Wednesday, October 30, 2019
A comparative Review of Drinking age laws and behaviors in Canada and Research Paper - 1
A comparative Review of Drinking age laws and behaviors in Canada and the U.S - Research Paper Example That is why the governments of the USA and Canada have implemented certain regulations in order to avoid negative consequences of alcohol abuse: age restrictions for alcohol consumption, strict penalties for drunk driving, and liability for serving alcohol to the intoxicated people. This essay looks at different approaches of governments and nations to the act of drinking from historical, social, and economic perspectives. Drinking alcohol is not only individual`s act but also a tradition, and a behavioral pattern of society. Since people socialize within different social layers, the meaning of drinking can be different from one group to another (Houghton & Roche, 2001). Alcohol consumption may greatly depend on traditions, ideologies, and customs (Houghton & Roche, 2001). Alcohol drinking is a common social experience in most human cultures and societies; nevertheless, the motives and functions for every separate individual are different. The ways in which individuals consume alcohol vary as much as cultural traditions of drinking. Alcohol has played important role in the life of the American society from the very first days of the republic. In Europe of the 16th century, drinking alcohol beverages was a daily routine due to high risk of water contamination. The first colonists brought alcohol on ships because it was easier to preserve it unspoiled. The beverages varied from rum received from West Indian sugar and homemade beer to wine brought from Europe (Tracy, 2005). However, drinking attracted public attention in the end of the 18th century due to numerous reasons. Firstly, alcohol consumption was connected to the salon culture, involving such additional negative social issues as gambling, fighting, and prostitution. Moreover, huge manufactures and factories wanted their workers to remain sober in the working
Monday, October 28, 2019
In the Dream of the Man that was Dreaming, the Dreamt Man Woke Essay Example for Free
In the Dream of the Man that was Dreaming, the Dreamt Man Woke Essay By traditional definition, perception is anything that can be known through the five senses. However, this quote adds another dimension to the idea about perception. It implies that perception is not dictated by the five senses, but by the brain. If a man perceives something, he has either seen it, heard it, felt it, smelt it, tasted it, or any combination of those. A man knows that a car has crashed because he saw the collision and heard the loud noise. He knows that he likes steak through enjoying its pleasant smell and satisfying taste. In addition, he knows that fire is hot because the nervous system allows him to feel its warmth. However, one usually forgets that it is impossible to use these senses without the brain, which controls each of these perceptions. The quote serves as a supporting reminder of this idea. Arguably, the dreaming man is able to perceive a dreamt man waking up. Yet, he does not necessarily see the man with his own eyes, because his eyelids are shut. He does not hear the dreamt man with his ears; he does not feel the man with his hands, and he certainly doesnt taste or smell the man. So how is he able to perceive him? He is able to perceive him because his brain still functions, creating the image of the dreamt man waking. Now, the reason why the brain creates the image of the dreamt man is for another paper, about dream interpreting. The quote simply implies that we perceive only what our brain wants us to, and that our brain may even make us perceive what is not reality. It may be possible that we do not always know what is reality even if it is right in front of us. For example, today might feel like a cold day, yet it is still about 50-60 degrees F. However, in the winter months of January and February, a 60 degree day may not feel so cold. In fact, it would even feel warm compared to the usual freezing temperature. This is because the brain interprets what messages are sent through the nervous system, and it tells the body to feel warm because it is used to a colder temperature. Recently, due to the sniper shootings, Americas Most Wanted conducted a study which proved that the brain can affect what a witness may have seen with his or her own eyes. This is a major cause of the inconsistent eyewitness accounts of the shootings. These are just a few examples that prove that perception is under the complete control of the brain. Perception is much more than what the body is able to sense; it is how the brain interprets the information it receives through those senses. Even while the body is in slumber, the brain continues to interpret and create perceptions. Does the brain have a mind of its own?
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Simple Voltage and Current Measurement :: essays research papers
Experiment I Simple Voltage and Current Measurement Objective The objective of this experiment was to measure the Voltage and Current. Upon completion of this experiment I was able to: 1)     Set the DC power supply to a specific voltage. 2)     Properly connect the voltmeter to measure voltage. 3)     Measure current with the ammeter. 4)     Measure resistance with the ohmmeter. 5)     Determine the accuracy of a given meter reading. Theory The theory required for this experiment was an understanding of Ohm’s Law. Ohm’s Law is the algebraic relationship between voltage and current for a resistor. Resistance is the capacity of materials to impede the flow of current or electric charge. Ohm’s Law expresses the voltage as a function of the current. It was also necessary that the concept of measurement accuracy be understood. This is discussed below. Accuracy is of primary importance in an experimental work. The tolerance quoted by the meter manufacturer allows us to calculate the accuracy of any reading taken with that particular meter. For example, assume that the dc voltage scale on a particular multimeter is rated at  ± 3% of full scale. This means that a reading on the 10V scale is accurate to ( ± 0.03%)(10) =  ± 0.3V. Thus, a reading of 9V on the10V scale indicates a true voltage, which lies between 8.7 and 9.3 V. A reading of 1V on the scale would indicate a true voltage between 0.7 and 1.3 V. At this point, the error is  ± 30%! Any reading less than 10% of full scale should be viewed with suspicion since most meters are very inaccurate n this range. Circuit Diagrams For this experiment we used a Power supply source, voltmeter/ammeter/ohmmeter. Fig 1.1 Power Supply and voltmeter in parallel Power Supply                    Voltmeter - Fig 1.2 Simple voltage measurement circuit. a                              a b               a          b                    a a d                          c                                   c                              d c                         d      Fig 1.3 Simple current measurement circuit Power Supply (Be sure current                                              I control is at maximum setting)           Fig 1.4 Circuit to measure resistance                               Procedure To measure the voltage output of the power supply, we connected the voltmeter as shown in Fig. 1.1. We made sure that the voltmeter is always connected in parallel with the voltage being measured. Before turning on the power, we set the voltmeter voltage range to a DC value higher than the highest voltage we expected to measure. This precaution must be observed with all meters in order to avoid the possibility of burning out an expensive instrument. We then set the current control to maximum current and adjust the output voltage of the supply to values of 2.5, 10, and 15.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Literature Marking Scheme Essay
Introduction 1. 1 Why choose Cambridge? University of Cambridge International Examinations is the world’s largest provider of international education programmes and qualifications for 5 to 19 year olds. We are part of the University of Cambridge, trusted for excellence in education. Our qualifications are recognised by the world’s universities and employers. Recognition Every year, thousands of learners gain the Cambridge qualifications they need to enter the world’s universities. Cambridge IGCSE ® (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is internationally recognised by schools, universities and employers as equivalent to UK GCSE. Learn more at w ww. cie. org. uk/recognition Excellence in education We understand education. We work with over 9000 schools in over 160 countries who offer our programmes and qualifications. Understanding learners’ needs around the world means listening carefully to our community of schools, and we are pleased that 98% of Cambridge schools say they would recommend us to other schools. Our mission is to provide excellence in education, and our vision is that Cambridge learners become confident, responsible, innovative and engaged. Cambridge programmes and qualifications help Cambridge learners to become: †¢ confident in working with information and ideas – their own and those of others †¢ responsible for themselves, responsive to and respectful of others †¢ innovative and equipped for new and future challenges †¢ engaged intellectually and socially, ready to make a difference. Support in the classroom We provide a world-class support service for Cambridge teachers and exams officers. We offer a wide range of teacher materials to Cambridge schools, plus teacher training (online and face-to-face), expert advice and learner-support materials. Exams officers can trust in reliable, efficient administration of exams entry and excellent, personal support from our customer services. Learn more at w ww. cie. org. uk/teachers Not-for-profit, part of the University of Cambridge We are a part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge and a not-for-profit organisation. We invest constantly in research and development to improve our programmes and qualifications. 2 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Introduction 1. 2 Why choose Cambridge IGCSE? Cambridge IGCSE helps your school improve learners’ performance. Learners develop not only knowledge and understanding, but also skills in creative thinking, enquiry and problem solving, helping them to perform well and prepare for the next stage of their education. Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international curriculum for 14 to 16 year olds, leading to globally recognised and valued Cambridge IGCSE qualifications. It is part of the Cambridge Secondary 2 stage. Schools worldwide have helped develop Cambridge IGCSE, which provides an excellent preparation for Cambridge International AS and A Levels, Cambridge Pre-U, Cambridge AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) and other education programmes, such as the US Advanced Placement Program and the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Cambridge IGCSE incorporates the best in international education for learners at this level. It develops in line with changing needs, and we update and extend it regularly. 1. 3 Why choose Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English)? Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) is accepted by universities and employers as proof of real knowledge and understanding. Successful candidates gain lifelong skills, including the ability to: †¢ Read, interpret and evaluate texts through the study of literature in English; †¢ Develop an understanding of literal and implicit meaning, relevant contexts and of the deeper themes or attitudes that may be expressed; †¢ Recognise and appreciate the ways in which writers use English to achieve a range of effects; †¢ Present an informed, personal response to materials they have studied; †¢ Explore wider and universal issues, promoting students’ better understanding of themselves and of the world around them. 1. 4 Cambridge International Certificate of Education (ICE) Cambridge ICE is the group award of Cambridge IGCSE. It gives schools the opportunity to benefit from offering a broad and balanced curriculum by recognising the achievements of learners who pass examinations in at least seven subjects. Learners draw subjects from five subject groups, including two languages, and one subject from each of the other subject groups. The seventh subject can be taken from any of the five subject groups. Literature (English) falls into Group II, Humanities and Social Sciences. Learn more about Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge ICE at w ww. cie. org. uk/cambridgesecondary2 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 3 Introduction 1. 5 Schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland This Cambridge IGCSE is approved for regulation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It appears on the Register of Regulated Qualifications http://register. ofqual. gov. uk as a Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificate. There is more information for schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in Appendix C to this syllabus. School and college performance tables Cambridge IGCSEs which are approved by Ofqual are eligible for inclusion in school and college performance tables. For up-to-date information on the performance tables, including the list of qualifications which count towards the English Baccalaureate, please go to the Department for Education website (www. education. gov. uk/performancetables). All approved Cambridge IGCSEs are listed as Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificates. 1. 6 How can I find out more? If you are already a Cambridge school You can make entries for this qualification through your usual channels. If you have any questions, please contact us at international@cie. org. uk If you are not yet a Cambridge school Learn about the benefits of becoming a Cambridge school at w ww. cie. org. uk/startcambridge. Email us at international@cie. org. uk to find out how your organisation can become a Cambridge school. 4 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Assessment at a glance 2. Assessment at a glance Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) Syllabus code 0486 Candidates take one of the following options: Component Paper 1: Set Texts – Open books Paper 2: Coursework portfolio Duration 2 hours 15 minutes Assessed by the Centre; externally moderated by Cambridge Weighting 75% 25% OR Component Paper 1: Set Texts – Open books Paper 3: Unseen Duration 2 hours 15 minutes 1 hour 15 minutes Weighting 75% 25% OR Component Paper 4: Set Texts – Closed books: A Paper 5: Set Texts – Closed books: B Duration 2 hours 15 minutes 45 minutes Weighting 75% 25% The full range of grades (A*–G) is available in each option. Availability This syllabus is examined in the May/June examination series and the October/November examination series. This syllabus is available to private candidates (for the non-coursework options). Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 5 Assessment at a glance Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificate* Literature (English) Syllabus code 0476 All candidates take the following: Paper 1 2 hours 15 minutes Set Texts – Open Books Three sections – drama, prose and poetry with a mix of passage-based, essay questions and (on prose and drama texts) empathic questions. There is a choice of three questions on each set text. Paper 2 1 hour 15 minutes Unseen From a choice of two question, each requiring critical commentary, candidates must choose one. One question is based on a literary prose passage and the other on a poem or extract of a poem. Candidates answer one question from each section and must choose at least one passagebased and one essay question. No set texts for this component. All Assessment Objectives are tested All Assessment Objectives are tested. Weighting: 75% of total marks. Weighting: 25% of total marks. The full range of grades (A*–G) is available. Availability This syllabus is examined in the May/June examination series and the October/November examination series. It is available in the UK only. This syllabus is available to private candidates. Combining these syllabuses with other syllabuses Candidates can combine either of these syllabuses in an examination series with any other Cambridge syllabus, except: †¢ syllabuses with the same title at the same level †¢ 2010 Cambridge O Level Literature in English †¢ 0408 Cambridge IGCSE World Literature Please note that Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificates and Cambridge O Level syllabuses are at the same level. * 6. This syllabus is accredited for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificate. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Syllabus aims and objectives 3. Syllabus aims and objectives 3. 1 Aims The syllabus aims, which are not listed in order of priority, are to encourage and develop candidates’ ability to: †¢ enjoy the experience of reading literature; †¢ understand and respond to literary texts in different forms and from different periods and cultures; †¢ communicate an informed personal response appropriately and effectively; †¢ appreciate different ways in which writers achieve their effects; †¢ experience literature’s contribution to aesthetic, imaginative and intellectual growth; †¢ explore the contribution of literature to an understanding of areas of human concern. 3. 2 Assessment objectives There are four Assessment Objectives (AOs) and candidates are assessed on their ability to: AO1: Show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts in the three main forms (Drama, Poetry, and Prose); AO2: Understand the meanings of literary texts and their contexts, and explore texts beyond surface meanings to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes; AO3: Recognise and appreciate ways in which writers use language, structure, and form to create and shape meanings and effects; AO4: Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary texts. Each of the assessment objectives is present in each of the papers, with the following weighting: Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 7 Syllabus aims and objectives Syllabus 0486 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4 Paper 5 AO1 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% AO2 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% AO3 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% AO4 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%. Paper 1 Paper 2 AO1 25% 25% AO2 25% 25% AO3 25% 25% AO4 25% 25% Syllabus 0476 8 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Description of papers (syllabus 0486) 4. Description of papers (syllabus 0486) 4. 1 Paper 1: Set Texts – Open books 2 hours 15 minutes This paper has three sections: Drama, Prose and Poetry. Candidates answer one question from each section. All questions carry equal marks. Candidates may take their set texts into the exam, but these texts must not contain personal annotations, highlighting or underlining. On each set text, candidates have a choice of three questions as follows: †¢ Poetry – one passage-based question and two essay questions. †¢ Drama – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more details). †¢ Prose – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more details). Candidates must answer at least one passage-based question and at least one essay question. On the Question Paper, passage-based questions are indicated by an asterisk (*) and essay questions are indicated by a dagger symbol (†). ‘Empathic’ questions address the same assessment objectives as the essay and passage-based questions. These questions test knowledge, understanding and response, but give candidates the opportunity to engage more imaginatively with the text by assuming a suitable ‘voice’ (i. e. a manner of speaking for a specific character). Passage-based questions ask candidates to re-read a specific passage or poem from the set text before answering. The passage/poem is printed on the exam paper. All questions encourage an informed personal response and test all assessment objectives. This means that candidates will have to demonstrate: †¢their personal response, sometimes directly (answering questions such as ‘What do you think? ’, ‘What are your feelings about†¦? ’) and sometimes by implication (such as ‘Explore the ways in which†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢); †¢ their knowledge of the text through the use of close reference to detail and use of quotations from the text; †¢ their understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes; †¢ their understanding of the writer’s intentions and methods, and response to the writer’s use of language. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 9 Description of papers (syllabus 0486). 4. 2 Paper 2: Coursework portfolio (syllabus 0486 only) Candidates submit a portfolio of t wo assignments. †¢ Each assignment should be between 600–1000 words and should be based on the study of one complete text, equivalent in scope and demand to a set text on Paper 1. †¢ The assignments must be on different texts. †¢ One of the assignments (but not two) may be on a text prepared for Paper 1. (There is no requirement to include work on a Paper 1 text. ) Assignments can be handwritten, typed or word processed. The phrasing of each assignment’s title must allow for assessment in relation to all the Assessment Objectives. Coursework is assessed and marked by the Centre, and a sample is submitted for external moderation by Cambridge. Teachers responsible for assessing Coursework must be accredited by Cambridge; accreditation is usually awarded after the teacher has successfully completed the Coursework Training Handbook. For more information and guidance on creating, presenting and marking the Coursework, see Section 9. 4. 3 Paper 3: Unseen 1 hour 15 minutes Paper 3 comprises two questions, each asking candidates for a critical commentary on (and appreciation of) previously unseen writing printed on the question paper. Candidates answer one question only. One question is based on a passage of literary prose (such as an extract from a novel or a short story); the other question is based on a poem, or extract of a poem. Candidates are advised to spend around 20 minutes reading their selected question and planning their answer before starting to write. There are no set texts for this paper. 10 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Description of papers (syllabus 0486) 4. 4 Paper 4: Set texts – Closed books A (syllabus 0486 only) 2 hours 15 minutes. The paper has three sections: Drama, Poetry, and Prose. Candidates answer one question from each section. All questions carry equal marks. This is a ‘Closed books’ paper: candidates may not take their set texts into the exam room. On each text, candidates have a choice of three questions: †¢ Poetry – one passage-based question, and two essay questions; †¢ Drama – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more detail); †¢ Prose – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more detail). Candidates must answer at least one passage-based question and at least one essay question. On the Question Paper, passage-based questions are indicated by an asterisk (*) and essay questions are indicated by a dagger symbol (†). ‘Empathic’ questions address the same assessment objectives as the essay and passage-based questions. These questions test knowledge, understanding and response, but give candidates the opportunity to engage more imaginatively with the text by assuming a suitable ‘voice’ (i. e. a manner of speaking for a specific character). Passage-based questions ask candidates to re-read a specific passage or poem from the set text. The passage/poem is printed on the exam paper. All questions encourage an informed personal response and test all assessment objectives. This means that candidates will have to demonstrate: †¢ their personal response, sometimes directly (answering questions such as ‘What do you think? ’, ‘What are your feelings about†¦? ’) and sometimes by implication (such as ‘Explore the ways in which†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢); †¢ their knowledge of the text through the use of close reference to detail and use of quotations from the text; †¢ their understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes; †¢ their understanding of the writer’s intentions and methods, and their response to the writer’s use of language. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 11 Description of papers (syllabus 0486) 4. 5 Paper 5: Set texts – Closed books B (syllabus 0486 only) 45 minutes In this paper, candidates answer one question on one set text. All questions carry equal marks. This a ‘Closed books’ paper: candidates may not take their set texts into the exam room. On each set text, candidates have a choice of three questions as follows: †¢ Poetry – one passage-based question and two essay questions. †¢ Drama – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more details). †¢ Prose – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more details). ‘Empathic’ questions address the same assessment objectives as the essay and passage-based questions. These questions test knowledge, understanding and response, but give candidates the opportunity to engage more imaginatively with the text by assuming a suitable ‘voice’ (i.e. a manner of speaking for a specific character). Passage-based questions ask candidates to re-read a specific passage or poem from the set text before answering. The chapter, scene or page reference will be given on the exam paper (references to several available editions will be provided if necessary). All questions encourage an informed personal response and test all assessment objectives. This means that candidates will have to demonstrate: †¢ their personal response, sometimes directly (answering questions such as ‘What do you think? ’, ‘What are your feelings about†¦? ’) and sometimes by implication (such as ‘Explore the ways in which†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢); †¢ their knowledge of the text through the use of close reference to detail and use of quotations from the text; †¢ 12 their understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes; †¢ their understanding of the writer’s intentions and methods, and their response to the writer’s use of language. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Description of papers (syllabus 0476) 5. Description of papers (syllabus 0476) 5. 1 Paper 1: Set Texts – Open books 2 hours 15 minutes This paper has three sections: Drama, Prose and Poetry. Candidates answer one question from each section. All questions carry equal marks. Candidates may take their set texts into the exam, but these texts must not contain personal annotations, highlighting or underlining. On each set text, candidates have a choice of three questions as follows: †¢ Poetry – one passage-based question and two essay questions. †¢ Drama – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more details). †¢ Prose – one passage-based question, one essay question, one ‘empathic’ question (see below for more details). Candidates must answer at least one passage-based question and at least one essay question. On the Question Paper, passage-based questions are indicated by an asterisk (*) and essay questions are indicated by a dagger symbol (†). ‘Empathic’ questions address the same assessment objectives as the essay and passage-based questions. These questions test knowledge, understanding and response, but give candidates the opportunity to engage more imaginatively with the text by assuming a suitable ‘voice’ (i.e. a manner of speaking for a specific character). Passage-based questions ask candidates to re-read a specific passage or poems (or a part of a longer poem) from the set text before answering. Passages/poems are printed on the exam paper. All questions encourage an informed personal response and test all assessment objectives. This means that candidates will have to demonstrate: †¢ their personal response, sometimes directly (answering questions such as ‘What do you think? ’, ‘What are your feelings about†¦? ’) and sometimes by implication (such as ‘Explore the ways in which†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢); †¢ their knowledge of the text through the use of close reference to detail and use of quotations from the text; †¢ their understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes; †¢ their understanding of the writer’s intentions and methods, and response to the writer’s use of language. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 13 Description of papers (syllabus 0476) 5. 2 Paper 2: Unseen 1 hour 15 minutes Paper 2 comprises two questions, each asking candidates for a critical commentary on (and appreciation of) previously unseen writing printed on the question paper. Candidates answer one question only. One question is based on a passage of literary prose (such as an extract from a novel or a short story); the other question is based on a poem, or extract of a poem. Candidates are advised to spend around 20 minutes reading their selected question and planning their answer before starting to write. There are no set texts for this paper. 14 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Set texts (syllabus 0486) 6. Set texts (syllabus 0486). Unless otherwise indicated, candidates may use any edition of the set text, provided it is not an abridgement or simplified version. * text examined also in June and November 2015 ** text examined also in June and November 2015 and June and November 2016 Set texts for Paper 1 (syllabus 0486) Candidates must answer on three different set texts: i. e. one set text in each section. Section A: DRAMA Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: ** Arthur Miller All My Sons William Shakespeare Julius Caesar * William Shakespeare The Tempest * Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest Section B: POETRY. Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: ** Thomas Hardy The following fourteen poems: Neutral Tones ‘I Look into My Glass’ Drummer Hodge The Darkling Thrush On the Departure Platform The Pine Planters The Convergence of the Twain The Going The Voice At the Word ‘Farewell’ During Wind and Rain In Time of ‘The Breaking of Nations’ No Buyers: A Street Scene Nobody Comes These may be found in Selected Poems, ed. Harry Thomas (Penguin). Poems printed in the paper will follow this text. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476. 