Significance of Personality Development for a Student

Recently, a student approached me seeking help to resolve his personal problems. He was finding it difficult to concentrate during classes and scoring even pass marks in the exams had become a herculean task. A casual enquiry revealed that he was almost starving and severely malnutritioned because of his dislike for the hostel mess food. He would skip breakfast, eat sparingly at night and satisfy his appetite instead at the night canteen with coffee and noodles. This case is not very different from the stories of hundreds of students I have had the opportunity to counsel in the past six years. I have always noticed that most of the students’ academic problems can be traced to imbalances in the personal lifestyle which is often taken for granted. Many parents and teachers fail to make this simple connection and also to impress upon students the need for a balanced lifestyle. Indian society and the education system must veer away from the obsessive focus on marks & ranks, if we want to unleash the full potential of our youth and allow them to grow in a more natural way, pursuing their inborn talents and interests. A host of common behavioural problems noticed in kids and adolescents can be prevented or cured if a foundation is laid at an early age towards holistic personality development. Multiple Intelligence In this article, I will make use of the concept of Multiple Intelligence developed by Dr. Howard Gardner[i], Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Gardner talks of different aspects of intelligence possessed by every human being and why it is important to develop each one of them to achieve a balanced personality. I will also attempt to illustrate how Indian tradition has always emphasized on such all round growth of the human being through the knowledge systems like yoga, ayurveda; through schools of philosophy & spirituality like the darsanas or vedangas and even through classical art forms like music or dance. Physical Intelligence Lack of regular physical activity and regime is perhaps the biggest epidemic afflicting the students in India today. The rat race for marks and ranks leaves little time or motivation for the average student to go out and spend some time at the gymnasium or in the playground. The university campus where I reside has a massive playground, a well-equipped gym, a basketball court, a tennis court and to top it all, one of the biggest swimming pools in South India. And yet, hardly 500 students come out to play or exercise every day, out of the 5,000 strong student community on this campus. No wonder then that a majority of the students who approach me with problems of poor concentration, motivation in studies are those who belong to the couch potato category. Had Swami Vivekananda been with us today, he would have declared again what he told that group of emasculated youngsters who approached him with a request to learn the Bhagavad Gita under his guidance: â€Å"You will be nearer to heaven through football than by reading the Gita. † But there is a significant positive trend happening in schools and colleges across India. Just as the number of obese and overweight kids is on the rise, so is there a growing interest in systems of yoga. What better proof of this than the fact that the mainstream political class in Tamilnadu which takes pride usually in hating everything that is rooted in Hindu tradition, has been instrumental in making yoga compulsory across all schools in the state! Or consider for example the experience of the Vivekananda Kendra in popularizing Surya Namaskara amongst schools all over India, particularly in Madhya Pradesh. Students who have attended the Yoga Vargas or the Samskara Vargas conducted by the Kendra vouch for the marked transformation in personality that the regular practice Surya Namaskara has effected in them. There is palpable strengthening of will power and confidence in these students. Parents and Schools should therefore reconsider the unhealthy trade off which they ask students to make between the time given to physical activities and studies. Linguistic Intelligence Even a cursory look at the placement scenario in professional colleges makes it amply clear that all corporations today emphasize the need for good communication skills and they prefer recruits with better communication skills in English. Communication skill has a great impact on our interpersonal relationships. A person who can communicate effectively and clearly is less likely to create communication gaps which lead to serious misunderstandings. Good communication skills and proficiency in many languages improves one’s reach amongst peers and enhances one’s social acceptance and prestige. It is an interesting fact that great spiritual leaders like Swami Vivekananda were masters of the art of communication. India’s rich literary and oral heritage is yet another illustration of this point; our forefathers understood the significance of developing linguistic intelligence. Musical Intelligence The study and practice of music was considered as a sacred form of worship in Indian tradition – Naadopasana. Perhaps, music is the most beautiful facet of human civilization. Sri Ramakrishna was particularly fond of Swami Vivekananda’s melodious voice and his soulful singing. Sri Ramakrishna would attain Samadhi on listening to devotional music. I often come across students who are addicted to music. Many of them turn out to be class toppers! They listen to their favourite music even the night before their semester exams! We do not need an expert in music therapy to tell us this obvious fact that music not only relaxes the mind but also brings about far reaching physiological and neurological changes in the body-mind complex over a period of time. Interpersonal Intelligence How do you measure a person’s level of emotional maturity and growth? Primarily by the way he conducts himself in civilized society and the treatment he accords to others. Corporations today emphasize again on relationship skills which are considered critically important for an individual to rise in the hierarchy of the organization. A CEO with poor relationship skills is either a non-existent oxymoron or a disaster for the organization. All religious values are centred on building relationship skills on the basis of a spiritual understanding of what connects one human being to another. â€Å"The essence of religion is to be good and do good to others,† said Swami Vivekananda. The Mahabharata declares Ahimsa to be the greatest dharma because the rishis perceived that all life is interconnected. You cannot harm others without harming yourself. If this profound truth is impressed upon our students from a young age, there will not be much need for all the fuss we hear about value education today. Many social or national evils like corruption or caste discrimination are results of a lifestyle that seeks personal aggrandisement at the cost of and complete indifference to the plight of our fellow human beings. If only our education gives greater weightage to building relationship skills amongst students, the India of our dreams would not have to wait for the year 2020. Intrapersonal Intelligence Conventional psychology would look down upon an introvert as a person with poor relationship skills. Not today. Howard Gardner and new schools of thought have begun to understand the reason why Indians give such respect to Munis and Yogis who withdraw from the world. An introvert who spends much time trying to understand his deeper self will also become capable of understanding others from a compassionate viewpoint. Intrapersonal Intelligence is the new marker developed to give due weightage to this important aspect of our personality development and grooming. A person who runs away from his own self all the while trying to substitute his inner vacuum with external pursuits or superficial relationships is heading for a crisis. The extrovert’s sense of identity and esteem is highly dependent on others’ views of his personality. An introvert is a person who is striving to arrive at a state where he can feel good or be content without having to seek an external confirmation of his well-being. Logical Mathematical Intelligence (IQ) Development of Logical Mathematical Intelligence is often given disproportional weightage in the development of a student’s personality. While IQ does play a significant role in the life of every human being, what was perhaps overlooked till recently was that IQ alone does not make a person complete nor is it the only parameter for measuring a person’s potential for success or happiness in life. A person with a poor IQ may be more than compensated by a high emotional intelligence. This is the reason why we see many school dropouts becoming highly successful entrepreneurs in India where as many IIM graduates disappear into oblivion after getting an MBA degree! Conclusion We know through Swami Vivekananda’s writings that he considered two things to be of great importance in personality development: a) Preference to the ‘Heart’ over the ‘Head’ b) The role of the Guru in shaping a student’s personality and the importance of living in the proximity of the Guru or Gurugrihavasa. Swamiji’s views based on Vedantic wisdom have stood the test of time. All that is destructive in human civilization is a result of a sharp brain with an undeveloped heart. Human civilization suffers from an excess of materialistic IQ devoid of EQ and SQ. And the only place where a student can be systematically trained to nurture his EQ & SQ is at the gurukula under the supervision of a wise master. As a teacher, perhaps it would be self-righteous on my part to claim that a teacher plays the most vital role in a student’s personal growth. But, as a student of the school of life, I cannot but reiterate this eternal law – only a spark can ignite another spark, only life can inspire another life. Modern schools of thought like the Multiple Intelligence model discussed here further validate the wisdom that Vedantic knowledge and tradition have bequeathed to us through Atmavidya and the Guru parampara. (The author is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Cultural Education Programme at Amrita University in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. He is a Trustee of the International Forum for India’s Heritage and Resource Person for the Human Excellence Project of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Coimbatore Kendra. He is also a students’ counsellor for the Samvedna Helpline, a project of the corporate social responsibility wing of Tata Teleservices. )

Orientation Training Essay

Blanchard & Thacker (2010) describe how orientation can be described as the type of activities that an individuals or organization may seem most interested in and can give most attention. Orientation training can be described as training designed for newly hired employees to allow them to understanding the organizations operations. Also, orientation training give new employee’s opportunities to learn polices and procedures for making decision and activities of various units are coordinated. Orientation training can being with the socialization process with new employees and help the employee learn information about the organization and the values of the organization (Blanchard & Thacker, 2010). Orientations can be short or have longer approach dew to the kind of organizations the employees will be working for. The value of orientation training can with the how the learning theory prospective can be based on previous learning. New information can be interpret and understand in the context that is already know. Blanchard & Thacker (2010) show how successful organization can recognize the need for providing new employees with orientation training. They also view how new employees can use the organization and the first entry into the organization and whit will coming next tin the upcoming days in the organizations. The first view of the organization can be a lasting one and can important for organization to have good imaged an impression to chance the effectiveness the organization and new employees (Blanchard & Thacker, 2010). Another value of orientation training can be how employees who attend orientation training can be flexible to accepting the organizations goals and values. Orientations training can be effective with the use of the guidance that is provided to employees regarding manage ment expectations. Also orientations can be effective in reducing anxiety, reducing role ambiguity. In addition reducing turnover, improving job performance, providing high levels of commitment and can show the effective and efficient of the organizations (Blanchard & Thacker, 2010). In conclusion, orientation training is designed for new employees to allow them to understanding the organizations operations. Orientation training gives new employee’s opportunities to learn polices and procedures for making decision in the new organizations. Orientations training can be effective with the use of the guidance that it helps to provide to new employees regarding management expectations. References: Blanchard, N. P., & Thacker, J. (2010). Effective Training, System, Strategies and Practices (Custom 4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Children and Childhood in Somalia

