To live a purposeful life, you need a clear VISION free essay sample

If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll certainly be right†¦ (Steve Jobs) †¢If today was my last day in my life, would I do what I am about to do today? †¢If the answer is â€Å"NO† for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. †¢All external expectation, fear, pride, embarrassment and almost everything falls away in the face of the ending of a life, leaving what is truly important †¢No one wants to die,†¦but even if I lived, I live as if this life is a gift lent to me, which I shall someday exchange for another purer life †¢Do not shrink your inner voice at the altar of others’ noise and false reports†¦somewhere in your heart, God has placed a treasure which only you can dig out and benefit from. †¢To dig this treasure will take you a while. We will write a custom essay sample on To live a purposeful life, you need a clear VISION or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You will have to plan to know exactly what it is, and exactly where it is. You’ll have to have the right crew by your side. †¢This treasure, planning, journey and digging is what I am calling VISION†¦ Vision is not only the power to see, but also of foresight and imagination. Even the visually impaired have this power†¦the ability to see and comprehend beyond what their brains could interpret as optical data. Human beings have the ability to translate words and instructions imaginatively. We are able to draw mental pictures more clearly than we can even draw on paper or explain verbally. The greatest gift is not the ability to see, but this ability of vision. God put dreams where we cannot miss them. Because of vision, I am the best raw material to myself. A vision is a supernatural appearance, which only a supernatural ability can make comprehendible and tangible. †¢Where there is no vision, people perish†¦Prov 29:18 †¢My people perish because of lack of knowledge†¦Hosea 4:6 †¢Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us†¦Ephesians 3:20 †¢Prov 1:7 and 9:10†¦The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge/ wisdom. †¢Habakkuk 2:2†¦write the vision down†¦though it tarry’s, it shall come to pass †¢Do not despise the days of your humble beginnings†¦Job 8:7 VISION PART II By Dominic Khaemba From: The Ageless Note-book Teach me oh Lord to number my days that I may gain a heart of wisdom and lead a fulfilling life to you, myself, family and friends†¦Psalms 90:12 This section will make a stronger connection if you read it as a follow-up to part I. You can never remember what you never knew, and you can never apply what you cannot remember. As the world changes and perfects the struggles and the suffering that we face; as the world changes and justifies the insignificance of individual strength by being too complicated and fast; many people find themselves feeling impatient, hopeless and unworthy: When this happens, you need a reminder that you are still on a journey, and that your best days are ahead. But you cannot tell if you’re your best days are ahead if you have nothing to look forward to. This is where a vision for your life comes in as the ability to anticipate future events, touch them and believe in them as if they were real. Also, you will need a reminder of what your future plans are†¦but since you cannot remember what you never knew, you therefore come back to Knowledge as; a clear awareness and information gained through devoted study and Experience. This knowledge is what you shall apply in preparing for your future and this preparedness is what keeps us from despairing too quickly when overwhelmed by circumstances around us. Our creative imagination also plays a big part in determining how far God chooses to bless us. If we do not use this faculty to envision better lives for ourselves in the future, we limit God in terms of how much He also decides to bestow on us. Eph 3:20. Knowledge does two important things. It distinguishes us from fools and it is a sure preservative of our lives. But the knowledge acquired in the boundaries of God’s instruction is the one that is able to do this. Otherwise, this knowledge is useless†¦and can quickly turn our hearts into pride. Pride goes before a fall. From the verses above, without knowledge and vision, we perish. Without creative imagination, we receive little from God. It is only in the fear of the Lord that our knowledge can begin to yield better lives for us and the people around us. Living as you move towards your dreams is a life full of joy and peace in dimensions and depths one can never experience otherwise. With a sense of calling, †¢MY VISION IS ENLARGED THROUGH IMAGINATION and this way, †¢I won’t MIND THE SMALL SACRIFICES that I have to make as part of the journey. Personal inventory A personal inventory is a way to store up our vision. Habakkuk 2:2 says write the vision down. Though it tarry’s, it shall surely come to pass. Write it so that whoever reads it may run with it/ facilitate your attaining of that vision. Keep a personal inventory in a journal. This is among the questions you may ask yourself as you do so. 1.What is my calling? †¢The thing is to find ideas which allow me to power all my experiences, gifts and talents, all my wisdom and knowledge A calling is a duty to which one attaches special importance and devotes special care. It must be strong enough to allow me to combine a)Talent harnessed by discipline b)Passion paired with hard work c)Love united with commitment d)Consistency which wipes away complacency If you are leaving your calling, you exude an enjoyment and connection to the gifts that transcends the recognition, fame and fortune you may receive for expressing those talents. †¢If you find the thing which you can do for free, simply for the fulfillment of doing it, you have found your calling.

Chopin Kate essays

Chopin Kate essays Kate Chopins Symbolic Use of Nature Kate Chopin uses nature and symbolism throughout her three short stories. Her vivid use of nature and its elements allow the reader to get a realistic view of the characters and their setting. By using nature to represent the feelings of her characters, Chopin allows the reader to evoke emotions they might have felt during similar times or situations. A simple example of symbolism would be the use a dark forest in a story. The dark forest could possible represent evil or confusion (1380). Like the example Chopin uses a specific season like spring or naturally occurring thunderstorms to symbolize new life or uncontrollable passion. In the first story the reader encounters Babette and Maman-Nainaine. Quickly the reader learns that Babette is waiting for the figs to ripen before she is allowed to visit her cousins. Figs have little if nothing to do with Babette being able to leave, but instead they symbolize her coming of age. Figs tend to ripen in late spring to early summer. Spring and summer are times of life and growth. So Babette is like a ripening fig that has to grow and mature before its ready. Finally when the figs ripen Maman-Nainaine says, How early the figs have ripened this year!(4) Babettes response is I think they have ripened very late(4). Babette is trying to say to Maman that she is mature and that she has been for quite some time. On the other hand Maman is telling Babette that she has ripened into a young lady very quickly. Chopins use of symbolism in this story is easy for most readers to relate to because we have all been in a situation similar to Babettes at one time. Eventuall y we all ripen as Babette does in Chopins use of spring carries over to The Story of an Hour. The reader fins the fragile Mrs. Mallard coming to the realization that her husband is dead. F ...