15 Set texts (syllabus 0486) * from Songs of Ourselves from Part 4 (Poems from the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries): Poems 110 to 123 inclusive, i. e. the following fourteen poems: Sujata Bhatt, ‘A Different History’ Gerard Manley Hopkins, ‘Pied Beauty’ Allen Curnow, ‘Continuum’ Edwin Muir, ‘Horses’ Judith Wright, ‘Hunting Snake’ Ted Hughes, ‘Pike’ Christina Rossetti, ‘A Birthday’ Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘The Woodspurge’ Kevin Halligan, ‘The Cockroach’ Margaret Atwood, ‘The City Planners’ Boey Kim Cheng, ‘The Planners’ Norman MacCaig, ‘Summer Farm’ Elizabeth Brewster, ‘Where I Come From’ William Wordsworth, ‘Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ Songs of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology of Poetry in English (Cambridge University Press ISBN-10: 8175962488 ISBN-13: 978-8175962484) Section C: PROSE Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: * Tsitsi Dangarembga Nervous Conditions * Anita Desai Fasting, Feasting Kiran Desai Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard ** George Eliot Silas Marner ** Susan Hill I’m the King of the Castle * The following ten stories: no. 6 Thomas Hardy, ‘The Son’s Veto’ no. 12 Katherine Mansfield, ‘Her First Ball’. no. 14 V. S. Pritchett, ‘The Fly in the Ointment’ no. 15 P. G. Wodehouse, ‘The Custody of the Pumpkin’ no. 20 Graham Greene, ‘The Destructors’ no. 27 R. K. Narayan, ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ no. 29 Ted Hughes, ‘The Rain Horse’ no. 38 Morris Lurie, ‘My Greatest Ambition’ no. 42 Ahdaf Soueif, ‘Sandpiper’ no. 46 Penelope Fitzgerald, ‘At Hiruhamara’ from Stories of Ourselves Stories of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology of Short Stories in English (Cambridge University Press: ISBN-10: 052172791X ISBN-13: 978-0521727914) 16 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486. Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Set texts (syllabus 0486) Unless otherwise indicated, candidates may use any edition of the set text, provided it is not an abridgement or simplified version. * text examined also in June and November 2015 ** text examined also in June and November 2015 and June and November 2016 Set texts for Paper 4 (syllabus 0486) Candidates must answer on three different set texts: i. e. one set text in each section. The text list for Paper 4 is identical to the text list for Paper 1. Candidates who are taking Paper 4 will answer on one text in Paper 5. Section A: DRAMA Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: ** Arthur Miller All My Sons William Shakespeare Julius Caesar * William Shakespeare The Tempest * Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest Section B: POETRY Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: ** Thomas Hardy The following fourteen poems: Neutral Tones ‘I Look into My Glass’ Drummer Hodge The Darkling Thrush On the Departure Platform The Pine Planters The Convergence of the Twain The Going The Voice At the Word ‘Farewell’ During Wind and Rain In Time of ‘The Breaking of Nations’ No Buyers: A Street Scene. Nobody Comes These may be found in Selected Poems, ed. Harry Thomas (Penguin). Poems printed in the paper will follow this text. Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 17 Set texts (syllabus 0486) * from Songs of Ourselves from Part 4 (Poems from the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries): Poems 110 to 123 inclusive, i. e. the following fourteen poems: Sujata Bhatt, ‘A Different History’ Gerard Manley Hopkins, ‘Pied Beauty’ Allen Curnow, ‘Continuum’ Edwin Muir, ‘Horses’ Judith Wright, ‘Hunting Snake’ Ted Hughes, ‘Pike’. Christina Rossetti, ‘A Birthday’ Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘The Woodspurge’ Kevin Halligan, ‘The Cockroach’ Margaret Atwood, ‘The City Planners’ Boey Kim Cheng, ‘The Planners’ Norman MacCaig, ‘Summer Farm’ Elizabeth Brewster, ‘Where I Come From’ William Wordsworth, ‘Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ Songs of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology of Poetry in English (Cambridge University Press ISBN-10: 8175962488 ISBN-13: 978-8175962484) Section C: PROSE Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: * Tsitsi Dangarembga Nervous Conditions. * Anita Desai Fasting, Feasting Kiran Desai Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard ** George Eliot Silas Marner ** Susan Hill I’m the King of the Castle * 18 from Stories of Ourselves The following ten stories: no. 6 Thomas Hardy, ‘The Son’s Veto’ no. 12 Katherine Mansfield, ‘Her First Ball’ no. 14 V. S. Pritchett, ‘The Fly in the Ointment’ no. 15 P. G. Wodehouse, ‘The Custody of the Pumpkin’ no. 20 Graham Greene, ‘The Destructors’ no. 27 R. K. Narayan, ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ no. 29 Ted Hughes, ‘The Rain Horse’ no. 38 Morris Lurie, ‘My Greatest Ambition’ no. 42 Ahdaf Soueif, ‘Sandpiper’ no. 46 Penelope Fitzgerald, ‘At Hiruhamara’ Stories of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology of Short Stories in English (Cambridge University Press: ISBN-10: 052172791X ISBN-13: 978-0521727914) Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Set texts (syllabus 0486) Unless otherwise indicated, candidates may use any edition of the set text, provided it is not an abridgement or simplified version. * text examined also in June and November 2015 ** text examined also in June and November 2015 and June and November 2016. Set texts for Paper 5 (syllabus 0486) Candidates who are taking this paper answer on one text from the following: ** Jane Austen Northanger Abbey Carol Ann Duffy The following fourteen poems: ‘Head of English’ ‘The Dolphins’ ‘Stealing’ ‘Foreign’ ‘Miles Away’ ‘Originally’ ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ ‘Who Loves You’ ‘Nostalgia’ ‘The Good Teachers’ ‘Moments of Grace’ ‘Valentine’ ‘Mean Time’ ‘Prayer’ These are contained in Selected Poems (Penguin Books, in association with Anvil Press, ISBN 978-0-14-102512-4/ISBN 9780141 025124) * Helen Dunmore The Siege ** from Jo Philips, ed. Poems Deep & Dangerous (Cambridge University Press) The following fourteen poems (from Section 4 ‘One Another’): John Clare, ‘First Love’ Matthew Arnold, ‘To Marguerite’ Elizabeth Jennings, ‘One Flesh’ Christina Rossetti, ‘Sonnet’ (‘I wish I could remember that first day’) William Shakespeare, ‘Shall I Compare Thee†¦? ’ Elma Mitchell, ‘People Etcetera’ Simon Armitage, ‘In Our Tenth Year’ William Shakespeare, ‘The Marriage of True Minds’ Seamus Heaney, ‘Follower’ Michael Laskey, ‘Registers’ Chris Banks, ‘The Gift’ Liz Lochhead, ‘Laundrette’ Liz Lochhead, ‘Poem for My Sister’. Patricia McCarthy, ‘Football After School’ * A Midsummer Night’s Dream William Shakespeare ** Robert Louis Stevenson Tennessee Williams The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 19 Set texts (syllabus 0476) 7. Set texts (syllabus 0476) Unless otherwise indicated, candidates may use any edition of the set text, provided it is not an abridgement or simplified version. * text examined also in June and November 2015 ** text examined also in June and November 2015 and June and November 2016 Set texts for Paper 1 (syllabus 0476) Section A: DRAMA Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: William Shakespeare * Julius Caesar William Shakespeare The Tempest Section B: POETRY Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: ** Thomas Hardy The following fourteen poems: Neutral Tones ‘I Look into My Glass’ Drummer Hodge The Darkling Thrush On the Departure Platform The Pine Planters The Convergence of the Twain The Going The Voice At the Word ‘Farewell’ During Wind and Rain In Time of ‘The Breaking of Nations’ No Buyers: A Street Scene Nobody Comes. These may be found in Selected Poems, ed. Harry Thomas (Penguin). Poems printed in the paper will follow this text. 20 Cambridge IGCSE Literature (English) 0486 Cambridge International Certificate Literature (English) 0476 Set texts (syllabus 0476) * from Songs of Ourselves from Part 4 (Poems from the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries): Poems 110 to 123 inclusive, i. e. the following fourteen poems: Sujata Bhatt, ‘A Different History’ Gerard Manley Hopkins, ‘Pied Beauty’ Allen Curnow, ‘Continuum’ Edwin Muir, ‘Horses’ Judith Wright, ‘Hunting Snake’ Ted Hughes, ‘Pike’ Christina Rossetti, ‘A Birthday’. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘The Woodspurge’ Kevin Halligan, ‘The Cockroach’ Margaret Atwood, ‘The City Planners’ Boey Kim Cheng, ‘The Planners’ Norman MacCaig, ‘Summer Farm’ Elizabeth Brewster, ‘Where I Come From’ William Wordsworth, ‘Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ Songs of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology of Poetry in English (Cambridge University Press ISBN-10: 8175962488 ISBN-13: 978-8175962484) Section C: PROSE Candidates must answer on one set text from this section: * Tsitsi Dangarembga Nervous Conditions * Anita Desai Fasting, Feasting Kiran De.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Electric Vehicles Technology Analysis Essay
Hybrid electric vehicles are one of the applications of hybrid technology in real modern life; in which it’s currently a high demand technology and is growing rapidly. Although hybrid vehicles weren’t the latest type of transportation technology to be discovered, since they appeared earlier than gasoline vehicles, because of the cost of research and technology they disappeared a prosperous century of gasoline vehicles began. Nowadays, when the world needs green transportation because of high fossil costs and political reasons, hybrid vehicles returned and development into that type of technology is kicking back to full speed. Hybrid vehicles are the combination between electric engines and gasoline engines. Therefore, they inherit all the characteristics of traditional vehicle and add new functions of electric motor to help the vehicles save energy as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many vehicle manufacturers such as BMW, GMC, and Toyota are applying hybrid technology in producing their cars. One of the main reasons that hybrid vehicle are not as popular as regular gas powered vehicles is their prices. Most consumers don’t want to pay the extra $5,000- to $8,000 price tag to buy a vehicle that they don’t see the instant benefits of. Nevertheless hybrid vehicles will bring the benefits to their users and the environment, but not immediately when they buy the Hybrid vehicle. While in use, Hybrid vehicles will reduce the fuel consumption by an average of 42% which in return would be also good for the environment as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 42% than the usual amount. However, in addition to what Hybrid vehicle offers the public in money savings by consuming less fuel and supporting a greener environment, it also made it possible for the public to accept alternative power sources for their vehicles. Also, hybrid technology has helped expand the research into battery power, battery life and battery size which helped in emerging of newer technology of fully electrical cars