Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa Explanation of Concepts: Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa is many times confused with the disease of bulimia. Many people are confused as to what the difference is between the two diseases. Let us settle this now so there is no further confusion. People with anorexia starve themselves, avoid high-calorie foods and exercise constantly. People with bulimia eat huge amounts of food, but they throw up soon after eating, or take laxatives or diuretics (water pills) to keep them from gaining weight. People with bulimia don't usually lose as much weight as people with anorexia. It is said that bulimia is the least fatal of the two diseases because bulimics are at least putting some kind of food into their body where is the victim of anorexia refuses to eat anything at all.Anorexia nervosa is a disorder characterized by deliberate weight loss, induced and/or sustained by the patient. Just as some of us develop cancer and other fatal diseases, some people develop the disease of anorexia nerv osa.A summary of the strategy Zucker et al. (2007) use...Those who develop this fatal disorder intentionally starve themselves or severely restrict their food intake. Some people feel that this isn't actually a disease, but in fact, it is just as much as a disease as cancer.Unlike many of the other diseases, anorexia nervosa is psychological. Most people perceive anorexia as an obsession that people have with being thin. The disease usually begins in young people around the time of puberty. "They lose a lot of weight, at least 15 percent below a young man/woman's normal body weight." (Rowan 1) They are terrified of gaining weight. Victims believe they are fat even when they are very thin. Food and weight eventually become an everyday obsession. The compulsiveness shows up in strange eating rituals or the refusal to eat in front of others. The ironic...

Quotes from the Book Things Fall Apart

Quotes from the Book Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart  an important African novel by Chinua Achebe, is  one of the greatest classics of its time. The book involves the clash of cultures and belief systems, as colonization affects the people. Here are a few quotes from Things Fall Apart. Quotes From Things Fall Apart A proud heart can survive general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 3 But he was not the man to go about telling his neighbors that he was in error. And so people said he had no respect for the gods of the clan. His enemies said that his good fortune had gone to his head.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 4 No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 7 When did you become a shivering old woman, Okonkwo asked himself, you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 8 After such treatment it would think twice before coming again, unless it was one of the stubborn ones who returned, carrying the stamp of their mutilationa missing finger or perhaps a dark line where the medicine mans razor had cut them.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 9 Beware Okonkwo! she warned. Beware of exchanging words with Agbala. Does a man speak when a god speaks? Beware!- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 11 It was like beginning life anew without the vigor and enthusiasm of youth, like learning to become left-handed in old age.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 14 We have heard stories about white men who made the powerful guns and the strong drinks and took slaves away across the seas, but no one thought the stories were true.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 15 Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 17 The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 20 Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape. They had broken into tumult instead of action. He discerned fright in that tumult. He heard voices asking: Why did he do it?- Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Ch. 24

Literary Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Literary Analysis - Essay Example The fact that everything is red is something Carson brings and uses. Everything about Geryon is red, as well as everything in Autobiography of Red. What does red mean? Is the book a personal history of the color red as composed by Anne Carson? Not likely. Red is a striking color, more striking than dark, or chestnut, or blue. Red is striking and peculiar and, accordingly, red is the ideal illustration for difference, which Carson uses throughout Autobiography of Red to convey Geryons part as an outsider, a test to the hetero-narrative. Geryon had, what most would say, a bad youth and, likely, a different one from his peers. His mother was well intentioned, however pointless, while his father was mostly absent. Geryons older sibling sexually abused him. Geryon was red even in his adolescence, as was every little thing about him, from the "red silk chalk" utilized by his instructors to the "dull pink air" that encompassed his home (Carson 26, 36). In Geryons personal history, he set down the facts believed about himself, above all else of which is that "Geryon was a monster whose every little thing about him was red" (Carson 37). Geryon was such a different individual, to the point that he would not take the conventional route to his classroom at school. He would stroll to the most distant end of the building and "stand still until somebody inside noticed and turned out to show him the way. He didnt move neither did he knock on the glass but little, red, and upright he held up† (Carson 25). When he was far fro m his peers, he stood and waited to be included in their games or activities. He was commonly known as the different one, the other. Having a contemporary hero who is actually red is, to a degree, a different thing from what people are used to. Yet, what difference is using red, as an analogy, if yellow or orange would work and are additionally striking shades? Geryon must be red or the analogy, primarily,

Reflective journal on management skills Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Reflective journal on management skills - Article Example They were possibly held by unavoidable situations elsewhere. Secondly, I also thought that at least having made an effort to make it to class, they should have been allowed to go over the whole session before seeing the lecturer in camera to explain themselves. Nowadays as a manager I have come to understand that everything happens for a reason and that man is prone to error. What is important in whatever situation as a manager is to have a listening ear. It is important to allow subordinates to express themselves every time there is a crisis. This helps one to first have a grasp of the reasons behind whatever action has been taken by employees. Listening is a human virtue. It is central to managerial principles and has thus been central to my managerial style too. As per Hamilton (2010: Pg. 12 ) allowing two-way communication in organisation also helps forestall potential fallouts in future as one is able to come up with preventive mechanisms One thing I know for sure is that listening works miracles even in situations that seem so bad. Dialogue is the key for survival in the current competitive world. It is what all the business moguls have used across all ages. Dale Carnegie has advocated for it so have Henry ford and Andrew Carnegie among many others. So as manager I know I have discovered my tool and I can attest to the enormous impact this has had on my operations. I now shun highhandedness and value dialogue and respect for my subordinates. The commonwealth bank Australia is one of the largest and most versatile financial institutions in Australia. It has been in operation since 1912. It currently boosts of over 1000 branches plus an equally large distribution of ATMs. The bank offers a number of customer-tailored services and solutions key among tem being a number of affordable mortgage options and foreign funds transfer services. In of the programs aimed at encouraging diversity, the Commonwealth Bank Australia has set up a special intranet site

