Psychology and Motivation

This essay examines the topic on ‘psychology and motivation’, where money has long been considered the most effective motivator of staff. Therefore, three specific management theories would be used in this paper to evaluate the use of monetary incentives in employee motivation. Motivation is purely a simple active process of leadership behavior. It creates conditions which drives an individual to do things right. Motivation is a built-in response in an individual and it appears within an individual instead of establishing from the outside (Baldoni, 2005). Motivation is the key to performance improvement. Unfortunately, in today’s working society, the traditional approach of monetary incentives tempts individuals only to a certain extent. Though monetary incentives are able to fulfill the basic needs (hunger, thirst and daily necessities) of an individual, it cannot ‘buy happiness’ like work satisfaction or help people attain power. Money makes people feel self-sufficient. Human beings are thus more likely to put forth effort to attain personal goals (Buchanan, 2009). Instead of using the traditional approach, employers can consider adopting another method of motivating their staff – Maslow’s theory of motivation – Hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s motivation theory shows that individuals are being motivated by unfulfilled needs (Clifford & Thorpe, 2007). According to Maslow, there are five types of needs. These needs are illustrated in the figure below. Maslow Theory of Motivation – Hierarchy of Needs (tutor2u) Maslow identified these five needs which are considered the â€Å"deficiency needs. † When one is motivated to satisfy these needs, one will work hard to achieve it. Therefore, these needs must be satisfied in order for work productivity to be improved. When these needs are satisfied, naturally, employees would want to remain in the company. Thus, employers can motivate individuals by satisfying these five types of needs mentioned by Maslow differently. For physiological motivation, employers can provide sufficient meal breaks for employees. This is done in the hope that employees can not only have sufficient time to eat a proper meal, but also time for them to rest and to be re-energized. This time can also be used for the employees to run their errands, since most shops are often closed for the day when these employees knock off. To meet the employees’ safety needs, employers can provide a safe working environment that is generally free of threats to the employees. In this way, employees would feel at ease during work as their safety is being well taken care off. If the employees have job security, it also enhances their satisfaction. For social needs, employers have to ensure that employees do feel a sense of belonging with the company. In order to do so, employers can maintain traditions and working characteristics to create a sense of belonging and of shared values and objectives. By using all means of communications, employers can create a relaxed and collaborative mood between all workers, and also to encourage a team game and a sense of responsibility in the employees. However, this would also mean transferring some of the control from the employers to the employees. For esteem motivators, employers can recognize employees’ achievements by appreciating their work in forms of incentive pay systems. Other than monetary forms, employers can also recognize their efforts in the company’s annual dinners by showing their appreciation with medals or trophies that enhance the rewarded employee’s status, allowing them to feel valued and appreciated for their hard work. Lastly, for self-actualization, employers can offer more challenging and meaningful work assignments which would require employees to be creative and innovate, so that they can progress with accordance to their long-term goals. However, not every individual is motivated by the exact same needs. Employers have to recognize such needs that each employee is pursuing and try to fulfill these needs with reasonable solutions that would benefit both parties. Thus, with employers trying their best to satisfy these five needs as mentioned by Maslow constantly, employees would be more motivated to continue working with the company as they feel valued and appreciated by employers. Thus, this shows that not only monetary incentives are able to motivate employees, the basic needs of an individual are equally essential for employees to fulfill as well. According to Frederick Herzberg’s two factory motivation theory, individuals are affected by two factors; motivation factors which include personal satisfaction and psychological growth and hygiene factors like dissatisfaction. Some typical hygiene factors that Herzberg discovered during his investigation in the U. S. A. would be working conditions, feelings of security, job, interpersonal relation and status (Management. net, 2009). Therefore, if these hygiene factors are not sufficient to the employees, they can be turned into the sources of dissatisfaction with work. For employees’ personal growth, motivation factors like recognition for achievement, responsibility of tasks and advancement to higher level tasks are needed as they are able to create job satisfaction. These factors can help to motivate an individual to perform and achieve above-average performance and effort. However, all hygiene factors must be met first in order for motivation factors to be fulfilling. The different combination of hygiene factors and motivation factors results in four scenarios. A high hygiene but low motivation factor results in an environment where employees have few complaints but are not highly motivated because they merely work for a living. If employees are motivated and yet still have complaints, this shows that the job is full of excitement and challenging, but the wages and working conditions does not meet the minimal individual requirements. The worst situation is the combination of low hygiene and low motivation where unmotivated employees have lots of complaints. Of course, the perfect situation is the combination of high hygiene and high motivation where employees are highly motivated and have fewer complaints (Tutor2u. net, 2010). Herzberg suggested that employers should focus on the people-oriented approach which emphasizes on job satisfaction through job rotation, an arrangement where employees are able to engage in a variety of jobs in the same organization to increase interest and motivation, and also to discover which is the most suitable job for them. In addition, job enrichment is yet another method where employers can enhance individual jobs, allocating more responsibilities to individuals with the aim of rewarding and inspiring the staff. A combination of the previous two methods is likely to result in the best result (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, & Shaw, 2003). In today’s work and other contexts, motivation does not necessary mean using the traditional approach of monetary incentives. Other incentives, for instance, free travel packages, movie tickets or other impromptu recognition rewards are also able to motivate employees to high performance work levels, often without the usage of large monetary incentives (Tan CH, D Torrington, 2004). In â€Å"The Human Side of Enterprise†, Douglas McGregor examined theories of individual behaviors at work, thus formulating two theories which can be categorized as Theory X and Theory Y (Accel-Team, 2010). According to McGregor, Theory X assumes workers work mainly for money and security, and dislike work and would avoid it if possible. Thus, in order for Theory X workers to achieve organizational objectives, various kinds of rewards offered by employees would be the most popular and appropriate motivator to such employees. However, on the other hand, Theory Y assumes there are workers who enjoy challenges in their work and would want more from their jobs than just mere monetary incentives. Therefore, for Theory Y workers, employers have to create a creative working environment or culture in order for employees to show and develop their creativity (Tutor2u. net, 2010). Under Theory X, employers must be careful to maintain a delicate balance between the two extremes – hard and soft approach towards employees. The hard approach refers to management using coercion, micromanagement, and reining a tight control over the employees, while a soft approach relies on taking a permissive and harmonious approach towards them, in the hope that they will cooperate when required. However, McGregor asserts that using such approaches are not the most efficient because it might result in hostility from employees if the former approach is used, or cause repeated requests for various benefits when a soft approach is used to entice the employees. On the other hand, under the Theory Y, employees’ personal goals can be aligned with organizational goals by using the employee’s own quest for fulfillment as the motivator (NetMBA. com, 2007). McGregor stressed that the soft management approach does not apply to Theory Y management and it is also recognized that some individuals may not be able to reached the level of maturity assumed by Theory Y and therefore, tighter controls can be gradually reduced as employees develops their independence. The discussion thus far leads to the conclusion that people with more money tend to be happier than those with less – but only up to a certain extent. Money’s impact on happiness suffers from diminishing returns: once an individual have sufficient food and shelter, more cash does not bring much extra joy (Buchanan, 2009). Researchers believe that extra capital leave people less worried about their financial health, and are thus less stressed. However, ‘experimental experiences’ such as trips to the theatre or travel trips sponsored by employers brings more happiness and joy to employees rather than just monetary incentives. Though monetary incentive seems more appealing, a good experience is still able to wield its power to bring pleasure to employees.

JSBMHA and HIPAA Case Study Essay

According to the laws concerning HIPAA where it pertains to serving and protecting patients’ rights, HIPAA is put into place to protect patient rights by not allowing any medical professional to discuss a patients prognosis, symptoms or any other specifics regarding their care with another individual not directly involved with their case. Because of this, a patient’s identity and confidential information is kept that way. Violations are punishable by law. HIPAA abstains an excessive influence continuously for the rights of patients’, every area concerned with the JSBMHA was affected the two employees. Their conversation unknowingly had an impact on the patients, as well as put their agency in a difficult situation. The outcome of their conversation could have caused the grandmother of the three children to inform others about the lack of confidentiality that the employee’s shows inside a public forum which could have the agency look upon negatively. Other individuals that deals with this agency could become aware and made to feel uncomfortable about giving up any information. From the outside looking in ti would look as if any information received by the JSBMHA is at risk of not being fully secured, at that point trust between the two parties has been compromised. The actions that should be taken should be to suspend the two individuals, their actions were a direct violation of the code of ethics. They need to know and understand that they have placed the agency in a serious predicament as well as lost the trust of one and possibly more patients and their families. As far as Jim goes he should’ve known better seeing that he’s been with the company much longer then Betty, it was is his responsibility to inform her that there are certain conversation that are to be left inside the office and that this one was not one to have in public. Furthermore because Jim is a â€Å"seasoned vet† in social work after 20 years he should know the code of ethics front to back so he should be suspended indefinitely without pay. Jim should have been more of a mentor to Betty instead of a gossiping friend.