Describe ‘some' significant aspects of your own childhood and show how these differ from the experiences of children growing up in other times and cultures. Within this essay, I aim to discuss aspects of my childhood of which I deem significant, and further compare these experiences, showing not only how they differ, but also the similarities, between childhood during the Victorian era in Britain, and a different culture, specifically the African country of Somalia. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNRC) states that all children, 17 and under, live a safe, happy and fulfilled childhood (Clark; 2010).Growing up in 1990's and 2000's Britain, the children of my era were fortunate enough to be under such protection. Somalia has no such government in charge since the 1990's, therefore is one of only two countries to have not signed this worldwide treaty, with the USA being the other, and I expect to find that my childhood varies vastly from those in Somalia, and also the children of the Victorian era who did not have such education guidelines as recent times do. Growing up, luxuries were handed to me constantly. Whether it was education, holidays, food or toys, I gratefully accepted them and didn't think twice.Education is free and compulsory to every child in England from the age of five until the age of seventeen. We also have the Early Years Foundation (EYFS), a series of structural learning, development and care for all children from birth to the age of five. All schools or registered early years providers in the private, voluntary and independent sectors must follow the EYFS (http://www. direct. gov. uk). The EYFS ensures several things; parents being kept up to date with their childs progress, the welfare and wellbeing of all children regardless off gender, ethnicity, disabilities etc. and the early years practicioners work with the parents very closely. The latter is interesting; in England, we have the luxury of parents being a ble to come to playschools and similar institutions to be with the children. This would be impossible in Somalia for many children. UNICEF research (2008, http://www. unicef. org) has indicated that around 1 in 14 women die due to pregnancy or pregnancy complications, leaving many children without a mother. Compare this to England and the maternal mortality rate (MMR) was approximately 11 in 100,000 between 2006 and 2008 (http://www. atient. co. uk). When children in Somalia get older, not all of them attend primary or secondary schools. The enrolment rate in Somalia for primary education is a mere 23% (UNICEF Somalia Statistics). During the Victorian era, things were extremely different to present day. Families had to pay for their children to go to schools, and with children working in factories and mines, or as chimneysweeps, many never attended school. A young school student growing up in the nineties would not have to work unlike those in the Victorian era.A personal experience of working for myself is that of a paper round at the age of 13. This was merely more money on top of pocket money, and supplied plenty of expenditure for that age. In the period preceding 1833, before the Factory Act took place, children of 13 and under would be working extremely long hours with little breaks. Only children from rich and middle class families attended school, and it wasn't until 1870, when the Elementary Education Act was introduced, that things began to take a turn towards how children today experience schol.This act saw the beginning of a stream of education bills aimed to help children get access to education. In 1880, school was mandatory for all children up until the age of 10, and in 1889 this limit was raised to 12. Families still had to pay for schooling at this point, until 1891 when the fee was abolished. Thankfully, this was the start of how all children would be provided with free education, a luxury that not all those in Somalia have.

Economics of immigration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economics of immigration - Research Paper Example This paper highlights different theories on economic perspective of immigration, the causes and determinants of immigration and how it is going to affect the productivity and growth of the destination.Immigration is a prominent issue in many parts of the world nowadays. Around 3% of the world’s population lives outside their country of birth. Immigration is an economic phenomenon which is part of a process referred to as globalization. As immigrants move from their source country to their destination country in search of a better living, worthy lifestyle and deserving income, the lives of the people residing in the destination countries is often affected and taken for granted (Bodvarsson and Berg 2). In the survey of 1990s, 60% of Americans thought of immigration as a bad thing and that immigration level should be reduced. After the terrorist attack on World Trade Center in September, 2001, 58% of Americans stated that they favored reducing immigration. In 2004, 61% of America ns agreed that the government was not hard on the immigration issue. Immigration is considered a big threat in every country. In 2002, when the German government recommended hiring engineers from India to fill the vacant positions of high-tech workers, the political parties opposed it and made immigrants a major issue. They were ready to prefer children over the foreigners (Bodvarsson and Berg 5). ... However, over the past decades, the issue of immigration has become prominent. Still, even now, not only economics but also people in many countries tend to agree with the fact that there should be freedom to move from one country to other; it is a basic human right (Bodvarsson and Berg 5). Immigrants are also consumers; their arrival in the country boosts demand for all factors of production, including immigrants’ own labor. Immigrants do not give a downward effect on the wages of other nationals. A key fact to consider in this whole process is that the immigrants come with knowledge and new ideas. People are carriers of innovative ideas. This spread of ideas from one country to another is a key to economic growth and productivity in the country resulting in long-term improvements in standard of living (Bodvarsson and Berg 4). Cause of Immigration Immigrants are often attracted by higher income, better career opportunities and comfortable living conditions for their children, lower levels of tax and less discrimination. The determinants causing immigration have been divided into four categories: -There could be negative incentives that might push people to migrate. -There could be positive incentives that might pull immigrants to the destination country. -There could be positive incentives that induce people to stay at home. -There could be incentives that cause people to stay away from a foreign country. When push and pull factors are strong enough as compared to stay and stay away factors, immigration will grow as observed in the recent decades (Bodvarsson and Berg 6). Economic Argument for Free Immigration This is a big issue for any country in the world whether

VoIP Vs Cell Phone (revsion) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

VoIP Vs Cell Phone (revsion) - Essay Example What is more, to use VoIP, a user needs to have at his or her disposal, several equipments installed. These equipments reduce portability and make the cost of usage generally expensive. As competition grows in the provision of communication services, such inhabitations as portability is likely to cause users to switch from the use of VoIP to other available services that renders them freedom with service provision. Quality of service: As far as capability is concerned, VoIP is known to undoubtedly over greater capacity that generally ensures quality of service. For instance Tierney (2009) observes that â€Å"reportedly, mobile VoIP can offer up to 120 percent more voice capacity than a circuit-based mobile voice service, the report said.† Nonetheless, there are certain challenges with VoIP as far as quality of service is concerned. ... power outages and the service provider may not offer backup power† and again, â€Å"not all VoIP services connect directly to emergency services through 9-1-1.† Reliability: The greatest challenge with reliability of the VoIP is the fact that its function depends largely on third party service providers. Gagner R.P (2005) argues for instance that â€Å"VoIP is as reliable as the network it is connected to; whether it is connected over a private IP intranet, or a Frame Relay or ATM network, or to an ISP where it is connected over the Internet.† As much as Gagner talks of the fact that VoIP is as reliability as the network it is connected to, it also implies that VoIP may be as unreliable as the network is it connected to. Researchers have argued that whenever communication technology is made to depend on third party service providers, reliability becomes suspect. This is because the parent software and service providers hardly have any say and authority over the re gulation of the activities of the third parties. The third parties work as independent institutions whose mode of work can hardly be questioned by the parent service providers. This is a condition that puts reliability to a suspect in the use of VoIP. Spam over internet telephony: As long as VoIP continues to depend on the internet for service, the issue of spam can never be ruled out. There is also the issue of hacking, virus and other over-the-internet threats. It is not surprising therefore that Gagner (2005) reiterate the fact that â€Å"the reasoning behind this statement is because the public Internet is accessible by anyone leaving us vulnerable to hackers, viruses and denial of service attacks.† As long as it remains impossible to trust internet users and the threats they may carry, users of VoIP will

The Relationship Between Magnetism and Electricity by Bidisha Essay

The Relationship Between Magnetism and Electricity by Bidisha Mukherjee - Essay Example Similarly, a changing magnetic field produces and effects an electric current. However, if a static charge is placed in an electric field, or if the magnetic field is made static, one field would neither produce nor effect the other field. This phenomenon has been put to use in many devise which work on the principle of changing fields. The basic reason for the interplay of fields is that in an atom, a negative charge, the electron, is spinning around a positive core, the nucleus, producing a loop of electric field as a result of this motion. This electric field in turn produces a magnetic field. The article then proceeds to describe the concept of a field, and the scientists who have worked on this relationship between the two fields. It then lists several principles or characteristics of this interchange of fields. It focuses mainly on the need for movement of the particles if a field is to be induced by another field. It also states that both the poles of a magnet, the north and t he south pole, coexist, and there can be no existence of one without the other.