Citigroup as an Investment bank Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Citigroup as an Investment bank - Research Paper Example The purpose of this paper is to analyze Citigroup’s investment banking segment. Investment banks aid in the underwriting of security deals in the process of raising capital for their corporate clients. In addition, investment bankers provide a myriad of other financial services to make sure the deals meet the entire financial and legal requirements by handling transactional aspects of the deals. Citigroup is a reputable global financial institution with a very highly diverse financial services portfolio providing the services in investment banking in many countries in the world. While Citigroup has both commercial and retail banking sections, the bank also prides itself in having one of the best investment banks in the world, with many of its deals running into billions of dollars each. While retail and commercial banking includes the taking of deposits by the bank, the investment banking sector precludes the taking of deposits, and instead engages in facilitation of transacti ons and promotion of securities. Citi’s investment bank is among the top ten in world, making over $3.2 billion in fees for the year 2010. The group’s investment baking section leads in many regional financial services markets, and has won numerous awards for its investment banking operations. Citigroup was formed in 1998, after the merger of Citicorp and Travelers in a $70 billion merger. City Bank’s origin dates back to 1812, which gives the financial institution a 200-year legacy in the banking industry as of this year. Citigroup has since become a world-renowned financial institution with diverse banking specialties. The bank boasts of a vibrant presence in over 100 countries and a workforce of over a quarter of a million employees. The investment banking section of the financial services group accounts for billions of dollars’ worth of transactions, and thrives against a backdrop of brutal investment banking competitors with a global presence in the industry. Initially, the law disallowed the merger of commercial and investment services by a single financial services entity before the year 1998. However, with the timely passing of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act at the turn of the twenty first century is what many financial analysts regard as the single most important contributor to the success of many financial institutions such as Citi’s investment banking segments. Primarily, investment banks turn profits by charging fees and commissions for their services (Jobs Digest, 2010). Citigroup offers many investment banking services, which involve underwriting services, issuance of capital in primary and secondary markets, and making debt arrangements on behalf of their clients. The clients include governments, corporations and wealthy individuals and families. The amount of money investment banks make has risen considerably over the last few years. However, many investment banks reported numerous losses that crippled their opera tions and forced many into merger and acquisition deals and government bailouts during the 2008 global economic crisis. Citigroup reinforced its loyalty with its customers for sustaining the economic blow without a bail out from the government. The crisis in the investment banking sector was mainly attributable to the deals in sub-prime lending deals (Jobs Digest, 2010), which fell into default and made the banks suffer historical and crippling losses. Citigroup lost 35% stake to the state in the heat of the economic meltdown (Jobs Digest, 2010). Citigroup has four major regions: North America, EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa), Latin America, and Asia. Each of these regions made $544, $1,224, $ 653, $1,253 billion worth of transactions respectively for the year ending 2010, totaling to $3,674 billion. The group is also one of the favorite in an emerging class of investors in the internet

Marijuana should be forbidden in the United States Essay

Marijuana should be forbidden in the United States - Essay Example alcohol or tobacco, its legalization would only result in an increase in its usage which could result in long-term addiction problems (DuPont, 2012). A study carried out in 2006 has found that marijuana is the most widely grown cash crop in the country with values exceeding that of corn and wheat combined (Marijuana Prohibition, 2008). While the plant was widely grown in the US, a federal law of Controlled Substance Act that was passed in the year 1970 prohibited the cultivation, use and trading of the drug within the country. The Act further classified the drug as a Schedule 1 drug by which the drug has more potential for abuse. However, in the following years certain states decriminalized the use of the drug and allowed medical use of marijuana as its use was found to be effective in the treatment of nausea, rheumatism and labor pains (Marijuana Facts and Statistics, 2012). Though the drug continues to be a controlled substance and users are subject to federal prosecution, research studies have shown that even teenagers have easy access to the drug with a particular study showing that popularity of the use of marijuana overtook that of cigarette tobacco over the past year (Marijuana Facts and Statistics, 2012; Marijuana Prohibition, 2008; Coffman &Dobuzinskis, 2012). An anti-legalization group has argued that marijuana use poses a great risk for the physical and mental development of young children (Coffman &Dobuzinskis, 2012; DuPont, 2012). A recent study showed a decline in the IQ levels among teenagers who used the drug regularly. The study further noted the harmful effects that the drug would have on the brain development in these teenagers. Thus the group is campaigning against legalization of the drug citing the negative effects it has on teenagers which would in turn affect their education and career later in life. There is also less awareness about the exact effects of the drug that has hindered efforts to prevent the use of the drug (Coffman

Managing Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Construction - Essay Example 2005). Account also needs to be taken of changes in the quality of labor. Educational achievement is the usual delegation for quality. In construction, this alternative is least dependable, since many skills are acquired from experience and workshop training. The service is the amount of the finances that is made use of in production due to repairs. Reports have shown that there is dwindling productivity in the construction industry across UK. The industry has had downfalls that are associated with many contributing factors. Among the factors that affect productivity as discussed in this paper are employing skilled labor from abroad, increasing overtime for local skilled labor, rapid training of new local workers, and the use of more capital-intensive methods of construction (A 2000). Risk is characterized as the introduction to loss/gain, or the likelihood of event of loss/gain reproduced by its particular size. Activities are said to be sure if the likelihood of their event is 100% or completely unverifiable if the likelihood of event is 0%. In the middle of these extremes, the doubt shifts generally. Chance additionally could be characterized as a normal for a circumstance, movement, or occasion in which various conclusions are conceivable, the specific one that will happen is indeterminate, and no less than one of the potential outcomes is undesirable (M.A. 2000). Risk can further be characterized as the vicinity of potential or real requirements that could hinder productivity, bringing about complete disappointment either throughout development or at time of utilization. Risk can be simply illustrated as; Employing skilled work force from abroad has assorted inconvenient consequences to the productivity of the construction industry and the countrys budgetary standpoint on the loose. The expenses are connected with decreasing the profitability and

