Penguins The Eyes Have It! Essays - Flightless Birds, Penguins

Penguins: The Eyes Have It! Myopic little men in tuxedos, or highly efficient land/water animals? Recent research indicates there's more to penguins than meets the eye. If you've every wondered what it would be like to be able to see as clearly under water as you can on land, just ask the nearest penguin.Most aquatic animals are short-sighted on land. Most terrestrial animals (and that includes us) are far-sighted under water. But researchers have discovered that penguins can apparently see equally well in both environments, because of the unique structure of their eyes. Penguins have to be able to see well under water because their diet consists mainly of plankton, molluscs, crustaceans, and the inevitable fish. Through a special slowing-down of their heart rate they're able, like many other diving animals, to stay submerged long enough to search out and chase whatever catches their fancy. On dry land, it's a different story-or has been up to now. Waddling along on their flat little feet, eyes fixed intently on the ground, penguins appear myopic, inefficient and generally out of place. In fact the reverse is true. During a recent stay on the Falkland Islands, a Canadian researcher discovered that penguins are able to recognize individuals and navigate the rocky terrain on which they live quite well. Long of body and short of leg, they probably poke their heads forward as an aid to balance. And as for looking at the ground, they're merely-like us-keeping an eye on where they're going. The human eye is adapted for aerial vision, which is why scuba divers-or even you and I in the local swimming pool-must wear goggles or a face mask to re-introduce air in front of our eyes in order to see clearly. Among vertebrates in general, the bird eye is frequently described as the most efficient. Its superior quality, combined with the fact that a large number of birds-cormorants, pelicans, seagulls, even ducks, as well as penguins-get their food from water, obviously deserved research beyond that possible in a controlled environment such as an aquarium or zoo. Professor Jacob Sivak of the University of Waterloo and his associate, Professor Howard Howland of Cornell University, had a chance to do that research recently. Their trip had but one purpose-to study the structure of penguins' eyes while observing their natural habitat. The Falkland Islands, off the coast of Argentina, offered this opportunity, being one the few areas outside Antarctica where penguins can be found in large numbers. Three of the 16 known species were located there: the Gentoo, which live on flat areas right off the beach; the Magellan (also called Jackass), which live in burrows; and the Rock-hoppers, which live among the rocks along the cliffs. The Rock-hoppers were by far the most common, having a population of well over 100,000. The general rule is, the smaller the penguin, the meaner the temperament, and the researchers did witness the odd fight. Their flippers may look pretty useless out of water, but it's not smart to play around with a penguin. Hel'll stand his ground in a face-off and if you're foolish enough to get too close, those flippers can knock you flat. Dr. Sivak and his associate, however, had little trouble. Rock- hoppers always congregate in fairly tight groups, as a defense against predatory birds such as the skua (a large seagull that thinks it's a hawk), and two more upright figures in their midst didn't seem to bother them. Standing as close to their subjects as 0.3m, the scientists used two devices: one, developed by Professor Howland, to take photographs of the penguins' eyes; the othger, developed by Dr. Sivak, to shine a series of concentric circles on the cornea and give a measurement of how reflections of objects are altered by curvature of the eye. Despite the fact all the work had to be done at night-the only time the penguins' pupils were dilated enough-the results were worth it. Comparison of the photographs with similar photos of human eyes, and study of the internal structure of the eyes of creatures discovered killed by seal lions, proved the scientists' theory that the penguin's eyes are the secret of its survival. In general terms, a penguin

Aaron Copland essay Essay Example

Aaron Copland essay Essay Example Aaron Copland essay Paper Aaron Copland essay Paper Copeland Music has shaped the world since it originated and it keeps developing to inspire people. The Twentieth Century music was In the time frame of 1900 through 2009. Every musical period in time has some influences that help develop the unique styles of this era. Aaron Copeland was an intelligent individual of this time. He participated in musical works from 1900 to 1990. Aaron Copeland was known as the American Composer because his works were simply the American sound. Sopranos velveteen as the Iconic American figure was emerged from his life background, the time eras events, and his cultural context of his music. Aaron Copeland was the Iconic American Composer who lived a bachelor life. He lived alone, as he had his whole life, a bachelor; he worked on a plank desk supported by a simple sawhorse (source 3). He was born on November 14, 1900 In Brooklyn, New York. HIS parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants and he was the brother of four siblings. His father, Harris Morris Copeland was an immigrant who came to America when he was seventeen. His mother, Sarah Nineteenth, came to America with her family at the age of six, and Aaron was closest to his mother. After a year of training, he learned all he could through his sister Leeriness lessons. She had no more to teach him since she taught him everything she knew, so even though his parents were not supportive in his music, he still pursued to further his education for music. Ludwig Wolfish was his first real teacher and after three years with him he advanced to a European trained concert plants, Victor Wittgenstein. He graduated from Boys High school In Brooklyn and while being there studied theory under Rubin Goldman, which only increased to further his desire for modern music. The turning point in his life came when he received and won a scholarship for the American Conservatory at Forgettable, France. He went to France and studied and was taught by Nadia Ballooner. Although he never received any typed of degree while in France, his three years studying there were more than equivalent. While studying with Nadia Ballooner, she had asked him to write an Organ Concerto for her American appearances when he returned to America, which he did (source 2). He returned to New York after three years in Paris, and after his return he was determined to achieve this American sound in his music. Copeland taught intermittently at Harvard university. For the year 1951, he was the instructor of Poetics (source 3). Copeland was enlisted to teach at Harvard, until he retired In the year of 1965. HIS remaining years of his life were spent in his three-acre estate located at Rockville near Hudson River in Westchester County. He Died on December 2, 1990. After his death, his estate became the headquarters of the Copeland Heritage Association through a program here a wide range of activities such as commissioning programs to concerts, recordings, and exoskeletons, help promote American music. Not only did Sopranos life depict the style of composer he was, but also the Twentieth Centurys events. FIFO During tons time era, ten world wars were occurring Ana so was ten Depression AT the sasss. A time of revolt was spreading through the people. Political issues were rising and these issues were reflecting upon the music of this time. Article Lonnie). At this time, American sound was increasing in music. New generations of Americans mingle wanted to create a patriotic feel to music because it was American. This can also be an influence due to the drastic events of this time. Despite the wars and depression, the emergence of the radio, television, and Internet brought a wider variety to music. (sources) It expanded the experiences of people. Aaron Copeland wanted to appeal to a broader audience during this century. (article). He did not want to Just appeal to what he called the music-loving public. Copeland wanted to reach out to a bigger audience. Therefore, he strives to reach people by his music with American sound. He wanted people to listen to his works and be able to say that the style American. The way Copeland wanted to achieve appealing to this broader audience was through the technological advances. He would do his best to be on the radio, to be at interviews, to do works that would get commissioned for. (source 2) In this way, his work was getting out there, and it was more accessible. The important emergence of Latin American composers was also developing. Articulation) One of the important Latin American composers is Carols Shaven (1899-1978). He was important in this time era and Copeland. Copeland visited Mexico in the sass where he met Shaven. Shaven along with the Latin American land inspired Copeland. Out of this experience, Copeland stated that he felt a connection with the land and people there. At this time, he created El Salon Mexico (1936), which is inspi red by Latin American culture. (article 1) Other events occurring in the Twentieth Century were the changes of language in music. Since the Baroque era, more changes in the music language were found (book). A lot of new composers most likely wanted to experiment with different aspects to create different sounds for the public. Composers wanted to change the sound of the music and create something new. That of course was a success with some of the composers, including Aaron Copeland. Women also became more actively involved in music during this time. They would either be composers, musical educators, and or virtuoso soloists. Unlike previous musical periods when women were not as evolved in music, the Twentieth Century brought about this change. Among one of this list of well-recognized women, was Nadia Boulders Aaron Sopranos teacher for three years. (book). Influences to Copeland of the Twentieth Century were American Jazz, Igor Stravinsky Neoclassicism, and Arnold Schoenberg Twelve-Tone System. Copeland incorporated Jazz elements in his early works because he believed they were American. (book) He also incorporated Stravinsky and Schoenberg techniques to experiment with different sounds and tones. In that way he achieved a clarity sound to his music and changes in pitch. (book). Apart from his life history, and Twentieth Century events, the cultural context of his music also favored his American sound. Aaron Copeland throughout his lifetime developed several musical styles. Nadia Ballooner was a major influence (book). She was Sopranos instructor in Paris. She taught him to write many notes but to only keep the most important ones. Also, she encouraged him to be himself. After studying in Paris, Copeland returned to New York determined to create work that sounded American. In the sasss America did not really have a classical sound. A lot AT American classical music Militate ten European sound. Copeland found the American sound through Jazz and American folk tale. The public did not recognize Sopranos American sound until later years. One of Copeland early works was Piano Variation, composed in the early sasss. This musical piece was one of Sopranos most difficult and boldest works he had ever composed. It took Copeland about a year to finish this musical piece. Piano Variations had a very dissonant sound that was made of a few notes (book). Copeland took the notes of the main theme and created different combinations of sounds and moods with those same notes. He stacks the notes of theme on top of one another to create a dissonant ladder(Video). Piano Variations was appreciated by many of Sopranos colleagues. At the time, this musical piece was considered very controversial and was not appreciated so much by he public. In the sasss, Copeland was considered a modernist composer (video). Piano Variations was influenced mainly by Jazz. After Copeland experimented with Jazz, he focused on the American folk tale music. It was not in America where Copeland first incorporated folk tale music. Copeland was first influenced by Mexican folk music. While in Mexico Copeland and his colleagues spent some time at a local dance hall called El Salon Mexico. In this dance hall Copeland heard the Mexican folk music by the people (video). It was that visit to Mexico that inspired Copeland to incorporated that Mexican folk music in his next ice El Salon Mexico 1936. As the first of Sopranos works to make extensive use of folk song, El Salon Mexico captures the spirit of the eponymous dance hall by quoting traditional Mexican tunes and evoking such popular musical idioms as the mariachi(article). El Salon Mexico was considered one of Sopranos populist works. Copeland further explained that El Salon Mexico was intended to capture his sense of a really live contact with the Mexican people-the electric sense one sometimes gets in far-off places, of suddenly knowing the essence of a people -their humanity, their operate shyness, their dignity and unique charm (article). One of Sopranos most famous works was Appalachian Spring (1944). He originally composed the piece for Martha Grahams ballet. Graham wanted to create a ballet that summed up peoples peace and war (video). During this time, our country was in the middle of World War II. The ballet concerns a pioneer celebration in spring around a newly built farmhouse in the Pennsylvania hills in the early 1800 (book). Appalachian Springs included Simple Gifts, which consisted of five variations (book). Copeland incorporated Shaker melody. The Shaker melody appealed to Copeland because it portrayed simplicity and also created a very calm mood. The Shakers were a religious sect established in America around the time of the Revolution (book). Among his other works there was also Fanfare for the Common Man. This musical piece was considered an American anthem. The Fanfare for the Common Man has been used for several occasions; one was to honor allied forces during WI (video). Aside from his numerous compositions, Copeland made many other contributions to American music by directing composers groups, organizing concerts, lecturi ng, Ritter books and articles, teaching and conducting(book).

