Tax Reform essays

Tax Reform essays When the American people think of taxes, the acronym that immediately comes to mind is IRS. Associated with these three letters are the audits and spools of red tape that Americans travel through each year to earn a temporary hiatus from government intervention into their lives. The permanent escape from this burden of record keeping and paper pushing is just one of the benefits reaped by replacing the current federal income tax system with a national sales tax. Simplification of the federal bureaucracy through a national sales tax would eliminate the need to even have an agency such as the Internal Revenue Service. The burden of individuals being forced to keep financial records for seven years and the nightmare of filing annual tax returns under a complicated system of rules few can decipher would no longer exist. In order for our country to institute a just and ethical means of taxation, establish a secure method for appropriating government funds, and to honestly save the taxpayer money; the United States should initiate tax reform by eliminating federal income tax and create an across the board federal sales tax. The government's reliance on the current income tax system creates a great emphasis on the appropriation of tax revenue. This collection mentality encourages taxpayers who are in high tax rate brackets to pursue avenues of tax avoidance by finding loopholes in the ever increasingly complex tax code. Extremely difficult for the everyday American to understand, the federal tax code can encourage tax evasion and avoidance by taxpayers of all rate income levels because nearly everyone attempts to "outsmart the system". This situation causes an economic loss by creating extra work for the government and lost tax revenue. With the cost of investigation and the cost of collecting money owed the federal government rising, the amount of capital needed from taxpayers to pay for th...

Bogomil - Who and what the Bogomils were

Bogomil - Who and what the Bogomils were A Bogomil was a member of a heretical sect that originated in Bulgaria in the tenth century. The sect was evidently named after its founder, the priest Bogomil. The Doctrine of the  Bogomils Bogomilism was dualistic in nature that is, its followers believed that both good and evil forces created the universe. Bogomils believed that the material world was created by the devil, and they therefore condemned all activities that brought mankind into close contact with matter, including eating meat, drinking wine, and marriage. Bogomils were noted and even praised by their enemies for their austerity, but their rejection of the entire organization of the Orthodox Church made them heretics, and they were therefore sought out for conversion and, in some cases, persecution. Origins and Spread of  Bogomilism The idea of Bogomilism appears to be a result of a combination of neo-Manicheanism with a local movement aimed at reforming the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. This theological viewpoint  spread over much of the Byzantine Empire during the 11th and 12th centuries. Its popularity in Constantinople resulted in the imprisonment of many prominent Bogomils and the burning of their leader, Basil, in about 1100. The heresy continued to spread, until by the early 13th century there was a network of Bogomils and followers of similar philosophies, including Paulicians and Cathari, that stretched from the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The Decline of  Bogomilism In the 13th and 14th centuries, several delegations of Franciscan missionaries were sent to convert heretics in the Balkans, including Bogomils; those they failed to convert were expelled from the region. Still Bogomilism remained strong in Bulgaria until the 15th century, when the Ottomans conquered parts of southeastern Europe and the sects began to dissipate. Remnants of dualistic practices can be found in the folklore of southern Slavs, but little else remains of the once-powerful sect.

Webmonkey 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Webmonkey 2 - Essay Example The weightage given to each of the respective users mentioned above would be such that the portal would be accessed 85% by students, mainly current students. Then around 14% of the site’s usage would be by the course instructors and facilitators and lastly the parents of prospective students may access the site for information acquisition. This last accessing of the website would be about 1% of the site’s total access. The students would attempt to pursue information regarding the structure of programs and their respective course outlines. The details regarding the credit structure of the courses and their prospective time tables can also be pursued by prospective students. The current students would attempt to pursue their existing course enrollment possibilities by searching the list of courses there are eligible to take or those which are being offered to them. Moreover, the learning portal for the enrolled courses and the access to the virtual library would also be via the proposed system. The financial profile of the current students as well as their fee payment history would also be maintained as part of the current user profile menu and can be accessed whenever required by the students. The BSITM proposed website would be accessible to the students who have passed out. The history of their study tenure, the issuance of transcript and online library access would be available to such students. The Instructors would be handling the lecture disposition and assignment/quiz postings by students on the BSITM portal. The Instructors may even become a part of the online group discussions regarding their active courses. Other websites having similar domain topics like BSITM need to be evaluated for architectural strength. This would eventually create proper awareness of what other websites are up to. Browsing already done work often results in better thought streaming and enables generation of even better thoughts for

Difference and diversity in Ontario Schooling Thesis

Difference and diversity in Ontario Schooling - Thesis Example Despite this, there are discontent voices in the overall education system of Canada. Not enough is being done in the education system to be able to provide all rounded education to people of divergent cultures. It will be naive to think that by providing a ‘standard’ form of education to everyone would yield same desired results. The truth is culture and diversity plays a key role in the education of an individual. An individual is a product his surrounding and these surrounding dictates that adjustment should be made to accommodate, assimilate or just understand that particular individual. The Canadian system has been criticized for seemingly favoring the dominant culture at the expense of immigrant cultures. The dominant white culture seems to be the propagated and ‘ideal’ way of living being fronted by the educational quotas. The concept of ‘Educating across difference’ has had its fair form of challenges that have cultural connotations. In r eality it is not the cultural values themselves that bring out the difference in the education system, but it is the values that are attached to particular cultural practices that breed contention. To bury our heads in the sand and ignore issues centering on power and minority can greatly work to undue our delicate social fabric. Power related issues such as ethnocentrism, racism and sexism should form the basis of the discussion on the divergent cultural issue. To be able to understand and appreciate the urban educational system, we first have to learn a brief history of Canada. When faced with the question of diversity and difference, Canada has chosen five broad based responses, each determined by the ideology that was stronger at that specific time in the period. These five responses are; suppressing difference, insisting on the difference, denying difference, inviting difference and lastly critiquing difference. This model of response and framework have been granted by various scholars (Fleras and Elliot, 1992 and Murkerjee 1988; Sleeter and Grant 1944). 1. Suppressing Difference: Aggressive Assimilation The first framework of suppressing is an unsurprising form of human reaction when one meets diversity and divergent views. The dominant and the most widespread at the time take precedence and any new culture has to conform to the pre-existing one. The need for ‘civilize’ others saw some communities being forced to give up their language, religion and forced to embrace the superior French culture (Ashworth, 1993). This campaign of suppression was referred as aggressive assimilation and it was subjected on early immigrant families. The late 1800 brought more quests to ‘Canadize’ the huge numbers of immigrants arriving from Eastern and Southern European countries. This euphoria of the New Canada unwittingly gave rise of fascist and white supremacist movements, which had their support stemming, albeit innocently at first, from all li festyles. Social Credit and CFF parties had endorsed such views bringing together the newly formed the United Church of Canada (Jaenen, 1977, pg. 89). Theories of Social Darwism emphasized on the superiority of Christianity, Anglo-Saxon, Western industrialization and capitalism. Therefore in this sense education was to be used to eliminate the difference in culture and propagate the ‘right’ cultures. 2. Insisting on Difference: Separation and Segregation The

