Non-violent Methods are Better Way of Training Children

As we know, physical punishment has always been an effective way for training animals. Once they become wild, flinging the whip is what we do to make them being well-behaved. However, does it work for training children? Are their behaviors all get better and better after that? In my point of view, I strongly object parents who admire that physical punishment is the best way to teach and train their own children. Although the pain of body is easy to make people learn the lesson, on the other hand, it may also be easy to leave the scars on body and heart, cause family problems and losing the opportunities for children to judge the right and wrong by themselves own.First of all, even the pain of punishment will disappear, the scars on body and heart somehow will remain for the entire life. With no doubt, teaching children not to spill the milk on the floor by simply slapping on their bottoms would be a rapid way to warn them not to make the same mistake again. However, I think your chil dren would remember how bad you treat them more than the lesson they’ve learned and reflect this rage on their children in the future by teaching them in same way. In addition, some researches even have shown the causes of some criminal’s psychological problems can be traced back to their parents’ serious physical punishment or even abuse. The former dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein would be a good example.Second, without violence in the house, I believe children will have a happier childhood and get along with their parents better when they grow up. If we observe the relationship between parents and children more carefully, it is not hard to find out the happiness existing in the house is not only connected to children’s behavior but also parents’. After all, simply punish them physically can’t make them easier to understand what exact the mistake they make because they only know it’s wrong but don’t know why it is wrong. Howev er, although it takes more time, if you explain to them why they do is wrong and what bad results they may cause instead of punish them, then it would be easier to make them understand this mistake can not be done again without making an awkward atmosphere in the family.Finally, to let the children know what is right and what is wrong, I think the best way for them is to experience and judge by themselves. Like I mentioned above, the most important principle is let them know why it’s wrong. Once they find out, then their brain will naturally tell them not to do it before they get hurt (no matter by themselves or parents). For instance, even you strongly warned your children don’t get too close to the fire, they still want to touch and feel it what it is. But once they suffer from the pain of burning, I assure you they don’t dare to do it again on purpose.To make a conclusion, I think physical punishment is not the best way to train children. Although it is fast and effective sometimes, you will never know what consequences it may bring in the future. After all, compared to the bad relationship and many problems it may cause, the long time it takes to teach a child in a liberal and gentle way seems very worthy.

Laptops in classroom? No problem Essay

Elena Choy is a paraprofessional at NYC Board of Education. In her argument â€Å"Laptops in the Classroom? No Problem† published in the book â€Å"Forming a Critical Perspective†, she believes the arguments that people use in favor of banning laptops in the classroom are not valid arguments to be using to make an assumption. Choy states her side of the argument against banning laptops and proceeds to give four main reasons on why people want to ban laptops: upraised lids of laptops distract the teacher, laptops distract other students, students take overly excessive notes on laptops, users are so busy on the laptop, they don’t participate in group discussion. Choy goes into detail talking about why each of these arguments will not work. Choy uses many different tactics to give evidence for her side of the argument. First of all, Choy uses a stern and matter of fact tone to try and convince the reader that the argument is not valid. This stern tone makes Choy sound confident, which makes it easier for the reader to accept her side of the argument. Choy also uses the point that students pay for tuition. Once a student pays his or her tuition, it is completely up to them as far as making decision on how to spend their time studying and doing homework. This means that if students want to mess around in class and play different games while the teacher is discussing the material from the class, it is not the job of the teacher to be their baby sitter and make sure they are paying attention. She also gives the reason that every student has their own way of taking notes and understanding information to shoot down the argument that people using laptops take too extensive notes. Choy uses these multiple strategies to help shoot down each argument that is for banning laptops. Through the use of many different techniques, Choy analyses the question as to should laptops be banned in classrooms and gives many examples as to why she believes banning laptops would not be helpful. Her confidence is what really makes her argument valid and believable to its readers. Choy achieves this confidence by going from one reason to the other as though she has a list. This â€Å"list† way of writing, makes her sound more credible because she  has so many different reasons. For example, she uses phrases such as, â€Å"Let’s look at each of these arguments (Choy)† and â€Å"Which gets to the second argument (Choy).† She does not show any doubt in her writing. This type of diction makes her seem extremely confident in her statements, and the more confident she seems, the more believable her argument becomes. Another reason Choy effectively analyzes the argument in this essay is the fact that she fully acknowledges the other side of the argument and spends a good bit of time discussing it. Throughout most of the essay, she spends time on giving reasons argument for banning laptops are wrong. If Choy would have only given the reasons as to why laptops should be allowed in the classrooms, then the audience would not listen to what she has to say because everything would be extremely biased. In her analysis, Choy admits the main points to the argument for laptops being banned in the class. However, she gives specific examples each argument against laptops and knocks out each one by giving a specific example as to why it wouldn’t work. For example, she says, â€Å"we go too far when we prohibit students from taking notes in the way they find most useful (Choy).†The strategy of admitting a few points and then shooting all of these points down really enhances the argument to make it more believable. Choy used multiple strategies to help make her argument credible. Her argument is well organized and believable for readers, however, I feel that Choy spends too much time talking about the arguments for banning laptops in the rooms. This is one area where Choy could improve to make her argument stronger. She spends most of the time on proving the reasons for banning laptops and never gets deep into talking about why laptops should be allowed. If Choy were to add reasons and examples as to why laptops should be allowed, it would add the finishing touches to an already successful argument. Overall, Choy does a fantastic job of getting her point across and trying to convince her readers as to why banning laptops in the classroom would not make much of a difference and could possibly be harmful to students ability to learn in class.

A Hypothesis Is a Claim

A hypothesis is a claim Population mean The mean monthly cell phone bill in this city is ? = $42 Population proportion Example: The proportion of adults in this city with cell phones is ? = 0. 68 States the claim or assertion to be tested Is always about a population parameter, not about a sample statistic Is the opposite of the null hypothesis e. g. , The average diameter of a manufactured bolt is not equal to 30mm ( H1: ? ? 30 ) Challenges the status quo Alternative never contains the â€Å"=†sign May or may not be provenIs generally the hypothesis that the researcher is trying to prove Is the opposite of the null hypothesis e. g. , The average diameter of a manufactured bolt is not equal to 30mm ( H1: ? ? 30 ) Challenges the status quo Alternative never contains the â€Å"=†sign May or may not be proven Is generally the hypothesis that the researcher is trying to prove Is the opposite of the null hypothesis e. g. , The average diameter of a manufactured bolt is not e qual to 30mm ( H1: ? ? 30 ) Challenges the status quo Alternative never contains the â€Å"=†sign May or may not be provenIs generally the hypothesis that the researcher is trying to prove If the sample mean is close to the stated population mean, the null hypothesis is not rejected. If the sample mean is far from the stated population mean, the null hypothesis is rejected. How far is â€Å"far enough† to reject H0? The critical value of a test statistic creates a â€Å"line in the sand† for decision making — it answers the question of how far is far enough. Type I Error Reject a true null hypothesis Considered a serious type of error The probability of a Type I Error is ? Called level of significance of the testSet by researcher in advance Type II Error Failure to reject a false null hypothesis The probability of a Type II Error is ? Type I and Type II errors cannot happen at the same time A Type I error can only occur if H0 is true A Type II error can o nly occur if H0 is false Critical Value Approach to Testing For a two-tail test for the mean, ? known: Determine the critical Z values for a specified level of significance ? from a table or computer Decision Rule: If the test statistic falls in the rejection region, reject H0 ; otherwise do not reject H0State the null hypothesis, H0 and the alternative hypothesis, H1 Determine the appropriate test statistic and sampling distribution Determine the critical values that divide the rejection and nonrejection regions Collect data and compute the value of the test statistic Make the statistical decision and state the managerial conclusion. If the test statistic falls into the nonrejection region, do not reject the null hypothesis H0. If the test statistic falls into the rejection region, reject the null hypothesis. Express the managerial conclusion in the context of the problem p-Value Approach to Testing -value: Probability of obtaining a test statistic equal to or more extreme than the observed sample value given H0 is true The p-value is also called the observed level of significance H0 can be rejected if the p-value is less than ? Hypothesis Testing: ? Unknown If the population standard deviation is unknown, you instead use the sample standard deviation S. Because of this change, you use the t distribution instead of the Z distribution to test the null hypothesis about the mean. When using the t distribution you must assume the population you are sampling from follows a normal distribution.All other steps, concepts, and conclusions are the same. One-Tail Tests In many cases, the alternative hypothesis focuses on a particular direction H0: ? ? 3 H1: ? < 3 This is a lower-tail test since the alternative hypothesis is focused on the lower tail below the mean of 3 H0: ? ? 3 H1: ? > 3 This is an upper-tail test since the alternative hypothesis is focused on the upper tail above the mean of 3 Proportions Sample proportion in the category of interest is denoted by p W hen both X and n – X are at least 5, p can be approximated by a normal distribution with mean and standard deviationPotential Pitfalls and Ethical Considerations Use randomly collected data to reduce selection biases Do not use human subjects without informed consent Choose the level of significance, ? , and the type of test (one-tail or two-tail) before data collection Do not employ â€Å"data snooping† to choose between one-tail and two-tail test, or to determine the level of significance Do not practice â€Å"data cleansing† to hide observations that do not support a stated hypothesis Report all pertinent findings including both statistical significance and practical importance