Effective Performance Appraisal Essay Example for Free

Effective Performance Appraisal Essay In spite of this fact, however, there are some elements which are common to all effective performance appraisal systems, regardless of the actual method(s) used in the system. These elements will be discussed shortly. However, before examining these common links, a brief overview of performance appraisal as it is currently practised in American organisations is in order. Current Trends in Performance Appraisal As previously noted, controversy over the best performance appraisal system continues. The dilemma was highlighted in the 19 May 1980 issue of Business Week where the editors concluded that managers want a system that will pinpoint specific marginal behaviour that should be reinforced or discontinued, serve as a personnel development tool, provide a realistic assess ­ ment of an employees potential for advancement, and — a particularly hot issue in the 1980s — stand up in court as a valid defence in discrimination suits. Has the search for a best system affected what companies actually do in performance appraisal? A study conducted by Taylor and Zawacki[2] in 1981 set out to answer this question y sending a mail questionnaire to 200 firms located throughout the United States — these companies were selected at random from the Fortune 1000. Eighty-four (42 per cent) were returned and used in the study. The size of respondent firms ranged from less than 1,000 employees (nine), 1,000-5,000 employees (63), and more than 5,000 employees (12). Non-respondent firms did not vary significantly in terms of size. This study, which duplicated a previous one conducted in 1976, asked what kind of performance appraisal system was used for management and blue-collar employees. It also asked for the interval between ratings, productivity and employee reaction to the appraisal system, anticipated changes and respondent satisfaction to the present system. While it is not possible to go into all the detailed findings of this study, some of the most pertinent information is summarised below. ? While in 1976 43 per cent of the respondent firms had used a traditional performance appraisal system (e. g. , forced distribution) and 57 per cent had used a collaborative system (e. g. , MBO), in 1981 these figures had changed to 53 per cent and 47 per cent respectively. In other words, the proportion of companies using a traditional approach to performance appraisal had increased while the proportion of those using a collaborative approach had decreased. Several respondents provided written comments stating that they had changed to quantitative (i. e. traditional) systems in recent years in reaction to legal challenges to their previous collaborative system. In 1981, 39 of the 41 organisations using a traditional system used a graphic rating scale. Of the collaborative forms, 23 firms used MBO and 11 used a BARS system. The percentage of firms not satisfied with their current appraisal system increased from only nine per cent in 1976 to 47 per cent in 1981. In addition, those with collaborative systems were more likely to be satisfied, while the majority of firms with traditional systems expressed dissatisfaction. As far as the effect of the type of system used on employee attitudes went, 37 per cent of the ? IMDS January/February 1988 13 ? companies using a traditional approach felt that it had improved employee attitudes while 63 per cent felt it had not. Of those companies using a collaborative approach, 77 per cent felt it had improved employee attitudes and 23 per cent felt it had not. ? Of the 22 firms indicating that they anticipated changing their performance appraisal system in the near future, 12 were moving from a collaborative system to a traditional system. This is especially interesting in light of the fact that, in the 1976 study, the majority of firms indicating that they were considering a change said that the move would be from a traditional to a collaborative approach. While the 1981 study did not delve into the reasons behind this shift in attitude, Taylor and Zawacki conjectured that it was due to governmental and legal pressures for precise (i. e. , quantitative) measures which overwhelmed a desire to help people develop and grow towards becoming more effective employees. Of the firms surveyed, 49 per cent felt that their performance appraisal system had improved employee performance (roughly the same proportion found in 1976). However, the number of firms that did not believe employee performance had improved as a result of the appraisal process had gone from four per cent in 1976 to 19 per cent in 1981 — and none of these firms anticipated changing their system! (5) The appraiser should be given feedback regarding his/her effectiveness in the performance appraisal process. (6) The performance appraisal system, regardless of the methodology employed, must comply with legal requirements (notably, Equal Employment Opportunities guidelines). Since the factors listed above are consistently highlighted in the literature as essential elements of an effective performance appraisal system, each of them warrants individual attention. Performance Goals Must Be Clearly and Specifically Defined Special emphasis should be placed on this phase of performance appraisal, since the lack of specifically defined performance goals will undoubtedly undermine the effectiveness of the entire performance appraisal process. The key performance areas need to be identified, assigned priorities and stated in quantifiable terms whenever possible. The mutual goal-setting process between a manager and subordinate associated with Management by Objectives is a particularly beneficial way to foster acceptance and internal motivation on the part of the employee[3]. As is often the case, if multiple goals are established, they should be ranked so that the employee has a clear understanding of which areas may warrant more attention and resources than others. Furthermore, every attempt should be made to describe performance goals in terms of their time, quality, quantity, and monetary dimensions. This will reduce the opportunity for misinterpretation about what is to be accomplished and what limitations there are. The quantification of goals will also make it easier for the manager and the employee to measure the employees progress towards achieving the objectives. The need for quantifying objectives is succinctly summed up by George Ordione: If you cant count it, measure it, or describe it, you probably dont know what you want and can often forget it as a goal. There is still too much, do your best, or Ill let you know when its right, going around in todays organisations. If you cant define the desired type and level of performance in detail, then you have no right to expect your subordinate to achieve it. [4] ? To summarise, it would appear that while most firms wish to use a collaborative form of performance appraisal, they feel thwarted by outside forces (notably Equal Employment Opportunities requirements) in their attempts to implement such a system within their organisations. The dilemma, then, is finding a workable solution which will meet both constraints. The remainder of this article will take a look at these two seemingly conflicting areas (effectiveness vs. efensiveness) and how they can be integrated into a meaningful performance appraisal system. Elements of an Effective Performance Appraisal System While various authors use different names and modified descriptions for them, the following factors seem to be universally accepted by most authorities on the subjects as requisites for an effective performance appraisal system: (1) Performan ce goals must be specifically and clearly defined. (2) Attention must be paid to identifying, in specific and measurable terms, what constitutes the varying levels of performance. 3) To be effective, performance appraisal programmes should tie personal rewards to organisational performance. (4) The supervisor and employee should jointly identify ways to improve the employees performance, and then establish a development plan to help the employee achieve his/her goals. The Varying Levels of Performance While setting performance goals is a crucial first step in the process, managers also need to concentrate more attention on identifying what constitutes the varying levels of performance. If the organisation uses the typical poor, fair, good, very good and excellent scale of performance, the manager has a responsibility to identify at the beginning what levels of performance will produce a very good or excellent rating. However, setting specific goals for organisational performance is not enough — managers also need to relate performance to the individuals rewards. Agreeing on what is to be accomplished and what varying levels of performance represent in terms of evaluation and rewards is crucial for the performance appraisal process to be effective[5]. Since the first two steps of this process (i. e. , defining performance goals and setting performance standards) IMDS January/February 1988 14 are closely connected, an example of how these steps might be achieved is warranted. A prerequisite for setting performance goals is to establish job tasks. To measure performance realistically, objectively and productively, we must base our reviews on job content rather that job constructs. Constructs are broad, often self-evident terms which describe a general task, activity or requirement. Richards refers to them as garbage words in terms of their usefulness as performance standards). An example might be communication skills. While few would argue the need for skills in communication for many employees, the problem is how to define the term in light of the requirements of the specific job in question. Will the employee be required to: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Write memos? Write letters? Conduct interviews? Deliver public speeches? Present pr oposals to clients? Describe features and benefits of a product? Resolve face-to-face conflicts? Handle customer complaints? Write job descriptions? Describe and define job standards? Manage meetings? Present ideas to top management? Initiative: Resourceful in taking necessary or appropriate action on own responsibility. Unsatisfactory Poor A routine Often waits unnecessarily worker; usually for direction. waits to be told what to do, requiring constant direction. Satisfactory Good Excellent Seeks and gets added tasks for self; highly selfreliant. Assumes responsibility. Does regular Resourceful; work without alert to waiting for opportunities directions. or Follows improvement directions with of work. little follow-up Volunteers suggestions. Table I. drinks per bottle, etc. In turn, these indicators should be broken down into measurable standards, as shown in Table II. As shown, when identifying what constitutes the varying levels of performance, we need to decide what we can expect in terms of outstanding performance, what is satisfactory and what is the minimum level of perfo rmance we can tolerate. One could argue that these are subjective determinations, and this is of course true. What is important, however, is that once these determinations have been made, performance can be measured objectively against the standard. It is important to keep in mind that standards should be set based on what we require or need in the performance of a job and not on our assessment of a specific individuals ability to do the job. Unless we specify the behaviour we want in the context of job content requirements, it will be near impossible objectively to measure someones performance under the generic construct of communication. We must determine the sort of communicating the job requires of the employee. Some organisations attempt to aid supervisors by providing rating scales which are anchored to descriptions of performance (i. e. , the BARS approach), such as the one shown in Table I. While this type of scale is certainly a vast improvement over those that offer no anchors (rating descriptions) at all, we could still argue over the ratings. The standards are subjective and unmeasurable, both undesirable traits in any performance appraisal system. To overcome these problems, the job should be broken down into responsibilities, with a series of performance indicators provided for each responsibility. In turn, these indicators should be accompanied by objective and measurable performance standards. An example will help illustrate the process. A bartenders job can be broken down into several responsibilities, including mixing drinks, cost control, inventory control, house keeping, safety, law enforcement, supervision, customer