Pollution prevention Essay Example for Free

Pollution prevention Essay The article written by Chris Wiant â€Å"What is the P2 trend all about, and how are environmental health professionals involved?† discusses the history, objectives and significance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution prevention (P2) program to the environment and public health. In the early 70s, there was already a conscious effort in protecting the nation’s vital natural resources which was pioneered by Congress. But EPA wanted to expand their strategy in environmental protection which resulted in the birth of the P2 program. The main thrust of the pollution prevention program is to encourage companies to get involved in the community level by taking the initiative in becoming leaders in protecting the environment. In addition, the application of the program has facilitated the identification of its â€Å"potential for significant economic benefits by avoiding the need for treatment at the end-of-the-pipe.† Since P2 has been well received by businesses and its positive benefits are eminent, the next challenge is â€Å"how to institutionalize P2 as a standard business practice, and 2) how to get businesses and communities to see that P2 can be a pathway to a new partnership between them† (Wiant, 1997, p. 24). Moreover, the pollution prevention program is not only a directive that is focused on conservation and preservation of the natural resources. It is more directed at the sustainable maintenance of the activities that were already started by companies and the EPA but in a larger scale. Th e certainty of the success of the program can only be guaranteed if all sectors of the society work hand in hand in order to achieve a single goal which is to reduce the damage inflicted to the environment. Another aspect of the P2 program that is very appealing is its emphasis on preventive measures. Its design of â€Å"reducing the emission of toxic Pollution Prevention 2  substances into the environment, focusing on the manufacturing process as the point in which to control toxin emissions† is an innovative idea that will dramatically trim down the production of harmful substances. Through this approach a potential problem can be addressed to its initial stage. Instead of using the end-of-the-pipe strategy, businesses can already start with prevention during the manufacturing process. As a result, massive damages to  the environment can be avoided and it can also eliminate the risk of inflicting impairment to the public’s health. Also, it can significantly reduce the cost for businesses in decreasing their toxic emissions. It is like shooting 2 birds in 1 stone because companies can save a lot of money and time by just implementing the P2 program in their business p rocedures. By mandating business to utilize the P2 program, changes in common business practices will occur. But this alteration would be for the overall improvement of the policies and procedures of a company. Moreover, in a community that practices such programs, the quality of life of the people will greatly improve and the relationship of coexistence between man and nature will continue to flourish for the better (Wiant, 1997, p. 24)†¦ †¦ Works Cited Wiant, C. J. (1997). What is the P2 trend all about, and how are environmental health professionals involved?. Journal of Environmental Health, 59, 24.

Mirrors Don’t Lie in Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.s The Lie Essay -- Kurt Vonne

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s The Lie - Mirrors Don’t Lie In The Lie by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Eli Remenzel is a thirteen-year-old boy on his way to The Whitehill Preparatory School with his parents.   Little do they know that Eli is keeping a big secret from them: he didn’t get accepted to the school.   As the story unfolds Eli finally cracks under the pressure of the lie as the headmaster informs his parents that he wasn’t accepted at Whitehill.   What happens next is a disaster.   As I was reading the story I noticed a lot of qualities in the different characters that are traits I see in myself.   Eli, his mother Sylvia, and his father Doctor Remenzel all have different characteristics that reflect me.   These characteristics are what blend together to make me a unique individual. First I’ll focus on the similarities between Eli and myself. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. writes, â€Å"Eli sat up again, but began to slump almost immediately (†¦) hoping to die or disappear.†Ã‚   This was written while Eli kept the secret from his parents. As I reread the passage I disliked the way Eli decided to handle his secret. Instead of coming right out and telling his parents what the problem was, he ignored it, and every mile they drove it became bigger and harder to hold in. Notice the word slump in the above passage from the story.   This was the first thing to pop out at me indicating our similarity, because the word creates a vivid picture of myself when I am in similar situations. I felt Eli’s frustration building, and I realized I handle problems with my family in the same way.   My parents never have the same reaction to a problem, so I’m always scared that they’ll be angry or disappointed in me. This causes me to do exact... ...tor Rememzel, I accomplished nothing embarrassed myself, yet the next time I was unhappy I would repeat my actions over again. I no longer throw temper tantrums, but I do speak before I think and often say and do things that I do not mean. Unlike the other previously mentioned faults, I am quite aware of this one, and I recognized the similarities between Doctor Remenzel and myself right away.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, I disliked The Lie, because the characters in it exemplify the worst qualities in myself.   Whether it’s not being honest with my family, being self-absorbed, or my uncontrollable temper, I cannot like characters that possess these traits because I hate these traits within myself. Reading about the characters is like looking into a mirror, and like the title says, mirrors don’t lie.   

Radical Energy Technologies

A radical energy technology is one that is not classed as â€Å"business as usual† and takes a different approach, such as renewable resources, for instance using solar cell technology instead of traditional fossil fuels. It could be a wide range of different technologies, including nuclear, wind, and other fuels. A policy regarding energy or energy consumption reduction could be a target to reduce consumption over the next decades, such as seen in the Kyoto protocol. It could also be more local or domestic such as recycling targets.With the world’s primary energy needs set to grow by 55% by 2030, and electricity consumption to double over the next few decades, managing future need is a global challenge, and one of the most significant of our time. The International Energy Authority (IEA) estimates that $22 trillion of new investment will be needed by 2030. At the same time, there is the global challenge of climate change and the need to develop cleaner sources of energ y in order to improve the health of our environment.There are two main ways of achieving this; measures such as emissions controls, carbon trading and green taxation to encourage a reduction in energy consumption and an increase in energy efficiency, this known as a ‘carrot and stick’ approach. The alternative to this is to develop new and radical technologies that are sustainable and bring energy security. An example of a stick and carrot approach would be through ‘green axes’. In some countries taxation measures, known as green taxes, have been introduced with the aim of cutting the use of natural resources and encouraging waste recycling.In the UK these include new vehicle excise duties (VED) that tax vehicles according to their level of carbon dioxide emissions. Owners of so called ‘gas-guzzlers’ pay more, as do those with older, less fuel-efficient vehicles. Other ideas for taxes aimed at reducing energy consumption include removing stamp duty on the sale of carbon neutral homes, raising the duty on petrol and diesel, and raising air passenger duty on flights out of the UK.Greater use of renewable energy and advances in energy technology may be one answer to a more secure energy future. However, all the new technologies that have emerged so far have their own advantages and disadvantages. Offshore wind turbines for instance costs at least 50% more than on land, but wind speeds at sea are generally double those on land, so offshore turbines can generate more electricity. The fact that offshore wind turbines cannot be seen nor heard from landcommunities, this being a massive advantage, as proposal to build inland wind farms have been strongly opposed by those who claim they are visually unappealing and far too noisy. Horns Rev, in the North Sea off Denmark is one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms. It opened in October 2002, covering an area of 20 km2, and costing in excess of ?220 million to build. It g enerates 160MW through its 80 turbines. A prime factor in the selection of the site was the strength of the winds from all points of the compass.This will make the future of Denmark’s energy much more secure because they know they are guaranteed this supply of energy. Geothermal energy is a new radical technology becoming popular in areas of the world geographically suitable to do so. In the Philippines, 25% of the electricity supply is generated from an underground supply of heat. This renewable geothermal heat is free, inexhaustible and available day and night, due to local geology. The heat is used to turn water into steam, which generates electricity in turbines.Geothermal energy has significant advantages over other renewable resources. There is no need to cover several square kilometres of land with wind turbines or solar panels, when certain parts of the world (main areas include Iceland, the USA and south Australia) have the ‘hot rocks’ that make recovera ble heat possible. However, extracting this heat is not easy. In many locations the heat is too deep to be extracted economically, and the local geology can create problems.

