 10). However, it is important to note that while Princewaterhouse Coopers is an independent business entity, the study was paid for by Creativity, Culture and Education, which is the governmental agency responsible for overseeing the Creative Partnerships programme. When statements such as â€Å"this flagship creative learning programme fosters long-term partnerships between schools and creative professionals to inspire, open minds and harness the potential of creative learning† are used to describe the supposedly separate organisation, heavy doubt is cast on the impartiality of the report (Princewaterhouse Coopers LLP 2010, p6). Creative Partnerships is not the only creativity or arts programme recently introduced to the English educational curriculum (Jones & Thomson 2008). However, these

Christology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Christology - Essay Example In accordance with the Jewish norm, Jesus went to Jerusalem with His parents and siblings for the annual festivals and offerings. He was baptized in much water by John the Baptist in River Jordan. Before going into full fledged ministry, He sat in the temple with the elders and argued from the scripture. The bible declares that he grew in wisdom and stature and found favor with man and God. In the course of His ministry, He traversed many nations preaching the gospel and healing the sick. He ate with His disciples and went through temptations just like any other human did. The bible records that He â€Å"learnt obedience through what He suffered† (Elwell, 240). He was betrayed by Judas, crucified and was buried in human form. Jesus was also deity thereby prompting Him to assert that Him and the Father are one. Elwell researched and found that most Christians pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (244). On His last day, He prayed that the Father’s w ill be done. Elwell confirms that this was after confirming to the disciples that He would not leave them alone when He was gone, but would send them a helper, the Holy Spirit who would tell them all the will of God. This confirms that Christ is deity (583). Jesus was man and God at the same time. The word of God which was God Himself became flesh and dwelt amongst men.

The Philosophy of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Philosophy of Art - Essay Example This is where aesthetics sets in as a form of science. As John Keats most famously said â€Å"Beauty is truth, truth beauty, - that is all Ye know on earth, and all you need to know† 1 Aesthetics is not an exact science. The term emerged in Eighteenth Century to describe a number of various things and contemplates various theories that pertain to the conception of judgment in terms of artworks and all other objects it encompasses. It is a value and an experience concurrently or simultaneously. In the process, aesthetics is often regarded coinciding with the concept of taste. During the early years of aesthetics, beauty is something instantaneously judge for. This is best perceived in the rationalization of beauty that we experience regularly.2 This is something that is apparent from a day to day basis. It is determined by a number of things as taste may be varied from person to person but there is always that sense of uniformity in the general population of what is beautiful a nd what is not. From being delineated to the definition of the philosophy of art, subsequent years yielded focus on its value and experience in relation to the aesthetic attitudes. As a subject, Aesthetics is very vast and covers many aspects. The philosopher Immanuel Kant was the first to give a more thorough discussion of what the philosophy of art is. Kant primarily regards that the content is not the main interest of aesthetics and this is equated as a formalist point of view. Art is impure because it has concept and that even in nature it is only through our cognitive ability that we are able to enjoy parts and pieces of it and thus this is freedom. But Kant is quick to add that not every piece of art contains this. This theory of pure beauty contains four aspects; 1. it contains no concept, 2. it is objective, 3. the spectator’s disinterest and, 4. it is obligatory.3 The basic concept in the need for art is the pleasure that is derived from beauty. This is ultimately wh at we know as aesthetic pleasure. â€Å"Kant locates aesthetic judgment halfway between the logically necessary (an example would be mathematical theorems) and the purely subjective (expressions of personal taste).†4 For example, the opinion that something is beautiful as personally perceived by a person is essentially a subjective point of view based on that person’s cognitive sense of what is actually beautiful. Yet it is concomitantly not subjective because the delight derived from it has reason to be the same way with somebody else. If someone sees something beautiful and takes pleasure from, then, shares this with another person is the full circle of the philosophy of art. Beauty does not end in its mere existence, the same must be appreciated and this begins with subjectivity. Another important aspect of art is the emotion that goes along with it. Many regard that this is the most important part of art and what makes it a truly human experience. It is the way tha t a piece of art makes an impact in its audience that determined whether or not it has achieved what it is meant to be able to do. Pleasure which is the most basic explanation for the existence of art is called ‘expressivism.’ This theory, which is applicable in all art media exemplifies the value of feelings as invested in the artwork by its creator. Leo Tolstoy, among the best novelist of all time, theorizes that

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Role of the Mentor In Organising, Managing And Leading Programmes Essay