that doesn’t use any gas, for example: The Nissan Leaf. In the meanwhile, currently the available fully electrical vehicles (Nissan Leaf) on the market have advantages of totally being gas independent, and faster acceleration than some of the hybrid cars (I personally test drove the Nissan Leaf both on city streets and on the highway and I think it accelerated a lot better than my 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid. ). In my opinion the technology still not fully developed to be the most reliable form of transportation for an individual or a house hold use, since you can’t drive more than 100 miles per full charge as advertised; which I am sure it’s a little bit less based on consumers review (around 75-85 miles per full charge. ) In the near future I can imagine that fully electrical cars be more reliable and go in between 700 to1000 miles per full charge, of course it will take its course of development just like any other new technology that starts small and gets bigger by time. I imagine in the next couple years electrical cars will be able to go anywhere in between 100 to 200 miles per charge, then in the following few years from 200 to 300 miles per full charge, etc†¦ Furthermore, in my opinion I think that gas engines are a thing of the past and I can see in the future Hybrid engines and electrical engines replacing everything that we are using today, from gas powered vehicles to airplanes, from motorcycles to scooters and lawnmower to children toys. In conclusion, the human race is using new technologies to try to fix the harm they caused the environment by creating products that don’t contribute to the pollution of our environment and many consumers hope that hybrid and electrical motors technology would help reduce the pollution and contribute to help save our environment.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The eNotes Blog Mo Yan Wins the 2012 Nobel Prize forLiterature
Mo Yan Wins the 2012 Nobel Prize forLiterature This morning, the Nobel Prize for Literature was announced.  The committee has granted the prestigious award to 57-year Chinese  author Mo Yan. In its press release, the Nobel Committee says that Mo Yan was selected for his writing that merges â€Å"hallucinatory realism (with) folk tales, history and the contemporary.†The choice, though widely lauded, has its critics as well. Although the subjects Yan typically writes about are non-political, the writer has been embraced by the Communist Party, something that gives dissident writers and others pause. Despite political concerns, few would argue that Mos work is not brilliant. His subject matter typically examines rural Chinese life through magical realism. Mos penchant for narrators like talking animals and his inclusion of elements from Chinese fairy tales has drawn comparisons of his work to that of Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Perhaps Mr. Mos best-known work in the Western world is his novel Red Sorghum. Published in 1986 and translated into English in 1992, Red Sorghum is a bandit-laced tale about the trials of life for rural Chinese. The novel was made into a movie in 1987. Born in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong in 1955 to farming parents, Mo Yan is the pen name of Guan Moye.  Mo was a teenager during the Cultural Revolution. For several years, he took various agricultural jobs and then joined the Peoples Liberation Army. His first short story, Falling Rain on a Spring Night, was published in 1981.  Many more short stories and novels have since been published. His latest, Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out, was written in 2006 and translated into English in 2008.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Effective Performance Management
Effective Performance Management Free Online Research Papers Performance is your reality, forget everything else. It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises- but only performance is reality. Harold S. Geneen 1910-1997, Communications executive1 Abstract The paper seeks to show that Effective Performance Management has become the core of Human Resources and is revitalizing, reenergizing and rejuvenating HR. The challenges faced by the present day organization are broadly discussed under the effectiveness of its performance management systems, which ultimately acts as a catalyst for employee engagements and their effective performance. This paper explores through its findings a new performance management system for improving overall organizational performance in general, through inventing new dimension for effective individual performances in specific. A framework is developed for the implementation of effective performance management in any organization. This paper is explicitly directed towards various parameters for energising human resources and serves interesting food for thought for the future managers dealing with performance management. Introduction Performance management, as pertaining to human resource management (HRM), is the process of delivering sustained success to organizations’ by improving capabilities of individuals and teams. It supports the philosophical principle that people and not capital provide organizations’ with a competitive advantage. However, performance management presents severe challenges in terms of practical implementation. Previous studies have largely failed to overcome many of the organizational constraints on its successful implementation. Overcoming barriers to change is especially important given their close relationship to the fulfilment of the psychological contract2 and related HRM systems (reward, development, etc.). The psychological contract construct consists of the existence of a â€Å"soft†set of expectations held by the employee, which have to be organized and managed. Within the relationship defined by these constructs, the employer and the employee inform, negoti ate, monitor and then re-negotiate (or exit) the employment relationship. Thus, if the employee feels that a performance management approach breaches or violates their psychological contract expectations this can lead to an irrevocable breakdown in the employment relationship. Careful implementation of performance tools is therefore crucial to their success as contributors to organizational development. Performance Management as a core of HR Performance appraisals, performance reviews, appraisal forms; whatever we want to call them, let’s call them gone.3 As a standalone, a performance appraisal is universally disliked, after all how many people in any organization want to hear that they were less than perfect last year or how many managers want to face the argument and diminish morale that can result from the performance appraisal process. If the true goal of the performance appraisal is employee development and organizational improvement, we consider moving to effective performance management system. There has been a paradigm shift in the focus of HR from the early days where craftspeople organized guilds using unity to improve working conditions. Companies in today’s era focus on performance of employees which in turn helps the organization’s performance. No doubt that effective performance management has become a core of HR. Performance management to support organizational change The ultimate competitive asset of any organization is its people, thus organizations should develop employee competencies in a manner aligned with the organization’s business goals. This can be achieved through performance management systems, which act as both behavioural change tool and enabler of performance management system improved organizational performance through being instrumental in driving change. This can then be institutionalized through organizational policies, systems and structures. Performance management aims to emphasize and encourage desired and valued behaviours, thus is a key tool of communication and motivation within organizations seeking a competitive edge through strategic change and control. A visionary performance management then becomes a system for translating organizational intention and ambition into action and results, delivering a strategic goal, such as behavioural change. The system also brings focus to organisational change and development, particularly regarding competencies. When competency profiles support company goals, they become instrumental in developing the human resources necessary to deliver business goals. As a result, performance management system is an important tool for communicating priorities and for providing feedback to stimulate employees to meet the new expectations. Role and importance of effective performance management system Changing individual employee behaviour lies at the heart of organizational change programmes. This is because they ignore or violate established change psychology principles. Senior management can assume that because they are ready to pro-actively embrace change, their employees will be equally pro-active. However, imposing action on employees who are not prepared results in conflict. Typically, only 20 percent of employees in organizations are prepared to take positive action in response to change initiatives. More than 70 percent of new strategic initiatives fail for this reason.4 Thus, to be successful in shaping behaviour, performance management systems must achieve acceptance by those being â€Å"managed†. Modern organizations need to respond more effectively to changing external and internal environments, and organizational learning has become an important strategic focus. By anticipating and responding to changes in the environment through proactive learning interventions, some organizations are evolving into learning organizations. Nonetheless, the question of how to best transform behaviours through organizational learning and development remains. In reality, many change initiatives fail because either organizational culture is not ready to change at that time, or because they do not anticipate the impact of change on human systems. Initiatives in the latter category typically result in resistance and ultimately failure of the change initiative. As mentioned earlier, one method that organizations can use to affect employee competencies in a manner aligned with the organization’s change is to develop robust performance management systems. Analysis of performance management in terms of key result areas KRA’s refer to