HRM Research Paper

HRM Research Paper Describe and critically evaluate the key factors that shape the role and practices of the HR/Personnel function within an organisation with which you are familiar. On the basis of your analysis identify the main HRM challenges currently facing this organisation. Relate your analysis to appropriate literature. Introduction People are an important and expensive resource to a business. This asset has the capacity to be highly productive and generate revenue for the firm, but it also requires much attention and maintenance. When the direct costs of employment are added to the indirect costs of recruitment and selection, training and development, the organisations investment in an average full-time employee can exceed ?00,000 in a short space of time. Therefore one of the fundamental factors is how to attract the right employee and retain their services, gaining efficiency throughout. Before answering the first part of the question Describe and critically evaluate the key factors that shape the role and practices of the HR/Personnel function within an organisation with which you are familiar, the differences between HRM and the older style Personnel Management requires defining. Human Resource Management HRM can be defined as any part of the management structure that relates to people at work. It involves everything from recruitment to training to performance appraisal and overall employee welfare. HRM is originally an American management term that has taken over from the more restrictive Personnel Management, and denotes a more proactive and business-focused role, with an emphasis on good communication and staff commitment, more flexible work practices, and performance-related reward systems. Once considered a more peripheral activity, HRM has now moved to the core of the business. The authorÐ ±Ã ¿s own perspective of this assignment is delivered from within the steel industry. An employee in middle management with a history of working from grass roots to Manufacturing Manager over a 10 year period within the Basic Oxygen Steel making plant (BOS). A plant where the iron from the Blast furnace iron is refined and then re-alloyed to be supplied at the correct time temperature and specification to the Continuously Cast plant (CONCAST) where semi-finished products are supplied to the mills for rolling. Current Economic Climate Due to the current economic climate that is affecting the trading situation, both within the home and world export market there has been immense pressure on the business to reduce operating costs to achieve business objectives. Many areas of the business especially within the carbon steels section are, and have been making a loss for an extended period. Not just since the tragic events of 11th September 2001, the events of which that have been blamed for losses in many other businesses. This event has merely compounded an underlying trend of difficult trading conditions in steel. We have as a business been implementing strategies to cut costs and increase efficiency, not just in operational performance terms but also changes in managements structures, team working implementation and further changes in manning levels (based on under utilisation of plant due to the low output). HR Role Many of the recent objectives set by the business at Ð ±Ã ¾Board LevelÐ ±Ã ¿ to reduce costs have required the need for the HRM function to take a role in the business, to be able to achieve the required levels. Some specific areas that the HR Department manage include Policies; such as Drugs and Alcohol and Equal Opportunities, as well as implementation of Company policy and Strategy, both long-term and medium-term. But these are day to say issues; the following headings are other fundamental areas that the HR function has played a part in during the recent cost cutting exercise. Manpower Planning This topic involves charting the future needs of the organisation with regard to numbers, skills profile, age and experience. This enables the firm to have the right people in the right numbers at the right time. There have been some major changes within the organisation over recent years; the implementation of Team Working has been key to reducing costs. It brings about some m ajor benefits, not least a reduction in employee numbers through more efficient use of the resource. Through this implementation at Scunthorpe, a 15% reduction of manpower has been achieved. The challenge that the HR function was faced with was how to achieve this kind of figure? In reality the HRM department had a minor role to play. From Board level through to Senior Management came the directive that a percentage manning reduction was required across the board, and that it would be fulfilled. Each individual department had to carry out Key Task Analysis (KTA) to determine what sort of levels of manning could be utilised based on Ð ±Ã ¾time and taskÐ ±Ã ¿ process. From this analysis came a set of numbers that indicated how many persons could manage an area. The dwindling numbers within the HR function meant that they hade no alternative but to take an lesser role and stand back to allow the production departments themselves to manage certain tasks. Many of the manning reductio ns have been found through voluntary redundancy and early retirement. Having had the departmental managers find the numbers the HR function has now stepped in to undertake the interviewing process that details the package available for early departure. Recruitment and Selection This process is by which the organisation gets the best people to do the jobs necessary to achieve its goals. Preparation is the key to effectiveness in this area, by clearly establishing the jobs to be done and the type of people needed to do them, the construction of an accurate Job Description and Person Specification will save time and money. Recruitment within corus has been very low for many years, 1988 was the last time anyone was taken from the outside environment; the only current source of new employees into the business is through Graduate recruitment. Since privatisation in 1988, apart from graduates, nearly all (blue collar) vacancies have been fulfilled though internal cross matching, and recruitment from the in-house Ð ±Ã ¾cleaning contractorsÐ ±Ã ¿. This source of employee recruitment is seriously flawed with many disadvantages, not least that the type of person employed for cleaning is not necessarily the right person for operation of technically based operating systems, education levels required for cleaning are significantly lower, and the nature of the work is totally different. The reason that this source has been used is due to the ease of the selection process, the lack of cost involved and the minimal time required to interview etc. Most are employed on the basis that their Contract Manager says Ð ±Ã ¾they are good eggs! The other benefit is that they are hired on a 6-month trial, if they do not size up then they are easily transferred back into the contract gang. An easy recruitment process but by far the right person for the job. Graduates are the