buy custom New Technology essay

buy custom New Technology essay Date of Submission Technology plays a major role to the intelligence of Americans. According to Bustos, intelligence is defined as a composite of general and specific abilities that characterize an individuals level of neurological functioning in the context of his or her effectively applied experience and manifested in his or her dynamic coping with the challenges for adjustment which makes in the day to day living. On the other hand, technology involves carrying out activities that enable the Americans to identify various opportunities that arise as a result of its use which enables them to be well prepared for the future. It therefore assists the Americans in their day to day activities by capturing important information that is related to technology which enables people to make more informed decisions thereby making them to go for better choices. Technology has enabled the Americans to become more intelligent in the past and in the present. This is evident where we find out that, the civil war that took place in America enhanced the marriage of technology with intelligence. In the past, the Americans were used to doing things their own way for example; they were not using some materials such as balloons in the civil wars which were being used by other countries. During this period the introduction of new technology enabled the Americans to identify other and better materials that were being used by other countries. Later on, new technology enabled the Americans to become more intelligence which led to the use of telegraphs which replaced the use of balloons. The introduction of telegraphs improved the operations during the civil war whereby information was passed easily and in a manner that way more secure. Technology has continued to improving the intelligence of Americans because it has helped them to become more intelligent by identifying better ways of doing of things and improving their systems that are used in defense. America is known to be a superpowe. This is because the rest of the world knows that they cannot beat the Americans in their activities especially the ones that are related to war. As a result, different countries have always considered Americas assistance in various activities that they carry out because they believe they are more intelligent as compared to other states and countries. New technology led to emergence of other activities that led to the marriage of technology and intelligence after the civil war. These activities facilitated photographic intelligence. This type of intelligence was used to photograph other countries coastal defenses where ships were used. The photographic intelligence was developed until it became a strategic effort that was used by the Americas Navy. It is therefore right to say that technology has enabled the Americans to acquire hostile intelligence. Stair and Reynolds note that this type of intelligence is determined by the degree of human collection networks which is facilitated by new technology which assists in satisfaction of the requirements (218). In the past, the Americans relied on the industrial sector for carrying out various tests, research, development and evaluation processes for them to develop weapons, establish communication and for intelligence development which shifted their hostile intelligence. Hostile intelligence has been used by the Americans to monitor their telecommunication channels for example the satellite links and other ground transmissions. Technology has also helped the Americans to acquire artificial intelligence which involves the ability to understand and use machines which facilitates production. This is has enabled the Americans to produce products in masses which has promoted economic growth. The use of machines also improves efficiency, effectiveness and even the production speed. Technology has also enabled the American students to acquire visual spatial intelligence. This is because the students use televisionss and other equipments such as computer-printers and copy machines that facilitate learning. Glandon defines visual-spatial intelligence as the ability on an individual to see the visual-spatial world accurately and express those images through painting, drawing, designing and sculpting. The use of advanced technology assists students in their thinking processes because it helps them to become more interactive and active in the learning process. The visual media has also been of great help to the people who have special needs. This is because it has been used to improve their intelligence and put them in a better position to handle life issues and challenges. An example of this is the use of IBMs speech viewer which is used by the people who have difficulties in speech which enables them to see their speaking pattern through the equipment. The IBMs speech viewer thereafter gives feedback which enables the students to know the areas that they need to improve on hence they are in a position to make appropriate changes. The visual spatial equipments motivate individuals by engaging them through the exercise of visual spatial intelligence which improves the accessibility of the subjects to individuals. Technology also supports people with other forms of disabilities thereby improving their intelligence. The use of computers helps individuals to identify their strengths and weaknesses in their interaction with technology. In conclusion, the use of technology is vital in any organization setup. This is because it helps individuals to acquire more skills, come of with new ideas and better ways of carrying out their activities. It also equips individuals with knowledge thereby enabling them to make better decisions in their lives and handle issues that affect them because they can reason, brainstorm and come up with solutions to issues affecting them. The Americans should therefore carry out research and development which improve their intelligence form time to time with the help of technology. Buy custom New Technology essay