Strategic Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Strategic Financial Management - Essay Example Understanding current approaches to managing risk and uncertainty in the appraisal of capital investment projects require a deeper insight into the role of financial management in the modern business corporation. Unlike in the past when finance managers merely oversaw the accounting function, recent advances in technology changed the way business is conducted around the world, resulting in the radical transformation of financial management. Presiding over processes that cut across the business, financial managers set strategy, lead crucial change initiatives, and act as real partners in decision-making. The title Chief Financial Officer (CFO) indicates a bigger role for financial managers in ensuring corporate growth. They design ways to maximise shareholder value on a sustainable basis, not only to meet quarterly targets but to transform the corporation into a forceful influence on their industry, nation, and the world. In a globalising world where financial markets operate 24/7, the CFO has to know how to build world-class resource support that would keep the business sustainable. This requires the CFO to instil in the corporation a more positive approach to structural and process streamlining and risk management (Read & Kaufman, 1997, p. v-vii). Events in the past decade highlight the transition of the finance function into strategic financial management, giving emphasis to the importance of present decisions on the future of the business. The focus shifted from profits and into strategic issues of control and adding substantial shareholder value on a sustainable basis. In the wake of the financial scandals early this century, CFOs have focused on managing uncertainty and risk, working hard to avoid nasty surprises in financial reporting, ensure the firm’s conformity with laws and regulations, and sustain a strong credit rating. In fact, managing risk has become one of the most important functions of strategic financial management. Every business

The Scarlet Letter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Scarlet Letter - Research Paper Example Overuse of symbolism A. Mystic â€Å"A† and the embroidered badge B. Imagination of the Letter â€Å"A† in lines of red IV. The theme is a reflection of the author’s life A. Metaphors vs. direct narration B. Ambivalent depiction of women C. Hawthorne’s family life V. Inadequate depiction of historical context A. English spoken in that era VI. Dual nature of characters A. Chillingworth’s angelic and demonic nature B. More than one aspect of human nature The Scarlet letter has been defined as a fine piece of art that readers would want to return to during any era. What sets it apart is the high level of intellect and originality of thought as opposed to the crude, violent and warm depictions of most other novels of similar nature at that time. Yet it has been criticized heavily for its slow progression and failure to involve the readers through drama, action and violence. The powerful impact of vivid imagination, sublime messages and sophisticated lit erary discourse is constrained to some extent by the lack of action, overuse of symbolism and inadequate historical depiction in Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†. The Scarlet letter begins with in a village setting where Dimmesdale and his companion Moose are on a peace mission. However, considering the persistent theme of adultery in the novel, the Scarlet Letter does not touch upon madness and jealousy which reduce its effectiveness (Bloom 7). It is only when Chillingworth is brought into limelight in the story does the author give an account of the romance and obsessive feelings that accompany jealousy (Bloom 7). Therefore, the warmth and passion that should’ve accompanied the subject was not present. Furthermore, there was ample scope for a lot of action since liberation is the topic of focus throughout the novel. This is one of the major issues in the novel where no such action is depicted. Hawthorne seems to have confined the characters to the Puritan setting whereby these individuals are engaged in cognitive behavior of thinking, interpreting and speculating as well as feeling, loving and hating; however, rarely are they seen doing anything. From the theme of the novel, readers would expect violence, assault, rape, suicide as well as extended romance; however, all this is rarely described as happening in the novel. This lack of depiction results in little ‘drama’ in the story as the scope of the theme has not been fully exploited by Hawthorne. Although, the absence of passion and the cold and ingenious fantasy cannot be termed as weaknesses of The Scarlet Letter, they tend to make the story less touching to even the most intelligent of all readers. A little more hideously human and crude depiction of natural violence and love could have left more impact on the readers. Nevertheless, the high level of intellect and sophistication delivered in this work of Hawthorne leaves the reader with a feeling of having a fine a nd delicately crafted piece of work. Most importantly, however, the overuse of symbolism has been criticized. Authors have claimed that symbolism has been used to the extent of producing a mechanical effect in the novel has been criticized (James 55). For instance, the thought of the â€Å"mystic A† that is imprinted on the shirt of the young minister along with the embroidered badge that Hester is destined to wear are evidence of such overuse (James 55). This suggestion should have been

Relational Dialectics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Relational Dialectics - Essay Example Compatibility is an added factor why relational dialectics often appear to be unnoticeable. Most people involved in a relationship tend to test the waters of their harmony and congruence, believing that the stability of their relationships can be won over by a series of trials and errors. Relational Dialectics is a set of contrasting impulses; a waged battle between eccentricity and self-centeredness (represents yourself and your life as a whole) against personal attachments and its emotional appendages (signifies your personal relationships and acquaintances). In a purist’s perspective, the most reliable way to secure the permanence of a relationship is to understand the logical existence of relational dialectics. As defined earlier, these are a load of factors that manipulate a relationship. If one can take hold of the limiting factors of a relationship, which in this case is the relational dialectics, it is absolutely possible to gain your desired upshots for your relations hip. Relational Dialectics can be best embodied in three major pairs of tensions that oppose yet act dependently on each other; openness vs. protection, autonomy vs. connection and novelty vs. predictability. The by-products of all these tensions accurately predict the outcomes of the relationships. In a certain relationship, the comfort of the people concerned relies on the degree of intimacy that these two people share. This is where openness inserts into the panorama. Openness is illustrated between people sharing personal abstract things with each other such as thoughts, opinions, attention and the likes. When openness is very well observed in a relationship, intimacy and emotional links between the people involved are strongly established. This could be a great help in maintaining a relationship however, the openness is being eternally opposed by protection. As part of the human nature, no matter how much a person is so into another one, a room for defense mechanism will always be left saved in order for that someone to protect the most endangered unit of each person’s earthly existence - emotions. Even if the people implicated in a relationship enjoy the intimacy and the substantial understanding they share, it should be assumed that someday and somehow, either or all of them will craft a personal zone that will place distance between them in order to defend each one’s privacy. As openness unfolds, connection between two people will develop. The same goes for protection; if the people concerned in a relationship favors personal protection, their relationship can be considered uncommitted and autonomous. Therefore, the second tension pair which is autonomy vs. connection was derived from the mechanisms of the first tension pair. Autonomy, as defined on most dictionaries, is a personal temperament of being self-reliant, liberate and independent. This tension clashes against connection. The intimacy being shared in a relationship creates the p rofound inner connection between two people but this connection can either be destroyed or prevented from rising because of autonomy. As an individual, having the desire of being autonomous is not a horrific thing at all but such is not applicable in terms of stabilizing personal relationships. Evidently, everyone has the

International accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International accounting - Essay Example Being a member of the EU, Romania in order to comply by the requirements of the membership makes investments for modernization and development of its infrastructure. In the year 2008, Romania showed economic development by an impressive 7.1%, but since then there has been a decline with 1% in 2012. The public sectors act as the buyers of products and services, while the agriculture sector is funded by the EU or developmental banks like the World Bank among others (â€Å"Doing business in Romania†). In the 1990s, Romania started to reform its economy to make it completely market-based. The government applied reform methods between 2000 and 2007 in order to maintain growth and stability in the long run. Although there was economic growth in 2008, there was huge disparity in the income between Romania and the EU. For solution, the government implemented many flexible policies to allow firms to use their resources like labour and capital more efficiently (â€Å"Romania: Functiona l Review† 64). Legal environment and forms of business Structuring of market-based economy in Romania in the 1990s has stabilized the legal regulations of corporate entities. Business activities can be performed by any individual who has the professional qualifications to execute commercial activities, or by legal bodies who have documental rights and efficiency to perform business activities. The classes of business entities in Romania as per regulations are â€Å"commercial companies, regies autonomes, economic interest groups and European economic interest groups, authorised persons, individual enterprises and family enterprises.† (â€Å"Forms of doing business† 27) Joint ventures do not enjoy any legal status as stated by Romanian law and they concentrate on specific operation or series of operations. The members contribute funds and other assets for a common goal and get share of the profit and loss of the ventures. Joint ventures can have shareholders minim um of two with no limit to the maximum number. The number of shareholders can be one to 50 in case of limited liability companies which can include an individual or legal entity (â€Å"Forms of doing business† 27-28). The legal aspect of Romanian employment or Labor Code is governed by Law No. 53/2003, collective bargaining agreement by Law No. 130/1996 and labour conflicts are governed by Law No. 168/1999. Ad per the Labor Code, the terms of collective bargaining agreement that are agreed on at national level can be applied on all employers and employees in Romania in any kind of business activity (â€Å"Tax and legal guide....† 3). Capital markets For economic development of any country, an active capital market plays an essential role. The capital market should be such that national assets can be freely mobilized for serving the national economy. On the other hand, it should be able to effectively utilize the available financial resources. The role of foreign invest ment is important for maintaining competitive environment in the receiving country. Foreign investments generated by another economy have huge potential to accelerate the GDP. Similarly, in Romania financial sources in the form of external capital like foreign investments pave the way for both quantity and quality development of internal capital, and also allows optimum use of the unused available resources. With the development of capital market in Romania there emerges â€Å"