Hr Managing Towards Recruitment And Selection Management Essay

Hr Managing Towards Recruitment And Selection Management Essay With the advent of growing emphasis on people as the prime source of competitive advantage, the foremost important decision for an organization has been to ensure the selection of the right people to join the workforce (Beardwell and Holden, 2001, p. 225). In the early 1990s, Beaumont (1993, p.56 cited in Beardwell and Holden, 2001, p. 225) identified three focus areas having significant relevance in the current industry scenario that has enhanced the potential importance of the selection decision in individual organizations. The areas include demographic trends and changes in the labour market, which have led to a less homogeneous workforce that emphasizes on fairness in selection process. Secondly, the desire for a multi-skilled, flexible workforce and an increased emphasis on team working has led to conclude that selection decision are concerned with behaviour and attitudes than with matching individuals on basis of the current job requirements. Lastly, the link between corporate strategy and Human Resource Management has led to the evolution of the concept of strategic selection that refers to the development of a system that links selection to the overall organizational strategy while aligning personnel to emerging business strategies. Thus to have a positive impact on companys productivity and profitability, the practice of recruitment and selection in Human Resource Management has become increasingly important (Beardwell and Holden, 2001, p. 225). The increased global competition and the increasing customer expectations mean that the growth and sustenance of an organization is proving to be challenging. Organisations need to be more proactive in their approach to sustain profitability and meet the ever changing global business dynamics by attracting and retaining high-quality individuals who can respond effectively to this changing environment (Bach, 2008, p. 115). Hiring competent people is of prime importance to an organization, which is greatly dependent on effective recruitment and selection procedures. As cited in Bach (2008), a poor recruitment decision can cost an employer an amount equal to 30 per cent of the employees first year earnings (Hacker 1997). These costs can include lower productivity, potential loss of customers; cost incurred in training, advertising, recruitment fees and redundancy packages (Smith and Graves 2002 cited in Bach, 2008, p. 115). Thus, in order to have a competitive edge, it is increasingly e ssential that in tight labour market scenario, firms must evolve and practice better recruitment, selection and retention strategies (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, p. 15). As mentioned in a case study on Betterbuy (Greenwood, 2007), as part of their good personnel practice they offer a market-leading package of pay and benefits such as childcare vouchers and two share schemes namely Save as you earn and Buy as you earn. It also regards eligible staff for their hard work and commitment with free shares and a pension scheme that allows member to build up a pension based in their earnings and service. The term recruitment and selection are commonly referred together; however they have distinct human resource management activities and functions. Recruitment comprises of short-listing candidate applications from potential employees, while selection techniques are used to decide which of the short-listed applicant is best suited for the job (Taylor, 2005, p. 166). Further reiterating the above point, Boxall and Purcell (2003, p. 143) has also stated that recruitment and selection are nearly always joint management processes of some kind where both line and specialist managers are involved. Bratton and Gold (2003, p. 221) defines recruitment as the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organization. Selection is the process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons most likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirement (Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 221). Newell and Shackleton (2000, p.113 cited in Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 226) refer to recruitment as the process of attracting people who might make a contribution to the particular organisation. Bach (2008) defines Recruitment as the process of attracting people who might make an organizational contribution to fill a particular role or job. While, Selection is predicting which candidates will make the most appropriate contribution to the organization now and in the future (Hackett, 1991 cited in Beardwell and Holden, 2001, p. 226) In the 1980s, some major changes were witnessed within organizations in regards to their HR practices; for instance it became more assertive as to its role played in organization (Legge, 1995 cited in Searle, 2003, p. 7). This was due to an increasing awareness and evidence of the impact of HR had on the viability of the organisations success. During this period, HR policies emerged as significant levers for assisting firms in repositioning themselves. It resulted in recruitment and selection processes being considered as the key factors for successful change management (Searle, 2003, p. 7). It can thus be asserted that selection is about how to make fair, un-biased and relevant assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of short-listed potential employees by using various selection techniques. While recruitment is the way in which a firm tries to source or attract candidates among whom it will short-list. Thus, in other words, recruitment strategy involves the organisations attempt to portray the firm as an attractive place to work thereby attracting good talent (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, p. 141). There are two methods of recruitment: Internal and External. INTERNAL RECRUITMENT One of the crucial points to reflect upon during the recruitment procedure is whether or not there is a need to recruit outside the organization. Implementing alternative approaches to recruitment might lead to the development of effective solutions at considerably lower cost (Taylor, 2005, p. 166). Research shows that most private sector companies attempt to fill vacancies internally before looking for people outside the organization (Newell and Shackleton, 2000, p. 116, CIPD 2003b, p. 11 cited in Taylor, 2005, p. 167). Fuller and Huber (1998, p. 621 cited in Taylor, 2005, p.167) identifies four distinct internal recruitment activities like internal promotions, lateral transfers, job rotation schemes and re-hiring former employees. Some of the key advantages of internal recruitment of an organization are its cost effectiveness and quick as vacancies can be advertised internally on staff notice boards, in-house publications or intranet systems at no additional cost. Thus, it promotes and helps in developing a strong establishment of motivated and committed employees among existing employees and also that the management is already familiar with the strengths and limitations of the employee. It also helps a company to maximize its return on investment invested in staff recruitment, selection and training processes. The employee in his new position is already familiar with the business objectives and has a better knowledge and understanding about the companys operations. The time taken to fill a vacancy is lesser leading to improving greater organizational effectiveness and reduction in cost and time. However, some of the disadvantages of internal recruitment are that new employees would bring in fresher ideas whic h are often required to challenge the status quo especially at senior levels. It can also lead to bringing about sterility by limiting the number of potential candidates for the job profile, lack of originality and a decline in the breadth of an organisations collective knowledge base. It may also be possible that the best suited person may not be available within the firm. Also an inclination towards this tends to perpetuate existing imbalances in the make-up of the workforce resulting in the feeling of inequality and resentment among the workforce who have not been selected. (Taylor, 2005, p. 168) EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT Even as there are numerous different approaches used to attract