The Role of the Mentor In Organising, Managing And Leading Programmes of Learning In Clinical Education - Essay Example In fact, one of the most familiar adages puts it, â€Å"Experience teaches us best.† This can be further elaborated from Kolb’s theory of experiential learning. Illustration 1: Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning (Quinn, 2000). In this theory, Kolb’s emphasised four generic adaptive abilities to reach effective learning and these involve concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation (Quinn, 2000). Furthermore, in clinical education, another important point in facilitating learning is about providing strategies for effective clinical teaching (Gaberson and Oermann, 2010). However, facilitation alone does not prove to be sufficient to ensure learning at the highest level. Supervision in learning in clinical practice is a must. Aside from facilitating the students in their learning in clinical education, mentors have the role to supervise them. This supervision is evident on the supervision cycle model o f Goldhammer and his colleagues in 1980. Regarding this supervision, it is an integral part of educator’s role (a) to initiate pre-observation stage which establishes rapport, reviews plans and discusses and rehearses changes; (b) the next stage is about educator’s actual observation of the session and taking into account noting issues for future discussion; (c) the third stage is about the analysis of the data that educator’s gathered from observation and consequently followed by strategy planning for feedbacks; (d) finally, both educator and student should initiate individual analyses and undergo plans for modification (Rose and Best, 2005). Supervision therefore is a hands-on activity that tries not only to facilitate learning, but more so... This essay stresses that managing the assessment process so that there is time for continuous feedback and identifying if the student is progressing is another important concern in student’s learning process. It is true that meting the challenges and difficulties presented to the mentors while supporting students in practice is another important area of concern. This is the bottom line of support system. This paper makes a conclusion that managing the situation if there are other concerns involved is another important move in student’s learning success. For example, enhancing the learning of students in the hospital area requires placement area analysis. This means mentors are not only there to facilitate, supervise, assess and give their support, but they should substantially consider the remarkable strengths and weaknesses of their students in their specific placement area. Mentors therefore are expected to conduct analysis and even specific forms of research. Students prior to becoming certified professionals in the clinical practice should undergo necessary learning, but they should not acquire this by themselves. They need mentors to teach, train and above all to support them prior to achieving their individual future objectives in life. Mentors therefore are expected to put their best foot forward as leaders which have substantial ability to facilitate, supervise, assess and support learning at the highest level as possible.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Effects of Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects of Drugs - Essay Example This paper will assess the influence of drugs one’s family, career and life. As mentioned above, drugs are addictive meaning an individual becomes dependent on the substance and neglects his or her responsibilities in order to satisfy his addiction. Drugs have side effects after use as they imitate or inhibit the action of neurotransmitters which makes them stimulants or depressors (Carlson, 12). In addition, drugs have a toxic effect on the neurons which reduces the mental capabilities of an individual. Therefore, the diminished neuronal function will adversely affect an individual’s cognition making him or her incompetent at the workplace. Furthermore, the patient is likely to experience changes in his personality and regular mood swings which affect his relation to his colleagues. Therefore, drugs make an individual incapable of performing his professional obligations and he or she is unlikely to keep a job. This also explains why the majority of drug users are unemployed. The family of drug user is likely to be affected the most by this habit. This is because the family knows the real personality of an individual on drugs and they are tormented by watching the way drugs metamorphose his or her behavior and character. Therefore, drug use has a severe psychological impact on the family of a drug user. If the individual is the breadwinner, the family will also be affected financially as he will be unable to provide the financial resources necessary for satisfying basic needs (Swain et al. 327-333). Drug users often use the majority of their money on drugs as these are expensive and if they do not use these drugs they begin to experience withdrawal symptoms which are very difficult to resolve. According to sociological studies, drug users are also more likely to be abusive meaning the family can also be subjected to violent attacks from the user. In summation, the life of a drug user is very complicated and he or she is often depressed due to the extremes