main source of external recruitment. The HR Function carries out visits to colleges and universities to entice budding youngsters into the industry with the knowledge that they are joining a company that is renowned for being the most efficient steel producer in the world, and that they will gains skills to promote themselves within the industry. The corus website is seriously directed towards graduate recruitment and is a main source of applicants. Unfortunately at present there are not many wanting to join what is seen as an ailing industry, a challenge for the HR Department to continue to recruit from a reducing market. Training and Development This in most organisations is a major growth area, with firms realising that skill s development and flexibility are now key to business success. Unfortunately within corus over the last few years the amount spent on Ð ±Ã ¾externalÐ ±Ã ¿ training has been kept to an absolute minimum and has had an effect on plant operating performance, initiatives such as I.I.P, T.Q.P. and the likes have been dropped by the wayside due to the cost and lack of resources to implement and apply. The significant changes in manning have affected this. The main source of training at present is Ð ±Ã ¾sitting with Nellie, the disadvantages of this being that the trainee is getting a level of training that the trainer has been trained to give. Unfortunately Plant Trainers are non-existent and therefore the training given is from someone who has little experience of training people and very often not a lot of knowledge of plant and the process. The latter is inherent of the loss of knowledge due to the departure of experienced individuals. This has now been identified and new measures have been put in place that will be discussed under Ð ±Ã ¾ChallengesÐ ±Ã ¿. Performance Appraisal This involves a formal system of regularly collecting, recording, and sharing information between the employee and the appraiser about the employees work performance and potential. Conducted in the correct manner, it can enhance motivation, contribute to achieving organisational goals, and assist the process of rewarding good performance. One would like to think that this is carried out, in reality there again is insufficient time for the line manager to implement as the role of Ð ±Ã ¾fire fightingÐ ±Ã ¿ other issues on a daily basis is consuming time, and the fundamentals of managing people are not being addressed. Reward Management This involves designing the most appropriate methods of remuneration and increasingly incorporates broader, performance-related items such as bonuses and employee share option schemes. These have been implemented alongside the new Team Working and Management structures and are based on Payment for Performance (PFP) on an individual basis, and Bonus related schemes for achieving operational performance. Pay bands and application of the same is an element of the reward scheme that the HR function carries out. This is a broad based application, easy to maintain and implement, but unfortunately as experienced from a personal viewpoint it has been implemented poorly with little or no communication between Pay Departments, the HR function and the employee. Industrial Relations The process of collective bargaining based on employees terms conditions, resolving disputes that may arise, and adhering to the whole range of laws governing the relationship between employers and employees in the workplace. In reality the first line manager deals with any grievance or dispute that may occur locally and the HR department is only called upon for advice or when the dispute escalates. The Collective Agreements are through multi-union negotiations and may include Pay, Hours of work, Bonus payments, Sick Pay scheme and Holidays. There is also the Works Rules, application of, updating of and any changes of legislation affecting works rules to consider. Much of this is on an annual basis with most carried out at national level with minimal amounts at local level. CHALLENGES Skills and Knowledge The increase in voluntary and early retirements has had an effect on the organisation that relates to age, experience and knowledge. The reduction of people has mainly been achieve d from those that can afford to take early retirement, those with minimal or no mortgages, have a level of savings and a lifestyle that could be led with minimal supplementation. Thus the late 40Ð ±Ã ¿s and early 50Ð ±Ã ¿s are the target group. These are the people who have vast experience and knowledge in the steel making industry, gained over many years and they have now been removed. The challenge is to replace this knowledge in a short space of time. The average age has been lowered by 10-12 years since the implementation of team working, this reduction in age has highlighted the reduction in knowledge and experience of the remainder posing a further and future problem that the age range of those employed is such that they will all leave the industry at or around the same time. The cycle will start again unless there is intervention to bring about change. Training Training of the individuals that are left needs to be urgently considered. As stated previously the lack of trai ning over the last few years and the changes that have taken place have led to a deterioration in plant operational performance. This poor performance is unsatisfactory and is incurring costs to the process. The cost of training is not quantifiable, is seen by other organisations as a benefit but at present to corus it is a burden to costs and as such has not been pursued. This benefit has now been realised by senior management and the re-instatement of a Training Owner for plant and the re-launch of the InvestorÐ ±Ã ¿s In People initiative should be the start of an increase in performance. The HR function for their part are required to implement and continuously apply the new recording system required to follow this scheme up. This is not just for plant requirements but also for legislation such as COMAH, (Control of Management and Change) where there is a requirement to be able to identify an individualÐ ±Ã ¿s competency in the job that he is doing. Critically, we as an organi sation should be looking at the theoretical side of how to implement training programmes, studying the likes of Ð ±Ã ¾KolbÐ ±Ã ¿s learning cycleÐ ±Ã ¿ to ensure thorough understanding of the subject and correct implementation of the training received. But this is theory and unfortunately the current culture is that we are Ð ±Ã ¾fire fightingÐ ±Ã ¿, living for the present and just attempting to survive the current climate. Thus there is no commitment to provide resource that has no quantifiable financial gain. Graduate Retention This is an issue whereby in the current climate a high number of graduates are leaving the industry due to its poor outlook; safety and security are important factors to achieve motivation but unfortunately valued employees are leaving in droves. Employment packages are poor in relation to other organisations similar in size, graduates are drawn by the better working environment