applications for prospective candidates, some of the formal methods used are printed media (national and local newspapers, trade and professional journals and magazines), external agencies (job centres, outplacement consultants, headhunters, employment agencies, forces resettlement agency, recruitment consultants), education liaison (careers service, careers fairs, college tutors, careers advisors, student societies), other media (direct mail, local radio teletext, billboards, internet, television and cinema), and professional contacts (conferences, trade union referrals, suppliers, industry contacts), other methods (factory gate posters, past applicant records, open days, personal recommendation or word of mouth, poaching). Few other informal methods include whereby employees families, suppliers or personal acquaintances get to hear about a vacancy via word of mouth or the grapevine. Several approaches like job centres or word of mouth is relatively less expensive in comparison to publishing advertisement in national newspaper or in delegating the task to headhunters. A few methods, such as the use of television and cinema, are used as a mode of recruiting by the largest employing organisations seeking to recruit substantial numbers like the Army and Navy recruiters (Taylor, 2005, p. 169-70). Some of the few advantages of external recruitment include that a new recruit will bring in fresh perspective and ideas, the best suited candidate can be chosen from the large pool of candidates, recruits having wider knowledge and experience on the subject can be chosen. The disadvantages to external recruitment would include that the process is long and hence more time consuming, selection process alone may not be able to identify and reveal the best candidate and also that the cost incurred is enormous for placing advertisements to attract potential talent. According to a study conducted by IRS (2001b, pp34; 2003c cited in Taylor, 2005, p. 171), approximately  £1 billion is spent each year on recruitment advertising in the United Kingdom. An HR Manager would require choosing a publication depending on the target audience. An opinion poll research carried out and published by Recruitment Today (June 1995) has indicated that around 70 per cent of people purchase different newspaper when they are looking for a new job. Thus information about readership levels and profiles is only of limited use in deciding the placement of job advertisement. It is essential for the HR manager to reflect upon whether or not there is a need to advertise nationally. For most jobs, local newspapers are preferable, because they reach potential applicants only within the relevant travel-to-work and are thus more cost effective. The need to organize at a national level arises when the target audience is at a national level. Some of the other additional alternat ive methods of recruitment include: Internet Recruitment: The scope and usage of internet as a medium of recruitment has witnessed a significant growth in the recent years. In the late 1990s, the jobs advertised on the web were mainly in IT or academia, or were specifically targeting graduate recruitments. In 2003, nearly 70 per cent of employers had been advertising vacancies on the internet (CIPD 2003b, p. 15 cited in Taylor, 2005, p. 176), while on the other hand the providers of job search website were spending vast amounts of money on TV, cinema, radio advertising, sports sponsorship and public relations activities as a means of building their public profile and brand image (Taylor, 2005). The key advantages of Internet recruitment are that large companies have a greater potential to attract passing traffic to their company corporate website By cutting down on the need to use written correspondence or field phone calls will prove to be a cost saving for the company. This form of recruitment is attractive to an emp loyer as it gives him the access to a potential audience of millions. Some of the disadvantages of internet recruitment include technology system getting hampered by bugs, computer crashes and threat of losing applications caused by recruiters with poor IT enabled skills which will result in further delay rather than accelerating the recruitment process. Poorly designed or over-engineered websites represent a further pitfall by means of slow loading speeds are all guaranteed to create fatigue in the potential candidate users whose expectations of fast, reliable access are very high thus causing damage to the brand image of the company (Taylor, 2005, p. 179). In the past few years, there has been a significant rapid development in online recruitment or commonly termed as e-recruitment which has accelerated the growth of e-Human Resource Management (Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 230). In the year 2003, the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (Storey, 2007, p. 238) highlighted some of the key potential benefits of e-HR. The hard benefits included reduced service delivery costs due to automation of key HR business processes, by improving the accuracy of these HR processes the out put would lead to reduction in correction costs, by using intranet as a means of internal communication channel would eliminate costs of printing and distributing information to employees, improving staff productivity and efficacy by providing universal access 24/7 on various information thereby reducing the data entry and search costs through employee and manager self-service. While some of the soft benefits included allowing instant processing of data collected leading to reduction in cycle times, increasing employee satisfaction and engaging in better employee relations by improvising on the quality of HR service, making HR function to align with strategic partner in business, an indicator of change towards an organisational culture that promotes initiative, self-reliance and improved internal service standards by using technology. Employer websites: One of the most convenient methods includes highlighting existing vacancies available in an organization in respective organization website. However, links to these vacancies can be uploaded on various other search engines and recruitment agency website. These sites are easy to maintain and is cost effective as it provides an organization the opportunity to provide relevant adequate information about the profile for it to attract more responses. As quoted by Frankland (2000, cited in Taylor, 2005, p. 176); the total cost incurred to set up a fully operational website is equivalent to the total amount spent by a firm on advertisement in national newspapers. The organisations have immensely benefited by using websites as a medium of advertising the existing vacancies, but it is essential to evaluate the degree and the extent to which it has impacted in the recruitment procedure. As the success of this method solely depends upon the extent to which potential employees visit the websites. Cyber agencies: This method involves the use of specialist employment agencies that specializes in recruitment and selection of potential recruits for example, monster.com. These agencies carry out the functions and role carried out by employment agencies traditionally. These agencies extend their services to not only publish advertisements of vacancies but also short-list the candidates on behalf of the employers. (Taylor, 2005) Job linked to newspapers and journals: Many companies advertise in local and national national newspapers, notice boards, recruitment fairs and substantiate the advertisement with relevant important information relating to the job like the job title, pay package, location, job description, how to apply-either by CV or application form. The success of the recruitment process depends upon whether it is able to attract substantial number of candidates of the desired quality within the allocated budget. Too many applicants may reduce the cost per applicant but add further costs in terms of the time taken to screen the applications. While few applications received may be an indication of a tight labour market and also that the companys values, ethos and brand image in the market are poor attractors. It is thus essential that HR managers monitor the effect of such factors on the overall recruitment process (Bratton and Gold, 2003, p 234). SELECTION After the identification of a pool of