Menu Selection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Menu Selection - Research Paper Example This paper discusses some of the important ways to interact with App. Additionally, there are many other types of menus, which have their own advantages and disadvantages, for instance, the pop up menu saves space on the screen as they are not existed physically on the screen. In this way, it provides an advantage to the users that they need to know only the selected area options. Menu-driven interfaces have been becoming more popular due to a number of advantages they provide. Each strategy has its own advantages, however, all advantages of menus are related to the user interaction. In order to attract the user, menu-driven interfaces play their role, as they allow the user to select any option easily. If the user has not selected a right option, then it provides the facility to go back to the previous state. Menu-driven interfaces enhance the usability of the system. Each section has its own color, which helps the user to differentiate between different screens (BBC, 2014). A good user interface, along with the menus, enhance the usability, simplicity, attraction and other factors that become effective due to the presence of nice menu-driven right according to the user requirements as well as the user interests (Digital Zoo, 2014). Menu-driven interfaces basically follow some fundamental principles of a good interface, which are right according to the users’ demands and requirements regarding any type of menu strategy design. These principles are: the structure principles, visibility principles, feedback principles, tolerance principles, and reuse principle (Ward, 2013). Menu-driven interface hides the complexity in the background, and users can check only those options, which they want to check. And the most important thing is the aesthetic sense of these menus, as they are pleasing to eyes. As the number of websites and applications are resulting in an increasing number of users, where there are several kinds of users, like novice user and

Evaluating Websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluating Websites - Essay Example It is a very motivating website for the kids of grade 1 and grade 2 and it is sure to intrigue them. There are several mathematical concepts that have been described very well on this website and the same can be incorporated from this website. It will simply things for the young students. This website is ideal for grade 2 and grade 3 students and it is little advanced than the first website, it talks about noble prize, flags of different countries, various animals and a host of other stuff. The special feature about this website is its trivia; it is intriguing and makes learning very easy. It can teach the students a lot and hence it should be shown to the students in order to ensure that the students learn a lot of new concepts. This is a very advanced level website and it can even be shown to the 5th grade students, it offers a lot of help on subjects like math, science, social studies. It also provides a lot of information on computers, this adds to the utility of this website. The other websites mentioned above don't offer much help on computers but this website is different and hence it should be shown to the students. This website is very useful when it comes to learning English, it offers a variety of stories to choose from. All the stories have intriguing pictures on them and this is a good way of luring the students to read these stories. This website can of good use to the students, this will surely make their language skills sharper and better than never before. This is why this website must be used in the class. Grade5: Kids.Yahoo Link: http://kids.yahoo.com/science Subject: Science This is another very interesting website and certainly the most matured of all the other websites. This website throws light upon concepts like the movement of planets and other related material. It should be shown in the class in order to explain abstruse concepts and in order to make the students understand those abstruse concepts easily. This website has a lot to offer and it must be shown to the students in order to ensure that they learn new concepts with interest.