Major General Darius N. Couch - Civil War

Major General Darius N. Couch - Civil War Darius Couch - Early Life Career: The son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Couch, Darius Nash Couch was born in Southeast, NY on July 23, 1822.   Raised in the area, he received his education locally and ultimately decided upon pursuing a military career.   Applying to the US Military Academy, Couch received an appointment in 1842.   Arriving at West Point, his classmates included George B. McClellan, Thomas Stonewall Jackson, George Stoneman, Jesse Reno, and George Pickett.   An above average student, Couch graduated four years later ranked 13th in a class of 59.   Commissioned as a brevet second lieutenant on July 1, 1846, he was ordered to join the 4th US Artillery. Darius Couch - Mexico Interwar Years: As the United States was engaged in the Mexican-American War, Couch soon found himself serving in Major General Zachary Taylors army in northern Mexico.   Seeing action at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, he earned a brevet promotion to first lieutenant for gallant and meritorious conduct.   Remaining in the region for the remainder of the conflict, Couch received orders to return north for garrison duty at Fortress Monroe in 1848.   Sent to Fort Pickens in Pensacola, FL the following year, he took part in operations against the Seminoles before resuming garrison duty.   As the early 1850s passed, Couch moved through assignments in New York, Missouri, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.    Possessing an interest in the natural world, Couch took a leave of absence from the US Army in 1853 and conducted an expedition to northern Mexico to collect specimens for the recently-established Smithsonian Institution.   During this time, he discovered new species of kingbird and spadefoot toad which were named in his honor.   In 1854, Couch married Mary C. Crocker and returned to military service.   Remaining in uniform for another year, he resigned his commission to become a merchant in New York City.   In 1857, Couch moved to Taunton, MA where he assumed a position at his in-laws copper fabrication firm. Darius Couch - The Civil War Begins: Employed in Taunton when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter beginning the Civil War, Couch quickly volunteered his services to the Union cause.   Appointed to command the 7th Massachusetts Infantry with the rank of colonel on June 15, 1861, he then led the regiment south and aided in constructing defenses around Washington, DC.   In August, Couch was promoted to brigadier general and that fall received a brigade in McClellans newly-formed Army of the Potomac.   Training his men through the winter, he was further elevated in early 1862 when he took command of a division in Brigadier General Erasmus D. Keyes IV Corps.   Moving south in the spring, Couchs division landed on the Peninsula and in early April served in the Siege of Yorktown. Darius Couch - On the Peninsula: With the Confederate withdrawal from Yorktown on May 4, Couchs men took part in the pursuit and played a key role in halting an attack by Brigadier General James Longstreet at the Battle of Williamsburg.   Moving towards Richmond as the month progressed, Couch and IV Corps came under heavy assault on May 31 at the Battle of Seven Pines.   This saw them briefly forced back before repelling Major General D.H. Hills Confederates.   In late June, as General Robert E. Lee commenced his Seven Days Battles, Couchs division retreated as McClellan withdrew east.   In the course of the fighting, his men took part in the Union defense of Malvern Hill on July 1.   With the failure of the campaign, Couchs division was detached from IV Corps and sent north. Darius Couch - Fredericksburg: During this time, Couch suffered from increasingly ill health.   This led him submit a letter of resignation to McClellan.   Unwilling to lose a gifted officer, the Union commander did not forward Couchs letter and instead had him promoted to major general to date from July 4.   While his division did not participate in the Second Battle of Manassas, Couch led his troops into the field in early September during the Maryland Campaign.   This saw them support VI Corps attack at Cramptons Gap during the Battle of South Mountain on September 14.   Three days later, the division moved towards Antietam but did not take part in the fighting.   In the wake of the battle, McClellan was relieved of command and replaced with Major General Ambrose Burnside.   Reorganizing the Army of the Potomac, Burnside placed Couch in command of II Corps on November 14.   This formation was in turn assigned to Major General Edwin V. Sumners Right Grand Division.   Marching south towards Fredericksburg, II Corps divisions were led by Brigadier Generals Winfield S. Hancock, Oliver O. Howard, and William H. French.   On December 12, a brigade from Couchs corps was dispatched across the Rappahannock to sweep the Confederates from Fredericksburg and allow Union engineers to construct bridges across the river.   The next day, as the Battle of Fredericksburg commenced, II Corps received orders to assault the formidable Confederate position on Maryes Heights.   Though Couch vehemently opposed the attack feeling that it would like be repulsed with heavy losses, Burnside insisted that II Corps move forward. Advancing early that afternoon, Couchs predictions proved accurate as each division was repelled in turn and the corps sustained over 4,000 casualties.          Darius Couch - Chancellorsville: Following the disaster at Fredericksburg, President Abraham Lincoln replaced Burnside with Major General Joseph Hooker.   This saw another reorganization of the army that left Couch in command of II Corps and made him the senior corps commander in the Army of the Potomac.   For the spring of 1863, Hooker intended to leave a force at Fredericksburg to hold Lee in place while he swung the army north and west to approach the enemy from behind.   Moving out in late April, the army was across the Rappahannock and moving east on May 1.   Largely held in reserve, Couch became concerned about Hookers performance when his superior appeared to lose his nerve that evening and elected to shift to the defensive after the opening actions of the Battle of Chancellorsville.    On May 2, the Union situation worsened when a devastating attack by Jackson routed Hookers right flank.   Holding his section of the line, Couchs frustrations grew the following morning when Hooker was rendered unconscious and possibly sustained a concussion when a shell hit a column he was leaning against.   Though unfit for command after awakening, Hooker refused to turn full command of the army over to Couch and instead timidly played out the battles final stages before ordering a retreat north.   Quarreling with Hooker in the weeks after the battle, Couch requested reassignment and left II Corps on May 22.   Darius Couch - Gettysburg Campaign: Given command of the newly-created Department of the Susquehanna on June 9, Couch quickly worked to organize troops to oppose Lees invasion of Pennsylvania.   Utilizing forces largely comprised of emergency militia, he ordered fortifications built to protect Harrisburg and dispatched men to slow the Confederate advance.   Skirmishing with Lieutenant General Richard Ewell and Major General J.E.B. Stuarts forces at Sporting Hill and Carlisle respectively, Couchs men helped ensure that the Confederates stayed on the west bank of the Susquehanna in the days prior to the Battle of Gettysburg.   In the wake of the Union victory in early July, Couchs troops aided in the pursuit of Lee as the Army of Northern Virginia sought to escape south.   Remaining in Pennsylvania for most of 1864, Couch saw action that July when he responded to Brigadier General John McCauslands burning of Chambersburg, PA.          Darius Couch - Tennessee the Carolinas: In December, Couch received command of a division in Major General John Schofields XXIII Corps in Tennessee.   Attached to Major General George H. Thomas Army of the Cumberland, he took part in the Battle of Nashville on December 15-16.   In the course of the fighting on the first day, Couchs men aided in shattering the Confederate left and played a role in driving them from the field a day later.   Remaining with his division for the rest of the war, Couch saw service during the Carolinas Campaign in the final weeks of the conflict.   Resigning from the army in late May, Couch returned to Massachusetts where he unsuccessfully ran for governor.   Darius Couch - Later Life: Named the customs inspector for the Port of Boston in 1866, Couch only briefly held the post as the Senate did not confirm his appointment.   Returning to business, he accepted the presidency of the (West) Virginia Mining and Manufacturing Company in 1867.   Four years later, Couch moved to Connecticut to serve as the quartermaster-general of the states militia.   Later adding the position of adjutant general, he remained with the militia until 1884.   Spending his final years in Norwalk, CT, Couch died there on February 12, 1897.   His remains were interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Taunton.   Ã‚   Selected Sources Blue Gray Trail: Darius CouchUS Army History: Chancellorsville Staff RideAztec Club: Darius Couch

