How Long Can We Continue Using Fossil Fuels Without...

How long can we continue using fossil fuels without detrimental effects? With every passing moment our planet is slowly becoming contaminated with the fossil fuels we use and the green house gases they emit. Not only do fossil fuels contaminate the planet we live in, but they also cannot be replenished and will run out eventually. We cannot reverse these effects, however i think there is one alternative energy source that scientists have been working on that can be incorporated to reduce the damage. The government should be utilizing solar power more often because the world needs to eradicate its dependance on fossil fuels, solar power is the most efficient renewable energy source and should be incorporated more often over fossil fuels. To†¦show more content†¦The first modern solar panel that was efficiently effective was accidentally built by Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin who were able to construct a one that could take in six percent of direct sunlight. In todays world we already use solar power for a items as small as a calculator to extremely large power plants that can power large cities. Some watches, calculators, and certain radios are run by solar cells that will never run out of bateries making them very effective. Almost all of the worlds satelittes are run on solar power, if they werent otherwise, they would run out of power. There are large desalinization plants that use solar power in places where there is very little amounts of water. Solar powered cars should be ivestigated into more by scientists because transferring gas to solar powered cars would be extremely benificial to the environment. However, the drawback of these cars would be that they cant run on cloudy days and only can go at high speeds for a short amount of time. Therefore, solar powred cars are only used for experiments and racing now. Amazingly, the amount of enerygy that Sun shines down on the earth in one hour equates to the same amount of energy used by the worlds population in the entire year. Solar power should be used more than fossil fuels beacuse it s clean and produces no harmful emissions. Easily renewable because it gets its energy from theShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming Is A Problem1381 Words   |  6 Pagesoccurring in our forests (NRDC). Many people, mostly politicians, believe that global warming is a problem that doesn’t exist. Global warming is a real issue that we cannot solve unless we all work together to fix it. The results of climate change are detrimental to the way we live our lives and the animals of the planet as well. If we as a species don’t acknowledge the problem, it cannot be resolved. The first major problem produced by global warming is deforestation. Deforestation is the permanentRead MoreThe Effects Of Organic Farming On The Environment1678 Words   |  7 Pagesagriculture. Combined with the changes in agriculture, changes have taken place in our environment as well. Industrial agriculture has led to soil degradation, ground water contamination, and prodigious amounts of fossil fuel and water usage. Organic farming is a way to combat these detrimental environmental effects, by avoiding chemical fertilizers and herbicides and taking advantage of biodynamic farming, not only are healthier products be grown, but the environment will be nurtured as well. There hasRead MoreHuman Population Growth916 Words   |  4 Pageswas â€Å"Growth is good.† There was no worry about the lives being harmed or how large our impact was, or even of the future repercussions our actions might have. However, this once-carefree opinion has twisted and mutated and created a monster: human population growth. It’s big. It’s fast. And there’s almost no way to stop it, with our current rate of increase. The consequences of our forefather’s actions, carried out so long ago and not given so much as a backwards glance, are now coming back toRead MoreFossil Fuels Are Not Dead Dinosaur Remains2021 Words   |  9 PagesContradictory to what many people believe, fossil fuels are not dead dinosaur remains. â€Å"In fact, most of the fossil fuels we find today were formed millions of years before the first dinosaurs† (â€Å"Fossil Energy: How Fossil Fuels Were Formed,† n.d.). They were formed from prehistoric plants and animals that lived many millions of years ago and are considered non-renewable because they are not sustainable and cannot be easily replaced due to their formation taking billions of years. â€Å"When these ancientRead MoreThe Environmental Crises Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesMany aspects our daily lives in the capitalist society we live in are causing grave destruction to our planet. Issues such as global warming, bottling water, and the search for oil and fossil fuels are some of the most known environmental crises taking place in the US. I believe the US could in fact find safe, profitable solutions to many of these problems as long as it is willing to be proactive and address the serious issues at hand while they can be corrected. If the US does not step in and set regulationRead MoreFossil Fuels Are Not Dead Dinosaur Remains1921 Words   |  8 PagesMadison Flanagan â€Æ' Contradictory to what many people believe, fossil fuels are not dead dinosaur remains. â€Å"In fact, most of the fossil fuels we find today were formed millions of years before the first dinosaurs† (â€Å"Fossil Energy: How Fossil Fuels Were Formed,† n.d.). They were formed from prehistoric plants and animals that lived many millions of years ago and are considered non-renewable because they are not sustainable and cannot be easily replaced due to their formation taking billions of yearsRead MoreExtraction Of Oil And Gas2087 Words   |  9 PagesThe world, as we know it, is dependent on oil and gas. Oil and gas enables the world to have energy, to travel to and from various locations, controls the economy, and essentially makes the world go round. As the world becomes more dependent on oil and gas, becoming a single energy-consuming unit, it begins to solely function on energy by craving more of it, crashing without it, and obtaining it by any means necessary. Whether drinking water sources become contaminated or alterations in tectonicRead MorePersonal Technology And Climate Change1917 Words   |  8 PagesPersonal Technology and Climate Change As the world’s leaders gather in Paris, France for the 2015 Climate Change Conference, the world awaits for news of how nations will deal with the realities of climate change. Our leaders will hopefully work together to address issues such as global warming, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), species extinction, rising seas, stronger storms and increased storm damage, and more heat related illness and disease. Many other issues have been identified and have comeRead MoreCoal as a Resource Is It Ethical2917 Words   |  12 Pagesthere is a constant give and take environment over energy. The use of fossil fuels and coal has become politically incorrect in our green-centric society. The use of media and spin is one of the most important tools being used by companies that make use of fossil fuels. There is an economic incentive for these companies to downplay the potentially harmful nature of these energy sources. While the usage of coal and other fuels is easy, it is also seen by m any as environmentally and morally reprehensibleRead MoreIs Playing Of The Rain A Safe Option?2075 Words   |  9 Pagesaround the world trees have stopped growing with no leaves on them, fish have died out of the blue, and humans are starting to have unexpected lung issues. Have we ever thought where this might be coming from? Acid rain is a type of rain contaminated with acidic chemicals that is caused mainly by the burning of coal and other fossil fuels. Acid rain did not gain that much attention until it started becoming known in 1960. When doing more research, the scientists started figuring out what was happening

Personal Narrative - Original Writing - My Mind Was...