Impact of Work-Related Stress, and Treatment

Impact of Work-Related Stress, and Treatment Stress as the modern day back pain Abstract It has been estimated by MIND, the mental health charity, that in excess of five million people in the United Kingdom are suffering such an extreme level of work related stress as to put them at risk of a complete breakdown (cited in Laurence 2005). The pressures on individuals suffering from stress frequently results in them being absent from work although, whilst they remain in work there are effects on the level of accidents and the productivity rates. With the significant financial loss that this gives business, it would be expected that managers are highly proactive in reducing the causes and effects of stress. This report sets out to determine if this is true and to measure people’s knowledge of stress, their awareness of its prevalence and the ways in which it is being controlled. The research suggests that managers have very little knowledge of any of these areas. Despite the increasing level of publicity in both the public and professional press, the problem of stress remains unmonitored and its effects inaccurately measured by the majority of the companies questioned. The guidelines produced by the Health and Safety Executive and the legal requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act have seemingly had no impact on organisations. Failure to recognise and address the issue of work-related stress will, therefore, lead to it becoming a blight on British industry, being misunderstood, unchecked and poorly measured, as the problem of non-specific back pain was for much of the second half of the last century. The costs of work-related stress are well reported. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work reports that over 40 million days a year are lost to British industry because of stress-related problems (Health and Safety Executive 2004). A recent report by the mental health charity, MIND, states that more than five million people in the United Kingdom are suffering such as extreme level of work related stress as to put them at risk of a complete breakdown (cited in Laurence 2005).Their report goes on to say that for every  £10 generated in the economy,  £1 is lost due to stress related issues and that â€Å"less than 10% of companies have a policy to deal with it† (cited in Laurence 2005pg. 16). ACAS report the Health and Safety Executives findings of 1995 that the cost to society of work related stress was  £3.7 billion. Lord Layard reported to a Government seminar more recently that he estimates the current costs to be  £25 billion (cited in Laurence 2005). It is noted that they do not define what is included in these costs. The most recent statistics show that disability claims due to mental and behavioural disorders has risen from 28% of the total claims submitted in 1997, to 37% in 2003 and is expected to continue to rise (Personnel Today magazine 2005). The subject of stress is appearing more often in both the popular press and professional publications. O’Driscoll et al refer to the work offset and Schuler who suggest that there are four main reason for this: â€Å"concern for individual employee health†¦the financial impact on organisations†¦organisational effectiveness and legal obligations on employers to provide safe and healthy work environments† (O’Driscollet al 2002 pg 188). The question remains as to how organisations are monitoring, reducing and managing the stress experienced by their employees and how they can improve in these areas. Literature Review Stress is not a new phenomenon. It was first identified in 1910 by Sir William Osler who identified that some patients appeared to be under strain during medical treatment. In was not until 1936 that a specific definition of stress as a reaction to a demand on a person was reported by Selly (O’Driscoll et al 2002). A major period of research was in the1950s, when Lazarus et al examined the effects of stress on work performance. McGrath noted that stress is due to â€Å"environmental demands exceeding a person’s resources and capacity, when the outcomes are important for the person† (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002 pg 190) and French et al formalised the role of the environment in stress by saying that â€Å"strain can result from the mismatch between the person and the environment on dimensions important to the well-being of the individual† (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002 pg 190). Lazarus continued his work to examine the three phases of cognitive appraisal of stress. He identified that these are primary – the initial reaction to a risk, secondary the assessment of how to overcome the source and reappraisal judging whether or not the reaction to the source of stress was successful (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002). This work was important as it initiated more investigations into coping mechanisms. Behr and Franz’s work differentiated between the concept of stressors as â€Å"the environmental stimulus or event† and strains â€Å"the person’s response to the stimulus or event† (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002 pg192) and this differentiation became and has remained important when looking at how to reduce stress in the workplace (Fontana 1989). It is recognised that stress is a natural aspect of life, but also that work-related stress is becoming global in nature and affects both manual and professional staff in industrialised and developing countries. The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology have measured certain jobs as being prone to more than 6 one stress scale rating of 1 to 10. These include miner, police officer and prison officer (Health and Safety Executive 2004). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the American equivalent of the UK’s Health and Safety Executive. NIOSH is a Federal agency responsible for â€Å"conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury†(Saunter et al 1999). Their report, publication number 99-101, cites three statistics to illustrate the problem of work-related stress in the USA. Northwester National Life found that work is the main stressor for a quarter of people, Princeton Survey Research Associates report that three quarters of workers think there is more stress at work than the previous generation experienced and St Paul Fire and Marine Insurance found that health complaints are much more likely to be duet factors associated with work than with family or financial problems(Saunter et al 1999). This leads us to determine the exact nature of stress. Fontana makes the point that it is not so much â€Å"the events that determine whether we’re stressed or not, as our reaction to them†(Fontana 1989 pp. 3). He goes on to call individual’s reaction to potentially stressful situations as a result of their cognitive appraisal of the situation i.e. what one person sees as being stressful, someone else will not. He cites the philosopher, Epictetus, who said â€Å"men are not disquieted by things themselves, but by their idea if things† (Fontana 1989 pg. 63). The Health and Safety Executive echo this view in defining stress as â€Å"the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them† (Sautà © ret al 1999). Similarly, the European Commission’s definition is: â€Å"the emotional, cognitive, behavioural and psychological reaction to aversive and noxious aspects of work, work environments and work organisations. It is a state characterised by high levels of arousal and stress and often by feelings of not coping† (Health and Safety Executive 2004). Selly noted that stress is not always a detrimental emotion. He defined the difference between â€Å"eustress†, which is seen as positive, motivating and challenging circumstances, which give people an opportunity to stretch themselves and achieve self-satisfaction, and â€Å"distress†, which is where people cannot cope (cited in Foot et al1999). Within the human resources professional publications, it is frequently cited that there is no actual definition of stress or its symptoms as it is not a recognised medical term (Personnel Today magazine 2005).However, several writers have described the body’s reaction to stress and the effects it has. Fontana defines stress as the demand on the adaptive capacity of the body and mind and highlights that too little of this demand leads to boredom and under stimulation, whereas too much results in being overstretched and overwhelmed. When faced with a challenge, the natural reaction of the body is that of fight or flight – either standing the ground and confronting the source of the challenge or by strategically withdrawing. This fight or flight reaction is meant to be a short term, immediate reaction to perceived danger as a method of survival. If its allowed to continue, it can have an adverse effect. As Fontana points out, â€Å"our modern society doesn’t usually allow us physically to fight or run away when we face stressors so that we are allowed to relax. We remain in a state of preparedness for action which we aren’t permitted to take† (Fontana 1989 pp. 6). The body’s responses to stress can be divided into four categories. Firstly, several chemicals are released into the bloodstream including adrenalin, no radelin, thyroid hormones and cholesterol. These stimulate the body through increasing the reflex rate and increasing the blood supply and blood sugar levels to increase the metabolism. However, if this increase in metabolism is not dissipated through physical activity, it can increase the likelihood of heart disease, strokes and kidney disease and aggravate diabetes (Fontana 1989). A racing metabolism can lead to tiredness and exhaustion. The second response is the redirection of blood from those organs which can cope with this forth short term, such as the skin and the stomach, to the air passages in the lungs to increase the aeration of the blood to feed the muscles. Again, if this continues over an extended period of time it can resulting digestive problems, bouts of unconsciousness and malfunctions of the body’s natural temperature control mechanism. The third reaction is an increase in concentration abilities. This is caused by the release of endorphins and cortisone which lowers the body’s natural immunity system and decreases the body’s sensitivity to pain. Again, over the long term, this can result in increased susceptibility to infection, ulcers and extreme allergies. Finally, because the blood thickens to accelerate the clotting process in the case of injury, it also becomes more difficult to move round the body, putting pressure on the heart and possibly leading to heart disease and str okes (Fontana 1989). The phenomenon of â€Å"burn out† is described by Malachi as the state where â€Å"emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation of others in the work context, and feelings of low personal accomplishment on the job† lead to an inability to function in the work environment (cited in O’Driscoll teal 2002 pg. 202) and is seen as the end result of unchecked stress. The causes of stress may come from several sources. Work is seen by many as being a primary source. General organisational problems include insufficient or poorly communicated process and procedures, unclear roles and responsibilities and a lack of basic tools and facilities. A lack of support functions which are often viewed as non-essential, not only increases the workload of individuals who have to do more in their day-to-day activities, but can also lead to feelings of worthlessness. The increased tendency to long or unsociable hours can not only affect the body’s natural circadian rhythm, but can make it difficult to establish and maintain those things which people find help to diffuse their stress e.g. relationships and hobbies. Lack of prospects in apposition can be stressful, although, as will be discussed later, thesis not the case for everyone. A lack of job security is seen as an initiator of stress and becomes particularly significant during a time of change when other stressor may be encountered such as having to alter established work routines and methods. Apart from these general organisational problems, there are a whole host of specific conditions which lead to high levels of stress (Fontana 1989). NIOSH summarise these as: â€Å"the design of tasks, management style, interpersonal relationships, work roles, career concerns and environmental conditions† (cited in Saunter et al 1999). NIOSH relate a list of eighteen work-related areas that can produce stress (cited in Saunter teal 1999). These are referred to in more depth later in the report. What also needs to be taken into account are the sources of stress outside the workplace which lead to the symptoms being displayed whilst artwork. These include domestic problems and also more deeply seated psychological issues such as obsessionality, sensation seeking and over-identification (Fontana 1989). It has been suggested that certain personality types are more susceptible to stress. Commonly used is the distinction between Type And Type B people, as initially defined by Cooper and Bram well (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002). Fontana describes this distinction impersonality types as being generally accepted by psychologists and medical doctors. A Type A person displays the characteristics of competitiveness, impatience and inflexibility. They work better when given tough deadlines and will tend to take a leadership role. They set themselves high standards to achieve and our highly self-critical if they don’t achieve them. Although Fontana does not provide details, he claims that Type A people are more likely to develop heart disease and high blood pressure. He goes on to suggest that Type A people are more likely to be susceptible to stress as they are highly competitive and â€Å"mobilised almost permanently for action† (Fontana 1989 pg. 72). Other writers, Gangster and Schaubroeck 1991, Haskins, Baglioni and Cooper1990 and Froggatt and Cotton, all cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002,debate whether Type A people are subject to increased stress because they put themselves in more situations that can be deemed as being stressful because of their competitive nature, or that they are more likely to experience stress in any given situation NIOSH report that whilst some employers believe that remain competitive in the economy, organisations need to exert pressure on their employees to maximise productivity and reduce costs, research shows that organisational performance is adversely impacted by th e increase absenteeism, error rates and poor motivation. Similarly, they have found that those organisations that incorporate policies that encourage good health in employees showed a corresponding healthiness in their competitiveness in the economy (cited in Saunter et al 1999). This differentiation as to the relative importance of environmental factors over personality traits has remained an important factor in stress research and, consequently, the approaches to managing stress in the workplace. Ivancevich et al suggest three approaches to managing organisational stress. These are: â€Å"reduce the number or intensity of stressors experienced by employees, help employees modify their appraisal of the stressfulness of the situation or help employees in coping more effectively with stressors and their consequences† (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002 pg 213). Kahn and Bossier, 1992, identified that the majority of action taken in relation to stress occurred at the second level i.e. involved in changing the way people viewed stressful situations through training and employee assistance programmes (EAPs),rather than trying to remove the actual source of the strain (cited in O’Driscoll et al 2002 pg 213). O’Driscoll (2002) argues that the evidence for the effectiveness of these programmes is limited and that there are questionable benefits to training employees to be able to cope with poor working conditions or practices. Despite this, NIOSH report that nearly half of large companies in the United Sates offer stress management training to their employees, usually involving such topics as time management and relaxation techniques. They point out that these types of interventions have only a short-term effect on the symptoms of stress as well as emphasising the need to alleviate the root causes of the stress (cited in Saunter et al 1999). Elkin and Rosh have put forward a number of actions that could be taken to resolve the stress at source. These include task redesign, allowing flexible work patterns, empowerment of employees and reviewing reward systems to ensure they are equitable. Evaluations of these interventions are reported by O’Driscoll as being positive, but he goes on to emphasise that their use has been limited (O’Driscoll et al2002). Burke noted that the â€Å"removal or reduction of stressors is the most direct way to reduce stress since it deals with the source† (Burke1993 pg. 85). Whilst he does concede that â€Å"these approaches may entail immediate costs for the organisation†, he also notes that â€Å"these will be offset by long-term benefits not only for individual employees but also the organisation as a whole† (Burke 1993 pg. 85). NIOSH recommends combined approach, as even if the causes of stress for the majority of employees were removed, because of individual appraisal of stressors, it would be impossible to remove them all. They also emphasise the need for the size and nature of the organisation to be taken into consideration, as what is possible and desirable for a large multinational may not be appropriate or practical for a small enterprise (cited in Saunter et al 1999). NIOSH identify that the three main factors required for an individual to be able to â€Å"reduce the effects of stressful work conditions† are: â€Å"balance between work and family or personal life, a support network of friends and co-workers and a relaxed and positive outlook† (cited insurer et al 1999). They also advocate a basic programme to initiate actress prevention programme. This involves awareness building for all employees, securing the support and commitment of the senior management team, seeking an utilising employee input to all areas of the programme and ensuring the technical skills of stress management are incorporated through training specific employees of using the resources of consultants. They see employee involvement as being particularly useful when looking at the job design causes of stress and the employee have first-hand knowledge of the tasks (cited in Saunter et al 1999). The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations of 1999 made employers legally bound to undertake risk assessments in the workplace to identify the potential hazards and to take measures to reduce them. Within the definition of potential hazards was stress. As there remained some confusion as tithe nature and causes of stress, the HSE developed a series of standards to be used by employers to identify and manage the key causes of stress at work. These are: â€Å"the demands made on employees, the level of control employees have over their work, the support employees receive from managers and colleagues, the organisational policies in place, the clarity of the employees role within the organisation, the nature of relationships at work and the way that change is managed†(ACAS 2004). In the second half of the last century, a common problem for businesses was the amount of absence from work due to no specific back pain. As it’s difficult to prove that someone is not suffering from back pain, concerns existed as to how it could be controlled. It is suggested that, not only may work-related stress take this position as the main cause of absence from work, but also that the two conditions are related. Occupational Health magazine has reported the findings of research which indicates that musculo skeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common symptoms of stress (Occupational Health 2004). It is suggested that the rise in incapacity benefit claims related to mental or behavioural problems is directly linked to the decrease in claims for back problems and this is due to doctors being more likely to diagnose mental problems as they have less of a stigma than previously for patients. It is therefore possible, that there has been no actual increase in the amount of stress related illness, rather that it is now called that whereas previously people reported one of the symptom of stress which was back pain (Personnel Today magazine 2005). The difficulties in determining whether a reported illness is merely symptom of the deeper underlying problem of stress leads to questions being raised as to amount of stress experienced by today’s workers. Charlesworth (1984) suggests that â€Å"as many as 75% of all medical complaints are stress related† in the United States. Methodolgy The questionnaire was divided into two parts. The first section was asked only of those in senior management positions such as general managers and personnel managers. This was done to determine organisational policies, procedures and measurement of stress. The second set of questions was asked of everybody and included the senior managers so that the effects of stress on them could also be measured. The questionnaire was sent out to variety of business types including catering, production and financial services. The objective was to gain an overall view of the effects of stress on businesses, not to concentrate on those industries which have been classed as particularly stressful as this would have given a distorted view. A limitation of this approach is noted however, as being that some of the respondents indicated low levels of stress or no stress at all and may have therefore been unable to answer all the questions from personal experience. The main objective of the questionnaire was to collect information on the effects of stress in the workplace, the cost of stress and the benefits of a stress free environment. The questionnaire included admixture of quantitative questions to determine factual information and qualitative questions to collect opinions. As the research did not want to suggest answers to the respondents, all the questions were asked aspen questions. Providing multiple-choice answers may have had detrimental effects on the replies received, as it would provide options the respondent may not have considered. However, it is accepted that there may have been an effect in that people did not realise that point was relevant. For example, in the question regarding the symptoms of stress, the respondents might not consider backache unless it was suggested to them. Two exceptions to this were question nine in the manager’s questionnaire and question eight in the general questionnaire which examined the respondents views on the sources of work-related stress given by NIOSH (cited in Salter et al 1999). The replies given to all the other questions were then categorised byte writer. When collating the replies on managing stress, the guidelines set out by the Health and Safety Executive were used and the writer determined which category the answer came under (demands, support, control, policies, role and change). It is accepted that this was a potential weakness in this part of the questionnaire as it was based on the writer’s opinion. The questionnaire was distributed in a postal format to non-senior managers following personal visits to the organisations to conduct separate survey with the senior managers and to gain their consent. Whilst this method has benefits in that respondents would be more likely to be honest as the replies were anonymous (except for those in specific management positions), there are also drawbacks in that a low response rate was expected. To overcome this, the number of questionnaires sent out allowed a population sample of one hundred tube expected with a return rate of 20%. The actual number returned was seventy-five. The questionnaire was conducted on a face-to-face basis for the management roles, as it was important that their questionnaires were returned to provide important information as to policies and procedures. This resulted in a 100% return rate of management surveys. The responses from the general questionnaire were subdivided into those from management and non-management with the supervisors being defined as managers. This allowed better analysis of the results. Where appropriate, it is indicated whether the respondents were manual workers, office based and/or customer facing as this is seen as being relevant to the research. As stated earlier, as the purpose of the research was not to determine which job sectors are more stressful, the results do not differentiate between organisations. Questionaire Managers 1. What do you understand by the word â€Å"stress†? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents An inability to cope with something that causes panic 4 31 Anxiety 5 38 Fear of failure or not being able to continue 7 54 Depression 2 15 When you have too much to do and not enough time or resources to do it 8 62 When you cannot remain rationale about a situation 2 15 Losing control 1 8 Don’t know 0 0 2. What causes stress? Answer Number of respondents % of respondents Too much to do and not enough time to do it 6 46 Different things for different people 4 31 Don’t know 2 15 Other 1 8 3. What would indicate to you that an employee is suffering from work related stress? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Through being absent and giving stress as the cause 10 77 They would submit a grievance 1 8 They would tell their manager 1 8 Other 0 0 Don’t know 1 8 4. Do you or your organisation, actively measure stress levels amongst your employees, and if yes, how? Answer Number of respondents Percept of respondents Absenteeism reported as due to stress 10 77 Performance measures 1 8 Combination of these 1 8 Do not actively measure 1 8 5. How do you evaluate the success of any interventions to reduce stress? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Look for a reduction in absenteeism with stress given as the reason 12 92 Don’t measure 0 0 Staff surveys 1 8 Don’t know 0 0 6. Where is the emphasis of your efforts to manage stress Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Reducing or eliminating the causes of stress 1 8 Helping employees to modify their appraisal of the stressfulness of situations 0 0 Helping employees in coping more effectively with stressors and their consequences 2 15 Managing attendance issues 8 60 None of these 0 0 No effort 0 0 Don’t know 2 15 7. How do you balance people’s needs for challenge and achievement under pressure with ensuring they are able to cope? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents By setting realistic targets 9 69 By allowing people to work at a rate they feel comfortable with 0 0 By asking them 0 0 By identifying when stress occurs and reducing it 2 15 Bu setting consistent expectations 2 15 Other 0 0 Don’t know 0 0 8. What do you feel are the main causes of stress in life in general? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Financial problems 10 77 Relationship problems 6 46 Peer pressure 2 15 Work 3 25 Traffic 7 54 Concerns over the environment 3 25 Concerns over politics 4 30 Concerns over war or terrorist attacks 4 30 Concerns over family members 9 75 Don’t know 0 0 9. Which of the following factors do you believe cause stress to your employees in your workplace? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Workload – too much or not enough 2 15 Pace/variety/meaningfulness of work 6 46 Autonomy 2 15 Shift work/hours of work 3 23 Physical environment (noise/air quality etc.) 2 15 Isolation at the workplace (e.g. working alone) 0 0 Role conflict 0 0 Role ambiguity 0 0 Level of responsibility 0 0 Under/over promotion 0 0 Job security 0 0 Supervisors 0 0 Co-workers 0 0 Subordinates 0 0 Threat of violence 0 0 Participation in decision making 0 0 Management style 0 0 Communication patterns 0 0 None of these 0 0 10. What are your legal obligations in terms of identifying and managing work-related stress? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents There aren’t any 7 54 Comes under HASAW Act 2 15 Have to complete risk assessments which includes assessing possible sources of risk 1 8 Other 0 0 Don’t know 3 23 11. What are the HSE standards that organisations should use to identify and manage stress? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Don’t know 13 100 Could name all six 0 0 Could name five 0 0 Could name four 0 0 Could name three 0 0 Could name two 0 0 Could name one 0 0 12. What actions do you take under each of the HSE standards: Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Demands 7 54 Support 6 46 Control 4 31 Policies 7 54 Role 0 0 Change 5 38 Other 0 0 Don’t know 0 0 a. demands – ensuring employees do not become overloaded and unable to cope with the amount of work they are asked to do (job design, flexible hours and training) b. support – management style and degree of intervention c. control – allowing employees to have input into how they complete their tasks d. relationships – personnel policies on grievance, poor performance etc. e. role induction, objectives f. change – managing change 13. How would one of your employees alert management if they were experiencing work-related stress? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Through grievance procedure 8 62 During appraisal 7 54 Through formal representatives e.g. union of employee consultative committee 4 31 Would just say 0 0 Don’t know 0 0 Other 0 0 14. What are the symptoms of stress? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Being absent from work 4 31 Panicking 4 31 Nervousness 2 15 Heart problems 1 8 Crying 7 54 Alcohol and drug use 6 46 Accidents in the workplace 1 8 Don’t know 0 0 Other 15. What is the absence rate in your organisation? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents 0 – 2% 7 69 2 – 4% 5 8 4 – 6% 0 8 6 8% 1 15 Don’t know 0 0 16. What percentage of this absence level is due to stress related illnesses? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Less than 10% 9 69 More than 10% but less than 30% 1 8 More than 30% but less than 50% 1 8 More than 50% but less than 75% 2 15 More than 75% 0 0 Don’t know 8 62 17. What is the financial impact of stress in your workplace? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Calculated the same as any absence from work 13 100 Don’t measure 0 0 Don’t know 0 0 18. What do you include when you measure the financial impact of stress which you do not include when measuring the cost of other reasons for absenteeism: Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Reduced productivity 0 0 Employee turnover 0 0 Absenteeism 0 0 Medical costs 0 0 Recruitment 0 0 Use of temporary staff 0 0 Retraining costs 0 0 Loss of production 0 0 Poor customer service 0 0 None 13 100 19. Which level of employee do you feel is more susceptible to stress in your organisation? Answer Number of respondents Percentage of respondents Senior managers only 0 0 Blue collar workers only 3 23 Middle managers only 0 0 All management levels 8 62 Everyone is equally susceptible 2 15 Don’t know 0 0 20. What type of