B plan - additional payment Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

B plan - additional payment - Outline Example Expenses incurred on Petrol have been reduced to â‚ ¬40 per week based on a revised plan to focus on basic services. i.e. design and management building services engineering projects. Smaller projects will be sub-contracted to fellow engineers that cover Leninster, Connaught and North Munster. This will reduce travel time in conducting surveys on properties beyond a distance of 30 miles from the home office. The car is also being reconfigured to run on diesel, which is a cheaper alternative. There will be no expenses on advertising during year 1. The firm will continue to use word of mouth and tap into the existing customer base. Further, expenses on training and development are expected to reduce to â‚ ¬10 per week after the completion of the Masters degree in May 2011 by availing skills net funding wherever possible. Based on these revised estimates, expenses are expected to reduce by up to â‚ ¬77 per week. I request you to examine the enclosed spreadsheet for further information on specific revisions in all key areas. I would also like to emphasize that these estimates were solely revised to reflect more realistic projections and have not been made to reflect better profits on

Strategic Initiative plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Initiative plan - Research Paper Example The launch of a new advertising campaign can be used as a strategic move to spur a sales jump in the short term. Financial planning is another important function that is correlated to strategic planning. A financial plan must be prepared to determine how much investment is needed for any initiatives or strategic projects the company desires to implement. Financial planning involves determining how to obtain the resources needed to finance a project. Some of the sources that can be used to finance a strategic plan include selling common or preferred stocks, bonds, sale of assets, and loans from financial institutions. Strategic planning and financial planning are correlated because the implementation of a strategic plan is dependent of the budget available. A financial planning technique that can be used to predict the future financial outcome of a company is pro-forma financial statements. The master budget is also used to keep track of inflows and outflows of a project. â€Å"The master budget is a summary of companys plans that sets specific targets for sales, production, distribution and f inancing activities† (Accountingformanagement, 2012). Multinational corporations often utilize strategic and financial planning to achieve the goals of the company. The company I work for has utilized strategic planning effectively in the past. Last year the company entered into a strategic marketing alliance with a competitor in order to increase the overall demand for the product. The firm also utilized strategic planning in its human resource function. Due to the increase production demand the firm had to hire an additional 25 employees. A financial planning initiative that the company performed last year was obtaining a $4 million business loan that was used for leasehold improvements, research and development, and to finance an expansion project. Large companies such as