Domestic terrorism and international terrorism Essay

Domestic terrorism and international terrorism - Essay Example These are their major source of finance to their activities. Internet has enhanced the occurrence of domestic terrorism, the internet has become a source of information enhancing the occurrence of identity theft which is used by terrorist group to engage in their criminal activities, information collected include individuals information, bank credit information and credit card information. The internet has also been used to lure innocent citizens into frauds where individuals are asked to pay for certain services or goods and as a result they are fraud off their money. The intervention which includes monitoring activities in the web by the authorities will be an effective way to counter terrorism. However this may result into leaking of organisations information that may lead to losses by these organisations. When there exists a monitoring device in the internet then there will be leaking of company information to its competitors or even to speculators which may lead to loss of funds. Therefore the best way to strike a balance is to monitor only suspicious information on the web mostly from regions that are suspected to have terrorist groups, there exist such monitoring systems but they were banned by the US government but the best would be to install a system that tracks conversations that include key words used by the terrorist groups. Organisational information therefore should not be monitored to avoid financial losses as a result of information leak. Therefore the federal should be empowered to monitor information regarding suspicious groups and not for the organisations. Funding of domestic terrorism Terrorist groups will involve themselves in criminal activities to fund their operations, they have an advantage in involving in criminal activity in that they gain finances and at the same time they endanger the societies that they target through these activities. The other reason is that the criminal activities the terrorist involve in are hard for the judicial system to solve and prove. Some of the criminal activities that terrorist will engage in include: Drug trafficking: Drug trafficking is an activity that the terrorist involve in order to finance their activities, initially the terrorist groups were funded by the soviet union but after its collapse drug trafficking become a major source of finance. Identity theft: Identity theft is one of the most recent means in which terrorist use to finance their activities, this has emerged with the emergence of the internet and computer software which have made it easier to retrieve peoples information, and this has enabled the terrorist to steal people's identity which have resulted to financial scams which provide finances to the terrorist groups. Cigarette smuggling This is also a means by which terrorist groups will use in gaining finances, cigarettes are smuggled from low tax regions to regions whereby individuals will buy large quantities of cigarettes

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Assignment - Essay Example Unfortunately, neither person usually gets exactly what one wants. This can lead to angry feelings later.† (ICANS, par. 4) The rationales for my choice of the compromising style in negotiating are as follows: (1) both arguments from the two (2) negotiating parties are taken into account, (2) my personality, behavior and preferences are geared towards meeting half way, (3) based on experience, I realized that a compromising style benefits both parties in such a way that both come to a point where they agree to meet certain conditions which satisfy both their objectives, and (4) the objectives of both parties are partially (not exactly) met. The compromising style has the following advantages: (1) both sides agree or reach an agreement which is amenable to both, (2) terms or conditions of the arguments are both taken into account, (3) fair because neither wins or loses. On the other hand, the disadvantages of this style are as follows: (1) neither person gets exactly what each wants, (2) can lead to frustrated or angry feelings later, and (3) in some cases, it may not be possible, or even desirable, to split it down the middle (Lewicki & Hiam 2006:170) The compromising style is frequently used when trading commodities. A seller pegs the price of a commodity at a certain amount or level. Buyers, usually opt to negotiate purchasing that commodity at a lower price. For example, we were looking for a second-hand van to purchase. The seller sells the van at $5000. We try to negotiate to purchase the van at $4500. The compromising style is applied when both seller and buyer meets at a halfway price, e.g. $4750, to consummate the sale. By this type of transaction, we are already happy with the results. The compromising style is not always applicable in all transactions especially when the decision does not involve monetary terms. There was one instance when I wanted to trade my cell phone for a more advanced model. The trader would assess the market

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 22

No topic - Essay Example Mary Heaton Vorse writes of participating in a sit-down strike against General Motors in Michigan. Her writing is hopeful, vigorous and triumphant. She recounts singing, unity and solidarity with those around her. She was involved in righting one of the great injustices of the day. Even during the depression, corporations such as General Motors were turning a profit and she was determined to get her fair share of the profits. The amazing thing about her experience is that she was not just acting in her own self-interest. She worked for the good of her friends and neighbors. Meridel Le Seur writes of the exactly opposite experience. She tells of sitting despondent in a YWCA office waiting for domestic work to come her way. Her story is about fear, loneliness and anxiety. Women go mad sitting day after day waiting for the work that will feed their children. However, it never comes, or comes too infrequently. The different responses these two women have to the crisis of the Great Depression say much about the human spirit and resiliency. They show that social connections and friendships can help ease the burden of suffering. Going it alone is often a dangerous and unsuccessful

Entrepreneurship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Entrepreneurship - Research Paper Example Theoretical applications and the ideals of creating a different approach to being an entrepreneur are consistently being added into the definition, specifically because there is the need to grow and excel with this specific approach to work and business. When looking at the concepts of various theorists, it can be seen that there are changing definitions and specific perspectives that are taken, all which are based on the ideal of building a deeper meaning of what it means to be an entrepreneur as well as how this relates to the various aspects of working smarter with a field which continues to grow and which is based on dynamic components of the individuals who are continuing to work as leaders in the business society. This paper will examine and critique three separate articles, all which expand on the theories of entrepreneurship and the definitions which are continuing to add in dynamic levels of change. Dynamic Capabilities of Entrepreneurship The question of what defines an ent repreneur is one of the leading concepts that are looked at in theory. This not only relates to what an entrepreneur is, but also to the characteristics and attributes which they carry. In the first journal article, there is an understanding of entrepreneurs which are leaders within an organization and the characteristics which need to be approached in terms of the external and internal environment. The article focuses on looking at the roles and purposes of entrepreneurs as well as the capabilities of the organization to succeed, specifically by the approach which is taken for the environment. The main thesis of this specific article is based on having entrepreneurs which are leaders who can provide sustainability to the internal environment while working with change and dynamic characteristics for the altering changes and trends that are in the external environment1. The concept of sustainable and dynamic qualities of an entrepreneurial leader is one which the research paper state s is defined by the concept of understanding and leadership through an entrepreneur. The characteristics which are found to offer both qualities include understanding how sustainability and dynamics relate to each other. This is followed by organizational knowledge and skills, specifically which can apply to the practices that are a part of the leadership and which offer daily opportunities for entrepreneurs to look at the association with the organization. The ability to remain in a learning mode, build relationships and to create a link between learning and implementing new ideologies is also a proponent of this, all which provide different opportunities for entrepreneurs. As the dynamic and sustainable characteristics link together with these qualities, there is the ability to create a link to the growth and success of an organization2. When looking at this article, it can be seen that there are several strengths in relationship to identifying the qualities and capabilities that are associated with being an entrepreneur. The concept of providing characteristics that are both dynamic and stable is one which is considered important not only for entrepreneurs, but also for other types of leaders who are able to offer management and change within an organiz

Criminal Procedure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Procedure - Essay Example ith Justice Antonin Scalia, each and every constitutional law should be interpreted depending on the actual context and should not be subjected with the addition of multiple other associative meanings4;5. On the contrary, the commentators appeared to have criticized Justice Antonin Scalia stating him to be highly concentrative on the understandable meaning of the constitutional laws6. The commentators elaborated the necessity of the textualist towards understanding of the situation depending on which he /she should be interpreting the constitution laws. In accordance with the second commentator, textualisation of a constitutional law can either be projected as a narrowed down aspects or a broadened principle. Thus, the second comment implies the alignment of the commentator with the statements made by the first commentator7. The second commentator left a vagueness within the understanding of the situation as per which the narrowing or the broadening of the contextual textualisation should take place. Irrespective of all these, the third commenter presented his views upon the two types of textualists i.e. ‘semantic-originalists’ and ‘expectation-originalists’ that take specific consideration of the law writer’s intention in terms of imparting a specific meaning of the constitution that appears to be misaligned with the facts mentioned by Justice Antonin Scalia8. Justice Antonin Scalia also proved the fourth comment regarding the attainment of associated meaning from the constitutional interpretation as vague by stating that the legislation only possesses the authority of structuring the rules and it should remain confined to a specific meaning9. The alternative mentioned by Justice Antonin Scalia in terms of interpreting the constitutional laws can be considered as effective in recommending appropriate legal texts. The facts mentioned within the book has also been observed to be laying significant amount of focus on the development and introduction of a

Media in Elementary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Media in Elementary - Essay Example The section of the society and for that matter of the whole world should come forward and pull up the weaker strata. This can be achieved only when the students who are the leaders and citizens of tomorrow understand the feeling of solidarity. Chapter three accurately points out that even though there are some universities in the United States that offer media literacy programs , they are meager in comparison to countries like Canada , Australia , New Zealand and especially UK where media literacy is far more institutionalized. There should be more programs for teachers so that they can instill in their students the knowledge of media literacy. In the fourth chapter author mentions his experience of interviewing the teachers who attended the Project SMARTArt. This project helped the teachers as they implemented their newly acquired skills in their classrooms. However , one of the greatest hurdle in providing media literacy has been inadequate funds. Hence , I strongly recommend that the governments should not only introduce media literacy programs in their universities but at school level as well.