relations, etc. In turn, each of these responsibility areas can be broken down into several performance indicators. For example, performance indicators of the job responsibility mixing drinks might include complaints, returns, brands used, appearance, speed, number of Personal Rewards and Organisational Performance To be truly effective, performance appraisal programmes should tie personal rewards to organisational performance. Too many reward systems are based on time on the job, are divided evenly among employees, or offer too little incentive to increase motivation significantly. As noted by Harper[3], performance appraisal systems need to be designed with the three Es of motivation in mind. The first E refers to the exchange theory, which states that people tend to contribute to the organisations objectives as long as they believe they will be rewarded. The second E refers to the equity theory, which states that motivation is tied to the relative, rather than the absolute, size of the reward. For example, if person A does 25 per cent better than person B, but gets only five per cent more in a merit increase, then person A is likely to feel that management has actually punished him or her for doing noticeably better than person B. The third E is the expectancy theory of motivation, which asserts that motivation is a combination of the persons perceived probability (expectancy) of receiving a reward and the worth of the reward. Even when the reward is great, motivation may in fact be quite low if the employee does not believe that he or she has a reasonable chance of achieving the necessary level of performance to get the reward. Conversely, if the employee believes that the probability of receiving the reward is high, there will be little motivation if he or she does not need or value the reward. IMDS January/February 1988 15 Job: Bartender Job responsibilities Mix drinks, etc. Indicators Complaints Returns Measurements used (recipe) Brands used Appearance Time No. of drinks per bottle, etc. feedback to managers about the quality of their performance appraisal ratings would seem to have several advantages: ? ? It is relatively inexpensive and easy to develop and implement. The feedback is based on ratings made by each manager as part of the formal performance appraisal process. This enables the feedback to be tailored to the individual. The feedback can provide managers with a basis upon which to compare their ratings with those made by other managers. This normative type of feedback is rarely available to managers; as a result, there is very little information upon which they can evaluate how lenient or strict they are. A feedback system should help to ensure comparability of ratings among managers, which in turn may increase employee satisfaction with the appraisal process. That is, employees are more likely to perceive that their performance has been evaluated equitably since managers are using the same standards when evaluating performance. ? Job: Bartender Standards Job responsibilities Mix drinks Indicators Minimum Complaints 4/week Satisfactory 2/week Outstanding 0 ? Table II. In summary, then, for a performance appraisal programme to be successful in this area, it must: (1) Tie rewards to performance (2) Offer a high enough level of reward (3) Have the level of reward reflect the relative differences in the various levels of performance (4) Tailor the rewards to the needs and desires of individual employees. Development Plans Ideally, the performance appraisal programme should be comprised of two separate sessions between the manager and the employee. In the first session the manager and employee review the level of performance from the previous period — what went well, what did not, and why. This session also identifies the employees strengths as well as the areas that need to be improved. The manager then encourages the employee to prepare a development plan to be discussed at the second meeting. The development plan is intended to identify areas that should be improved upon during the coming period. The subordinate should be encouraged to: (1) Concentrate on those areas that will affect results (2) Select three or four particular areas for improvement rather than an unrealistic and unmanageable number (3) Set improvement goals that are specific and measurable[6]. Whatever the end result happens to be, the employee needs to be the principal author (although the manager should offer help and suggestions) since people tend to be more motivated to accept and implement a plan of their own making. IMDS January/February 1988 16 Indications of the usefulness of such a feedback system were documented in a study by Davis and Mount[7] in which managers were provided feedback vis a vis the ratings they gave to employees. In response to a questionnaire distributed one week after they had received feedback regarding the quality of their performance ratings, 79 per cent of the managers indicated they were either satisfied (seven per cent) or very satisfied (72 per cent) with the feedback; 93 per cent said they considered it when making subsequent performance evaluations; 70 per cent said it influenced their ratings either appreciably (47 per cent) or substantially (23 per cent), and 79 per cent said the feedback had utility for making managers ratings more comparable. The test results from this study indicated that the feedback also significantly reduced the presence of leniency error (the tendency to skew the rating distribution towards the higher rating categories) in the managers ratings. This is significant from an organisational perspective because of the multiple uses of performance ratings in organisations. Often, performance ratings are the criterion on which selection tests are validated and often provide the basis on which merit pay increases are determined. According to Davis and Mount, improving the psychometric quality of the ratings may enable the tests to be validated more effectively and provide a more equitable method for distributing pay increases — an important consideration, as previously discussed. Conforming to Guidelines Obviously, in addition to the other factors which have already been discussed, another practical consideration which must be taken into account is that any performance appraisal system, regardless of the methods employed, must comply with all Equal Employment Opportunity guidelines. While a complete discussion of this important area is beyond the scope Feedback Regarding Effectiveness It is surprising how infrequently organisations provide their managers with information about their performance appraisal ratings. However, providing of this article, the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, put together by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and several other agencies in 1978, deserve special mention. These procedures were meant to clarify the exact requirements which appraisal and other selection systems must meet, and include the following points: (1) To continue using an appraisal system that has adversely affected one or more protected groups, the company must demonstrate that the system is valid, that it is job related, and that it accurately measures significant aspects of job performance. (2) The company must establish that there is no other available method of achieving the same necessary business purpose that would be less discriminatory in its effects, and none can be developed. According to the courts, the plaintiff (employee), rather than the defendant (company) must show the availability of the alternatives. The EEOC has told employers what they cannot do, but it has not provided them with definitive guidelines for solving the performance appraisal puzzle. However, some help in this regard was provided in the Autumn, 1980 issue of EEO Today[8]. (1) Base your appraisal on a comprehensive job analysis. EEOC guidelines dictate that you measure job performance against specific, clearly defined standards of performance. The performance you appraise, says the EEOC, must represent major critical work behaviours as revealed by a careful job analysis. Without a clear, written statement of job responsibilities, you increase your risk of EEO liability. (7) Submit the appraisal to several reviewers, especially if it is negative. To prevent conscious or unconscious bias from creeping into the appraisal process, develop a multilevel review system. Have your superior review and sign the appraisal. This system of checks and balances will reduce the risk of losing a court action. Final Comment As can be seen from the foregoing discussion, an effective performance appraisal system involves much more than a mere annual or biennial evaluation of an employees past performance. Nonetheless, astute managers are becoming increasingly aware of the value of their human resources, viewing them as an investment rather than merely an expense or overhead to be minimised. Accordingly, many organisations are taking the time and effort necessary to develop an effective performance appraisal system in order to help their people achieve their personal goals, which in turn allows the organisation to meet its own objectives[9]. Unfortunately, many managers still object that they just do not have the time to make performance review and development an ongoing process. However, if management is defined as the ability to get things done through people, and if we accept the fact that an effective performance evaluation process helps in getting the most important and productive things accomplished, then what else should managers spend their time doing? References 1. Fletcher, C. , Whats New in Performance Appraisal? , Personnel Management, February 1984, pp. 20-2. 2. Taylor, R. L. and Zawacki, R. A. Trends in Performance Appraisal: Guidelines for Managers, Personnel Administrator, March 1984, pp. 71-80. (2) Know the details of your companys 3. Harper, S. C. , A Development Approach to Performance nondiscriminatory policies. You and every other Appraisal, Business Horizons, September-October 1983, pp. manager in the company should aim for the 68-74. uniform application of all appraisal guidelines. 4. Mellenhoff, H ow to Measure Work by Professionals, Management Review, November 1977, pp. 39-43. (3) Avoid subjective criteria. According to the Albemarle Paper Co. v. Moody decision, subjective 5. Richards, R. C. , How to Design an Objective PerformanceEvaluation System, Training, March 1984, pp. 38-43. supervisory appraisals of job performance are 6. Kellogg, M. S. , What to do About Performance Appraisal, inherently suspect if they produce adverse impact American Management Association, New York, 1975. against a protected group. To stand up to the 7. Davis, B. L. and Mount, M. K. , Design and Use of a scrutiny of the courts, these judgements must Performance Appraisal Feedback System, Personnel be considered fair and job-related. Administrator, March 1984, pp. 1-7. 8. Block, J. R. , Performance Appraisal on the Job: Making it (4) Document! Keep records. That is the only way Work, Prentice-Hall, Inc. , Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1981. you can support whatever subjective judge ­ 9. Butler, R. J. and Yorks, L. , A New Appraisal System as ments creep into the appraisal process. (They Organizational Change: GEs Task Force Approach, are inevitabl e. ) Personnel, January-February 1984, pp. 31-42. (5) Aim for a group of appraisers who have common demographic characteristics with the group being appraised. This criterion was established in Rowe v. General Motors. When only white males appraise blacks, Hispanics, women and other protected groups, the courts question the fairness of the. system. Once a system is challenged and shown to have adverse impact, the company must prove its validity. (6) Never directly or indirectly imply that race, colour, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or veteran status was a factor in your appraisal decision. Making any disciminatory statement, orally or in writing, will make your organisation subject to court action. Additional Reading Kaye, B. L. and Krantz, S. , Preparing Employees: The Missing Link in Performance Appraisal Training, Personnel, May-June 1982, pp. 23-9. Performance Appraisal: Curre. Practices and Techniques, Personnel, May-June 1984, pp. 5799. Heneman, R. L. and Wexley, K. W. , The Effects of Time Delay in Rating and Amount of Information Observed on Performance Rating Accuracy, Academy of Management Journal, December 1983, pp. 677-86. The Trouble with Performance Appraisal, Training, April 1984, pp. 91-2. Gehrman, D B. , Beyond Todays Compensation and Performance Appraisal Systems, Personnel Administrator, March 1984, pp. 21-33. IMDS January/February 1988 17