and benefits provided to organisations that practice. HRM rather than Personnel Management As a business we are very much in the old style of PM whereby we utilise the resource for the benefit of the organisation rather than nurture the person to provide a service that benefits the company for the good! The HR personnel can do little for the graduate financially to be an incentive for them to stay within the industry where environmental conditions are poor and achievement of goals is stifled. Manpower Reductions/Plant Closures Continuing with the theme of efficiency and cost reduction there have, and there will be more manpower reductions caused by plant closures and contracting out of services. Since the age profile is reducing there will be less chance of finding early and voluntary retirement from the younger average age of the existing employees, therefore individuals are not as willing to leave due to economic reasons. The decisions will be more difficult to make about who stays and who goes. Improve Morale One of the HR objectives is to improve morale. This at present is at a low, it is a difficult one for the HR function to achieve because the lack of numbers does not allow them sufficient time to address individual issues and as stated, first level management now carries out most of this. Their presence is rarely seen on plant and as such they cannot use the personal affect to improving moral. There is a need for them to relate the likes of HerzbergÐ ±Ã ¿s two-factor theory of motivation (Figure 1) and MaslowÐ ±Ã ¿s hierarchy of needs (Figure 2) through Team Working initiatives, personal objectives and manipulation of the reward scheme and use this to drive moral. With most though, this is an individual element and certain factors will affect certain individuals differently, thus the need for a one to one basis to find out what drives or motivates each person. Most motivation is driven through line managers and thus the HR objective is somewhat misplaced for the current situation . Business Service One of the challenges facing the HRM function itself is the move towards being a Business Service, not supplying just to corus but also supplying a service outside of the industry. This has already been achieved with part of the Engineering function that supplies its services to outside organisations and has thus made an extra ?.3M this year alone. This has been an initiative throughout the firm to generate more income and reduce the burden of a department on the business. Compilation of services business wide has been managed partly by the HR function, it is part of their objectives to identify further areas for this type of development and quantify the benefits of disadvantages of such a move. For those within the HR Department the move towards a Business Service has seen a step backwards away from generalisation and towards specialisation, a return in some ways to old style management. HR Managers were given skills for them to cope with general issues, but the move back towards sp ecialisation sees them dealing with specifics and having a better working knowledge of one particular area rather than being a Jack of all trades. Trade Union An interesting point made by the local HR Manager Ð ¸C Not enough is done to train the TU representative to be made aware of the Business needs, the reasons for why such actions are needed and the manner in which they should be carried out. There is nothing sinister in supplying such a service to what has inherently been seen as an aggressor to the management. The wider the perspective that the trade union official has, the better he will be equipped to make more appropriate decisions on behalf of the employees that he represents, and the better his understanding of why it is being implemented. The role of Trade Unionism within Human Resource Management poses somewhat of a threat, Legge, p.273, states that Trade Unionism in HRM organisations was being bypassed through the development of Human Resource Management initiatives. Organisations are Ð ±Ã ¾softÐ ±Ã ¿ models of HRM; and can pose a threat to the TU. Another consideration may be, that if the employee is happy and committed in their job, that the need for union representation may not be required. To the organisation there is the need for the T.U. for multi-union bargaining purposes, therefore the HRM department must balance the need of HRM against the need of the Trade Union. Conclusion The increasing competitive pressures, expanding globalisation and a generally harder business environment has brought about a move to a more enhanced view of HRM as opposed to Personnel Management. Unfortunately as a business, corus are very much in the old style of Personnel Management whereby we utilise the resource for the benefit of the organisation rather than nurture the person to provide a service that benefits the company for the good. Numbers have reduced significantly since the implementation of Team Working; the structure has been cut to bare bones. The reduced operating cost set out at board level has been achieved, but at a cost to the business through a reduction in operational performance. Unfortunately the current culture is that we are Ð ±Ã ¾fire fightingÐ ±Ã ¿, living for the present and just attempting to survive the economic climate to make it through, there is no commitment to provide any resource that has no quantifiable financial gain. The HR Department has a role to play in modelling the objectives set by the Board, but their problems are much the same as that of plant management in that the resources are not available to support the fundamental ideas. There are many issues facing the company, short, medium and long term that require addressing, unfortunately it is a service and any gains made through expenditure are not readily quantifiable, therefore no capital is guaranteed whereby there is no return seen. Without an injection of cash or commitment to provide extra services for HRM then there will be no advancement towards achieving better results from the employee through HRM philosophies. HRM, as previously stated denotes a more proactive and business-focused role, with an emphasis on good communication and staff commitment, more flexible work practices, and performance-related reward systems as opposed to Personnel Management These philosophies are carried out by the first line management, which begs the question, Have the less er experienced plant personnel carried out a process that has inherently been carried out by trained professional HR managers and got the numbers wrong, furthermore, was it implemented correctly? Overall because of the reduction in numbers within the HR department, Plant managers and Line managers are now carrying out many tasks and the HR department have a significantly lesser role in the organisation. With no forecast of any change in philosophy and increase in expenditure then the situation is unlikely to change. The input of an active Trade Union and informed official needs to be considered, there is a definite need for both and the HRM department must ensure that a relationship continues.