Multicultural Health Care Setting Essay Example for Free

Multicultural Health Care Setting Essay Nurses must be cultural competent before going abroad for them to be able to deliver nursing care that will allow effective interactions and the development of appropriate responses to persons from diverse cultures, races and ethnic backgrounds. Filipino nurses were overworked and underpaid in their own country, which is believed the reason that prods nurses to migrate. One main reason why Filipino nurses work abroad is to have a better future, where ever it may be, beside, most of Filipino nurses were somehow oriented about the culture of other states. They thought that it is better to shift gears for success rather waiting for nothing until they will got old. The principle of each and every Filipino nurses that works abroad, which is to have a better life in days to come is always proven, and the effectiveness of hard work and patience will always have the good result, and a better way of living that will bring them in each sweat that they done best, one of the good factor in working abroad is having the assurance to the successful, if one will do their best to do their best to pursue the dreamed to have a better life. Every Filipino nurses before going abroad must possess cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, cultural encounter and cultural desire. Q2. How can the revealed problems of nurses affect the changing practices in the multicultural health settings? Being in new country can be challenging because of the link between language and culture. Although other countries have the necessary language qualifications for entry of practice, they have difficulties if the workplace language is their second language. Nurses need to adjust on how to interact with patients, colleagues and fellow professionals in a multi-disciplinary team. They can experience cognitive fatigue from the need to concentrate on hearing and speaking of unfamiliar language. Language difficulties can lead to medical errors or near misses which affects the quality of care to patient. Male nurses can also face discrimination from other health care workers. Particularly in a work place full of female nurses, they may find they are not given the same respect that female nurses receive in the work place. It is important to speak to a supervisor, where it involves a colleague; they should try speaking to that person first. He may not have recognised that what they were saying amounted to discrimination. Everyone deserves a work place free from discrimination and stereotyping. The more men who continue to train to become nurses and more everyone speaks but against discrimination, the more effective all nurses can be in helping patients. Nurses who are sexually harassed at work frustration and emotional consequences. Sexual harassment at work increases anxiety and undermines the nurse’s ability to focus on the delivery of safe and competent care. Homesickness, weather and food are hard for the Filipino nurses to be adjusted of. But for the sake of their future they conquer this problem. They just think that they have higher income, better benefits and compensation package, lower nurse-patient ratio, more options on working hours and change to upgrade nursing skills, opportunity for family to migrate, opportunity to travel and learn other cultures, influence from peers and relatives and to experience advance technology, better socio-political and economic stability. Q3. Guided by the problems uncovered how the political and economic issues in the healthcare system may improve the nursing practice. Give at least five (5) substantial evidences. Politicians worldwide are confronted by the conflicting demands of a health service increasingly hungry for cash to fund advancing technology, an ageing population requiring more care and a public that wishes to keep taxation low. Changes may also come from a real desire to move the focus of healthcare away from an insensitive technological approach to one based on holistic care. At a time when the status of doctors is in decline, hastened by isolated but high profile ‘scandals’, it is easier to raise the status and responsibilities of nurses, whom the public regard with respect and affection. Other pressures have added to this process. These include a requirement to reduce the working hours of junior medical staff, and new training schemes which provide for more formal teaching and less face-to-face contact with patients. The medical focus is changing from treatment only, to active prevention strategies for example, screening for colorectal cancer. Biological therapies, such as antibodies for Crohns disease, are substantially more expensive than traditional drug treatments. Consumers that is, the healthcare-seeking publicare better informed and living longer. They are less tolerant of long waiting lists and want to be active participants in their own healthcare. Nurses are now generally better educated, within a university environment, and are more able to take on responsibility for patient care. The reaction of doctors to change in the status of nurses has been mixed. Some have embraced change enthusiastically: ‘Nurses can do some of what doctors do, usually to the greater satisfaction of patients. Others have been more guarded. But change seems inevitable. The question may be more about whether change will be imposed for the sake of political expediency or whether health professionals will take the lead in shaping the health service of the future. [pic] As I can see this paradigm, the message of this paradigm is as simple as we are committed to delivery of health care service that consist of Transcultural nursing, changing practice, health care system, political and economic issues, ethical, legal and social issues, bioethical issues in nursing and health care and issues in health care.