A report about the recruitment and selection for a particular job role Essay

The assignment is to write a report about the recruitment and selection for a particular job role in the sports and leisure industry. The tasks are: to create a job advert and get my peers to act as applicants; go through the whole recruitment and selection process and at the end choosing the most suitable candidate out of those that applied; choosing the most suitable applicant and offering them the position; producing an induction and motivational programme for the chosen candidate. Sufficient research will be carried out to help the analysis of the recruitment and selection processes. There will be an evaluation judging the effectiveness of chosen approaches. The Recruitment Process Recruitment is the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organisation. The Recruitment Process is when a business looks for and finds a suitable person to fill a certain job position. This includes job description, job adverts, person specification, application forms, short listing, dealing with references, assessing candidates, deciding on the most suitable candidate and then informing those who did not get the job. Businesses need to avoid discrimination by sex, race, disability or age during the recruitment process so that they do not get sued. This allows them to make sure the best candidate gets the job. Firstly the business will need to draw up the Job Description. This usually includes the job title, location, information about the company, the job purpose, a detailed list of job requirements and skills, the salary and benefits, working hours, promotion prospects, who the employee will be responsible to and finally who the employee is responsible for. In order to draw up a suitable job description, the human resource manager interviews the current jobholder and the line manager so that they can do a job analysis. A job description is drawn up because it is important when carrying out appraisals, and it helps analyse jobs and training. It also helps with work force planning and pay determination. They can then use the job description to place the job advertisement. EXAMPLE OF A JOB DESCRIPTION POST TITLE Administration Assistant DIVISION/DEPARTMENT Installation & Facilities Management REPORTS TO Installation & Facilities Manager GRADE 7 AIM To provide administrative support within the Specified Group within the Technical Division. The post holder will be required to work flexibly, in a rapidly developing office environment. It may be necessary to assist, or cover for, other administrative staff from time to time. RESPONSIBILITIES The key duties of the post are as follows: * Filing of correspondence in/out * Setting up and maintenance of filing systems as and when required as works progress * Preparing document transmittal forms based on a list of drawings/documents which the Group is required to issue * Upkeep of the document/drawing register of all the Group contractors who have been sent documents/drawings and their issue * Typing – Word skills for general preparation of letters/forms that the Group will issue, along with logging into the Group records system. * User notifications for statutory/routine/unplanned for inspections/testing/repairs, etc. * Arrange meetings, book and prepare meeting rooms and provide/arrange hospitality * Once operational – helpdesk assistance Plus other duties consistent with the grade as directed. Because businesses change often the Job Description will inevitably change. An employee might need to do other jobs that are similar to their job if they are directed to do so by their management. Next they will need to draw up a Person Specification using the seven-point plan, which was an idea from Alec Rodger. The seven points are: 1. Physique, health and appearance- is the person well groomed? Are their looks suitable? Are their dress sense, voice, hearing and eyesight suitable? Is their health in order? 2. Attainments- what type of educational and vocational qualifications do they have? What is their job experience? 3. General intelligence-What is the level of the person’s general intelligence (obtained through IQ tests)? 4. Special aptitudes- what special skills does the person have? 5. Interests- what are their interests and hobbies? 6. Disposition- do they tend to influence others? Have they got leadership potential? 7. Circumstances- what is their age group? Are they single or married? Are they mobile or not? This usually requires managers to differentiate between essential and desirable qualities under each heading. For example five GCSE’s at a grade C or above might be essential for ‘Attainment’ to do a particular job, whereas two GCE A Levels might be desirable but not essential. Then the job advertisement can be placed. To create the best advertisement you have to make sure that: the advertisement gives a clear picture of what the job entails, the advertisement sets out clearly where the job is located, the advertisement is focused enough to attract people with the right sort of qualifications for the post, the sort of people most likely to apply for the job are suitable, the advertisement indicates opportunities for job development and for personal challenges over time, that an applicant knows how to apply for a job and that the advertisement in its present form will screen out unsuitable applicants. The advertisement should be placed in a suitable place so that the people with the right qualities apply. Most advertisements include the job description, a brief description of the environment of the organization, the location of the organisation and the job, the salary expectation, the contact details, the minimum entrance qualifications, the required job exp erience, the fringe benefits and the organisational identity. A job advert should provide prospective candidates with information but should also deter people who are not suitable for the job. The presentation is also important as it gives people their first impression of the organization. Many legal considerations need to be met when recruiting. The equal pay act 1970 states that there should be equal pay and conditions for people doing the same job and this would apply to the job advert. The Sex discrimination act 1975 states that employers can’t discriminate between potential employees on the fact that they are male or female. The 1986 sex discrimination act states that there must be a similar retirement date for both men and women. The race relation act 1968, 1976, 2000 states that there can be no discrimination against people of different colours, race, ethnicity or national origins. Finally the disability discrimination act 1995 and 2004 states there must be no discrimination at work, and that the employer must provide a suitable workplace for the disabled employees. Here is a flow diagram of the recruitment process: The Selection Process Selection is the process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons most likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements. Firstly you have to draw up a shortlist of the most suitable applicants out of the large number that applied for the job. The people who draw up the shortlist use the job description, person specification and other sets of criteria to reject the people who are not right for the job. They are usually sorted into three piles of suitable candidates, possible candidates and rejects. After this you would send out letters to invite the most suitable candidates to an interview. These letters set out where and when the interview will take place and anything that the candidate will need to do before the interview. Usually, the interviewer creates forms for use during the interview including a list of questions to ask. Equal opportunities requirements state that the candidates must be asked the same questions. Sometimes the interviewer will also draw up a list of criteria for the candidates to meet. Also you will need copies of the interviewee’s application forms, CV’s, and cover letters and copies of the person specification, the job description and interview assessment schedules showing the criteria for the applicants. Interviews are generally relaxed and comfortable so that the applicant can show their best side. A good way to start could be to ask questions about the candidate’s journey to the interview. The interview is a two-way process and although it is a way for the interviewer to find the best candidate for the job, it is also a way for the interviewee to make sure this is a suitable environment for them to be working in. The question asked should relate to the person specification and job description. Most of the time the interviewers will make notes to judge if the candidate meets the requirements. Also questions are asked that need detailed answers. Some jobs involve testing to find out whether certain people have the right personalities to carry out specific types of work. A psychometric test is a way of assessing a person’s personality, drives and motivations. An aptitude test is used to find out whether a candidate is suited to carrying out a particular type of work and involve some form of stimulation of that type of work. At the end of the interview, the interviewer should ask the interviewee if there is anything they would like to ask. Then the interviewer will explain how they will inform the candidate whether or not they got the job in question. Normally candidates will be given feedback on how they performed in the interview. They should be told why they were not suitable for the post, but also tell them what they did well. This feedback should be seen as a positive process and help with the ongoing development of the interviewee. After the most suitable candidate is selected, they will be informed of the choice and they will be asked if then still want the job. This is normally done over the phone straight after the decision has been made. Then the person will accept or reject the job. Legal considerations need to be met when selecting aswell. The Sex discrimination act 1975 states that employers can’t discriminate between potential employees on the fact that they are male or female. The 1986 sex discrimination act states that there must be a similar retirement date for both men and women. The disability discrimination act 1995 and 2004 states there must be no discrimination at work, and that the employer must provide a suitable workplace for the disabled employees. The race relation act 1968, 1976, 2000 states that there can be no discrimination against people of different