Aristotle :: essays research papers

To the modern reader, Aristotle's views on astronomy, as presented in Metaphysics, Physics, De Caelo (On the Heavens) and Simplicius' Commentary, will most likely seem very bizarre, as they are based more on a priori philosophical speculation than empirical observation. Although Aristotle acknowledged the importance of "scientific" astronomy - the study of the positions, distances and motions of the stars - he nevertheless treated astronomy in the abstract, linking it to his overall philosophical world picture. As a result, the modern distinction between physics and metaphysics is not present in Aristotle, and in order to fully appreciate him we must try to abandon this pre-conception. Aristotle argued that the universe is spherical and finite. Spherical, because that is the most perfect shape; finite, because it has a center, viz. the center of the earth, and a body with a center cannot be infinite. He believed that the earth, too, is a sphere. It is relatively small compa red to the stars, and in contrast to the celestial bodies, always at rest. For one of his proofs of this latter point, he referred to an empirically testable fact: if the earth were in motion, an observer on it would see the fixed stars as moving, just as he now observes the planets as moving, that is from a stationary earth. However, since this is not the case, the earth must be at rest. To prove that the earth is a sphere, he produced the argument that all earthly substances move towards the center, and thus would eventually have to form a sphere. He also used evidence based on observation. If the earth were not spherical, lunar eclipses would not show segments with a curved outline. Furthermore, when one travels northward or southward, one does not see the same stars at night, nor do they occupy the same positions in the sky. (De Caelo, Book II, chapter 14) That the celestial bodies must also be spherical in shape, can be determined by observation. In the case of the stars, Arist otle argued that they would have to be spherical, as this shape, which is the most perfect, allows them to retain their positions. (De Caelo, Book II, chapter 11) By Aristotle's time, Empedocles' view that there are four basic elements - earth, air, fire and water - had been generally accepted. Aristotle, however, in addition to this, postulated a fifth element called aether, which he believed to be the main constituent of the celestial bodies.

Harry Potter Essay

There are so many things one has to do to be considered a hero. For instance, the stereotypical hero is strong, handsome, and does something spectacular like saving someone’s life or a scientific breakthrough. However, not all heroes have to have these traits. Harry Potter is not a stereotypical hero by any means. He isn’t strong, or handsome, but he is very much a hero. Many heroes’ lives follow a pattern. As a hero, Harry Potter follows the same cycle. In the beginning, Harry Potter is living with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin, the Dursley’s. He soon finds out that he is eligible to go to Hogwarts. The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He accepts the invitation after much confrontation with his Uncle about the subject, and a little help from his friend, Hagrid, a fellow wizard. He then finds out about how he got the â€Å"z† shaped scar on his forehead. Voldemort, the most powerful dark magic wizard, gave it to Harry Potter after killing his parents. Once Harry Potter arrived at the school, Voldemort began to wreck havoc on the school and this is where Harry Potter’s journey begins. Harry Potter undergoes so many challenges, some more important than others. One miniscule challenge for him is to get accustom to magic and learning and remembering many spells that will come in hand later. He was somewhat isolated from the rest of the wizards and witches since it’s his first year at Hogwarts, but he befriends Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger. Along the way they definitely help him in his quest. After spending so much time with Hagrid, Harry finds out that Nicholas Flamel is the maker of the sorcerer’s stone, which gives people unlimited life. Harry originally thought that Severus Snape, the defense against the dark arts teacher, was after the stone. He then finds out that Voldemort is after that stone and is very weak and needs that stone so he can live forever and fulfill his dream of taking over the wizarding world. Harry Potter’s final test was when Hermione, Ron, and he, had to maneuver their way past fluffy, the three- headed, giant dog, catch a snitch (a golden ball used in the game of quidditch), and play a life- sized game of chess to reach the chamber which held the sorcerer’s stone. Once he reached the chamber, he found Professor Quirrell trying to steal the sorcerer’s stone because he is possessed by Voldemort. Harry then fought Voldemort, retrieved the stone, and destroyed it, along with Voldemort. When Harry woke up he realized he was in the hospital , and Dumbledore, the headmaster, was there to congratulate and thak him for stopping Voldemort, and revealed to him that he was prone to Voldemort’s deadly spells because his mother sacrificed herself for Harry when he was a child which put a protective shield around Harry. Once back to health, Harry was proclaimed a hero by all. In conclusion, heroes come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not all about looks, money, and possessions. It’s about what they did to become a real hero. Many still believe that stereotypes will always be right and that’s the only way you can be a hero, but even then, people still have different opinions on who is good-looking, or how much money you have to have to be considered rich.