The Role of the Mentor In Organising, Managing And Leading Programmes Essay

The Role of the Mentor In Organising, Managing And Leading Programmes of Learning In Clinical Education - Essay Example In fact, one of the most familiar adages puts it, â€Å"Experience teaches us best.† This can be further elaborated from Kolb’s theory of experiential learning. Illustration 1: Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning (Quinn, 2000). In this theory, Kolb’s emphasised four generic adaptive abilities to reach effective learning and these involve concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation (Quinn, 2000). Furthermore, in clinical education, another important point in facilitating learning is about providing strategies for effective clinical teaching (Gaberson and Oermann, 2010). However, facilitation alone does not prove to be sufficient to ensure learning at the highest level. Supervision in learning in clinical practice is a must. Aside from facilitating the students in their learning in clinical education, mentors have the role to supervise them. This supervision is evident on the supervision cycle model o f Goldhammer and his colleagues in 1980. Regarding this supervision, it is an integral part of educator’s role (a) to initiate pre-observation stage which establishes rapport, reviews plans and discusses and rehearses changes; (b) the next stage is about educator’s actual observation of the session and taking into account noting issues for future discussion; (c) the third stage is about the analysis of the data that educator’s gathered from observation and consequently followed by strategy planning for feedbacks; (d) finally, both educator and student should initiate individual analyses and undergo plans for modification (Rose and Best, 2005). Supervision therefore is a hands-on activity that tries not only to facilitate learning, but more so... This essay stresses that managing the assessment process so that there is time for continuous feedback and identifying if the student is progressing is another important concern in student’s learning process. It is true that meting the challenges and difficulties presented to the mentors while supporting students in practice is another important area of concern. This is the bottom line of support system. This paper makes a conclusion that managing the situation if there are other concerns involved is another important move in student’s learning success. For example, enhancing the learning of students in the hospital area requires placement area analysis. This means mentors are not only there to facilitate, supervise, assess and give their support, but they should substantially consider the remarkable strengths and weaknesses of their students in their specific placement area. Mentors therefore are expected to conduct analysis and even specific forms of research. Students prior to becoming certified professionals in the clinical practice should undergo necessary learning, but they should not acquire this by themselves. They need mentors to teach, train and above all to support them prior to achieving their individual future objectives in life. Mentors therefore are expected to put their best foot forward as leaders which have substantial ability to facilitate, supervise, assess and support learning at the highest level as possible.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay Example for Free

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay In To Kill a Mockingbird,1 Harper Lee tells of the terrible wrong of racism in an Alabama town.   To avoid resort to an off-putting dogmatic or preaching style, she uses as her narrator Scout.   Turning six at the novel’s beginning, Jean Louise â€Å"Scout† Finch is a precocious tomboy (81), intelligent (17), decent, and brave, and yet innocent of the complex, sometimes dangerous adult world. (19-22)   She must try to understand why her father, a respected attorney, makes himself a â€Å"nigger-lover† by defending a black man accused of raping a white woman (74-75, 85-86, 87); why, a pacifist, he is called on to shoot a mad dog. (92-97)   Jem, older and more knowing, is a vehicle to help Scout grow up. (58)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Atticus is â€Å"civilized in his heart.† (98)   Scout gradually comes to understand the courage and decency that entails, and the costs sometimes involved.   Atticus acknowledges the racist code of his community; he cannot change it.   But he looks beyond labels to see people for what they are. (75)   Calpurnia is as much a mother to his children as she is his servant. (6, 24-25)   Above all, Atticus has principles:   the presumption of innocence; the right to counsel; the duty to one’s conscience. (75-76)   Holding to these, he tries to pass them on to his children.   (91-93)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Arthur â€Å"Boo† Radley, the ghost-like figure who is both a terror and a delight to the children (8-13, ch. 5-6), is a â€Å"mockingbird.†Ã‚   He harms no one, and wants only to be left alone.   Lee portrays beautifully the small ways in which the children reach out to him (58-63), how he responds to them (71-72), and in the end, the delicacy with which Scout protects his dignity allowing him to take her arm and appear the gentleman, even as she walks him home. (278)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although it is often overlooked, there is beauty in the episode of Mrs. Dubose.   Fighting addiction to morphine, irrational in her pain, struggling in silence, and ultimately prevailing against great difficulty, she earns high and deeply felt praise from Atticus: I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.   It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.   You rarely win, but sometimes you do.   Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her.   According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody.   She was the bravest person I ever knew.   (112) SOURCE: Lee, Harper, To Kill A Mockingbird.   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:   J. B. Lippincott Co., 1960.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1Because this is a review essay, in which To Kill a Mockingbird is the single source cited, in-text citations will give only the page numbers, rather than clutter the paper with unnecessary redundancies.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Vs of Big Data