Bacteria, Viruses, and Health Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bacteria, Viruses, and Health - Case Study Example In 1879 Albert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser was the first person to describe the bacteria as the causative agent of gonorrhea and he was the one that officially named it Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The structure is a typical gram negative cell with thin peptidoglycan, cytoplasmic membrane and the outer membrane is covered with proteins, lipooligosaccharide and phospholipids (Ryan & Ray, 2004). Toxin lipopolysaccharide endotoxins are found in the cells of neisseria gonorrhoeae, it was first extracted by tauber and garson in 1959. The endotoxin is found to have at least two antigenic determinants reveled by haemagglutination inhibition and absorption experiment. Polysaccharide is another determinant besides other proteins (Ryan & Ray, 2004). The information in the patient’s symptoms that led to my conclusion is the discharge of yellow substance from the penis which is the symptom of the N. gonorrhoeae infection. Lab results that indicate the presence of gram-negative diplococci in the fluid sample taken from Mike’s penis confirmed the presence of bacteria’s and certainly it was a bacterial infection, and this directed me to rule out any other disease with similar symptoms that is not caused by bacteria (Ryan & Ray, 2004). Pain and burning sensation when urinating are other symptoms of which the patient displays. The report is also that mike recently broken up with her old time girlfriend and immediately started dating a new girl and given that the bacteria is sexually transmitted there is high chances that the patient was infected by her new girlfriend in a new relationship (Ryan & Ray, 2004). Mononucleosis was also ruled out because the symptoms differ from the ones the patient display, symptom of mononucleosis are, sore throat , swollen tonsils, headache skin rash and others which are very distinct from the gonorrhea infections. What make gonorrhea a perfectly sexual transmitted infection is the need for intimate contact with someone with the

Journal Entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Journal Entry - Essay Example This essay discusses that the patients had to be given a bath and medications at the appropriate time. In addition, patients needed someone they could talk to about their fears and families. Nurses should endeavor to provide high-quality care for their patients.  This essay discusses that the patients had to be given a bath and medications at the appropriate time. In addition, patients needed someone they could talk to about their fears and families. Nurses should endeavor to provide high-quality care for their patients.   As a person, I have always demonstrated a lot of patience and understanding. One of the reasons for joining the nursing profession was as a result of the empathy that I feel towards people who are suffering. This enabled me to understand that the demanding nature of the patient was as a result of the fears that he had. For example, it was evident that he feared being separated from his family. I was able to empathize with him because I have seen people close to me behave in a stubborn manner an attempt to mask their fears.   An encounter with a teenage girl who was about to deliver a baby helped to change my worldview about the use of contraceptives and abortion among teenagers. I have always believed that teenagers should not have access to contraceptives because it encourages them to engage in sex when they are not prepared to handle the consequences. Moreover, I used to have conservative views about abortion. However, the patient revealed that had it not been for the support of her family, then she would have been forced to terminate the pregnancy because she realized that a baby would significantly affect her ability to realize her dreams. In addition, she regretted not having been educated about the use of contraceptives.                    Ã‚  

Understanding Special Needs Children And Young People Essay

Understanding Special Needs Children And Young People Essay In this assignment I hope to highlight the ADHD Disorder also show what treatments and supports are available for this special need. I hope to find some local support groups for this condition and also detail what legislation is in place to deal with special needs. I hope by the end of this assignment I will be after highlighting enough about how difficult families and teachers find it to cope and live with children who suffer from ADHD. Rational for the Project Plan of Work For this assignment I will look over the notes Christina Meyler has given me so far. I will also look up the ADHD disorder on the internet. I will also go through the book Assisting Children with Special Needs by Ellis Flood. I hope to get a lot of the assignment done during the mid-term in November and then get some feedback on what I will have done to then. I aim to have it finished and handed up by the 30th November 2012. Case Study Brian is an 11 year old boy who has been diagnosed with ADHD. Brian is a bright boy, who is very creative, he has average marks in school. But he sufferes from severe distractibility and a lack of organisational skills, all of which affects his school work. Brian would often lie about his school work and this would cause problems at home with his family. The school contacted a therapist and they saw Brian on a regular basis for four months and also held sessions with Brians parents. The therapist along with Brians parents and his teachers at school developed a checklist of acceptable behaviour programme for Brian. His parents and teachers had to learn proper responses to Brians frequent oppositional behaviour. By doing this Brians behaviour became more manageable for his parents and his teachers, Brians behaviour has become a bit calmer because of this also. Brian now also gets on better at home with his family. He will still have his outbursts but they are not as frequent as they once was the ADHD has become more manageable. Causes of ADHD The causes of ADHD are not really known at the moment, but there is research been carried out to try and find out what causes it. Some children in America with ADHD have undergone an MRI Scan and the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia were found to be smaller than in children who havent ADHD this would indicate that neurophysiological could be the cause of the disorder'(www.casestudies-ADHD-children) Also it is believed that children with parents that have ADHD are more likely to develop it so there for ADHD could be hereditary. Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ADHD is usually diagnosed by a qualified psychologist, generally the psychologist will obtain information regarding the childs behaviour from the childs parents and teachers at their school. The psychologist will observe the child and give them various tasks to complete, closely observing the childs attention span, activity level and impulse control with regard to their age. In order to diagnosis ADHD the child must have a sufficient number of difficulties with concentration, activity levels and impulse control. These behaviours must be present in at least two settings usually in the home and at school. The evaluation process will also determine the type of ADHD a child has, the psychologist evaluating the child would have to have extensive knowledge and experience of children with the condition. Treatment of ADHD ADHD is usually treated using a combination of stimulant medication and behavioural therapy. Medication Several stimulant mediations are available which help to calm the child down allowing them to bring their behaviour under control. Many people are surprised to learn that stimulants are given to children with ADHD as these children seem to be over stimulated already but they do work. Ritalin is perhaps the best known ADHD medication, it has been widely used since its release in 1954. Other medications used are Adderall, Dexedrine and Metadata. Stimulants work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain, the parts whose function is to control attention, motivation, pleasure and movement. By regulating the dopamine levels doctors can regulate the attention spans and energy levels of the children they are treating. Some children are not able to take stimulation medication because of side effects, there are non-stimulant medications available such as Stiattera, there are not many children on this medication. Behavioural Therapy Behavioural Therapy can be used alone or with medication as described above. Behavioural Therapy is designed to train children to control their hyperactivity and lack of attention. Based on the work of B.F. Skinner desirable behaviour is rewarded but undesirable behaviour is not. An example of this is when a child is asked to do a task, when that task is carried out the child then gets a reward for doing the task, but if they dont complete the task they are not rewarded. Prognosis There is no cure for ADHD and children with the disorder seldom grow out of it. However many find ways to cope with and adapt to their ADHD as they get older and become adults. Many adults have ADHD and dont even know they have it, it is believed that mand of our prisoners suffer with ADHD. Many adults with ADHD have poor time keeping, they have difficulty completing a task, they would also find it hard to maintain a personal relationship. Others become unemployed and have a higher than average incidence of drug and alcohol abuse. In the past in Ireland very few children were diagnosed with ADHD, if they played up they were just expelled from school. Now in the schools if there is a problem the teacher and principle will try to find the underlying cause for the childs behaviour. This will mean that in future many more children will be diagnosed early and measures will be put in place quicker to help them manage their condition in order to reach their true potential. . Support Groups for ADHD Springborad Family Support programme operated by Youth New Ross Ltd. They hold meetings in my local area for parents with children who suffer from ADHD. The group meets every four to five weeks to share their own stories and discuss the problems they come up against on a day to day basis, they also give each other advice on how they deal with the problems they come up against. Waterford ADHD Support, 74 Farren Park, Upper Grange, Waterford. (051) 852171 Kilkenny ADHD Support, Jerpoint Abbey, Thomastown, Co.Kilkenny 056) 7754954 These are local support groups in my local area that I sourced from the internet. Current Legislation THE EDUCATIONAL ACT 1998 This was the first piece of legislation passed since the foundation of the state that outlines the governments legal obligations regarding education. The act provided the first legal definition of disability The act provides the first legal definition of Special educational Needs The act defines what it means by support services. The function of the Minister for education was also defined under this act. THE EDUCATION WELFARE ACT 2000 This act ensures all children have a right to attend a regonised school even children with special needs.This act also helped in the creation of the Educational Welfare Board THE EDUCATION FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ACT 2004 This is the most significant piece of legislation relating to special needs in education. The act is extensive and covers the following general areas The issue of inclusion with regards to children with special needs in mainstream settings. Preparation of individual educational plans for children with special needs. Assessment of special needs. Service provision for children with special educational needs. Appeals. (Ellis Flood 2010 :10-17) The Practical and Emotional impact of having a child with ADHD Most parents of children with ADHD face a daily challenge of managing their childs behaviour. Within the home most children with ADHD who are hyperactive have difficulty complying with parental instructions. They get frustrated quickly, interrupt conversations and have a tendency to get into fights with their siblings. Their demanding tendencies can cause problems with their friends who will regard them as been bossy and quick tempered, they can also get violent with their families. Children with ADHD who are not hyperactive and impulsive can drive their parents crazy not so much with what they do but more what they dont do. In this case parents struggle with unfinished homework and major disorganization. They are often described as being passive and shy in relationships. Conclusions and Recommendations While carrying out this assignment, I did not realise how having a child with ADHD could affect the family home, I also didnt realise how many children suffer with attention deficit hyperactivity Disorder it is getting fairly common among children. I think this is mainly due to more doctors and teachers been more aware of the condition, so therefore it is getting diagnosed quicker. This is a good thing because more people will be made aware of the condition and therefore will learn how to deal with it and more supports will be put in place quicker. I feel I have done the best of my ability in carrying out this assignment, and I am pleased with what I have accomplished.