I crept back into the Lynch s, Ross trailing close behind me. You know we don t have to sneak in to my own house, he whispered loudly. I shushed him, squeaking the front door closed. This was the tricky part, stealthily getting past the rest of the family to the guest bedroom. Ross s bare feet fumbled carelessly as if he not learned to walk quietly, and instead relied on the hushed muffle of my steps. I imagined I was in the FBI, Ross being my loud side kick. My brain tuned out sounds around me as I played my own spy theme music. Ba na na na na na duh nuhh. My mind was interrupted by soft words. I listened intently to the jabbing voices heard nearby, perhaps in the kitchen or living room. It was difficult for me to dodge each noise†¦show more content†¦Good morning sunshine, Riker teased Ross, his voice hitched as his eyes met mine. I hadn t thought about him since the night before, images of him dancing and laughing with that girl. My stomach pounded into a heavy knot. Why wasn t this easy? Why couldn t I just be with one of them and be totally and utterly happy? I scanned the sun lit room, Serenity wasn t there, she must had gone home last night like I should have. Why can t my girlfriend sleepover but Riker s can? Rocky whined. Ross s fist balled slightly, in close proximity to mine. My girlfriend did, Ellington stuck his tongue out through his smile. She needed one more day away from that place, give her a break. Right? He patted the open seat next to him, welcoming me to come closer. For some odd reason I obeyed his every move. His plate was clean, food residue lightly painted the usual white. My stomach growled angrily with rage but I was distracted as Riker s consuming eyes sunk into mine. His head and voice lowered to mine, Can we talk? Before I could answer his chair huffed against the floor, his hand placed in front of my nose to help me up. I decided not to take it, I knew Ross was watching. Riker and I filed in at the step of the long, descending stairs. I wanna show you something. He spoke powerfully, unlike before. Riker, I- Before I could continue he raced upShow MoreRelatedANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesindividual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model† for a piece of critical appreciation. Nevertheless, one can give information and suggestions that may prove helpful. PLOT The Elements of Plot When we refer to the plot of a work of fiction, then, we are referring to the deliberately arranged sequence of interrelated events that constitute the basic narrative structure of a novel or a short story. Events of any kind, ofRead MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 Pagesreferences. ISBN 0-226-52130-3 (pbk.) 1. Motion pictures—Semiotics. 2. Motion pictures— Philosophy. I. Title. PN1995.M4513 1991 791.43 014—dc20 90-46965 C1P The French edition of Christian Metz s Essais sur la signification au cinema, volume 1, was published by Editions Klincksieck in 1971,  © Editions Klincksieck, 1968. ÃŽËœThe paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library MaterialsRead MoreConfucianism in Journey to the West31834 Words   |  128 PagesJourney to the West A Textual-Visual Discourse Analysis Name: Stefan Ruijsch (Student No. 0620203) Major: Chinese Studies, BA 3 E-mail: s.ruijsch@umail.leidenuniv.nl Phone: 06-48369645 Address: Vrijheidslaan 256, 2321 DP Leiden Word Count: 9,387 Table of Contents page 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ . 1 2. Theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 2.1. Discourse theory – A Short Explanation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 2.2. Confucianism†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 2.2.1. The Principles of Confucianism†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreLanguage of Advertising20371 Words   |  82 Pagesmust and continuous. Mass production requires mass consumption which in turn requires advertising to the mass market through the mass media. Advertising is not easily defined, though many people have tried. Narrowly, it means a paid form of non-personal communication that is transmitted through mass media such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, direct mail, public transport vehicles, outdoor displays and also the Internet, which aims to persuade, inform, or sell. It flourishes mainly inRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 PagesTOP-TEAM POLITICS†¦page 90 WHEN YOUR CORE BUSINESS IS DYING†¦page 66 Y GE SE PA IN DS CK R M WA A 53 www.hbr.org April 2007 58 What Your Leader Expects of You Larry Bossidy 66 Finding Your Next Core Business Chris Zook 78 Promise-Based Management: The Essence of Execution Donald N. Sull and Charles Spinosa 90 The Leadership Team: Complementary Strengths or Conï ¬â€šicting Agendas? Stephen A. Miles and Michael D. Watkins 100 Avoiding Integrity Land Mines BenRead MoreIgbo Dictionary129408 Words   |  518 Pages.............................................................................. 13 5.4 Tones..................................................................................................................................................... 13 5.5 Word division ...................................................................................................................................... 13 5.6 A note on y ..................................................................................Read MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagessmaller case studies and usually focus on one or two specific points that need to be addressed, whereas case studies focus on a multitude of problems. The table of contents identifies several broad categories for the cases and situations, but keep in mind that the larger case studies, such as Convin Corporation and The Blue Spider Project, could have been listed under s everal topics. Several of the cases and situations have seed questions provided to assist the reader in the analysis of the case.Read MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesrecession of 2008) when one could quite plausibly argue that a new era had begun. A compelling case can be made for viewing the decades of the global scramble for colonies after 1870 as a predictable culmination of the long nineteenth century, which was ushered in by the industrial and political revolutions of the late 1700s. But at the same time, without serious attention to the processes and misguided policies that led to decades of agrarian and industrial depression from the late 1860s to theRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesprogram. He has been a member of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of the Project Management Institute since 1984. In 1995 he worked as a Fulbright scholar with faculty at the Krakow Academy of Economics on modernizing Polish business education. In 2005 he was a visiting professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. He received a B.A. in psychology from Claremont McKenna College and a Ph.D. in management from State University of New York at Buffalo. He is a certified project management professionalRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pageswealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S  » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experienced student user Ask your local representative for details!

Mentoring and Enabling Learning in the Practice Setting Free Essays

Mentoring and enabling learning in the practice setting A reflective account of my experience of facilitating learning, assessing and teaching a student or co-worker, and how this experience will inform my future development within the mentor or practice teacher role. Student Number: 2930211 Word Count: 3150 Part 1: Introducing the Mentorship role I am a band five registered paediatric nurse based on an orthopaedic and spinal surgical ward in a tertiary paediatric hospital. I am currently engaging in completing my training to become a qualified mentor. We will write a custom essay sample on Mentoring and Enabling Learning in the Practice Setting or any similar topic only for you Order Now This reflective account details my experiences assessing, teaching and facilitating the learning of a student during their practice based learning, and how this experience may affect my future practice. Throughout the account, in order to protect the identities of people, trust and clinical setting involved confidentiality will be maintained via the use of pseudonyms or omission of names (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 2008a). The function of practice based learning is to provide experience, serving an important role in developing the skills of the student in interacting with patients and their families assisting in technical, psychomotor, interpersonal and communication skills (Ali and Panther, 2008). Practice based learning provides an opportunity to link theory and practice, and promotes professional identity development (Fishel and Johnson, 1981). Practice based learning is also crucial in the profession of nursing due to the vocational nature of the work, and necessity of assessing clinical competency and safeguarding the public (Rutowski, 2007). By ensuring specific standards are met with assessment in practice, it effectively ensures that students are fit for practice at point of registration (NMC, 2004). My demonstration of demonstrating my eligibility to supervise and assess students in a practice setting and successful completion of the NMC approved mentorship programme will allow me to meet the definition of a mentor (NMC, 2004), and perform an important role that every nurse has to assume formally, sooner or later (Ali and Panther 2008, Figure 1) Figure 1. (Synthesised using NMC 2008b, Rutowski 2007, Beskine 2009) Part 2 The NMC Standards In order to ensure that there is a set level for supporting learning and assessment in practice, the NMC devised and provided a set of standards for which mentors, practice teachers and teachers are required to meet (NMC 2008b, Ali and Panther, 2008). The agreed mandatory requirements include a developmental framework, the standards, and information regarding application of the standards to assessment in practice. The competence and outcomes for a mentor are underpinned by eight domains (Figure 2, NMC, 2008b). Figure 2. (NMC, 2008b) Number Domain 1 Establishing effective working relationships 2 Facilitation of learning 3 Assessment and accountability 4 Evaluation of learning 5 Creating an environment for learning 6 Context of practice 7 Evidence-based practice 8 Leadership When considering the eight domains within my own clinical practice area I consider establishing effective working relationships and leadership to be of particular importance. The establishment of an effective working relationship is vital due to working together with families and providing care for the family as the patient, rather than just the child (Casey, 1988) in order to provide a good standard of care. Establishing effective working relationships also serves to reduce poor student experiences and improve ability to assure competence to practice (Beskine 2009, Dowie 2008). When considering the importance of family centred care, as well as the promotion of an effective working relationship, leadership is a key theme. Leadership in my clinical setting involves role modeling, improving care and influencing others (Cook, 2001) as well as considering situational forms of leadership (Faugier and Woolnough, 2002) when communicating with different parties in different situations. Leadership in my practice setting could range from working with a difficult family, which may require participative leadership, or a situation where I need to