general areas of outcomes or outputs for which a role is responsible. The KRA’s should be clearly defined. Once, the KRA’s are defined the individual can chart a process to achieve the KRA’s. KRA’s are also known as Key Work Output’s (KWO’s). An effective performance management system can facilitate change and innovation by both demonstrating their relationship with the overall strategy, and by supporting and monitoring the progress towards achieving the ultimate goal. It is therefore a crucially important tool for communicating priorities and for providing feedback on employees’ contributions towards achieving organizational goals. The purpose of the performance management system is to ensure that the work performed by employees is in accordance with the established objectives of the company. Employees should have a clear understanding of the quality and quantity of work expected from them and simultaneously receives ongoing information about how effectively they are standing as to the standards/benchmarks. Opportunities for employee development are identified and employee performance that does not meet standards are appropriately addressed. Moreover an operative performance management system consists of a process for communicating employee performance expectations, maintaining performance management dialogues and conducting annual performance appraisals. It is a procedure for encouraging and facilitating employee development and resolving performance pay disputes. Performance management system serves a strategic purpose because they help link employee activities with the organization’s mission and goals.5 It serves as a basis for employment decisions to promote outstanding performers, to train, transfer or discipline others, and to award merit increases. Data regarding employee performance can serve as criteria in HR research. They can help establish objectives for training programs. Finally, performance management system allows organizations to keep proper records to document HR decisions and legal requirements. A website research 6 conducted on BSE listed companies revealed the four key result areas that are critical for any performance management system and how each of these areas which has a number of dimensions, can be measured by key performance indicators. The four key result areas are as follows: I. Developing external relationship: The PMS should consider the three key performance indicators while considering employee performance to achieve the KRA of developing external relationship: firstly, contractual agreements i.e. managing policy and procedures for agreements which are implemented and reviewed annually and handling major research contracts renewed with stakeholders. Secondly, to create new strategic alliances such as its success can be measured by reviewing annually the number of competitor or collaborator analysis undertaken and new collaborations established and developed and finally to develop lines of communication such as quarterly reviewing, the visits made by the shareholders and information about research and education activities provided to stakeholders in written and electronic format. Communicating this Idea to employees and evaluating their commitment levels through structured parameters will help in achieving organisational objective. II. Building organisational capabilities: Similarly, PMS has to also consider dimensions such as to attract and retain the right people i.e. to review annually so as to identify and resolve gaps in the performance of the leaders and provide and implement strategic, analysis based advice performance management system for all staffs. Secondly, the system fosters a value driven culture which includes code of conduct developed around share values, rewarding employees and implementing a recognition system to reinforce culture. Finally, it creates a supportive structure and systems which includes implementation of most effective organisational structure, reviewing annually the policies, systems and procedural documented. This KRA will finally contribute towards enhancing skill based performance for quality work. III. Taking a selective and focussed approach: The PMS should check the employee’s work focus which can be measured by reviewing annually the service level agreements and how these agreements are benefiting the key stakeholders. In the light of this KRA the employees are able to meet up to the expectations of their job description and accordingly see and evaluate their respective performances as a transparent system. IV. Maintaining quality research, service and education output: The last key area helps to ensure relevance to the organisation’s mission by consistent work with strategic direction and available skills. Performance management can be measured through milestones achieved. Also, it measures work impact which can in turn be measured through new knowledge that is being published or presented, identification of changes to policies or practices and finally customer satisfaction which can be measured with the help of surveys conducted. This will contribute towards managing talent in the organisation and exploring opportunities for potential employees and also for succession planning. BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS7:- 1. Organizational Barriers – Variations in performance within systems may be due to common causes or special causes. Common causes are faults that are built into the system due to prior decisions, defects in materials, flaws in the design of the system, or some other managerial shortcoming. Special causes are those attributable to a particular event, a particular operator, or a subgroup within the system. 2. Political Barriers – Political considerations are organizational facts of life. Appraisals take place in an organisational environment that is anything but completely rational, straight-forward, or dispassionate. It appears that achieving accuracy in appraisal is less important to managers than motivating and rewarding their subordinates. Many managers will not allow excessively accurate ratings to cause problems for themselves. 3. Interpersonal Barriers – Interpersonal barriers also may hinder the performance management process. Because of a lack of communication, employees may think they are being judged according to one set of standards when their superiors actually use different ones. Furthermore, supervisors often delay or resist making face-to-face appraisals. Rather than confronting substandard performers with low ratings, negative feed-back, and below-average salary increases, supervisors often find it easier to â€Å"damn with faint praise†by giving average or above-average salary ratings to inferior performers. Performance Managers Performance managers 8 can improve on a performance measurement system, as objectively as possible, upon discussion with the line managers. They need to clearly define the role for each position in the organisation, and communicate the positions to the new entrants respectively. They may formulate a reward system that is in tune with industry standards, and companys retention and performance strategy, and take local and overseas opportunities as factors of consideration. As facilitators of training and development activities, they may identify their teams’ individual training needs which may involve technological, behavioural or cross-cultural contents. As career counsellors, they may develop different career paths technical or managerial, and attempt to satisfy the needs of the employees. ANALYSIS of a few sectors in India Inc. This research mainly covered the facts of effective performance management and the ways in which PMS is rejuvenating HR. HR across industries is getting a facelift and PMS is playing the most crucial role. Companies strive to align the employee’s personal goals and organizational goals to achieve high performance for both organization and employee. a) PwC Advisory, help leaders anticipate, create, and manage change through effective strategy execution via: Business transformation. Improving business processes. Respond to crises. Combine the discipline of a public accounting firm with the creativity of a consultant. Focus on action, impact and value. These are a few of distinctive things which PwC does, the core belief of PwC HR services are shown in this diagram below:- Integrating these three core values PwC has designed a.) Complete performance management framework which is not only applied in PwC, but also given as consultancy under human resource services for implementation in those organizations. b) The construction industry represents an interesting sector within which to explore organizational initiatives because, as one of the most established project-based sectors, it is subject to frequent change. The industry is currently being challenged to improve its performance by benchmarking its performance against other sectors and developing strategic approaches to align organizational and supply chain processes. Within construction, fragmentation and institutionally grounded vested interests have stymied performance improvement and limited the impact of HRM mechanisms used successfully in other sectors. Performance management, it is the processes involved in change that are crucial rather than the quality of the system per se which is being now understood in the construction industry. A case study finding suggests that the most important factor in a successful strategic initiative is the attitude of those affected and that has what has to change in construction industry. Commit ment and motivation are crucial to the success of a new initiative and the organization must introduce hard procedures to support them. On the basis of a research done by ABC consultancies, a new implementation framework has been developed for effective performance management system. This comprises an amalgam of practices drawn from a range of studies presenting prerequisites for the success of new initiatives responding to the barriers in the industry. The key components of this strategy are:- Support and leadership: Whether employees have the time and resources for improvement efforts. Strategic planning: The new strategy should be consistent with the overall strategic direction of the company and appropriate to the market conditions. Planning the implementation: Operational planning, Resource allocation. Appropriate training and education: Help employees to understand what is going