Marketing tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing tools - Essay Example In this regard, the analysis focuses on a wireless mini Hair dryer market, competitive environment and the costs involved. This can only be achieved by continuous surveys of the product competitors’ actions in this market. Under an inventor’s strategic marketing plan/approach, it will continuously monitor potential benefits/opportunities offered by the new line of products/a wireless mini Hair dryer to ascertain its financial viability ((Errigo & Zempol 2011, p. 64). Ansoff’s Model In order to meet the above objectives, Knowledge Store can use the Ansoff’s matrix / model to make decisions regarding a wireless mini hair dryer marketing growth strategy. It will used to ascertain strategic priorities regarding the launch of this new product line to attract more customers, expand the existing market share and to increase sales revenue earnings (Errigo & Zempol 2011, p. 72). It helps in creating a logical platform on which the above objectives are developed, fo llowing different mix categories shown in the diagram below. Fig. 1.0: Ansoff’s Model Moreover, Ansoff’s matrix is employed to determine a wireless mini hair dryer marketing strategies that will help in meeting the objectives of increasing the customer base and market share. This will be facilitated by the use of internet services, which reach more customers segments in different geographic markets across the globe. SWOT Analysis of an inventor’s company An inventor SWOT can be analyzed in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as outlined in the following table. STRENGTHS 1. A company operates many stores across the globe, thus present in the global market. 2. Strong control over its distribution channels. 3. An inventor’s product has a strong brand identity/name. 4. Its diversification strategy has larger brands portfolio. 5. Expansive market product line. WEAKNESSES 1. Weak financial health caused by higher debts and decline in pro fitability margin. 2. Unstable management caused by family conflicts of interest. 3. Weaker brands portfolio from some items sold by an inventor. 4. Limited target customers, especially the professionals. 5. The prices of an inventor product are relatively higher. OPPORTUNITIES 1. An inventor has a higher market growth potential in other areas, especially in the UK and USA. 2. A company is capable of consolidating other brands for the establishment of a stronger competitive advantage in various segments. 3. Presence of e-marketing/e-commerce makes it possible for an inventor to carry out online transactions. 4. Presence of multi-media technology developments for marketing/advertising. THREATS 1. A company currently faces stiffer competition from other market players in a company, which are companies that offer medium brands that are capable of advancing towards the premium brands such. 2. An inventor is facing the threat of takeover that is likely to affect its capital ownership in a company. 3. Presence of both local political shakeups and economic slowdown. 4. Fake company’s products. PESTEL Analysis of an inventor’s company/business There are various factors that would affect the decision making processes. The PESTEL analysis technique has been used in an effort to analyze some of these factors. The PESTEL model usually covers the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors that are likely to influence the decision maki

Developing a Code of Conduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developing a Code of Conduct - Essay Example The Joint Commission has a mandate of ensuring that health care services provided by health care facilities are up to standards. In order for the commission to improve the quality of health care services provided to patients, it has to review the activities of health facilities to identify situations that may inhibit a health facility from providing quality medical services to patients. The Joint Commission carries out its review with reference to sentinel events and it has to ensure that it includes all required accreditation surveys as well as random unannounced surveys. The main purpose of a Sentinel Event Policy is to provide an avenue where events that occur in the organization, both in the private and public health care facilities, will be identified, reported, investigated and managed (Joint Commission Resources Inc., 2005). Health care facilities are required to work towards meeting the requirements set by Joint Commission. These requirements include: development of effective mechanisms through which sentinel events can be reported and analyzed especially events that involve patient falls, meeting patient-safety goals as well as meeting patient-safety standards. Some health care facilities, however, have not implemented most of the requirements in all areas of operation. This is seen to have huge impacts on improving communication and increasing leadership knowledge of a hospital. These hospitals are therefore not able to account for the safety of its patients. Health care facilities that do not meet the set standards or do not respond to sentinel alerts as required by the Joint Commission may face consequences such as loss of accreditation. This means that a lot of money from Medicaid programs as well as Medicare will be lost. Hospitals will lack financial resources and they will also lose their patie nts since no one would want to seek medical services from an institution that provides unsafe care to patients. A code of conduct policy is in

Affluenza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Affluenza - Essay Example This heady mix of wealth and power need to be counterbalanced by accountability and responsibility for the general public. But, going by the evidence presented by the authors of this book, the outcomes so far have been harmful for the people at large and the environment in which they live. The poor people are especially badly hit by this phenomenon (de Graaf et. al, p.112). While the rich are getting richer than ever before, the real incomes of the poor in America have stagnated or declined. In this way the poor are disadvantaged twice, as the consumerist society keeps promoting ‘affluenza’. In this context, one can understand the importance of delving further into this topic and learn more about its role in promoting a regressive consumerist culture. The following passages will cite pertaining arguments from the book in support of the thesis, which is that the poor are punished twice as a result of Affluenza. A major manifest symptom of Aflluenza, the authors point out, is the general decline in sense of self-worth among Americans. A culture that endlessly promotes materialism and accumulation of wealth with barely any mention of other aspects of healthy living such as harmonious family life, participation in communal activities, etc. is fundamentally wrong. What psychologists refer to as low self-esteem is alternatively called as ‘status anxiety’ by social commentators. These are especially more evident in poor peoples’ conceptions of themselves, as they suffer from ‘Affluenza’ - â€Å"the bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses† (de Graaf et. al, p.172). In other words, it is the influenza like ailment that affects citizens when they march mindlessly in pursuit of affluence. As the authors pertinently state, â€Å"theres a downside to this obsession, and in our