Logistics for the UK Brewing Industry

Logistics for the UK Brewing Industry The area of logistics management is today seen as a powerful tool in reducing cost, improving customer satisfaction and thereby increasing sales of a business. Therefore, as a critical business function, logistics has been subjected to extensive research that has led to the development of several theories, processes and strategies for efficient logistics systems. The purpose of this paper is to study strategy in the context of logistics for the brewing industry in the UK. The paper begins with discussing logistics and supply chain as well as the brewery industry in the UK. The brewer chosen for this paper is Greene Kings that produces different brands of beer besides owning and running more than 750 pubs across the UK and exporting its products as well. The discussion then moves to the understanding of Greene Kings strategy through generic models like Ansoff and Porters 5 forces model. This is followed by commentary on the plausible tools and strategic logistical models that Greene Kings may implement for more efficient systems. The problems that are faced in implementing a new strategy are discussed next along with suggestions as to overcoming the same. Finally, the trends and developments in logistics have been included with a discussion on which tools may be useful for Greene Kings. INTRODUCTION The importance of having a strong logistics strategy is being recognized by organizations in the light of the changing dynamics of the business environment. The growth of e-commerce, online transactions and globalization have led to an increase in the intensity of competition, which makes it imperative for every business to have a clear and comprehensive strategy for every operation and functional unit so as to be able to compete in the present dynamic business environment. A sound and comprehensive strategy around logistics management and supply chain is also crucial for pre-determining the demands of the customers (Towers John, 2003). In the intensely-competitive market, breweries have to keep abreast of the demands of the consumers. Towers and John (2003) term these varying demands as the fickle requirements (pp. 592) of consumers, through the importance of these requirements is paramount to retain and increase the customer-base. Moreover, as the same authors have further expounded, the inefficient management of customer demand would have effect on the residual stock, cash flow and other business functions. Logistics are a core process of business operations and plays a crucial role in cost management of the business products, and also for helping the business achieve the demands of a demanding beer-consumption market. Logistics includes storage, warehousing, materials handling, packaging, inventory, transport and information and control. A sound logistics strategy is long-term and is aligned to the larger strategy of the business unit and further, those formed at the corporate level. Any changes in the logistics systems are substantial and impact the entire business in a big way. In the globalized era, where business operate in several continents, the role of logistics and supply chain assumes a more complex and proportionately important place in determining the success of the business. Profit-making is no longer the sole motive of businesses today (lecture slides, M32SOR, Lecture 2; slide 4)., at least in a majority of cases and with the increasing dynamism of the market, it is important to keep the logistics strategy flexible to each of the different goals of the business and also to accommodate the needs of the market. Thus, strategy and logistics are inter-connected and aligned with one-another. For strategies to work, operating plans have to be well-drafted and efficiently executed. For this, there has to be a w ell-defined strategy to which the operations can turn. RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Aims This paper aims to study the strategy of a UK-based brewery from the point of view of logistics. This would be used as a point of reference in developing a comprehensive logistics strategy. Objectives To research and analyze the logistics strategy of the Greene Kings Group and comment on the avenues for improvement. To understand the issues that the management of a brewery may face in implementing a new logistics strategy. Trace and comment on the new developments in technology that would affect a beer manufacturer in the logistics scenario. BACKGROUND Company Background: Greene Kings Greene King Group is a 200 year-old brewery group based in Bury St. Edmunds and produces beer brands Abbot Ale, IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles County, along with other smaller brands. It is the largest British-owned brewery in the UK. Besides, the company also runs more than 750 public houses all over the country, including chains such as Hungry Horse and Belhaven Pubs. Furthermore, Greene King exports its products to over thirty countries in Europe, Americas, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the Oceana countries. UKs Brewery Industry The Brewery Industry primarily comprises beer producers and this market generates  £ 19 billion in revenues (British Beer and Pub Association, 2009). An interesting characteristic of the brewery industry is that it includes products with varying shelf-lives and therefore, the logistics decisions have to be made so that they fit the different products and offerings (Towers John, 2003). The four biggest breweries in the UK are Scottish and Newcastle (who produce Fosters and Kronenbourg); Coors from USA; Inbev (who produce Stella Artois, from Belgium) and Carlsberg from Denmark . Thus, it is clear to see that international players are the dominant market-share holders in the UK beer industry. Lager is the predominant beer produced and sold here that holds 68 per cent of the total market. Beer is the most important product offering by breweries, especially in the UK. The consumption of beer is divided into on-trade and off-trade consumption, the former being in pars and pubs and the latter through retail outlets (Carlsberg Group Communication, 2008). These differences also reflect in the system of logistics of the businesses. The beer market in UK and the larger Northern and Western Europe is mature and therefore the growth of the beer market would either be stagnant or declining. This makes the task of the management complex here because the focus of the business is shifting to new and emerging markets where growth potential is large. The focus in the UK market would be on retaining existing customers and fighting off competition from international brewers. According to Carlsberg Groups annual report (2008), the share of beer as a percentage figure of the total alcohol consumption is 44.2 per cent. This is divided between on-trade selling (i.e. through pubs and bars) and off-trade selling, with the former claiming 54 per cent of the market. The pricing of beer is done to target four different segments, namely discount, mainstream, premium and super-premium. The logistics strategy for a mature market like the UK has to be aligned to the logistics strategy of the overall business. Here, it is important to streamline the processes to achieve benefits of cost reductions. Globalisation has led to newer avenues for reducing cost. Central procurement is one such tool, wherein raw materials and processes may be obtained at a central level for the different products of the brewery, which would lead to lower costs. ANALYSIS OF GREENE KING THROUGH GENERIC STREATEGIES Porters Five Forces Model As has been discussed in the industry and company overview, the brewery industry in the UK is intensely competitive in the light of changing trends and growing acquisitions and mergers that are increasing the market share of international brewing giants. The Five Forces Model that was developed and presented by Michael E. Porter illustrates the major factors that influence the strategy-making process of a business. The factors include suppliers, buyers, competitors in the form of existing rivals and new entrants, and potential or existing competition from substitute products. These have been analyzed in the specific context of Greene King Breweries (see Appendix 1). In terms of its market share, Greene King is in the expansion stage as it is procuring more and more public houses and bars in all parts of UK, which are also increasing the sale of its beers. Threat of Competitors Greene King faces competition from other beer brands and breweries, especially international players. The main business of Greene King is through the company-owned pubs and bars, with over 750 pubs all over the UK. Off-trade sales accounting for a little below half of the beer sales, this is one part of the business of Greene Kings that faces threat from other large beer brands and breweries, especially international businesses like Carlsberg Group, Scottish and Newcastle and others. The advantage for international brewery groups is that they have the option for centralized procurement of processes and raw materials that result in cost-cutting. Threat of Suppliers The bargaining power of the company is reduced in certain areas of procurement, where there are limited or even a single supplier of raw materials. This is especially true in the case of bottles and cans suppliers who are few and scattered, leading to an almost monopolistic situation that greatly undermines the companys bargaining powers. Threat from buyers The beer market is characterized by different categories of beer, in different price-ranges. There are many variants on the basis of quantity, price, packaging and so forth that requires businesses to offer a diverse range of goods to accommodate the minor variations that customers seek. Furthermore, the consumption of beer is price-sensitive (Carlsberg Group Communication, 2008) and therefore the breweries face the risk of and threat from tax legislations that may lead to increased beer price. Threat from substitutes The increase in health concerns further highlighted by the ban on smoking in public places (Greene King, 2008) that was made legal in UK and Scotland has also put on the forefront, the threat from substitute beverages, especially non-alcoholic varieties. There is also the threat from other drinks with higher content of alcohol. Threat from Potential Entrants The beer and breweries industry is an important one in the UK and globalization has changed the face of competition of this industry that was traditionally a local one. As discussed earlier, globalisation has led to mergers and acquisitions that have increased both the scope as well as the threat of business from big, international players in the market. The main area of concern is that these players have substantially more funds, wider experience of systems and strategies and the added support of the local brewery or product they acquire so as to become formidable competitors for businesses such as Greene King that are involved in export but the primary focus of business is geographically concentrated to the UK. PORTERS VALUE CHAN ANALYSIS Porter further identified a set of interrelated activities that helped the firm in creating competitive advantage for itself in the market. The primary activities in the value chain include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and service, while the support activities include procurement, technology development, human resource management and firm infrastructure (Porter, 1985). Within the analysis of the value chain, a firm can look at cost advantage and/or differentiation. In case of the former, Greene King is saving costs on its interrelationships among the various business units. The two breweries, public houses, diners and restaurants, and finally the off-trade selling all have been created around its specific products to minimize chaos among requirements of and supply to these units. For example, Greene Kings Loch Fyne restaurants cater to high-end clients and supply a luxury meal to its clients, for which its two breweries produce Old Speckled H en and other high-end ales while the breweries also produce economy ales for retailing in supermarkets and selling through its pubs. Thus, Greene King has effectively maintained its breweries at two locations only, even when its business continues to expand. ANSOFF GROWTH MATRIX When analyzed from the point of view of Ansoff Growth Matrix, Greene Kings has existing products that the company is offering in both new and existing markets. The existing products are its beer brands that are being offered in the existing markets in the UK through on-trade channels, i.e. more than 750 public houses all over the country and off-trade channels, i.e. retail through supermarkets and other counters. In case of off-trade sales, Greene Kings is number one in terms of market share (Greene King, 2008) and is therefore focussing on