on and why. Monitoring and evaluation: Control and feedback. c) â€Å"The Indian IT industry has set an exceptionally high standard with regard to workplace and employee practices. With the continued growth and rapid evolution of the industry, as well as the changing aspirations of its young workforce, IT companies small or large will have to constantly look at innovation to excel as employers,†said Kiran Karnik, president, Nasscom, in a statement. Small and medium-sized IT and business outsourcing companies are constantly looking at adopting best practices such as innovative performance appraisal system, individual career development programmes and recreational activities, to make themselves more attractive to employees in a fiercely competitive market, says a survey on exciting emerging companies in India conducted by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom). Corbus, for instance, has been conducting a bi-annual anonymous survey called Chetna for the past six years to find out from its employees their perception on all facets of organisation including HR, finance, administration, leadership and communication. At the BPO company, which has seen its attrition rate coming down to 8% from 28% last year, employees are encouraged to post their feedback anonymously, which is taken up by teams that can address it the best. By creatively designing the total reward package towards more short-term incentives and benefits, and linking the package to performance, companies can ensure that they get higher productivity without hefty increases in salary costs and minimise attrition costs at the same time. The general parameters for the measurement of employees’ performance in BPO’s are: Speed i.e. process performance, Accuracy and Productivity of each process, Although the measuring parameters are different for employees at different level, but the general classification of the above mentioned parameters for â€Å"Customer care Executives†and â€Å"Team leaders†are as follows: Average Call Value (the sales made or the revenue collected etc.) Time and cost per call Average Handling Time (talk time and after call wrap up) Adherence to Schedule (availability to take calls etc.) Percentage of abandoned calls Discipline Attendance According to a recent survey – â€Å"The Pay for Performance can be as much as 22% of the salary.†Thus, good performance is highly rated in the IT and BPO industry. Recommendations for effective performance management:- 1) Senior management should show commitment – The process of performance management within the company lacks participation and benefits none without active senior management support and leadership. 2) Employee resistance should be kept minimal – PMS is made for aligning the goals of employee and the organization, thus, effective performance management system is only going to be effective when employees understand the importance of performance management system in their own careers. 3) Training infrastructure and capacity building programs – Surprisingly, given the level of resources provided for the rollout of the new performance management system, employees at every level of the organization appear to lack the necessary knowledge and skills required for their particular contribution to the system. 4) Benchmarking – Effective performance management can only be sustained when the performances are compared with the standards set in the organization and as this is done on a continuous basis, this leads to improvement of performance and brings it closer to the benchmark set by the organization. 5) 3rd axis measurement – If performance is to be measured on a two axis system, organizational goals and employee performance for these goals respectively, then a 3rd axis also needs to be measured which is employee’s personal goals, because then only performance can be measured in true terms. Conclusion: We conclude the research by stressing effective performance management is a key tool of communication and motivation within organizations seeking a competitive edge through strategic change and control. The framework for performance management system design has its core element as improving individual performance in accordance with the organization’s performance, keeping in mind employee’s personal goals. Overcoming barriers to change through winning the psychological battle of employee involvement by effective performance and evaluating parameters has become the need of the hour. The KRA’s that determine the effectiveness of a PMS are, Developing external relationship Communicating this Idea to employees and evaluating their commitment levels through structured parameters will help in achieving organisational objective. Building organisational capabilities This KRA contributes in enhancing skill based performance for quality work. Taking a selective and focussed approach and maintaining quality research – This KRA provides a transparent system for evaluation of employee performance in terms of job description. Service and education output – This KRA contributes in managing talent in the organization. The afore said KRAs as discussed in full length are only suggestive in nature .The final implementation may be based on some primary research over the aforesaid parameters so that its contribution may ultimately result into epitomizing performance for establishing a cognitive environment. References:- 1. think.exist.com 2. Mei-I Cheng De Montfort University, Implementing a new performance management system within a project-based organization -A case study. 3. about.com/humanresources. 4. trackers.in 5. Wayne F. Cascio and Herman Aguinis, Applied Psychology in Human Resources Management – sixth edition/ (CH-5) P-83 6. Wayne F. Cascio and Herman Aguinis, Applied Psychology in Human Resources Management – sixth edition/ (CH-5) P-85 7. ibm.com/services/strategy/industries/chemicals. 8. pwc.com/ng/PwC Nigeria – HRS brochure. 9. Stefanescu, Andy, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business, MPRA paper- Business intelligence, improving performance of reengineering project. 10. itpeopleindia.com/ Performance factors in India. 11. David Moore The Robert Gordon University, Scott Sutherland School, Aberdeen, UK, Implementing a new performance management system within a project-based organization-A case study. Research Papers on Effective Performance ManagementThe Project Managment Office SystemOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaStandardized TestingAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Harry Houdini - The Great Escape Artist
Harry Houdini - The Great Escape Artist Harry Houdini remains one of the most famous magicians in history. Although Houdini could do card tricks and traditional magic acts, he was most famous for his ability to escape from what seemed like anything and everything, including ropes, handcuffs, straightjackets, jail cells, water-filled milk cans, and even nailed-shut boxes that had been thrown into a river. After World War I, Houdini turned his knowledge about deception against Spiritualists who claimed to be able to contact the dead. Then, at age 52, Houdini died mysteriously after being hit in the abdomen. Dates: March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926 Also Known As: Ehrich Weisz, Ehrich Weiss, The Great Houdini Houdini’s Childhood Throughout his life, Houdini propagated many legends about his beginnings, which have so oft been repeated that it has been difficult for historians to piece together the true story of Houdini’s childhood. However, it is believed that Harry Houdini was born Ehrich Weisz on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary. His mother, Cecilia Weisz (neà © Steiner), had six children (five boys and one girl) of which Houdini was the fourth child. Houdini’s father, Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weisz, also had a son from a previous marriage. With conditions looking bleak for Jews in Eastern Europe, Mayer decided to emigrate from Hungary to the United States. He had a friend who lived in the very small town of Appleton, Wisconsin, and so Mayer moved there, where he helped form a small synagogue. Cecilia and the children soon followed Mayer to America when Houdini was about four years old. While entering into the U.S., immigration officials changed the family’s name from Weisz to Weiss. Unfortunately for the Weiss family, Mayer’s congregation soon decided that he was too old-fashioned for them and let him go after only a few years. Despite being able to speak three languages (Hungarian, German, and Yiddish), Mayer couldn’t speak English-  a serious drawback for a man trying to find a job in America. In December 1882, when Houdini was eight years old, Mayer moved his family to the much larger city of Milwaukee, hoping for better opportunities. With the family in dire financial straits, the children got jobs to help support the family. This included Houdini, who worked odd jobs selling newspapers, shining shoes, and running errands. In his spare time, Houdini read library books regarding magic tricks and contortionist movements. At age nine, Houdini and some friends established a five-cent circus, where he wore red woolen stockings and called himself Ehrich, Prince of the Air.†At age eleven, Houdini worked as a locksmith apprentice. When Houdini was about 12 years old, the Weiss family moved to New York City. While Mayer tutored students in Hebrew, Houdini found a job cutting fabrics into strips for neckties. Despite working hard, the Weiss family was always short on money. This forced Houdini to use both his cleverness and confidence to find innovative ways to make a little extra money. In his spare time, Houdini proved himself a natural athlete, who enjoyed running, swimming, and bicycling. Houdini even received several medals in cross-country track competitions. The Creation of Harry Houdini At age fifteen, Houdini discovered the magician’s book, Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, Ambassador, Author, and Conjurer, Written by Himself. Houdini was mesmerized by the book and stayed up all night reading it. He later stated that this book truly sparked his enthusiasm for magic. Houdini would eventually read all of Robert-Houdin’s books, absorbing the stories and advice contained within. Through these books, Robert-Houdin (1805-1871) became a hero and a role model to Houdini. To get started on this new passion, the young Ehrich Weiss needed a stage name. Jacob Hyman, a friend of Houdini’s, told Weiss that there was a French custom that if you add the letter â€Å"I†to the end of your mentor’s name it showed admiration. Adding an â€Å"I†to â€Å"Houdin†resulted in â€Å"Houdini.