Discrimination and Special Educational Needs

HOME BASED CHILDCARE CYPOP5 TASKS 1-3 TASK 1 (Produce an information sheet which outlines the following: the current legislation for home based childcare and the role of regulatory bodies. ) The current legislations are as follows: * Sex Discrimination Act (1975) This backed by the Equal Opportunities Commission and its aims is to make sure people are not discriminated against on the basis of their gender. * Race Relations Act (1976) which has been amended in (2000) This is to ensure individual are given a fair opportunity and the appropriate measures are put into place to achieve that goal. Education Act (1981) This brought a significant change in through the wishes of parents ‘rights’ so that children with disabilities could be educated in ordinary schools. * Public Health (Control of Disease) Act (1984 This explains in great detail the notification and exclusion periods for certain infectious diseases. * Education Reform act (1988) This brought about the process of th e (National Curriculum) in schools. * Education Act (1993) This made some very important changes to the Education Act 1981 and the law relating to children with special educational needs. These changes are now consolidated in the Education Act 1996. The Code of Practice and the SEN Tribunal were the major innovations as was the enforcement of strict time limits for completing assessments of special educational needs by Local Education Authorities. * Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Children with Special Educational Needs (1994 which was revised in (2001) This is guidance specifically aimed at children who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) for the Local Authorities and the aim was designed to promote a high level of standards for all pupils through inclusive education. Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation (RIDDOR) (1995) Outlines certain incidents or accidents that must be reported by law; For e. g. A Fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes. * Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations (1995) This is about Food Temperature control and general food safety; this is not yet applicable to childminders to register for although good hygiene practices must be adhered to. * Family Law Act (1996) Guidance relating to safeguarding children. * Disability Discrimination Act (1995) This was established by the Parliament for to ensure the rights of disabled individuals in the United Kingdom. * Education Act (1997) This combined all the Acts since 1944 into one Act. This entailed a full framework of identifying and assessing a child’s particular needs as set out in the (The Code of Practice) * Code of Practice for First Aid (1997) Gives guidance on detailed specification for trained First Aiders and First Aid Requirements. * Human Rights Act (1998) This came into force in (2000) and was set out by the European Convention on Human Rights, this outlines basic rights. (I. E. The right to life) * Protection of Children Act (1998) A Private members bill, which was introduced by Debra Shipley (MP) its provisions are designed to help strengthen procedures for vetting people who work with children. * Data Protection Act (1998) The Act covers any data about a living and identifiable individual and prevents confidential information being passed on without the individuals permission. In practice it provides a way for individuals to control information about themselves, in the case of children parents must give permission. * Special Educational Needs & Disability Act (2001) The act required schools, colleges, universities, adult education providers, statutory Youth service and local education authorities to make ‘reasonable provisions' to ensure people with disabilities or special needs were provided with the same opportunities as those who were not disabled. For e. g. wheelchair access if required Although was replaced by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. * Care of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (2002) This deals with identification by risk assessment, control of exposure, health surveillance and incident planning, storage of cleaning fluids. * Health Protection Agency Act (2004) The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards and it does this by providing advice and information to the General Public, Health Professionals such as Doctors and Nurses and to the Local/National government * Children Act (2004) This Act's ultimate purpose is to make the UK better and safer for children of all ages the idea behind the Act is to promote co-ordination between multiple official entities to improve the overall well-being of children. Every Child Matters’ 5 Outcomes are Identified: * Be Healthy * Stay Safe * Enjoy and achieve * Make a Positive Contribution * Achieve economic well-being * Childcare Act (2006) Introduced the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England. TASK 2 (In order to operate a registered home base childcare service the following policies and procedures must be in place: accidents, ill ness and emergencies; behaviour; safeguarding; equal opportunities. ) Write a policy for each of the above, and write a procedure to explain how each of the policies will be implemented. policies and 4 procedures are required ACCIDENT POLICY The safety of your child is paramount and I will take every measure I can to protect your child from hurting themselves. My premises have been checked and they meet the EYFS Welfare Requirements for childminding outlined by Ofsted. I also regularly review, update and practice safety routines. As a registered childminder, I am legally required to have a valid first aid certificate. I can administer basic first aid treatment, and my first aid box is clearly labelled and easily accessible. It is stored in the kitchen. Parent contact numbers are with the first aid box. I hold written permission from parents to get emergency treatment for their child if it is needed If an untoward incident occurs I will follow the following process: ACCIDENT PROCEDURE * Comfort and reassure the child Carry out First Aid if necessary. * Call an ambulance if necessary and attend hospital with the child. * I will also contact you immediately if a serious accident has occurred or if a minor accident has happened will contact you once the child has settled down. Fill in an accident report sheet and give you a copy of this. * Inform Ofsted and get additional advice/support from relevant bodies. * Other children in my care will be looked after by another child minder Details are as follows Atia Begum or in exceptional circumstances where Atia is not available my sister Aisha Qamar will take over. * Ask you to keep me advised of your child's condition following an accident if we have had to seek medical attention ILLNESS AND EMERGENCIES POLICY There is no charge for any period of non-attendance due to childminder illness. Although Full fees apply for any period of non-attendance due to child or parent illness. Unwell children are welcome to attend their scheduled hours so long as they meet the following criteria, based on Ofsteds national standards. Your child is welcome to attend so long as he/she 1. Does not have a contagious or infectious illness 2. Has not had vomiting or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours 3. Has eaten within the last 12 hours. 4. Is not coughing. 5. Does not have a raised temperature 6. Is not restless, irritable or over-tired 7. Is not bunged up or congested, or has thick and permanent runny nose. ILLNESS ND EMERGENCIES PROCEDURE Children who are coughing may attend so long as the cough is non-productive and they are being treated with a cough medicine. Children with runny noses may attend if they are being treated with medicine to treat their cold. All medication required by the child must be signed for, prior to the child’s attendance. If a form is not signed, no medication will be administered. A signature is required for all medication administered during the child’s scheduled hours. If the child becomes unwell, or does not meet the above criteria during their attendance, it may become necessary to send the child home. If you are in any doubt about a child’s ability to attend childminding hours, please telephone to discuss. If the child is not attending, please give as much notice as possible. If the child is unwell but able to attend, please mention this when they are dropped off so that plans may be changed if required. If you are unsure about a child’s health, or if medication is required, please speak to the child’s doctor, health visitor or a pharmacist. BEHAVIOUR POLICY * Do not feed or play with the animals without permission. * Keep coats, shoes and belongings tidied away. * Always sit when eating, ideally at the table. * No aggressive behaviour, biting, hitting, calling names. * Do not pick up babies or toddlers. * Always wash hands after going to the toilet or touching the animals. No jumping on the furniture. * Always wash your hands before eating. * Flush the chain after using the toilet, and replace the lid. * Treat other children and adults with respect and good manners. Handle toys with care. * Always remove shoes when upstairs. * No running ahead when out walking. * Always ask permission before removing car seat belts or opening car doors. * Never hang toys or limbs out of car doors or windows. BEAVIOUR PROCEDURES The NCMA (National Child Minding Association) recommended method of dealing with ‘naughty’ behaviour is through a time out session lasting only one minute per year of age. This involves encouraging t he child to sit quietly until the period is over. No child will be smacked or excluded from the room. Ongoing disobedience will be brought to your attention so a suitable solution can be reached. If it becomes necessary to restrain your child (For example a temper tantrum by the road side) you will be notified in writing. Good behaviour will be rewarded and encouraged by the use of praise, certificates and gold stars. The house rules are laid down to help children know what is expected of them while within the childminding setting. These rules are for the safety of your child and the other children around them, as well as the house and pets. Your child will not be punished for breaking the rules but will be encouraged not to. Please help with this, even if you do not follow the same rules within your own home. SAFEGUARDING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Omar I wouldn’t put the Safeguarding procedure and Equal opportunities together, they need to be separated. The safeguarding policy needs ,more information in regards to what you would do if you suspected a child had been abused – recording, speaking to parents if appropriate, making a referral if necessary I have given you some information with this on. I understand that child abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional and neglectful, or a mixture of these. I must notify Ofsted of any allegations of abuse that are alleged to have taken place while the child is in my care. Signs of abuse can vary widely and require professional involvement, which is why all childminders and anyone who had regular contact with another person’s child, must be aware of child abuse and report any suspicions. Under the Child Protection Act I am required, by law, to keep a record of any accidents or injuries which occur within my care or outside of my care. I have accident report forms which I will complete for any injury which occurs in childminding hours, which will require your signature. I also require you to fill in ’existing injury forms’ for any bumps and bruises received at home. In addition to being an equal opportunities environment, no child will be turned away due to ethical background or religious beliefs. Every attempt will be made to respect any cultural beliefs and wishes. Children with disabilities are welcome, providing their needs can be catered for. Children within my childminding setting will be exposed to and educated about a wide range of different religious and cultural beliefs. This will be used to teach all children to appreciate cultural diversity and to respect the beliefs of others around them. It will also help children feel confident and proud of their own background, whatever it may be. As part of their voyage into equality and diversity, children will be encouraged to join in celebrations into other country’s culture, religious festivals,  charity events and their own family background. It is important to remember that equal opportunities are not about treating everyone the same, but to understand their differences with an open and tolerant mind. Children will learn through positive awareness that differences are good things and should be celebrated and respected. SAFEGUARDING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES PROCEDURES As a registered childminder, I have an obligation to report any suspicious incidents or accidents to the relevant authorities following the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. I keep up to date with child protection issues and relevant legislation by taking regular training courses and by reading relevant publications. This helps me be aware of the signs of abuse or neglect and what to do if I have a concern. I have a copy of and am familiar with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. If I am concerned about a child’s welfare, I will contact the local authority, the NSPCC, NCMA or other relevant support services for advice, confidentially will be assured only when it is clear that there is no risk of harm to a child. The following numbers will always be to hand Ofsted (08456 404040) NCMA Information Line – for help and support for with all areas of childminding, including allegations of child abuse. 0800 169 4486 NCMA Legal advice line – offers free, professional advice to NCMA members on any legal problem related to their childminding business. (01253 777468) NSPCC child protection helpline – 24-hour helpline for people worried about a child (0808 800 5000) POLICY FOR ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AGAINST A CHILDMINDER As a Childminder working alone I may be vulnerable to allegations of abuse being made against me or another adult in my home. I will take precautions to protect myself from this happening by: * Ensuring all household members aged 16 and over are CRB cleared. * Ensuring all visitors to the house do not have unsupervised access to the children under any circumstances. * Ensuring, where possible, that no workmen/women are in the house during minded hours, unless it is to repair an emergency service or for health and safety reasons. Documenting every accident and incident that occurs whilst children are in my care, informing parents of such events and requesting them to sign my records. * Noting any noticeable marks on the children when they arrive and asking parents to inform me of any accidents that have occurred whilst outside my care. * Ensuring the children are within sight and/or hearing at all times according to the child’s age & stage of ability. * Keeping accurate records on each child. * However, if an allegation is made I will then follow the procedure detailed below in order to gain support and professional advice: Contact : The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) immediately to discuss the nature of the allegation and the appropriate action to be taken. 01274 434343 * Ofsted to advise them of the allegation 0300 123 1231 I will write a detailed record of all related incidents, including what was said and by whom, with times and dates. After seeking advice/approval from the LADO I will ask witnesses (if there were any) to also write a statement detailing the incident they witnessed and giving their contact details in case it needs to be followed up by the authorities. Task 3 Confidentiality and data protection are vital when running a home based childcare service. Write an explanation of the importance of both. * Confidentiality-privacy, discretion keeping information secret. * Data Protection Act (1998)- This is designed to prevent confidential and personal information being passed on without a person’s consent. This now includes not just information stored on computers but also on paper and screen, including photographs. It is paramount for me as a childminder to safe guard the children in my care from any form of vulnerability, in order to achieve this I must be highly vigilant in my approach, I should never discuss issues of children with different parents. * Password protect my computers * Have a secure locked cupboard where I can keep personal information about the children in my care. The ultimate manner in which to run a successful business is to be professional at all times, this is a key focus as this can not only endanger the children but can also give out the wrong impression to parents. In addition to having confidentiality this is expected on both sides, as there will be information I will be sharing with parents i. e. contract details, fees, contact details, my experience etc. This will be a mandatory requirement on both sides, although my primary goal is to keep the children safe and healthy by implementing the good practices that the NCMA recommend, which is to have a lockable separate business filling system that cannot be accessed by the rest of my family or other visitors to my setting.