potential candidates, the HR Manager needs choose and select the short-listed candidates who would best suit the job profile (Bach, 2008, p. 129). Some of the selection methods include interviews, psychometric testing (cognitive and personality test), assessment centres, references, biodata, job simulation or work sampling. Various selection techniques are used to measure differences between applicants and provide a prediction of future performance at work while measuring the effectiveness of these selection methods. Two statistical concepts reliability and validity are of relevant importance in the selection process. Techniques that are chosen on the basis of their consistency in measurement over a period of time is termed as reliability and the degree to which they measure what they are supposed to measure is referred as validity (Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 234). The three important forms of reliability include the testee or the test-retest, the tester and the test reliability. Among the different forms of validity, the most important is the predictive or criterion-related validity. It refers to establishing an association between the predictors that comprises of the results obtained from various selection methods and the criterion that measures the performance on the job (Bach, 2008, p. 130). An HR Manager in an organization is using more sophisticated selection techniques and is ensuring to make good selection decisions. A good selection decision would reduce a number of costs incurred like the overall cost of the selection process that includes the use of various selection instruments, the future cost of inducting and training new staff and staff turnover. The process and method of selection to be used are based on two key fundamentals. Firstly, individual differences would measure the extent to which two individuals would differ on the parameters of intelligence, attitude, social skills, psychological and physical characteristics, experience, etc. Secondly, recognizing the way in which people differ would be reflected upon the prediction of performance by the individual at the workplace Many leading companies may use a variety of these techniques and statistical theory for giving credibility to techniques that attempt to measure peoples attitude, attributes, abilities and overall personality (Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 234). Methods of Selection: Selection interviewing Interview is one of the oldest and commonly used selection methods. Cook (1994, p.15 cited in Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 236) referred the usage of interviews along with application forms and referral / recommendation letters as the classic trio. The interview pattern can be broadly classified on the basis of the Information Elicited which would dwell on the focus on facts and the information that is required. It would follow a direct approach and give emphasis on seeking subjective information from the interviewee as the factual information must have been already collated prior to the interview. This pattern may require to qualified psychologist as it may require usage of intensive probing. It can secondly be classified on the basis of structure like structured or unstructured. Thirdly, on basis of the order and involvement pattern adopted while conducting the interview. Also by using questions related to ones past behaviour coupled with competencies in inter views has further enhanced the effectiveness of this method (Bratton and Gold, 2003, p. 238). Psychometric testing: It has formed an integral part of the selection process of most organization because of its ability to provide an objective measurement of individual competencies and personality (Beardwell and Holden, 2001, p. 243). This type of selection is also considered to have a good record of reliability and validity. Further evidence of its usage since 1990s has been witnessed due to the rapid growth in the number of organizations using this test leading to more HR professionals being trained to administer the functioning of the test (McHenry 1997a cited in Bratton and Gold, 2003, p.239). The two types of test include cognitive or ability test and personality test. Cognitive tests provide a detailed assessment of an individuals intellectual abilities like specific abilities or general intelligence. Personality test provides a detailed assessment of an individuals behaviour when confronted with a specific situation (Bach, 2008, p. 133). Assessment Centre It incorporates a variety of selection methods like interviews, psychometric test, simulations, in-tray exercises and group decision-making exercises, role-plays and presentations to test the mental ability, reasoning and personality of an individual employee (Taylor, 2005, p.242-3). Assessment centres are designed to provide information like the strengths and weaknesses of an individual employee to management for making decisions in relation to suitability for a position. (Bratton and Gold, 2003). Various on-going validity studies have found the assessment centres to have good predictive ability. One of the major drawbacks of the centre is the cost associated with setting up and functioning of the assessment centre (Taylor, 2005, p. 242). CONCLUSION While critically analyzing on which recruitment and selection approach and methodology an HR Manager must adopt for their organization, it is crucial to consider the impact and accuracy of its approach adopted on the target audience. Further, recruiters need to be aware of the image of their organization they are portraying to the external world. A local newspaper advertisement might attract large number of applicants; but there is a strong business case for spending rather more on a substantial advertisement set by professionals conveying to job seekers that the organization compares favourably with others as a place to work. Few methods are ruled out because of time constraints as most personnel specialists may quite often have pressure from line managers to fill vacancies within days instead of weeks. Thus the range of possible recruitment methods gets severely restricted. Under such circumstances, the best option that a firm can adopt is to outsource the task of recruitment and s election to employment agencies, job centres or use personal contacts (Taylor, 2005, p. 169). It may also prove to be beneficial to consider the volume of applications as outcomes that each method is likely to yield and the ability of the personnel department to administer and act upon effectively. An HR Manager should avoid selecting a recruitment methodology which resulted in receiving hundreds of applications for a single unskilled job vacancy and vice versa. For instance, an advertisement seeking application for very senior cadre roles where the widest pool of appropriately qualified individuals is needed to enable the organization to screen out all but the very best candidates. Another example would be the opening of a new plant store leading to the creating a demand for several hundreds of new jobs (Taylor, 2005, p. 169). Proposed References: Torrington, D., Hall, L., and Taylor S. (2002) Human Resource Management. 5th edition. FT Prentice Hall, England Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (2003) Human Resource Management Theory and Practice. 3rd edition. Palgrave Macmillan, New York Searle, R. (2003) Selection and Recruitment a critical text Palgrave Macmillan, UK in association with The Open University 1st edition Storey, J. (2007) Human Resource Management a critical text. 3rd edition. Thomson Learning, London Boxall, P. and Purcell, J. (2008) Strategy and Human Resource Management. 2nd edition. Palgrave Macmillan, New York Taylor, S. (2005) People Resourcing. 3rd edition CIPD, London Beardwell, I. and Holden, L. (2001) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach. FT Prentice Hall: Pearson Education Limited, England Bach, S. (2008) Managing Human Resources: Personnel Management in Transition. 4th edition. Blackwell Publishing, UK Callaghan, G. and Thompson, P. (2002) We recruit attitude: The selection and shaping of routine call centre labour, Journal of Management Studies: 39(2): 233-254 Greeenwood, I. (2007) Recruitment in the retail sector: a large supermarket, Work and Employment Relations Division Teaching Case, University of Leeds **********************