colours, race, ethnicity or national origins. Finally, the equal pay act 1970 states that there should be equal pay and conditions for people doing the same job. Here is a diagram of the selection process: Induction Process Induction is a formal initiation of a new employee into a new organization or new position, the job they will have to do and the people they will have to work with. After completing the recruitment and selection processes, the chosen candidate is sent all details that will be needed for the job. This will include the start date and time, place of work, who to ask for on arrival, details of social provisions and details of medical care and pension provisions. The employee could ask for a written statement of the terms and conditions of employment. Induction normally includes giving them a tour of their workplace, teaching them about the aims of the business, giving them some background information about the company, teaching them about health and safety around the company (fire exits e.t.c), how to contact the company when they are absent, ill or late, an introduction to the various people they will be working with and making sure that they know if the person needs training or not. The Induction programme must be suitable for the candidate and also the job role. An induction package would include the objectives for the induction programme, which would set put what you want the employee to get out of the induction. It would also include a timetable for the induction and an outline of the activities that they will have to carry out. Induction is carried out because it allows a new employee to get acquainted with the company and the people in it, it teaches them about company policies, their rights, and the health and safety requirements, and finally it ensures that the employee starts working effectively and productively as soon as possible. By the end of induction the new employee aims to find out as much important information about the company as possible, find out what their part will be in helping the company run efficiently, feel comfortable and optimistic about working at the company and it will help them in personal development and finally find out about their rights and responsibilities. Employees need to be conscious of what they need to do if they are going to be absent or late or if they are ill. If there are too many absences then it will begin to affect the performance of a team. Also if an employee knows they are going to be late then they need to inform management so that appropriate cover can be provided. Most organisation ask employees to get a note from the doctor to prove they have been sick, and a doctor’s certificate if they are away for more than five days. If the new employee is unfamiliar with the software used in the company then they will have to be familiarised with it. Therefore the employee will need to talk through the software with the employee and, if this doesn’t work, send them for training. In some cases on-the-job training is more effective as it undertaken in the workplace and it therefore familiarises them with the computer in the workplace. However, in other cases, off-the-job training is more effective as it is away from the workplace and people who have correct qualifications train them. Legal considerations also need to be met when inducting. The disability discrimination act 1995 and 2004 states there must be no discrimination at work, and that the employer must provide a suitable workplace for the disabled employees. The Sex discrimination act 1975 states that employers can’t discriminate between potential employees on the fact that they are male or female. The 1986 sex discrimination act states that there must be a similar retirement date for both men and women. The race relation act 1976, 2000 states that there can be no discrimination against people of different colours, race, ethnicity or national origins. Finally, the health and safety at work act 1974 which states that ‘it shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonable practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his or her employers’. Motivation Motivation is applying what drives a person, so that they will want to work productively for your company. Everyone is motivated differently. If a business had a motivated workforce then a businesses profitability will be boosted. Different factors of motivation will increase revenue and reduce costs. If an employee is motivated to increase their efforts then there will be higher productivity, if an employee is motivated to take pride in their work then there will be improved quality in work, if an employee is motivated to be loyal to company then there will be a reduced labour turnover and if an employee is committed to a company then it reduces absenteeism. There are many different theories about motivation. Here are two: 1. A. Maslow- Hierarchy of needs In 1954 an American psychologist Abraham Maslow had a theory about what motivated people in the workplace. He believed that all human beings had the same types of needs and this could be organised into a hierarchy of needs. This was his hierarchy: What people need What businesses can offer To achieve their full potential Self-fulfilment needs Training, challenges and opportunities to develop skills Gaining the respect of others; feeling valued; having confidence and self respect Self-esteem needs Reward for achievement promotion and status Being part of the group; giving and receiving affection and friendship Love and belonging needs Opportunities for teamwork; social facilities and positive work relations Security; absence of danger and freedom from anxiety Security needs High standards of healthy and safety; job security; absence of bullying Food, water, air, rest and activity Basic needs Decent pay to enable needs to be met; acceptable hours and conditions He said that firstly lower-level needs have to be met, but to avoid employees feeling irritated higher-level needs should also be met. If an employee feels irritated then they might be demotivated and nonchalant towards their work. 2. F. Herzberg- Two factor theory In the 1950’s the American psychologist Fredrick Herzberg conducted research that asked about motivation. He asked 200 engineers and accountants about the factors in their work that caused job satisfaction and those that caused dissatisfaction. He used the results from his research to develop his Two Factor theory of motivation. In his theory two sets of factors motivate workers, and these were motivators and hygiene factors. Motivator factors- These are factors that could potentially motivate workers by providing job satisfaction. They include a feeling that they have achieved something, praise and recognition of effort, interesting work, responsibility, opportunities for promotion and opportunities for self-improvement. Hygiene factors- All factors that cause dissatisfaction are to do with the working environment. These include company policy, relationships with supervisors and colleagues, working conditions, pay and status and security. Financial incentives There are many different financial incentives. These are: * Wages, salaries and bonuses * Profit sharing * Share options There are many different types of wages. Flat rate is when you get paid weekly or monthly and it is based on a set number of hours. Time rate is when you receive a set rate hour and then pay overtime if any is done. Piece rate is when you are paid for what is made as long as it meets quality standards. Bonuses are paid if an employee has been working hard at times like Christmas when people are likely to work less hard as the holiday season comes in. Commission is a type of salary based on the percentage of sales made by a salesperson. Profit Sharing is when employees are given bonuses based on the profit made by the organisation. This will help employees see that if the business is doing well, they will do well also. Share options are when employees buy shares in the business and then are rewarded according to how well the organisation is doing. This also means that they will get paid dividends as they are shareholders. Non Financial Incentives There are also many types of non-financial incentives. These are: * Goal Setting * Perks and status symbols * Appraisals * Meeting training needs Goal setting is when managers set goals for employees to work towards. This can make the employer feel like they’ve achieved something by reaching their set goal. A perks is when you get something extra in return for doing a particular job, and an example of a status symbol is having a sign outside you door. An appraisal is meeting between an employee and an appraiser, where targets are set, and also seen whether they manage to meet their targets from the period before that. Finally, meeting training needs is important; as it makes sure that the employee has a good knowledge of all the equipment they are working with. Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre The leisure centre chosen for this project is Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre, which is located on Watling Avenue in Burnt Oak. Their indoor facilities include a state-of-the-art Wellness Health and Fitness centre with 100 pieces of the latest equipment, dance studio with an extensive group exercise programme, a crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½che, a 4 court badminton sports hall, basketball, trampolining, football, netball, gymnastics and an indoor facilities changing room. Their outdoor facilities include an all-weather pitch for 7-a-side football and hockey, one Junior 11-a-side and two 7-a-side grass football pitches, 2 outdoor tarmac areas for netball, basketball, football and tennis, and outdoor facility changing rooms. Customer Service Advisor I am recruiting for a Customer Service Advisor at the Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre. The Customer Service Advisors main job is to get people to join the gym. They have to be able to handle all different types of customers. They are expected to keep up to date with product and company policy changes in order to answer any customer queries. They have to have good communication skills, patience and common sense. They must be polite and friendly, calm, even when under pressure, thorough and accurate and finally they have to be interested in working with people. They have to be able to work as part of a team and on their own. They have to be over 18. Recruitment Process When advertising for a position at the Barnet Burnt Oak leisure centre, they firstly write up