Advocating Elderly Americans Essay -- Advocates Senior Citizens

The elderly in America have many needs that can range from transportation, a little more money, and even just a little companionship but one of their major needs is advocacy. They need someone to stand up and fight with them for what the need. The elderly of today did so much for this country such things as fight both world wars and the Korean Conflict, they fought for equality, and the escalated this country to the greatness we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So what is an advocate? Advocate is a person or group that represents a common interest and goes to great lengths to see that their cause is not neglected. So why does our elderly need advocates? Our elderly need advocates for various reasons. They need someone to fight with congress over healthcare cost and issues, they need someone to defend them against neglect and abuse, and most of all they need someone to make them aware of the services and programs available to make their lives easier. Advocates are very important to our elderly as well as they should be no one wants to be alone, we all want someone to fight beside us. So who does stand up and fight for our elderly?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In all parts of the United States there are Offices for the Aging to assist our elderly with obtaining the services they deserve. The Office for the Aging was created to promote self-determination, self-promotion and self-sufficiency among the elderly. They also wanted to make seniors aware of the services available to them and their families. Over the years that Offices for the Aging has existed they have created networks of connections in many aspects with in each of their communities. Through their broad range of connections they can assist any one with any problems. Most people feel as though the Office for the Aging is nothing more than a referral agency. There could be nothing further from the truth, Office for the Aging offers a wide variety of services but if they do not offer a service that you need they can and will refer you to an agency that can. One of the services that the Office for the Aging offers is Social Security counseling. This is a big servi ce because of the changing laws and the complexity of the laws it is tough for many elderly to understand properly obtain all of the money they are entitled to. Office for the Aging can also go to your Social Security hearing for you if you wish that they do so. The Office for ... ...as quoted as saying, â€Å"It’s virtually impossible to take back the House or win the presidency without taking back the seniors. That makes them the key battleground†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the upcoming decade there will be over 76 million baby boomers that will be over 65 that mean they will have more power then any other voting cohort in America. This means the attention that the senior vote is getting will become stronger and stronger. Older people are more likely to vote that are younger people this means that seniors can be their own advocate. Seniors can be their own advocates by voting people into office that will vote their way on important issues. Voting is a powerful instrument for all people but is often overlooked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advocacy is an important in order for voices to be heard. Seniors citizens have various needs and as fellow humans it is our obligation to protect them. They paved the way for our country’s prosperity who are we to put them out pasture. Works Cited www.aarp.org www.americangeriatrics.org www.carie.org www.commoncause.org www.ncscinc.org www.senior.org The gerontologist. â€Å"Older People and Voting Participation: Past and Future† by Robert Binstock. February 2000.