House Prices Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

House Prices - Speech or Presentation Example You have read the Case in the attached PDF file. A partial summary of the data is presented below in Table 1. Use the information in the Table below to answer the questions raised by Jack, Jill and Pelo Watar, Specifically, At first glance, the average price of the houses for Apple Valley School District is higher than the prices for Eastville School District as illustrated by Figure 1. The difference between the mean prices of the two districts is $17,142. However, other factors can affect the high prices in Apple Valley School District such as the age, size, and number of bedrooms. Table 2 shows that the price per square ft in both districts is closer to each other, with a difference of $6.081. The data shows that the assumption that buyer’s prefer the Apple Valley School District has no basis. The price of the house depends on the age of the house. Table 3 shows that the older houses have lower prices than new houses. Houses at Apple Valley School District are newer than the houses at Eastville School District. The Price per Age of house at Apple Valley is almost $10 as compared to Eastville which only exceeds $7. Prices of the houses at Apple Valley School District are higher compared to houses at Eastville School district not because of the buyers’ preference to the school but for several reasons. First, the average sizes of the houses in Apple Valley are bigger than Eastville. Second, the houses are newer. Third, there are more bedrooms per house in Apple Valley than in Eastville School

Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Homework - Essay Example In addition, through increasing the level of government spending, the government will be capable of providing incentives for production, which will create employment opportunities, reducing the level of unemployment from 8.2%. GDP, income and consumption growth have been positive, but also growing below the expected rates. The economy is expected to have a GDP growth of approximately 2% in 2012 and 2013. Household consumption increased by 2.2% in 2011, a factor that resulted from jobs recovery and fiscal stimuli (Stewart, 2012). Because of the increase in gasoline and oil prices, spending on consumption has risen drastically. In order to compensate, the United States consumer is borrowing again, especially for auto loans; this has made consumer credit grow drastically in 15 of the last 16 months. The government can reduce the rates of borrowing to kindle the economy through affordable consumption. Business investment in equipment and software has posted a remarkable recovery, which is expected to go on in 2012. Growth in the investments can be attributed to availability of the opportunity of borrowing at attractive rates. On the other hand, construction investment suffers immensely from the situation of the housing market. Because of this situation, business bankruptcies have been declining and are expected to decline by 10% in 2012. Because of the increasing external trade deficit, the government can adopt the policy of import substitution in those products, which it has capabilities in producing. Resulting from the drastic increase in gas and oil prices, the economy is facing inflation. A further increase in price of oil could lead to an occurrence of a recession. However, the Federal Reserve Chairman holds the possibility of a 3rd Quantitative Easing (QE3) in case there is such an occurrence, which can trigger QE3. With the current growth in

Effects of Identity Theft Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Effects of Identity Theft - Research Paper Example â€Å"The 1998 U.S. Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act (ITADA) has defined identity theft as the knowing transfer, possession, or usage of any name or number that identifies another person, with the intent of committing or aiding or abetting a crime† (Roberts & Shreft, 2009, pp.22-30) This theft has its effects varying from individual losses to insecurity pertaining to nationally relevant matters. The objective of the essay is to critically analyze the effect of these identity thefts generally to the economy and specifically to the industries and individuals dependent on identity based virtual facilities. CSU (2009, pp 7-8) has reported that the trend of identity theft had been on increase in 2008. The report had cited in the last six months of the year 2008, there had been an increase of 25 percent in the issues pertaining to identity theft. These identity thefts included illegal transaction of personal information through online chat rooms which becomes active market for trade of security information pertaining to internet banking passwords, credit card numbers and social security numbers CSU (2009, pp 7-8). This trend has been reiterated by the FTC as well which has confirmed that they had received almost 1200000 complaints pertaining to identity thefts. This statistics indicated an increase of 50 percent over the count in the previous year. As per this report the most common among the identity thefts were the credit card frauds. As per the reported crimes cited by Federal Trade Commission, the financial losses included in the theft counted up to 1.8 million dollars. In the Americ an context, the trend in identity theft has been found on an increase in the states of Arizona, California and Florida. The peculiarities of the present American economic situation following the economic recession have been stated by

Complete Marketing Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Complete Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example Executive Summary Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant has been present in the market since 1993 and has been successfully meeting the needs and demands of its customers. It went public in 2006 when McDonald’s divested its non-core business restaurants and Chipotle was one of them. Since then, it has been following a focused marketing strategy for expanding into various regions locally and internationally. It has competitive edge in the market as it is the only company that is offering healthy and nutritious food items along with fast-casual dining experience; the main target market of the company is young generation aged in between 16-30 years who are looking for delicious meals at economical prices. Although it has successfully earned a good reputation in the market but there are many avenues that are unexploited by the company. One attractive segment is of old people aged above forty years who are looking for healthy food along with a pleasurable dining experience. The marketi ng plan for this target market is designed especially for Columbus, Ohio region where no fast-food restaurant is targeting this segment. In order to reach and satisfy this market, the marketing strategy along with implementation and evaluation plan is discussed so that the company can easily implement it. The most effective way of fulfilling the needs of old people is to offer them affordable meals by marketing them on the online mediums as these people are technologically savvy. If the plan is properly implemented, then there are high chances that the company can successfully penetrate in this market. II. Situation Analysis Brief Introduction of Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill was started by Steve Ells in 1993 in Colorado with the aim of providing exceptionally high quality fast-food items that are made from fresh and premium ingredients. Presently, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is a chain of restaurants that are located in Canada, United Kingdom and United S tates. The name of the restaurant was derived from chipotle which is the Mexican Spanish name of smoked and dried jalapeno chili pepper (â€Å"Unique Corporate Culture drives results†, 2008) The specialty of the chain is in the burritos and tacos offered to the customers along with use of natural and organic ingredients and assembly-line production. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and it went public in 2006 when McDonald’s divested all of its non-core business restaurants (â€Å"About Us†, 2012). The mission of Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant is defined as Food with Integrity that highlights its focus on using only pure and organic ingredients and serves the customers with naturally raised meat; it gives the restaurant a competitive edge over all other restaurants present in the market (â€Å"Food with integrity†, 2012). It is among the pioneers who developed the concept of fast-casual dining restaurants. Currently, it is present in more than 1200 locations in about 43 states including France, Ontario, England, Washington and Toronto. According to Brandau (2012), the chain earned net income of US$215 million in the year 2011 and had a workforce of about 30,940 employees. The chain is run by a board that comprises of four directors along with a chairman (Steve Ells) and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado (â€Å"

Transformational Leadership in Organizations Essay

Transformational Leadership in Organizations - Essay Example The term ‘leadership’ can be defined in various ways it can be stated as a mechanism through which all the team members are guided to achieve a common goal or a tool that enables all the members of an organization to work together and is supported by the leader as and when required. There are various forms of leadership and the appropriate leadership style that is adopted by an organization depends on a particular situation and nature of the team members. Transformational leadership is a form of leadership that facilitates job performance, morale and motivation of all the team members. This form of leadership enhances the followers to include their identity to the project and inspires more of collectivism in the organization so that every member feels being valued for their contribution towards the organization. Transformational leader becomes a role model for all the followers that makes them interested and also inspires them to work towards the common objectives of the organization. The leader adopting this kind of leadership style imposes challenges on the followers so that they can take more of ownership towards the job they perform, analyzes well the weaknesses and strengths of the team members and aligns the tasks to be executed by the followers in such a way that it enhances the overall work performance of the team members. Organizational leaders are the ones that shape and define work and contribute towards innovative practices in the organization. Individual leadership is one of the most important determinants of organizational innovation.

The nicotine's effect on daphnia Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The nicotine's effect on daphnia - Lab Report Example They are significant sources of food to different organism such as fish and frogs among others. Daphnia is common in laboratory experiments and have been used for years especially in drug tests among others. The most common test done using this organism is the Daphnia Heart Rate Test. Daphnia is ideal in Heart Rate Test because they are ectotherms, thus their body changes with changes in the environment. Following the fact that chemical reactions rate’s increases with an increase in temperature, it would of great use in establishing the temperature changes if Daphnias’ metabolism rate would be increased. Introduction This experiment aims at designing a hypothesis about the effect of nicotine on living organisms. The heart of Daphnia is clearly seen with the help of a low power microscope. In reference with research, which states the heart of a Daphnia beats 300 beats per minute, we can have a chance to monitor the change of the heartbeat, with change in different physio logical aspects such as chemical concentration, temperature, or changing the type of chemical or even the reaction when Daphnia are in pure water. It is necessary to note that the change in Daphnia heartbeat rate does note practically represent the human’s case. However, the examination will give us learners a chance to evaluate the effects of nicotine on metabolic processes. This experiment is under the courtesy of British Pharmacology Society (Corotto, Ceballos and Vinson, 177). Hypothesis In this experiment, Daphnia magna, which is a transparent crustacean is used to establish the effect of nicotine on heart rate. There are different results expected from the experiment based on the concentrations of the nicotine. However, because nicotine is a stimulant, thus increase metabolic rates, there are high possibilities that the heart rate will increase with the increase in the concentration of nicotine. Ultimately, the Daphnia may die because of high heart rates, as this is a f atal condition (Fitzgerald 15). Problem: what effect will nicotine have on Daphnia? Ethical issues Students should be very careful because they are expected to handle these animals in a way that illustrates good ethical attitude towards experimental animals. High is regardless of the fact that they are animals with fewer capabilities thus may not suffer as much as higher animals; overall they deserve respect. All animals should be returned to their habitats after the experiment. This will support ethical approaches put in place by different biology organizations. Equipment 1. Tobacco solution 2. 2 depression slides 3. 2 cover slips (22 x 60 mm) 4. Kleenex 5. Water from Daphnia culture of different temperature 6. Piece of cotton wool 7. Microscope – low power resolution 8. Daphnia Magna – culture of water flea 9. Daphnia anatomy chart- for source 10. 3 droppers Preparation of Tobacco solution This solution can be made from cigarettes; approximately 20 of them can make a n ideal solution. After the extract is emptied in a cup of water, place it covered for about 12 hours. Sieve the solution into another container; solutions of differing concentration should then be made where the different shall be determined by the ratio between water and the solution. The study will begin using solution with lower concentration and later use those with higher concentration in references with the guidelines by Washington Association for Biomedical Research. It is significant to note that the level of