A report on recruitment and selection process for the recruiting

A report on recruitment and selection process for the recruiting 1a) Describe a suitable recruitment and selection process for Barretts Carvery. The owners of Barretts Carvery a traditional pub restaurant are interested in expanding their menu by offering other hot plates such as hot pots, stew, and dumplings. Presently the restaurant offers a number of options, including the traditional dinner, vegetarian dinner, and childrens dinner. This report describes the recruitment, selection, and retention process for the three additional employees needed to expand the restaurants menu, along with recommendations to build a wining team, ensure effective leadership, and identify work and development needs for Barretts Carvery. RECRUITMENT PROCESS According to EDWIN FLIPPO Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees, and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organization (Draft and Marcic, 2008). The recruitment process begins with identifying the need for staff, which usually derives from the human resources plan. Barretts Carvery has identified the need for three additional staff to assist in the kitchen and to be servers. For every organization it is important to have the right person in the right position. When the wrong person for the position is hired, it typically results in having to refill the position again. Time, money, and energy are lost during this downtime, as well as additional recruiting and training costs. It hurts a company to have an open position in several ways, including loss of productivity, frustration of continuous retraining and inability to progress with company initiatives. Bad hires may also result in good employees leaving the company, creating an even greater turnover p roblem (Main, 2009). The key objective is to be cost effective in the numbers, and quality of employees required fulfilling the human resources needs of an organization. Today, recruiting is sometimes referred to as talent acquisition to reflect the importance of the human factor in the organizations success. (Draft and Marcic, 2008). It is important for Barretts Carvery to get a clear picture of what kind of individuals are needed which can be accomplished by designing a job description along with a person specification. A job and persons description is an organized process of gathering and interpreting information about the essential duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the job to be performed. A persons specification or job specification is vital to any organization as it enables the company to find the perfect person- to-job-fit, (Scribd, 2010). Moreover, it is also important that the skills, aptitudes, and knowledge outlined in the person specification are directly related to the needs of the job: if this is not so expectations will not be met, and both employers and employees will be disappointed (Scribd, 2010). The following job and person descriptions are recommended for the positions of a Server and Kitchen Assistant for Barretts Carvery to assist in their recruitment and selection process. JOB SPECIFICATION FOR SERVER JOB TITLE: Server DEPARTMENT: Dining REPORTS TO: Dining Section Manager OBJECTIVES: Our goal is to be professional and courteous at all times, to provide our customer the best services in order to gain a competitive edge, and to ensure total customer satisfaction. Servers are the first contact for our customers as such you must greet them in a professional and courteous manner in attempt to make Barretts Carvery the number one choice restaurant. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Basic functions includes but not limited to: Serves Guests quickly and professionally Should have an excellent knowledge of the menus Maintains sections, and keep tables clean Essential functions: Work without supervision Polish all silverware and glassware used for services Approach Guests, warmly welcome and seat them at the next assigned table Introduce the beverage and food menu in a friendly and enthusiastic manner Accurately take orders Follow all safety and sanitation regulations Accurate calculation when preparing check Clear tables and reset them during shift Any other duties that may be assigned to you by your manager PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR SERVER   JOB TITLE: Server   DEPARTMENT: Dining Education, Training and Qualifications Knowledge High School Diploma Basic Math Skills Work experiences in a Restaurant Must hold a valid Food Hygiene certificate Skills and Aptitudes Speak fluent English Language Ability to communicate effectively Must be able to take directions Capable of working in Teams Must be able to work calmly in crisis Must possess problem solving abilities Non-essential requirements Ability to speak fluent Spanish Server Certification or training SERVER JOB DESCRIPTION Taking Orders, the server will be responsible for taking customer orders, organizing them, and keeping time of the course of the order. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Working Environment, you are responsible for keeping your section clean and organized; silverwares and glasses spotless; change table cloths and dust chairs when necessary. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Clearing of utensils, you are to replace needed utensils right away after cleaning a plate; be pro active by pre-setting utensils before your guest needs it. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Be visible, you are to ensure that your guest can get your attention easily; keep surveying you section for jobs that need to be done. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Menu, familiarize yourself with the menu and your specials, it is important for you to know what is offered to better sell the product. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Check out, after organizing and calculating the check you are required to take it to the manager on duty who will review and approve same. (Food and Beverage Underground 2007-2008) Based on the job description, job and person specification Barretts Carvery should conduct an internal assessment to determine whether or not their needs can be met from existing staff resources through retraining or redevelopment. If these needs can be filled internally, the company should advertise the positions internally. Internal recruiting has several advantages: It is less costly than external search, and it generates higher employee commitment, development, and satisfaction because it offers opportunities for career advancement to employees rather than outsiders (Draft and Marcic, 2008). The simple monetary aspect of promoting qualified employees is the most obvious advantage. The costs associated with recruiting and training a new employee can be significantly higher than filling that position by promoting from within. A newly hired employee must take time to become acclimated to the corporate environment and learn the daily routines and minutiae that is already second natur e to an already employed worker (Sexton, 2007). Sexton went on to mentioned, depending upon the intricacies involved, its not unusual for it take several weeks or even months for a new employee to fully learn and acclimate himself to the company culture and become productive. By contrast, an employee already familiar with the company may be fully productive in a new position within a matter of days. In addition, the company will be better able to determine the psychological state of those already employed than it can of workers from outside the company (Sexton, 2007). Although there are some advantages with internal recruiting frequently , however external recruiting is advantageous, applicants are available through a variety of outside sources, including advertising, state employment services, online recruiting services, private employment agencies, job fairs and employee referrals (Draft and Marcic, 2008). If the vacancies cannot be filled internally then Barretts Carvery should begin its recruitment process by advertising externally. If no suitable applicants are identified after advertising then the company can opt to re-advertise, or redesign the job and person specification. SELECTION PROCESS On receipt of applications for the position Barretts Carvery should create shortlist in an attempt to determine which applicants are most suitable to fill the position; this commences the selection process. The selection process is the process of determining the skills, abilities, and other attributes a person needs to perform a particular job (Daft Marcic, 2008). The next step would be to select desired candidates from the shortlist of recruited applicants, and conduct interviews or assessment tests for the potential candidates. The suitability of the potential candidates can be assessed by various methods such as the use of application forms, interviews, tests, and assessment centers (Daft Marcic, 2008). In identifying suitable candidates, Barretts Carvery can use applications form to obtain information about persons applying for the position. The application form generally includes education, past job experiences, and personalities of the potential candidate. However, when reviewing application forms, Barretts Carvery should pay attention to questions specifically related to the position posted, so as not to create any undesirable outcome, and ensure there are no discriminatory practices. In addition to the information on the application forms, Barretts Carvery can also use the information garnered during the interview process. According to BusinessDictionary (2007-2010), an interview is a somewhat formal discussion between two parties in which information is exchanged. For a business looking to fill an open job position, an employer might interview potential candidates to gain a better understanding of their backgrounds, qualifications, and skills. Some organizations place major emphasis on the interview process. Google a popular search engine, for example, it could take an applicant anywhere from four to a dozen interviews before they get a shot at working with this company (Tay, 2006). Interviews are considered the most common method used in the selection process. Interviews give the interviewer an opportunity to meet the applicants face to face and see what the person is like and would be able to assess the applicants personalities (CIPD, revised 2010). It is recommended that Barretts Carvery conduct face-to-face interviews which will allow the company the opportunity to assess the applicants in person. Employment test can also play an important role in Barretts Carverys selection process. Employment tests are designed to assess applicants on particular characteristics like intelligence, skills, and other abilities. These tests can be written or computer-based (Daft Marcic, 2008). Today, about 50 percent of all companies ask candidates to answer questions that aim to measure their success at particular jobs for which they apply, industry experts said. Tests generally fall into three categories: cognition and ability tests, which measure an innate capability or intelligence; simulations and skill tests, which measure facts that a person knows; and personality and other indicator tests, which measure values and the right orientation for a specific job (Joyce, 2006). When creating its short list, Barretts Carvery, should ensure that the applicants selected must match the person specification to avoid costs of hiring the wrong persons. The final stage in Barretts Carverys selection process would be to confirm the offer to the selected applicants, who are then sent to undergo a medical for the purpose of pension, life insurance, or to ensure a certain level of physical fitness that may be required to carry out the job. The management of Barretts Carvery should then prepare the contract of employment. 