A Rhetorical Analysis of the Stem Cell Research Debate Essays -- Genet

Stem cell research has been a heated and highly controversial debate for over a decade, which explains why there have been so many articles on the issue. Like all debates, the issue is based on two different arguments: the scientific evolution and the political war against that evolution. The debate proves itself to be so controversial that is both supported and opposed by many different people, organizations, and religions. There are many â€Å"emotional images [that] have been wielded† in an attempt to persuade one side to convert to the other (Hirsen). The stem cell research debate, accompanied by different rhetoric used to argue dissimilar points, comes to life in two articles and a speech: â€Å"Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? Yes, Don’t Impede Medical Progress† by Virginia Postrel; â€Å"Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? No, It’s a Moral Monstrosity† by Eric Cohen and William Kristol; and â€Å"Remarks by Ron Reagan, Jr., to the 2004 Demo cratic National Convention† by Ron Reagan, Jr. Ethos, pathos, and logos are the main categories differentiating the two arguments. The audience for whom those works were written for explains a great deal about the syntax and the diction, and as stated in Dynamic Argument, provides â€Å"different strokes for different folks† (Lamm and Everett 11). When Ron Reagan was delivering his remarks to the Democratic National Convention, he took into account that he needed to paint a picture for his audience â€Å"while still doing justice to the incredible science involve [involved]† (qtd in Lamm and Everett 428). The fact that he was trying to convince his audience to vote for embryonic stem-cell research showed that he needed to explain exactly how the procedure worked. His story about the thirteen-year-old young woma... ... a Moral Monstrosity.† In Dynamic Argument. Ed. Robert Lamm and Justin Everett. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. 425-26. Hirsen, James L. â€Å"Who’s the Victor on the Stem Cell Debate?† 7 Aug. 2001. 24 Sept. 2007 . â€Å"How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis.† 5 Aug. 2005. 23 Sept. 2007 . Lamm, Robert, and Justin Everett. Dynamic Argument. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. Postrel, Virginia. â€Å"Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? Yes, Don’t Impede Medical Progress.† In Dynamic Argument. Ed. Robert Lamm and Justin Everett. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. 420-23. Reagan, Ron Jr. â€Å"Remarks by Ron Reagan, Jr., to the 2004 Democratic National Convention.† In Dynamic Argument. Ed Robert Lamm and Justin Everett. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. 428-30.

Soc 402 Outline for Final

Substance Abuse in the Workplace Contemporary Social Problems and the Workplace SOC402 Instructor: Douglas Nelson October 4, 2012 Substance Abuse in the Workplace Substance abuse is a growing problem in the workplace. â€Å"Substance abuse is the repeated use of alcohol or drugs to the point that users develop personal problems and distress related to use. † (Giraffe, 2011) I am going to discuss the major problems with substance abuse and outline some mind-boggling statistics.Furthermore, I will relate substance abuse to a work environment I have been associated with and express the chaos I have witnessed from co-workers abusing illegal substances and over-using alcohol. I am going to analyze ways this problem can be possibly solved or at least prevented to a certain degree. If substance abuse is prevented, I have determined several social and economic benefits that may occur. I. The major problem with substance abuse 1.Substance abuse in the workplace is extremely dangerous; the one abusing the substance increases not only their chances, but also increases the likeliness of their co-workers of injuries or possibly death depending on the situation. a. â€Å"Alcohol and drug abuse on the job is a serious issue for employers because it may cause lost productivity or dangerous conditions from mistakes, reduced efficiency, and increased absenteeism. † (Giraffe, 2011) b. â€Å"Alcohol use, although legal, also significantly contributes to workplace substance abuse problems. (Giraffe, 2011) II. Substance abuse related to my work environment 1. I have had co-workers come into work hung-over and possibly still drunk, I have seen them hide in the bathroom and sleep for several hours. a. â€Å"Furthermore, substance abusers are not only less productive, but they also use three times the number of sick days and file five times the number of workers' compensation claims as nonabusers† (U. S. Department of Labor, 1999). b. â€Å"Substance abuse also l eads to injuries† (Giraffe, 2011) III. Ways this problem can be decreased 1.Although the problem is abundant in the work-center, there are possibly solutions to minimizing substance abusers at work. a. â€Å"In 2005, for example, an estimated 17 million people used illegal drugs and nearly 75% of them were employed† (U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2011) b. â€Å"The Department of Health and Human Services study reported that almost 9% of full-time workers reported heavy alcohol use within the past month. The vast majority of those were between 18 and 25 years old† (Larson, Eyerman, Foster, ; Gfroerer, 2007). c. OSHA provides employers with recommendations for substance abuse prevention programs, including the drug-free workplace policy. † (Giraffe, 2011) d. â€Å"Training is an important component of a drug-free workplace to make sure supervisors understand how to enforce the policy without violating the law. Many companies offer empl oyee assistance programs (EAPs) as part of their benefits package. EAPs provide individual counseling services and are a resource for referral to rehabilitation programs, medical services, or other therapeutic services. † (Giraffe, 2011) e. This was followed by the Drug-Free Workplace Law of 1988, which has been amended several times to require federal contractors to actively promote a drug-free workplace and to have a substance abuse prevention policy in place† (Reagan, 1986). 2. Social benefits if prevented 1. The workplace will be a more socially accepted atmosphere is the problem was to be prevented. a. â€Å"According to a Department of Health and Human Services study, males are more likely than females to use illegal drugs, and employees with lower education levels are more likely to use drugs than those with college degrees† (Larson, Eyerman, Foster, ; Gfroerer, 2007). . Economic benefits if prevented 1. Companies will save a great deal of money if this pro blem were to be prevented. a. â€Å"can cause increases in health insurance costs† (Giraffe, 2011) b. â€Å"Estimates that the residual cost of substance abuse in the workplace is more than $80 billion in the United States. † (U. S. Department of Labor, 1999) Substance abuse in the workplace is a problem that has been around for years, and it has yet to slow-down, however, I noted several ways the problem can be prevented.I expressed why substance abuse is the extensive problem it is, and I related the problems I have seen inside my own work-center. If my solution to substance abuse in the work center is implemented, there will be many social and economic benefits. References Giraffe, V. (2011). Contemporary social problems and the workplace. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education,Inc. Retrieved from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUSOC402. 11. 1 Larson, S. L. , Eyerman, J. , Foster, M. S. , ; Gfroerer, J. C. (2007, June). Worker substance use and workplace policies and programs (U.D. Services, Producer). Retrieved from http://www. oas. samhsa. gov/work2k7/work. htm#6. 1 Reagan, R. (1986, September 15). Executive Order 12564 Drug-Free Workplace. Retrieved from http://uscode. house. gov/download/pls/41C10. txt U. S. Department of Labor. (1999). How does substance abuse impact the workplace? Retrieved from http://www. dol. gov/elaws/asp/drugfree/benefits. htm U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2011). Workplace substance abuse. Retrieved from http://www. osha. gov/SLTC/substanceabuse/index. html