The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 Essay

The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 - Essay Example Indeed there was a specific message conveyed in the document and this was meant to be conveyed to a specified audience. The generalized essence of the message was to create a ratification of an existing document of fact. In the present day, it could be said that the message was a rejoinder to an existing publication as it sought to set the record straight with an existing line of reasoning or belief (Greenhouse, 2005). The existing publication was on the sale and alienation of a suspected earldom to an identified Archibald. The existing line of belief was that Thomas Fleming had sold the earldom to Sir Archibald Douglas and the present writer felt that there was something about this that needed to be corrected. The most immediate audience of the document could, therefore, be identified to be all people who had had knowledge of the previous document, referred to in this instance as a charter and all people who would have access to the ratified document that had been created. The write r actually made the course of an audience of the document very clear as he stated that â€Å"To all who [see or read] this charter, etc.,† (Brown et al, 2007). The document carries specified information to authenticate the sale of earldom from Thomas Fleming to Sir Archibald de Douglas. Essentially, the writer seeks to clear all forms of doubt that may exist with people that the said sale had not been completed or was fraudulent. The writer there makes it clear that evidence of the transfer of power to Sir Archibald de Douglas still exists and that this is a clear indication that all forms of doubt could be cleared. In regards to the authenticity of the existing evidence, therefore, the writer states that â€Å"...and sealed by the seal of the said Thomas Fleming, neither canceled, damaged, erased nor destroyed and not distrusted in any of its parts† (Brown et al, 2007).

Pearl Harbor - Short Summary Essay Example for Free

Pearl Harbor Short Summary Essay Three-hundred and sixty Japanese planes broke through the clouds above Pearl Harbor at 07. 55. The planes attacked in rows of two or three, dropping torpedoes at 100 knots from 70 feet. The first wave of planes destroyed US hangers and the planes in the neat, anti-sabotage rows. Other attacks in the first wave were on Battleship Row, cruisers and other auxiliary ships. Most ships had numerous torpedo hits. To complete the destruction of the war ships, six submarines aided in the sinking and destroying of what was not already certain. When torpedoing planes left the vicinity, bombers carrying 1 600 pound bombs were sent to destroy any remaining ships. Overlapping the first wave of attack at 08. 40 was a second one. They concentrated on the not yet fully destroyed airfields. By 09. 45 any ship of the US Pacific! Naval Fleet that was not on the Ocean floor was drifting helplessly. It [the Arizona] sank like an earthquake had struck it, a survivor remarked, 1 200 of his crew mates died. US troops returned from church or brunch to defend as best they could. Fighting until they drowned or were crushed by exploding debris, sailors, fliers and anti-aircraft gunners fought heroically to save their doomed naval base. By reason of the attack occurring in what Americans thought was peace time, much of the ammunition was locked away, leaving the defending US troops with little defense. In the end, the US had eight battleships, three cruisers and a large number of smaller vessels sink or rendered out of use. The Japanese lost 0 30 planes and five submarines. Although the destruction was not total, Japanese foremost naval strategist, Yamamoto, found the result better than he had anticipated . Military records state that the attack sank or destroyed 6 ships. US casualties included 2 500 as well as over 1 000 wounded. The Japanese lost less than 30 aircraft and about 55 men. The bombing of Pearl Harbor can be seen as a turning point in the war. Essentially, the war had been of mainly European involvement, now it took a global turn. The bombing prompted a US declaration of war on the following day, as well as great American shock and outrage tempered by anger. The attack was dubbed a day of infamy by President Roosevelt, as no American could forgive or forget the actions of the Japanese nation. The Japanese could not have devised a better way to rally the American citizens into full support for Roosevelt and his governments plan of US involvement in the war. A previous promise between British Prime Minister, Winstin Churchill and President Roosevelt was honored when Britain declared war upon Japan two hours after the US declaration. The events surrounding the bombing of Pearl Harbor prove the US handled the situation very poorly. Many opposing tactics were noted and ignored. Warnings were thought of as routine. Even survivors, who were fully aware of the Japanese tendencies of war on China, the government war warnings and their countrys unprepared state, still describe the attack as a surprise. The Japanese military strategies were intelligent and well executed; although, the Japanese attack would not have been nearly as effective had the Americans not have been so blatantly ignorant. The US had no knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and it was their fault.