their job description. This tells us that the job is for a Customer Service Advisor, and that it is located at the Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre. It tells us some important information about the company, the job purpose, a detailed list of job requirements and skills, the salary and benefits of the job, working hours, promotion prospects, who the employee will be responsible for and finally who the employee will be responsible for. Next they draw up a person specification. They normally try to look for people who are patient and have good communication skills and common sense. Firstly they try to recruit internally. The advantages of doing this are that it requires a shorter induction period, the employer will be more aware of the candidates skills and it is quicker and cheaper than recruiting externally. However the disadvantages of this are another vacancies will be created and this will also have to be filled and external candidates may be more suitable for the job. Therefore, if their internal recruitment is unsuccessful then they recruit externally and place an advert in the local press. There is no set qualifications needed to be a Customer Service Advisor but you have to be over 18 and you have to have a minimum of one to two years experience in any job. Selection Process At the Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre they hold open days where they invite people to the centre to fill in an application form, and then if they meet the criteria set out in the person specification then they are invited to stay for an interview. The interview is on a one to one basis. The candidates are asked about their relevant experience and qualifications and they are asked what they would do in a particular situation at the leisure centre. Each question asked is worth 12 points and they do not consider anyone whose answer is less than 8 points. If the person is unsuccessful then they are told straight away, otherwise they are told within 2 days over the phone. Then they do a shadow shift and they are set mini tasks over three days to help them decide whom they want to recruit. Other employees are asked what they think of the new employee and so there is a lot of teamwork involved in the decision. Induction Process When the most suitable candidate is informed that they have the job, they are invited back to the centre and they do on-the-job training. On-the-job training would be learning to use a certain database that is used at the leisure centre. Their skills and qualifications are monitored and if they need extra they are sent on off-the-job training course. Included in the induction process is health and safety, which includes showing them where fire exits are. Motivation Process There are no specific motivational tools used at the Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre, just to be cheerful, and don’t force yourself to do it. Legal Dimension The Leisure Centre follows the Sex discrimination act 1975 which states that employers can’t discriminate between potential employees on the fact that they are male or female; the 1986 sex discrimination act states that there must be a similar retirement date for both men and women; the disability discrimination act 1995 and 2004 states there must be no discrimination at work, and that the employer must provide a suitable workplace for the disabled employees; the race relation act 1968, 1976, 2000 states that there can be no discrimination against people of different colours, race, ethnicity or national origins and finally, the equal pay act 1970 states that there should be equal pay and conditions for people doing the same job. If they do discriminate they are liable to be sued. Simulated practice I decide that to understand more fully the stages within recruitment and selection, I had to take the role of an employer. Recruitment Firstly I drew up my Job Description. This included the job title, location, and information about the company, the job purpose, a list of job experience and qualifications needed, the salary, working hours, and finally the person that the employee is responsible to. Job Title * Customer Service Advisor Location * Barnet Burnt Oak Leisure Centre * Burnt Oak * Watling Avenue About the company Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) is an innovative staff led ‘Leisure Trust’, structured as an Industrial and Provident Society, which manages more than forty public leisure centres within the M25 area in partnership with nine London Boroughs, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Bellingham Community Project, Sport England and the London Development Agency. Job purpose * Get people to join the gym. * Basic customer care i.e. showing people where things are (toilets, crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½che e.t.c.). Qualifications * No set qualifications needed Experience * At least 1-2 years experience in work Salary * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16,000-à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½17,000 per annum Working hours * 40 hours per week Reports to * Manager: George I did this job description in this way because I thought it would screen out unsuitable candidates. When I was shortlisting my candidates I realized that perhaps it could have been more specific in the qualifications and experience sections and possible could have had a minimum requirement of 5 A*-C grades in GCSE for qualifications and for experience could have said that 1-2 experience in customer service. Next, I drew up a Person Specification using Alec Rodger’s seven-point plan. Physique, health and appearance * Must be committed to a healthy lifestyle * Must be smartly dressed * Must be able to see the writing on a computer screen Attainments * Min of 5 A*-C grade at GCSE (desirable) * 1-2 years experience in work General Intelligence * Must have common sense Special Aptitudes * Patience Interests * Fitness Disposition * Good communication skills Circumstances * Must be over 18 * Marital status: Single (Desirable) * Mobile (Desirable) I decided to do my person specification in this way because again I thought that it would screen out the unsuitable candidates. It was better than the job description, but it also had its own faults. I could have expanded on my special aptitudes, and included enthusiasm. I could have also expanded on the interests and added working with computers and working with people. Finally, I could have added to the disposition and added good written skills and good ICT skills. Then the job advertisement can be placed. To create my job advertisement I stated clearly in the title what job it is so that people who are looking for this sort of job will read the rest of the advert. The job description would hopefully have deterred unsuitable candidates. Again like the job description and person specification it didn’t do as good a job as I would have hoped. However, I did get a lot of potential candidates that were suitable for the job. Selection I received many different CV’s and then I sent them all letters of invitations. This letter sets out what job the interview is for, where and when the interview will take place, anything the candidate needs to bring and who to ask for arrival so that the candidate will be fully prepared for the interview. When I created my application form (See appendix) I considered all the factors that all good application forms have. The questions I decided to put on the application were designed to show me which candidates were more suitable than others. This was effective when it came to shortlisting, because it was shown that some candidates couldn’t read simple instructions like ‘Please complete this application form in black ink’. I created a list of 17 interview questions (See appendix) to ask my candidates. The interview questions were my most successful tool as they were what showed me the candidate’s personalities. It was from this that I made my final decision about the candidate I chose. I informed the most successful candidate by phone to gain immediate acceptance. I did not inform the candidates not chosen as it would have been too time consuming. Evaluation My job description and person specification were problematic, as they did not develop some of the points made. In the job description, it was when it cam to relevant qualifications and experience; and in the person specification the disposition, interest and special aptitudes. My job advert was very good in filtering unsuitable candidates but possibly not as much as I had initially wanted. My selection process was definitely more successful. The interview questions helped me get an insight into how the candidates worked and if they would be perfect for the job. I did not break any legal considerations when I was recruiting, selecting, motivating and inducting. I carefully stayed within the equal pay act 1970 which states that there should be equal pay and conditions for people doing the same job, the sex discrimination act 1975 which states that employers can’t discriminate between potential employees on the fact that they are male or female, the 1986 sex discrimination act which states that there must be a similar retirement date for both men and women, the race relation act 1968, 1976, 2000 which states that there can be no discrimination against people of different colours, race, ethnicity or national origins, and finally the disability discrimination act 1995 and 2004 states there must be no discrimination at work, and that the employer must provide a suitable workplace for the disabled employees. I also asked my potential employees the same interview questions so that there was no unfairness when it came to picking my final appl icant. I also fitted equal opportunities into my application form. If the activity were repeated I would change my job description and person specification so that it would expand on what I have already done and it would help me be more selective about whom I interviewed and chose. If a different job role had been chosen that I had more knowledge about then I possible could have produced better human resources documentation and developed more into areas I didn’t know. However this job role was a good choice and I think it was done to the best of my ability at the time. In hindsight, however, I know that I could have done better and expanded more on certain ideas I had. I am now more aware of recruitment and selection process, and it will help me to get a job in the future because I will have a better understanding of how an applicant in selected.