be assertive. I must frequently act as an advocate for the child (Children Act 1989), requiring a more autocratic approach (Bass and Bass 2008). Both establishing effective relationships and leadership require skill, knowledge and experience and can be central to providing quality care (Department of Health 2004). Key professional challenges surrounding learning and assessment in my practice area include difficulty due to the busyness and staffing levels on my ward, which is known to affect the quality of assessment in practice (Phillips et al, 2000). The pressure of clinical commitments and lack of available time has an affect on the organisation and supervision of students during clinical placement (Caldwell et al 2008). Other difficulties may include inconsistency in performance influencing assessment of fitness for practice (Duffy and Hardicre 2007a), or students who are not compliant with support available and provided should they be failing (Duffy and Hardicre 2007b). Reluctance to fail a failing student due to poor assessment or finding the failing process too difficult (Duffy 2003) also serves as a professional challenge in my practice area. The NMC Standards to support learning and assessment in practice (2008b) do provide a framework for mentors, but due to the nature of the document it is not comprehensive enough to consider all aspects of competence assessment (Cassidy, 2009). It could be considered that some level of assessment remains subjective despite the framework being provided, due to the inherent nature of the involved profession and the variation of skills to be assessed. Holistic assessment of competence is difficult to structure a framework, particularly when considering a students reflexive action to utilise their knowledge skills and attitude with emotional intelligence (Freshwater and Stickley 2004, Clibbens et al 2007). These issues may become more prevalent when considering the possibility of a mentors failure to fail a student (Duffy, 2003). These is somewhat rectified by the responsive development of ‘sign off mentors’ who make a final judgement on the fitness for practice of the student at the end of their training (NMC 2008b). Further support can be given to the NMC standards to support learning and assessment in practice (NMC 2008b) by documents such as ‘Guidance for mentors or nursing students and midwives’ (Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2007) a toolkit which assists in providing support and strategies for mentors. Part 3: My practice based assessment session Practice based assessment is a core method of assessing the knowledge, skills and attitude of a student (Bloom 1956, Wallace 2003), but is complex to ensure objective management (Carr, 2004). To accommodate a diversity of patients and needs (Dogra and Wass, 2006), different types of assessment are necessary, all of which are part of the mentor student relationship (Wilkinson et al 2008, Figure 3, NMC 2008b). Figure 3. ( Wilkinson et al, 2008) Type of assessment Description Mini clinical evaluation exercise. Snapshot of student performing core clinical skill. Can be integrated into ward environment or routine patient encounter (e. g gaining a pain score from a patient) Direct observation of procedural skills. Observing a student carry out a procedure and providing feedback afterwards (e. g performing aseptic non touch technique to prepare a dressings trolley). Case based discussion. A structured interview to explore behaviour and judgement (e. g discussing aspects care of a patient and what a student did or observed). Mini peer assessment. A group of qualified professionals providing feedback on an individuals performance, includes self assessment (e. g feedback from other nurses that supervise a student in their clinical placement). The method of assessment must be considered in terms of reliability, validity, acceptability, educational impact, and cost effectiveness in order to evaluate the suitability of the assessment itself (Chandratilake et al, 2010). Assessment of formal knowledge allows review of conceptual knowledge, including considering potential risks or other influencing factors. Assessing an individual in practice, or their craft knowledge, allows reflection and development on experiential learning (Price, 2007). Both formal and craft knowledge are required to be continuously assessed to understand the student in order to understand how the student reads risk situations and uses concepts to address practice requirements (Price, 2007). When assessing students it is important to establish four key areas (Hinchliffe 2009, figure 4). Figure 4. (Hinchliffe 2009) Key area Description Knowledge What do they know? Skill What do they do? Performance How well do they do it? Motivation Why do they do it, and how do they feel about it? Continuous assessment has limitations with regards to validity and reliability for numerous reasons. There is a requirement for co-ordination between educators and service providers to agree on appropriate assessment pathways for formative and summative assessment, allowing an appropriate level of assessment and practice theory link (Price, 2007). A mentor in a complex clinical setting combined with the pressure of continuous assessment on students in front of patients, family, relatives and other professionals has an impact on performance and may increase the anxiety of the student or the assessor (Price, 2007). Anxiety may also be caused by the mentors eeling of competence to assess, the student feeling ready to be assessed (including contributing personal factors), as well as changes in curriculum causing mentors to feel less competent in assessing certain areas (Price, 2007). My assessment was of the competence of a first year student utilising pain assessment tools appropriately to successfully gain a pain score from a post operative patient. I considered this to be an area of importance due to the integral part of professional training pain assessment is recommended to serve; considering pain as the fifth vital sign (Royal College of Nursing (RCN),2008). Considering the expectations of first years participation in observing vital signs, competence is important for patient safety (Lomas 2009) . I would consider this assessment a direct observation of a procedural skill (Wilkinson et al 2008). An observing qualified mentor was present and observing at all points of the assessment and feedback. The observing assessor provided written feedback regarding the assessment provided (Appendix 2). The assessment was planned including the criteria and a number of questions developed, to test the learners understanding (appendix 1). The criteria for assessment was structured and at an appropriate level for the student on both a theoretical and practical level (Stuart, 2007). The developed questions were aimed to make the student provide rationale for their choices within and around the assessment, aiming to make the assessed skill less of a series of tasks and provide a more versatile skill applicable in different ways (Cassidy, 2009). I waited until the ward was quiet to ensure there would not be interruptions and the assessment would not be compromised (Rutowski, 2007). Initially, I introduced myself to the student, as it was the first time we had met, this aimed to familiarise myself with the student and aim to reduce their anxiety (Price, 2007). I went on to tell the student what exactly I wanted them to do, approximately how long it would take and reassured them not to be worried as this was not a formal assessment, aiming to reduce anxiety (Price 2007) and make expectations clear. It was identified by my observing assessor that I did not enquire as to previous experiences of the learner. Although I knew that the student was a first year and the assessment was appropriate as such, enquiring further into their experiences may have provided a link that would have altered the assessment in some way and perhaps have assisted in supporting further growth (Newman and Pelle, 2002). My assessor also felt that outcomes should have been more clearly identified at the beginning of the assessment. Though the information was provided, and in an appropriate environment (Price, 2007) a shorter almost bullet point summary at the end of discussing outcomes may help to prepare the student for what is expected of them (Stuart, 2007) and reduce confusion or anxiety (Price, 2007). When the student had completed the first criteria, I asked her my first question. This took into consideration the students approach to communication (Dickson et al, 1997) and their knowledge of basic child development (Sheridan et al 1997), knowledge applicable to core skills in many ways. The student correctly prioritised the order of pain evaluation, completing the second criteria (International association for the study of pain (IASP) 1994, Broome 2000). I asked the student the second question at this point, the student demonstrated theoretical ability to integrate with the nursing team to provide safe and effective care (Stuart 2007, Lomas 2009). Finally for the assessment the student communicated well with the child and their family demonstrating effective family centred care (Casey 1988) and successfully gained an appropriate pain score (IASP 1994) using the ‘Wong-Baker faces pain rating’ (Wong et al 2001). After the pain score had been gained I asked my final question which was how often should pain observation be done, which the student correctly responded to in accordance with RCN (2008). My observing assessor felt that at points my speech was too fast and noted that I needed to repeat myself on occasion. Speaking at a slower rate allow a student to digest and understand information given to a better level, and prevents them from becoming overwhelmed with information faster than they can process it (Prozesky 2000). I provided a feedback session for the student, aiming to develop a sustainable proactive learning relationship with the student (Cassidy, 2009), which included an action plan made with the student (Appendix 3). Considering that the student was essentially competent at the skill, the action plan was focussed on gaining a greater range and experience in order to gain a more reflexive experienced quality regarding the skill and provide more holistic competence (Cassidy, 2009). The feedback was provided positively and constructively and seemed to help with the students self esteem with regards to the skill, creating a more supportive working relationship and conducive learning environment (Clynes and Raftery, 2008). The student-mentor relationship is crucial to the students learning experience (Ali and Panther 2008, Beskine 2009, Goppee 2008, NMC 2008b, Wilkes 2006, White 2007). Effective communication skills can help identify a student causing concern at an early stage in order to pre-empt failure (Caldwell et al, 2008). Though feelings of sadness or failure may be felt by the student and mentor from failing assessment, and this provides a challenge, it is important for mentors not to avoid these situations if a student has not met desired outcomes as this may have far reaching implications on student progression (Duffy and Hardicre 2007a, Duffy and Hardicre 2007b, Wilkinson 1999). The feedback was scheduled and provided shortly after the session aiming to give the student prompt support if required and to correct any unsatisfactory behaviour if present (Duffy and Hardicre 2007b). Considering the feedback, and my own reflections on the assessment, there is need for my future development. I will also endeavor to speak more slowly and learning more about the student prior to assessment. , and provide a more clear identification of outcomes . I would consider gaining