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 5-CBT) Essay

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 5-CBT) - Essay Example This indicates low fertility and low mortality and is also known as constrictive pyramid. The population pyramid displays population percentage of ages 1-14 under 30 percent and ages 75 and above over 6 percent and is hence considered an "aging population"(U.S.Census Bureau, 2009). The expansive pyramid in the current year is because of increased birth rates and death rates. Mexico is a developing country and has many factors which contribute to high birth rates and death rates. However there have been improvements in food supply, sanitation and education which contribute to decreased disease states and increased life span. When death rates decline, it contributes to rise in child population. Lowering of death rates is simultaneous with lowering of infant mortality rates which contributes to increased child survival. Thus, there will also increase in the number of children, adolescents and younger adults. It has been estimated that in 2050, both birth rates and death rates will lower which will contribute to the stable pyramid shape (U.S.Census Bureau, 2009). Fall in birth rates is likely to happen because of increase in wages, contraception, urbanization, reduction in subsistence agriculture, fall in the value for child labor, improvement in women status, ris e in education of women, rise in investment of parental money for the purpose of education of children and other social changes in general. Death rates are also projected to fall because of increase education, awareness, medical interventions, sanitation, hygiene and cleanliness. Demographic transition may be defined as a shift of rates of birth and death from high to low. Mexico is now in the second stage of demographic transition and is almost entering the third stage. This is because, close to 50 percent of the population is 25 years of age or even younger (U.S.Census Bureau, 2009). The fall in death rates, including infant mortality rate has

Learning Portfolio Essay Example for Free

Learning Portfolio Essay During the semester, I have had to develop a unique study structure that was going to maximize the efficiency with which I utilized my study time. Before starting the course, I read the study handbook so that I could get a rough idea of what the course entailed and the nature of information I would be required to familiarize myself with. This enabled me to identify other relevant sources of information besides the books suggested in the recommended reading list. In the process of reading these materials, I took brief notes of the ideas and points that appeared noteworthy. Being in a non-English speaking country, obtaining relevant books and other resource materials was somehow challenging. I learned to utilize the internet to get books and journal articles from electronic libraries and databases. I also had to subscribe to various journals so that I could get updated news about the course since I realized that criminology is a dynamic topic and it requires one to get case studies and briefs. After the onset of the course, I had to develop effective study habits so that I could organize my time while staying on top of my work. I realized that in order to succeed, I had to make the right decisions about managing my time and resources. I had to give my studies the priority they deserve and I did not let friends or family dictate to me on what aspects of my life were more important than others. My concentration and grasping ability is at its peak during the morning hours, at quiet and cool surroundings which do not offer any distraction. I engaged in discussions and debates surrounding the course material since I know getting the perspective of my fellow students and their contributions on the points I might have missed is very important. Concerning my assignments, I always make sure I have completed them on time and I review them before every class. I also co-relate assignment content and what is in my notes to ensure that I have completed them satisfactorily. I rely on my notes for this because they are very comprehensive since I review and update them after every class; usually including paraphrasing content in my own words and including examples. These study strategies I adopted during the semester are very effective, and after cross-checking with my fellow students and a collection of study guides available in the internet, I found out that they are still very relevant. Of course, I know there will always be ways of improving them as challenges mount. For example, I found out that I had actually misunderstood some concepts and ideas I had assumed I fully understood, so I need to liaise with my professor and study group more. When I started this course, I did not have a clear understanding of what was really expected of me. I did not know if what I was doing was right or wrong, so I had to get the help of my fellow students, friends who had already graduated from the course and my professor to help me learn how to express my points and ideas. I always want to feel that I am living up to expectation, so I always seek feedback to help me identify areas I can improve on. I have formed a consistent effort to request my colleagues and supervisors so that I can refine my perspective regarding key concepts and ideas. In my attempt to be an all-rounder, I specify the kind of feedback I need from my colleagues, professors and supervisors at work. I do not just ask for a critique of the quality and quantity of effort I put in my studies or my work, but I also seek to find out other people’s perception of how effective or ineffective my interaction with other people and the system is. I also gave some of my essays to friends and colleagues to read; and used their criticism and opinions to improve on my essay writing skills. I feel that I can use the feedback I obtain regarding my study and work strategies and quality to improve by developing plans of action based on it on a regular basis. Feedback is effective only if it is involved in the review of strengths and weaknesses so that the actions taken can be specifically tailored to build on my strengths and work on my weaknesses. It is however important to note that feedback can only be genuine if the seeker also reciprocates by giving feedback to the people he or she seeks opinion from. Even though some people may not like getting feedback on their performance especially if it is negative, I try as much as possible to reciprocate by giving genuine feedback to those willing to acknowledge it so that I can receive an equal measure in return. I would be honest if I say that this course has been an eye opener for me. Through planning my time to fulfill course requirements like attending to classes and completing my assignments in time, I have learnt to be more organized not only in class but in other spheres of my life. The need for efficiency made me engage in research in an attempt to identify better, faster and more effective reading styles, and I perfected these on this course. I have attained a better reading speed and I have become better in both written and spoken English. Through research and preparation for writing my essays, I have improved on my writing skills a great deal. I have learnt several referencing styles and I could even take a chance at professional writing as of now. Criminology requires articulate presentation of ideas, facts and arguments; and this course has increased my analytical skills and the depth of my thinking. In the past, I have sort of been what social scientists would call a right brain thinker. To me, an occurrence or a phenomenon was true or false, black or white. But the course has taught me to think from different perspectives. This has been a big change for me bearing in mind that I have been quite opinioned about criminology issues; but I have learned to pay attention and get many sides to any event. Starting university has had an enormous impact on my academic, personal and work life as well. Being a student and working at the same time is a challenge for many people. I work and study; and since I realize that both are important to my life, I don’t let one take the time of the other. I do not take time off to study or skip classes to work or because I worked late; but I do take some hours off to catch up on my assignments and to engage in extracurricular activities to refresh my faculties and also to write my essay. As far as my private life is concerned, my academic engagements have made it necessary to study on most nights and weekends; but the experience has been good since I have gained the ability to see things from an academic and professional angle and reason likewise. This course has definitely induced a lot of changes in me. For starters, I have learned to be flexible to divergent thoughts and ideas, and since I have learned so much in the process, I have found out that some of the opinions I hold regarding other people and occurrences are not necessarily justified. With an increase in knowledge comes a change in heart, and the new ideas, concepts and facts I have learned have changed my opinion and attitude a great deal. Since the beginning of this course, I have continually learned that there is so much information out there for me to absorb and apply in my essays, arguments and in my professional life. Information for real has the capacity to change someone’s beliefs. The more I am challenged, the more I have become aware of the need and the virtue of being able to tolerate the values, beliefs and attitudes of other people. By virtue of the amount of literature I have had to cover, my attitude towards work has changed. Work, be it academic or professional, is no longer an obligation to me, but an opportunity to improve my vistas of knowledge and my capacity to interact with people, information and real life circumstances. In other words, the course has given me an opportunity to grow in character as a person. Through the study of moral values as they apply in criminology and psychology, I have learned that morality is a very personal issue; and that not a single person can rationally claim to have more superior values as compared to others. In as such, my attitude to people has changed a lot, and I am no longer quick to judge the actions of others without first establishing the motives behind their actions. Creative and research and essay writing has taught me the importance of respecting intellectual property. I have come across so much written material in this course; materials which have increased my knowledge base in ways I could not have imagined. It is a matter of fact that people somewhere took their time to do research, derive facts and write them down plus their relationship to and application in real life situations. It is not only responsible but also ethical therefore to respect their rights to their work by responsibly using these works. Responsible use of literary material is achieved by avoiding plagiarism. This entails proper use of resources and the application of correct referencing techniques to cite the contribution of existing literature in any produced essays or research papers. I had never done any referencing before, but the resources providing guidelines for referencing available at the university website helped me a lot in learning how to responsibly utilize literary materials without abusing intellectual property. As I pointed out earlier, I did not know what was expected of me before actually joining this course. As the course progressed, I came to realize that it is actually a very interesting course. Even though it is quite challenging in terms of difficulty in comprehending some of the concepts taught, I do not regret taking it. The course has made me understand people better and have valuable insight on the motivations people have while committing some of the activities they commit. As I said earlier, I had to work as I undertook this course. The responsibilities could have been overwhelming for most people and their families, but the experience brought me closer to my wife who supported me throughout the duration of the course and has still continued to support me. In terms of my professional experience, the course has opened up my mind and conscience. I have met a lot of interesting people and the experience has made me a better communicator, improving the relationship between me and my work colleagues. I am a very ambitious person and I want to continue growing professionally, that is why I decided to further my education in the first place. My ambition sometimes brings me at odds with my colleagues, but I have known how to effectively handle their aggressions. I hope that these skills are going to push me up the professional ladder, even though this is going to take some time considering the system of my place of work.