consolidation of its share. On the other hand, it is expanding the on-trade sales by way of acquiring pubs. Therefore, in this case it is focussing on penetration. In case of new markets, Greene King is focussing on exporting to more than 30 countries (Greene King, 2008). The focus is on existing competencies and existing products of the company. Development of Existing Logistics Capabilities The above analysis of generic strategies of Greene Kings shows that there is scope in improvement of logistics management for Greene Kings. The large number of pubs and dining places that the group owns and runs makes it imperative for Greene Kings to have an impeccable distribution and logistics system. The group has two breweries based in Bury St. Edmonds and Dunbar. Both supply the different beer brands produced by Greene Kings to their nearly-900 outlets. There is scope for improvement on the following fronts: There is the risk of transport and logistics hazards in terms of transportation of the beer from the brewery to the pubs and other retail outlets. The company is in the process of setting up a disaster-recovery system (Greene King, 2008) but it needs to work on this in detail. Greene Kings outsources certain parts of its supply chain to vendors and there is scope for improvement in the supply-chain, especially when seen as a value-chain system. The relations with suppliers is complex since the public houses that Greene Kings owns and runs also offer products by competitors and rivals, in which case the distribution system has considerable loopholes. There is inadequate risk management mechanism towards internal production and distribution activities and this is one area that needs to be worked on. There has to be provision and management support to provide for a new logistics system. The reports and top management inputs show that the focus of the executive managerial committee is on end sales, specifically the effect of smoking ban on pubs in UK. There has to be better integration between the company and its logistics service providers. STRATEGIC APPROACHES TO LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT The strategic approach of management to logistics is of paramount importance since it adds value to the whole operational process if accomplish efficiently. Logistics has increased in importance from a function of business that was scarcely necessary to a key business function that can lead to significant cost savings and also as a factor that influences customer satisfaction, thereby increasing sales (Grant, Lambert, Stock, Ellram, 2006). Even when business is good for an organization like Greene Kings, organizations have to understand that innovation and constant improvements are a necessity to sustain and grow in the fiercely competitive business world (Black, 2009). Introducing effective strategies and new methods and processes effectively to the work process would further improve quality, reduce time and improve the over-all customer-service, thereby giving the business additional boost. There are several factors that influence the formulation of a business logistics strategy. These are the influence of e-commerce and information technology, competition in the segment and dynamism within the business environment among others. Strategies can only be useful if they are fully understood in the light of the business requirements and shortfalls in existing systems. There are several strategies that may be adopted by Greene Kings either individually or in combination with others to overcome the loopholes and shortfalls in its existing logistics system, as also to introduce newer methods. Just-In-Time and/or Lean Over the years, manufacturing has been introduced with several efficiency-increasing strategies, of which one of the more researched and implemented ones is Lean Manufacturing.   The essential focus of the lean manufacturing process is to maximize the value of the product that is offered by an organization to its customer. This value, in case of the manufacturing industry is obtained through a series of steps and processes that are collectively called the value stream (Womack, 2007). The lean system focuses on this value stream to continuously make the process of manufacturing more efficient that in turn enables the organization to compete on stronger grounds against competitors. The lean manufacturing strategy, often simply called lean was pioneered by Toyota but has been seen to benefit organizations all across the manufacturing industry. A very popular method of implementing an effective lean strategy is the 5S method. The 5 Ss stand for Sort, Set-In-Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain (Hemmant, August 2007). The 5S method is a continuous process that focuses on waste-reduction and discipline in the workplace. The method encourages order and cleanliness and its sustenance in the workplace, which does not include the manufacturing facility only but the entire organization, including workers and management. The implication of the 5S method is to develop and imbibe a culture where waste and negligence is frowned upon. Sorting implies distinguishing between useful and redundant components and processes and removing the latter. Setting-in-order would mean putting the right thing at the right place. The right place would be one that is easily accessible and prevents waste of time in reaching it when required. This component would also ensure that any components missing or falling short would be identified easily. Shine related to cleanliness and order, while Standardization is taken in the context of the quality levels that must be made routine in the production process. The sustenance of this method is the only way it will bear fruits and thus, this facet has also been included within the steps. JIT too, is based on the essential objective of minimizing waste. However, a little different from lean, JIT requires extensive and efficient communications between the manufacturing processes as well as the entire value-chain set. For example, in order to run a tightly time-bound production and supply system, it is important to have similar and efficient systems established with the suppliers and transporters. Greene Kings has two breweries that cater to the vast production needs of the business that owns and runs more than 750 pubs all over UK, besides exporting its beer to more than 30 countries in the world. Therefore, production at the two breweries has to be a flawless with minimum waste of resources and time. Lean can be used as an effective tool of breaking down the various processes in production and logistics and identifying any redundant processes that may be removed or processes that have scope for improvement. Benchmarking Benchmarking can be a very important tool for Greene Kings since it relies heavily on its distribution network. As has been discussed earlier, with its public houses, the importance of a flawless, daily distribution system becomes of paramount importance to the business. A very unique feature of Greene Kings is that it sells not only its own brands of beer at its public houses but also other brands that create a more complex distribution set-up for the organization. Here, Greene Kings can learn immensely from the logistics systems and strategies in place in other brewers, especially the market leaders. International brewers like Carlsberg focus on logistics strategy heavily and have more effective systems and strategies in place. Gourdin (2001) defines benchmarking as a process for identifying best practices by comparing key performance indicators for a specific activity across organizations and using those performance levels as inputs to corporate goal setting. There are a number of steps that are part of the benchmarking processes and include defining the present performance level for the activity to be benchmarked; determining the level of performance that is desired in the given activity; determining how and what type of improvement is implemented to achieve stated targets, and establishing a process time frame (Gourdin, 2001). Partnerships and Alliances Partnerships and alliances with vendors and suppliers is an emerging concept that is replacing the traditional notion of a professional relationship between suppliers and businesses. Relationship marketing is a term used to define this concept. Relationship marketing means that the time scale involved forming alliances and partnerships is lengthy. Another important ingredient that differentiates relationship marketing from others is the fact that it is based on cooperation. Therefore, the negotiations that form part of other organizational systems of functioning would be replaced by continuous communications that are interactive and aimed at establishing long-term contacts. Greene Kings is a well-established and local business in the UK and has key business functions being performed by vendors and suppliers. Therefore, the benefits of having an established set of suppliers and vendors who understand the unique features and business of Greene Kings in detail would really help in impro ving the efficiency of the business. ISSUES IN IMPLEMETING A NEW LOGISTICS STRATEGY People are at the core of any new strategy and introducing a change in the existing systems has potential for severe people issues. However, these have been and can be tackled effectively by the inclusion of all of the organizations people, from the top management to the ground staff. On one side, top management of the business may be sceptic about overhauling an established system and introducing an entirely new process. In case of Greene Kings, the issue among top management is the absence of attention towards the importance of logistics and other operational systems. On the other hand, a more serious concern could be resistance of subordinate workers and ground staff to a new logistics strategy. However, by keeping the new strategy and its expected benefits open before the whole organization, more support and better acceptance may be achieved. Furthermore, HR issues such as recruitment, selection, strategic training and appraisal, autonomy, flexibility, harmonization and reward system are consideration factors to ensure smooth implementation and transitional change. TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS Technological developments will influence the changes that are implemented in the logistics strategy of Greene Kings and as such, these have to be taken into consideration while formulating one. ERP systems are a technological development that provides feasible avenues for the business to improve efficiency upon. ERP systems are based in Internet technology and as such, enable the business to share informational flow among different departments, business processes and stakeholders efficiently. ERP is a set of business applications on modules, which links various business units of an organisation such as financial, accounting, manufacturing, and human resources into a tightly integrated single system with a common platform for flow of information across the entire business (Baheshti, 2006). For a business like Greene Kings that works across a large geographic area and has several different business units and alliances with stakeholders, a centralized ERP system would improve efficiency and cut cost and time for the business substantially. SUMMARY The above report discussed the position of Greene Kings brewers from the point of view of logistics. It also talked about the brewing industry in the UK, theoretical understanding of logistics and trends in development of strategies that would all be beneficial for Greene Kings. Avenues and strategies that may be used by Greene Kings were discussed, along with problems that are faced in implementing new strategies. Finally, the new trends in the area of logistics was documented. REFERNCES Baheshti, H. M. (2006) what managers should know about ERP/ERPII: Management Research News. Vol. 29(4) [online] available from Accessed on [20/12/2009] Black, John R. (2008): Lean Production: Implementing a World Class System; Industrial Press. British Beer and Pub Association. (2009, 12 08). Government makes five times more money from beer than pub and brewing companies. Retrieved 12 20, 2009, from British Beer and Pub Association: http://www.beerandpub.com/newsList_detail.aspx?newsId=310 Grant, D., Lambert, D., Stock, J., Ellram, L. (2006). Fundamentals of logistics management. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Education. Greene King. (2008). Annual Report. Suffolk: 85Four. Towers, N. S., John, P. (2003). Stock control and supplier relationships at the local pub in a market town: A case study investigation into effective demand management. British Food Journal , 591-691. Womack, James P. (March, 2007): Moving Beyond the Tool Age; IET Manufacturing Engineering (4-5), Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Training Needs Analysis (TNA) Cycle