Vs of Big Data Big data based on the word itself means data which is big but how much big is considered as big? For a small business, big data might be few gig while Facebook processes 100s of Tb data every day [6]. So, the definition of big data will slightly differ from organization to organization. Few years back big data meant the huge size of data which is beyond the ability of normal software to process and handle it. Big data was defined using the 3 Vs : Volume, Velocity and Variety but now that has changed and now four more Vs were added which consists of [1] : Variability: This means the data does not have same meaning every day and is constantly changing Veracity: Making sure the data we have is accurate Visualization: Visualizing the data so it can be easily interpreted by readers Value: The final goal is to get some value out of data University of California, Berkley asked forty thought leaders in data science field about the definition of Big Data. John Akred the founder and CTO of Silicon Valley Data Science described big data as, Big Data refers to a combination of an approach to informing decision making with analytical insight derived from data, and a set of enabling technologies that enable that insight to be economically derived from at times very large, diverse sources of data [5].While David Leonhardt who is an editor for The New York Times defines big data as, Big Data is nothing more than a tool for capturing reality just as newspaper reporting, photography and long-form journalism are [5].ÂÂ   As we can see different people from different industry has different definition of Big Data but one thing in common is that it follows the basic three Vs defined before and the end product is different. Microsoft defines big data as patterns which can be used with proven practices for predictable results. Further they defined big data as Data often produced at fire hose rate, that you do not know how to analyze at the moment but may provide valuable information in future [4]. Then they ask the readers if they know what the visitors to their website are really thinking? Or if they are business owners and if they know what the customers think of their products? They ask these questions and then tell them that the answer is hidden in the pile of data which is hidden away and if you can find it still it might be difficult to process it and get meaningful insights out of it. Microsoft then further defines big data as Big data typically refers to collections of datasets that, due to size and complexity, are difficult to store, query, and manage using existing data management tools or data processing applications. We notice here that they are trying to focus on the difficulty of storing, querying and managing data and can expect a solution or product for it. So basically, Microsoft is trying to connect with their readers by asking them if they have a big data problem and then providing an example of what techniques data analysts and business managers are following and how Microsoft can help them. Then they describe Big Data with the text book definition using the three Vs and links the readers to their product called HDInsight [4]. HDInsight is a Hadoop- based solution which Microsoft offers. It is an all in one solution which can store data, process data and executing data analysis. Tableau is one of the biggest company and provider of visualization techniques which can help companies visualize data from any source. They define big data as structured or unstructured, petabytes or terabytes, millions or billions of rows, you can turn data into big ideas[1]. They try to focus on the visualization part as Tableau is used discover and understand their data. So, if we compare it to Microsoft definition they are missing the part about storing the data, retrieving it and the problems behinds it.ÂÂ   While explaining the meaning of big data tableau keeps pointing out the importance of visualizing the data regardless of the size of data and how organizations can leverage this to their benefit. They also iterate that storing, preparing and iterating data is costly and Tableaus vision is to help companies apply best practices to get the most out of their data. SAS uses the three Vs of big data (Volume, Velocity and Variety) to define it and say its not the amount of data that is important but what to do with it and how to use it to make better decisions. SAS adds two more dimensions Variability and Complexity to its definition of big data. They define variability as inconsistency in the amount of data that flows which cannot be controlled [3]. Complexity is defined as different types of data coming from different sources and connecting and combining it to get meaningful insights out of it. When we compare, the definitions provided by these companies it is obvious the core definition of big data remains the same but then these companies tailor tit according to the products they offer. Microsoft which provides end to end solution for big data talks about storing of data which is skipped by Tableau as it provides solution for visualizing the data and not storing. So, we can conclude that there is no authority on the exact meaning of Big Data and its solutions. Works Cited [1] Understanding Big Data: The Seven Vs. Dataconomy. July 23, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2017. http://dataconomy.com/2014/05/seven-vs-big-data/. [2] Big Data. Tableau Software. Accessed January 30, 2017. https://www.tableau.com/stories/topic/big-data. [3] What is Big Data and why it matters. What Is Big Data? | SAS US. Accessed January 30, 2017. http://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/big-data/what-is-big-data.html. [4] What is big data? Accessed January 30, 2017. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn749868.aspx. [5] What Is Big Data? What Is Big Data? Blog. September 03, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2017. https://datascience.berkeley.edu/what-is-big-data/. [6] Data size estimates. Follow the Data. June 24, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2017. https://followthedata.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/data-size-estimates/.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