Realism in 21st Century

Realism in 21st Century The world, in view of the fact that it was created is changing. With the changing desires and demands of today’s standard of living, individual needs to be in sync with the demands and trends of modern day living. Not too long ago, people were seen doing stuffs that have turned out to be more of a routine in today’s humankind. Every single day a new type of technology is been introduced in today's world. So, the question arises that is theses changes necessary in today's world? If yes, does it have a good or a bad impact to the human society in today's world? We need to talk about in which approach hi-tech advancements that pace into our daily lives have altered our lifestyles in the very last few centuries. In today’s world each and every single people rely on new and advance technologies. Everyone loves new technologies and gadgets that promise innovative and better ways of living. A pace of life is frequently increasing with the increase in new technologies. Nowadays somewhat more a quarter of the earth’s population can be found in the industrialized societies. And half of the population still lives on past agriculture, but they are also relying on machines. The remaining of the world’s population, however, is no longer of either the past or the present. They live in the future, within the most important centers of cultural and technological change, in New York, California, Cambridge, London and Tokyo (Toffler, p. 38). A new part of technology is like a new relationship to an individual, it will be cool and thrilling at the first, but sooner or later it gets addictive to the people. I doubt technology’s give your word to improve the quality of life, makes our life easier and simpler, but it gets more addictive and makes one lethargic. People have turn out to be physically and psychologically dependent on many behaviors and substances for centuries. The compulsive and frequently use of these technologies have negative impact on our daily lives. The key life areas that appear to be impacted are relationships, health, employment, and financial status. In the present day people find their reality have changed because they have to get used to the new culture and behavior according to the pace of technology. Presently people like to live in this current industrialized era but some of them are overwhelmed by the change of new technologies and inventions. Changes in the life are important, but the acceleration of changes leads to the victim of overchoice and impacts on our personal and psychological, as well as sociological, consequences (Toffler, p. 2). Philip Morris now it is Altria Group, for example, when it was introduced in USA in 1954, it only sold a single major brand of cigarettes i. e. Marlboro specifically to men. By now Altria Group has introduced additional 16 new brands with so many options with respect to size and flavors (Toffler, p. 265). Not only in cigarettes there are many overchoices in food, clothing, gasoline, and many more. There is a huge diversity in education industry too, students have a huge selection on what field they want to study and nowadays students can even get their degree online. More often than not society does not leave freedom for avoidance and as a result one need to adjust and learn about the new technologies that become part of our lifestyles. These days when people are faced with having to decide one option out of many popular choices, they will start on to think about imaginary trade-offs. The people do make their best choice out of the variable products, but afterwards it affects their level of satisfaction they had from the one before. The people now can’t escape this situation of freedom because they are not committed to the choice they make. People don’t know that the current loads of choice over and over again lead to feelings of loneliness and depression. The creation of the Internet has been the main source of innovative information, connectivity, and possibilities to create new private freedom. There are presently more than a billion web pages of information on the Internet about every topic that you can think of. The Internet users around the world have been increased by 444% since the starting of the 21st century (Internet Usage Statistics). In this era, computers and Internet are an important part of everyday life. Computers are used everywhere. Today Internet and computers can exactly take us to the different worlds and different realms of reality by a thought referred to as virtual reality. Inception is the latest â€Å"virtual reality† movie of this time. In this movie Leonardo DiCaprio plays an unlawful with the technology to plan himself into the dreams and ideas of others. The characters spend an important amount of time entirely powerless with beeping tools nearby. In the meantime their minds are busy occupied navigating avatars in a virtual world of Inception. In this movie, a machine would let you to connect to a virtual atmosphere by getting into someone’s dream. Even in the movies â€Å"The Matrix† and â€Å"Avatar† was computer generated and were in the different world of imagination. In â€Å"Plowing the Dark† by Richard Powers, on one side of a story a band of researchers in Seattle working on a 3D reality on how an empty white room that can become a jungle, a painting, or a Byzantine cathedral. And the other follows an individual kidnapped and held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon in an empty white room, equipped only with his imagination and memory. In the novel, the two stories overlap, but the people in the different stories do not know one another and never communicate. But at the end, the imaginative experience of Adie and Taimur intersect, with Taimur’s control leading to an unexpected change in Adie’s life and Adie inspiring Taimur at a serious moment. In this novel, the author addresses this issue of creating an inspiring character of life in an unreal environment that becomes frightening real to us (Powers). The novel â€Å"Plowing the Dark,† alludes to several poems including â€Å"Sailing to Byzantium† by W. B. Yeats. In this poem, Yeats highlights the aspect of world he lives in, is scared of becoming older and complains about the world he lives in, so he decides to escape to the city i. e. Byzantium where the poet can achieve immortality. In all the movies (â€Å"Inception,† â€Å"The Matrix,† and â€Å"Avatar†), the novel â€Å"Plowing the