Training Needs Analysis (TNA) Cycle Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is the first stage in the systemic training cycle and is also a process the training and human capital professionals undertake to identify any gaps in employee knowledge. The systemic training cycle comprises of the following stages: training design, training delivery, and evaluation). The basic of a basic structure for a modern effective and socially responsible training and development policy is the assessment of the gaps that exist between what the employee actually has and what they require in terms of skills, knowledge and attitudes in term of process. However, the nature and purpose of a TNA can have different meaning and perspectives depending upon the various people and organizations in the process, resulting in misunderstanding about expectations and what can be achieved. Boy dell (1976); one of the earliest writers about TNA, proposed a systematic approach to training needs that had its origins in analyzing requirement through a method based on organizational objectives. It is important that a training policy must provide the basic system and management guide for the people who are involved with the process of designing and developing training manuals within the organization-for example whether manuals must contain the training policy; whether manuals are course-specific or job-specific or departmental specific; who is responsible for designing and whether the media formats of manuals are printed, online, etc Boydell (1976, P.4) stated that A training need exits when the application of systematic training will serve to overcome a particular weakness. He also argued that, The identification of training need must therefore be resolved before training itself can be usefully undertaken. A TNA is an effective way to identify any gap between the skills a business need and those that employees have. It involves gathering information to locate areas where employees could improve the performance, Employee surveys, management observations, customer comment, company meeting and inspection can be utilized to collect this information, A TNA can assist in clarifying the objectives in training staff and this is invaluable for ensuring that money is spent on training that will enhance that achievement of the business objectives. Bartram and Gibson (1994) stated that, Analyzing training needs provides a focus and direction for investment on organization has to make in its people.Similarly, Bee and Bee (2003) asserted that business to close any performance gap. To carry out a TNA, you need to: Analyze your business goals and skills to meet these goals. Determine whether you are changing your products or business processes and what information or training employees will need to be effective in their job. Evaluate who you want to train and how best to reach them Establish how staff will best accept and integrate training and their preferred learning method Evaluate the training in place and decide what your company can and cannot provide in the way of in house training funding and time. Assess which consultants or training provides can fill these gaps. Take a decision on which type of training fits your needs best. Two political considerations influence TNAs were noted by Read (1994) They are: establishing who has ownership of the TNA will indicate whether the finding are ignored or implemented and the person who actually pas for it will indicate the real client, who is normally senior management. However, this systematic approach to TNA inclines to concentrate largely on organizational perspectives. Reid and Barrington (1999) recognized these perspectives, but asserted that these needs can occasionally conflict, e.g. long-term development for an individual and lack of promotion chances may be at variance with each other. It is important to assess kills gaps at all leers of the business. Learning and development are on-going and pro-active (Sloman, 2003). They should not have to wait for business needs and training objectives to be set before embarking on a program. Thus, individuals need to be more responsible for their own learning, rather than waiting for the organization to guide them. Seeking employee input can be particularly revealing as they are ore likely to experience the daily problems that arises when there is a skills gap. This makes them well placed to identify the skills and training they need in order to improve performance. The Meaning of TNA for Different Groups Potential conflicts between the organization managers and recipients about the ownership and purpose of TNA are unhelpful and counter-productive. Research was conducted among three separate groups to examine their understanding of TNA and identify similarities and differences, in order to help in resolving some of the misunderstandings. Passenger transport managers who had been recently queried about training needs; Training managers from other organizations and responsibility from TNA, and Training consultants who work independently and who predominantly design and deliver training based prior TNA investigations. Data collection involved the distribution of the different questionnaires about the purpose and process of conducting TNA to the three groups above. Most of the questions were similar across the groups with additional ones being directed to specific groups depending upon their background. Following u are individual interviews involving each of the groups. The facts were then studied using grounded theory (a method which involves developing a theory derived from the themes emerging from the data). It can be gathered form the table that there are both commonalities and some noticeable differences expressed that business needs were a dominant focus for all groups and that this should be constantly considered throughout the systematic training cycle. Conclusions and Recommendations The analysis revealed a number of findings to which recommendations have been made: Business needs emerged as the main focus of training needs analysis. These business need should be clearly communicated. From an individual perspective, the person may wish to learn different knowledge, skills, and attitudes atc, than those prescribed by the organization. It may be advisable to consider both sets of needs. The various people involved with the TNA process should be aware of their part in the whole process. This should involve clear communication about its purpose, the process and decisions about training will be made. Personnel involving with TNA should be aware of the expectations arising from those who are on the receiving end of the investigation. Often, genuine concerns were raised which were ignored because there are more important priorities, but if so, this should be communicated sensitively. A clear and transparent process will enhance trust in the process and the organization. It will also encourage those in human resource and other management positions to create a more democratic process. Defining Training According to Nadler (1984): Training is the organizational activity which aims to improve an employees performance. Education consists of activities designed to prepare employees for future jobs. Development is those learning activities designed to help the individual employee grow but which are not confined to a particular job. Nearly all companies provide training for their employees but there is a great variation in the amount of educational and developmental activities organized by firms. Training maybe defined as the attempt by an organization to change employees through the learning process so that they are able to execute their jobs as efficiently as possible. Training programmes must be designed to maximize learning. Training may or may not be conducted in a classroom. Learning can take place in a variety of situation, none of which requires a classroom. The Benefits of Training In general, the benefits of training outweigh its costs, even when those positive outcome cannot be evaluated in financial terms. Robert Steinbach (2004) says, Inadequate training leads to poor performance, angry customers and high turnover exactly the kind of problems that keep supervisors too busy to focus or training. Talk about a vicious circle! The advantages of effective training include: Training increases workers productivity Training increases workers job satisfaction Training keeps workers skills and knowledge up-to-date Training helps to motivate workers Training helps to increase worker productivity by improving their ability to do their current job. Learning organizations take proactive steps to retain employees knowledge within the organization. Training is a major financial investment for the employer and reasonable returns are expected. A systemic approach to training is the best way to ensure effective training. The steps to be followed in organizing a training programme are listed below: Identify Training Needs Set training Objectives Design the Training Programme Implement the Training Programme Evaluate the Training Programme Before organizing a training programme, a training needs analysis should be carried out. Timothy Ho Ha Yin (2003) describe a training needs as the gap between an actual situation and the desired situation. Situation may refer to job performance, knowledge, skills, behavior or attitudes. In other word, gap analysis indentifies the difference between what is actually happening and what was planned to happen. The training needs assessment is best conducted upfront, before training solutions are budgeted, designed and delivered. The output of the needs analysis will be a document that specifies why, why, what, who, when, where and how. The document should contain the following questions: Why do people need the training? What skills need imparting? Who needs the training? When will they need the new skills? Where may the training be conducted? How may the new skills be imparted? Thus training is needed when: Individual workers are facing difficulties in performing their jobs satisfactorily. New workers are hired. New technology and procedures are introduced. Individuals are transferred or promoted. A major change such as a merger takes place. In clarifying the purpose of the Training Needs Analysis (TNA), the following should be considered: At the organization level? At the project level for a specific project? or At the department level for specific employees? Your answers to these questions will decide: Who will conduct the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) How the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) will be conducted and What data sources will be used To carry out an analysis of the employees training needs, certain steps should be followed: Identify a performance problem Decide whether the problem is serious enough to justify action Identify the cause of the problem Produce alternative solutions to the problem Choose the best solution and implement Training Needs Analysis (TNA) must be carried out continuously as there is no short-cut to effective training and those involved in indentifying needs may: Require supervisors to prepare a report on the training needs of each and every worker reporting to them, especially new staff undergoing probation. Require all workers to periodically assess their own knowledge and skills and apply to attend training in areas in which they are weak. Require workers to evaluate the strengths and weakness of supervisors, so that appropriate training can be organized for and supervisors who are unable to effectively manage their sections well. The focus of these involved in organizing training must be the needs of the employees and the organization. To ensure only, relevant programmes are offered, some organizations utilize a competency approach whereby a careful analysis is conducted of each job grouping in the organization to identify the competencies heeded by employees at various levels in the job concerned. An example is shown below: Set Training Objectives As the main aim of training is to improve employees abilities and performance on the job, hence clear and specific objectives for each programme must be tabled. The objectives should be quantified as measurable objectives which are crucial in the evaluating process. They also act as a guideline to the trainee as what is expected of him/her. As Mager (1984) says If you know where you are going, you have a better chance of getting there. An ideal training programme objective comprises of three parts and includes a statement of: Terminal behavior Standards to be achieved Conditions of performance Training Needs Analysis Method Employee Performance Appraisal During the final part of the performance appraisal discussion, each workers manager discusses training and development needs. In general, the manager constructs an employee Performance Development Plan in collaboration with the employee being appraised. The Plan takes into consideration: the organizations strategies and plans agreed employee goals and targets the employees performance results the employees role description feedback from internal/external customers and stakeholders, and the employees state career aspirations Improvement Project To carry out this successfully, the performance consultant needs to be familiar in process improvement methods and employee motivation theory and practice. Examples of improvement projects include planned and structured attempts to decrease the incidence of product defects, increase sales volume and reduce the number of customer complaints. The causes of underperformance needs to be determined through a series of structured questions. Possible causes and solutions are discussed and training solutions identified, where appropriate. When training is identified as suitable solution, we recommend a training needs analysis questionnaire (with the suitable stakeholders) which will give you the information needed to the program design phase. An effective Training Needs Analysis questionnaire worksheet will cover at least the following areas: Training Needs Analysis Context: Project Sponsor Reason for Request Participant Roles Organizational Objectives Training Program Objectives Target Population Number of Participants Location Department Education/Experience Background Current Job Experience Current Performance vs Expected Performance Language/Cultural Differences Anticipated Attitudes Task Description Task Description Frequency Proficiency Performance Criteria Conditions Underpinning Knowledge Constructing a Training Calendar The main objective of this tool is to ensure that it needs to be tailored for your specific organizations real needs as many managers are not skilled in identifying which of their problems can be solved by training and which cannot. Make sure you engage in constructive communication about what their real problems are and which of them can be addressed through training. Consult your management team by studying which of the following areas required to be included in your training calendar: management, leadership and supervision skills soft skills, such as communication and conflict resolution environment, health and safety human resource processes, such as performance management business skills, such as strategy, planning and process improvement technical line and staff skills such as telephone etiquette and inventory management Data Sources In conducting a Training Needs Analysis (TNA), a number of factors have to be considered before selecting which data sources. These factors include: the amount of time you have available the human resources you have available the level of accuracy you require the reliability of each data source the accessibility of each data source The data sources that you have available may include: interviews/surveys with supervisors/managers interview/surveys with employees employee performance appraisal documents organizations strategic planning documents organization/department operational plans organization/department key performance indicators customer complaints critical incidents product/service quality data Techniques for Determining Specific Training Needs A number of practical methods can be used to gather data about employees performance. None of these methods can stand alone. Always use at least two. One of those that should be chosen should always be observation. Observation Interviews Questionnaires Job Descriptions The Difficulty Analysis Problem Solving Conference Appraisal Reviews Drive Pattern Identity Analysis of organizational Policy Whatever the method used to identify training needs, at least the following three points must be kept in view: These methods should be used in combination, that is, there should be no dependence on only one method. They may be used to identify training needs of each of the various groups of employees. They should be applied to individual employees since training needs vary with each employee. Sales Staff Training Needs Analysis Telecoms Malaysia, a major telecommunication provider, is hiring sales staff for its business. The skills included are important in our sales representatives who are dealing with customers directly, Thank you for your time completing this analysis. At Telecoms Malaysia we are examining our human resources needs and exploring what can be done to provide our employees with the resources and materials you need in order to do your job most effectively. Building sales competencies will be a critical strategy for growth and planning. Thank you for your time and energy in making Telecoms Malaysia the best it can be. In the questionnaire below, place a check mark in the column that reflects your current level of skill or ability for each skill listed. Rank your skills on a sliding scale, with 1 being poor or beginner-level skills and 5 being strong skills or more advanced experience in that area. Your responses will help us determine your current skill set, so we can plan the most effective training program to help you excel at your job. How to Use this Training Needs Analysis Questionnaire Whenever youre conducting a training needs analysis, youre looking to evaluate the current skills of your staff so you can figure out what areas they need the most training in. Having a proper training plan in place means that workers can work more productively and efficiently, because theyll have the skills they need to get the job done right. After distributing a training needs analysis questionnaire like the one above, you have to analyze the results. The first step of doing that is deciding which of the skills listed are the most important to your business. Mark them or highlight them. Then look at those most important skills and see which of them has the lowest ranking based on employee feedback (the most 1s and 2s for example). These should be your priority areas for employee training. Theyre the weakest skill sets in the most important areas for your company. Once youve taken care of training in those areas, you can decide if the questionnaire results show training in other, less important, areas is also worth pursuing.