1b) what benefits could Barretts Carvery offer the staff in order for them to remain within the organization? RETENTION Retaining employees is critical in any business. Employee turnover can become problematic especially in areas where skills are relatively scarce, recruitment is costly, or when it takes a long period to fill a vacancy. While employee turnover can be beneficial in some instances by replacing an underperforming employee with a more productive one, it can also have a negative impact such as the lost of productive employees to the competitors. In increasing its staff complement, Barretts Carvery must also ensure that the restaurant retains its current employees which can be accomplished by offering carious employee benefits (CIPD, 2009). EMPLOYEES BENEFITS Employee benefits are elements of remuneration given in addition to the various forms of cash pay. Employees benefits can also include items that are not strictly remuneration, such as annual holidays. (Armstrong, 2006). Employee benefits and their objectives may differ from one organization to another, certainly in the case of restaurants where little or no benefits are offered. According to Food Services Warehouse (2009), wages and salaries vary slightly from restaurant to restaurant, even for the same position. However, restaurant worker wages are different depending on the type of restaurant, the geographical location, and the worker responsibilities Restaurants are one of the businesses known to pay less than minimum wage, and the benefits are what the employees depend on which is sometimes minimal (Food Services Warehouse 2009). The most common restaurant employee benefits are said to be tips, meals, and paid time off. Although tips are often considered a benefit of working in a restaurant, many servers and bartenders would most likely consider it part or their income. (Food Services Warehouse 2009) Based on the fact that tips is not paid by the employer but rather by the customers, tips may not be considered a reliable benefits by some employees, especially in none elite restaurant such as Barretts Carvery. As tips are sometimes supported by the customers perception of the quality of services received, one recommendation Barretts Carvery can employ to retain employees is making gratuity mandatory. Mandatory gratuity which is then pass on to the respective employee, may give the employees a sense of security of receiving this benefit. However, gratuity, from personal experiences, can be problematic especially at times when the service rendered is abysmal. In cases were services are found deficient, Barretts Carvery should take corrective measures. Barretts Carvery could also offer the other common benefits including meals and paid time-off (Food Services Warehouse 2009). Another recommendation is to implement an Employee of the Month recognition program. A recognition program would enable employees to feel valued, which has a positive effect on staff retention (Jones 2010). KFC has a staff recognition program, and Misty Reich, vice-president HR at KFC UK and Ireland Reich, believes the companys culture of recognition sets it apart from its competitors (Jones 2010). It is not something you can really fabricate, says Reich. It comes off as being very inauthentic if it is not in the DNA of a business, and it is very much in our DNA (Jones 2010). Although monetary factor may appear to be the first choice of employee benefits there are other motivating factors that can drive employee to remain with companies including training, the access to the right tools (Heathfield 2010). Moreover, there are also some uncommon benefits within the restaurant industries which can be used by the management of Barretts Carvery; these include Insurance Medical, Dental, Vis ion, Life, and Disability. Barretts Carvery could offer one or more of these uncommon benefits which may not only help in the retention of employees, but also in gaining a competitive edge (Food Services Warehouse 2009). 1c) what ethical and legal implications will Barretts Carvery need to be aware of when recruiting new staff? ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATION When recruiting new staff, Barretts Carvery must be cognizant of ethical and legal implication that may have an adverse impact on the business. Ethics take many forms, but in its most fundamental nature, ethics can be regarded as a set of principals of which governs the right conduct of a person (Draft and Marcic, 2008). Ethical Consideration should not be taken lightly by an employer or employee. HR specialists are concerned with ethical standards in three ways: their conduct as professionals, the values that govern their behaviour and the ethical standards of their firms (Armstrong, 2006). In an effort to prevent unethical conduct when recruiting new staff, Barretts Carvery must ensure that selected candidates have a clear understanding of the companys code of conduct and policies, which if not adhere to can result in dismissal. For example, employees of one of UK biggest restaurant chains can be dismissed if they do not adhere to the code of conduct, of not to encourage customers to leave cash tips. According to The Guardian (2009) Employees of Tragus which owns Strada, Cafà © Rouge, and Bella Italia are forbidden to tell diners that the optional service charge is used to subsidize the national minimum wage paid to waiters. Cash tips go directly to staff, but those paid by card go to the company. The company sent a memo last month to all restaurant managers telling them to crack down on staff who appeared to be encouraging customers to leave cash instead of putting the service charge on their card (Elliot, 2009). Barretts Carvery should be aware of the negative implications unethical behavior can have on the reputation, the employees, and operational success of the restaurant. Unethical behavior can have detrimental effects on organizations in ways including giving the company a bad image, causing ineffectiveness, harm sales, and worsen communication which can be costly to retract or repair (National Business Ethics Survey, 2000). Barretts Carvery should ensure that the new and current staff do not indulge in behavior that may be unethical questionable, as this may impact the productivity level of the restaurant. The paper went on to mention that, unethical behavior decreased efficiency, and increases misconduct (National Business Ethics Survey, 2000). In one survey, 71 percent of employees who saw honesty applied rarely or never in their organization had seen misconduct in the past year, compare with 52 percent who saw honesty applied occasionally, and 25 percent who saw it frequently. The f igures were similar for respect and trust (National Business Ethics Survey, 2000). Unethical behavior towards employees can hinder productivity, trust, caused demotivation, worsen absenteeism, and even affect the performance of the highly skilled (Michael and Rao, 2005). In addition to ethical implications, Barretts Carvery must also be concerned with legal consideration when recruiting new staff. One reason why the management of Barretts Carvery should be concerned about the legal implications is to minimize risks of being involved in legal battles. One method to minimize legal risks is to ensure that the recruiting practices conform to the laws that govern the hiring of employees. Barretts Carvery should also take care to ensure that the additional steps in the recruitment process such as job postings, questions asked during the interviews, the checking of references, and job offers, all comply with the legal requirements. Barretts Carvery can also refer to other sources for guidance on ethical and legal implications on hiring new staff. One such source is the Recruiter Guide. According to the A Recruiter Guide job postings or advertisements should not be published which give preference to: Race Colour Ancestry Place of origin Political belief Religion Marital status Family status Physical Mental disability Sex Sexual orientation Age Avoiding discrimination during the recruitment process does not only steer clear of legal battles it also allows you to select the best person for the job. Barretts Carvery must ensure that applicants are not selected based on race, sex, age, political beliefs, religious affiliation or any of the above because people can bring employment tribunal claim if they think they were discriminated during the selection process (Business Link, 2007). In addition to the Recruiter Guide, Barretts Carvery can also use the governing laws to avoid negative ethical and legal implication when recruiting new staff. According to BC Laws, Employment Standard Act, Chapter 13, when hiring an employee the following must be enforced. No False representations Hiring of Children No charge for hiring or providing No fees to other persons Employment and talent places must be licensed Farm labor contractor must be licensed Written employment contract required for domestics Register of employees working in residences It is recommended that Barretts Carvery examine the laws that govern to ensure that it is protected from any adverse legal and ethical implications. Barretts Carvery must also ensure that its employees familiarized themselves with these laws to recognized and prevent unlawful acts that may have ethical and legal implications. CONCLUSION In seeking to increase the number of employees, Barretts Carvery should not take its recruitment, selection, and retention processes lightly. The company should ensure that the job descriptions and person specifications are clear as possible; this is the foundation for selecting the right person for the job. Ensuring that the person specification is directly related to the job, and not selecting the right person for the job can prevent unnecessary costs. In an effort to select the right candidate Barretts Carvery should ensure that the method used, application forms, interviews, tests, etc are tailored to suit the job description: this is important, as not doing so can result in hiring the wrong persons. Moreover, Barretts Carvery must steer clear of any unethical behavior that may tarnished the image of the company, and should ensure that the companys recruitment, selection and retention processes addresses all ethical/unethical and legal issues that can arise. The company should en sure that all the laws that govern are adhere to, as doing so in the recruitment process can reduce the chances of misconduct and lawsuits.