Differences Between Virtual and Real Worlds

Differences Between Virtual and Real Worlds The nearer the virtual world comes to replicating the real world the more we will have to question what, if any, the difference continues to be. Discuss. Introduction The concept of the virtual has been around for much longer than the technology which now makes the virtual part of our lives. In various forms, such as that put forward by Descartes, the concept of the virtual has long permeated the thoughts of scholars. However, it is only in very recent times that the concept of the virtual has really taken flight. For now, with emerging technologies and a world which is more unstable than ever, the world of the virtual has grown rapidly. Now, the virtual is getting closer and closer to reality, and soon we may not be able to distinguish these worlds from each other. Whilst it is clear that right now we have some idea of the difference between the real world and the virtual world, the differences between the two are much less than before. Traditionally, the difference between the virtual and the real worlds was the concept of identity or body – that in the virtual world your mind was separated from your body and therefore the difference between the virtual and the real was the physical form. However, this view is slowly being eroded away and there are many who now believe the virtual cannot be separated from the real in terms of body or physicality. This is a view that the researcher shares, and this concept shall be one of the main points of focus in the essay. Another area which could measure the distinction between the virtual and the real is the concept of risk. Risk is still one of the few concepts which seems to differ in the virtual and the real worlds, at least in a number of cases. Although this difference is being reduced, currently it seems possible to distinguish the virtual and real worlds using the concept of risk. The first part of this essay will look at the way in which the virtual has superseded many aspects of the real world in our lives, and how these areas can no longer be easily distinguished. These normal, everyday events are now both real and virtual simultaneously, and there is no discernible distinction. The second part of the essay will deal with the concept of physicality in the virtual world, and how the evidence now suggests that the virtual and real worlds cannot be distinguished through the identity of the physical body. The final part of the essay will show that despite this convergence between the virtual and the real, there are some distinctions to be made. The way in which the virtual can be distinguished from the real comes down to the concept of risk, although this distinction is also being reduced and perhaps with the introduction of future technologies this distinguishing feature will also be completely eroded. Information, branding and the virtual One area of our lives that has seen a dramatic shift from the real to the virtual over the last ten years is information and branding. Information used to be stored predominantly in ‘real’ forms such as paper books. However, most information is now accessed in virtual form, through computers, radio and television and other digital media. Books and music are now accessed as digital facsimiles of the original, and our world in terms of information has shifted from real to virtual (Argyle and Shields, 1996). This process has come so far that there can be no real distinction between the real and virtual worlds of information. We see books and music in paper form in the same way we do digital e-books and mp3 music. They are perceptually very similar and contain the same information that we require. Our world has shifted from the real and local to the virtual and the global. The shift from real to virtual has also occurred in terms of branding. Brand concepts for many real objects are now so strong that we no longer think of the real object itself but in fact associate the virtual brand as the key identity. For example, vacuum cleaners being called ‘Hoovers’, tissues being called ‘Kleenex’ and digital music players being called ‘Ipods’(Shields, 2003). The brand stands as a virtual representation of the actual real objects, but is virtually indistinguishable, particularly in linguistic terms. The virtual, as Shields puts it, has moved from being something simply transformative and vague to something banal and common. The virtual has permeated or even superseded the real in some aspects of life, and the virtual is now for all intents and purposes indistinguishable from the real. Whilst it could be argued that these virtual forms differ from their real counterparts by way of physical form (i.e. the virtual item has no physical tangible form, whereas the real form does), in the cases of information and branding this distinction of physicality is too small to be clear. For example, the virtual or digital form of a book does have physical form, in that the information can be printed out or used in a physical way just like the real paper book can. This is the same for branding, where the virtual brand names are so synonymous with the real physical objects that they cannot be separated. In these cases ,the virtual has superseded the real, and completely destroyed the boundaries between them. Therefore, this is an area where there cannot be said to be any real distinction between the virtual world and the real world. Physical form, identity within the virtual world The most commonly argued distinction between the real and virtual worlds is the concept of physical form and identity. It is argued by many that in the virtual world you do not have a complete physical identity and that your mind being removed from the physical body is the distinction between the real and virtual. In other words, in the virtual world you have no real identity or physical interaction, whereas in the real world you do. Although it seems clear that the physical characteristics that identify our physical are not obviously visible in the virtual world, the physical self is not completely left behind and we do in fact experience physical manifestations within the virtual world. As pointed out by Katie Argyle and Rob Shields (1996), who point out that ‘presence’ doesn’t simply vanish in the virtual world, and that the technology simply mediates our physical presence. With technology the way it is today, and the fact it is sure to improve in the future, we can now act holistically through our bodies within the virtual world. Although it might seem that our bodies are not part of the virtual, in truth we cannot actually escape our bodies. In other words, we do not lose our body within the virtual world, but rather experience and interact in the virtual world through our bodies. Argyle points out that the emotions we feel whilst interacting in the virtual world are in fact real and are physical. She gives the example of her online presence ‘Kitty’, (Argyle and Shields, 1996, in Kolko, p66) where she says that the interactions she has with people, although in a virtual world the emotions and feeling are real and felt in her body. Argyle’s online interaction shows no separation from the body, and therefore is a suggestion that the physical body cannot be used as a distinguishing feature between real and virtual. This view is supported by Ellen Ullman, who says how she fell in love via email. She only knew this person via the virtual world of email, and not through physical interaction, yet the virtual world elicited real and physical feelings within her. Ullman does differentiate her online body from her ‘real’ one by saying that the love she felt was through her ‘virtual’ body, but she does not separate these two bodies, and the physical form is still linked to the online body or persona (Ullman, 1996) It seems that when interacting online, it is extremely difficult or nearly impossible to completely separate your online persona from your real and physical persona. For instance, in online games where people can send messages to each other within character, they may also ask about the person in ‘real life’, such as how old they are and where they have come from. People often get confused about which ‘life’ the other person is talking about, and so acronyms have been created to stop the confusion such as IC (in character) and IRL (in real life). This confusion is down to the fact that there will always be a part of our persona within the virtual that cannot be separated, and therefore the body cannot be a distinguishing feature between the virtual and the real. Not only does the physical form remain within the virtual world by virtue of its interaction and emotions experienced in the virtual, but many of the laws and rights that govern the real are now also governing the virtual. Even if you want to make a distinction between the virtual body, such as an avatar or image, and the real physical body, many of the outcomes are the same. The laws and rights of the virtual are now mirroring the real, and blurring the lines further between the two worlds. For instance, take the rights of avatars in the virtual world. Whilst avatars cannot have the same basic right as real bodies, namely the right to life (they are not alive after all), they may feel many of the hazards and wish to have the same rights as their real counterparts. For instance, take the example of sexual harassment within the virtual world. Whilst the legal definitions for sexual assault and rape are generally not met by virtual encounters, much of the feelings of intrusion, fear or disgust can be the same. Take the example of Julien Dibbell’s account of Mr Bungle’s rape on the characters Legba and Starsinger in LambdaMOO (Dibbell, 1996). The ‘rape’ was virtual and involved an avatar seizing two other female avatars and graphically describing the actions performed. Whilst this may not constitute ‘real’ rape, the trauma for the two controllers of the female avatars was indeed real. This is because the body cannot be separated compl etely when in the virtual world, and even if the exact actions are not the same it cannot really be said that physicality is a distinguishing factor between the real and the virtual as the body affected similarly in both worlds. The lack of risk within the virtual world Whilst the traditionally held view of being able to distinguish the real and the virtual by the separation of the mind and the body has been shown to be flawed, there is definite promise in the concept of risk as a distinguishing feature. The reasons for this are that risk is something which can only truly be experienced through the physical without the mediating virtual world. Of course, certain risks such as financial risk and emotional risk are possible in the virtual world as these risks will have similar, if slightly dulled, consequences in the virtual world. However, the notion of risk to the physical body or fear is a feature that separates the virtual and the real. For instance, creating virtual business that has real financial consequences may seem to have the same features as real business, but there are differences. Using the virtual world all products can be tested, mapped and made 100% safe before they are sold on. Experiments can be conducted without the potential risks to human life or to property. The concept of risk is in many ways eliminated from the design process, aside from some of the same financial concerns of design costs. Identities and properties can be re-used, re-hashed or completely changed in the virtual world, meaning there is less risk of catastrophic failure. However, perhaps the biggest issue in terms of risk is the fact that fear of physical harm is almost completely removed in the virtual world. Emotions are still prevalent and part of our physicality remains in the virtual. However, the risks associated with physical damage or damage to property cannot be properly appreciated within the virtual world. There are no risks in this sense in the virtual world, whereas there are in the real world. For instance, take the example of realistic computer games such as Forza Motorsport (Lockergnome, 2005). Developed as one of the most advanced driving games for console play, an experiment was conducted to see the difference in performance and reactions between the virtual and real worlds. Six performance cars were driven round the same Atlanta circuit by drivers on the game and on the real life circuit. The results were startling in that the performances between virtual and real worlds were extremely similar. The braking and turning points were extremely similar and the performances in each car were almost the same whether in virtual or real world (Lockergnome, 2005). However, the times in the real world were slower than on the game – much of this attributed to the risk involved in driving the car in the real world. In the game, the drivers could push their cars to the limit in the knowledge that if they crashed there would be no damage to the car. This removed the risk facto r and allowed them to get better times. However, on the real track they had to be more careful, for crashing at 150mph in a high-powered car would be far too risky. This slowed them down, and showed despite all other factors being seemingly indistinguishable, the major difference between the real and the virtual was the risk factor. It can also be seen in the prevalence of online dating and sexual play from people who would not normally engage in such activities in the real world. In the rapidly growing virtual world called Second Life (Linden Research Inc, 2007), there are many groups of various role-players who act out fantasies that they would not do in real life. This is not because it is impossible for them to do in real life (although perhaps some are), but because of the risk factors involved in real life. The feelings they receive from these interactions may be almost identical to the ones they would get in real life interaction, but the crucial difference is risk. Whilst for some interactions this will not affect the sensation, it does for others, such as those involved in fantasies of pain or domination. The risk factor is the one which can distinguish the virtual from the real world. Conclusion Whilst we are still living in a world where the real and the virtual seem in most cases to be separate, this is perhaps less true than we think. The real world of information has become indistinguishable from the virtual, and with new technologies the virtual world has become far more expansive and convincing. This change has meant that it is now impossible to separate all of our real physical identity from the virtual representation of ourselves in the virtual world. However, one factor that still lets us distinguish the virtual from the real is the concept of risk, which is not yet fully realised within the virtual world. However, if in future the technology of the virtual increases to the point where physical sensations can be experienced fully in the virtual world, then physical risk to the body and other items of value will be possible. If risk can be fully replicated in the virtual world, then it seems the two worlds would be very close to being completely indistinguishable. Bibliography Argyle, K., and Shields, R. (1996) Is there a body in the net?, Living Bodies Chapter 4, SAGE publications Ltd, London. Dibbell, J. (1996) ( My Dinner With Catharine MacKinnon and Other Hazards of Theorizing Virtual Rape, available online at http://www.juliandibbell.com/texts/mydinner.html Kolko, B.E. We Are Not Just (Electronic) Words: Learning the Literacies of Culture, Body, and Politics. http://bethkolko.com/includes/pdfs/wearenotjustelectronicwords.pdf Là ©vy, P. (2002) Cyberculture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Shapiro, M.A., and McDonald, D.G. (1992) Im Not a Real Doctor, but I Play One in Virtual Reality: Implications of Virtual Reality for Judgments about Reality Journal of Communication 42 (4), 94–114. Shields, R. (2003) The Virtual, Cultures of internet, Virtual Spaces, Real Histories Chapter 2, Routledge, London. Ullman, E. (1996) Come in, CQ: The Body on the Wire. Wired-Women: Gender and  New Realities in Cyberspace. Ed. Lynn Cherny and Elizabeth Reba Wiese. Seattle: Seal,  1996. 3-23.  