All I Ever Needed To Know About Love Essay -- essays research papers

All I ever needed to know about love, I learned form the Goo Goo Dolls. This band with songs such as â€Å"Iris†, â€Å"Slide†, and â€Å"Black Balloon† speak of the longing that comes with love lost for example in the song â€Å"Black Balloon† The singer talks about the fact that â€Å"A thousand other boys could never reach you, how could I have been the one.† In â€Å"Iris† The speaker talks about the fact that regardless of what the world thinks, his love will continue, â€Å"you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming, but I know you can feel me some how†¦ I don’t want the world to see me cause I don’t think that they’d understand.† In the song â€Å"Slide† they speak more of the sexual side of love â€Å"I wanna wake up where you are.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Music as a whole has always appealed to the senses and the emot...

monkey :: essays research papers

KrZyAzNnBoI: i understand DevilsInMePants: + my lil bro needs to help me w/it DevilsInMePants: i might brack it KrZyAzNnBoI: oo KrZyAzNnBoI: ic ic DevilsInMePants: and hes doin somethin eles right DevilsInMePants: ill c if he'll come help me DevilsInMePants: and ill good find a ok pic DevilsInMePants: but ill b all dressed up and stuff DevilsInMePants: so brb KrZyAzNnBoI: k DevilsInMePants: hi DevilsInMePants: this is Jesse bro KrZyAzNnBoI: sup DevilsInMePants: Jessi will b back she is lookin 4 a pic KrZyAzNnBoI: koolz KrZyAzNnBoI: 8 36 KrZyAzNnBoI: oops KrZyKrZyAzNnBoI: wrong box DevilsInMePants: ok DevilsInMePants: okok me bavk DevilsInMePants: back KrZyAzNnBoI: kool KrZyAzNnBoI: got a pic yetz? DevilsInMePants: yaya KrZyAzNnBoI: koolhow monkeys live on a fram. DevilsInMePants: back KrZyAzNnBoI: kool KrZyAzNnBoI: got a pic yetz? DevilsInMePants: yaya KrZyAzNnBoI: kool DevilsInMePants: there was a gurl in the pic w/ me but i cut her out KrZyAzNnBoI: o KrZyAzNnBoI: okies KrZyAzNnBoI: just sne dme the nice pic DevilsInMePants: my bro is fuckin around w/ the pic now KrZyAzNnBoI: damn DevilsInMePants: + we have to put it onto a disk KrZyAzNnBoI: o KrZyAzNnBoI: but u can just save t on ur comp KrZyAzNnBoI: and then delete it after u send it to me DevilsInMePants: no because we have the scaner on a diff computer KrZyAzNnBoI: o KrZyAzNnBoI: my badz DevilsInMePants: its ok u didnt kno KrZyAzNnBoI: aitezzz DevilsInMePants: im scared KrZyAzNnBoI: y? DevilsInMePants: because DevilsInMePants: i a shy preson KrZyAzNnBoI: y u shy for? DevilsInMePants: i dont think will like my pic KrZyAzNnBoI: y notz KrZyAzNnBoI: i haven't even seen it yetz KrZyAzNnBoI: and u already think i be that judgmental DevilsInMePants: i kno DevilsInMePants: but KrZyAzNnBoI: ...? DevilsInMePants: no i dont think u r judgmental it just that DevilsInMePants: i kno u havent seen it yet that is wat i was talkin about DevilsInMePants: 1 min. KrZyAzNnBoI: ok DevilsInMePants: His is James do you have paint for the computer KrZyAzNnBoI: huh DevilsInopen the file u saved ur pic on

To What Extent Were Hitler and Stalin Similar?

To what extent were Hitler and Stalin similar? Hitler and Stalin were both cruel dictators around the time of WW2, but to what extent were these two men similar? Firstly they were both dictators throughout WW2; however they were both of different beliefs. Hitler was a fascist and Stalin was a communist, however they were both such extreme versions of these beliefs that they were, in many ways alike. Starting with childhood, Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th 1889 in a small Austrian town called Braunau, near to the German border.His father, Alois Hitler was an abusive drunk similar to Stalin’s father, Besarion Vanovis Jughashvili. This evidence suggests that perhaps the bad relationships these men had with their fathers, who made very poor role models, may have had some contribution to the turnout of these dictators. Stalin did not graduate, unlike Hitler; instead he devoted his time to the revolutionary crusade against the Russian monarchy. He spent 15 years as an activist, who was arrested on a number of occasions and exiled six times in total.In 1913 Stalin was captured for the sixth time, and was exiled to a region in Siberia near to the Arctic Circle called Turukhansk. He was then released for a final time in March, 1917, by Alexander Kerensky’s revolution. When you compare Hitler’s life before dictatorship it is obvious that this portion of the men’s life was extensively different. Stalin rose to power as general secretary covertly, into one of the most dominant communist parties at the time. And when revolution leader Vladimir Lenin died in 1924, control was thought by the Russian public, to belong to Leon Trotsky who was the head of the red army.However Stalin rose to power instead and, although he incorporated fear into his tactics of leadership, like Hitler did, his actual claim of control over Russia was visibly dissimilar. Hitler’s early adulthood was difficult, after leaving his school in Vienna he was devastated by the loss of his mother to cancer. Shortly after which he was struck by another heavy blow, as he was rejected from art school and forced to give up his dream of becoming an artist.He was now very poor and living in a doss house with the homeless, it was at this time many historians believe he developed his hatred of Jews as they were generally well-off people thriving in a time when he had nothing, this hatred would later play a major part in the mass genocide he lead during his dictatorship. When Hitler rose to power in 1933 Germany was facing a crisis, the great depression had struck, and America had stopped funding them or buying their goods, causing 6 million people to lose their jobs, on top of that the restrictions Germany had already suffered due to the treaty of Versailles were catastrophic.So, the public began to question their current democratic leadership. For Hitler turning the public against democracy and communism was easy, they already doubted the democratic leade rship and since the communist uprisings between 1919 and 1920 that had caused a major panic and the horror stories from Russia and Stalin, people already disliked the communists greatly. He used the similar beliefs between himself and the people to strengthen their relationship and allow them to worship him. Similarly, when Stalin came into power he influenced the people to turn them against his opposition by pointing out their similarities.Stalin was a man of the people, a peasant who had fought in the revolution, and was in the public eye having attended and given the main speech at Vladimir Lenin’s funeral. However, his opposition Leon Trotsky was a Jewish Army leader who did not attend Lenin’s funeral (however sources tell that Stalin tricked Trotsky into not going). This was similar to Hitler because they both focused on what they had in common with the public , and ensured they kept themselves in the public eye as the hero when in actual fact they turned out to b e the villains.Another likeness between the two leaders was their use of terror to control their country. Both of the dictators enforced the secret police, who were one of the biggest fears of both countries public, in Russia the secret police were called ‘Cheka’ and in Germany they were known as Gestapo. The secret police were the secret force put together by the government to spy on and capture those who spoke out against them, in Hitler’s case for example the Jews. Once captured by the secret police the prisoners would either be executed or taken away to concentration camps, gulags or ghettos to be tortured and forced to work manual labour.Both men additionally, believed in using children to spy on their parents, in many schools across Germany and Russia the dictator’s beliefs were broadcasted to young children, they were taught to snitch on their parents if they spoke out against the government. When using propaganda Hitler was linked to Stalin through their use of twisting the public’s mind. Many historical sources depict images of Hitler or images of Stalin hugging women and children and leading the army, in addition to this almost all of their osters depicted their political parties symbol, which with Nazis symbol (swastika)ironically meant good fortune and peace. A major difference was that Stalin’s posters were much more general, much more of Stalin loving the public whereas Hitler’s posters clearly defined his policies. For instance Nazi propaganda was widely images of the Hitler youth army, the Aryan race (the race Hitler believed to be superior to all others- blonde hair/blue eyes) and many images of ugly Jewish people perhaps eating German babies.Often when observing Hitler and Stalin people overlook the changes they made for the good. In Hitler’s case he promised policies such as Lebensraum (the need for living space) -the reclaiming of land lost in the treaty of Versailles and, he promised t o increase the army size from 100,000 to 1,400,000. He also came up with the Hitler youth army providing leisure events such as holidays, trips and sports events, moreover he gave the Germans cheaper cinema and theatre tickets and provided them with better meals.He greatly improved the quality of German working facilities, as well as providing loans to married couples, and encouraging the birth of children by saying that the more children you had the less you had to pay back form the loans. Overall the main thing he provided to the poor Germans who had lost so much since WW1. Stalin gave the public hope for triumph for over the cruel grip of fascism taking the current revolution a step further. He made his country a world power alongside the USA, not like Hitler who made Germany suffer a colossal loss after WW2.He greatly improved Russian industries and economy, the farming in Russia increased by 200 %. Additionally Stalin increased by decades the life expectancy of many Russians, h e also enriched the lives of many Russians who lost faith especially throughout WW2. Furthermore, during Stalin’s rule he significantly enhanced the standard of women’s rights by allowing them to receive education and employment and permitting them to give birth in hospitals with prenatal care. Opposing Hitler immensely, who sacked hundreds of women believing their purpose was to stay at home with the children, and cook and clean.On June 22nd, 1941 Hitler, feeling himself losing the war and growing paranoid of Stalin’s communist power invaded Russia calling it Operation Barbarossa. It was a foolish decision which lost him a large portion of his army, and the war essentially. Stalin triumphed and by mid-April of 1945, Soviet forces had pushed their way into Berlin, and Hitler and his wife Eva killed themselves in order to escape the terrible punishments of losing the war. Stalin died later on in 1953 on March 5th, 1953 a stroke.In conclusion although they were bo th at the furthest ends of right wing communism (Stalin) and fascism (Hitler), they were indeed so extreme, that in a way, they were a like. There methods of control, torture and advertisement were so remarkably alike and, their mass genocides will go down as two of the most dreadful, but painfully similar events in history. So to a certain extent I do agree that these dictators were very similar from a particularly young age, though at many significant points in their lives they did show great dissimilarities.