Envious longings Essay Example for Free

Envious longings Essay Desire of wealth in ‘The Necklace’ by Guy De Maupassant and ‘Neighbors’ by Raymond Carver Desire of wealth can be considered as the principal cause of the chaos in the world. Desire for wealth makes our society a real pandemonium. Desire for wealth triggers innumerable problems in the life of human beings. Absence of desire for wealth would have made this world a real paradise. Desire for wealth made human beings devalue relationships, health, morality and other crucial aspects of life. Endless desire for wealth torments the life of people and deprives them of their happiness. Still the quest for wealth never ends. Several literary works examine the disastrous consequences of desire for wealth. The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant and Neighbors by Raymond Carver are two short stories that have ‘desire for wealth’ as a major theme. The short story, The Necklace is a warning against the desire for wealth. In the short story we find Mme. Loisel, whose thirst for wealth and luxury destroyed her life. Mme. Loisel wanted to live a life of luxury and comfort like any other women. She was not ready to live with the simple income of her husband. She desired for expensive jewelry and costumes though her husband had a small income. She wanted to be a society woman who wears expensive dress and jewelry. Mme. Loisel was crazy to enjoy life to the fullest. This attitude is evident throughout the story. She loved to dress like the rich women of her society. She desired to attend parties like her contemporary society women. When she sat down for dinner at the round table covered with a three-days-old cloth, opposite her husband, who took the cover off the soup-tureen, exclaiming delightedly: Aha! Scotch broth! What could be better? (Guy De Maupassant, 2003). She imagined delicate meals, gleaming silver, tapestries peopling the walls with folk of a past age and strange birds in faery forests; she imagined delicate food served in marvellous dishes, murmured gallantries, listened to with an inscrutable smile as one trifled with the rosy flesh of trout or wings of asparagus chicken (Guy De Maupassant, 2003). Mme. Loisel loved delicious meals and similar entertainment. She did not desire a simple life inside the four walls of her house. She dreamt nothing but luxury. Mme. Loisel was not happy with her humble family situation. She was not comfortable with her house which had no modern amenities. She was highly bothered of social status. She was as unhappy as though she had married beneath her; for women have no caste or class, their beauty, grace, and charm serving them for birth or family, their natural delicacy, their instinctive elegance, their nimbleness of wit, are their only mark of rank, and put the slum girl on a level with the highest lady in the land (Guy De Maupassant, 2003). We read in the short story that Mme. Loisel lived in frustration because of her poorness. She could not help the worn chairs, mean wall, simple curtains and other humble things of her house. She compared herself to other women of her class. She too desired to live a life of his social status. This very thought tormented her. The situation of the little Breton girl evoked hopeless dream in her mind. She imagined silent antechambers, heavy with Oriental tapestries, lit by torches in lofty bronze sockets, with two tall footmen in knee-breeches sleeping in large arm-chairs, overcome by the heavy warmth of the stove (Guy De Maupassant, 2003). She did not contain with her humble belongings. She wanted to live the life of high social status. She imagined vast saloons hung with antique silks, exquisite pieces of furniture supporting priceless ornaments, and small, charming, perfumed rooms, created just for little parties of intimate friends, men who were famous and sought after, whose homage roused every other womans envious longings (Guy De Maupassant, 2003). Mme. Loisel desired a luxurious life. She wanted to dress up like rich women. She believed that she was made for expensive dress and jewels. She always desired to be charming, attractive and sought after. She was unhappy with her life as she had to live with the meager income of her husband. We find in the short story how the craze for wealth made her life topsy-turvy. We find that her vanity made her borrow the necklace which she lost. Her life turns out to be miserable because of this. Her endless thirst for wealth and luxuries made her lead a difficult life later. Neighbors by Raymond Carver also speak about the craze for wealth and its dangerous consequences. The short story includes a plot that includes the life of Bill and Arlene Miller, the couple who takes care of the Stone’s apartment. It is very much evident in the short story that there is a close relationship between the couples. Bill and Arlene understand that their lives are not exciting like the lives of their neighbors. As Stone’s leaves their house for their vacation, Bill goes to their house to feed the cat and water the plants. Gradually Bill becomes interested in the possessions of his neighbor. His desire for wealth and luxury makes him crazy for his neighbor’s possessions. We find him exploring his neighbor’s house and their belongings. He starts enjoying his time in the neighbor’s house. We find him taking leave from work to go to the neighbor’s house and spend time there. He feels that the house has some magical quality to make time fly off. It is also amazing to note that the sex drive of Bill and Arlene also increases when they spend time in their neighbor’s house. Their craze for the neighbor’s luxurious life made them spend more time there. Like Bill, Arlene also loves to visit neighbor’s life often. The couple does love searching along the things in the apartment. The story ends when then couples forget the key in their apartment and getting locked out of it. The story helps us understand how useless it is to compare our lives with others and desire for their wealth. Like Mme. Loisel in the short story ‘The Necklace’, the couples in the short story ‘Neighbors’ also became foolish enough to desire other’s wealth and possessions. The lust for luxury and wealth resulted in their downfall. Desire for wealth is a destructive character. Lusting for luxury and wealth destroys peace, breaks relationships, degrades character and makes life miserable. Contentment is the key to happiness. Desiring for more wealth and possessions causes immense problems. Like Mme. Loisel in the short story ‘The Necklace’, the couples in the short story ‘Neighbors’, those who run after wealth run into problems and miseries. Craving for luxuries and wealth is therefore the most destructive nature of human beings. Works Cited Guy De Maupassant (2003) The Necklace and Other Tales, Modern Library. Raymond Carver (1971) ‘Neighbors’.

The Power of Sixteen Words Exposed in The Red Wheelbarrow Essay

The Power of Sixteen Words Exposed in The Red Wheelbarrow William Carlos Williams's poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" is extraordinary for what it accomplishes within its eight short lines. It is exactly one sentence long, sixteen words. Numbers like that wouldn't normally be important in the consideration of a poem's merit, but "The Red Wheelbarrow" begs to be noticed for its length (or, rather, its lack of length) and for the arrangement of its sixteen words on the page. In fact, an interesting experiment would be to give a group of people the words that Williams uses and ask them to arrange the words into the structure of a poem. How many people would do as Williams does and end up with four almost perfectly congruent stanzas, each one with three words in the first line and one word in the second line? The syllable count in Williams's arrangement is not perfectly congruent, but it is harmoniously different: the two longer stanzas (by only one syllable apiece) sandwich the two shorter stanzas. A sentence which would otherwise sprawl across the page, nearly without structure (it has no punctuation or end-mark), so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens. is poured into a form of mathematical precision: Instead of flying through the sentence, as one would do if it were simply written in a linear way across the page, the reader tends to stop at each line-break and at every stanza break to contemplate how each stanza is different. And there is a difference. The first stanza is abstract, calling upon the reader to agree to the notion that something depends on... ...ores (involving the red wheelbarrow, perhaps)? In the back room, looking out the window? In any case, the scene we look at is framed and self-contained by the structure of the poem, and all the sensory information of the objects we look at comes through that frame, opens up through that frame. Perhaps the real "dependency" in this poem is not that the speaker of the poem depends on the wheelbarrow as a farmer depends on his tools, although that is certainly part of it. Perhaps the real "so much depends / upon" is that the speaker, the beholder through the frame (and, by extension, the reader of the poem) knows that he or she is alive, that his or her senses are responding to the things of this world, and that, in a sense, the world -- in all its variety and beauty and variegation, even in the most mundane things -- responds to the person who has eyes to see.