Information Systems Ethics :: Technology Internet Papers

The area of Information Systems ethics has received a fair amount of attention in recent times. IS Professionals generally agree that we need adequate ground rules to govern the use of present day Information Technology. We have also recognized for many years the need to incorporate ethics into IS curricula. Current mechanisms which attempt to make IS professionals and students more sensitive to the ethical concerns within IT and IS may be too tightly focused in terms of both issues and audience, especially in the light of the rapid proliferation of Internet use. To properly analyze the impact of the Internet on IS ethics, we would need to establish the appropriate context. To this end, this paper explores several aspects of computer ethics that are relevant to today's users of IT. For example, who are the people that need to be educated on these issues? What are the issues, and what has been the impact of the Internet on these issues? What are current attitudes, perceptions, and behavior in situations involving computer ethics, and what is the effect of the Internet? Do we have guidelines and codes that provide assistance for these ethical situations? What else needs to be done to help address some of the problems in this important area? The People Solomon and O'Brien found that software piracy didn't seem to be much of a problem until microcomputers made their first major corporate and home appearance about 20 years ago. Rapid proliferation of inexpensive technology certainly does provide an ample arena for an increase in the unethical use of this technology. Today, the pervasiveness of microcomputer and technology use is not limited solely to IS professionals and students. As early as 1984, in his testimony before the US Congress, computer security expert Robert Campbell accused the computer industry of failing to develop the necessary ethical framework for IT use. He went on to say that the technology had already breached the boundaries of the professional arena and proliferated into the public domain. Today, technology use spans the widest possible range of activities and often begins at home at an early age. The Internet promises to push this trend forward at a rapid pace. In spite of this growth in use, many people who us e technology at home and at work still find it to be a new and rapidly changing phenomenon. As a result, for many users of IT today, just learning how to use this volatile technology is the most important, and often the only, consideration; ethics and other related concerns are relegated to the distant background.

Foundation and Empire 6. The Favorite

The tiny ships had appeared out of the vacant depths and darted into the midst of the Armada. Without a shot or a burst of energy, they weaved through the ship-swollen area, then blasted on and out, while the Imperial wagons turned after them like lumbering beasts. There were two noiseless flares that pinpointed space as two of the tiny gnats shriveled in atomic disintegration, and the rest were gone. The great ships searched, then returned to their original task, and world by world, the great web of the Enclosure continued. Brodrig's uniform was stately; carefully tailored and as carefully worn. His walk through the gardens of the obscure planet Wanda, now temporary Imperial headquarters, was leisurely; his expression was somber. Bel Riose walked with him, his field uniform open at the collar, and doleful in its monotonous gray-black. Riose indicated the smooth black bench under the fragrant tree-fern whose large spatulate leaves lifted flatly against the white sun. â€Å"See that, sir. It is a relic of the Imperium. The ornamented benches, built for lovers, linger on, fresh and useful, while the factories and the palaces collapse into unremembered ruin.† He seated himself, while Cleon II's Privy Secretary stood erect before him and clipped the leaves above neatly with precise swings of his ivory staff. Riose crossed his legs and offered a cigarette to the other. He fingered one himself as he spoke, â€Å"It is what one would expect from the enlightened wisdom of His Imperial Majesty to send so competent an observer as yourself. It relieves any anxiety I might have felt that the press of more important and more immediate business might perhaps force into the shadows a small campaign on the Periphery.† â€Å"The eyes of the Emperor are everywhere,† said Brodrig, mechanically. â€Å"We do not underestimate the importance of the campaign; yet still it would seem that too great an emphasis is being placed upon its difficulty. Surely their little ships are no such barrier that we must move through the intricate preliminary maneuver of an Enclosure.† Riose flushed, but he maintained his equilibrium. â€Å"I can not risk the lives of my men, who are few enough, or the destruction of my ships which are irreplaceable, by a too-rash attack. The establishment of an Enclosure will quarter my casualties in the ultimate attack, howsoever difficult it be. The military reasons for that I took the liberty to explain yesterday.† â€Å"Well, well, I am not a military man. In this case, you assure me that what seems patently and obviously right is, in reality, wrong. We will allow that. Yet your caution shoots far beyond that. In your second communication, you requested reinforcements. And these, against an enemy poor, small, and barbarous, with whom you have had not one' skirmish at the time. To desire more forces under the circumstances would savor almost of incapacity or worse, had not your earlier career given sufficient proof of your boldness and imagination.† â€Å"I thank you,† said the general, coldly, â€Å"but I would remind you that there is a difference between boldness and blindness. There is a place for a decisive gamble when you know your enemy and can calculate the risks at least roughly; but to move at all against an unknown enemy is boldness in itself. You might as well ask why the same man sprints safely across an obstacle course in the day, and falls over the furniture in his room at night.† Brodrig swept away the other's words with a neat flirt of the fingers. â€Å"Dramatic, but not satisfactory. You have been to this barbarian world yourself. You have in addition this enemy prisoner you coddle, this trader. Between yourself and the prisoner you are not in a night fog.† â€Å"No? I pray you to remember that a world which has developed in isolation for two centuries can not be interpreted to the point of intelligent attack by a month's visit. I am a soldier, not a cleft-chinned, barrel-chested hero of a subetheric trimensional thriller. Nor can a single prisoner, and one who is an obscure member of an economic group which has no close connection with the enemy world introduce me to all the inner secrets of enemy strategy.† â€Å"You have questioned him?† â€Å"I have.† â€Å"Well?† â€Å"It has been useful, but not vitally so. His ship is tiny, of no account. He sells little toys which are amusing if nothing else. I have a few of the cleverest which I intend sending to the Emperor as curiosities. Naturally, there is a good deal about the ship and its workings which I do not understand, but then I am not a tech-man.† â€Å"But you have among you those who are,† pointed out Brodrig. â€Å"I, too, am aware of that,† replied the general in faintly caustic tones. â€Å"But the fools have far to go before they could meet my needs. I have already sent for clever men who can understand the workings of the odd nuclear field-circuits the ship contains. I have received no answer.† â€Å"Men of that type can not be spared, general. Surely, there must be one man of your vast province who understands nucleics.† â€Å"Were there such a one, I would have him heal the limping, invalid motors that power two of my small fleet of ships. Two ships of my meager ten that can not fight a major battle for lack of sufficient power supply. One fifth of my force condemned to the carrion activity of consolidating positions behind the lines.† The secretary's fingers fluttered impatiently. â€Å"Your position is not unique in that respect, general. The Emperor has similar troubles.† The general threw away his shredded, never-lit cigarette, lit another, and shrugged. â€Å"Well, it is beside the immediate point, this lack of first-class tech-men. Except that I might have made more progress with my prisoner were my Psychic Probe in proper order.† The secretary's eyebrows lifted. â€Å"You have a Probe?† â€Å"An old one. A superannuated one which fails me the one time I needed it. I set it up during the prisoner's sleep, and received nothing. So much for the Probe. I have tried it on my own men and the reaction is quite proper, but again there is not one among my staff of tech-men who can tell me why it fails upon the prisoner. Ducem Barr, who is a theoretician of parts, though no mechanic, says the psychic structure of the prisoner may be unaffected by the Probe since from childhood he has been subjected to alien environments and neural stimuli. I don't know. But he may yet be useful. I save him in that hope.† Brodrig leaned on his staff. A shall see if a specialist is available in the capital. In the meanwhile, what of this other man you just mentioned, this Siwennian? You keep too many enemies in your good graces.† â€Å"He knows the enemy. He, too, I keep for future reference and the help he may afford me.† â€Å"But he is a Siwennian and the son of a proscribed rebel.† â€Å"He is old and powerless, and his family acts as hostage.† â€Å"I see. Yet I think that I should speak to this trader, myself.† â€Å"Certainly.† â€Å"Alone,† the secretary added coldly, making his point. â€Å"Certainly,† repeated Riose, blandly. â€Å"As a loyal subject of the Emperor, I accept his personal representative as my superior. However, since the trader is at the permanent base, you will have to leave the front areas at an interesting moment.† â€Å"Yes? Interesting in what way?† â€Å"Interesting in that the Enclosure is complete today. Interesting in that within the week, the Twentieth Fleet of the Border advances inward towards the core of resistance.† Riose smiled and turned away. In a vague way, Brodrig felt punctured.