International Relations Essay All You Need to Know about It

International Relations Essay All You Need to Know about It Studies in International Relations involve a wide spectrum of topics that range from sociology to political science. Because of the range of topics in international relations courses, the area of study is unique and demanding. As an international relations student, your lecturer expects you to be familiar with everything including historical aspects of international relations, economics, sociology, anthropology, human rights, political theories, and current affairs. Markedly, the interdisciplinary nature of the study of international relations blends the fields of history, economics, and political science to analyze topics, such as worldwide poverty, security, human rights, globalization, and social ethics. Professors test your familiarity of the different areas of study by assigning essays on international relations. Being an interdisciplinary field, it means that there is a wide set of guidelines followed when writing international relations essays. Lecturers may assign you the writing form of an assignment as a part of your course to examine what you know about the area of study, your ability to relate concepts, and your ability to apply theories in international relations into practical life experiences. It is important to keep the noted lecturer objectives in mind when planning and writing international relations essays because they help you understand your professor’s expectations and course grading expectations. You need to have a concrete idea of what to write about before beginning your writing journey. This guide includes powerful international relations essay tips and will provide step-by-step tips and prompts that will help you understand the way to write your international relations essay and why some elements in the writing process are important. Besides, the guideline will help hone your essay writing skills; thus, it can be used as a guide for your other essay assignments. Pre-Writing Tips for Your International Relations Essay The writing process begins the minute you read your assignment and ends when you submit it for grading. Pre-writing tips are guidelines to use in the intervention stage of writing; they help you do the following: Narrow the area of study possibilities down to a manageable and appropriate international relations essay topic; Generate ideas relating to a topic on international relations; Group ideas that belong together. You can use a variety of prewriting techniques, but not all of them may work well for you or for a particular area of your international relations course. You can try out several prewriting techniques until you find the ones that work for you. The common prewriting techniques include: This involves noting down a list of ideas and topics and then reviewing them to select those that fit your assignment objectives. Brainstorming and free writing. In both free writing and brainstorming, the bottom line is that you write down everything that comes to mind about international relations issues without censoring yourself. In free writing, set some time to write what you know about specific topics in international relations. Subsequently, go back through your written notes to find the best ideas, and repeat the process until you have enough ideas for your international relations essay. This involves using reporters’ questions, such as why, who, what, when, how, and where of your area of study. Journal writing. This entails writing a personal reflection on what several international relations topic and concepts mean to you and why. Journal writing helps you develop ideas and topics that you can explore in your essay. Once you have chosen a preferred prewriting technique, the next important steps entail selecting a topic for your essay, note taking, and planning for your essay outline. Topic selection. Topic selection is an important aspect of the essay writing process. Three scenarios may arise in topic selection, namely your lecturer may assign a specific essay topic in international relations, you may be provided with a set of possible international relations essay topics, or you may be required to formulate a topic as long as it is within the international relations area of study. If your instructor does not provide you with an international relations essay topic, conduct preliminary research on various topics in the area of study before settling on one subject matter. Moreover, select a variety of issues you are familiar with and those with readily available information. Note taking. Taking notes occurs once you are done with generating ideas for your international relations essay. The practical aspect is that the note taking process should accompany the researching process to lay down essential elements of your topic. Making a plan. The plan refers to an outline that shows what type of content should be written as the essay’s introduction, body, and conclusion. Making an outline helps in structuring your ideas into concrete pieces of information that can be written for informative purposes. Choosing a Suitable Topic for International Relations Essay: Sound Advice from Our Writers There is no secret formula to identifying and choosing an appropriate topic in the international relations field of study. However, the following key guidelines should be considered when choosing suitable essay topics: Brainstorm for possible ideas on international relations issues. In brainstorming, try to explore what interests you in international relations; Research for ideas on possible topics in books or in articles written by scholars whose work has interested you. Explore if these authors make any suggestions about areas that could be developed into essay topics in the international relations field of study; Think of two or more authors who have disagreed with each other in print about an issue in international relations and determine if you could write an essay that weighs up their opposing arguments; Be realistic when exploring and choosing a particular essay topic. You should only consider topics with readily available sources. Coming up with ideas and topics that fascinate you only to find that all the resources you need are unavailable can be demotivating; Ensure that you do not choose a topic that is too specific. Obscure topics make finding research materials