Fast Food and Obesity Essay

People know that fast food is not good for them, but how bad is really and how much do people really know about the bad effects of fast food on their bodies? Most people have seen the â€Å"Super Size Me† documentary; yes Morgan Spurlock ate McDonalds for every meal for 30 days. Most people would gain weight from eating McDonalds for 30 days in a row, but even just eating McDonalds three times a week can have an impact on the body without people realizing it. And today according to The Center for Disease Control the childhood obesity rate grows every day from lack of exercising and a poor diet which leads to other health risks as well (Center for Disease Control, Atlanta 2010-2012). When Morgan Spurlock did the â€Å"Super Size Me† documentary, here he planned to eat at McDonalds for every meal for 30 days in a row and then would go to the physician periodically throughout the 30 days to see the side effects of eating fast food. Now given he did eat it for every meal for 30 days, most people figured there would be major side effects, but he wanted to prove to the public that even eating fast food a few times a week will make a difference on the body. And he proved that quite easily. Morgan Spurlock found many interesting facts about how bad fast food is on the body. Here are curios few: â€Å"McDonald’s feeds more than 46 million people a day – more than the entire population of Spain† there is no reason any fast food company should be feeding more people than the entire population of a country. In 1972, we spent 3 billion a year on fast food – today we spend more than $110 billion† if people spent the amount of money they do on other things besides fast food less people would be in debt. That money spent on fast food adds up quicker than people think. â€Å"Left unabated, obesity will surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in America† and there is no reason that an obesity rate should pass preventable death by smoking. All of these facts as well as many others should be enough warning about how bad fast food really is, unfortunately it’s not. (Spurlock 2011. Childhood obesity these days has become somewhat the norm. People look around and see all of these overweight children and wonder how they got like that. Fast food and lack of exercise is more than likely to blame. When children become obese early in life that puts them at risk for health problems like diabetes, heart problems, bone loss, and many other health risks that children should not have at an early age. If parents helped them become more educated about the benefits of exercising regularly and eating right, the obesity rate in children might not be as high. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA says that â€Å"Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years (CDC Atlanta 2010-2012). This alone should be a wakeup call to parents about educating their children on the bad effects of fast food and the benefits of regular exercise. No parent should ever want a child to be a statistic. There are so many benefits to regular exercise, like looking good and feeling good about the way the body feels after exercising. It can make a great start to the day, it builds healthy muscle and builds strong bones and it is also burning all those calories from one too many fast food restaurant visits. If people eat fast food even just one to three times a week, regular exercise might also be a good idea to consider doing one to three times a week. When eating unhealthy food and not exercising, the body just holds onto all of the unhealthy fat, calories and carbohydrates, which is why exercising is so important when people eat fast food on a regular basis. The Mayo Clinic says that â€Å"Many fast food menu items are extremely high in calories and would take lengthy and intense sessions of physical exercise to burn off. When you want to lose weight, eliminate fast food and eat a low-calorie diet made up of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fat-free dairy products† (Wood 2011). Several fast food items can go well over 1,000 calories. Like Big Mac meals and Quarter Pounder meals. That many calories in one item is never good for the body. Studies say that the body would have to run for 7 hours to burn off one double cheese burger from a local fast food restaurant, those 7 hours do not even include the fries that were ordered, or that super-sized soft drink, and then the possible dessert snack that was ordered as well. So in reality the body would be running for over 10 hours. If the body is exercising regularly (more that 1-3 times a week) then yes, the occasional cheese burger is okay. Eating fast food is never a healthy option. Even the healthy looking salad on the menu at Chik-Fil-A is not healthy, it has more than over 800 calories. There are short term and long term health effects from eating fast food and not exercising along with it. Some short term effects are fatigue, a suppressed immune system, weight gain, skin problems and dehydration. Some long term effects are when the body eats fast food most of it contains antibiotics, hormones and steroids, consuming these things over a long period of time can cause a boost in weight gain and make the body more prone to consuming bacteria that can be harmful to the body (Snider 2012). The antibiotics the body consumes in fast food will make the body resistant to antibiotics when it is sick. Antibiotics being in the fast food will also cause obesity, and intestinal discomfort happening more often than it should. Fast food also contains polyunsaturated vegetable oils Consuming this over a long period of time has been linked to cancer, blood clots, inflammation, elevated blood pressure, digestion problems, compromised immunity, reproductive damage, and weight gain, and can lead to an imbalance of essential fatty acids that the body needs. Eating fast food can cause high cholesterol which leads to a higher risk for stroke or heart attack. It can also cause the body to have a clogged colon, and processed meats have been proven at the Live Strong health facilities to increase the risk of colon cancer by 36% if the body is consuming fast food 3-5 times a week. There are always healthier choices than fast food, but if the body is craving fast food keep in mind possible things to stay away from like heavy salad dressings, breaded or fried meat, french fries, mayonnaise, large portions, double meat, white bread, thick crusts and low fat desserts. Remember these things and when the body is craving that fast food it now has a more educated view on what to eat. Snider 2012) If all Americans could somehow be educated on the bad side effects of fast food and the benefits of regular exercise, I think that the obesity epidemic could diminish tremendously. I know from experience that it feels so good to be healthy. Working out at the gym or taking a walk in the park makes me feel so good about myself and makes my body healthier and eating right does the same thing. Instead of having that greasy biscuit at the local fast food restaurant, try trading it for a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit and a glass of orange juice in the morning. The body will notice differences like not aving to feel bad for that biscuit it ate, it is also going to feel more awake and have more energy, rather than feeling tired from eating that greasy breakfast. Just remember exercise is always important, whether the body consumes fast food or not, exercise is always good for anyone and everyone. Moderation is key. If the body must have that fast food try limiting the fast food to once or twice a month, rather than once or twice a week like most people are used to. The best part in my opinion of not eating fast food as often or not at all is it saves me a ton of money!