A Normal School Day :: Free Essays

A Normal School Day The cold air hit me in the face as I opened the door, and with it a cold foggy world unfolded. The air was cold and crisp, and their was a slight crunch as my steps crushed the crystallised green structures on the cold sleeping floor as I made my way across the field towards the lonely bus stop, trying to dodge the muddy, waterlogged pits that filled the field. As I reached the end of the field, I had top scramble down a short slimly path to my destination which was very slippery at this time if year. The bus stop couldn't really be called a bus stop, it was just a post in the ground with a picture of a bus on it which had the rank of 'bus stop'. We had to wait for minutes that felt like hours, for a dirty cream and brown box with a grumpy face, covered from wheel to roof in dust, the red mud around the rims had dried from previous excursions, the remains of its unsuspecting muddy victims. The dirty rotting portal of a door opened with a hiss as we all filled in to the rotting carcass on wheels. The journey only lasted 20 minutes, which is nothing if you have lived her all your life, after a while you begin to realise that its only the tourists who are willing to acknowledge your existence in the world, which is good in a way. But we never had proper roads, when we pointed on a map and said 'that's it , that's where I live, they would look at you strange as you pointed at one small A road running through mid-Devon. Even the map denied our existence, they only ever showed the one road that meant so much to us, our one link to the outside world 'the city'. The bus was warm in the cramped bus, which managed to raise our spirits as the rain hit the ancient windowpanes, and watching the wind fighting with the trees, trying get its own way.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

High Divorce Rate Essay -- essays research papers

Do you know that our divorce rate in America is 50%? This means that 50% of all marriages in America end in divorce. This means that more than hundreds of people are getting divorced right at this moment. You may ask, what are the divorce rates in America for first marriage, vs. second or third marriage? 50% of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri. This means that more people are getting divorced on their third marriage. Divorce is the failure of a couple's commitment to their marital and family roles. Parents may think about their children's well being in deciding whether or not to split, but it's very rare that parents will ask their children about it prior to making a decision. During and following a divorce, there a number of issues parents will usually face. Parents can't just avoid divorce because they will cause children to have emotional pain. When parents make a decision to divorce, children are expected to cope with the decision...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Caterpillar Management Structure

Caterpillar Management Structure Caterpillar is a corporate governance structure where the Chairman of the board acts as the CEO. The Board of Directors is a group of independent non-employee directors that are chosen from outside of the company. Many of the group presidents report to the CEO, which makes the vice-presidents report to each group president. The Board consists of 14 directors and is divided into three classes for the benefit of election. The Board has four committees which are Audit, Compensation, Governance, and Public Policy. The Board adopted Guidelines on Corporate Governance Issues and that reflect the Board’s commitment to oversee the policy functioning as well as all decision-making. These guidelines are for both the board and management level, with a view to enhancing stockholder value for the long term benefit. The average age of the Board of Directors is currently sixty three. Caterpillar uses change management and 6 Sigma which is used to both prioritize and guide the improvement of health and safety performance. Caterpillar established procedures to encourage facilities to improve employee safety by utilizing the Vision Zero program. Each facility conducts annual reviews of its safety programs and reports these results to the facility manager. Facility management is responsible for the establishment of objectives, goals, metrics, and targets for the facility’s safety process and providing resources and authority to facility staff. Managers and employees are to use the SMART goals that are identified, tracked, and rewarded at each facility. All front-line leaders discuss safety with employees on a daily basis and all supervisors hold formal weekly safety meetings. The behavior of all employees is governed by a Code of Worldwide Business Conduct whereas management employees are retested on this code annually. Caterpillar’s code of ethics is called Our Values in Action. Integrity, Excellence, Commitment and Teamwork are the core values identified in the code and are the foundation for Caterpillar’s corporate strategy. The code applies to all members of the board and to management and employees worldwide. It documents the high ethical standards that Caterpillar has upheld since its formation in 1925. The values of Caterpillar are centralized throughout the entire organization. Caterpillar’s hiring practice is designed to assess the skills and talents of all applicants to compare to the jobs they have available. There are four phases to the hiring process, which are: Completion of an application and forms, testing, invitation for an interview, and job offer. Caterpillar’s compensation package represents their employees’ contributions to the success of the company and the investment in their financial security. They have a highly competitive salary structure which is designed to attract, retain and motivate the valuable employees whose contributions help the company succeed year after year. There are two primary components which define Caterpillar’s compensation philosophy: Pay for Performance and Pay at Risk. As and employee’s responsibility increases, so does the proportional amount of â€Å"at risk† pay. In addition to the base salary, Caterpillar offers incentive plans and gain-sharing plans that give employees the opportunity to impact their compensation for achieving targeted corporate and business unit results.