I Am Deaf Essay -- essays research papers

Otherness Project Exceptional Learners I am deaf. I am at Starbucks. I want to order coffee. I have to do it on paper rather than out loud because I speak so poorly, I don’t like to try. I intend to write it down and show it to the barrista, but I am nervous. I don’t know if I am more nervous because I am not really deaf and I feel guilty or because I am different from the other customers and I will be labeled as disabled. I am not looking forward to placing my order. I order a medium decaf coffee by holding up a notebook with the phrase â€Å"Medium Decaf Coffee, Please.† The young man at the counter does a quick transformation from a confident good looking guy to a bumbling embarrassed guy. He says,† yes sir† three or four times. He spends a long time giving change from a five dollar bill for a coffee. Then, he hands me $4.27. (The bill was $1.73) He seems hesitant and confused, and I’m thinking that he’s too worried about hurting my feelings to reconsider if he has the cor rect change. I shake my head: â€Å"no.† He goes thru an explanation (that makes absolutely no sense) of why it is the correct change. Then, he hands it back to me, and I again shake my head: â€Å"no.† He then thinks a second, and he gives me $2.27 change, shorting me a dollar, and then as an afterthought he finally corrects it and gives me the right change. He is clearly addled. And I feel bad for causing him anxiety, especially since it is all a drama for the paper. But, I am trying to maintain my position as a deaf man. I am trying not to respond to sound stimuli. There’s no crime in looking though—for a deaf man. In fact, I enjoyed a heightened sense of sight as I drove without radio accompaniment in my car. I am not talking to anybody. And if they are talking to me, I am avoiding their eyes because I am so busy looking at the words coming out of their mouths. Though I am a bit excited by my isolation, I am also of course, just plain lonely to be so apart from others and their community. I notice I have a message on my cell phone, and I am not supposed to answer it, because I am not able to answer it at this time. I answer it anyway thinking it may be someone I love or it may be someone I work with that will give me money. I am so fortunate to be able to communicate by cell phone with such ease when my alter ego that is deaf is unable to do so. In fact, my alter ego can us... ...fic and up the driveway of the parking lot on the other side of the street. As he makes his way across I think of going to him and asking him out, and how that would infuriate my boyfriend. I think of how confident he is and how skilled and strong. I think of how able he is. And I remember how I was feeling at Starbuck’s knowing that the cashier was trying so hard not to hurt my feelings, because he was apparently certain how sensitive I would be to social discomfort regarding my condition of deafness. I felt offended and hurt and disappointed that the cashier did not recognize my talents. I’m deaf but I’m still an astrologer, numerologer, massage therapist, meditation instructor, teacher, and businessman. I am a well rounded person with an added dimension due to my lack of hearing. I have perspectives that come to me entirely from my deafness that no one but a deaf person can access. Will he recognize my strengths? Will he recognize my completeness, my whole ness, the synthesis of all my individual parts? Right now he doesn’t. These are the things I thought of as I watched that attractive man make his way across the street, while I wished that I was trotting along beside him. I Am Deaf Essay -- essays research papers Otherness Project Exceptional Learners I am deaf. I am at Starbucks. I want to order coffee. I have to do it on paper rather than out loud because I speak so poorly, I don’t like to try. I intend to write it down and show it to the barrista, but I am nervous. I don’t know if I am more nervous because I am not really deaf and I feel guilty or because I am different from the other customers and I will be labeled as disabled. I am not looking forward to placing my order. I order a medium decaf coffee by holding up a notebook with the phrase â€Å"Medium Decaf Coffee, Please.† The young man at the counter does a quick transformation from a confident good looking guy to a bumbling embarrassed guy. He says,† yes sir† three or four times. He spends a long time giving change from a five dollar bill for a coffee. Then, he hands me $4.27. (The bill was $1.73) He seems hesitant and confused, and I’m thinking that he’s too worried about hurting my feelings to reconsider if he has the cor rect change. I shake my head: â€Å"no.† He goes thru an explanation (that makes absolutely no sense) of why it is the correct change. Then, he hands it back to me, and I again shake my head: â€Å"no.† He then thinks a second, and he gives me $2.27 change, shorting me a dollar, and then as an afterthought he finally corrects it and gives me the right change. He is clearly addled. And I feel bad for causing him anxiety, especially since it is all a drama for the paper. But, I am trying to maintain my position as a deaf man. I am trying not to respond to sound stimuli. There’s no crime in looking though—for a deaf man. In fact, I enjoyed a heightened sense of sight as I drove without radio accompaniment in my car. I am not talking to anybody. And if they are talking to me, I am avoiding their eyes because I am so busy looking at the words coming out of their mouths. Though I am a bit excited by my isolation, I am also of course, just plain lonely to be so apart from others and their community. I notice I have a message on my cell phone, and I am not supposed to answer it, because I am not able to answer it at this time. I answer it anyway thinking it may be someone I love or it may be someone I work with that will give me money. I am so fortunate to be able to communicate by cell phone with such ease when my alter ego that is deaf is unable to do so. In fact, my alter ego can us... ...fic and up the driveway of the parking lot on the other side of the street. As he makes his way across I think of going to him and asking him out, and how that would infuriate my boyfriend. I think of how confident he is and how skilled and strong. I think of how able he is. And I remember how I was feeling at Starbuck’s knowing that the cashier was trying so hard not to hurt my feelings, because he was apparently certain how sensitive I would be to social discomfort regarding my condition of deafness. I felt offended and hurt and disappointed that the cashier did not recognize my talents. I’m deaf but I’m still an astrologer, numerologer, massage therapist, meditation instructor, teacher, and businessman. I am a well rounded person with an added dimension due to my lack of hearing. I have perspectives that come to me entirely from my deafness that no one but a deaf person can access. Will he recognize my strengths? Will he recognize my completeness, my whole ness, the synthesis of all my individual parts? Right now he doesn’t. These are the things I thought of as I watched that attractive man make his way across the street, while I wished that I was trotting along beside him.

The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter Essay -- American History

The film titled, â€Å"The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter†, looks at the roles of women during and after World War II within the U.S. The film interviews five women who had experienced the World War II effects in the U.S, two who were Caucasian and three who were African American. These five women, who were among the millions of women recruited into skilled male-oriented jobs during World War II, shared insight into how women were treated, viewed and mainly controlled. Along with the interviews are clips from U.S. government propaganda films, news reports from the media, March of Time films, and newspaper stories, all depicting how women are to take "the men’s" places to keep up with industrial production, while reassured that their duties were fulfilling the patriotic and feminine role. After the war the government and media had changed their message as women were to resume the role of the housewife, maid and mother to stay out of the way of returning soldiers. Thus the patriotic and feminine role was nothing but a mystified tactic the government used to maintain the American economic structure during the world war period. It is the contention of this paper to explore how several groups of women were treated as mindless individuals that could be controlled and disposed of through the government arranging social institutions, media manipulation and propaganda, and assumptions behind women’s tendencies which forced â€Å"Rosie the Riveter† to become a male dominated concept. Since the war began women were led to believe that they were the ones who had to be the patriotic sacrifice until the men came home from war. The film reveals how the government used the media to alternately urge women to give up such elements of their feminin... ...owards more love stories. Essentially more forms of propaganda ensued to let women know what they should be doing. More domestic jobs became available such as being a maid, restaurant work, dishwashing and cleaning. However women who worked war jobs wanted their own maids now so they could pursue their own dreams. They felt inspired and accomplished. Lola Wiexl mentioned that although skills within the workforce were easily learned, within the household traditions still persisted. Lola herself said she'd go home cook, clean and do the laundry while her brother laid on the couch. She didn't question it before but she was angry about it for years after her war time experience. Thus patriarchal hegemonies still existed after the war and were perpetuated by the government and media as much as possible to solicit women who participated in activities outside of the home.

Cat In The Rain Essays -- essays research papers

Cat in the Rain   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The short story, “Cat in the Rain';, by Ernest Hemingway describes the stereotypical relationship between two married American tourists, one of whom is striving to recover a “poor kitty';. This seemingly mundane plot becomes symbolic and purposeful as the reader gazes beneath the surface to find the true intent of the short story. There are three characters in Hemingway’s story which help convey these meaningful analogies; in addition, the cat, the American woman, and the American man all represent something different in our present American society. The story is set in Europe and involves two foreigners for a special reason. They are isolated in a sense, forcing their true emotions and characteristics to shine ...

Guide

The public services have multiple ways of showing how they go about promoting a diverse work force within the military, health service and police force. The first that would like to pin point is that they have a way of approaching the black minority's ethnic alongside the LIGHT communities, religion or beliefs and gender.As they try to incorporate more people into the military by means of newspapers, social media for example advertisements with different cultures interlinked talking about their experiences and hosting open days or setting up conferences that can be searched via the web making it more aware for the average person to see hat it would be like if they joined the army and in regards to the support that is being offered if they require it.For the equality and diversity they have training to improve on the understanding Of other cultures, religious beliefs and being able to respects those around them, there are also legislations put in place which are connected to the many acts they now follow (Equality Act 201 0, Civil Partnership Act 2004, Employment Equality Regulations Act, and Sexual Orientation Regulations Act 2003). Under representation of the BMW does happen and that is why they have the DART translated into DiverseArmy Recruitment Team, they consist of members from various backgrounds/ genders to show that we do want to improve on the diversity within our ranks, as it is fundamental to society that we start to accept more people from other cultures and religions into our communities, that is why we have them going around making people aware of the support that is given to those that wish to join, where they can go for help if someone is discrimination against them be it direct or indirect, harassment from someone or visitation of that person.So once we have them recruited and ready to go hats to keep them on board, all of the ways that the military provide for their soldiers and ensure that their family is well look after if something does ha ppen and that all of the benefits apply to everyone regardless of background or gender. UP Being able to provide equality within the ranks of all public services can be quite a challenge, the best way to enable them in regards to equality is by following the rules and regulations set by the government and by doing so they can see what impact this regulation would have upon the forces themselves.Not all opportunities will be equal which is sad but true, as some bobs within say the armed forces cannot be occupied by a woman on various grounds that are still under discussion. As such they have ways to entice and enforce the will to stay within the public services by providing annual training that is directed at equality and diversity which can be educational along with the fitness test, associations within the public services there to help and guide them in times Of need for example the Army Families Federation can give you advice and not identify you in regards to the issue.Regardless of the above they do have schemes in place to make life easier for all that wish or join or eave a family member that is currently serving in the military and ensuring that they are protected from certain discriminatory acts or harassment crimes. This also applies to the police force in terms of equality as they would assess how they would improve on the current affairs; there are many specific duties that are being carried out for example enabling equal opportunities for men and women when applying for a job within that station that can be a promotion.As stated above they do have duties but there are two types of duties that are created in order to ensure that all discrimination, reassessment, bullying etc is seen to accordingly or that there is some form of problem in regards to how we treat our personnel and their families.The first one is the General Duties now these are the ones that mostly come under the laws and regulations to see that they are not broken and carried out pro mptly, the second is the Specific Duties those are designated towards a direct objective or goal that has been put across the board on current procedures and policies, if they can change them to suit the needs of others and would it be appropriate or fair to do so depending on the rule.

African American Musuem Essay

The African Museum in Philadelphia is notable as the first museum funded and built by a municipality to help preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. Opened during the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations, the AAMP is located in historic Philadelphia, a few blocks away from the Liberty Bell. Charles H. Wesley was a noted African American historian, educator, and author. He was the fourth African American to receive a Ph. D. from Harvard University. An ordained minister, Wesley’s distinguished career included 40 years of leadership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1976, he served as Director of the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum in Philadelphia, now known as the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Programs The African American Museum that is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has some interesting education programs. These education programs focus on arts, culture, and heritage education. They place a major emphasis on the interests of the students, educators, artists, historians, scholars, and community organizations. These programs offer diversity with scheduling. The programs explore various African forms of cultural expressions. In these programs there are literary performances, hands on demonstrations, workshops, and storytelling performances as well. The African American Museum in Philadelphia feels its programs can be a vital link between the permanent and visiting collections for the many communities they serve. Exhibitions The exhibitions in the African American Museum in Philadelphia can some to be pleasing to the eye and stimulating to the mind. According to the African American Museum of Philadelphia these exhibitions invoke a deep collection of emotion ranging from pride and passion to excitement and enthusiasm. When visitors enter the museum they will come to Gallery 1, which includes a interactive timeline, images draw from historical record, that spans 100 years of history. In Gallery 2 there are full size video projections in which visitors can in engage in them. Once they are activated, a monologue about life in Philadelphia will begin. Some other aspects of the exhibit include an experience where you can walk the streets of Philadelphia through a large scale map, which is located between galleries 1 and 2 .