difficult. Besides, a specialist type of research would be inappropriate for an essay; Select a topic that is appropriate to the length of your essay. Students are often tempted to pick topics that are too broad to be adequately covered. While broad topics lead to overgeneralization, narrow topics lead to close observation; Avoid topics that will tempt you to summarize rather than discuss or analyze concepts in international relations unless your professor requires a summary-type of an essay; Choose a topic that interests you to motivate you in research and compile the actual essay paper. Chances are that when an essay topic is interesting to you, the outcome of the essay will be equally interesting to the readers; Once you have picked and settled on a certain topic, do not be afraid to change it if it is not working out as expected. Possible topics for your international relations essay include: Compare and Contrast Atlantic and Pacific Commercial Business Discuss the Validity of the Cold War after the Collapse of the USSR Discuss the New Principles of the U.S. Foreign Policy How did the Cold War end? Did Any of the Sides Win? Discuss the United Nations and Its Peacekeeping Agenda Writing an Effective Title for Your International Relations Essay A common issue evident among students and seasoned writers is omitting or underusing a useful tool in their writing process, namely an essay title. When stuck, it is common for students to give up on generating a title for an essay or they merely label the essays by assignment numbers and sequences. The title of an essay helps in preparing readers to understand and believe the paper that is to follow. The first aspect in drafting an essay title should involve outlining the functions of the title. A good essay title: predicts contents of the essay; catches the reader’s interest; reflects the tone of your piece of writing; presents keywords that define the essay and make it easily identifiable during searches. When crafting the essay title, you need to think of title writing as a process and allow yourself to stretch your thinking during that process. Your title should have a hook that attracts the readers to your essay. This hook can be a collection of keywords from your essay or a quote that introduces your topic or the tone of the essay. Moreover, the title should have one or two key terms that provide the reader with a sense of the content and the angle of your essay. In other words, the title you choose for your essay should provide the reader with an overall overview of the essay even before the essay is read in depth. Despite the recommended short length, the title should summarize the entire essay in a few words. Appropriate Structure for Your International Relations Essay An appropriate outline of the international relations essay should have at least an introduction, main body, and a conclusion. The outline should appear as indicated below: Introduction. The introduction should occupy approximately 10% of the entire essay and it should explain how your essay interprets the title, issues it explores, and the conclusions that you draw from the essay discussion. The introduction should make the target reader interested in your essay, should tell what you are writing about, and must explain why the essay topic is relevant or why you have written the essay. An important aspect of the introduction part of the essay involves getting the readers interested in your work. Creating interest in a reader is what differentiates a B grade essay from an A grade essay. Therefore, choose your words carefully and meet all the introduction requirements. In this case, provide: an overview of the essay; objectives of the essay; the essays significance; a purpose statement; a thesis statement. Body. The main body of the essay should take up 80% of the essay content because it forms the main part of the essay. The content of the essay, at this point, is presented in paragraphs where each paragraph provides a unique theme or element of the essay. In this regard, you should ensure your paragraphs are thematic and based on major arguments. Depending on the ideas and themes you intend to explore in your essay, the number of paragraphs may vary from three to four. However, a one-page essay may only require one or two paragraphs for the body section of the essay. Each paragraph of the essay should develop and explore the major essay arguments and must have a topic sentence that presents your claims as well as evidence that supports claims made in each topic sentence. You should consider the following elements when writing the body of your essay in international relations: The major discussion points in each paragraph; The arguments and evidence that support the topic sentence in each paragraph; The practicality of the topic sentence; The paragraphs’ ability to link the thesis statement, essay topic, and essay title. If the body has three main paragraphs, the first paragraph should focus on the strongest argument in the essay. The topic for this paragraph should be stated within the first several sentences (the topic sentence) and appropriate content should be used to support the topic sentence. You should then provide a clear transition to your next paragraph. The second paragraph should contain the second most significant point of your essay. Similar to the previous paragraph, ensure you provide a topic sentence and supporting evidence. The weakest argument should be presented in the last paragraph and should tie into the essay’s thesis. Conclusion. Similar to the introduction, the last part of the international relations essay should slightly mirror the introduction and summarize the arguments you made in your previous paragraphs. Moreover, the conclusion should echo your thesis statement and provide a description of how you proved your thesis. You should be careful not to introduce new points and arguments in the conclusion section. However, you can provide an action plan where possible. The Last bit Not Least: Post-Writing Tips Proofreading and referencing constitute the most essential post writing process. These tips ensure your essay is appropriate and capable of helping you attain a high grade. Proofreading refers to the process of reviewing your essay to ensure it is free of grammar, sentence structure, and tense mistakes. It also involves reviewing the essay content to ensure it is coherent.