FAQ About Singapores Location and History

FAQ About Singapores Location and History Where is Singapore? Singapore is at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It encompasses one main island, called Singapore Island or Pulau Ujong, and sixty-two smaller islands. Singapore is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor, a narrow body of water. Two routes connect Singapore to Malaysia: the Johor-Singapore Causeway (completed in 1923), and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (opened in 1998). Singapore also shares maritime boundaries with Indonesia to the south and east. What is Singapore? Singapore, which is officially called the Republic of Singapore, is a city-state with over 3 million citizens. Although it covers only 710 square kilometers (274 square miles) in area, Singapore is a wealthy independent nation with a parliamentary form of government. Interestingly, when Singapore gained its independence from the British in 1963, it merged with neighboring Malaysia. Many observers both inside and outside of Singapore doubted that it would be a viable state on its own. However, the other states in the Malay Federation insisted on passing laws that favored ethnic Malay people over minority groups. Singapore, however, is majority Chinese with a Malay minority. As a result, race riots rocked Singapore in 1964, and the following year the Malaysian parliament expelled Singapore from the federation. Why Did the British Leave Singapore in 1963? Singapore was founded as a British colonial port in 1819; the British used it as a foothold in order to challenge Dutch domination of the Spice Islands (Indonesia). The British East India Company administered the island along with Penang and Malacca. Singapore became a Crown colony in 1867, when the British East India Company collapsed after the Indian Revolt. Singapore was separated bureaucratically from India and made into a directly-ruled British colony. This would continue until the Japanese seized Singapore in 1942, as part of their Southern Expansion drive during World War II.   The Battle of Singapore was one of the most grueling in that phase of the Second World War. After the war, Japan withdrew and returned control of Singapore to the British. However, Great Britain was impoverished, and much of London lay in ruins from German bombardment and rocket attacks. The British had few resources and not much interest to bestow on a small, far-off colony such as Singapore. On the island, a growing nationalist movement called for self-rule. Gradually, Singapore moved away from British rule. In 1955, Singapore became a nominally self-governing member of the British Commonwealth. By 1959, the local government controlled all internal matters except for security and policing; Britain also continued to run Singapores foreign policy. In 1963, Singapore merged with Malaysia and became completely independent from the British Empire. Why is Chewing Gum Banned in Singapore? In 1992, the government of Singapore banned chewing gum. This move was a reaction to littering - used gum left on sidewalks and under park benches, for example - as well as vandalism. Gum chewers occasionally stuck their gum on elevator buttons or on the sensors of commuter train doors, causing messes and malfunctions. Singapore has a uniquely strict government, as well as a reputation for being clean and green (eco-friendly). Therefore, the government simply banned all chewing gum. The ban was loosened slightly in 2004 when Singapore negotiated a free-trade agreement with the United States, allowing for tightly-controlled imports of nicotine gum to help smokers quit. However, the prohibition on ordinary chewing gum was reaffirmed in 2010. Those caught chewing gum receive a modest fine, equivalent to a littering fine. Anyone caught smuggling gum into Singapore can be sentenced to up to a year in jail and a $5,500 US fine. Contrary to rumor, nobody has been caned in Singapore for chewing or selling gum.

Katherine Mansfield Essays - Bisexual Women, Fourth Way, Free Essays

Katherine Mansfield Essays - Bisexual Women, Fourth Way, Free Essays Katherine Mansfield Katherine Mansfield Katherine Mansfield, who lived from 1888 to 1923, is considered to be one of the most remarkable short story writers of her time. Using her life experiences as an inspiration for her short stories, Mansfield sculpted her ideas into masterful pieces of literary work. Mansfield's life was full of interesting experiences that shaped her outlook upon life. The diversity of friends and acquaintances Katherine Mansfield had over her lifetime also had a great influence on her career. Even as a child, Mansfield made decisions about her life that would create a path for her career to start on. Katherine Mansfield was born Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp to Harold and Annie Dyer Beauchamp on October 14, 1888. The Beauchamp family called New Zealand their home. A Sea Voyage, written by the young Kathleen Beauchamp, won first-place at the Karori Village School, the grammar school she first attended (Nathan 1). This accomplishment encouraged young Beauchamp to continue on writing. After attending grammar school, Kathleen went on to attend Miss Swainson's Secondary School. During this time, she is acquainted with Maata Mahupuka, a native Maori. Her interest in Mahupuka later grew into a brief love affair with him (Nathan 1). After graduating from secondary school, Miss Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp left New Zealand. She decided this after thwarting the idea of a career in music. Beauchamp went on to attend London's Queens College and study literature. While in attendance at Queens College, Kathleen made a friend in Ida Baker. Ida Baker, like Beauchamp, was an avid writer. Kathleen gave the pen name Lesley Moore to Ida, after Beauchamp's brother Lesley (Sampson 308). In the spring of 1907, Miss Beauchamp held in garden party and invited many of her acquaintances from college. The party was a complete success until it was discovered that a cottager who lived on the property had been accidentally killed (Nathan 1). This event spawned to become The Garden Party, Beauchamp's first major work (Encarta). In 1909, Kathleen Beauchamp became acquainted with a man by the name of G. C. Bowden. After only a brief period they became engaged and married. The evening after their marriage, Kathleen left Bowden (Disc. Authors 1). Leaving Bowden, she ran away with her longtime friend Garnet Trowell. Trowell was from Wellington; she was a fairly well known cellist. While running away with Garnet Trowell, Kathleen had an affair with a man who ultimately impregnates her. When Kathleen finally discovered this pregnancy, she returned to her mother for support. Trying to remove Kathleen from the distractions of everyday life, Kathleen's mother took her to Bad Worishofen, Bavaria to await the pregnancy (Nathan 1). In June of 1909, Kathleen had a miscarriage. While awaiting the birth of her child, Kathleen wrote stories and drew sketches related to her experiences of Bavaria (Disc. Authors 1). She wrote most of her work in her room at the Hotel Kreuzer (Nathan 1). After battling through difficult times, Beauchamp made many changes in her life. Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp began using the name Katherine Mansfield exclusively starting in 1910 (Nathan 1). Steven Swift, a fairly well known publisher at the time, published the first copies of Mansfield's In a German Pension (Baugh 287). It was originally advertised as a six-schilling novel (Baugh 287). Only a short time after the initial publication, Swift added the work onto his list of Books that Compel (Sampson 308). During this time, Katherine Mansfield made an acquaintance with an important person. J. Middleton Murry was the editor of Rhyme magazine. Katherine met Murry for the first time when he was twenty-two while working in the same town (Nathan 1). J. Middleton Murry and Katherine Mansfield became closer and their personal relationship grew. Eventually, Murry moved in with Katherine at her London apartment and they soon became lovers. John Middleton Murry and Katherine Beauchamp Mansfield were married on May 3, 1918. This move was made in an act of convenience as well as love, considering Murry was an editor of a magazine that also published short stories. After her marriage to Murry in May of 1918, Katherine went right back to work. In August of the same year, she published the short story Bliss in the English Review (Nathan 1). In

Adolescence and Teenagers

Teenagers spending time at night It is a common phenomenon seeing teenagers hanging out at night in big cities. Places which teenagers like to hang out are shopping malls, computer games centers and sometimes, roadsides. These places have become teenagers’ favourite places because they can meet other teenagers to socialize. Teenagers start congregate at these places since evening and some of them even stay out late loitering aimlessly. Many adults feel that it is risky to allow teenagers to loiter at night. However, some parents think that it is just a phase in life which adolescence feel that they need to mix around with their peer group. These parents tend to give too much freedom to their teenage children because they think that they should not deprive of their children’s freedom to mingle with friends. Nevertheless, not every parent agrees that teenagers should be allowed to go out at night too often. These parents are obviously concerned that when their teenage children spend time out of the house too frequent at night, their children will spend only little time at home with their own family members. When two parents are working, the only time which is available for quality family time is at night. Parents are also worried who their teenage children’s companions are and what influence their children will get from their companions. In addition, parents are also concerned about the food their children consume. It is definitely unhealthy for teenagers to spend their time at fast food outlets which serve high greasy and sugar-contained food. Overeating at night could result in obesity and diabetic. Besides, undesirable and inconsiderate habit of wasting the parents’ hard earned money will be developed.

Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Management - Assignment Example Leadership involves establishment of a clear vision, sharing and conveying the vision with the associates so that they can follow it enthusiastically, providing knowledge, information as well as describing the methods by which the vision can be realized, balancing the conflicts and coordinating with the stakeholders and other associated members. In this tumultuous business environment, the importance and necessity of efficient leadership cannot be denied. The complex and dynamic nature of business has further augmented the need of leadership in an organization. As a result of this, it has been observed that companies nowadays have started to instigate several leadership development trainings and programs which clearly points out that although off late, originations have been able to understand the extent to which efficient leadership adds to the efficiency and competence of an origination (Agard, 2010). Leadership is a vast area and its application is be found in different facets of an organization. However, there are huge differences between management and leadership styles. Moreover, the role played by leadership is different from that of the role of managing. Although the major role of leadership is to ensure people in n organization are working towards a common goal, but is not constrained or limited to only a single area. Leadership also plays several other roles and is crucial to an organization’s day to day activity. Some of the most crucial roles played by leadership in an organization are describe below. Management of the Workforce: - Leadership is extremely important in organizations to ensure proper management of the people. Leadership not only provides assistance in initiating actions within organizations, but also plays actives roles in motivating the workforce, providing them with guidance, building confidence, improving the morale, creating a healthy working environment and also coordinating with the employees for better outcome. Strategy Implementation: - The notion of leadership is also vital in the strategy implementation process of an organization. The implementation of stagey in organizations is equally important like that of strategy formulation. A strategy is generally formulated by the upper management but the implementation is in the hands of the leaders. They are the one who are accountable to implement and communicate the strategy to the entire organization. Hence, the role of leadership in strategy implementation is imperative. In the meantime, it has been also observed that, employees often resist the implementation of a new strategy thinking that this may dislocate their current state. In this context also leadership plays a crucial role in managing the resistance to the change offered by the employees thereby implementing the strategy successfully. The above discussion has made it evident that leadership practices are indeed significant for an organization. Therefore, it is also necessary to shed light on the different types of leadership. The type of leadership practices differ from one organization to the other. The leadership style or the type of leadership is greatly dependent upon the objectives of the organization and also the intentions of the organization. A number of authors in this context argue that the leadership style of an organization also depends upon the organizational culture. Echoing these thoughts, several other scholars have mentioned that the national culture of a country also

Is Instant messaging bad for high school purpose Essay

Is Instant messaging bad for high school purpose - Essay Example e difficulty completing their work, provide for countless interruptions, and generally serve to enfeeble the level of English language and syntax that is used within the everyday lexicon. The first set of negative attributes that this necessarily serves to provide is the high level of grammar and spelling mistakes that are represented within these messages. Although one should be mindful to not represent themselves as a snob, the fact of the matter is that the lazy representation of the English language and frequent and incorrect spelling associated with utilization of instant messaging and texting has meant that the quality and level of writing has exponentially decreased among the student body. This has of course led to lower grades with regards to hand-in assignments and essay projects. Secondly, when engaging in such a practice within the classroom, the students are playing with fire due to the fact that they are oftentimes careless and can be caught; facing the further repercussions of having their mobile devices seized, having their participation grades lowered, or other forms of punitive actions. However, beyond the mere representation of how administration could punish the students for such a practice, the greater concern is the fact that the student is ultimately unable to concentrate upon what they are doing. Although they may feel that they are one of the world’s most talented multi-tasker, the fact of the matter is that they will ultimately be removing much needed attention away from the most pressing task at hand in order to focus upon the frivolous exchange that is taking place via IM any given moment. Ultimately, it represents not only a distraction for the individual student but also for the other students that may not be engaging in such a prac tice. Due to the fact that constant buzzing and laughing/smiling and flashing screens is a horrendous distraction to those seated around the student, the practice is something that not only deeply

Programming Paradigms Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Programming Paradigms Comparison - Essay Example C++ supports multiple inheritance of method implementations from more than one superclass at a time. While it seems like a very useful feature, adding it to the language turns out to introduce many complexities. (2006a) The program compiled by a c++ compiler, is platform dependent. This means, a source file in C++ when compiled is converted into obj file, which contains machine codes and function calls for the built-in library functions. After this, the obj file is processed by the c++ linker utility, which patches the code of the library functions in order to resolve the library function calls and convert the obj file into exe file. More specifically this code patching is only for unregistered library functions, which are local to the C++ development environment. But when an external registered dll file is used in the source code, then the function calls in the obj file would not be resolved in the exe file and those function calls would be dynamically resolved at runtime of the executable file. C++ supports templates that allow you, for example, to implement a Stack and then instantiate it as Stack or Stack to produce two separate types: a stack of integers and a stack of floating point values. (2006a) C++ allows you to define operators that perform arbitrary operations on instances of your class. In effect, it allows extending the syntax of the language. This is a nifty feature, called operator overloading, tat makes for very elegant examples. (2006a) C++ has the ability to include preprocessor directive in the beginning of a program. (import file name from the library). Java possess the following characteristics: Java does not have any concept of pointers. The Java Runtime Environment by default reference the objects for the programmer. Java does not allow programmer to manipulate pointers or memory addresses of any kind and imposes certain restrictions in this respect (2006a): It does not allow casting object or arraying references into integers or vice versa. It does not allow you to do pointer arithmetic. It does not allow you to compute the size in bytes of any primitive type or object. Some of the reasons are: Pointers are a source of bugs. Eliminating them simplifies the language and eliminates many potential bugs (2006a). Pointers and pointer arithmetic could be used to sidestep Java's run-time checks and security mechanisms. Removing pointers allows Java to provide the security guarantees that it does (2006a). No Global Variables: In Java, every field and method is declared within a class and forms part of that class. The fields and methods of a

Functional, Matrix and Pure Project Organizational Structures Essay

Functional, Matrix and Pure Project Organizational Structures - Essay Example A well-defined organizational structure makes the employees and the managers aware of their roles and responsibilities regarding completion of the missions. Let us now discuss three primary project management organizational structures in order to get a better understanding of the situations in which each of these structures serves best to manage the project teams. Functional Organizational Structure Functional organizational structure is the most commonly used form of structures in which the decision-making authority remains at the top management level and the projects are assigned to the functional units based on the types of the projects. In functional organizational structure, there is the strong concept of subordination and the focus of the management is towards jobs. The function-based jobs, which are similar in nature, are grouped together in such a way that they form a separate department. In functional organizational structure, the employees of each department have a unique s et of roles and responsibilities, which make their duties different from the employees of other departments. For example, the employees of the human resource department perform the tasks of hiring and training, whereas the employees belonging to the operations department deal with different types of business operations, activities, and functions. Some of the main characteristics of the functional organizational structure include a well-defined chain of command, the formation of separate departments, strong concept of subordination, centralized decision-making, concentrated leadership, professional similarities between the employees belonging to any specific department, well-defined progress path for the employees, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Along with many considerable benefits, there also exist some negative aspects of the functional organizational structure. Some of the most negative aspects include the bureaucratic style of decision-making, inefficient proble m solving among the employees, lack of client focus, the ineffective flow of communication between any two departments of the company, narrow vision of organizational goals and objectives. The situation where the functional organizational structure can be the best method to manage a project team is one in which increased efficiency of the workforce is required. This type of organizational structure works best in stable work environments where the managers do not change the business strategy or approach towards the completion of mission very frequently. Therefore, if managers of a company need to complete a project by the given deadline without changing the business strategy, functional organizational structure can be the best option because in this situation, employees of all departments are aware of their roles and responsibilities and the hired specialists can share their knowledge and experience for the completion of the projects. Matrix Organizational Structure The matrix organi zational structure is the most commonly used form of organizational structures for the project-based teams. It is basically the merger of functional and pure project organizational structures.

SWFS 5004 Social Inclusion (Part 2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

SWFS 5004 Social Inclusion (Part 2) - Essay Example In simple terms therefore, social exclusion may refer to the extent to which individuals are unable to participate in key areas of economic, social and cultural life (Levitas, 1998). While clarifying this definition, Hilary (2007) explains that an individual can become socially excluded if he or she fails to participate fully in key activities carried out in his or her society. In view of the foregoing definition, it can clearly be upheld that social exclusion involves an individual’s lack of participation in society and emphasizes the multi-dimensional, multi-layered and dynamic nature of the problem (Frazer & Marlier, 2007). The concept of social exclusion can thus be found to possess four salient features namely: lack of participation, multi-dimensional, dynamism and multi-layered. Silver (1994) observes that the causes of social exclusion operate at many levels including individual, household, community and institutional. Hilary (2007) sums up the concept of social exclusi on as the inter-connectivity between â€Å"a person’s social class, educational status, relationships in childhood and living standards as well as how these might affect access to various opportunities†. ... It similarly presents a PowerPoint presentation of my personal reflections on my own values of respect, caring and person centered. Aspects of social inclusion and social exclusion As earlier explained in the foregoing introductory part of this essay, social exclusion has been demonstrated to be multidimensional going beyond the issue of material poverty. According to Will (2007), social exclusion also encompasses other forms of social disadvantages such as lack of regular and equal access to education, health care, social care as well as proper housing. Additionally, the same causes go beyond material poverty and further encompass a wide range of reasons including discrimination against immigrants, ethnic minorities, the disabled, the elderly or ex-offenders (Will, 2007). Secondly, social exclusion is also considered to be a process in itself rather than a mere outcome of a process as espoused by Paris (2004). Research indicates that the accumulation of a number of disadvantages ass ociated with social exclusion may result in a self-reinforcing cycle that makes it difficult to attribute causality to one specific factor or another (Frazer & Marlier, 2007). This fact has led a multiplicity of social scientists to delve into the genesis of social exclusion, making the concept quite dynamic, where different individuals or groups of individuals find themselves in different stages of the exclusion process, whether temporarily, recurringly or continuously (Levitas, 1998). Apart from the preceding argument, the concept of social exclusion is said to be context-specific where best inclusion endeavors are in ways that are specific to particular localities. This in essence implies that countries and governments need to develop