Feasability of customizing a pop music concert

Feasability of customizing a pop music concert The report is prepared in feasibility stage outlining activities needed for the project of customizing a pop music concert. The report covers the background of Woods Ltd and brief info of PLC. There after detail discuss on the stages of PLC from concept stage, development stage, implement stage to commission stage will all details of each sections and subsections, finally a brief summary of report in conclusion. Woods Ltd are a company specialising in the special events and have 1 base in the North West of England. The major job of Woods Ltd is focus upon giving customised special events on behalf of major organisation. Woods Ltd has developed an outstanding reputation on both large and small projects, nationwide and overseas. 1.1 PURPOSE OF REPORT The purpose of this report is Woods Ltd is planning to provide a one off event for a major music company. This report also discusses a range of activities required to manage the project successfully. 1.2 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE Burke (2003) said the project is a framework for dividing the project up into manageable phases. The four phases are concept phase, development phase, implementation phase and termination phase. Figure 1.0 Project Life Cycle 2.0 Concept Stage Burke (2003) said starts the project off by establishing the need for the project and the feasibility phase is in this stage. 2.1 Goal and objective The objectives of the project are customised a pop music concert. Beside that, make sure the project fulfil all the requirements for the sponsor of pop music concert. Once the project is conceptualized, the next obvious step is to set SMART goals for its successful implementation. Most professionals agree that the successful implementation of a project demands setting up of certain meaningful guidelines and SMART goals. Special Well defined Clear to anyone that has a basic knowledge of the project. Measureable Know if the goal is obtainable and how far away completion is Know when it has been achieved Agree upon Agreement with all the stakeholders what the goals should be Realistic Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time Time Based Enough time to achieve the goal Not too much time , which can affect project performance Table 2.1 Smart goal analysis 2.2 Project feasibility study Feasibility study is a critical part of the project life cycle. The aim of the study would be to carry out a preliminary investigation which should help to determine whether the project should proceed further and how it should proceed. A well-orchestrated project feasibility study provides the kind of impartial analysis that can separate profitable ideas from unproductive brainstorms (Joe Taylor Jr.). Table 2.2 shows that, the PM responsible for conducting the feasibility study would normally consider: Cost Is this within the budget set by the organisation or within the capabilities of the organisation to finance it? Timing Are there specific constraints on timing and is it possible to complete the project within these constraints? Performance Will the project satisfy performance criteria which have been determined? Effect on the organisation Is it feasible in the context of the organisation and the effect with it will have upon it? 2.3 STEEP analysis of the project According to Field and Keller (1998), STEEP analysis provides concentrated information covering social, technological, economic, ecological as well as political factor. STEEP analysis is a technique used to aid groups to focus on what is driving change in the external environment. STEEP Description Social Woods Ltd provides professional service to customer. Woods Ltd will provide all the customers wants. For example selling the DVD music, drinks and others to them when in the pop music concert. Technology Company is adapting new technologies and techniques to improve the customer needs and satisfaction. For example offer several options in eye-soothing and attractive plain and multi-colored stage lighting, including stage floor lights, pedestal-mounted lights, suspended overhead lights, and more. Economic Woods Ltd increases their levels of employment, reduce the national unemployment rate. Ecology This pop music concert will not cause any pollution and effect to the environment. Beside that, in introducing new products, Woods Ltd is offering more paperless transactions, implementing electronic payment and online statements. Political and Legal Woods Ltd ability to create more affiliated business and improve public perception of organization and government. Woods Ltd should also protect its workers by ensuring all the hiring, compensation, training or repatriation is according to UK Labour Law as stipulated. Table 2.3 STEEP Analysis 2.4 Identify the stakeholder group According to Slack et al. (2004), to understand the project environment is to consider the various individuals and groups of people who have direct or indirect interest in the project. The five primary project stakeholders are the PM, project team, functional management, sponsors and customer. Each stakeholder has an essential contribution to make and all stakeholder expectations need to be met. Stakeholders for this project are shown in the table below. Group of stakeholders Responsibility in this pop music concert Project Manager Project manager is the person who is responsible for ensuring that the project team completes the event for a pop music concert on time. Beside that, the project manager develops the project plan with the team and manages the teams performance of the project tasks. Project team members The project team members are responsible for executing tasks and producing deliverables as outlined in the project plan and directed by the project manager, at whatever level of effort or participation has been defined for them. Vendors Vendors are contracted to provide additional products or services the project will require and may be members of the project team. Consumers Consumers include all the people that will use the product or services that the project is developing. Consumers internal to the Performing organization may also be customers. Table 2.4 Group of stakeholder and Responsibility in this pop music concert 2.5 Identify the Resources Required In the Project According to (Sloman 2006), there are three types of resources form the perspective of economic study, they are human resources, natural resources and manufactured resources. Pop music concert is a big project and it needs a comprehensive plan on resources in terms of manpower, budget, equipment and machineries required. Below are the examples of the estimated music concert equipment that the PM planned to be required in this event. 2.6 Approval obtains in concept stage Once the project proposal gets endorsement of the stakeholder of client, project manager will move to the continuous phase which is development phase. 3.0 DEVELOPMENT STAGES In this stage, a project team is conceived with responsibilities allocated. The planning events will mostly be prepared in this stage. 3.1 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Since the pop concert project is also a portfolio of several activities, it is necessary to breakdown the work. The work breakdown structure (WBS) is used to capture all the works of a particular project. WBS is required throughout the entire project. This is a results-oriented family tree presenting the activities to conduct or perform. WBS is represented by a hierarchical figure to organised complex and large projects (Senaratne and Sexton, 2009). The WBS is designed to help more accurately and specifically define and organise the scope of the total project. Beside that, WBS in pop concert projects is to help with assigning responsibilities, resource allocation, monitoring the project, and controlling the project. Finally, it allows PM double check all the deliverables specifics with the stakeholders and make sure there is nothing missing or overlapping. 3.2Network Diagram According to Levine, R 2010 network diagram is representation of projects activities to show logical relationship between activities to find out the completion date. The PM will establish a network diagram as in the table 3.1 by stating all the activities that perform in the project. Based on the table 3.2 shows that, pop concert project needed 49days to be completed. (Please refer appendix 1 for example of network diagram). 3.3 Financial Project Appraisal Financial Appraisal Financial project appraisal is a series of methods used to assess the financial feasibility of a pop music concert project. In this report will cover several types of financial appraisal method which aims to aid management in project selection and to improve shareholders wealth as well. Payback Payback period is a type of financial appraisal that measures the duration it takes to recover the initial investment costs which can be closely describe as break-even point (Petty, et al 2006). Under the payback periods rule, which ever project that gives the shorter payback duration will be accepted (Andrew and Gallagher (2003)) p 271. Net Present Value (NPV) NPV method can be said to increase shareholders wealth as this method can be easily understood. The main point is as long as the benefits (cash inflow which already taken future discounted value into account) exceed its cost, it can be said the investment has created a value (Andrew and Gallagher (2003)), p 274. Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is a type of financial appraisal that finds a single rate of return that determines whether it is worth undertaking a project or not by measuring the rate of return that makes the NPV equivalent to zero. (Investopedia2010). 3.4 Project budget Keown 2005 said that, PM must make a master budget where all other budgets from various quarters are consolidated into the master budget. PM will determine the reasonable cost that required to accomplishing the pop concert project. When the estimated cost of an item is uncertain, the project budget often includes a design allowance. This is money that is set aside in the budget just in case the actual cost of the item is wildly different than the estimate. Estimated Expenses à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ (pound) Performers Taken That Rhianna Jay Z à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 30,000.00 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 50,000.00 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 25,000.00 Manpower expenses à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 15,000.00 Concert services à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 10,000.00 Equipment Rental à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 18,000.00 Space Rental à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤ 12,000.00 Concert decorate à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤15,000.00 Total Costs à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤175,000.00 Table 3.2 list of estimate project budget 3.5 Project Policy and Procedure A well-laid out policy and procedures manual will help attract informed members and allow the company to operate more efficiently and effectively. As argued by Utar Project Management, a policy is created as guidance for the project team to carry out their task without go against the law and regulation. Beside that, a procedure is a method by which a policy can be accomplished; it provides the instructions necessary to carry out a policy statement. Project team has to set some significant policies such as employment policy which respectively bound to the UK Employment Act. Beside that, all the staffs are needed to follow the rules and regulation as presented in (appendix 3) to avoid anything occur in the workplace. 3.6 Obtain approval from owner to proceed with implementation stage At last of this stage, PM will discuss and show all the paper work of the development stages to owner and get approval to go ahead with the project implementations. 4.0 Implementation stage According to Burke (2003) this phase involve the actual implementation of the pop concert project as agreed by all stakeholders. 