Lost at Sea Exercise

Lost at Sea Exercise – Leadership & Team Building Lost at Sea Scenario Your team has chartered a yacht. None of you have any sailing experience. You hired a skipper & two-person crew. As you sail through the Southern Pacific Ocean, a fire breaks out & much of the yacht & its contents are destroyed. The yacht is sinking. Your location is unclear because navigational & radio equipment have been damaged. The skipper & crew have been lost to the fire. Your best guess is that you are approximately 1,000 km southwest of the nearest landfall.You and your friends have managed to save the following items: ( A shaving mirror [pic] (A quantity of mosquito netting [pic] ( A 19 liter can of water [pic] (A case of army rations [pic] (Maps of the Pacific Ocean [pic] (A floating seat cushion [pic] (A 7. 5 liter can of oil / petroleum mixture [pic] (A small transistor radio [pic] (186 square decimeters of Opaque plastic sheeting[pic] (Shark repellent [pic] (1. 1 liters of 160 per cent proof ru m [pic] (4. 5 meters of nylon rope [pic] (2 boxes of chocolate bars [pic] (A fishing kit [pic] pic]Also, you have salvaged a rubber life raft. In your team’s pants pockets there’s 1 package of cigarettes, 3 boxes of matches & 3 $20 bills. [pic] YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL WILL DEPEND UPON YOUR ABILILTY TO RANK THE 14 ITEMS IN THEIR ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. GOOD LUCK! [pic] Lost at Sea Exercise Instructions Part 1 Participants should divide into teams of 5 and then be given 10 minutes to individually rank the 14 items. Part 2 Team members should then confer for an additional 10 minutes and decide on the team’s priority ranking of the 14 items.Part 3 Team members should then compare their individual rankings with those determined by the group as a whole, and discuss why the scores differ, if applicable. Or, if individuals would re-rank items based on the group discussion, what changed their minds? How where they influenced by the group? Lost at Sea Suggested Answers / Ra tionale According to the experts (United States Coastguard), the basic supplies needed when a person is stranded mid-ocean are articles to attract attention and articles to aid survival until rescue arrives.Without signaling devices, there is almost no chance of being spotted and ultimately rescued. Furthermore, most rescues occur within the first 36 hours and a person can survive with only a minimum of food and water during that period. So, the following is the order of ranking the items in their importance to your survival: 1. The shaving mirror would be critical for signaling. 2. The oil / petroleum mixture would also be critical for signaling. The mixture will float on water & could be ignited with the paper currency & a match. 3. The water would be necessary to replenish fluids lost through perspiration. . One case of army rations would provide basic food intake. 5. The opaque plastic sheet could be used to collect rain water and provide shelter from the elements. 6. The chocol ate bars could provide reserve food supply. 7. The fishing kit is ranked lower than the chocolate since ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’, and there is no guarantee that you will catch any fish. 8. The nylon rope could be used to secure people or equipment to prevent them from being washed overboard. 9. The floating seat cushion is a life preserver if someone fell overboard. 10.Shark repellent 11. The 160 per cent proof rum contains 80% alcohol, which is enough to be used as an antiseptic for any injuries; otherwise, it is of little value. It will cause dehydration if ingested. 12. The small transistor radio would be of no use without a transmitter. You would also be out of range of any radio station. 13. Maps of the Pacific Ocean would be worthless without navigation equipment. 14. The mosquito netting would not be necessary, as there are NO mosquitoes in the mid-Pacific Ocean, and the fishing kit would be more effective for catching fish.

History of New York City Essay

When one thinks of New York City, the image the commonly comes to mind is prosperity and wealth. Considering that New York is the financial and media capital of the world, it is no wonder that it has such an image. However, such prosperity was not always the case and a comprehensive public works system was required in order to save the city from economic devastation. Prior to the Great Depression, New York City was controlled by the corrupt political machine Tammany Hall. With the advent of the Great Depression, new York City’s population exploded. Unfortunately, the economy of New York City was negatively affected in the same manner that the rest of the nation and extreme change was required. As such, Tammany Hall was finally ‘thrown out of office’ and the Mayor Fiorella La Guardia was elected. In order to deal with the problem of economic chaos, La Guardia opted to institute a number of public works programs in order to reverse the negative spiral the city was caught. With many major American cities collapsing under the financial strain caused by the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt provided a significant volume of federal funds to cities in order to aid the economic re-development of the cities. La Guardia jumped on the opportunity for federal funds and used those federal funds to stimulate a number of jobs for the unemployed. This greatly saved New York City from financial collapse and, ultimately, made Fiorella La Guardia and icon in New York City’s history. Additionally, La Guardia used public works money to develop a system of public housing and urban renewal. Since much of New York City was poor, many of the neighborhoods had devolved into slums. The aggressive urban renewal campaign was somewhat successful, but not as successful as the job stimulation program that La Guardia instituted. Of course, there will always be negatives on the flipside of any positive venture. With a great deal of public, federal money coming into the city, many individuals became overly reliant upon the federal government for prosperity. When the federal government reached its limits in terms of what it could provide, the prosperity of segments of the population stagnated. This ultimately led to a rollback of many of the public works policies during the 1990’s Regardless of the success that the public works system may have had in the past, in order for progress to be made in any endeavor, one must move forward. There were a great number of factors that made the public works system a positive benefit for the city of New York from the New Deal era to the 1970s. This does not, however, mean that duplicating the past system would equate to a duplication of success. Sometimes, a radically different approach is required. Former Mayor Gulliani, for example, promoted a system of city governance that was far removed from the public works system of city maintenance and management and his system of governing is widely considered a success. Again, different time periods and factors will require different solutions to problems. No concept is so strong that it can last forever and thrive amidst radically changing social and political landscapes. As such, La Guardia’s usage of Public Works money for the stimulation of the stagnant economy of New York was the right decision at the right time. While not perfect, it did serve its primary purpose: saving New York City from economic collapse.

Draft Process for Major Sports

A draft is a procedure used to apportion certain players to sports teams, particularly college players for involvement in professional sports (Encarta, 2009). During a draft, teams take turns in selecting from a pool of qualified players. Accordingly, when a team selects a player, the former receives exclusive rights to sign the latter to a contract. The most recognized mode of draft is the entry draft, which is utilized to allocate recently qualified players to play in a certain league. NFLThe NFL team that finished with the worst record during the preceding year is granted the first draft pick, unless the team had earlier made a trade that relinquished its right to pick first. NFL draft has seven rounds and, accordingly, every team can each have seven selections. The draft is held in April and is every NFL team’s chance to improve the roster by adding new talented players. Only upon completion of four years of play that a college player becomes eligible to join the NFL draft .In the recent decades, however, a growing number of players have preferred to enter the draft as underclassmen by going out of high school for at least three years. NBA The May NBA Draft Lottery is a yearly event that establishes the order of selection among non-playoff teams to take part in the process of obtaining rights to pick promising young local collegiate and foreign players. For teams that do not win one of the top three picks in the lottery, the order of the selection will be decided by the order of their regular season win-loss record.During the calendar year of the draft an aspirant must be no less than 18 years of age to qualify for the draft. Moreover, a draftee who completed high school basketball eligibility must be separated for no less than one year from the time of his class graduation. MLB Every year the MLB holds two drafts, which lasts up to 50 rounds; however, a much shorter draft is carried out in Rule 5 draft. The Rule 5 draft takes place every December, du ring the general managers’ annual Winter Meeting.The selection order is also based on each team’s previous regular season win-loss record, with the team with the worst record starts every round. MLB draftees are either college baseball players who have played three years and who have turned 21 years of age or high-school graduates who have opted not to go to college. However, players who have been in the organization for four years and were signed at age 18 or younger, or were signed at age 19 or older and have been in the organization for three years but are not on their major league organization's 40-man roster, are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft.NHL Every year, the NHL holds a seven-round off-season draft. Similar to the NBA, the NHL makes use of a lottery system to establish which team gets the top pick, beginning with the five teams with worst previous season record. However, like any other drafts, teams are allowed to trade draft picks. Any overseas p layer over 18, and any North American player age 18-20, is eligible to join the draft. Players are generally chosen from overseas clubs, the NCAA, high schools, and junior hockey teams. Cities with teams in the league take turn with the NHL draft's location.MLS MLS teams draft players at the annual MLS SuperDraft. The draft is divided into four rounds with fourteen picks each, with the worst team likewise getting the first draft pick. The selection order is decided as follows: the first six selections are given to teams that did not make it to the playoffs beginning with the team with least previous regular season points; while the other eight positions are ranked by least regular season points amongst the teams that were eliminated in the same round of the preceding playoffs.However, an expansion team is given the first draft pick in each round. In order to be eligible for the draft, aspirants must be: college players who are nominated by MLS teams and no longer have college eligib ility; invited to join in the draft year's MLS Player Combine; or generation adidas-signed players. Conclusion Every year, the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS conduct its draft. Depending on the sport, the players may come from junior teams, high school or college teams or teams in other countries.In recent years, these drafts have become spectator events, receiving the attention of millions of audiences throughout their drafting periods. Certain rules are relevant during their respective draft processes, some of which serve to make watching them a thing of some excitement and suspense. Reference Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia. (2009). Draft (sports). Retrieved July 13, 2009, from http://encarta. msn. com