Employees Performance & Assessment system used in your organization Assignment

Employees Performance & Assessment system used in your organization - Assignment Example This has thus forced organizations to ensure proper training and support for those conducting the assessment, and assessing the risk possibilities to reduce legal liabilities. A job performance evaluation system is only considered effective if it can clearly show employees responsibilities, motivate them, show their contribution and give information that can be useful in making personnel decisions. This essay will evaluate the forced distribution system of performance evaluation, its advantages, disadvantages and ways of improving the system. In a forced distribution evaluation system the managers are expected to distribute ratings for the evaluated employees, into a pre-specified performance distribution ranking as described in Concise Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management by Cooper & Argyris. Meisler defined forced distribution performance evaluation as; It's a workforce-management tool based on the premise that in order to develop and thrive, a corporation must identify its best an d worst performers, then nurture the former and rehabilitate and/or discard the latter. It's an elixir that in these slow-growth times has proved irresistible to scores of desperate corporate chieftains - but indigestible to a good many employees (44-49). Just like the name suggest this system forces the managers to ensure that the performance evaluation reflects the true performance of each member within the organization. This system aims to improve overall productivity within the organization. Most organizations have developed their own criteria of ranking, which functions by developing the criteria and employees and ranked according to it. The performance criteria can either be in terms of goals or expected behavior expected of the employees. Microsoft organization rates its employees using a unique scale. Their 5 point scale ensures that employees also get a ranking for being either the most valuable or the least valuable in terms of performance. Through lifeboat discussions man agers will decide on the rankings by choosing the employees that they consider as the most valuable (Abelson,1). This form of ranking allows for determination of the least performing employee, because of this some organizations use the same system as a means of determining which employees are to be laid off. This ranking that allows for firing of workers has led the forced distribution system to be termed as ‘rank and yank’ system (Osborne & McCann, 6- 9). This system though employed by some organizations has both positive and negative features. It is imperative when considering an evaluating system to use in an organization to look at both of these features. This enables an organization to decide on which best fits the organization and will ensure that the employees feel secure in the workplace and promotes effectiveness and productivity. One of the advantages of fixed distribution performance evaluation system is that is that the use of this type of system can help to ensure that common errors that occur during performance evaluation are eliminated. These errors include; poor rating of the employees, or leniency errors whereby the employees are rated questionably well. The latter is the most common, and it is found in most cases that an employee is

SWFS 5004 Social Inclusion (Part 2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

SWFS 5004 Social Inclusion (Part 2) - Essay Example In simple terms therefore, social exclusion may refer to the extent to which individuals are unable to participate in key areas of economic, social and cultural life (Levitas, 1998). While clarifying this definition, Hilary (2007) explains that an individual can become socially excluded if he or she fails to participate fully in key activities carried out in his or her society. In view of the foregoing definition, it can clearly be upheld that social exclusion involves an individual’s lack of participation in society and emphasizes the multi-dimensional, multi-layered and dynamic nature of the problem (Frazer & Marlier, 2007). The concept of social exclusion can thus be found to possess four salient features namely: lack of participation, multi-dimensional, dynamism and multi-layered. Silver (1994) observes that the causes of social exclusion operate at many levels including individual, household, community and institutional. Hilary (2007) sums up the concept of social exclusi on as the inter-connectivity between â€Å"a person’s social class, educational status, relationships in childhood and living standards as well as how these might affect access to various opportunities†. ... It similarly presents a PowerPoint presentation of my personal reflections on my own values of respect, caring and person centered. Aspects of social inclusion and social exclusion As earlier explained in the foregoing introductory part of this essay, social exclusion has been demonstrated to be multidimensional going beyond the issue of material poverty. According to Will (2007), social exclusion also encompasses other forms of social disadvantages such as lack of regular and equal access to education, health care, social care as well as proper housing. Additionally, the same causes go beyond material poverty and further encompass a wide range of reasons including discrimination against immigrants, ethnic minorities, the disabled, the elderly or ex-offenders (Will, 2007). Secondly, social exclusion is also considered to be a process in itself rather than a mere outcome of a process as espoused by Paris (2004). Research indicates that the accumulation of a number of disadvantages ass ociated with social exclusion may result in a self-reinforcing cycle that makes it difficult to attribute causality to one specific factor or another (Frazer & Marlier, 2007). This fact has led a multiplicity of social scientists to delve into the genesis of social exclusion, making the concept quite dynamic, where different individuals or groups of individuals find themselves in different stages of the exclusion process, whether temporarily, recurringly or continuously (Levitas, 1998). Apart from the preceding argument, the concept of social exclusion is said to be context-specific where best inclusion endeavors are in ways that are specific to particular localities. This in essence implies that countries and governments need to develop

A View From The Bridge Essay Example for Free

A View From The Bridge Essay The Play A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller is set in the 1950s in Brooklyn, America in a small cramped apartment, focusing the audiences attention on to the tension in this household. It is a tragedy about an Italian American man called Eddie Carbone. It is a story of self destruction that Miller suggests is inevitable when a strong man like Eddie defies the standards of what his culture holds to be right and wrong. Eddie and his wife Beatrice have brought up Beatrices niece Catherine. Catherine is now old enough to go out for work. Eddie is very protective over her and is reluctant to let her go out for work. When Beatrices cousins Rodolpho and Marco arrive as illegal immigrants, Catherine falls in love with Rodolpho. Eddie becomes jealous as Catherine moves further away from him but never admits it. Throughout the play Eddie tries to destroy Rodolpho and as a final desperate measure he betrays him and his brother to the authorities. In his community this is unforgivable. Marco is so mad that he finally kills Eddie before he is deported. The play ends with everyone losing something. I found it very difficult to decide who I felt most sympathy for in the play because ultimately, everyone lost something. Eddie dies a sad broken man. Beatrice weeps over the loss of her husband. Rodolpho and Catherine are sorry for Eddies death and Marco is deported and loses his goal of earning money to send home. Eddie is a strong, impulsive man. He acts by instinct and prejudice. He is convinced just by looking at Rodolpho that he is a homosexual and unfit to marry his niece, whom he is over protective of. This becomes clear in his conversation with Alfieri about Rodolpho. Eddie says, he aint right and he also says, Hes a blonde guy. Like platinum. Eddie thinks that Rodolpho is homosexual just because he has blonde hair. He suggests that Rodolpho is weak when he says, I mean if you close the paper fast you could blow him over, showing how he believes Rodolpho is not manly enough to marry his niece. In his mind he neither understands nor admits his true feeling towards Catherine. Alfieri confronts him about this, She wants to get married, Eddie. She cant marry you can she? Eddie is shocked by the suggestion and replies furiously, Whatre you talkin about, marry me! I dont know what the hell youre talkin about! He refuses to admit that his feeling for Catherine is more than fatherly. To him, Alfieris suggestion is absurd and unacceptable. In fact, he is only lying to himself and pushing himself one step closer to his own demise.