4.1 Leadership style for PM PM needs to understand human motivation, team development and how to influence people, Boddy (2002).The best leadership style is always subject to each situation and the objective of leadership is to lead the team to a common goal. Lead is to adapt to the situation and the group you need to lead. Woods Ltd would need to adopt democratic leadership as each key team member is able to provide better proposals in addressing problems in a particular area with their expertise.Below are five leadership styles. Leadership Style Characteristic Autocratic *Leader makes decisions without reference to anyone else * High degree of dependency on the leader * can create de-motivation and alienation of staff Democratic *May help motivation and involvement * Improves the sharing of ideas and experiences within the business * workers feel ownership of the firm and its ideas * can delay decision making Laissez-Faire *can be very useful in businesses where creative ideas are important * relies on good team work and interpersonal relations * can make coordination and decision making time-consuming and lacking in overall direction Participative *Leader acts as a father figure * Paternalistic leader makes decision buy may consult Consultative *Share the problem with relevant subordinates individually * The manager makes decision that may or may not reflect the subordinates influence. Table 4.1: Leadership style 4.2 Motivation Motivation for pop concert projects to be used is Maslow Hierarchy of Needs. Maslows model indicates that fundamental, lower-order needs like safety and physiological requirements have to be satisfied in order to pursue higher-level motivators along the lines of self-fulfilment. In order to motivate employees, leadership must be understand the current level of needs at which the employee finds themselves, and leverage needs for workplace motivation. Table 4.2: Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid 4.3 Procurement procedure Sound planning of procurement is crucial. PM shall determine what material and equipment are needed to purchase for this project and to ensure that the quality of material and equipment meet the requirement. Based on fair standards and non-discriminatory supplier selection, Woods Ltd is ready to enter into partnerships with new supplier applicants. Initially, PM need to identifying potential companies that can supply the products and services. After that, audition tasks should be held in order to identify the quality approved suppliers. Beside that, PM should also identify whether they require Just-in-Time delivery from their suppliers. (Please refer appendix 5) 4.4 Risk Management Tinnirello, 2000 said that risk management is to recognize potential problems before it happens so that corrective actions can be planned ahead and appeal when necessary to minimize undesirable impacts on the completion of projects. The approach PM has taken to manage risks for Pop concert project included a methodical process by which the project team define risk, identify risk, quantify risk, and develop response. The most likely and highest impact risks were added to the project schedule to ensure that the PM take the necessary steps to implement the mitigation response at the appropriate time during the schedule. (Please refer appendix 4) 4.5 Monitoring and Control According to Cadle, J Yeates, D (2001) PM require to control and monitor 4 main criteria into the pop concert project which is time, cost, quality and resources. The purpose of project monitoring and control is to provide actions can be taken when the project performance deviates significantly form the plan. During the execution of work, close monitoring and control is needed in order to ensure that progress, cost expenditure and scope performance are measured and reported with methods which are in line with the way the plan was set up. It could be daily, weekly or monthly. Criteria to Control Monitor How it is possible Time Time must be in control because it is significant to project to complete without any delay Cost Cost also should be in control because just for renovation and opening, owners should not spend a lot. Quality If the quality of project being monitored the ISO 9002 standard can be achieved Resources Resources also must be in control and require to use it until the maximum. Table 4.3 How to control Monitor the project. 5.0 Termination stage This phase is to confirm and aggress that the project has completed and meets customers requirement and satisfaction. Jack and Samuel (2003) 5.1 Opening concert preparations After all the checking is properly done, the PM will organize event management department to take over the opening preparations. 5.2 Release Unused Resources PM should transfer out all the unwanted materials, equipment, and any other resources to the appropriate places and redistribute personnel for the next project. For example machine and working equipment will transfer to the new project sites. 5.3 Documentation checked PM will run the last check into the pop concert, to ensure completion of the work, including tasks performed by subcontractors. Notify the pop concert owner of project completion and ensure that deliverables as planned. Beside that, PM must ensure that documentation is complete, including a terminal evaluation of the project deliverable and preparation of the projects Final Report. The PM is responsible to explain in detail about the item in the contract and after the owner of the pop concert has agreed with the item in the contract, the contract is sign off. 5.4 Payment and close up After the pop concert owner has sign off the contract, PM will submit the invoice for pop concert owner and remit payment. The information on an invoice includes invoice number, payment term, date invoice, client details and etc. Once payment being made by pop concert owner, the project will be finalize and close. 6.0 Conclusion In a nut shell, this report listed the activities needed by using the concept project life cycle. As a project moves through each process, the PM and senior management should continually monitor the projects critical success factors to ensure it is still viable. For the pop concert project, there are specific areas, and these are: integration to ensure that various project activities are coordinated; scope to ensure that all the work required and only the work required are included; time to provide an effective project schedule; cost to identify needed resources and maintain budget control; quality to ensure functional requirements are met; human resource to effectively employ project personnel; risk to analyse and mitigate potential risks and procurement to obtain necessary resources. Beside that, the project should be viewed alongside with the control techniques at all stages to ensure customers satisfaction throughout. 2145 words 7.0 Reference Sloman, J 2006, Economics, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, Spain. Bruke Rory, Project Management: Planning and Control Techniques2003, John Wiley Boddy, D2002, Managing project Building and Leading the Team, Pearson Education Limited, London Project Management University of Tunku Abdul Rahman , Malaysia University of Sunderland Managing of Project notes. 2005 Field, M., Keller, L (1998) Project management. Open University. Richman, L (2002) project management Step-by step. AMACOM. Maslow, A. (1943) Motivation and personality, revised by R. Frazer et al (3rd edn 1970) Harper and Row, London. Herzberg, F. work and the Nature of Man. Ty Crowell Co Referring from Internet http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/2645.aspx Viewed 15 December 2010 http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/rsv9182#how Viewed 15 December 2010 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MNTXauAUAYoJ:fm.dal.ca/policies/files/ae269c8cdab2a6ab9af1aa0d3b788bb4.doc+policy+and+procedure+definitionscd=4hl=enct=clnkgl=my Viewed 18 December 2010 http://www.12manage.com/methods_goleman_leadership_styles.html Viewed 18 December 2010 http://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html Viewed 18 December 2010 http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:weh8P22Py4UJ:www.wiley.com/college/dec/meredith298298/resources/ppt/Ch13.ppt+project+termination+processhl=engl=mypid=blsrcid=ADGEESiy7TJ0FuzLsZKfCWxNcvvB4dqm_IZc6b9L9LMFWjOjvggX6Hsy7pJCdGTN-oiM54pzGQ7aUxp3L2vUZtoY1Fj2H-4XE3IEDCgFRolkeMcmEk3n5fyAea94dckyPWRK8XgOELLhsig=AHIEtbRSLeD7hwcgLsDncMJnBUvJkerPkw Viewed 22 December 2010 http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals.html Viewed 22 December 2010 http://www.hireking.com.au/stage-hire-perth.shtml Viewed 22 December 2010 http://www.allbusiness.com/management/444125-1.html Viewed 27 December 2010 Appendix 2 The difference between policies and procedure Policy Procedure Describe the rules that establish what will or will not be done. Can range from broad philosophies to specific rules. Are usually expressed in standard sentence and paragraph format. Include WHAT the rule is, WHEN it applies and WHO it covers. Describe the critical steps undertaken to achieve policy intent. Are succinct, factual and to the point. Are usually expressed using lists. Include HOW to achieve the necessary results. Appendix 3 Safety rules and guidelines 1) Observe and practice the safety procedures established for the job. 2) In case of sickness or injury, no matter how slight, report at once to your supervisor. In no case should an employee treat his or her own or someone elses injuries or attempt to remove foreign particles from someone elses eye. 3) Do not wear loose clothing or jewellery around machinery. It may catch on moving equipment and cause a serious injury 4) Where required, you must wear protective equipment, such as goggles, safety glasses, masks, gloves, hair nets, etc. appropriate to the task. 5) Safety equipment such as restraints, pull backs, and two-hand devices are designed for your protection. Be sure such equipment is adjusted for you. 6) Observe No Smoking regulations. 7) Do not operate machines or equipment until you have been properly instructed and authorized to do so by your supervisor. 8) Do not engage in such other practices as may be inconsistent with ordinary and reasonable common sense safety rules. 9) Shut down your machine before cleaning, repairing, or leaving it. 10) Report any unsafe condition or acts to your supervisor. Appendix 4 Risk management Planning Risk Management Planning is the systematic process of deciding how to approach, plan, and execute risk management activities throughout the life of a project. It is intended to maximize the beneficial outcome of the opportunities and minimize or eliminate the consequences of adverse risk events Identify risk event Risk identification involves determining which risks might affect the project and documenting their characteristics. It may be a simple risk assessment organized by the project team. Qualitative Risk analysis Qualitative risk analysis assesses the impact and likelihood of the identified risks and develops prioritized lists of these risks for further analysis or direct mitigation. The team assesses each identified risk for its probability of occurrence and its impact on project objectives. Project teams may elicit assistance from subject matter experts or functional units to assess the risks in their respective fields Quantitative Risk analysis Quantitative risk analysis is a way of numerically estimating the probability that a project will meet its cost and time objectives. Quantitative analysis is based on a simultaneous evaluation of the impacts of all identified and quantified risks. Risk response Planning Risk response strategy is the process of developing options and determining actions to enhance opportunities and reduce threats to the projects objectives. It identifies and assigns parties to take responsibility for each risk response. This process ensures that each risk requiring a response has an owner . The Project Manager and the project team identify which strategy is best for each risk, and then selects specific actions to implement that strategy Risk monitoring and control Risk Monitoring and Control tracks identified risks, monitors residual risks, and identifies new risks-ensuring the execution of risk plans, and evaluating their effectiveness in reducing risk. Risk Monitoring and Control is an ongoing process for the life of the project. Appendix 5 procurement procedure Woods Lth supplier Procurement procedure