Caring for children and young people Essay

Children’s Act 1989, 2004 Section 3 (1) in this act parental responsibility means all rights, duties, power, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent or a child has in relation to the child and their property. Children’s Act 1989, describes how local authorities should carry out their responsibilities in relation to care planning, placement and case review for looked after children. These responsibilities are designed to support the local authority in its primary duty set out in section 22(3) of the 1989 Act to safeguard and promote the welfare of the looked after child and to act as good corporate parents to enable each looked after child to achieve his/her full potential in life. A key principle of the 1989 Act is that children are best looked after within their families, with their parents playing a full part in their lives, unless compulsory intervention in family life is necessary. Children in Care This is where the local authority has gone to court for a care order, usually against a parents’ wishes. The local authority may place the child with relatives, with foster carers or in a community (or residential) home until he/she’s 18 years old or the court end the order. Under the Children Act 1989 a council can apply for a care order if it believes a child is suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm. If you agree to your child becoming ‘looked after’ and there is no care order, you’ll continue to have parental responsibility for your child. Children are put into care because their parents lack to show responsibility for them, or they are under the influence of drugs/alcohol and can appear abusive and a threat to the child’s life. Legal duties under the children act 1989 Child assessment order (sec 43) under which the child can be seen and assessed, It must only be requested if the applicant has reason to believe that the child is likely to suffer significant harm or that an assessment is  required to determine if the child is likely to suffer significant harm. Emergency protection order (sec 44) under which the child can be kept in, or removed to, a particular place (hospital or home). The court will only take the order further if it’s believed a child is likely in danger and harm, and that the order is both necessary and proportionate to the level of risk posed to the child. A care or supervision order (sec 31) the LA can decide where the child is to live until he/she is 18 years old. The LA has 3 duties towards the child under the SO; to advise, befriend and assist the child, to take steps that are necessary to give the order full effect and if the order is not followed then to consider whether to vary the order, attach requirements to it or even substitute it for a care order. Sometimes the children may not be taken into care, but you may have to be supervised by Social Services for a while to make sure the children are well cared for, this is called a â€Å"Supervision Order The foster placement regulations 1991 The child must be visited regularly in the foster home officer by a local authority. Foster parents must give information about their health, accommodation, religion and cultural background and capacity to care for a child of a particular racial/ethnic origin, culture or linguistic background. Children in foster care deserve to be treated as a good parent would treat their own children and to have the opportunity for as full an experience of family life and childhood as possible, without unnecessary restrictions. Parental reasons Parental reasons can lead a child to be put in foster care; the reasons are as followed; Family related reasons The main factor and reason children normally go into foster care is based on their family. Their family may experience financial problems, where they can’t take responsibility for their child nor provide food and support for them. In some cases, a parent may be very ill and unable to work or care for a child. The death of a parent may also make it difficult for the other parent to provide the care a child needs. Parents who are in incarcerated may lose custody of their children until they have served their sentences. Suspected abuse Suspected abuse can include physical and sexual abuse. Physical abuse usually means to the extreme, where bruising is left on a child and numerous attempts to help a family learn alternative means of disciple have failed, and sexual abuse can include persuading or forcing a child to take part in sexual activities, or encouraging a child to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Any forms of this in household, social services will get involved and remove the child from the house and put them into care. Bereavement Though rare, as there is usually family available to care for a child after the death of a parent, there have been cases when children do enter foster care after the death of a parent. Maltreatment Child maltreatment, sometimes referred to as child abuse and neglect, includes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, development or dignity, this will lead the child to going into care. Loss of parent A loss of parent to a child, leaves a child with no adult responsibility, if under the age of 18, therefore this child will be taking into care to be properly looked after. Child or young person related e.g. health problems, learning difficulties, as a result of committing an offence Parental illness A parent being physically and mentally ill, will result to them not raising their child with full responsibility, from having lack of responsibility and full control over themselves, if this is noticed by social services they will make the decision to place the child in a better place. Behavioural problems The child can have behaviour problems to an extent (anger management) where their parents aren’t able to handle them properly and they are out of hand, the parents can seek help elsewhere too, but care can also be an option. Jamie Bulger case Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became Britain’s most notorious child killers in 1993 after murdering the two year old James Bulger. Outrage turned to shock when photographs of the two 10 year olds were released, showing a pair of frightened children. The two friends were both from broken homes. Robert Thompson who was described as quiet yet friendly, came from a dysfunctional family in which both parents were heavy drinkers and his six brothers fought constantly even threatening to knife each other. His father, who beat and sexually abused his wife and children, left the family when the Thompson was five. Pass Two- outline the arrangements for providing quality care for looked after children and young people The convention on the rights of the child 1989 The United Nations office of the high commissioner for human rights (UNCHR) based in Geneva, Switzerland. Under the term of the convention, a child under the age of 18. The section 54 articles in the convention explain the rights given to children in countries that have signed the convention. Governments have a responsibility to take all available measures to make sure children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. Baby Peter Peter Connelly was a 17 month year old British boy who died n London after suffering more than fifty injuries over an eight month period, during which he was repeatedly seen by Haringey children’s services and NHS health professionals In November, Connelly’s new boyfriend, Steven Barker, moved in with her. In December, a GP noticed bruises on Peter’s face and chest. His mother was arrested and Peter was put into the care of a family friend, but returned home to his mother’s care in January 2007. Injuries to Baby Peter’s face and hands are missed by a social worker after the boy is deliberately smeared with chocolate to hide them. On the 3rd of august 2007, Baby Peter was found dead in his cot, Dr Jerome Ikwueke, a GP who saw Baby Peter 14 times before his death, is suspended by the General Medical Council. Two social workers, who dealt with Baby Peter, Gillie Christou and Maria Ward, lose their claim for unfair dismissal. They had argued they were s acked unfairly by Haringey Council following his death, but a tribunal found the authority acted reasonably because of failings in the care they  provided. Baby P was neglected, social workers and doctors failed to take authorities when clear evidence, showed he was in danger. The common assessment framework The common assessment framework is a key part of delivering frontline services that are integrated and focused around the needs of children and young people. It is a standardised approach used by practitioners to assess children’s additional needs and decide how these should be met. The CAF should be offered to children who have additional needs to those being met by universal services. Unless a child is presenting a need, it is unlikely the CAF will be offered. The CAF is a four-step process hereby practitioners can identify a child’s or young person’s needs early, assess those needs holistically, deliver coordinated services and review progress; a practitioner is worried about how well a child or young person is progressing (e.g. concerns about their health, development, welfare, behaviour, progress in learning or any other aspect of their wellbeing) a child or young person, or their parent/carer, raises a concern with a practitioner a child’s or young p erson’s needs are unclear, or broader than the practitioner’s service can address Hamza khan Hamza Khan was a 4 year old child who was starved to death by his alcoholic mother over a period of years. During his life, Hamzah missed a series of appointments at hospital, with health visitors and GPs, and he did not receive routine immunisations. His mother Amanda Hutton, 43, was jailed for 15 years last month after being found guilty of manslaughter. The framework for the assessment of children in need The framework for the assessment of children in need and their families provides a systematic basis for collecting and analysing information to support professional judgements about how to help children and families in the best interest of the child. In addition, it takes account of relevant legislation at the time of publication, but is particularly informed by the requirements of the Children Act 1989, which provides a comprehensive framework for the care and protection of children. The Assessment Framework involves gathering and analyzing information in three domains; Children’s developmental needs; Parents’ or caregivers’ capacity to respond appropriately; Impact of the wider family and environmental factors on parenting capacity and children. Pass Three- Explain the factors that would lead to suspicion of child maltreatment or abuse Risk of maltreatment Child maltreatment, sometimes referred to as child abuse and neglect, includes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health. When a child is being maltreated a child’s rights are compromised and they are not cared for. A risk of maltreatment cause also be from within the family, and this could potential effect the growth of the child. Hamzah Khan Hamzah Khan’s case was showed to portray neglection, he was starved to death and his needs were not recognised Neglect Neglect is a form of abuse. It is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. When a child does not have what they need to function effectively. They may be deprived of security safely, shelter, warmth, food or love. Bullying This term is used when someone uses their power or position to intimidate another individual Bullying can be classed as abuse. Bullying can be demonstrated through the physical actions as well as through verbal or written actions that lead to mental health and distress issues. Behaviours used to assert such domination can include verbal harassment or threat, physical assault or coercion, and such acts may be directed repeatedly towards particular targets. Abuse The word ‘abuse’ covers a wide range of behaviour. Abuse can be criminal acts of violence or acts