12 More Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts

12 More Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts 12 More Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts 12 More Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts By Mark Nichol Following up on a post about words that originally pertained (or in one sense pertain) to military units but have developed nonmilitary connotations based on that sense, here are additional terms referring to military individuals or groups that have civilian senses as well. 1. captain: ultimately from Latin caput (â€Å"head†), originally referring to the leader of a war party and later to a military officer in command of a set unit or a ship; later, applied in general to a leader or head of a group or team. 2. cavalry: from Italian cavaliere (â€Å"horseman†), a body of soldiers mounted on horses (and later those assigned to mechanized units); by extension, from the clichà © in movie westerns of a US cavalry unit coming to the rescue of the protagonists, used in references to one or more people who bring aid to others. 3. lieutenant: from Old French lieu tenant (â€Å"in place of†), originally, an officer who was deputy to a captain but later also a specific military rank; in civilian usage, a right-hand man or woman or a subordinate. 4. muster: from Latin monstrare (â€Å"to show†)- interestingly, akin to monster- referring to an assembly of military personnel or serving as a verb synonymous with assemble, but also pertains to any assembly, collection, or inventory or to a sample or specimen. 5. picket: from French piquer (â€Å"pierce†), a group of soldiers assigned to guard a camp, or the action of doing so; in civilian usage, a distinct meaning of â€Å"protesting during a demonstration or strike† or a reference to a sharp stake, such as one that is part of a picket fence. 6. rank-and-file: from Old English ranc (â€Å"strong†) and Latin filum (â€Å"cord† or â€Å"thread), the arrangement of military personnel in rows and columns; by extension, a reference to ordinary employees or members as opposed to those in leadership roles . 7. reserve: from Latin reservare (â€Å"keep back†), one or more units of soldiers kept more or less in readiness in case they are needed as reinforcements; in general usage, anything kept in stock or kept apart from a general issue or supply. 8. scout: from Latin auscultare (â€Å"heed,† â€Å"listen†), a person, sometimes a local civilian- or a group called a scouting party- sent to explore, observe, or search to obtain information about the enemy; in entertainment or sports, someone who observes prospective performers or recruits. 9. sergeant: from Latin serviens (â€Å"servant†), originally referred to a servant but later applied to an experienced common soldier who supervised others under command of a nobleman or knight; the term now denotes an experienced soldier or police officer holding the rank of sergeant or (in the military) a variation of the rank such as staff sergeant. 10. task force: from taxare (â€Å"tax†), a unit formed temporarily to achieve a specific objective; the sense in civilian usage is the same. 11. troops: from Old French trope (â€Å"band,† â€Å"company†), also the source of troupe, collectively refers to soldiers (in singular form the name of a specific military unit, not a designation for a single soldier); in general usage, an informal reference to a company’s employees or an organization’s members (as in â€Å"Round up the troops for a meeting†). 12. wingman: originally a term for a pilot who supports the leader of a flying formation, now also slang for someone who backs up a person who seeks to approach potential romantic or sexual partners. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in""Certified" and "Certificated"20 Ways to Laugh

Why collaboration is so important in decision making in institutions Essay

Why collaboration is so important in decision making in institutions of higher learning - Essay Example It is interesting, for instance, to read Bennis (1959) from the late 1950s; he was speaking of a radical shift in thinking about leadership which we take for granted today. Likewise with Heifetz (1994); his earliest writings contain the seeds of ideas, the beginnings of investigation into a powerful theory on adaptive leadership. Interviews with these thinkers were sought out as primary sources for this essay in order to touch upon what they are saying outside the boundaries of their seminal works (Bielaszka-DuVerney, 2009; Brennan, 1998; Gary, 2005; Kezar, 2008). These two theorists’ ideas dovetail with each other to paint a picture of how leadership fits into the most collaborative â€Å"business† in existence: higher education. Stakeholders, decision makers, and leaders in higher education come from all walks of life and all kinds of experiences. The second part of this paper explores the concept of â€Å"diversity† in depth, and attempts to define what diversity should mean to collaborative groups at institutions of higher learning. Gloria Ladson-Billings’ framework (2006; 2005; 2001; 1996) informs the discussion along with a multitude of others who have opinions on the subject. Both the idea of diversity and the various ways a collaborative group should approach it are fuzzy; encouraging surface diversity is not as effective as demanding deep diversity. Finally, the role of new technologies in forming and maintaining collaborative groups is an important consideration. The third section of this essay touches upon ways Web 2.0 makes life easier (and harder) for groups, and defines some perhaps unfamiliar terms. Technology is automatically out of date when it is released, or a new cutting edge product comes along which seems like the answer to everyone’s prayers. I believe the current suites of collaborative tools are excellent in some ways

William F. Baker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

William F. Baker - Essay Example This is because both of his late grandfathers were also engineers though their fame did not equal that of Baker as a skyscraper designer. In his early schooling, Baker used to excel in Maths, Physics and History though before his graduation he had no idea of what he wanted to study while in University (Baker, 2010). Baker’s strong desire to pursue engineering as a career started after undergoing aptitude test confirmation where he proceeded to the University of Missouri and graduated in 1975 (Baker, 2010). Equipped with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, Baker worked for various oil companies in 1970s though he decided to quit within a very short time to pursue Masters Degre (Wallace, 2011). To his peers, Baker seemed to have made a wrong decision but in he knew better than they did (Wallace, 2011). This is by going back to school to study Masters in Structural Engineering at the University of Illinois (Wallace, 2011). Baker’s Masters Degree was extremely deman ding due to the course’s many subjects supposed to equip him with right knowledge concerning how to tackle varied tasks that characterized his field of specialization. After graduating, Baker joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM) firm whose staff comprised of talented experts from his former school (Baker, 2010). Here he worked under the supervision of Fazlur Khan who also mentored him on how to design and evaluate tallest buildings besides other structures. Consequently, this was revelation to the young Baker who by then he hardly knew that experience acted as a preparation for great, complex and fascinating projects in future, for instance, Burj Dubai Tower (Baker, Pawlikowski & Young, 2009). Throughout his career, Baker has always collaborated with other numerous and different experts like architects while undertaking extremely involving design projects (Baker, Pawlikowski & Young, 2009). 2. Problem / Issue identification Baker was a structural engineer, but most of his works required architects’ intervention, especially when he was drawing certain figures that entailed refined details. The two fields’ core role encompasses producing effective structural designs that will support and ensure safety to all people. This is by ensuring the load of every designed structure can adequately withstand varied inevitable natural forces, for instance, wind and gravity (Baker, 2010). This study seeks to relay Baker’s experience, expertise and career achievements that have prompted him to the most renowned structural engineer in the world (Baker, Pawlikowski & Young, 2009). Literature Review Mainly, Baker’s major role in every designing project encompasses coming up with a strong and effective plan that will not only meet client’s aesthetic value, but also ensure evenly distribution of the entire structure’s weight. The designing of the entire structure that will be free from adverse effects resulting from gravity a nd wind is the task that cannot be complete without the intervention of architects. This is evident in the recent completed Burj Dubai Tower which, according to Baker and his team, comprises one of the current famed breakthroughs. According to Baker, for a skyscraper to meet client’s specifications, it ought to fulfill key inevitable engineering principles. These are insignificant for the client, but experts must employ them while erecting the required structure as per the stated specifications. For instance, Burj’s design had to be efficient, considerable wide base to support the expected load but narrow enough such that the building is economically viable (Baker, 2010). Therefore, the building despite designed to meet all the client’