feedback on the students performance from the patient and their family in the future. This would allow us to take into account the view of the service user and family to promote clinical excellence and family centred care is of a high quality (Department of Health 2004, Casey 1988). Overall, my observing assessor thought that my assessment of the student was appropriate for their level of knowledge, skill and attitude (Bloom 1956, Hinchliffe 2009, NMC 2008b) and effective in determining the level of competency in this area. Part 4: My practice based teaching session I prepared a teaching plan (appendix 4), a powerpoint presentation (appendix 7), handout of the presentation and a handout of the various tools for pain assessment (appendix 8) before my teaching session. This teaching took a mostly behaviourist approach as opposed to a cognitive approach, however, discussion during the learning allows for a more cognitive approach(Figure 5). I arranged for a qualified mentor to observe and assess my teaching and the feedback I provided to the student (appendix 5). They provided written feedback on my session (appendix 6 and appendix 9). My assessor noted positive use of further reading and handouts, to enhance the students personal knowledge and support for further adult learning (Knowles 1990, Beskine 2008). Provision of printed handouts, particularly with space for notes beside them, may help accommodate students who have dyslexia, and may otherwise struggle to absorb the information provided (White, 2007). Figure 5. (Synthesised from Bullock et al 2008, Goppee 2008, Hinchliffe 2009) Learning theory Description Behaviourist Information provided by teacher, student relatively passive. Cognitive (humanisitic) Student centred. More useful in vocational teaching like nursing. Relates past experience (knowledge or theory). I booked and prepared the seminar room on the ward to ensure there wouldn’t be disturbances, a formal teaching session with clear aims of what to achieve (Goppee, 2008). Utilising a space like this creates a professional and friendly environment helping create a good learning environment (Beskine 2008, Hand 2006). My assessor observed that I had created a welcoming environment. My assessor commented on the high quality of the evidence based content within the teaching session, my own skill and knowledge in this particular area. Providing good evidence based information assists in providing excellence in care (Department of Health 2004, Beskine 2008). Using examples from practice also helped describe to the learner applications of the theory to practice (Knowles 1990). My assessor noted my good eye contact and body language, reassuring the student encourages continued attention, interest and a positive relationship (Dickson et al 1997). My assessor commented upon the open questions I asked, keeping the student interested, engaged and relating to practice, encouraging cognitive learning (Figure 5). Further learning revolved around the student as an adult learner identifying how to best expand their knowledge in this area by approaching it in a more kinaesthetic learning style (Pashler et al 2009, Figure 6). Figure 6. (Synthesised from Dunn et al 1996, Given and Reid 1999) Learning Style Advantages Disadvantages Visual Learns through images, visual tools or imagining events. May need more time to complete tasks. May have decreased interest in theoretical values. Auditory Learns well through talks or lectures. Absorbs sequenced organised information well. May use checklist. Highly unlikely to be able to multitask. Can focus on one area at a time and neglect ‘the big picture’. May not work well in groups. Kinaesthetic (Tactile) Learns through doing. Tends to enjoy the experience of learning. Finds it easy to demonstrate. May miss instructions or information if presented orally. May find paying attention to detail difficult. My observing assessor noted that at some points the speed of the session was a little too fast. This may cause the student to become confused or not absorb the information that I am teaching (Prozesky 2000). On reflection I can use this experience to expand my personal knowledge and how to develop further (O’Callaghan 2005). I will speak more slowly so that the learner can gain more from my teaching session, and consider the student as an adult learner with previous experiences, which can be used as a resource (Knowles 1990). I could also have asked how the student learned best and accommodated their learning style effectively (Rassool and Rawaf 2007). A wider range of learning styles (figure 6) would accommodate all types of learning (Rassool and Rawaf 2007, Pashler et al 2009). I would also put more emphasis on patient safety issues (Beskine 2008). Part 5: The Leadership skills required by a Mentor I am aware that being a mentor is part and parcel of leadership behaviour (Girvin, 1998). Transformational leadership concentrates on the ability to influence situations or people by affecting their methodology of thought and role modelling (Girvin, 1998). Transformational leadership in nursing encourage autonomy and enable students or staff to reach their potential and promotes good interprofessional rapport (Pollard, 2009). By acting as a role model in my clinical setting and seeking to address obstacles inherent in mentorship on the ward, it is possible that I could not only develop myself and the students that I mentor, but also other mentors on the ward and their behaviour and practice in a positive way (Girvin 1998, Pollard 2009). Obstacles such as staffing levels, busy ward environment and the pressure of clinical commitments impact upon me damaging the effective working relationship between myself and the student (Beskine 2009, Hurley and Snowden 2008, McBrien 2006). Finding time provide written feedback in a students documentation can be limited (Price, 2007). By e-mailing other mentors evaluations of my shifts with their students it may become common practice providing a greater range of student evaluation and a positive learning environment (Cassidy, 2009). This feedback can then be sent to the mentor at a quieter time, and discussed with the student prior to, signing and entry into their documentation with time being less of an issue. Despite this being a good use of resources and time management (Beskine 2009) I have already tried this and found often mentors are not interested unless the evaluation bears a particular negative weight with regards to poor performance which must be addressed urgently. Anxiety of the student, or my own as the assessor may effect the reliability, subjectivity or the validity of assessment (Price, 2007). Effectively facilitating the learning of students requires flexibility and understanding for different learning styles including (Bullock et al 2008, Goppee 2008, Hinchliffe 2009, Dunn et al 1996) including adult learning (Knowles,1990) and students with learning difficulties (White, 2007). Strong links between practice and theory (Stuart, 2007) must be in place to ensure suitability of assessment and teaching. Along with these issues, the student-mentor relationship must be nurtured to provide a quality learning experience (Ali and Panther 2008, Beskine 2009). Discussing a students preferred learning style in their initial interview may encourage the student to engage in a higher standard of adult learning (Knowles 1990, Rassool and Rawaf, 2007). This can help me alter my strategies to create a better relationship between myself and the student (Beskine, 2009). I am currently supervisor to a first year student on first placement who has studied in school and sixth form, they do not have a great deal of experience with adult learning, and they have needed additional support and provision of resources to facilitate their learning, articularly with practical skills. Orientation is the gateway to a successful placement (Beskine 2009). Students must be assessed fairly and objectively (Ali and Panther 2008, Duffy and Hardicre 2007a), though this may cause unpleasant emotions to both the student and assessor it is important that this is done, to ensure student progression is not damaged (Duffy 2003, Duffy and Hardicre 2007a, Duffy and Hardicre 20 07b, Rutowski 2007, Wilkinson 1999) and competence is insured for patient safety (NMC 2008b, Lomas 2009). I aim to ensure that the students I work with and assess are competent and fit for practice (NMC, 2008b). It is important to regularly work with students and have clear objectives from the initial interview (Duffy and Hardicre, 2007a). I am aware that it is my responsibility to ensure concerns with a students performance are raised by midpoint at latest, so that by final interview, there should be no surprises for the students summative assessment of their progress and level of competence (Duffy and Hardicre, 2007a). Asking children and parents their opinions on students working with me, and their performance can provide an insight into the family centred care the student is providing (Casey, 1988) and may allow a greater interpretation of holistic reflexive performance (Cassidy, 2009). On the negative side, a parent is not aware of the pressures upon the student (Price, 2007). The parent of a sick child is anxious themselves and will be more subjective than objective. In conclusion, mentoring is a complex and diverse role, and one I will take on with focus and and knowledge, and endeavor to continue to develop as a practitioner, assessor and teacher in the clinical setting. This reflective process has been incredibly valuable in preparing me to be a mentor, and my personal and professional development. I have gained a much deeper understanding of the mentor student process through investigation of the various aspects of NMC standards, as well as various assessment and teaching strategies. Areas on which I must develop are clear, and in completing this ourse I feel adequately prepared, and look forward to further developing my skills and knowledge within this role. REFERENCES References Ali PA, Panther W (2008), Professional development and the role of mentorship, Nursing Standard, 35-39, Date of acceptance April 3 2008. Bass, B. M. Bass, R. (2008). The Bass handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial applications (4th ed. ). New York : Free Press. Beskine D (2009), Mentoring students: establishing effective working relationships, Nursing Standard, 23, 30, 35-40. Bloom B (1956), Taxonomy of Educational Objectives Handbook I: The cognitive domain, New York, David McKay co Inc. Broome. M (2000), Helping Parents Support their Child in Pain, Paediatric Nursing, accessed online, accessed 05/01/2011 at 12:52. Carr SJ (2004) Assessing clinical competency in medical senior house officers: how and why should we do it? Postgraduate Medical Journal. 80, 940, 63-66. Casey A (1988), A partnership with child and family, Senior Nurse, 8, 4, 8-9 Caldwell J, Dodd K, Wilkes C (2008), Developing a mentoring model, Nursing Standard, 23(7), pp. 35-39 Cassidy S (2009), Interpretation of competence in a student assessment, Nursing Standard, 23, 18, 39-46 Chandratilake M, Davis M, Ponnamperuma G (2010), Evaluating and designing assessments for medical education, The Internet Joural of Medical Education, , , accessed 10/01/2011 at 00:23 Children Act (1989), , , accessed 03/01/2011 at 19:20. Clibbens N, Ashmore R, Carver N (2007), Group Clinical Supervision for mental health nursing students, British Journal of Nursing, 16, 10, 594-598 Cook M (2001), The renaissance of clinical leadership, International nursing review, 28, 38-46. Department of Health (2004), Standards for Better Health, London,DOH. Dickson D, Hargie O, Morrow N (1997), Communication Skills Training for Health Professionals (2nd edition), Nelson Thornes, London. Dogra N, Wass V (2006) Can we assess students’ awareness of cultural diversity? A qualitative study of stakeholders’ views. Medical Education. 