Service Provisions for the Homeless in Britain

Service Provisions for the Homeless in Britain Social welfare, democracy and government Set out below is an evaluation of how social welfare, democracy, and government relates to the issue of service provision to avert or solve homelessness in Britain. There are, as will be examined, various causes for homelessness, and therefore differing levels of service provision to help the homeless in Britain. The post-war welfare state had supposed to have made homelessness an almost negligible problem, so social welfare, democracy and government carried on operating without thinking the issue was serious, even though services were available when needed. However, homelessness had never gone away and various factors outlined below explain how the issue became more important on the social welfare policy, democratic and governmental agendas, and service provision was in increasing demand. Whilst social welfare policies, democracy, and government may not directly cause homelessness, they can arguably have a great deal of influence over how it is tackled, and the level of services pro vided and who provides those services. Some cases of homelessness are easier to tackle or resolve than other cases, depending on the initial causes of homelessness. Social welfare, democracy, and government are factors that combine or act singularly to affect the levels of and the permanence of the service provisions to prevent homelessness and to those that are already homeless. Social welfare, democracy, and government hold the key to finding homes for the homeless, and providing the service provision to ensure people remain housed. The main foundation of social welfare policies in modern Britain was the welfare state as established during the Labour governments of 1945 to 1951, which was intended to make poverty, social exclusion, and homelessness disappear from British society. The welfare state legally defined which organisations are obliged to provide services, namely government departments, local authorities, and voluntary or non-governmental groups (Jones Lowe, 2002 p. 1). The rationale of the welfare state was inspired by the Beveridge Report and the Labour party’s own ideological outlook, which was to eradicate poverty and social exclusion to make Britain a fairer country. As part of its plans it gave local authorities the powers, and the funds to provide council housing on a greater scale than previously to every body that needed it (Lacy, 2006 p. 8). At the end of the Second World War the main cause of homelessness was actually the number of houses that had been destroyed by bombing during the war (Fisher, Denver, Benyon, 2003 p.11). The government did its best to solve the housing shortage with a large construction programme of council houses. The provision of council houses was intended to provide people with affordable housing when they could not afford private rents or to buy their own houses, and it was the responsibility of all local authorities to provide council housing using money provided by the government (Moran, 2005 p. 14). The welfare state was intended to reduce poverty through the payment of unemployment benefit, supplementary benefit, rent rebates, and Family Allowance. These benefits were supposed to keep people above the bread line, to provide them with a minimum standard of living, and were primarily benefits or services provided by the Department of Social Security. However, it was hoped that government economic policy would reduce the need for people to claim benefits in the first place, or the need for services to keep them housed. Almost full employment, adequate levels of social security benefits, and the increased availability of council houses were significant factors in preventing homelessness, although service providers were always needed to ensure that people got help when they needed it (Jones Lowe, 2002 p. 189). Rent rebates and government attempts to control private sector rents were intended to keep families on low incomes in their homes. The main responsibility for controlling pri vate sector rents was the government’s whilst rent rebate was administered by local authorities on behalf of the government. The main public perceptions about the provision of services to the homeless until the late 1960s, was that social welfare measures such as social security benefits, rent rebates, and rent controls had seen the problem all but cease to exist. Although service provision by government departments, local authorities, and non-governmental organisations had continued to operate, and even expand (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 137). However for those people that knew more about the provision of services for the homeless, it was clear that social welfare policies had not been capable of completely resolving the problem. People that understood social welfare and housing policies also knew that homelessness was linked to inadequate housing and unemployment. Unemployment meant that some people fell behind with their rent or mortgage payments, eventually leading to their eviction or the re-possession of their homes. There were and are voluntary organisations such as Shelter, Crisis, and the Citizens Advice Bureaux which provided advice services to prevent people becoming homeless (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 pp. 28-9). The public perception that homelessness was no longer a meaningful or measurable social and economic problem was changed by the film ‘Cathy come home’ and the launch of a charity dedicated to solving the problem of homelessness and intent on influencing public opinion and government policies, Shelter. Unlike existing charities that helped homeless people such as the Salvation Army, Shelter only existed to tackle the issue of homelessness and it believed that being an active pressure group was the best way to alter or influence public opinion, as well as attempt to change social welfare policies. In other words Shelter wished to offer greater levels of service provision than government departments and local authorities did at that time. In the late 1960s the government had not changed its social welfare policies to have any extra detrimental affects on the problem of homelessness. Instead Shelter was demonstrating that in some individual cases that social welfare policies had proved incapable of preventing homelessness or keeping up with social, economic, and political changes. At this time government departments and local authorities were the predominant service providers for the homeless, or the potentially homeless (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 381). The 1960s after all were a decade when social, economic, and political changes were starting to become apparent, these changes which had consequences for social welfare policies in general, and that had an impact on the service provision for the homeless. Social changes included it being easier to get divorced, a rise in the number of births outside marriage, a rise in the number of lone parents, increasing crime levels, and the growth of illegal drugs taking. All these social changes would change the ways families lived in Britain; the break down of family relationships has arguably had a greater impact on the problem of homelessness than any changes to social welfare and housing policies. That is although the consequences were unplanned and inadvertent, yet they had to be responded to by the providers of services to homeless people (Jones et al, 2004 p. 294). Shelter and Crisis, amongst others, have argued that social welfare policies are administered in ways that make it harder for government agencies and local authorities to help people that are already homeless, compared to helping people that are already housed. People that are homeless are often only able to claim lower rates of social security benefits, and also find it harder to gain employment or find somewhere permanent to live (Seldon Kavanagh, 2005 p. 70). Social welfare policies have been altered, most notably by the Conservative governments between 1979 and 1997 and by the New Labour governments since 1997. In terms of social welfare the Conservatives had wanted to reduce the size of the social security budget, as well as reducing the size of the public sector, the former being a task in which it failed (Eatwell Wright, 2003 p. 287). In fact, under the Conservatives the budget for social security expenditure actually increased due to the economic policies that was pursued l eading to high unemployment, and increased levels of service provision for the homeless. In contrast to the Conservatives, New Labour claimed that it would use social welfare policies to make service provision more responsive to their users actual needs, for example asking the homeless what they wanted from their service providers (Seldon Kavanagh, 2005 pp 415-16). There are also ways in which democracy in Britain can be related to the problem of service provision for the homeless and the potentially homeless, and also related to the political, social, and economic factors that influence and affect levels of homelessness. In a liberal democracy such as Britain, the political, social, and economic policies used in relation to service provision such as towards homeless people can be shaped by the relative importance that the electorate, attach to each individual issue. In many respects the service provision for the homeless has not become one of the major electoral issues that can dominate political debates, and that can ultimately determine which political party wins or loses the next general election. Despite not being one of the main political issues, the provision of services for the homeless is certainly an issue that is on the political agenda in Britain, and it is an issue that will undoubtedly stay there. That the provision of services fo r the homeless remains upon the political agenda in Britain has to be attributed to the efforts of pressure groups or charities like Shelter, Crisis, and the Big Issue. Indeed the efforts of these groups have managed to maintain publicity about the problem of homelessness as well as providing some very useful services themselves. These groups believe that their publicity campaigns will not only influence public opinion, their publicity campaigns will hopefully influence social welfare and housing policies to make service provision effectively serve the needs of the homeless. However these organisations are also important service providers for homeless people, giving advice, advocacy services, training, and emergency accommodation. Some members of the electorate do not regard homelessness as being a separate issue from social welfare policy, as far as they are concerned the government should have the appropriate policies to provide services to the homeless. After all that is what peo ple pay their taxes for (Malin, Wilmot, Manthorpe, 2003 p. 51). Pressure groups or charities that publicly campaign for and in support of the homeless view the tackling of prejudices against the people that are homeless as an important part of their objectives of service provision for the homeless. Shelter and the Big Issue act as advocates for those people that are homeless as they are disenfranchised by virtue of not having a home address, and therefore being unable to register their names on to the electoral register. Without the advocacy and media contacts of such pressure groups and charities, the homeless would have very little influence upon democracy, as they cannot vote for or against any political party because of its policies and objectives in relation to the issue of homelessness. Political parties will not necessarily feel the need to adjust their social welfare and housing policies to help certain groups like the homeless, especially if these people are formally and legally unable to participate in the democratic electoral processes at all (Jones et al, 2004 p. 294). However political parties have not been able to ignore the problem of homelessness, even if they have attempted to resolve the issues surrounding homelessness with varying degrees of enthusiasms (Jones, 1999 p. 176). However, although the homeless may be disenfranchised that does not mean that the homeless do not contribute towards liberal democracy in Britain. The work of charities and pressure groups helps the homeless to voice their opinions in public, and those groups actively promote the interests of the homeless. Shelter and the Big Issue hope to sway public opinion, as well as influencing the incumbent government’s social welfare and housing policies to assist the homeless as much as possible. In a liberal democracy like Britain, public opinion can influence government policies as well as governments attempting to shape public opinion in order to gain electoral advantages or support. The way in which democracy operates mean that political parties, pressure groups, and the media compete with each other to shape public opinion. In return the public often regard some issues as being more important than other issues. For instance, the state of the National Health Service, education, law and order, besides the state of the economy are often the most important issues during general election campaigns. The responsibility for service provision for the homeless goes across government departments, and the measures needed have to compete for funding with other policy areas such as health, education, and defence. Political parties naturally adopt the policy stances that fit in with their ideological beliefs, yet maximise their chances of electoral success. Once governments are elected they have to decide who provides public services and the extent of the services that are provided (Seldon Kavanagh, 2005 pp. 48-50). In Britain the government has an important part to play in dealing with the problem of homelessness, even if the government has not caused those problems in the first place. For the government to effectively manage and reduce the problem of homelessness it helps for the government to understand the various causes of people losing their homes (Seldon Kavanagh, 2005 p.70). The majority of causes for people being homeless are social or economic rather than political. The government can prevent some people from becoming homeless by adopting social welfare and housing policies. The majority of causes for people becoming homeless are social or economic, rather than political. The government can prevent some people becoming homeless by adopting social welfare and housing policies, although the government cannot prevent the social circumstances that potentially lead to homelessness. The government is not in a position to prevent the break up of family units that make men and young people pa rticularly vulnerable to becoming homelessness. Men actually are the group most likely to face homelessness in the wake of relationships breaking up. Women have a higher chance of keeping their homes when relationships end. Other s factors that contribute to the problem of homelessness are related to crime, or more specifically those people that serve prison sentences and then have nowhere to live after they have been released. People with drug addictions, alcoholics, and those with mental health problems all have an increased risk of becoming homeless during their lives. These people have been helped by groups like Shelter, Crisis, and the Big Issue that provide services to get their lives back on track (Jones et al, 2004, p. 294). Although governments in Britain may not be able to prevent the circumstances or factors that make people become homeless, governments are in a position to help people find homes to live in. Governments are the key decision makers when it comes down to deciding upon the s w and housing policies that are the main ways of preventing people from losing their homes. Government policies can make it easier, or alternatively make it harder for people to stay in their homes or find new accommodation when it is required. For instance, the Thatcher government’s decision to sell off council houses was very popular with existent council house tenants, one million of whom went on to buy their homes from their local authorities. The selling off of council houses might not have been so detrimental to efforts to keep people housed if the local authorities had been allowed to build replacement houses in the same quantity. Selling off council houses made it harder to find affordable accommodatio n to rent, whilst the local authorities had a declining number of homes to provide housing for those that wanted it (Moran, 2005, p.28). Even if such a high volume of council houses had not been sold off, new homes construction has lagged behind the demand for homes to rent or buy. In turn the shortage of houses to rent or buy continues to make rents and mortgages even higher and less affordable for many people. Both Conservative and New Labour have refused to intervene to lower house prices or rents to allow more people to find a home (Fisher, Denver, Benyon, 2003 p.291). However New Labour has launched a programme to increase both the actual capacity and the quality of hostels and temporary accommodation with a budget of  £90 million. That programme allows non-governmental organisations to improve the quality of the services that they provide to the homeless (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005 p. 8). However, it would be wrong to assume that British governments do nothing to prevent the problem of homelessness growing. The government has to decide which services are provided to the homeless. Local authorities or Registered Social Landlords are still responsible for housing many people and New Labour has been expanded the amount of new construction that can undertake (Seldon Kavanagh, 2005 p. 70). The main way in which the government helps to prevent the problem of homelessness increasing is through the social security system. Individuals and families in receipt of social security benefit or low income are generally entitled to housing benefit, which means that they have all or at least a high percentage of their rent paid for by the relevant local authority (Jones, 1999, p.176). Local authorities administer the housing benefit system and are then fully refunded by the government via the Department for Work and Pensions. Housing benefits pays out a great deal of money each year t o prevent people being evicted and subsequently homeless, it provides a service for millions of people (Jones, 1999, p. 176). Despite been means tested, housing benefit is still one of the biggest amounts of expenditure on the social security budget (Whitaker’s 2007 p. 450). For instance, in the financial year 2002 –03 the government spent over  £11 billion on housing benefit which, demonstrates the importance attached to preventing homelessness through the services provided by the Department of Work and Pensions in conjunction with local authorities (Department for Work and Pensions, 2003 p.32). Bibliography Coxall B, Robins L Leach R (2003) Contemporary British Politics 4th edition, Palgrave, Basingstoke Department for Work and Pensions, (2003) Departmental Report 2003, The Stationary Office, London Eatwell R Wright A, (2003) Contemporary Political Ideologies 2nd Edition, Continuum, London Fisher J, Denver D, Benyon J, (2003) Central Debates in British Politics, Longman, London Jones B, (1999) issues in British Politics Today, Manchester University Press, Manchester Jones B, Kavanagh D, Moran M, Norton P, (2004) Politics UK, 5th edition, Pearson Longman, London Jones M and Lowe R (2002) From Beveridge to Blair – The first fifty years of Britain’s Welfare State 1948-98, Manchester University Press Manchester and New York Lacey R, (2006) Great Tales from English History, the Battle of the Boyne to DNA, 1689 – 1953, Little Brown, London Malin N, Wilmot S, Manthorpe J, (2003) Key Concepts and Debates in Health and Social Policy, Open University Press Buckingham and Philadelphia Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2005) Sustainable Communities: settled homes; changing lives, Crown Copyright, London Moran M, (2005) Politic and Governance in the UK, Palgrave, Basingstoke Seldon A Kavanagh D, (2005) The Blair Effect 2001 – 5, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Whitaker’s, (2007) Whitaker’s Almanack 2007 – today’s world in one volume, A C Black, London