Knowledge Management Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management

Knowledge Management Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management Introduction: Contemporary U.S. Management and Its Specifics The world of entrepreneurship is facing a new era, i.e., the epoch when the informational civilization is being born, with information quickly becoming the main and the most valuable article of trade, the necessity of being able to use this commodity the right way appears.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Knowledge Management: Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The vast amounts of information and the need to process them quickly have spawned the creation of a new type of management – knowledge management, with an appropriate theory to support it. However, even more striking changes have come, contributing to shaping the process of knowledge management. Because of the numerous factors that contribute to shaping the knowledge management system, as well as the availability of info rmation combined with the need to distribute it fast and evenly, the modern knowledge management is currently facing a number of challenges that an efficient system of knowledge sharing can possibly help deal with. Knowledge Management Definitions: What Lurks Behind the Term Knowledge management might seem a very straightforward process that cannot be possibly misinterpreted. Since the KM process involves dealing with knowledge, it must presuppose the strategy of information disposal. The latter, however, involves a plethora of elements and factors, which shape the knowledge management strategy, dictating specific steps to be undertaken. Hence, knowledge management as a phenomenon can be considered from different points of view. Depending on what the focus is, the definition of knowledge management may vary. When the Focus Is on Knowledge Putting the emphasis on the significance of knowledge acquisition, the first and the most comprehensive definition of knowledge management states the purpose of KM as the means to obtain information. However, the given approach towards understanding the principles of KM puts every single agent of the given process in its place, distributing responsibilities among the supposed staff of the supposed organization. KM can be defined as the process of organization management that is aimed at revealing the knowledge base of the given organization (Snyder Wilson, 2000, 527). Therefore, knowledge management can be considered as a means to promote a more efficient knowledge sharing system.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When People Are in the Spotlight Weirdly enough, the definition of knowledge management does not necessarily put information into the spotlight. In some of the definitions, not knowledge, but the knowledge sender and receiver are focused on, which is rather reasonable. Thus, the key functio n of knowledge management, which is the transfer of information, is stressed. With the help of such a definition, one can shed some light on the function of knowledge management as a means to establish trustworthy relationships between the employees instead of stating the obvious: â€Å"Knowledge management is about choosing the right practices or tools to efficiently enhance communications among the staff† (Batten, 2008, 86). Therefore, knowledge management can be understood as the set of rules on information sharing that will at the same time reflect the company hierarchy, organization ethics, and culture. Performing several additional functions, such as coordinating the relationships between employees, KM can also serve as a means to change the company’s climate. When the Process Is Important Apart from knowledge functions, the existing definitions of knowledge management also describe the specifics of the process itself. Therefore, KM can be viewed as a series of s teps that have to be undertaken in order to achieve the goal and distribute information efficiently. Therefore, the following definition can be provided: knowledge management is a process that consists of a set of activities that lead to discovering, capturing, sharing and applying knowledge, so that the goal achievement of the organization could be enhanced in the most efficient way possible (Becerra-Fernandez Gabherval, 2009, 56). That being said, knowledge management could be viewed as a range of actions that must be performed in order to reach a specific goal. When the Goals Are Addressed As it has been shown in the example above, another way to interpret KM is to view it as a tool for achieving specific goals, as well as establishing them. On a basic level, knowledge management serves a purpose of improving the information distribution across the company; therefore, it can be defined as the means to hit a specific target.Advertising We will write a custom research pape r sample on Knowledge Management: Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Though the definition provided by Fernandez and Gabherval does mention the existence of the target in question, they still stress that learning the succession of actions is the key to understanding the principles of knowledge management. Thierauf, however, offers a slightly different approach that shifts the emphasis precisely on the goal of the organization. As Thierauf (1999) explains, knowledge management is not a process, but a system that allows to â€Å"provide competitive advantage by giving decision makers (from the highest level to the lowest level) the necessary insights into patterns and trends that affect their domain† (Thierauf, 1999, 5). In fact, the given statement also correlates with the idea that KM can be used as a means to regulate the relationships between the staff members. To be more exact, the given definition suggests that KM can be used as a tool that introduces a specific hierarchy into the organization. Knowledge Management and Competitive Advantage Finally, the effects of efficient knowledge management should be considered as the basis for knowledge management definition. Thus, one will be able to obtain an objective definition of what knowledge management actually is. That being said, knowledge management could be viewed as not only a process, but also a practice and even a culture of creating or gathering, analyzing, distributing and sharing organizational knowledge. In other words, KM can be viewed as a means to enhance the company’s competitive advantage by using the provided information efficiently. According to what Wallace (2007) says, knowledge management can be identified as the process that allows to capture, process and transfer knowledge so that the organization could achieve a greater competitive advantage (Wallace, 2007, 3). There fore, it is clear that the definition of knowledge management in a particular case depends on the priorities that a company sets and the goals that it wants to achieve. Modern U.S. Business Sphere and Knowledge Management Practices: An Overview Grown into a massive set of theories with an even greater number of ideas concerning its practical applications, knowledge management seems to have become a cult principle in the present-day business world. Hence a plethora of various types of knowledge management practices, as well as the interpretation of their effects and the discussion of their impact on the organizational ensued.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Taking a closer look at how knowledge management practices are implemented nowadays, one can possibly evaluate their effect, consider their limitations and come up with the suggestions for their possible improvement. Types of Knowledge Management Practices Knowledge management comes in different variations depending on the type of an organization, the specifics of the chosen leadership strategy, the organizational culture, etc. Therefore, one can distinguish a large variety of knowledge management types. However, it is worth noting that of all the possible types, five key knowledge management practices for organizations can be distinguished. According to Gray and Chan, there are typically four types of knowledge management practices distinguished. It is worth noting, however, that the classification below is based on considering a knowledge management practice as a tool for a problem-solving process. Encouraging Serendipity Though the given practice should be viewed as a means of wo rking with individual employees instead of a tool for shaping the knowledge processing stage within the entire team, encouraging serendipity is a crucial element of the knowledge management process nowadays. While it is important to provide a solid basis for the assumptions so that the company could make the right step, it is also necessary to encourage serendipity among the organization members. Often based on a small detail that passed unnoticed yet left an impact on a person, serendipity allows to consider all the existing options and sometimes even provide the option that has never been noticed before. Creating Knowledge Opposed to the process of informing the members of an organization on a specific issue, the process of knowledge creation can also be considered one of the most popular modern business practices. Another important knowledge management practice, creating knowledge is often confused with acquiring knowledge, mostly due to the meaning of the word â€Å"creatingâ⠂¬  as a synonym to â€Å"making.† Knowledge creation, however, does not mean that knowledge is somehow produced; in fact, knowledge creation is the process of transforming tacit knowledge into explicit one, as Nakamori (2012) explains, the entire process presupposes the transformation of individual tacit knowledge into group tacit knowledge, which is then shaped into an individual explicit knowledge and finally becomes an individual tacit knowledge. Raising Awareness The given type of knowledge management practice can also be considered the approach suitable for individuals rather than for shaping the relationships among the entire staff. Aimed at helping every single member of the team recognize a specific problem, the given practice aims at capturing and retaining knowledge rather than sharing and distributing it. At present, such types of knowledge management practices include the creation of databases, analysis of reviews and the lessons learned, etc. Therefore, the giv en approach can be considered as the means to improve the organization memory rather than the method to share a specific bit of information with the rest of the company members. Quiet an efficient tool, though, it should be used along with the rest of the practices mentioned in the given paper. Along, however, the given approach is unlikely to lead a company anywhere. Acquiring Knowledge In contrast to the previous two practices, knowledge creation concerns every single member of the company staff. It is crucial to realize that knowledge must be accessible for every single member of an organization; otherwise, the lack of information will inevitably lead an organization to failure. Therefore, the most important stage in the given process is to provide the access to the information since the very moment the knowledge was acquired. Consequently, it is required that every member of an organization should participate in the process of knowledge acquisition. The given practice is usually used to make the members of an organization closer, as well as increase their awareness of a specific issue. As it has already been mentioned, it would be worn to assume that the types of knowledge management listed above are the only possible options. The choice of a particular type of knowledge management or a combination of types is predetermined by a large number of factors, both interior and exterior ones, which means that, at the end of the day, the right choice of knowledge management strategy depends on a careful evaluation of these factors, as well as the organization’s current goals. Effects of Knowledge Management Practices Knowledge management practices are nowadays considered the key to an organization’s success – or, on the contrary, its complete failure, depending on whether the choice of a specific knowledge management practice was justified by the organization’s goals and assets or not. Apart from the direct influence on the company†™s performance, knowledge management practice also affects the relationships between the members of the staff, shapes the company’s strategy and has a tangible impact on the corporate values. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the extent to which knowledge management influences an organization. KM Practices and Organizational Culture As it has been mentioned above, knowledge management practice is related directly to the organizational culture; moreover, these two elements seem to have an effect on each other, becoming, therefore, mutually dependent. A specific KM practice can affect the organizational culture; in its turn, organizational culture predetermines the choice of a knowledge management practice. KM Nomenclature in Modern U.S. Business Needless to say, since the idea of knowledge management was introduced into the U.S. business, much has been changed, including the manner of classifying the existing types of knowledge management. At present, the following type s of knowledge management can be found in contemporary American business: Internal Knowledge Management Used to improve the organizational performance of the staff, internal knowledge management presupposes the efficient distribution of the information concerning the organization among its members. Knowledge Dissemination Knowledge dissemination involves creating knowledge in order to represent an organization and make it competitive. With the help of the transformations described above, tacit knowledge possessed by a group of people is turned into a tacit knowledge that an individual has concerning a specific issue. As Dalkir (2005) says, â€Å"Dissemination works best when it is an organized activity† (93). Knowledge Brokering Knowledge brokering demands tracking the source of information, evaluating its veracity and value. Hence, the idea of knowledge brokering can be summarized by saying that it means tracing the origin and source of specific information. Thus, an organiz ation can have a better control over the available information, which is another upgrade in the knowledge management practice development. Building Knowledge Capacity Building knowledge capacity means raising the members’ ability to operate the information that is currently at their disposal. Indeed, sometimes searching for the necessary information and the ability to process it fast and efficiently is not enough. It is also required to use the knowledge appropriately, which building knowledge capacity teaches. Knowledge Management in the Global Environment: An Analysis When analyzing the process of knowledge management in an organization, one must keep in mind that modern companies work in the environment on which globalization has taken its toll and, therefore, shapes the process of knowledge management greatly. On the one hand, the fact that information can be accessed much faster and in a much easier way is doubtlessly a benefit. On the other hand, such openness leaves an organization extremely vulnerable towards the external factors, competitors and hackers. Hence, the entire palette of opportunities and threats must be viewed. Capturing Organizational Knowledge: The Threats There is no doubt that the key stage in gathering information is the very start. At this point, such crucial questions as what sources are the most trustworthy, what kind of information is necessary for the given project, where exactly the given information can be found, etc. are solved. Since globalization has shaped the existing information sources considerably, the process of capturing information has become both easier and at the same time more challenging. Retaining Organizational Knowledge: The Challenges What might seem the easiest task often presupposes dealing with the greatest amount of issues, a case in point being the task of retaining information. While keeping organizational knowledge does not presuppose carrying out any specific actions compared to the process of getting information, it is still very painstaking, mostly because of the necessity to have clear links between every bit of information. Accessing Organizational Knowledge: The Methods As soon as the necessary information has been located, obtained and arranged, it is essential to thin through the methods of accessing the given data sets. While in the global environment, accessibility has become the key asset of most information, it is still important to keep in mind that the required data must be secured properly. Using Organizational Knowledge: Winning the Competition The last, but definitely not the least, the stage of putting the stored information to practice has become quite complicated in the realm of global economics and business. Because of high competition rates, it is important to know exactly how, when and where to use the information in question appropriately. The Future of Knowledge Management Though at present, theory of knowledge management seems rather innovative a nd offering brand-new approach, it is quite predictable that the Theory of Knowledge as people know it today is going to be very dated in the next few years. According to the latest information concerning the possible changes that the knowledge management is going to face in the future, it can be assumed that three major innovations are going to be implemented. Anticipatory Delivery of Knowledge Globalization has set the entire world to a completely different pace. Every single process has become times faster, therefore, demanding that organizational operations should also consume as little time as possible. Therefore, it is essential that the members of an organization should be able to develop their anticipatory skills. Anticipating the on-coming information is especially important because of its availability. With the progress of the Internet, information can be obtained within milliseconds, which means that the perceptual speed becomes the decisive point in the competition. Conn ection between People In the world where globalization has taken its toll on the realm of business, it is necessary to understand that members of a specific organization can be miles apart from each other. Therefore, the need to introduce efficient connection between people arises. With the help of the latest technological innovations, the given goal becomes quite attainable. In the light of stiff competition, which most companies face nowadays, the ability to transfer information quickly is worth its weight in gold. Connected Knowledge Being able to gather information and process it quickly is important, yet there is one more crucial element of the process, i.e., putting the pieces of the information together. Facts rarely come in a full package – often one has to search for scraps of data and only then collect them into a whole. Hence the new trend in knowledge management, connected knowledge, comes. Aimed at keeping all the available bits of information so that they could be easily re-arranged if one more bit reinvents the entire perception of the issue in question, the principle of connected knowledge is definitely worth developing further on as a guiding principle of knowledge management in modern U.S. business. Research Findings Summary and Interpretation Judging by the above-mentioned evidence, the key problem of modern knowledge management stems from the total availability of information, which leads to complexities of filtering and evaluating it. In addition, the research has shown that knowledge management practice must be considered in the context of the factors surrounding it. While the modern idea of knowledge management practice can be referred to as a people-focused, it still revolves around a number of other aspects, such as the type of organization, the specifics of the organizational culture, the leadership style of the head of the company, the size of the organization, etc. However, the focus of the knowledge management practice still seems to be on people rather than on anything else. Because of the influence that globalization has on organizations nowadays, it is important to make sure that every single member of the organization or its affiliate, no matter in what remote corner of the Earth it might be located, should know about the latest changes in the company information to deliver adequate performance. Therefore, the focus on people, which most present-day organizations prefer to the rest of the approaches, seems more than reasonable. It is noteworthy, however, that the current knowledge management practices display two diametrically opposite tendencies, i.e., the tendency to focus on an individual as opposed to the focus on the team. Logically, for the successful implementation of the company goals, both techniques must be applied; the priority, however, depends on the specifics of information distribution within a company. Conclusion: Paving the Road to Better Knowledge Management Although the theory of knowledge management is relatively new, it has already grown into a huge set of concepts, building up to the introduction of the KM concept in the globalized environment and providing the foil for the development of new theories. Incorporating the previous experience with the new ideas, one can possibly come up with a perfect strategy for knowledge management; however, the problem is that the given suggestion will only last for as long as the environment in which it was created will. Therefore, the basic goal for the knowledge management theorists at present is not to suggest a perfect knowledge management strategy, but to make sure that the current strategy is being constantly updated according to the latest changes in the data. Thus, one can rest assured that the organization will keep running for quite a while. Reference List Becerra-Fernandez, I. Gabherval, R. (2009). Knowledge management: Systems and processes. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe. Dalkir, K. (2005). Knowledge management in theory and practice. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth–Heinemann. Nakamori, Y. (2012). Knowledge science: Modeling the knowledge creation process. Broken Sound Parkway, NW: CRC Press. Snyder, C. A. Wilson, L. T. (2000). Implementing knowledge management: Issues for managers. In Information Resources Management Association International Conference (Ed.), Challenges of information technology management in the 21st century: [Proceedings of The] 2000 Information Resources Management Association – International Conference, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 21-24, 2000. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing. Thierauf, R. J. (1999). Knowledge management systems for business. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. Wallace, D. P. (2007). Knowledge management: Historical and cross-disciplinary themes. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Using Miscue Analysis to Diagnose Reading Difficulties