indians in american history essays

indians in american history essays Trade was very significant throughout the Indian villages before the Europeans arrived because it was not only about trading goods. Fundamental to the social and economic patterns of virtually all North American communities were exchanges that linked them directly or indirectly with other communities (45). There would be exchanges across the lines of the communities of having different marriage partners, labor, different resources, techniques, ideas, technology and religious practices. Usually trades from longer distances accounted in widespread alliances and networks that were political, economic, and religious. Trades conserved social and political relationships amongst tribes. When the Europeans arrived, trading was not a way to bring communities together. It was more about material goods such as furs, glass beads, mirrors, copper kettles and other goods. At first, the Europeans did not have a choice but had to accept the way the Indians did trading, they did not share beliefs that the Indians believed. This made the relationships between the Indians and the Europeans stronger; it gave more power to the Europeans, which was bad for the Indians. The reason it was bad is because the Indians became so close with the Europeans that they the Europeans now set up communities among st the Indians, which resulted in disease that killed many Indians. This also brought conflict between Indian tribes, rather than before in which they looked to join each other. For the remainder of the century, the Five Nations fought wars against the French and its Indian allies to gain access to better pelts and goods (54). The treatments of the Indians throughout the Spanish borderlands, English colonies and French Canada differed. The Indians in the Spanish borderlands were treated very harshly, killed, and forced to change their religions. Turning captured Indians captives into slaves; captors typically so...

Olympia, Edouard Manet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Olympia, Edouard Manet - Essay Example While the initial attempt with â€Å"Starry Night† received harsh critique on the bizarre aspect of his painting, van Gogh managed to justify â€Å"Starry Night Over the Rhone† with logical elements of texture and color fashioned to project the expressionist’s rich astronomical influence and perspective with the nocturnal theme of the work. Van Gogh is primarily drawn to the attractive contrasts emerging between the natural light of the stars and the gaseous luminescence radiating via man-made lamps. In particular, he is profoundly caught with the beautiful pattern the ‘Big Dipper’ makes with the rest of the constellation. Based on this, one may observe an apparent connection between darkness and the mental struggle, which van Gogh tends to exhibit with intensity, yet the well-balanced sparks of the European river in equilibrium with the sky creates symbolism for appreciation of the wonderful state of gloom. Besides fascination at the concept of blen ding lights from different dimensions as viewed from Arles with ample reference to the ‘Big Dipper’ or the ‘Great Bear’, by other name, van Gogh may be recognized to possess extended interest on astronomical geometry which is largely depicted by the manner the stars are spatially distributed so as to cast the night to its lovely degree or at least to the standard of van Gogh’s intellectual design. How mundane tasks and hard-work of training dance are carried out prior to the scene in which the moment of dance becomes an object of pure delight.

Boswell Agency; Structuring of an Advertising Agency Essay

Boswell Agency; Structuring of an Advertising Agency - Essay Example Boswell Agency being a renowned entity asserts that the Dallas’ office staffs could not complain about the salaries as the remuneration was remarkable. According to the organisation’s study, the abundance in remuneration emanated from the earnings accrued through the Blue Sky client (Kelley & Jugenheimer, 2009). The target media groups had an excess number of buyers and planners; hence, the company realized the need to expand its media portfolio in a bid to reduce competition while still revamping its authoritativeness and cost-effective. The company’s management realizes that the use teambuilding approaches within the office leads to the delivery of the intended information and coordination within the office; hence, its vision to ensure profound service delivery will be enhanced. Secondly, the retrenchment of the excess staff could lead to the reduction of the costs while still affecting the profit margins (Kelley & Jugenheimer, 2009). Evaluation and monitoring of the office’s departments evokes the vital need to improve the rate of transfers within the departments’ employees. Boswell Agency should embrace tactical account practices that would lead to the development of a critical team that will address the needs of different clientele groups despite their demographic, geographic, and other environmental differences as that will propel its acquisition of the target clientele population and subsequent profits (Kelley & Jugenheimer, 2009). The account structuring action plan approach will deliver an understanding to the management; hence, they will understand the types of costs incurred and the subsequent control approaches to pursue in order to achieve the set objectives. The agency opts to embrace a three-plan strategic approach that will deliver its objectives through the creation of positive and authoritative accounting practices that will suit different types of clients