40, 7, 682-690. Dowie I (2008), Reflections on academic supervision, Nursing Standard, 23, 11, 35-38 Duffy K, Hardicre J (2007a), Supporting failing students in practice 1: assessment, Nursing Times, 103(47), pp. 28-29 Duffy K, Hardicre J (2007a), Supporting failing students in practice 1: management, Nursing Times, 103(48), pp. 28-29 Duffy k (2003), Failing Students: a Qualitative Study of Factors that Influence the Decisions Regarding Assessment of Students’ Competence in Practice, , , accessed 03/01/2011 at 19:51 Dunn R, Dunn K, Price G (1006) Learning Style Inventory, Lawrence KA, Price Adams Faugier J, Woolnough H (2002), National nursing leadership programme, Mental Health Practice, 6 (3), 28-34. Fishel AH, Johnson GA (1981), The three-way conference: nursing student, nursing supervisor and nursing educator, Journal of Nursing Education, 20, 6, 18-23 Freshwater D, Stickley T (2004), The heart of the art: emotional intelligence in nurse education, Nursing Inquiry, 11, 2, 91-98 Given B, Reid G (1999), Learning Styles: A Guide for Teachers and Parents, Lancashire, Red Rose Publications Girvin J (1998), Leadership and Nursing, New York, Palgrave. Goppee N (2008), Mentoring and Supervision in Healthcare, London, Sage Publications Hand H (2006), Promtoing effective teaching and learning in the clinical setting, Nursing Standard, 20, 39, 55-63 Hinchliffe S (2009), The Practitioner as Teacher (4th edition), London, Churchill Livingstone. Hurley C, Snowden (2008) Mentoring in times of change, British Association of Critical Care Nurses, 13, 5, 269-275 International Association for the Study of Pain (1994), Classification of Chronic Pain, Second Edition, Part III: Pain Terms, A current List with Definitions and notes on Usage, IASP Task Force on Taxonomy, IASP Press, Seattle Knowles M (1990), The adult learner: A neglected species (4th edition), Houston, Gulf Publishing Lomas C (2009), Poor observations skills are risking patients’ lives, Nursing Times, , , accessed 11. 01. 11 at 12:37 McBrien B(2006), Clinical teaching and support for learners in the practice environment, British Journal of Nursing, 15, 12, 672-677 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004), Standards of proficiency for pre-registration nursing education, NMC, London Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008a), The Code: Standards of conduct, performances and ethics for Nurses and Midwives, London: NMC. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008b), Standards to support learning and assessment in practice: NMC standards for mentors, practice teachers and teachers, London: NMC. O’Callaghan N (2005), The use of expert practice to explore reflection, Nursing Standard, 19, 39, 41-47 Pashler H, McDaniel M, Rohrer D and Bjork R (2009), Learning Styles:Concepts and Evidence, Psychological Science in the Public Interest 9: 105-119. Phillips T, Schostak J, Tyler J, Allen L. (2000). Practice and assess- ment: An evaluation of the assessment of practice at diploma, degree and post-graduate level in pre- and post-registration nursing and midwifery education. ENB Research Highlights; 43: 1–6. Price B (2007), Practice-based assessment: strategies for mentors, Nursing Standard, 21 (36), pp. 49-56 Pollard K (2009), Student engagement in interprofessional working in practice placement settings, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18, 2856. Prozesky D (2000), Communication and effective teaching, Journal of Community Eye Health, 13, 35, 44-45 Rassool G, Rawaf S (2007), Learning style preferences of undergraduate nursing students, Nursing Standard, 21, 32, 35-41 Royal College of Nursing (2007), Guidance for mentors of nursing students and midwives: an RCN toolkit (2nd Edition), RCN, London. Rutowski K (2007), Failure to fail: assessing nursing students’ competence during practice assessments, Nursing Standard, 22(13), pp. 35-40 Sheridan M, Sharma A, Frost M (1997), From Birth to Five Years: Children’s Developmental Progress (2nd edition), Routeledge, London Stuart CC (2007), Assessment, supervision and support in clinical practice: a guide for nurses and midwives (2nd Ed. ), Churchill Livingstone; London. Wallace B (2003), Practical issues of student assessment, Nursing Standard, 17, 31, 33-36 White J (2007), Supporting nursing students with dyslexia in clinical practice, Nursing Standard, 21, 19, 35-42 Wilkinson J (1999), A practical guide to assessing nursing students in clinical practice, British Journal of Nursing, 8, 4, 218-222. Wilkinson J, Crossley J, Wragg A, Mills P, Cowan G, Wade W (2008), Implementing workplace-based assessment across the medical specialties in the United Kingdom, Medical Education, 42, 364-373 Wong DL, Hockenberry-Eaton M, Wilson D, Winkelstein ML, Schwartz P (2001), Wong’s Essentials of Pediatric Nursing (6th edition), St. Louis How to cite Mentoring and Enabling Learning in the Practice Setting, Essays

Integral Sustainable Design for Sentience- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theIntegral Sustainable Design for Sentience and Awareness. Answer: Introduction There are four quadrants of Integral Theory which have their own concerns and value criteria. It is a holistic approach in designing of integrated qualitative as well as quantitative perspective. The four simultaneous views on the problem can be a good representation of the quadrants and since they locate qualitative evaluation and the quantitative performance in both singular and the collective perspectives. Four Quadrants of Integral Theory Experience perspective Systematic members comprising of the human and non-human who have various forms of perception, sentience and the awareness Behavior perspective On the behavior perspective the designs try to answer. On how we shape and maximize the eco performance. Good from minimizing the resources consumption and the pollution while maximizing the preservation and re cycling. System perspectives Patterns of forms and flow of energy, information, people and materials that order ecological and the social relationships Culture perspective It shares the meaning and the understanding at various levels of complexity arising from the individual members interacting with each other

Flexible Work Schedule and Work

Introduction Work-life balance is a top agenda item for human resource managers of most multinational and large organizations. It is even the top priority issue for employees everywhere. Whether to adopt work-life balance or flexible schedules remains a contentious issue especially with times of great business economic threats on one hand and increased family pressure on the other.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Flexible Work Schedule and Work-Life Balance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though organizations globally manage a workforce that is very culturally diverse, they are faced with one similar challenge of managing a more informed workforce which demands for more and more rights even in difficult economic times. Even the environment itself promotes such demands to arise and thus managers must remain competitively capable of handling this. For instance, a recent survey and report in the UK showed that longer drinking hours have significantly increased work absence (Churchard 2011). There is a continuous search for ways that will not force people to choose between work and family or friends. In multinationals, the task is not as easy as it may be on local companies. The international human resource managers are faced by an extra task of understanding the various demographic and cultural differences in the countries in which their organizations are to be found. This means that the HR policies may not be directly transferable among the countries. A policy that may be applicable in one culture without any resistance from staff may face rejection if applied in a different culture if customization is not done. In this paper, focus is given to personnel policies that relate to flexibility and work-life balance. The human resource practices in some local and multinational companies are addressed and it is sought if a set of policies related to work-life balance in a multinational corpor ation can be applicable to a subsidiary in a different country. â€Å"Trends of Working Time in Europe† â€Å" In Europe, clear efforts to improve on working hours began in the 1980s, even though there had been efforts here and there to achieve the same. In Germany, working time flexibility increased since the compromise in the metal working industry in 1984. Today, over 52% of all the dependent employees work within a flexible organization. (Carl Maier 2009)Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In an experts meeting held in Dublin on 3rd June 2011, Boulin (2011) suggested that institutions in the European Union adopt policies that favor work/life balance through parental leaves and childcare facilities and also gender mainstreaming. A suggestion was therefore made that revision of working time be done in regards to long working hours, working time options and rules conc erning unsocial hours. On the same meeting, Italian human resource expert Addabbo Tindara suggested that the quality of work dimensions be looked at from six sides namely the â€Å"social, economic, work-life balance, complexity, organizational and ergonomic dimensions.† According to the Norwegian National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), flexible working hours can be a major hindrance to work-life balance. Data shows that for people working less than 40 hours a week, there is no much work-family conflict. However, for employees doing over 40 hours there is greater work-family conflict. According to the study by the institute, predictability is better than flexibility as far as work-family balance is concerned. The idea of working hours being flexible is not enough, they should be predictable too. Flexible contracts can come in form of temporary working, fixed term contracts, sub contracting, and zero hour’s contracts. Other ways of creating flexible work hour s are part-time work, flexitime and overtime. People can also do job sharing and compressed hours. Different countries have adopted different forms of flexible work in line with cultural beliefs, religion and moral principles. Literature Review Work-Life Balance There is an increasing rate for the demand for work-life balance solutions by employees and managers (Bird 2006). According to Bird, work-life is a serious concern even to the senior executives for the following reasons. Work-life balance affects growth and profit of the company i.e. on and off-the-job stresses adversely affect bottom line growth and drive down productivity. There is full engagement in customer service- this creates an unnecessarily stressed and out of balance workforce. There is increased expectation by the current pool of younger workers that there is a life to live other than and out of the job. Health cost solution- there is a rising cost of health care by organizations owing to the increased work relate d illnesses.