Changes & Continuities of Silk Road Essay

The Silk Road which started in 200 BCE and ended it in 1450 CE has its own changes and continuities. Trade flourished between the Asian and Europe at the time and as time went on its sole purpose of trading expanded to many other purposes and affect not only the area it contacted. Although there were many continuities during the time but it has more significant changes that occurred and also impact the world. One significant changes of the Silk Road is when it was first started it mainly started as a way for trade to flourish between Europe and Asia. But the purpose of this Silk Road has also expanded to transcend different culture and technologies from different places and caused cultural diffusion along the Silk Road. This happened because the Silk Road has more than one route, some ends in the middle east , west Asia, and Europe. There were merchants of different races and religion like Muslim,. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and more. This caused cultural diffusion between places like Buddhism were introduced to China and the Chinese paper making technology were spread toward the west to Europe. Another significant change that occurred is when the merchants travel on the Silk Road they are very likely to get attacked by bandits or get their goods stolen. But during the Mongolian reign this route was safer and merchants are not afraid of bandits along the way. This occurred because during the time of the Mongolian Empire they formed the ortoghs which means merchant association. Merchants traveled in pack instead of one which provide more security because this way merchants are less likely to get attack, and made trade safer. Like everything when there is change there is also continuities and one of them is the silk trade. Silk Road is called this name is because the main product traded on this route is silk. Even though many other items were traded in the silk road but the Europeans were very interested in these kind of fabric and they are luxurious because the European did not know how to make them. This is consider a continuity because for many decades the Chinese holds the secret for making these luxurious silk and because the Europeans and India wanted these silk so the Chinese could make a profit from it and they are consider a luxury. The reason the Chinese won’t let the outsiders know how to make these silk is because the process of it is hard and they depends mostly on trading these silk for the stuff they needed. Another continuities is the geography of the silk road. The silk road is consist of many route, some is shorter but dangerous while other is longer but safer. Even though some of the routes have changed and there is more variety of stuff that’s being traded than when it was started (e.g. Gunpowder) and the purpose of the road also expanded like people use it to spread religion and unfortunately is also been a route where disease easily spread (e.g. Black plagues) The continuity is the geography of the silk road never changed because both the European and Asia gained much profit from it that it doesn’t need to be change and the Silk Road remained the major trade route between Far Eastern Chinese and European cultures and sparked numerous conflicts in its existence. The Silk Road which have been known as a major trade route in the ‘old world’ and sparked numerous conflicts in its existence. It brought the goods and the bads like the plagues, cultural diffusion, introduction of new technologies and brought new religions to different part of that world. The Silk Road shape the world we have today and when it ended in 1450 CE it had impacted most of Europe and Asia.