Narrative Assignment †Julian Bond Speech -- Civil Rights Event

Narrative Assignment – Julian Bond Speech When I entered the hall where the famous civil rights leader was going to speak, the crowd filing in reminded me more of a church congregation than of a university campus audience. The general mood had an air of formality about it and many people were dressed up for the occasion. Conversations were going on around me but in quiet, almost respectful tones as everyone located their seats. The surroundings at Smith Memorial Hall helped to set this formal mood, too, because the hall could be mistaken for a church with organ pipes in the background and flower arrangements set up on the podium. Unfortunately, any expectations that I had about Julian Bond giving a high-powered, energetic speech about the exciting days of the civil rights movement were fading fast even before the event got started, and I braced myself for a boring Friday night. While the University Chancellor gave the introduction to Julian Bond on the 50-year anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education court decision, my interest in this civil rights figure gradually began to grow. Bond’s has a long list of accomplishments and has devoted his entire life to the fight for justice and equality in America. The audience, myself included, had to be impressed by his resume, because it was one that very few of us could ever even dream of achieving. Bond was a founding member of the NAACP, a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, and an active participant in many of the major events of the civil rights struggle that changed the course of U.S. history. He also served for 20 years in the Georgia Legislature and is now a professor of history at the University of Virginia. With this outstanding l... ...n our resources and has actually made our country less safe. He said that he admires Al Sharpton greatly, even though as chairman of the NAACP, he can’t endorse any particular candidate for President. In one of his final responses, Bond said that he has a great deal of hope for the younger generation and encouraged them to follow the example of his generation because they learned how not to afraid to fight the rich and powerful forces in America. Bond’s speech exceeded all of my expectations and I came away with a great deal of admiration and respect for his opinions, many that I personally share with him. It is one thing to learn about the momentous achievements of the civil rights movement in class, and a whole different thing to hear it coming from one of the movement’s original leaders. The evening spent with Julian Bond was one that I was very glad I attended.

Sometimes A Shining Moment :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book Sometimes a Shining Moment: Eliot Wiginton had a student that talked about a teacher who takes time to recognize students as an individual and not just part of a group. The student went on to say â€Å"I had one particular teacher that I would never forget. Once when the teacher gave back an essay I found that she had complimented my essay, the topic, and even me.† I had a teacher that that was just like the teacher that one of the juniors or seniors had. The teacher that I remember the best was my twelfth grade English teacher, Mrs. Oehler was a type of teacher that always involved every one in the class discussion. She took the time to realize me as a individual and not just a student that showed up for her class every day. Every day when I went to class I was excited to be their. We never knew what Mrs. Oehler had up her sleeve, but we knew that we would have a good time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I showed up at room 124 on the first day of class I did not know what to expect. You see I never had Mrs. Oehler in my previous three years of high school. I thought she would be a nice person to have as teacher, but I never knew that she would be the best teacher that I ever had. I first noticed that Mrs. Oehler was a special kind of person when she came over to my desk and out of the clear blue she asked me about my story I was writing for her class. I was surprised to here her say â€Å"so Matt how do you like you story so far†. She did not ask any body else in the class, just me. It was those little things that she did that impressed me. She always made time in class for each and every one of us to state our opinion about the days topic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some days when we were reading a story she would turn it into a theatrical performance. She always keep us interested in what we were reading, and turned an ordinary assignment that would of been boring with any other teacher into a fun and rewarding experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We read the Adromenal Strain a story that dealt with a deadly virus from outer space and the use of the atomic bomb to rid the earth of this deadly infection. Our class was mixed with different emotions about using the atomic bomb. We discussed the effects and devastation that the bomb could bring and