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Flexible Work Schedule and Work-Life Balance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The health perspective According to Mayo-Clinic, inability to have a good work-life balance has far reaching health effects especially to the worker. Fatigue, suppressed immunity and general unproductivity are just among the many problems the worker experiences. Mayo-Clinic proposes a strategy to strike a better balance. They propose an approach that starts with tracking one’s weekly schedule and cutting or delegating those tasks you cannot handle. They also advise people to learn to say no when extra work out of schedule is assigned to make room for joy and additional meaningful activities. Work should be left at the workplace. Advice is therefore given, especially with the current technology that could connect home to work, that people should learn to separate work from personal act ivities. Good time management is especially crucial. This goes a long way in giving the worker enough time to relax and attend to other personal matters. In addition, it goes a long way in preventing conflicts at home more so for the married workforce. Above all, a good and healthy nutrition coupled with daily physical activity routines to nurture the physical and emotional wellbeing are recommended. It goes without saying that taking time to engage in regular physical activity in a preventive measure to cardiovascular diseases among other illnesses that are accentuated by living physically inactive life. This is a trend that is very common among the working class. As such, taking time to do activities that one enjoys could be a good thing to do (Stiles 2009). It is one’s responsibility to evaluate oneself and seek professional help when it is the right time. Working long hours and working in unsocial hours of the night necessitate frequent medical check ups and other forms o f medical attention. Multinationals which have subsidiaries in areas where there is no elaborate legislation on flexible and work-life balance must take this into account. Their human resources management must also create provisions that will ensure they are well trained for health work related life. This will increase employee retention, reduce days that employees miss job due to work-related sicknesses and in the end company maintains profitability. Taking the health of the workforce with high regard also motivates the employees, which is a gain to the organization.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Flex-time Mayo-Clinic suggests that one can take advantage of available options like flex hours, job sharing, compressed week and telecommuting among others. Control over one’s hours will give less stress. Flexible working arrangements have widely been advocated for by governments and private institutions. The Australian Government (2011) attaches the following benefits to flexible working arrangements. To begin with, the Australian government has realized that flex-time improves the firm’s ability to attract skilled and motivated employees, not to mention the effect of enhancing employee retention. Staffs who are allowed to take flex-time working schedules eventually become loyal to the organization since they feel the organization appreciates them by giving them space to make their choices. The staffs therefore execute their duties as if they are shareholders of the organization. The government of Australia has also recognized that allowing for flexi-time schedules i s a great step towards increasing trust and respect between employees and the management. When employees get flex-time opportunities, they end up contributing positively to the organization by improving productivity. This is because flexible work schedules can enable staff to execute their office duties even in odd hours which otherwise they would not have been working. It is well identified that flexi-time schedules lead to a reduction in staff absenteeism and labour turnover, eventually raising the company’s productivity and profitability. The Australian Government (2011) also highlights that flexible work schedules go a long way in reducing stress levels and boosting morale and commitment in employees. Finally, flexible work schedules reduce discrimination at work place. After recognizing the above benefits of flexible work schedules, the Australian Government (2011) went ahead to propose a three step approach to ease the introduction of flexible work practices. In the fir st step, new arrangements appropriate to the individual are decided in consideration of available options. The second step is to plan the strategy, especially on how to make the negotiations. The final one is to engage the actual negotiations with the employer, giving good reasons and explanations on benefits to you and the organization too. To the employer, the government says that this move will increase recruitment of the number of persons with disabilities. These people have an advantage of lower absenteeism, lower cost of hiring them, building staff morale and fewer accidents at work. In a case study of KPMG UK, a study was done to help in improvement of the performance of its large workforce in the country. The main challenges to be overcome were to cater for the greater expectations of freedom from staff. The real challenge was therefore to create a flexible working strategy that could both meet the staff needs and still improve its competitiveness. Line managers were therefo re set to work along HR to evaluate the requests. The results were glide time, part-time working hours, job sharing, additional holiday purchase, unpaid leave, career break and home working. Time off to deal with child care is also allowed (Giglio n.d). These are indications that KPMG adopted an approach that favored flex time as opposed to balanced work-life. In the long run, it achieved business benefits through creating a more loyal, motivated and productive staff, reduced recruitment cost due to better staff retention, a diverse workforce was maintained, and reinforced the company’s core values. Despite the fact that KPMG is a multinational that has subsidiaries in almost every part of the world, the human resource practices that relate to work-life and flexible working do not apply in all subsidiaries. Those in areas where employees are not much into flexible work hours do full time with core working hours being ten to four o’clock but reporting to work at eight i n the morning and leaving at six o’clock in the evening (Giglio n.d). The Ad Council, a private non profit organization with head offices in New York and Washington D.C has an average of 100 employees. All the employees are given liberty to utilize flexible hours provided they show that their productivity will not decline nor will the company incur further financial obligations. This program began with one employee who requested to be allowed to work from home. The employees hence gain in working in a happy environment spending more time with their children. Employees end up staying while the company remains attractive to job seekers. The company does not have to give several leaves like long maternity or paternity leaves since the parents can work soonest at the comfort of their homes (Vaele 2011). A furniture company, Ward’s Furniture based in Long Beach, California began to look for flexibility options as a means of taming employee turnover and thereby retain its va luable employees. The employees are treated like a family while the company still manages to keep its stores staffed. It was able to realize between 5 and 10 percent increase in annual sales in a business unfriendly time while most of its competitors shut their doors with lack of business. Management of global workforce in relation to flexi-time and work-life balance It is difficult for organizations that have a global presence to manage a flexible and very satisfied workforce. On the international arena, the managers are faced with a challenge of making flexible schedules for the employees. Most have therefore adopted a flexible schedule of work at home, which requires commitment both from employers and employees. In a study to search the applicability of this technique globally, it was found that there were more challenges in countries with collectivist cultures. Business Process Organizations and IT firms have gone a mile ahead in establishing such schedules. In most countries th at have effected flexible work hours, the call to have them comes as a result of different employee or employer needs. For instance, employees may call for flexible hours to allow them attend to other personal issues and then compensate with later hours. The call may also come from the employer in a bid to tame employee turnover, to share work due to inadequate supply of labour or to give chances to more employees or people with disabilities. The policies thus adopted will have a different basis in the effort to meet these demands. Cross border transfer of the policies may therefore not be possible as it will be difficult to meet these demands with just one set of homogeneous provisions. Perceptions on position, culture and career This would be one of the greatest variables in determining if transfer of personnel policies across borders will be effective. Surprisingly, this also has to do with the management’s taste as it may determine if these kinds of flexible schedules wil l be introduced. A study done on women around the globe showed that 81% of the North American women would make career sacrifices to improve personal life. This compares to 70% Asian women and 55% European (Rudrappa 2005). Even when academic credentials and other experiences are very important aspects in the selection of the right candidates for a job, an arising criterion is getting the right people in the right place with focus on cultural fit. International companies like Ikea have their selection of candidates more leaning towards cultural fit. Oracle is one other company that will use this criterion even for managerial positions. Other multinational companies like the Japanese Sony and All Nippon Airways do not let academic documents get in the way of getting the right staff. Internationalization calls for special attention such that the strategies applied are consistent while at the same time being flexible. In the end, the organization is able to meet international standards w hile at the same time being sensitive to local needs. In conclusion flexibility of people both in mindset, working hours and other key aspects is deeply etched into cultures. It is one of the reasons international human resource managers will look at cultural affiliation when considering who to consider for a position. Career women and flexibility In proportion to the relative number of employed women against employed men, women seem to be the largest group that is affected by lack of flexibility of work. In fact, a study was done to determine this and it was found that 67% of women interviewed would voluntarily leave work to stay at home as a wife or mother. An overwhelming 79% would quit for family obligations while 38% would do if they were forced to stay at home to be mothers or family custodians. However, challenges are still imposed by technology by bringing a work environment at home. It adversely affects women since they are now expected to balance the life of childcare, pro fessional work and family. ILO asserts that flexible working could lead to gender balance if well managed. They warn that it could lead to the woman being more oppressed if much work is brought to the home environment while there are lots of other domestic issues to handle (International Labour Organization 2007). As such, career women would end up not being favored by the flexibility of working as expected. Criticisms In an effort to achieve maximum productivity of an international human workforce, the focus should not dwell on the culture of the group from which the international organizations draw their workforce from. With the world becoming a global village, most of these hard-line cultures are being abandoned to embrace modern living. There is also a stronger need-based force, stronger