Supporting Good Practice in Performance and Reward Management

Supporting Good Practice in Performance and Reward Management 3PRM Activity 1 Performance management Performance Management is both a strategic (about broad issues and long-term goals) and an integrated (linking various aspects of the business, people management, individuals and teams) approach to delivering successful results in organisations by improving the performance and developing the capabilities of teams and individuals.Two main purposes of performance management are; * To help the employees in identifying the knowledge and skills required for performing the job efficiently as this would drive their focus towards performing the right task in the right way, which in turn helps work towards the business objectives as their tasks are generated and focussed around the organisations goals. Promoting a two way system of communication between the supervisors and the employees for clarifying expectations about the roles and accountabilities, communicating the functional and organisat ional goals, providing a regular and a transparent feedback for improving employee performance and continuous coaching and development. The most important stage and component of any performance management process which forms the basis of performance is Appraisals.Appraisal systems are a formal method of monitoring and reviewing individuals’ performance. This is important as they enable the individuals to gain a clear picture of how they are doing and to identify areas where they may need additional support or training. They also ensure that the work of the individual is focussed towards the overall objectives of the organisation and whether they are on track to meet their objectives they have been set. There are three main components of performance management; Planning – This is done in form of appraisals. Performance planning is jointly done by the appraisee and also the appraiser in the beginning of a performance session. During this period, both the manager and staf f decide upon the targets and the key performance areas which can be performed over the next year. * Monitoring – Regular monitoring of performance is one of the key component to performance management it is usually done in the form of informal appraisals and these should also occur though regular contact and one to ones.It gives an opportunity to monitor the achievements of objectives for staff, keeps a check on how the individual is getting on in relation to the tasks, identifies any problems which can prevent the individual from achieving their work objectives. * Review/evaluating – Managers should be giving feedback on a regular and continuing basis. This is the stage in which the employee acquires awareness from the appraiser about the areas of improvements and also information on whether the employee is contributing the expected levels of performance or not.The employee receives open feedback and along with this the training and development needs of the individua l is also identified. The appraiser adopts all the possible steps to ensure that the employee meets the expected outcomes for an organisation through guidance, mentoring and representing the employee in training programmes which develop the competencies and improve the overall productivity. This stage also is an opportunity for strengths to be identified and how these can be utilised to support the business objectives further. Motivation and performance managementThe relationship between motivation and performance management is a close one, they work along each other. Motivation is the key to an individual's degree of willingness to exert and maintain their efforts towards the organisational goals. Motivation levels are likely to have an effect on performance. If an individual has high motivation, it is likely to increase their performance. Although this may not always be the case. Here is a list of some of the things that motivate individuals; * Money * Reward schemes * Sense of ac hievement * The environment * Professional Development * Benefits Etc. There are many motivational theories here I will explain two of them. Herzberg’s two factor theory of motivation at the workplace shows the difference between two factors of motivation. The two factors being satisfiers, which are the main causes for job satisfaction (motivation), from hygiene factors which are the main causes for job dissatisfaction (demotivation to stay in the job). Examples of motivating factors are achievement, recognition, responsibility and the work itself. Hygiene factors include: working conditions, salary, relationship with colleagues, supervision, etc.An organisation needs to influence satisfiers through performance management using range of tools such as: job descriptions, supervision, performance appraisals, continuous development/training, rewards and career development. Maslow’s theory of motivation is called the â€Å"hierarchy of needs†. Maslow believes that pe ople have five main needs in the following order of importance; 1. Physiological – the need to eat, drink, sleep, reproduce. 2. Safety – the need for shelter and to feel secure. 3. Love/Belonging – the need to feel part of a group and to be accepted. . Esteem – the need to feel good about themselves and the need to be recognised for achievements. 5. Self-actualisation – the need for personal fulfilment and the need to grow and develop. Maslow's hierarchic theory is represented as a pyramid, with the lower levels representing the more fundamental needs, and the upper levels representing the growth/being needs, and ultimately the need for self-actualisation. According to the theory, the higher needs in the hierarchy become evident only after all the needs that are lower down in the pyramid are met. RewardsMost organisations use rewards within their performance management system to motivate individuals. Two main purposes they do this are; * To help at tract individuals – The better rewards that the organisation gives the more people are going to be attracted to work for them so more people will apply for jobs there. * Retain the individuals – Rewards for good performance is motivation for staff to stay with the organisation it helps make them feel valued in turn makes them work harder. Rewards are not just financial but non-financial too. Rewards can be things such as; * Pay rise/ bonus.Some bonuses are based on performance of an individual, the team or the organisation and is usually target / objective focused. * Recognition. This could be through increased responsibility, praise during one to ones, a certificate of recognition, etc. * Flexible hours and time off – This could be a generous holiday period or increased holiday to reward employees for long service. Also some organisations use flexible working as a reward. Data needed for managing performance All materials need to be prepared for managing perfor mance (appraisal meetings) these would include internal and external data, although most are internal.An internal piece of data for example would be if it was a sales organisation they would bring along the report for the percentage of sales the individual has made and this would be compared to the targets set. The comparison would show how well individual has done to meet these this would then be discussed in the next stage. Other examples would include notes agreed tasks and records of performance, achievements, incidents, reports, previous performance appraisal documents and a current job description.An example of an external piece of data would be benchmarking, where the manager would collect data from other organisations to analyse and compare the sales the individual has made, this would show how the employee's participation is developing not only themselves, but also the constitution as a whole, compared to the other organisations, earlier collected data from. Another example would be feedback from external customers or other organisations. Managing Performance The key aims of performance management are to continuously improve the performance of individuals and that of the organisation.It involves making sure that the performance of employees contributes to the goals of their teams and the business as a whole. Part of the management is to review the individuals performance whether it be good or poor performance. The aims of the meetings for performance management are to encourage and motivate not to undermine. Factors to be considered whilst managing good performance would be reward for the individuals’ performance, how to keep the individual motivated to keep up the good work and any training needs to help develop further.Factors to consider whilst managing poor performance would be thinking about how to deal with discussing the performance as these can be difficult conversations for managers, thinking about why the performance is poor and think ing about how to improve the individuals’ performance, what measures can be put in place and how this can monitored. Most organisations have their performance reviews at once a year in the form of appraisals and have 6 month reviews. Although managers should keep their staff informed of their performance and giving feedback throughout the whole year.This can be done through one to one’s or regular meetings. The purposes of the performance reviews are * to check how the team member is getting on in relation to the tasks and objectives agreed, * to identify any problems which may be preventing the individual from achieving their work objectives, * to highlight opportunities for improving work processes, * to build confidence and self-esteem within the individual * to plan future work, set tasks and agree objectives * to agree ways to support the individual in the future, * to discuss the individuals feedback and how they feel about their job.The process of appraisals App raisal systems vary in different organisations, some have standardised procedures, some have few guidelines and leave it to the manager to plan and implement. There are three main stages of an appraisal preparation, the meeting and the follow up. * Preparation – Both the manager and the individual need to prepare for the appraisal by reviewing the individuals performance including the overall performance, the quality of the work and checking if targets have been met. * The meeting – The manager needs to make sure that a suitable venue is planned and available, private and free from interruptions.Within the meeting the manager needs to set the tone which will influence whether the discussion is helpful to both manager and individual they need to make sure that the individual is relaxed. Then both the manager and individual going through the appraisal document discuss * Performance and identify areas of good performance and the weaker investigate the reasons for the weak ness and highlight the areas for improvement * clarifying, defining, redefining priorities and objectives making sure that they are specific to the organisations objectives * motivation through agreeing helpful aims and targets motivation though achievement and feedback * training needs and learning desires – assessment and agreement * identification of personal strengths * career and succession planning – personal and organisational * team roles clarification and team building * organisational training needs assessment and analysis * the individual and managers mutual awareness, understanding and relationship * reinforcing organisational philosophies, values, aims, strategies, priorities * additional responsibilities, employee growth and development * counselling and feedback * manager development The follow up is the review by the manager where they need to complete the documentation by writing up what had been discussed. Making sure that the write up is agreed and s igned by the individual. Managers need to keep continuous monitoring and evaluation on the individual throughout the year and ideally hold a review within that time. Activity 2 The hopeful outcome of the meeting was to discuss with the individual their performance over the last six months, including what went well and what hadn’t gone so well. Why things had gone well or not so well and if there was anything to improve performance or training needs.The outcomes of the appraisal with Hannah were that over the last six months as the manager I felt that Hannah has been doing well and providing a good service. Her only downfall is that sales have gone down but this was due to Hannah having a month off work with a broken leg. This was discussed within the meeting using the Appraisal form and was met with targets to be achieved. The appraisal form used was effective as it covers all areas of performance including how the individual felt about the previous six months it also covers how the manager felt they performed.It discusses what they have enjoyed most and least, quality of their work, management of workload, targets and identifies if any training is needed. These things covered are important as it lets both the manager and individual know how the individual is doing within the organisation and whether they need any further development or training. This is a motivator to the individual as they can gain job satisfaction that they are going in the right direction and helping towards the overall aim and objectives of the organisation.This appraisal system could be improved by having more input from the individual so they can have their say on what they have done and how they feel they have done which maybe the manager has not recognised. This would help the individual to feel they receive the recognition they deserve for the work they have input. SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) should be incorporated to the form as the targets need to be SMART otherwise it would be unfair for the individual to set unattainable targets to meet as they won’t meet them which will affect their performance reviews.