Contact Information Essay

Charlotte, NC (January 1, 2013) – Johnson C. Smith University is having a Whitney Houston tribute on February 20, 2013. The school choir along with President Carter is organizing a beautiful tribute on campus. The tribute will be held in Biddle auditorium on that Wednesday. President Carter emailed students to find out who wanted to volunteer for the event and receive community service hours. Johnson C. Smith University will be selling tickets as well. The prices are 2$ for JCSU students, and 5$ for everyone else. Special guests will be Mariah Carey, Brand, and Chris Brown. The event has been posted in local charlotte area newspapers and it will also be discussed on the local news. President Carter said â€Å"This event is a must see, I think myself and everyone who helped did an awesome job. I suggest everyone come out and see this tribute†. After the event Johnson C. Smith University will have food sponsored by FDY food services. The food is free after admission and drinks are free as well. There will also be an autograph signing from the special guests after the event. Special guest Mariah Carey says â€Å"It’s always a pleasure doing events like this. Anytime I can help, and give back, I’m always willing to†.

Report on Data Management Essay

Introduction HR data would need to be stored by all organisations due to either legal requirements or internal purposes. This report will uncover types of data and methods of storing them. The last segment of the report will cover legislations that affect HR data as ‘there is a substantial and complex amount of EU and UK legislation that has an impact upon the retention of personnel and other related records’(Retention of HR records, 2013) Why Collect HR Data HR data can be collected for various reasons in an organisation. There are two reasons listed below: Productivity: appraisals records are collected so  that managers can assess the productivity of their staff and team. It can also be useful for employees to know their potential within the team and can use it for their career progression. Legal Compliance: Payroll data would be important for the HM Revenue and Customs to calculate taxes whereas health and safety records can help the company to improve their environment and allow them to be compliant with the Health and Safety Act. Also certain data can be used as evidence in any legal proceedings that the company may have to face. Types of HR Data and how it supports HR ‘Monitoring records enables personnel to amend or reformulate policies and procedures.’(Personnel data and record keeping, 2011) Below are 2 types of data that HR collects:  Recruitment and Selection- records on staff turnover and vacancies can be important for HR as it informs them when and for which team to recruit for and also allows them to see the trend in each team depending on its staff turnover. This would also include appraisal records which would inform them if an employee or team needs training. Absence Data-the absence reports, complied from the absence data gives HR an indication of which department is suffering most from high absentees and allows them to rethink the working patterns. It also helps them to calculate the cost of absenteeism to the organisation. Data Storage and its Benefits Data can be stored in several methods. However, below are 2 key methods which can be used along with their benefits. 1. Manual / Paper based- keeping records on paper in a filing cabinet Files cannot be destroyed with any virus Information can be accessed without any password restrictions Members do not need to be PC literate to find data 2. Computerised filing More than one user can access the information at the same time Large volumes of data can be stored and accessed easily  Data can be used to compile reports and identify trends with the latest programmes on computer Most companies prefer their records to be stored electronically as it is efficient and easily accessible. However, there are  certain companies which use both methods as certain records do not need to be stored for a longer period of time, hence can be filed away in cabinets. Essential UK legislations relating to recording, storing and accessing HR data There are several legislations that affect the retention of HR data. Below are two such legislations. Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) DPA applies to most HR records, whether held in paper or on computer. DPA controls how personal information of living individuals is used by organisations, businesses or the government. It came into force on March 2000. There are 8 data protection principles the data controller needs to comply to in order to handle data correctly: 1. ‘adequate, relevant and not excessive 2. fairly and lawfully processed 3. processed for limited purposes 4. accurate 5. not kept for longer than is necessary 6. processed in line with your rights 7. secure 8. not transferred outside EU without adequate protection’ (Employment Law FAQ, 2013) Every company that processes personal information must be registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), unless they are exempt. The ICO, which is UK’s independent supervisory authority, ensures that the DPA as well as other data protection/retention legislations are followed by organisations and it can prosecute them for not doing so. Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) The FOI came into force on January 2005. It gives the public a right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, however there are few exceptions to these right as not all personal records can be obtained by public, such records can be requested under the DPA. Government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces are few of the public authorities. Conclusion This report explains that recording and storing data is very important. Every  company has a different method and reason of storing data; however, handling data correctly is important for all. There are several legislations that can affect the data retention and not complying with these legislations can have an adverse effect on the company’s reputation. Reference List CIPD, 2013.Retention of HR Records.[online] Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets [Accessed 13 June 2014] ACAS, 2011. Personnel data and record keeping.[online] Available at: www.acas.org.uk [Accessed 12 June 2014] CIPD 2013. DP04: What is data protection and what are the eight data protection principles?.[online] Available at: www.cipd.co.uk [Accessed 17 June 2014] Activity 2 Analysing Absence Data in Examinations Team Introduction The report includes findings and analysis of different reasons of absence within an Examinations Team from May-December in 2013. The final segment of the report concludes the analysis along with recommendations to overcome the core reasons of absence. Absence Level in Examinations Team There are two apparent findings from the graph (data in appendix 1), the high levels of absence from May-June due to stress and from October- December due to viral problems: May-June: due to peak season of exams, the examinations team is required to do ample preparations from planning, supervising and marking exams to attending board meetings. This therefore, becomes very stressful for the team as ‘the most common cause of stress†¦is workload’ (Barometer of HR Trends and Prospects, 2013) and as each person is only trained in their individual role there are issues of ‘presenteeism’. October-December: during this season many people fall sick due to bad weather. However, the outbreak of the Norovirus in 2013 could also be the reason for the viral problems to increase. Also, due to Christmas parties in December it further causes the virus to spread from contaminated food. Conclusion The study indicates that stress and viral issues were two implications the examinations team suffered from in 2013.Stress is a common issue in several workplaces as mentioned in the Absence Management report by CIPD and it can be costly. To overcome the issue, two possible recommendations are: Stress- 1. Hire temporary staff during busy period 2. Train team members to share workload and prevent presenteeism, where employees feel forced to come into work. Viral Problems- 1. Give free flu vaccination to employees 2. Communicate awareness regarding the virus Appendix 1: Number of Employees Absent by Reasons in 2013 (a) Musculoskeletal- back, neck and other muscle pain (b) Ear, Nose, Dental pain and skin disorder Reference List BPP. (2013).Appendix 1 of Number of Employees Absent by Reasons in 2013. London: BPP CIPD, 2013.barometer of HR trends and prospects 2013.[online] Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/survey-reports[Accessed 18June 2014]

Theories of Nursing Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Theories of Nursing - Research Paper Example One of the central tenets of Benner’s work is the idea that care forms the central aspect of nursing, that it allows a nurse to better connect to a patient, to better administer care, and to better see possible problems and situations before they arise (Alligood, 2002, 157). Though I agree to a certain extent with the primacy of care to any practical nursing environment, I believe that care can only be of actual use to a nurse if he or she has the advantage of experience to guide them in how to best support their patients. Much of my recent practice has been as a primary triage nurse for an (unfortunately) over-crowded emergency room. This emergency department has fifty-three adult patient beds and it is up to me to decide how they are best used in most situations, only changing significantly when patients develop new symptoms or problems become apparent after the triage process has already begun. In a recent experience I had fifty-two beds filled with extremely high priority patients, something of a nightmare, and nearly simultaneously had six patients presenting the extremely distressing symptom of chest pains, all describing them in nearly identical ways. I obviously had only one bed to give until other beds cleared from patients being released or transferred, and had to make one of the most difficult decisions I ever had to make as a triage nurse. I realize in retrospect that I naturally applied many of Benner’s theories of Person, Environment, Health and Nursing to the situation at hand without necessarily realizing it at the time. Obviously, in a triage situation, two of the aspects of this theory most directly applied to what I was doing in practice – Health and Nursing. In a triage setting two things are important: identifying the patient most in need of care (or in extreme triage situations, the person to whom care will be most useful) and as a nurse finding the best and most efficient way to identify the best and most effective me thods of allowing them to receive that care. So I had to identify which of these people was the most unwell, and how I could best act to make them better, whilst simultaneously trying to get the other five the care they needed as fast as humanly possible. My education certainly played a significant role in my decision. In nursing school, I learned how to differentiate between a wide variety of chest pains, to use specialized language (such as throbbing, stabbing, dull, sharp and so on) to help weed out the possible causes of a wide variety of pains, and thus by knowing their causes apply the best care to the group of six as possible, which in this case meant getting the most serious case a bed as soon as possible. Likewise, I had an academic knowledge of how to use pain scales to help identify patients based on their level of pain from one to ten, with one being nearly nothing and ten being the worst level of pain possible. Using this academic knowledge I was able to quickly dismiss two of the cases as most likely being caused by acid reflux (burning pain high in the esophagus with relatively moderate pain scale) and patients who were, though taking a good precaution by seeking medical care, probably not in need of emergency services in an urgent fashion. Following this, however, the situation became much more difficult. Two of the people I