Pure Bureaucratic Organization Features

Pure Bureaucratic Organization Features Every organization has a set of objectives it wants to achieve. These can merely be performance targets a management wants to attain, or can better be described as a measure of organizational growth. However, objectives of each individual might not be aligned with those of the organization, and therefore, to ensure that the organization is able to meet its objectives with maximum efficiency, it is imperative to exert some form of control over the organization. Bureaucracy is an authority that maximizes efficiency and effectiveness of the organization and exercises control on the basis of technical knowledge (Weber, 1947:339). Bureaucracy is a form of organizational design defined by a number of formal characteristics focused on centralization, authority, impersonality and a rational career structure; all arranged in a hierarchical ascending order with clear cut division of labour and specialized tasks in line with rights and entitlements linked to the position in hierarchy (Clegg et al., 2008:486; Clegg and Hardy, 1999:8). Max Weber (1864-1920), a great German academic and sociologist was the first to formulate the characteristics of a bureaucracy. Well known for his study of bureaucratization of society, he set the foundations for all subsequent work on this subject. Weber, in his work The Three Types of Legitimate Rules (1958) contrasted three types of authority: traditional authority, charismatic authority and rational-legal authority. However, he identified rational-legal authority to be the heart of bureaucracy and defined it as: an authority resting on a belief in the legality of patterns of normative rules and the right of those elevated to authority under such rules to issue commands (Weber, 1947:215). As for this, the authority given to these officials is determined by the office they are appointed to and once these official leave the office, their authority is lost. For Weber, the terms bureaucracy and rationality were both tied together, and thus he coined the term ideal type to the rational-legal form. Primary Features of a Bureaucratic Organization Weber identified what he believed to be the main characteristics of a pure bureaucratic organization. His idea on bureaucracy was to describe an ideal organization one which is perfectly rational and would provide maximum efficiency and consistency to the organization. We are now going to discuss the characteristics that form the essence of Webers rational bureaucracy that be found in his work Economy and Society: an Outline of Interpretive Sociology (1978:221-3). Bureaucratic organizations can be characterized through the formal aspects of Frederick Taylors Scientific Management school of thought which is considered to be the foundation of classical management theory and enhances the idea of improving efficiency and productivity within the workplace (Dean, 1997). First is centralization, which refers to the level of hierarchy with authority to make decisions. Each level is accountable to the level above and controls the level below (Weber, 1978). Hierarchy delineates the line of authority and shows a clear chain of command, allowing job definition to be most rational and most efficient (Grey, 2009). Secondly, there is a highly developed division of labour and specialization of tasks. Duties of all officials are clearly defined such that employees are organized into groups based upon their technical skills, thus covering the area of competence they are technically trained for. In lines with this, Taylors principles of Scientific Management the ory suggests that a trained employee should be selected for the job rather than having him choose his own work and training himself as best he could (Dean, 1997). Another feature that develops a bureaucratic organization is formalization, which refers to the set of written rules and formal procedures management has to abide by. Firstly, there is a strict separation between official duties of a bureaucrat and their private and emotional life. In this, management is operated on certain rules contained in files of written documents rather than personal feelings of the employees (Weber, 1921/1968). This allows a uniform execution of decisions and actions towards the lower levels through formal systems of rules and regulations, and thus it is an imperative source of efficiency maximization. Ouchi (1977) points out that an organizations formal system, identified as written procedures and policies, help meet organizational goals in an efficient manner and detect misconducts taking place within the organization. Moreover, all decision and actions taken by the organization are recorded in written documents. This helps regulate behavior of the employees. Although this might not seem as an essential part of a bureaucracy, yet it is the arrangement that best fits the pure type (Weber, 1957:335). Starting with the mode of recruitment, another feature that develops a pure bureaucratic organization is that personnel are hired on grounds of technical competence and not on any other consideration such as political loyalty or family inheritance. The appointment of an individual is based upon their qualifications and expertise to accomplish the specialized duties effectively. When entering a bureaucratic organization, individuals are expected to make office their sole occupation and make a career within the organization (Weber, 1978:220). Insofar as the remuneration in a bureaucratic organization is concerned, the opportunity for promotion is based upon an elaborate system of seniority and achievement of an individual. Moreover, the bureaucrats are salaried officials and normally receive a fixed salary based more upon the status of their position rather than their productivity or performance. Clegg et al. (2008) asserts that different positions in a hierarchy are differently paid. The characteristics discussed above illustrate Webers ideal type of rational and efficient bureaucracy. Many of these features that now seem common and obvious to us did not always exist, and can therefore be characterized as Webers invention. Furthermore, as suggested in Webers definition and by Scientific Management theory, these features exist as a set of formal entities such that they are predefined by the management and are deliberately and consciously created to achieve specified goals (Dwyer, 2005:1234). Bureaucracy or Post-bureaucracy? For most of us today when we think of the term bureaucracy, negative connotations such as inefficiency, redundancy, rigidity, red tape culture and the like come to mind. However, bureaucracy in Webers period was considered extremely successful and was seen as efficient machine devised to ultimately achieve desired goals. The purpose of this essay however is not to discuss the success or failure of a bureaucracy, but rather to analyze if we still live in a bureaucratic world, or in a post-bureaucratic one. Post-bureaucracy is an refined organizational model developed to best suit todays dynamic organizations. Salaman (2005) asserts that post-bureaucracy is supposed to be more efficient, more dynamic, more innovative and more understanding towards the need to change. It merely refers to a fundamental shift away from traditional bureaucratic features which can be characterized through reduced formal levels of hierarchy, more flexibility than rule-following, decentralization of authority, and a collaboration of trust, teamwork, and shared responsibility (Heckscher, 1994). One of the features of Webers ideal type of bureaucracy is based upon centralization; however most large and successful organizations today are organizing themselves into smaller, autonomous and more manageable units thus becoming more decentralized. Various scholars (Miner et al., 2000; Repenning, 2002; Sigglekow and Rivki, 2003) have recently developed a resurgence of interest towards the linkage of structure and strategy, and have focused on how smaller structures in dynamic environments can be used to produce organizational adaptations. Their study links to how simpler structure can improvise learning, increase professionalism and be an appropriate mechanism for controlling organizations. Although Daft (2009:348) argues that decentralization represents a paradox because, in the perfect bureaucracy, all decisions would be made by the top administrator, who would have perfect control. Nevertheless, it can be seen that larger an organization becomes, the more decentralized and compl ex it gets. The rationale behind this is that when an organization grows, the number of levels in hierarchy (vertical complexity) and the number of departments (horizontal complexity) grow with it, thus decisions are diffused to the lower levels of management and pressure to subdivide arises, or else managers cannot control them effectively. We can see today that most successful companies such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, General Foods, 3M, etc are now seen adapting decentralization. CEO Mike Quinlan of McDonalds says that he pushes directions as far down the hierarchy as he can; otherwise, McDonalds decision making would be too slow. Hage and Aiken (1967) support this idea in their research on organization size that larger organizations permit greater decentralization and use Campbell Soup Company and American Airlines as examples (cited in Daft, 2009:348). A small group of theorists (Heckscher and Donnellon, 1994; Gratton, 2004; Pollitt, 2008) have developed upon the theory of typical shift towards post-bureaucracy that in a world of such increasing uncertainty and complexity; hierarchies have now become flat, horizontal connections are emphasized, companies are now more fluid and virtual. As all of these features can be observed in large-scale organizations today, I am in support of Robbins (1990:308) thought that in large and complex organizations, decentralization has become de riguer. Although we have discussed above that large scale organizations are becoming more decentralized, that is they are lacking the pure bureaucratic feature of centralization and hierarchical authority, this however does not mean that hierarchy has been eliminated in them or that they have left behind the core tenets of bureaucracy. They still abide by the Webers bureaucratic rigid rules, written procedures, and impersonality. Heckscher and Donnellon (1994) argue along these lines and describe them as cleaned up bureaucracies. Moreover, according to HÃ ¶pfl (2006:19), an entirely non- or post-bureaucratic organization without hierarchy is simply inconceivable and in addition asserts that post-bureaucratic arrangements appear as variants within bureaucracy. Today, large organizations tend to be more formalized than the smaller ones. The underlying principle behind this is that in large organizations the number of employees and departments is significantly higher, making them more dependable upon the written rules, regulations and paperwork to standardize operations and exercise control. Robbins (1990:96) uses McDonalds to support this argument and states that McDonalds operating manual has 385 pages describing the most minute activities in each outlet. No cigarette, candy or pin ball machines are allowed. Basic hamburger patty must be 1.6 ounces of pure beef with no more than 19.5% fat content. Buns must have 13.3% sugar in them. In regard with this example, it can be seen that even in todays large-scale organizations employees are taken as machine-like objects with no personal feelings. Bureaucracys strength is its capacity to manage routine tasks efficiently in stable and predictable environments. On the contrary, small organizations these days tend to deploy less degree of formalization in their operations which provides employees with considerable freedom in executing their duties and achieving objectives (Robbins, 1990:93). Having said that, top management in small organizations can nevertheless deploy their personal observation skills as a tool to continuously monitor productivity levels and regulate control (Hall, 1963). This implies that sufficient tools are available in small organizations to positively impact overall team dynamics without having to enforce a set of stringent rules and regulations that individuals are restrained by. This in turn empowers employees with a sense of belonging towards the organization and builds a strong relationship amongst them, weaved by trust and personal loyalties (Maravelias, 2003). In lines with the existence of bureaucratic features in todays era, different schools of thought exist. An extensive number of theorists have conducted case studies on organizational structures existing in both public and private sectors. Harris (2006) conducted a study on British Library to explore widespread adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). He concluded that ICT in modern libraries can foster them to become innovative virtual organizations; putting an end to bureaucracy and thus initiate a new flexible and modern-bureaucratic organizational form. Similarly, Briand and Bellemare (2006), in their study about complex changes taking place in a Canadian International Development Research Centre, propose that a shift away from centralized model of governance is being observed, which is entailed with with a reduction of surveillance and produced a new flat structure of domination. Furthermore, Budd (2007), in his research draws upon the environmental changes suc h as introduction of ICT based services, standardization and flexibility. He claims that these changes have helped replace bureaucracy in public policy and public management operations. In contrast to the aforementioned cases which observe the essence of post-bureaucratic patterns in the transformed era we now live in, another group of research scientists have presented their findings by conducting studies about organizations that have not adapted to a paradigm shift, away from bureaucracy. Hill et al. (2000:578), in their study of UK and US Research and Development (RD) projects considered decentralization as an aspect of post-bureaucratic paradigm in RD functions. They concluded that centralization is still the norm as no evidence of move towards decentralization or was observed. In similar lines, Hodgson (2004) argued in his study that project management can never eliminate central control, not the tensions linked with it; instead it has distinct modalities of control, each of which generates quite specific tensions. These are not so much an innovation in organization form but a repositioning of some classic questions. In addition to this Barker (1993) studied se lf-managing teams in the US and observed that dehumanizing tendencies within them exist, thus tightening Webers iron cage of rational control. As a response to whether we are living in a bureaucratic or a post-bureaucratic epoch, there is certainly no doubt that organizations today are experiencing rapid technological and innovative changes, but these changes however are not leaving bureaucracy behind. Bureaucracy, in some form or the other, still exists in all organizations. Conclusion First part of this essay discusses the general features that constitute a pure bureaucratic organization. Thus, I am of the opinion that these bureaucratic features were consciously formed to meet the organizations objectives in the most productive and efficient manner. Second part of the essay provides an analytical review of the current patterns of organizational structures to help establish the extent of bureaucratic elements that still exists within modern organizations. Due to the given scope limitations, the primary content of this essay only outlines concepts of Webers ideal type bureaucracy and few critical approaches to provide a radical analysis of bureaucracy and post-bureaucracy era. This constraint however limits my analysis and prevents from further building upon the controversies identified by other research theorists which are primarily associated with these core characteristics. Although bureaucracy entails with it words such as red tape and inefficiency, bureaucracy is only a type of an organizational structure and there is no unanimously acknowledged perspective whether it is good or bad. Referring to Greys (2009) idea that bureaucracies are well suited for businesses that involve routine task or machine-like operations rather than for those which experience rapid technological changes, I reject the exclusive consideration of either bureaucracies or post-bureaucracies. The aforementioned idea implies that we live either in a purely bureaucratic epoch, or one which completely washes away the bureaucratic features; in other words a post-bureaucratic one. Although bureaucracy, with its adequately defined rigid features to some extent is indeed incompatible with todays growth and rapid change; yet in my view all organizations in some way or the other demonstrate certain degree of bureaucratic characteristics. As for this, I endorse HÃ ¶pfls (2006) idea that a complete transition from bureaucracy to a modern era would require either a death of hierarchy, or some measures that are entirely incompatible with bureaucracy. In light of all this, it can thus be concluded that despite the criticism directed towards bureaucracy, we are in the midst of a threshold both bureaucracy and modernity still continue to live with us.