than cultural tendencies that defy culture. For instance, most multinational companies looking for labour force would go where it is cheaper, that is in countries like China, India and generally Africa. The three are deeply rooted in the connectivism culture and are likely to oppose ideas like night shifts, working on holy days and other special times. However, this is only ideal. Members of these cultural groups have swam against the tide and made an impressively flexible workforce. With several advances having been made globally in management, it is only evident that either flexible time or good work-life balance is not entirely what is needed to increase sales or acquire a competitive edge; there are a myriad of many other ways. It would be wrong, therefore, to conclude that because a company used one of these at a certain time and performed well, it is the cause of increased productivity. It is often a complex interaction of these factors. Of major importance is the psychological consideration of individuals as separate entities and identifying each person’s needs. Transfer of personnel policies across borders The transfer of personnel policies on flexible and w ork-life balance is limited by the reasons each country established its statutes as compared to the other than it is by cultural differences. There is also lots of revision of the statutes as the workers and work demands keep changing and therefore necessitating their constant change. The absence of a very elaborate policy direction from the International Labour Organization is a limitation in itself to a smooth transfer of personnel policies regarding this area among nations. During its presidency of the European Union, Sweden promoted its working life. It is a clear indication that there is no homogeneous body of social science knowledge about work-life balance which can allow policy formulation and legislation. The incongruence in the laws formulated and lack of information in certain cases in different countries therefore pose a hindrance to easy transfers of personnel across borders. What may be considered as a bundle of family friendly practices in one country may be the oppos ite in the other (Tulgan 1996). Comparative issues have not been adequately dealt with to identify the key issues of work-life balance. There are therefore many cross-national differences in assumptions about the norms of family life and employer’s responsibilities. Divorce rates are a good indicator of this (Guest 2001). A good example is in what was back in the years, the Soviet Union. It used to have a strong stress on welfare and family support in its factory system but with the collapse of the communist system, a breakdown of these institutions was experienced. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has certain provisions that regard healthy working time and family friendly working time. It thus works towards seeking a solution of the traditional â€Å"male bread winner- female home maker† situation. Much of what it proposes falls within the flexible schedule brackets as part of it is part-time jobs and hourly wages for full time jobs (International Labour Or ganization 2007). Europe however is a step ahead in promoting some homogeny even though there still arises some disparities in legislation among the member countries. It is for that reason easier to have transfer of these policies within Europe. The ICT industry has been successful in maneuvering around most legislative and cultural barriers that may come in the way of flexible and work-life balance. The main reason is that much of ICT-related work can be done form whichever point in location. Technology has eased the barriers even though it has not cleared them. Most jobs that can be done online and perhaps have no tight deadlines encourage flexibility. Other than working as a ‘Flexibility Coach’, the human resource manager of a multinational must orientate himself to understanding of diverse cultures and their attitudes towards all aspects of work. As employees of today focus on improving on their work-life balance, the option of across border transfers is at stake. E mployees want to be either near home or at home, whether working or attending to personal matters. In this perspective, IHRM must focus on the real impact of flexible work-life balance. In most developing, nations especially of Africa and Asia, the concept of flexibility may be relatively new and if it has been adopted, it is only by a few companies related to ICT, though still to a lesser magnitude. For instance, choice may be on when to work but not necessarily on where to do it. For multinationals that have expanded to these areas, the use of a common HR policy on all aspects may not be possible, unless the members of the subsidiary group are flexible in their mindset to accommodate it. The culture of the host nation and donor nation may differ and this will have its share of the reasons transfer of personnel policies will not be efficient. In a case study to compare such cultures, Taiwan and UK were taken into consideration. First, UK is a developed economy while Taiwan is an up coming economy. Taiwanese principles are based on Confucianism while UK principles are based on individualism. Duty to family, harmonious attitude and a consensus towards a conflict-free working are some of the guiding principles for Taiwan. For UK, the individualism approach has no such thing as society to regard. The Taiwanese system provides permanent work because of values of Confucianism like â€Å"long term orientation†. On the other hand, at least 64% of UK’s workforce is either home-based workers or part-time workers. On such basis, transferability of the policies is therefore difficult for the two countries (Chang, Wilkinson Mellahi 2007). Challenges facing international work time management One of the greatest challenges a general manager of an international organization would face is managing people of different cultures in relation to productivity for his organization. The manager is left with an option of considering labour cost factors and economic facto rs as the major determinants. Even the expansion would need to consider these cultural factors. The prevailing religion could be considered as cultural. Religion affects people’s stands and these would best be factored in consideration of setting up an international business. Selecting managers for various assignments would mean screening them for such cultural factors for the sake of adaptability, self orientation and relational skills. Agreements on work life and flexible work Most researchers seem to agree that flex time and work balance must go hand in hand if it is possible for a specific job. Mayo-Clinic seems especially to propose a harmonized balance of the two. There is especially one general agreement in all schools of thought that the number of hours each person works per week could be rescheduled to become more productive and beneficial to the employee. Scholars of different schools of thought seem to agree that flexible work schedules can be either beneficial or detrimental to the organization. Detriment seems to come from less commitment of work-at-home employees. Conflicts on work life and flexible work The greatest conflict arises when the two aspects of work improvement are not differentiated and are addressed as one and the same thing. The Work Foundation (2008) addresses work-life balance as â€Å"having a measure of control over when, where and how you work leading to ability to enjoy an optimal quality of life† (para 5). In this definition, more of the issues addressed would rather fall on flexible work than work-life balance. It does not address the internal adjustment of the individual in terms of preparedness, personal schedule and attitudes towards work in an effort to make sure that work does not stall personal affairs or the other way. Some scholars depict work-life balance and the right to ask for a flexible working as impossible to overcome owing to the differences in cultures. They suggest that it could only be handl ed like subsidiaries requiring totally independent practices and policies. Other scholars imply that with the globalization of management, everything else concerning the working environment could be ‘globalized’ and enable transfer of personnel policies internationally. Summary There is diversity amongst European countries concerning the basis on which statutes on flexible working were introduced. UK, for instance, introduced them in response to labour market shortages and to eliminate work-family conflict that became a barrier to employment. Other countries introduced theirs in response to unemployment and therefore it was a means of work sharing. The compatibility of personnel policies of such countries is therefore capped by these facts and is difficult to effect. The internationalization of HRM is limited by social cultural factors. Some of these factors are issues like common age, size, and norms of behavior, presence of customs, influence of labour unions, labour market and perceptions of different stakeholders. When looked at from a flexibility dimension, many other factors like pay and benefits, communication, transfers and business environment come into play. It is becoming increasingly important for multinational enterprises to globalize their human resource practices. How best to do it on a culturally diverse workforce depends on the continued innovativeness and creativity of the managers. Gaps between strategic management and international human resource management function must be bridged. Despite its difficulty, it has proved possible with several multinational companies effectively effecting flexible schedules to all their subsidiaries. German companies are known, for instance, to expand to Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia and still successfully implement their personnel policies in all of them. International human resource management is faced with such emerging issues and must be competitive enough to cater for it to overcome such challenges and retain a competitive edge. The disparities in how such policies evolve must be catered for because the rate of changes may not be the same. It will even mean constant revision of the policies in a fast changing world. Countries that are technologically advanced are easier to manage because infrastructure supports such changes. The human resource management team will however experience a higher demand from employees of such countries. Competent international human resource managers will, according to this research, be open-minded so as to accommodate different cultures in the work-life balance requests. In the long run, the human resource manager seeks to help the employees achieve personal satisfaction as they achieve organizational goals. He may not be able to put into effect these flexible schedules for managers since their roles are more demanding and options like sharing will be out of question even with much delegation. Differences in cultural factors are partia lly a hindrance to the transferability of personnel policies, but not a block never to be overcome. List of References Australian Government, 2011. How to negotiate a flexible work environment. JobAccess. [online] Available at: http://jobaccess.gov.au/Jobseekers/Starting_work/How_to_negotiate_a_flexible_work_environment/Pages/home.aspx . Bird, J., 2006. Work-life balance: Doing it right and avoiding the pitfalls. Employment Relations Today, 33(3), 1-9. Boulin, J., 2011. Flexible working hours and their impact on work-life balance and working conditions. Expert Meeting- Organization of Working time: Implications for Working Conditions, Dublin, June 3rd 2011. [Online] Available at: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/events/2011/workingtime/meeting2.htm . Carl, A. Maier, F., 2009. â€Å"Flexible working time arrangements in Germany.