Using Miscue Analysis to Diagnose Reading Difficulties Miscue analysis is a means to use a running record for diagnosis to identify students specific difficulties. Not only is the running record a way to identify reading rate and reading accuracy, but it also is a way to assess reading behaviors and identify reading behaviors that need support. A miscue analysis is a great way to get some authentic information about a students reading skills, and a means to identify specific weaknesses. Many screening tools will give you a down and dirty estimate of a childs reading proficiency but provide little useful information for designing appropriate interventions. The Miscues to Look for During a Miscue Analysis CorrectionA common sign of a competent reader, a correction is a miscue that the student corrects in order to make sense of the word in the sentence.   InsertionAn insertion is a word(s) added by the child that is not in the text. OmissionDuring oral reading, the student omits a word that changes the meaning of the sentence. RepetitionThe student repeats a word or portion of the text. ReversalA child will reverse the order of the print or the word. (from instead of form, etc.) SubstitutionInstead of reading the word in the text, a child substitutes a word that may or may not make sense in the passage. What Do the Miscues Tell You? CorrectionThis is good!  We want readers to self-correct. However, is the reader reading too fast? Is the reader miscorrecting accurate reading? If so, the reader often doesnt see himself as a good reader. InsertionDoes the inserted word detract from meaning? If not, it may just mean the reader is making sense but also inserts. The reader may also be reading too fast. If the insertion is something like using finished for finish, this should be addressed. OmissionWhen words are omitted, it may mean weaker visual tracking. Determine if the meaning of the passage is affected or not. If not, omissions can also be the result of not focusing or reading too fast. It may also mean the sight vocabulary is weaker. RepetitionLots of repetition may indicate that the text is too difficult. Sometimes readers repeat when theyre uncertain and will repeat the word(s) to keep the words coming as they regroup.   ReversalWatch for altered meaning. Many reversals happen with young readers with high-frequency words.  It may also indicate that the student has difficulty with scanning the text, left to right. SubstitutionsSometimes a child will use a substitution because they dont understand the word being read. Does the substitution make sense in the passage, is it a logical substitution?  If the substitution does not change the meaning, it is often enough to help the child focus on accuracy, because he/she is reading from meaning, the most important skill.   Creating the Miscue Instrument It is often helpful to have the text copied so you can make notes directly on the text.  A double-spaced copy can be helpful. Create a key for each miscue, and be sure to write the substitution or pre-correction above the word that was miscued so you can identify the pattern later.   Reading A-Z provides assessments with the first books at each reading level that provide both the text (for notes) and columns of each of the miscue types.   Performing a Miscue Analysis Miscue analysis is an important diagnostic tool that should be done every 6 to 8 weeks to give a sense if reading interventions are addressing the students needs.  Making sense of the miscues will help you with the next steps to improve the childs reading. It is worthwhile to have a few questions prepared that let you know about the childs comprehension of the passage read as miscue analysis tends to rely on advising you of the strategies used. Miscue analysis may seem time-consuming initially, however, the more you do, the easier the process gets. Use unfamiliar text, not something the child knows from memory.A miscue analysis will be inaccurate when administered to an emerging reader, but the information may still be of value.Give the student some choice in the reading selection.You will need a quiet place without interruptions, it can be very handy to record the child which provides you with an opportunity to listen to the passage more than once.Photocopy the selection the student will read, use this to record the miscues.Record each miscue. (Use hyphens for skipped words, record each substitution (ie, went for when), use for insertion and record the word(s), circle omitted words, underline repeated words, you may also want to use // for repeated words.

Music and Soundscapes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music and Soundscapes - Research Paper Example The sound effects, sounds that are made outside of the scene and applied, are used in tandem with the scene (Klaus 136). In the clip from Jaws, the music has a duality, revealing both the joy of the chase and the seriousness of what they are about to accomplish. As the tension builds, so does the tension of the music. There is a playfulness, even within the music score that accompanies this scene. As the captain goes to shoot the shark, the tension builds even higher. Once the first shot is in, it builds towards him taking the next shot, but then descends as the barrel descends into the water. The music is complex, reflecting the moment. This is in contrast to the simplicity of the theme music that is so well known about the shark. In this scene, the humans feel that they are in control and that they are working the shark towards their own ends. However, there is a sense that this is not true, thus the playfulness within the music reflects something of the self-delusion that they are experiencing (Movie Clips. ‘Barrels’ Jaws (1975). The sound in the ‘Opposites do not Attract’ in When Harry Met Sally is a series of sounds that are developed to reflect the situation. The two lead characters are riding in a car so the rush of the car as it travels underlies the sound.

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Statistics - Essay Example Find your name in the list and make a note of your dataset number. You will use this to access your own datasets for the questions in section B. This project is worth 100% of the final mark Section A: Statistics Quiz Answers to questions in this section require no more than one or two sentences each! 1. Quantitative variables can be discrete or continuous. Explain the difference between discrete data and continuous data, and give one example of each. Answer: A discrete variable can assume only a countable number of values such as number of persons in a family, whereas a continuous variable can assume any numerical value over a certain interval or intervals (uncountable number of values) such as height of a person. 2. A measure of location is a quantity which is ‘typical’ of the data. Give the names of three such measures, and explain (in words, not formulae) how each is found. Answer: The most common measures of central tendency or location used to describe data are; Mod e: This is the most commonly occurring value. Median: The middle value when all the data are placed in order. Mean (Arithmetic Mean): It is the ratio of the sum of the scores to the number of the scores. 3. What is a measure of spread? Give the names of three such measures. ... in figure 1 suggests that median would be a suitable measure of location and interquartile range would be a suitable measure of spread for these data. 5. The probability that a ship has a defective radar is 0.05. The probability that a ship has a defective echo is 0.06. Three in one hundred ships have both a defective echo and a defective radar. Find the probability that a randomly chosen ship has either a defective echo or a defective radar. Answer: P(def. radar) = 0.05 P(def. echo) = 0.06 P(def. radar and def. echo) = 3/100 = 0.03 P (def. radar or def. echo) = P(def. radar) + P(def. echo) – P(def. radar and def. echo) P (def. radar or def. echo) = 0.05 + 0.06 – 0.03 = 0.08 6. Under what conditions might we use a binomial distribution as a probability model for our data? Answer: We use a binomial distribution when following four conditions are satisfied; The number of trials ‘n’ is fixed. Each trial is independent. Each trial represents one of two outcomes ("success" or "failure"). The probability of success ‘p’ is the same for each trial. 7. Under what conditions might we use a normal distribution as a probability model for our data? Answer: The mean, median and mode are equal The graph is symmetrical about the mean (50% above and 50% below) Because 100% of the distribution lies below the curve, the total area below the curve is 100% or 1.  ± 68% of the sample lies within one standard deviation of the mean; 34% above and 34% below  ± 96% within two standard deviations: 48% above and 48% below  ± 99.7% within three standard deviations: 49.85% above and 49.85% below The two ends are asymptotic to the horizontal axis. 8. In hypothesis testing, the p-value can be thought of as the chance of obtaining the observed results, or more extreme results, if the