How to Flatten Adjective Stacks

How to Flatten Adjective Stacks How to Flatten Adjective Stacks How to Flatten Adjective Stacks By Mark Nichol Words are highly adaptable in terms of which part of speech they represent, but careful writers should be alert in order to minimize or prevent a linguistic affliction called adjective stacking, which is discussed in this post. Nouns are easily converted to adjectives, as when using the phrase â€Å"dinner table.† Dinner and table are both nouns, but when dinner immediately precedes table, it ceases to mean â€Å"evening meal† and represents an adjective describing a type of table: one used for evening meals. Similarly, â€Å"sport utility vehicle† consists of three words that serve as nouns, but when positioned in sequence, the first two words no longer stand on their own to represent concepts, but rather describe the third noun. Such sequences can extend indefinitely, but the longer the string of adjectives- or the higher the stack- the more difficult it is for readers to parse the components and their interrelationships. Reading from left to right, we recognize the first word as a noun but then correct ourselves when a noun follows it, reclassifying the first word as an adjective. Then we have to conduct the same mental process repeatedly, and when word relationships are not clarified by use of hyphens, the quest for comprehension is complicated. The following list from an actual document represents the problems with adjective stacking; it can be confusing and fatiguing: Penetration testing for key medical devices Biomedical security vulnerability assessments Medical device procurement process consulting Biomedical incident response readiness assessments Medical device security program remediation support Manufacturer vulnerability remediation liaison assistance Oddly, the syntax of the first item enables a quick, clear reading, while the others fail to follow suit. Using the first item as a model, however, one can easily revise the list to improve readability by reordering words and phrases and introducing prepositions (and, sometimes, words representing other functions): Penetration testing for key medical devices Assessments of vulnerability of biomedical security Consulting about the procurement process for medical devices Assessments of readiness regarding response to biomedical incidents Remediation support for medical-device security programs Liaison assistance for remediation of manufacturer vulnerability These revised phrases are less concise but easier to read. Note, too, that one can reorganize the word sequences to various extents; each of these phrases can be revised in more than one way. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesUse a Dash for Number Ranges10 Types of Hyphenation Errors