of neglect. There are different forms of abuse: Physical; Sexual; Emotional; Psychological; Financial; Neglect;  Institutional Physical; Physical abuse is any intentional and unwanted contact with you or something close to your body. Physical abuse can include, pushing, slapping, expose to cold and striking with an object. Sexual; Also referred to as molestation, is forcing undesired sexual behaviour by one person upon another. This includes being touched in a way you don’t like, or you’re made to watch someone do something sexual. Psychological; Psychological abuse, also referred to as emotional abuse or mental abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behaviour that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Institutional; Institutional abuse is the maltreatment of a person from a system of power, this can typically occur in a care home, nursing home or in-patient setting. Financial;   Financial abuse is one form of control used by domestic violence perpetrators in order to gain power over their partner, and is the most direct way in which domestic violence and financial issues relate to each other. Personal hygiene Hygiene is a set of practices performed for the preservation of health. Poor hygiene and lack of self-care can show that a person thinks little of themselves, and can cause skin complaints, unpleasant smells and bacterial or parasitic infections. Malnourishment Malnutrition is present in the form of under-nutrition, which is caused by a diet lacking adequate calories and protein. Indicators of malnutrition include the person looking thinner than average for their age and height. Extreme undernourishment is starvation, and its symptoms and effects are inanition. Emotional withdrawal A change in child’s normal behaviour is often a sign that they are being abused or have been abused. Emotional withdrawal is classified as a lack of emotional connection to others and the inability to communicate; this can affect a child’s self worth and self esteem, leaving them feeling devalued, and withdrawing themselves from others. Bruising Bruising on infants, unexplained bruises, bruises in unusual places (upper arms, hands, ears, neck, buttocks, etc.), and bruises in specific shapes, like a large bite mark, cigarette burn, or belt mark, can be signs of child abuse. Victoria Climbe and Baby P were covered with bruising due to their abusing, which lead them both to death. Pass Four- Explain appropriate responses when child maltreatment or abuse is suspected: Behaviour indicator: Withdrawal – A child that is being maltreated, will withdraw or isolate themselves from others, even close friends and other family, this is a response from them because they don’t want to communicate with anyone. Aggression – Aggression is a common response from a chid that is being abused or maltreated. They will become very frustrated and take their anger out on other people. Distress- Children get distressed from abuse; they will experience negative self identity, which also brings a feeling of worthlessness. Rocking/head banging – This is a response from abuse, children will do this as they see it as easing the pain and them being scared will lead them to self harming themselves. Hunger- Starvation could be done by a person to a child, or they could starve themselves. Reluctance to go home – A child will be scared to go home, fearing they will end up getting the same treatment, which affects their self esteem. Low self esteem – Children with low self esteem have been linked to abuse/bullying. They will experience negative self identity and they will feel highly depressed. Development delay – Children may have development delays as a result to abuse/maltreatment. They can lack in communication and being active as a young child, due to abuse not allowing them to be themselves. Consequences of maltreatment Emotion and physiological dysfunction – Psychological problems often manifest as high-risk behaviours, Maltreatment, for example, may make a child more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol or drugs, or overeat. Physical consequences, such as damage to a child’s growing brain, can have psychological implications, such as emotional difficulties. Illness – Consequences of maltreatment can affect a child’s diet, where they are not malnourished enough because they are under eating. This will also eventually lead a child to being anorexic. Social Inadequacy – Children who experience neglect are more likely to develop antisocial traits as they grow up. Mental health- Health and physical effects can include the immediate effects of bruises, broken bones etc, and also long term effects of the brain damage and permanent disabilities. Cognitive abilities (intellectual) – Some studies find evidence of lowered intellectual and cognitive functioning in abused children as compared to children who have not been abused. They will have troubles bonding with others. Lack of attachment – A child will be more anti, and have lack of trust in others, causing them not to social and get close to anyone. Substance abuse – children who have experienced abuse or neglect will smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, o r take illicit drugs during their lifetime. Safeguard initiative Is the process of providing protection. Safeguarding person There must be someone in your organisation that will take action if there is a concern or allegations made with regards to a child young person. Once you have contacted children’s social care. From this point your concerns are known as a ‘Referral’. Social workers then have a duty by law to investigate the situation or circumstances that have led to the referral. They will; complete an assessment/ child protection investigation in partnership with police and talk to the child/ family and visit home. Child protection conferences If the assessment indicates that the child is at risk of harm a child protection conference may be called. Its purpose is to:  Bring together and analyse, in an inter-agency setting, the information that has been obtained about the child’s developmental needs, and the parents’ or carers’ capacity to respond to these needs; Ensure the child’s safety and promote the child’s health and development within the context of their wider family and environment; Decide what future action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, including the child becoming the subject of a Child Protection Plan. Disclosure and barring service The disclosure and barring service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the criminal records bureau (CRB) and independent safeguarding authority (ISA). The checking service allows employers to access the criminal record history of people working, or seeking to work, in certain positions, especially those that involve working with children or adults in specific situations. Criminal records bureau CRB disclosures are made under the police act 1997. Child protection policy Children and young people are victims of different kind of abuse and that they can be subjected to social factors that have an adverse impact upon their lives. Including domestic violence, substance misuse, bullying, child prostitution and ritualistic abuse. Recognise its responsibility to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children under 18 within the legal framework of the children act 1989, 2004. Its purpose is to help us to develop a common understanding of child protection issues, develop good practice across the diverse and complex areas in which we operate and thereby increase accountability in this crucial aspect of our work. Pass five- Explain the strategies and methods that can be used to support children, young people and their families where abuse is suspected or confirmed Strategies with children Being respectful must be earned; it cannot be ordered or demanded, and it can easily be destroyed. Child- centred approach Remember that the child is at the centre and that they are the people who need to be empowered and supported so they can take control of their lives. Providing active support. Support needs to be readily available and practical when people are in need. Policies of the setting It is important that everyone working with children in a care and education setting is aware of, and has read, the policies of the setting. Doing ensures that staff members are at less risk of being accused of abuse or other neglectful things. Procedures needs to be followed to ensure that best practice is put in place and to ensure that setting is running smoothly and that everyone is acting in a consistent manner. Empowering children Children need to understand that they have rights of their own. Empowering children is about giving them information that is reliable, respecting their views, recognising each child and young person is an individual, that they might be exposed to damaging ideas and negative experiences and that this might influence their behaviour and own ideas. This can be achieved by; †¢ Helping them to understand the boundaries they might come across. Reinforcing issues when they arise in a positive manner such as turn taking, no pushing, being patient, understanding some children take more time than others to complete tasks, everyone has their own individual ways of completing tasks. Letting them resolve their own conflicts whenever possible. Supporting assertiveness, self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience Children need to be assertive at times and should be encouraged to do so. Supporting assertiveness is essential So that they can stick up for themselves and express their thoughts, feelings and desires with other people. These thoughts feelings and desires are their ‘personal boundaries. As well as supporting self- confidence to help them feel good about themselves and the way they see themselves. If a child has confidence then I believe he/she will be more relaxed and happy and not end up in situations they don’t want to be in. Children with good self esteem tend to do better and handle situations better than ones with poor self esteem. Sharing  information, and not keeping secrets Encourage children to have open relationships with people so that they can share, this will allow them to trust other and realise that people can be there for them as much as they didn’t think so, opening up is a key to having a better life. Development Those things children need to reach their full potential from education and play to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Good development support will help a child be successful in the future, leading them on the right path. Improving self-image Children who have been abused will inevitably have a poor self-image and may need help in developing a more positive view of them, this can be done by going over what they dislike about themselves, and reassuring them, they are the complete opposite. Parenting skills Parenting skills do not always come naturally to people, especially if they were raised in a family situation where those skills were lacking, good parenting skills can include being a positive role model, not telling your child to not do one thing, when you do it yourself, things like reasonable discipline is good enough to being an effective parent. Whistle blowing Many settings have now also adopted a whistle blowing policy so that if any inappropriate behaviour is observed among the staff it can be reported in a appropriate way. Reporting arrangements The policy of settings will specify the lines of reporting in cases where abuse is suspected or confirmed. This can support young children as reporting will lead to the situation being solved and the child no longer has to go through that anymore. Security of records All records must be safely and securely stored, and only accessible to those who need to see them in a professional capacity Having an effective access and security program in place will help to ensure that records: are available, when appropriate, for use  are not subject to unauthorised use  cannot be altered, and  cannot be inappropriately destroyed.