Dark,† and the poem â€Å"Sailing to Byzantium† the people wants to escape the real world and wants live in their own virtual mind and places they created. Virtual reality is becoming more prominent and dangerous as the days passes. One can assume a second identity in their imaginary world through the Internet. In 2003, a game called â€Å"Second Life† appeared on the Internet, is an online virtual world mainly targeted to the children who are aged thirteen and over, and as of 2011 â€Å"Second Life† has more than 20 million egistered user accounts (Secondlife). They can get married, have children, rob banks, and shoot people all in the name of fun. Virtual reality makes it a good tool for education because it allows children to learn in a more interactive environment where they are m ore likely to retain information. But it also has some negatively psychological and social effects. These days many students are showing a decrease in usual emotion and affection due to their stable communication with lifeless cyber friends. Cyberspace can be a help out, but when used in the wrong behavior it can be very damaging to our physical and mental well-being. Virtual reality in fact minimizes the significance of our physical bodies and encourages people to misuse their time. It causes people to get lost from exact relations by focusing on the mind freezing effects of video games and online cyber world. In this generation, the Internet is so ingrained into our lives that life without the access of Internet is completely unimaginable. The use of the Internet offers a variety of benefits to every person in today’s world. Internet has a giant amount of information added on it every day and it’s developing as the most powerful source of information. Also, use of the Internet makes easier to find jobs in a minute. One can also buy and sell things on the Internet. Last, the Internet is one of the most important tools in educations seeing as it provides a massive amount of information and is the greatest source of reference for teachers and students. The Internet has influenced, and is still influencing the way culture communicates in a lot of different ways. The rise of the Internet has caused people to communicate differently in areas never dreamed of before the Internet came into existence. In the book, â€Å"The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains,† by Nicholas Carr argues that surfing the World Wide Web is causing the damage to your brain. This book has been expanded from the article, â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid,† by the same writer Nicholas Carr. In this book, Carr describes how human thought has been changed through the centuries by â€Å"tools of the mind† – from the alphabet to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer (Carr). This all tools are very useful in this 21st Century in getting directions, determining time and finding information on the computer through the Internet which is very faster and saves a lot of time. This all tools are easy and convenient in today’s life, but the effect of all this tools is that it is breaking the focus and the creativity of the human brain. Carr in the article, â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid,† stated that one he was a scuba diver in the sea of words, but now he zips along the surface like a guy on a jet ski. This is nothing but the Internet, which, with its search engines, blogs, social network such as Twitter and Facebook, pornography and online games has chipped away the capacity for concentration and contemplation. I totally agree with Carr, that when we use the Internet, we totally enter into a different environment; we enter into the world which is not real, that leads us to quick reading and diverts our thinking and distracts our brain. Right now, you can take example of me, as I am writing this paper or whenever I find myself assigned with a research paper for class I get simply unfocused from looking up references online and manage to find myself on completely unrelated websites. The pop-ups and the advertisement usually get our mind diverted. Then after half an hour of researching I find myself on checking the emails, uploading status or new photos on Facebook or either playing games on the computer. Then I realize that I have wasted almost an hour doing nothing instead using the time sensibly. Yes, Internet is the main source of information, but is actually affecting our brains. Not only Internet, the smart phones, TVs, online video games and many other digital technologies also damage our brain. According to a survey published by Forrester Research, Americans are now spending a large amount of their time using the Internet than watching television, and the amount of time people spend on the Internet has increased 121 percent in excess of the last five years (Joshua). The amount of time spent on the Internet not only has been increased by the teenagers or adults, but also have been increased by up to six to eight hours a day among the people over 66 years. But the rapidly increase in the use of Internet has not affect a drop in television consumption for the reason that the Internet, and mostly the mobile Internet, cleanly creates additional facilities and opportunities for the nation to consume media. In today’s world, TV is still important, but the content where the people are getting from is changing. Nowadays, most of the people are getting the content from the use of the mobile Internet. Smartphone and tablets are a life changing to many users since it is so personal, in terms of how and how frequently the device is carried and how it is used to connect and to expand relationships. Smart phones went from being a luxury and became an everyday tool for students, employees and the businessmen. For a lot of us, communicating with friends and family used to mean writing letters and cards via mail and have to wait for weeks for the response. But now we communicate with each other through emails and text messages in a fraction of seconds. Now younger generations have forgotten how to write and spell a complete sentence due to rapid increase in text messaging. Teenagers are totally reliant on simple tenses and a limited use of vocabulary, and that to with the help of spell check. At the same time there is also a reduction in a personal face to face communication. Nowadays, people just text message their friends, chat online, do discussion on the blogs, and