Bill Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bill - Research Paper Example Since the company’s application in May and the subsequent development within the House of Representatives, the bill have raised substantial arguments. Proponents of the bill argues that it would create employment while its opponents claim points at environmental impacts. According to Coral Davenport of The New York Times, November 18, 2014 passage of the bill may rely on veto powers of President Obama and Nebraska court approval for allowing passage of the pipeline through the district. As a concerned member of industrial revolution in the State, there exists need to remain a proponent of the bill. Conceivably, citizens should duly commit their votes to encourage the proposed Keystone pipeline project in a non-political but rather economic mind. Ideally, the proposed project presents unmeasurable economic benefits coupled with industrial revolution to United States. Society can envy the nay voters on the proposed project, it is logical. However, change always remains inevitable and not to have concerns and commitment based on the current industrial and economic issues raises responsibility questions. Before voting against the noble Keystone project, a reflection of its vitality to United States economy and superiority should remain a fundamental concern. The following ultimate benefits as aforementioned are domineering for question and reflection before opposing the proposed pipeline project. As concerned citizens of United State, there exist a contemporary urgency to reinstate manufacturing back to the country. Domestic manufacturing industry is imperative in provision of employment and production of locally standardized goods that directly sustains the health concerns that citizens cherish as a nation. TransCanada insists that local refining of crude oil would be imperious in sustainability of the economy especially on creation of employment opportunities. It is essential to understand that opposing the idea would

The Patriot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Patriot - Essay Example Benjamin is made the leader of the Colonial Militia to fight a course for both his country and family. Story being told The director of the movie is basically trying to tell the story of commitment for one’s nation. The effectiveness of this lesson that the director was trying to put across could however be said to have been plagued by the fact that the commitment or otherwise theme of patriotism that the director was presenting was not based on personal or self conviction of the character who was made to play the role (Warhurst, 2007). This is because the sense of the character’s patriotism was called to task only because he had a personal family mission of vengeance to undertake. Watching the movie, it could be seen that the director chose the American Revolution of 1776 as the historical piece with which to tell the story because that is a piece of history that has a very strong bearing of the ordinary American to his or her origins of freedom and independence that h e or she enjoys today (Gauja, 2010). This means that the historic piece was selected as one that could appeal to the sense of American patriotism in a more touching way. Most important Moments depicting Director’s Story There is a common saying in local parlance that it is only a fool who doe not change his or her mind. This adage is used a very momentous scene by the director to depict the director’s story. This is because in the judgment of Benjamin Martin, nothing would have made him fight for his nation if he had not lost his son through events of the war. This was an important moment depicted in the film because the call for patriotism is most often not heeded by most American unless they have a sense of urgency to respond to it (Rubin, 2010). The director therefore used that moment to drum home to all countrymen and women that the need to stand and fight for one’s nation should be something that is innate and inspired by personal convection rather than cir cumstantial events and happenings. Present Research and Point of View presented in Movie Research on the actual American Revolution, shows that the director of the film did not depict the exact events of the revolution in the film. This is because there were critical aspects of the wars and acts of violence that are more aligned to the Nazis in the 1940 than to the American Revolution in the 1770s (Jaensch, 2008). The role that was played by the Nazis was therefore made to be played by the British in the film. This somewhat contradicts the point of view presented in the film. However, further research show that the theme of the director that depicts the fact that the patriotism of most Americans are provoked by circumstantial factors such as the need to retaliate in terrorism; rather than an innate call of commitment is true about present day America (Gauja, 2010). This could have been fixed if the director told the American Revolution story just as it was without having to create t he story from a fictional point of view. Personal Lessons and Further Recommendation Before watching the movie, I had no idea of how sophisticated the British rule over the American was. Indeed, to the extent that the British would fight till the drop of last blood to ensure that their colonization of the Americans remained intact means that the British saw America as a real treasure that

A Modern Generation - Who are They Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Modern Generation - Who are They - Essay Example The novel unveils that the decline of traditional culture has encouraged a narcissistic individualism which places the self at the centre of our concerns. Increasing cultural diversity has led to a general relativism, not just in matters of taste or morals but even in matters of fact. This novel so popular because it no longer expect there to be one single authoritative truth; instead there is what works for you and what works for me. The main character of the novel, Winter Santiago, is a prototype of a modern girl struggling for independence and personal identity. She describes: "Every teenage girl wants to cut loose and get close to the fire, but I was like a pot of boiling milk with the lid on" (Sister Souljah, 2000, p. 5). Success for Winter Santiago means fight in whatever direction. To the attainment of any end worth living for, a symmetrical sacrifice of her nature is compulsory upon her. But adult life persuades her to change her mind, and the novel records the changes of her wild nature caused by the death of her mother and imprisonment of her father. Typical for modern youth, the self of Winter and self-identity of her family is constructed in relation to the other, i.e. significant outsider, who thereby defines the self. Though the author attempts to incorporate the totality of being and hence the other. She describes: "Everybody understood that our family had the neighborhood locked down, it wasn't worth the trouble" (Sister Souljah, 2000, p. 6). Racial difference is irreducible, and it reveals the ambivalence and hybrid nature of modernity in every character: Ricky Santiaga, Porsche, Mercedes and Lexus, Midnight and Lauren. This novel can be seen as a kind of awakening of the main character, Winter, faced with harsh realities of life. These developments have put into question traditional assumptions about the unity and supposed homogeneity of a person. On the other hand, Winter Santiago becomes a symbol of imagination continually struggling and contrasted with crude reality. Her changing views and self-identity help to repres ents the eternal warfare between virtue and sin, good and evil. This book appeals so much to young adults, because it creates the eternal inconsistency between the aspirations and the occupations of a human being and his dreams. Most characters of the novel (including Mercedes and Lexus) have approved loosing hopes not on the ground that they made people go on crazy movements, but because they were idealistically poor. The contrast between rich and poor, morality and guilt is on the one hand idealism, but on the other hand realities of modern culture. Construction of the novel divided into different frames appeals to readers and their perception of the book. The plot is based on polar opposites who often aspired to realize the ideal of reality: poor vs rich people. This novel unveils how a life can treat a person, Ricky Santiaga and Winter Santiaga, when they make the wrong steps. In their doctrine, human beings have an instinct or a drive toward what is real which is impeded by the barriers of nature and custom. This novel appeals to young adults and graduate students through its simplicity. Colloquialisms and slang words appeal to emotions of readers reflecting modern culture and language. The psychological impact of sin is heated by morals and traditions existing in modern society and preached by members of our society. The physiological value is

Analyze the article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyze the article - Essay Example A drop in the stock market has increased adverse selection and moral hazards because it has resulted in a weakening of the market value of firms' net worth, so lenders are less eager to lend, as deficits from loans are likely to be acute. This decline in lending has then triggered investment and aggregate yield to decline. Also, the waning corporate net worth has increased moral hazard inducements for companies to make risky investments because they now have less to lose. Again this increase in moral hazard makes lending less attractive. The failure of financial institutions in the mortgage debacle, together with the drop in the stock market has led to uncertainty in financial markets. It is more difficult to determine good from bad credit, which again has resulted to a fall in lending, investment and cumulative activity. The source of the current bank panic therefore, is asymmetric information. The result is that loan funds have been reduced and the price of intermediation has risen, which has caused a drop in investment and a decline in aggregate economic activity (Mishkin).

Speaker's response for Sports management class Essay - 1

Speaker's response for Sports management class - Essay Example The first was about starting in the business. The speaker was able to articulate the difficulty of not knowing what to do or being clueless about the job. I found that lawyers like the speaker tend to work on contract and facility issues, insurance, sponsorship and tax (Bhardwaj 2011). His perspective on how to address that situation is practical and something that I will remember if faced in the same dilemma. He said that one should be calm about it and approach it in a holistic and objective manner. I believe he wants a certain level of detachment that would enable him to focus, learn and avoid mistakes. The idea is get past the jitters, the ignorance and other work-related related pressures. Secondly, there is the case of needing to be appropriate at work and towards other people. The speaker was a lawyer and his work involved defense and prosecution. He stressed that it is preferable to work with adversaries professionally and not become rabid supporters of employers because in t he industry, everything comes in full circle. An adversary today, might be needed in the future. So it helps that one is level headed about work especially when the position entails conflict resolution. Which issues require more consideration? I would like to point out the issue regarding the alignment of interest. The speaker stressed that people should not enter the sports entertainment business because he loves sports. ... Essentially, lawyers deal with the law and with documents regardless of where he works. But he was unhappy working for corporations. There is a discrepancy when he clearly thrived and excelled in the sports management business. Obviously, he is a sports fan. This factor must contribute to a worker's motivation. A business manager and his counterpart who loves sports would have radically different approach in an issue because the latter would be more involved and passionate about it. I feel that this issue needed further clarifications. Where you do stand on a controversial issue? One of the controversial issues in sports entertainment management is the focus on profit. Sports managers tend to see organizational success as inevitable offshoot of single-minded pursuit for profit. I am against this wholeheartedly. I believe that this position is valid for several reasons. First is that America has very strong ties with sports and that its management is almost within the realm of public interest. According to Kelly, sports has occupied a major role in modern society, as element of the economy, spectacle with symbolic meanings and an arena of human development (226). A purely commercial organization could get away with greed for profit but the fans will never condone its pursuit if they think that the management and sports administration is harming the sports or their teams or making inappropriate sports decisions in favor of more money. This is supported by the fact that sports and its leading figures are considered product brands. Any inappropriate management decision can damage them and the public could simply cease patronizing. Baker and Esherik (2013) maintained that sports is still a profit-based organization

Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting Assignment

Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting - Assignment Example The Balanced Scorecard was referred to as a means to illustrate the "cause and effect relationship of strategic objectives" (Creelman & Makhijani, 2011). Next is the behavioral aspect of budgeting, which has been considered a relevant component to the study of organizational behavior. In conclusion, it has been claimed that the ABC, the balanced scorecard, and the behavioral aspects of budgeting are useful in todays modern business environment. As a recommendation, it has been proposed that a broader and continuous research be conducted to allow the evolution of management accounting. The report intends to present a brief view of the changes brought by the evolution of management accounting research to modern industrial management. Furthermore, it also aims to examine the impact of these significant changes to the administration of modern business or modern industrial management. To provide an idea of the areas focused by researchers in the field of management accounting, it will tackle three relevant topics covered by management accounting research such as the ABC (Activity Based Costing), the Balanced Scorecard, and the Behavioral Aspects of Budgeting. These topics will then be explored in relation to modern industrial management or modern business. The present methods applied in management accounting are being rooted from those applied by people in the past. Understanding the distant origins of these techniques is necessary in order for one to appreciate the use of such methods in todays modern world. The study of accounting has always been considered difficult and arduous. It is one challenging aspect of business that requires research for its continuous improvement (Argenti, 2002, p.172). Hence, a conscious effort also has to be made to understand the beginnings of management accounting (Porter & Ross, 2003, p.566). For over twenty years, management accounting research has evolved

Foreign Banks Pros and Cons Essay Example for Free

Foreign Banks Pros and Cons Essay Today with the blessings of tremendous development in the communication technology, relationship and interdependence among the countries have been growing rapidly which signifies globalization as an ongoing process. Globalization helps the international business- that is engaging in cross border expansion of sales, acquiring resources and diversifying risk. Factor that benefiting the foreign banks in Bangladesh: Bangladesh is a developing country with a huge population. From the beginning of Bangladesh as an independent country it has been a desiring place for doing business for business organizations operating globally. This circumstance is existed in banking and other financial service sectors. There are some factors that benefitting the foreign banks operating in Bangladesh. 1. Extended sales in an enormously populated country with a low competition: Bangladesh is a country with a large population, so this place is a big market for the banks in a single boundary with a simple set of legislations. So the foreign banks operating in Bangladesh can serve a large group of customers with a single marketing policy. As now a day the business transactions are taken place through banks and house hold savings are kept in banks so the foreign banks do not have to be concerned about the demand. The local banks can not give a big competition as well. 2. Minimizing risk: As usual the multinational banks like other multinational corporations minimize risk by operating in Bangladesh. That means if the banking sector collapses in a country the multinational banks will not loose everything and it is a risk diversifying method. 3. Acquiring resources: The foreign banks operating in Bangladesh can acquire Bangladeshi capitals, information and human resources easily. The local expertise is keen to work in MLCs. So the foreign banks can acquire the local human resources easily at a very cheap rate compare to the global condition. Having the benefits in Bangladesh 10 local banks have established their operation in our country and working comfortably for years after years. Influences of foreign banks in Bangladesh: Benefits: 1. A boast in banking sector: Local banks are expected to react as the foreign banks enter to the country. The local banks here have changed their police in a positive way caused by healthy competition. 2. Bringing ne management and advertising techniques: foreign banks typically bring newer and more modernized management and advertising techniques in our banking sectors. The local banks can learn the modern techniques to cope up with the changing economic environment and globalization. 3. Introducing new modernized technology: In Bangladesh most of the modern financial technology such as ATM, different types of cards, off balance sheet accounting and the latest computing technology brought by foreign banks and spread out in whole banking sectors. 4. Helping in international trade: Aiding in the development of trade and foreign direct investment are presented by foreign banks. Such as opening an L/C in a multinational bank may be more helpful for the merchants. Problems: 1). Foreign domination: the established foreign banks have far greater brand value and economic capability than the local banks. So they can easily dominate by attracting customers. They also are being magnets for local human resources, so the local banks do not get the local expertises which also pull the local banks behind the multinational banks. 2). Lack of local commitment: the foreign banks lack commitment towards the country for some reasons not meeting some social responsibilities. 3.)Â  Cream skimming behavior: though there is not much data available to prove this fact many people think that the foreign banks cream skim the market- taking disproportionate share of best local business away from domestic banks. 4). Unhealthy completion: introduction of foreign banks has added pressure to the local banks by increasing competition which results in risk taking of local banks. So the foreign banks of Bangladesh have a great influence in our economy in the form of pros and cons which are effectively altering our banking sector, with their operation.

Education On Health Promotion Essay Example for Free

Education On Health Promotion Essay Q. 1 Validity is said to be the power to convince about the conclusions that have been found. It is the strength that the conclusion has to convince others on the facts that have been outlined. There are said to be four types of validity namely external, conclusion, construct and internal validity (http://www. brainyquote. com). The external validity is about the ability to generalize the findings to other settings, the conclusion looks for a relationship between the outcomes and the program, the construct validity determines the presence of a relationship between concepts in a study and an actual casual relationship and finally the internal validity looks for the relationship between the study object and the outcomes of the study. On the other hand, reliability is said to be the ability to get the same results over and over again when performing the same test at different times (http://www. asiamarketresearch. com). It is said to estimate how consistent your measurements are. For a tool of measurement to be reliable, it has to give the same results when used at different times by different people to measure the same thing. It can be tested through using different questions that measure the same thing to see if the answers are consistent while the test/retest method means getting the same findings for the same test done at different times but under the same conditions. Validity and reliability will be used in the dissertation to test the conclusion. First checking on the reliability of the tools of measurements does this. This ensures that the data provided for the study is to be trusted as being correct. It also helps eliminate the data that contains some inconsistencies. Once all the reliable data has been compiled, it can then be used to arrive at some conclusion. This conclusion will be valid if all the measurements that have been done have involved the data that was supposed to be measured. If one has been using the correct data using reliable tools then the conclusion will be a valid one. The correct questions have to be asked in relation to the topic and the measurement tools have to be reliable for the conclusion to be valid. Q. 2 When starting a project one begins with choosing a topic on which to research on (http://www. ri. net/schools/East_Greenwich/research. html). This topic should not be too general as to include subjects that are not relevant to the researcher instead it should be very specific on what is to be research on. When choosing a topic, one uses the tool of research called the â€Å"human mind†. This is because a topic is chosen according to how the researcher perceives the surroundings and thus requires reasoning and analyzing which uses the brain. Next is gathering the relevant background information concerning the topic. This can be done through the use of the computer and its software. It is done to get the most basic information on the chosen topic. This information can be supplemented by the use of the library where one can find encyclopedias among other sources. This information is used to refine the chosen topic (http://www. ri. net/schools/East_Greenwich/research. html). If there is need to change the research topic it is done now. After revisiting your topic, you now need to gather the information needed. This is done by the use of the computer and the library. This information is then supplemented by fieldwork, which uses different methods of gathering information. This is done to confirm or challenge the statistics gotten from the library and computer software. While conducting the field research, one has to estimate the reality of the tools of measurement so as to ensure the information gotten is correct and in the process eliminate those, which contain errors after this is done, the information is coded and analyzed. The information is now ready for use to get the conclusion and then organize it to be able to write it in a way that the reader will understand. When it comes to the writing part, the language to be used has to be chosen carefully. It has to be a language accessible to all the presumed readers. The research is then written and is used to justify the problem statement and why the project should be undertaken. The conducting of a research and writing of a dissertation are the actual start of a project. This is because they justify the reason why the project can now start. All the six tools of research are used to ensure that the information provided in the research is reliable and valid. One can only gain experience in the use of these tools by conducting many researches. By writing dissertations and research papers, one ahs to use these tools and in so doing gets a lot of experience in their use. Over time one gets to learn how to use the various tools. When it comes to computers, one has to solicit the help of computer experts an also using the help icon in the computer. For a researcher, it is very useful to join research projects as an assistant researcher. This ensures that one gains a lot of experience and by working with an expert researcher one is able to pick up quite a number of tricks in the research field. Also as a research assistant, one does a lot of work and so is able to come up with new and more effective ways of using the tools of research. On top of this, one is able to choose which tools they can use best and which ones they need to work on to understand how they are used. To learn to be an expert researcher, one can only go through the above mentioned process of first becoming a research assistant. The expert researcher has to be able to use the six tools of research namely the human mind, the computer and its software, the statistics, the traditional library, tools of measurement and the language facility. It one has gone through the process of becoming a research assistant, there is knowledge gained from constant use of the tools and one can then be able to decide which tools they are most comfortable using. All the tools are important and necessary to any researcher but the order of importance assigned to each tool is what differs from researcher to researcher. It is only through experience of having worked on many research projects does one become competent in the use of all the tools and so that is what any novice researcher concentrates more on. Q. 3 The dissertation topic is education on health promotion.  From the interview with the researcher, I have learned how to use the six tools of research in the dissertation topic. By using the human mind, the topic, which is education on health promotion, was chosen. Using the computer and its software, the topic will be researched on and the basic knowledge gathered. Since the topic has enough materials to be used, it will not be changed. The information is then supplemented with that from the traditional library. After the topic has been re-affirmed, the field information will be collected and this will be done by using tools of measurement that are reliable (http://www. ih. gov/news/researchtools/). Once the information has been collected, it is then analyzed, cleaned and coded. The findings will now be used in writing the paper. When writing the paper the language to be used has to be that which the targeted readers can understand. When writing one has to avoid plagiarism and ensuring that any information from other sources is cited will do this. The paper must be in the proper format and should include all the parts of a project paper. The conclusion will have to support the topic and reason for the research. It will therefore have to support education on health promotion