Display advertising involved purchasing advertising space on websites Essay

3.Why did BBVA sign multiyear sponsorship deals with NBA and ESPN? Do you agree with this decision? To increase brand awareness. Yes, brand building is a long term process and needs continuous input. 4.What are the various steps in the online acquisition process and how can the bank improve this process? Paid search: Buy key words—ad shows up with the key word- banner with promotional offer(ipod, 5% cash back, or $100 to $150 in cash, under certain conditions)-link to official website–Open account Display: Buy ad space in prospect’s website— banner with promotional offer(ipod, 5% cash back, or $100 to $150 in cash, under certain conditions)-link to official website–Open account How they can do: Increase the people who see and click. Put more budget on Simply step/information required for online application. 5.What is the effective acquisition cost and lifetime value of customers acquired through the online channel? BBVA acquired its customers through its branches, website, telephone and direct mail. About 80% of the new checking accounts had been set up through BBVA’s branches, 15% through telephone and direct mail and 5% came from the on-line channel. BBVA’s goal was to keep the customer acquisition cost below $200 per new account. The bank considered acquisition cost between $100 and $150 to be good and below $100 to be great. The online channel had the least acquisition costs of all – on average, the effective cost of these promotions was about $100 for each new online checking customer. In the banking industry, the average lifetime value of a new checking account, with expected life of five years, is approximately $800. However, the net annual income generated by online customers is slightly higher than returns from clients using the local branch (online customers have lower balances and therefore pay higher fees). 6.What is the role of display and search advertising in acquiring new checking account customers? Is the 2010 advertising budget allocation between display and search appropriate? Paid search advertising entailed purchasing keywords on Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, the three major search engines. The largest portion of BBVA’s paid search budget was allocated for Google, as it had the biggest share of search queries. Words purchased included generic keywords, such as â€Å"consumer checking,† â€Å"checking account,† and â€Å"free checking account† as well as branded keywords, including â€Å"BBVA Compass† and â€Å"BBVA brand.† Buys for these keywords were analyzed and tracked through the bid management tool, which evaluated competitive prices, search volume and share of voice for each keyword. Media Contacts also sent weekly performance reports with analysis and recommendations for campaign optimization.