they even date online. Due to these changes; the people have mentally changed their communication skills. People don’t know that more and more use of the technologies gets addictive to them and changes the mental and physical shapes of the brain, and can lead to a decrease in the sense of self and human identity. Our neurological systems are actually being spoiled, and we are less able to process and remember information, even if we are continually reading, or surfing, online. The person who spends more of their time playing games and reading web pages are experiencing visual problems. Most people are clueless that how the cell phones affects their brain by the radiation. In J. D. Salinger's â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†, the main character of Holden Caulfield views the humankind as a place where the most human behaviors such as love, sympathy and kindness are all been overridden by the power of money and technology. Holden Caulfield is desperately holding to the concept that necessary human kindness is far more vital to a joyful way of life than material wealth and technology. Holden in the novel feels similar to a loner or a rebel in an environment where the people are dishonest and corrupted, and he is badly looking for someone to talk to that will make him happy. In the beginning of the story, Holden says, â€Å"As a matter of fact, I'm the only dumb one in the family† (David, p. 67). In the whole story, Holden describes himself as a failure and immature, and also has been told by his parents, friends, and teachers number of times but still, Holden every time hangs to his ideals and looks his failings as almost laughable. In the story, Holden is suffering from mental and emotional problems due to his attitudes and behavior. The only thing that can â€Å"cure† Holden, as stated in the story, is to get more and more interaction with the people around him. From the novel, â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†, possibly one can learn from the main character, â€Å"Holden Caulfield†, that in regards to corruption, wealth and the dream, foes not matter how expensive and attractive it is, but only the true pleasure and satisfaction can only be establish from within. Holden also oversimplifies the whole lot and in his view children are straightforward and innocent image of wholesome life compared to adults who are by now influenced by the accepted public way of life, which adjusts or fakes everyone’s realism. An individual in our society today feels that, they are separated from one another and has lost the interaction between people same way, as Holden in the novel, â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†. †¢JOSHUA, BRUSTEIN. â€Å"American Internet Use Catches Up With TV Use. † (2010): Web. 2 May 2011. . †¢Ã¢â‚¬ INTERNET USAGE STATISTICS. † (2011): Web. May 2011. . †¢TOFFLER, ALVIN. Future shock. Bantam, 1984. 38. Print. †¢TOFFLER, ALVIN. Future shock. Bantam, 1984. 2. Print. †¢TOFFLER, ALVIN. Future shock. Bantam, 1984. 265. Print. †¢CARR, NICHOLAS. â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid? â€Å". Atlantic Magazine July/Aug 2008: Web. 2 May 2011. < http://www. theatlantic. com/magazine/archive/2008/07 /is-google-making-us-stupid/6868/>. †¢DAVID, JEROME. The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company, 1951. 67. Print. †¢POWERS, RICHARD. Plowing the Dark. Picador USA, 2001. Print. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Secondlife. † Web. 2 May 2011. <

Accident Prevention Program Essay

The committee is made up of management-designated representatives and one employee-elected representative each from the office, factory and outside sales divisions of our company. Employees in each division will elect from among themselves a representative to be on the committee. If there is only one volunteer or nomination, the employees will approve the person by voice vote at a short meeting called for that purpose. If there is more than one volunteer or nomination, a secret paper ballot will be used to elect the representative. Elected representatives will serve for one year before being re-elected or replaced. If there is a vacancy then an election will be held before the next scheduled meeting to fill the balance of the term. In addition to the employee-elected representatives, management will designate no more than three representatives but a minimum of one who will serve until replaced by management. A chairperson will be selected by majority vote of the committee members each year. If there is a vacancy, the same method will be used to select a replacement. In addition to the committee responsibilities explained above, duties of safety committee members include: A monthly self-inspection of the area they represent Communicating with the employees they represent on safety issues and Encouraging safe work practices among co-workers. The regularly scheduled meeting time is 7:30 am for one hour on the first Thursday of each month, at the employee lunchroom. This may be changed by vote of the committee. A committee member will be designated each month to keep minutes on the attached minutes form. A copy will be posted on the employee bulletin board after each meeting. After being posted for one month, the minutes will be filed for one year. The minutes form contains the basic monthly meeting agenda. (Customize by adding any additional safety committee information that you may have and/or deleting any that do not apply to your company. ) Employee Safety Meetings (Optional for employers with 10 or fewer employees or employers with 11 employees or more who are segregated on different shifts or work in widely dispersed locations in crews of 10 or less) All employees are required to attend a monthly safety meeting held on the first Thursday of each month in the lunchroom. This meeting is to help identify safety problems, develop solutions, review incidents reports, provide training and evaluate the effectiveness of our safety program. Minutes will be kept on the attached minutes form. Meeting minutes will be kept on file for one year. (Customize by adding any additional Employee Safety Meeting information that you may have and/or deleting any that do not apply to your company. ) Hazard Recognition Record Keeping and Review Employees are required to report any injury or work related illness to their immediate supervisor regardless of how serious.

What Is the Hazard of Metal Siding Like on Disney Hall