12 Italian Loanwords

12 Italian Loanwords 12 Italian Loanwords 12 Italian Loanwords By Mark Nichol The Italian language and its Latin-derived relatives have enriched English with many words, primarily those pertaining to art, music, and cuisine. Occasionally, such terms lend themselves well to prose about matters outside those subject areas. For example, one might describe a shadowy cityscape with the word chiaroscuro (â€Å"light-dark† the element -oscuro is cognate with obscure), which refers to the technique in painting and later in photography and cinematography of producing distinct areas of light and darkness. Fermata (â€Å"stop,† related to firm), the term for an arbitrary extension of a chord, note, or rest, might be used metaphorically to refer to an awkward silence. And a person of nearly frantic demeanor could be said to have an espresso attitude, from the name of a type of coffee highly concentrated and therefore producing a potent jolt of the stimulant caffeine made expressly (hence the name) for a given customer. Here are other words derived from Italian that fall both inside and outside of the usual categories: 4. Extravaganza: This extravagant word originally referred to exaggerated performances or prose but now denotes an event marked by spectacular elements. 5. Ghetto: This term now associated with a socioeconomically depressed city neighborhood, of disputed etymological origin, most likely derives from borghetto, the diminutive of borgo, cognate with borough and burg (sometimes seen as -burgh in such city names as Pittsburgh). It acquired a powerful connotation due to the segregation (and persecution) of the Jews in Europe and especially in Nazi Germany; it’s also a sensitive term in reference to areas inhabited primarily by black people or members of other formerly (and sometimes currently) persecuted minorities. However, it is sometimes used neutrally to refer to a distinct area or one noted for a particular quality: Berkeley, California, is home to the original Gourmet Ghetto; the name has since been applied elsewhere. A business district or a part of a company’s offices, alternatively, might be referred to as a technology ghetto. 6. Lingua franca: The original lingua franca the phrase means â€Å"Frankish tongue† was the pidgin Italian, heavily influenced by other languages, employed in the Middle East during the Crusades of the medieval era. (Why â€Å"Frankish†? The Arabs traditionally referred to all Europeans as Faranji, meaning â€Å"Franks,† or â€Å"French.†) Now, it usually refers to a specialized vocabulary or jargon employed by a certain group. 7. Quarantine: The primary sense of this term (literally, â€Å"forty†), a reference to isolation of contagious or infected people, alludes to the medieval custom of restricting ships from plague-stricken areas from docking at a harbor for forty days; the original Italian expression is quarantina giorni (â€Å"(period of) forty days†). The term can be applied figuratively, for example, in reference to an effort to separate rivals or to keep a dieting person away from fattening food. 8. Regatta: This term for a boat race (usually one involving sailboats) stems from the name of a competition held by medieval Venetian gondoliers and means â€Å"contest,† though its verb form had a secondary meaning of â€Å"to haggle.† Figurative uses could include a reference to a parade of ostentatiously dressed people as a regatta. 9. Scenario: This theatrical term (â€Å"pertaining to stage scenes†) came in English to refer to an outline of a play, the equivalent of a treatment for a film. Later, it applied to a hypothetical or imagined situation. 10. Segue: Originally strictly a musical term referring to a seamless transition from one movement of a composition to another, segue (â€Å"there follows† it’s related to sequel and sequence) now applies to any such deft maneuver. Because -ue is rarely if ever pronounced as a separate syllable in English brogue, league, and vague exemplify the norm some writers who have heard but not seen the word misspell it segway (perhaps influenced by a small motorized vehicle called the Segway). 11. Sotto voce: This expression (â€Å"under the voice†) refers to the act of whispering so as not to be overheard, though it often applies to a stage whisper, a character’s speech supposedly unheard by other characters in a performance but amplified so that the audience can hear it. Offstage, the phrase might refer to a comment someone makes as if in confidence to someone else but deliberately uttered loudly enough to be heard by others. 12. Volte-face: This French word derives from the Italian phrase volta faccia (literally, â€Å"turn face†), which means to change one’s direction or opinion. The American English synonym of choice, used often in political and business contexts, is flip-flop, though the near-literal translation about-face, originally a military command to reverse the direction one is facing, is also seen and heard; U-turn is common in British English. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases16 Misquoted QuotationsHow often is "bimonthly"?

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

HRM - Essay Example Achieving strategic integration is one of the policies described in the Harvard model by David Guest (1987, 1989a, 1989b, 1991) and it is the ability of the organization to integrate HRM issues into its strategic plans, ensure that the various aspects of HRM cohere, and provide for the line managers to incorporate an HRM prospective into their decision making (Armstrong, M 2000; p 13). Wright and McMahan (1992: 298) define SHRM as â€Å"the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals†. Schuler and Jackson (1987) have quoted few examples of HR strategies associated with a few strategic outcomes associated with achieving competitive advantage for organizations to achieve, such as cost reduction, quality enhancement and Innovation. For example, strategic practices to achieve Quality Enhancement would require good recruitment and selection, comprehensive induction programmes, empowerment and high discretion jobs, high levels of training and development, harmonization, highly competitive pay and benefits packages, and a key role of performance appraisal. The integration or strategic-fit model is regarded central to the concept of strategic HRM. This is also referred to as the matching model. According to this model, the HR strategy should be an integral part of the business strategy contributing to the business planning process. The strategic integration happens in two ways, the vertical and the horizontal. The HR strategy aligned to the business strategy is referred t o as the vertical integration, and the integration between different elements of the people strategy is referred to as the horizontal strategy (Shields, 2007). The SHRM version of Miles and Snow model (1984) suggests that organizations follow generic strategy and then develop a structure

LinkedIn Profile building for a vacancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LinkedIn Profile building for a vacancy - Essay Example My experience in being a team leader has taught me the importance of understanding one’s audience when setting goals, tasks and understanding the needs of the client. I also possess excellent communication skills that are vital in virtual business communications that are key to business success. I also possess excellent drawing and design abilities, and have a long range of experience in developing prototypes. Working with teams have also equipped me with the necessary team contribution and team leadership experience that allows me to develop functional working units within all departments I head. My management style involves the selection of partners who not only match one’s ambition, but also his or her abilities allowing him or her to interact with the team members at the same pace. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Design from (x and y) University. I have been working with various design organizations for over 15 years. I am excellent with designing any prototype, despite how unrealistic it might conventionally seem. I also possess excellent research and analytical skills that could come in handy when dealing with large statistics. I have a yearning for growth and enjoy nurturing projects and organizations. Having worked with an international organization, I also possess the vital global strategy skills required in expanding the contemporary