† External Report Commissioned by and presented to the EU Directorate-General Employment and Social Affairs, Unit G1 ‘Equality between women and m en’. [Online] Available at: http://www.fgbegge.it/public/documets/Flexible%20working%20time%20arrangements%20in%20Germany.pdf Chang, Y. Y., Wilkinson, A. J. Mellahi, K., 2007. HRM strategies and MNCs from emerging economies in the UK. European Business Review, 19(5), 404 – 419 Churchard, C., 2010. Longer drinking hours ‘drive up workplace absence’. [online] Available at: http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2011/10/longer-drinking-hours-drive-up-workplace-absence.htm Giglio, K., n.d. Workplace flexibility case studies. Sloan Work and Family Research Network. [online] Available at http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/template.phpname=casestudy#unc Guest, D. E., 2001. Perspectives on the study of work-life balance. [Online] Available at: http://www.ucm.es/info/Psyap/enop/guest.htm . International Labour Organization, 2007. Decent working time: Balancing workers’ needs with business requirements. ILO. [online] Available at: http://www.ilo.org/travail/w hatwedo/publications/lang–en/docName–WCMS_145391/index.htm Rudrappa, S., 2005. Women in global workforce. [online] Available at: http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/corporate/press/20050419_ut_whitepaper.pdf Stiles, P. et al., 2009. Best practice and key themes in global human resource Management: Project Report [online] Available at: http://www.cihrm.jbs.cam.ac.uk/research/downloads/ghrra_report.pdf . The Work Foundation, 2008. Jargon buster. theworkfoundation.com. [online] Available at: http://www.theworkfoundation.com/difference/e4wlb/jargonbuster.aspx Tulgan, B., 1996. Managing Generation X. Oxford: Capstone. Vaele, P., 2011. Workplace flexibility case study: The Ad Council’s flexible work schedule policy. [online] Available at: wfnetwork.bc.edu/pdfs/adcouncil.pdf This essay on Flexible Work Schedule and Work-Life Balance was written and submitted by user Maxim Casey to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Nobel Prize History - How the First Nobel Prizes Were Awarded

Nobel Prize History - How the First Nobel Prizes Were Awarded A pacifist at heart and an inventor by nature, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite. However, the invention that he thought would end all wars was seen by many others as an extremely deadly product. In 1888, when Alfreds brother Ludvig died, a French newspaper mistakenly ran an obituary for Alfred which called him the merchant of death. Not wanting to go down in history with such a horrible epitaph, Nobel created a will that soon shocked his relatives and established the now famous Nobel Prizes. Who was Alfred Nobel? Why did Nobels will make establishing the prizes so difficult? Alfred Nobel Alfred Nobel was born on October 21, 1833, in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1842, when Alfred was nine years old, his mother (Andrietta Ahlsell) and brothers (Robert and Ludvig) moved to St. Petersburg, Russia to join Alfreds father (Immanuel), who had moved there five years earlier. The following year, Alfreds younger brother, Emil, was born. Immanuel Nobel, an architect, builder, and inventor, opened a machine shop in St. Petersburg and was soon very successful with contracts from the Russian government to build defense weapons. Because of his fathers success, Alfred was tutored at home until the age of 16. Yet, many consider Alfred Nobel a mostly self-educated man. Besides being a trained chemist, Alfred was an avid reader of literature and was fluent in English, German, French, Swedish, and Russian. Alfred also spent two years traveling. He spent much of this time working in a laboratory in Paris but also traveled to the United States. Upon his return, Alfred worked in his fathers factory. He worked there until his father went bankrupt in 1859. Alfred soon began experimenting with nitroglycerine, creating his first explosions in early summer 1862. In only a year (October 1863), Alfred received a Swedish patent for his percussion detonator - the Nobel lighter. Having moved back to Sweden to help his father with an invention, Alfred established a small factory at Helenborg near Stockholm to manufacture nitroglycerine. Unfortunately, nitroglycerine is a very difficult and dangerous material to handle. In 1864, Alfreds factory blew up - killing several people, including Alfreds younger brother, Emil. The explosion did not slow down Alfred, and within only a month, he organized other factories to manufacture nitroglycerine. In 1867, Alfred invented a new and safer-to-handle explosive - dynamite. Though Alfred became famous for his invention of dynamite, many people did not intimately know Alfred Nobel. He was a quiet man who did not like a lot of pretense or show. He had very few friends and never married. And though he recognized the destructive power of dynamite, Alfred believed it was a harbinger of peace. Alfred told Bertha von Suttner, an advocate for world peace, My factories may make an end of war sooner than your congresses. The day when two army corps can annihilate each other in one second, all civilized nations, it is to be hoped, will recoil from war and discharge their troops. * Unfortunately, Alfred did not see peace in his time. Alfred Nobel, chemist and inventor, died alone on December 10, 1896, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. After several funeral services were held and Alfred Nobels body was cremated, the will was opened. Everyone was shocked. The Will Alfred Nobel had written several wills during his lifetime, but the last one was dated November 27, 1895 - a little over a year before he died. Nobels last will left approximately 94 percent of his worth to the establishment of five prizes (physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace) to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. Though Nobel had proposed a very grandiose plan for the prizes in his will, there were a great many problems with the will. Relatives of Alfred Nobel were so shocked that many wanted the will contested.The format of the will had formal defects which could have caused the will to be contested in France.It was unclear which country Alfred had his legal residence. He was a Swedish citizen until age nine, but after that he had lived in Russia, France, and Italy without becoming a citizen. Nobel had been making plans for a final home for himself in Sweden when he died. The location of residency would determine what countrys laws would govern the will and the estate. If determined to be France, the will could have been contested and French taxes would have been taken.Because Nobel had wanted the Norwegian Storting (parliament) to choose the peace prize winner, many charged Nobel with a lack of patriotism.The fund that was to implement the prizes did not yet exist and would have to be created.The organizations that Nobel named in his will to award the prizes had not been asked to take on these duties prior to No bels death. Also, there was no plan to compensate these organizations for their work on the prizes. The will did not state what should be done if no prize winners for a year were found. Because of the incompleteness and other obstacles presented by Alfreds will, it took five years of hurdles before the Nobel Foundation could be established and the first prizes awarded. The First Nobel Prizes On the fifth anniversary of Alfred Nobels death, December 10, 1901, the first set of Nobel Prizes were awarded. Chemistry: Jacobus H. vant HoffPhysics: Wilhelm C. Rà ¶ntgenPhysiology or Medicine: Emil A. von BehringLiterature: Rene F. A. Sully PrudhommePeace: Jean H. Dunant and Frà ©dà ©ric Passy * As quoted in W. Odelberg (ed.), Nobel: The Man His Prizes (New York: American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc., 1972) 12. Bibliography Axelrod, Alan and Charles Phillips. What Everyone Should Know About the 20th Century. Holbrook, Massachusetts: Adams Media Corporation, 1998. Odelberg, W. (ed.). Nobel: The Man His Prizes. New York: American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc., 1972. Official Website of the Nobel Foundation. Retrieved April 20, 2000 from the World Wide Web: nobel.se

Human Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Language - Essay Example However, this physicality poses a greater risk ÃŽ ¿f choking as food passes directly across the trachea. Other animals do not have this anatomy so therefore physically cannot speak. Evolutionary psychologists argue that for this to have evolved into humans over millions of ÃŽ ¿f years the advantages must far outweigh the potential hazards. They maintain that human language originated for a specific reason. The majority ÃŽ ¿f time spent by our early ancestors would be foraging for food in a hostile environment, with little time for establishing bonds with their present groups. Primates communicate within groups by grooming, but obviously, this is time-consuming and can only be done on an individual basis. Dunbar comments, "What language seems to do is allow you to overcome that barrier and use what time you have in a much more efficient way." Language allows humans to talk to several people at the same time. You can talk whilst doing other tasks and this enables humans to reach many m ore individuals, increasing the amount ÃŽ ¿f people you are communicating with. Physicalities aside, Aitchison defines human language as having four unique factors; semanticity - in that the words or other units must have a meaning; displacement - where language can be used whether the object in question is present or not; structure dependence - given that the order ÃŽ ¿f the words must make grammatical sense and creativity - probably the most human quality ÃŽ ¿f all, as there are in essence.... Other animals do not have this anatomy so therefore physically cannot speak. Evolutionary psychologists argue that for this to have evolved in humans over millions f years the advantages must far outweigh the potential hazards. They maintain that human language originated for a specific reason. The majority f time spent by our early ancestors would be foraging for food in a hostile environment, with little time for establishing bonds with their present groups. Primates communicate within groups by grooming, but obviously this is time consuming and can only be done on an individual basis. Dunbar (1993, p. 89) comments, "What language seems to do is allow you to overcome that barrier and use what time you have in a much more efficient way." Language allows humans to talk to several people at the same time. You can talk whilst doing other tasks and this enables humans to reach many more individuals, increasing the amount f people you are communicating with. Physicalities aside, Aitchison (1983) defines human language as having four unique factors; semancity - in that the words or other units must have a meaning; displacement - where language can be used whether the object in question is present or not; structure dependence - given that the order f the words (syntax) must make grammatical sense and creativity - probably the most human quality f all, as there are in essence, a never-ending number f different expressions that can be communicated. Humans use particular tools when communicating. They attempt to recognise and allocate words to certain meanings, then identify the grammatical placement f the word in a sentence, and finally refer back to a wider textual context, using previous knowledge to