Human Resource Analysis Of Air National The WritePass Journal

Human Resource Analysis Of Air National Introduction Human Resource Analysis Of Air National Introduction Issues affecting AN’s business strategy shiftKey human resource planning issuesModels of human resource management that best fit AN’s approachesConclusionReferences Related Introduction Air National, Europes largest airline company, dominated other carriers in the 1980s onward onto the late 1990s aided by a highly regulated civil aviation market in which competition was managed through harmonious inter-airline, competitor, and government relationships, which enabled the domination of markets by national carriers including AN. The mid 1980s however saw a change in AN’s fortunes with its privatization in 1986 amidst prolonged economic recession and deregulation of the civil aviation industry in Europe and North America. These changes reduced the old corporations potential political influence, and necessitated a restructuring to make the company attractive to sceptical investors which entailed downsizing of assets and workforce, an endeavour which required the planning and implementation of a new set of business and human resource management strategies. This paper investigates AN’s competitive and HR strategy basing its analysis on relevant theories. Human resource management is an approach to the management of an organizations employees both individually and collectively (its workforce), as valued assets contributing to the attainment of its objectives (Purcell 2003). Its main responsibilities are the selection, training, assessment and rewarding of employees and oversight on the organizations leadership and culture. The primary focus of the human resource theories and practice is the aligning of people and organizations better for their mutual benefit (Purcell 2005). Issues affecting AN’s business strategy shift The issues that necessitated a change in AN’s competitive strategy and the re-engineering of the company include external factors such as the prolonged recession, deregulation in the civil aviation industry, the heightening of the industry-wide price wars with the emergence of discount airlines and a costly battle for market share, and the effect of terrorism which has had a huge adverse effect on international air travel; as well as, internal factors such as its privatization, huge debts, labour costs, and resultant losses. These factors affected AN’s business and it therefore had to find new ways to better its competitive advantage so as to sustain itself and maintain its market share in both domestic and international passenger traffic. AN’s initial transformation strategy seeking to adopt a low-cost competitive structure failed forcing a change to the differentiation (â€Å"added-value†) strategy which entails the prioritization of high quality customer service and the reorganization of management structure with greater focus on operational issues, and the launch of its discount airline operated as a separate company, to cover market demand for discount airlines. The improvement of HR policies at Air National to better manage its staff contributing to its improved performance can be applied to John Storeys distinguishing features relating to people management (Storey 1989), broadly categorized into four outlines distinguishing the various elements. Among these outlines is the beliefs and assumptions which characterize ANs HR policies which are focused on business need with values placed on the objectives of the company rather than on customs, procedures and norms, characteristic of personnel management and industrial relations (Storey 1989). AN’s restructuring features a heightened focus on the customer-first programme which prompted reviews of their employee management and customer interface to enhance this focus. This new strategy entails renewed emphasis on empowerment of employees and their commitment, with the foundation being its recognition that being a service industry, its people are its most important asset on which its survi val depends upon. Conflicts within the company are de-emphasized with managers required to give up control adopting shared power, a consensus approach to decision making which seeks to enhance employee participation and thereby improve their performance. This restructuring also entailed the removal of demarcations between craft groups with consequent reorganization into integrated workgroups and multi-skilled teams with harmonized functions enhancing focus on operational issues and key tasks rather than on rules, customs and management direction inherent in its earlier structure. In the strategic aspects outline (Storey 1989), key relations within AN are integrated to focus on the â€Å"customer-first† strategy, AN’s central corporate plan, with the scrapping of hitherto detached piecemeal initiatives characterizing its old structure. The application of the line management outline with regard to managerial role applies to the management of AN transformed through its new visionary leaders focused on the new strategic shift, which differs from its initial form of management which was mainly transactional and focused on demarcations of duties and responsibilities (Storey 1989). Management was re-focused on route divisions each led by a general manager with authority over business development and particularly, marketing. A prized management skill (Storey 1989) in the new structure was facilitation of employees towards the realization of overall objectives, with the company investing on training programs for senior management based on the importance of trust, motivation and visionary leadership. Looking at the key levers outline in John Storey’s distinguishing features (Storey 1989), AN initiated a profit-related pay system in its transformed strategy so as to motivate its staff better, enhance their performance, job engagement and commitment, ensuring that employees are rewarded for their input, skill levels and competence (Purcell 2005). This pay strategy was reached at through comprehensive consultations with the union to which senior management has developed an open relationship and strategic partnerships, characterized by team briefings and regular formal consultation meetings with its representatives. Communication in AN’s new structure is increased with the encouragement of consensus building and joint decision making which further enhances performance. Training and development is enhanced with investment and the institution of training series for staff and senior management on key business development issues. The companys conflict handling is also improved with wide ranging foci of attention through the engagement of unions and active involvement of management. Disputes in this new arrangement are quickly resolved through ANs management reminding its employees of the companys commitment to job security, their training and development. It is however not an entire success as much of it is left at short term truce with management often throwing money at the problem to kill the conflict, in essence postponing the issues. Key human resource planning issues Human resource management overall is intended to enable an organization achieve its success through people, prime assets who give it its distinct character through a combination of intelligence, skills and expertise, the source of its capabilities essential for its long term survival (Purcell et al, 2005). Research has shown that human resource practices can significantly impact performance of a firm and therefore, ANs HRM strategies should aim to support programs that improve its organizational effectiveness through the development of deliberate policies that would characterize clear vision and integrated values (Fombrun et al, 1984). The company should also focus on its human capital management in its human resource planning as the companys success is depended upon employee input. AN’s HRM strategy should seek to ensure that the company obtains and retains a skilled, committed and motivated workforce through the assessment of the companys people need for selection, the development of the peoples capabilities through nurturing, continuous training and development overall linking them to the needs of the business (Boxall 1992). Other key issues that should be incorporated in ANs human resource planning to enhance workforce empowerment, commitment and overall company efficiency include knowledge management to enhance performance, reward management to express value for peoples contribution and competence, creation of harmonious relationships to reduce negative conflict and its effect on performance and efficiency, meeting of the diverse needs of the workforce, and bridging gaps between such plans and translated action to bring these policies to life (Sisson 1995). Models of human resource management that best fit AN’s approaches ANs approach best fits the matching model of HRM, a concept of the Michigan school (Fombrun et al, 1984) which holds that, as its name suggests, an organizations HR systems and structure should be managed in congruence with its strategy through four generic processes or functions including; selection which entails the matching of human resources to jobs; appraisal which entails performance management; rewards which are motivation schemes developed for the workforce; and, development inherent in the enhancement of the quality of employees. Also fitting is the Harvard framework model founded by the Harvard school (the fathers of HRM), which has its basis on the demand for a broad, comprehensive and strategic perspectives, laying central importance on line managers in ensuring alignment of competitive strategy with HR policies, and the importance of set policies governing workforce activities (Boxall 1992). This model recognizes a range of stakeholders and the importance of interest trade-offs, as well as, widening HRM context adding on the influence of employees among other influences. Conclusion Transformation through its re-engineering brought AN back to profitability in the first quarter of 1998 from its depth of debt in the late 1980s which is a clear testimony to the importance of strategic integration of human resource management which was the main strategy for its transformation to which this success can be attributed. AN, however, later suffered a loss in the last quarter of 2001 and first quarter of 2002 but the company endeavours is to manage the 21st century realities concerning air travel and to maintain its market share in passenger traffic both domestic and international. References Boxall, P., 1992. â€Å"Strategic HRM: A beginning, a new theoretical direction.† In: Human Resource Management Journal, 2(3), pp 61–79 Fombrun, C., N., Tichy, and M., Devanna, 1984. Strategic Human Resource Management. New York, Wiley. Purcell, J, K., Kinnie, Hutchinson, B., Rayton, and J., Swart, 2003. People and Performance: How people management impacts on organizational performance. CIPD, London. Purcell, J., K., Kinnie, Hutchinson, J., Swart, and B., Rayton. 2005. Vision and Values: Organizational culture and values as a source of competitive advantage. CIPD, London. Sisson, K., 1995. â€Å"Human resource management and the personnel function.† In J Storey (ed.) Human Resource Management: A critical text.   Routledge, London. Storey, J., 1989. â€Å"From personnel management to human resource management.† In Storey, J. (ed.) New Perspectives on Human Resource Management.   Routledge, London.

Virtual Key Codes Used by Windows

Virtual Key Codes Used by Windows Windows defines special constants for each key the user can press. The virtual-key codes identify various virtual keys. These constants can then be used to refer to the keystroke when using Delphi and Windows API calls or in an OnKeyUp or OnKeyDown event handler. Virtual keys mainly consist of actual keyboard keys, but also include virtual elements such as the three mouse buttons. Delphi defines all constants for Windows virtual key codes in the Windows unit. Keyboard and VK Codes Here are some of the Delphi articles that deal with the keyboard and VK codes: Keyboard SymphonyDelphi For Beginners:Â  Get familiar with the OnKeyDown, OnKeyUp, and onKeyPress event procedures to respond to various key actions or handle and process ASCII characters along with other special purpose keys. How to Translate a Virtual Key Code into a CharacterWindows defines special constants for each key the user can press. The virtual-key codes identify various virtual keys. In Delphi, the OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp events provide the lowest level of keyboard response. To use OnKeyDown or OnKeyUp to test for keys the user presses, you must use Virtual key codes to get the key pressed. Heres how to translate the virtual key code to the corresponding Windows character. Touch Me - Im UntouchableIntercepting keyboard input for controls that cannot receive the input focus. Working with keyboard hooks from Delphi. ENTERing TabUsing the Enter key like a Tab key with Delphi controls. Abort a Loop by Pressing a KeyUse the VK_ESCAPE to abort a (for) loop. Use Arrow Keys to Move Between ControlsThe UP and DOWN arrow keys are virtually useless in edit controls. So why not use them for navigating between fields. Simulating Keystrokes from CodeA handy function to simulate the pressing of keyboard keys.

Planning Alliances Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Planning Alliances - Essay Example The first issue is that the management teams do not have substantial approaches that guarantee comprehensive utilization of these systems. Despite the multiple advancements in technology, particularly in working with distance, management teams do not put in the necessary resources in making the best out of combined efforts in information technology. Definitely, if management focused on utilizing IT in developing strategic alliances among organizations, it would enhance their competition statures. Notably, apart from those management teams that fail in utilizing IT at all in their alliances, there are those that recognize the different management information systems and information reporting systems as essential facets of the alliances but only focus on exploiting the resources of a single organization alone. This is not only a factor of limitation but also affects the utilization factor. Combined resources in form of MISs, work teams and information technology knowledge are more efficient for alliances but management teams overlook the factors of integration and sharing in strategic partnerships. Among the core objectives of strategic alliances is using the difference to come up with an effective compromise on markets, customers, processes and culture (Thomas 2004). This aspect also applies in information technology systems. Most companies that are IT oriented insist on integration of systems and sharing of information; however, the management teams waste a lot of time and attention on approaches to minimize conflict and reach agreement. Instead of focusing on how to make the systems compatible or evaluating the integration as the main issues, the partners focus on the flaws of the opposing systems and reasons why the integration should not happen. The most efficient approach to integration of information technology in strategic alliances is putting commendable focus on execution and maintenance rather than wasting energy and time on the