†For a first name, Ehrich Weiss chose â€Å"Harry,†the Americanized version of his nickname â€Å"Ehrie.†He then combined â€Å"Harry†with â€Å"Houdini,†to create the now famous name â€Å"Harry Houdini.†Liking the name so much, Weiss and Hyman partnered together and called themselves â€Å"The Brothers Houdini.†In 1891, the Brothers Houdini performed card tricks, coin swaps, and disappearing acts at Huber’s Museum in New York City and also at Coney Island during the summer. About this time, Houdini purchased a magician trick (magicians often bought tricks of the trade from each other) called Metamorphosis that involved two people trading places in a locked trunk onstage behind a screen. In 1893, the Brothers Houdini were allowed a spot to perform outside the world’s fair in Chicago. By this time, Hyman had left the act and had been replaced by Houdini’s real brother, Theo (â€Å"Dash†). Houdini Marries Bessie and Joins the Circus After the fair, Houdini and his brother returned to Coney Island, where they performed at the same hall as the singing and dancing Floral Sisters. It wasn’t long before a romance blossomed between 20-year-old Houdini and 18-year-old Wilhelmina Beatrice (â€Å"Bess†) Rahner of the Floral Sisters. After a three-week courtship, Houdini and Bess were married on June 22, 1894. With Bess being of petite stature, she soon replaced Dash as Houdini’s partner since she was better able to hide inside various boxes and trunks in vanishing acts. Bess and Houdini called themselves Monsieur and Mademoiselle Houdini, Mysterious Harry and LaPetite Bessie, or The Great Houdinis. The Houdinis performed for a couple of years in dime museums and then in 1896, the Houdinis went to work in the Welsh Brothers Traveling Circus. Bess sang songs while Houdini did magic tricks, and together they performed the Metamorphosis act. The Houdinis Join Vaudeville and a Medicine Show In 1896, when the circus season ended, the Houdinis joined a traveling vaudeville show. During this show, Houdini added a handcuff-escape trick to the Metamorphosis act. In each new town, Houdini would visit the local police station and announce that he could escape from any handcuffs they put on him. Crowds would gather to watch as Houdini easily escaped. These pre-show exploits were often covered by a local newspaper, creating publicity for the vaudeville show. To keep audiences further amused, Houdini decided to escape from a straitjacket, using his agility and flexibility to wiggle free from it. When the vaudeville show ended, the Houdinis scrambled to find work, even contemplating work other than magic. Thus, when they were offered a position with Dr. Hill’s California Concert Company, an old-time traveling medicine show selling a tonic that â€Å"could cure just about anything,†they accepted. In the medicine show, Houdini once again performed his escape acts; however, when attendance numbers began to dwindle, Dr. Hill asked Houdini if he could transform himself into a spirit medium. Houdini was already familiar with many of the spirit medium’s tricks and so he began leading sà ©ances while Bess performed as a clairvoyant claiming to have psychic gifts. The Houdinis were very successful pretending to be spiritualists because they always did their research. As soon as they pulled into a new town, the Houdinis would read recent obituaries and visit graveyards to seek the names of the newly dead. They would also subtly listen to town gossip. All this allowed them to piece together enough information to convince crowds that the Houdinis were real spiritualists with amazing powers to contact the dead. However, feelings of guilt about lying to grief-stricken people eventually became overwhelming and the Houdinis ultimately quit the show. Houdini’s Big Break With no other prospects, the Houdinis went back to performing with the Welsh Brothers Traveling Circus. While performing in Chicago in 1899, Houdini once again performed his police station stunt of escaping handcuffs, but this time it was different. Houdini had been invited into a room full of 200 people, mostly policemen, and spent 45 minutes shocking everyone in the room as he escaped from everything the police had. The following day, The Chicago Journal ran the headline â€Å"Amazes the Detectives†with a large drawing of Houdini. The publicity surrounding Houdini and his handcuff act caught the eye of Martin Beck, the head of the Orpheum theater circuit, who signed him for a one-year contract. Houdini was to perform the handcuff escape act and Metamorphosis at the classy Orpheum theaters in Omaha, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, and San Francisco. Houdini was finally rising from obscurity and into the spotlight. Houdini Becomes an International Star In the spring of 1900, 26-year-old Houdini, exuding confidence as â€Å"The King of Handcuffs,†left for Europe in the hopes of finding success. His first stop was London, where Houdini performed at the Alhambra Theater. While there, Houdini was challenged to escape from Scotland Yard’s handcuffs. As always, Houdini escaped and the theater was filled every night for months. The Houdinis went on to perform in Dresden, Germany, at the Central Theater, where ticket sales broke records. For five years, Houdini and Bess performed throughout Europe and even in Russia, with tickets often selling out ahead of time for their performances. Houdini had become an international star. Houdini’s Death-Defying Stunts In 1905, the Houdinis decided to head back to the United States and try to win fame and fortune there as well. Houdini’s specialty had become escapes. In 1906, Houdini escaped from jail cells in Brooklyn, Detroit, Cleveland, Rochester, and Buffalo. In Washington D.C., Houdini performed a widely publicized escape act involving the former jail cell of Charles Guiteau, the assassin of President James A. Garfield. Stripped and wearing handcuffs supplied by the Secret Service, Houdini freed himself from the locked cell, and then unlocked the adjoining cell where his clothes were waiting all within 18 minutes. However, escaping just from handcuffs or jail cells was no longer enough to get the public’s attention. Houdini needed new, death-defying stunts. In 1907, Houdini unveiled a dangerous stunt in Rochester, N.Y., where, with his hands handcuffed behind his back, he jumped from a bridge into a river. Then in 1908, Houdini introduced the dramatic Milk Can Escape, where he was locked inside a sealed milk can filled with water. The performances were huge hits. The drama and flirting with death made Houdini even more popular. In 1912, Houdini created the Underwater Box Escape. In front of a huge crowd along New Yorks East River, Houdini was handcuffed and manacled, placed inside a box, locked in, and thrown into the river. When he escaped just moments later, everyone cheered. Even the magazine Scientific American was impressed and proclaimed Houdini’s feat as one of the most remarkable tricks ever performed. In September of 1912, Houdini debuted his famous Chinese Water Torture Cell escape at the Circus Busch in Berlin. For this trick, Houdini was handcuffed and shackled and then lowered, head first, into a tall glass box that had been filled with water. Assistants would then pull a curtain in front of the glass; moments later, Houdini would emerge, wet but alive. This became one of Houdini’s most famous tricks. It seemed like there was nothing Houdini could not escape from and nothing he could not make audiences believe. He was even able to make Jennie the elephant disappear! World War I and Acting When the U.S. joined World War I, Houdini tried to enlist in the army. However, since he was already 43-years old, he was not accepted. Nonetheless, Houdini spent the war years entertaining soldiers with free performances. When the war was drawing to a close, Houdini decided to try acting. He hoped that motion pictures would be a new way for him to reach mass audiences. Signed by Famous Players-Lasky/Paramount Pictures, Houdini starred in his first motion picture in 1919, a 15-episode serial titled The Master Mystery. He also starred in The Grim Game (1919), and Terror Island (1920). However, the two feature films did not do well at the box office. Confident it was bad management that had caused the movies to flop, the Houdinis returned to New York and founded their own film company, the Houdini Picture Corporation. Houdini then produced and starred in two of his own films, The Man From Beyond (1922) and Haldane of the Secret Service (1923). These two films also bombed at the box office, leading Houdini to the conclusion that it was time to give up on moviemaking. Houdini Challenges Spiritualists At the end of World War I, there was a huge surge in people believing in Spiritualism. With millions of young men dead from the war, their grieving families looked for ways to contact them â€Å"beyond the grave.†Psychics, spirit mediums, mystics, and others emerged to fill this need. Houdini was curious but skeptical. He, of course, had pretended to be a gifted spirit medium back in his days with Dr. Hill’s medicine show and thus knew many of the fake medium’s tricks. However, if it were possible to contact the dead, he would love to once again talk to his beloved mother, who had passed away in 1913. Thus Houdini visited a large number of mediums and attended hundreds of sà ©ances hoping to find a real psychic; unfortunately, he found every one of them to be a fake. Along this quest, Houdini befriended famous author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was a devoted believer in Spiritualism after having lost his son in the war. The two great men exchanged many letters, debating the truthfulness of Spiritualism. In their relationship, Houdini was the one always looking for rational answers behind the encounters and Doyle remained the devoted believer. The friendship ended after Lady Doyle held a sà ©ance in which she claimed to channel automatic-writing from Houdini’s mother. Houdini was not convinced. Among other issues with the writing was that it was all in English, a language Houdini’s mother never spoke. The friendship between Houdini and Doyle ended bitterly and led to many antagonistic attacks against each other in newspapers. Houdini began to expose the tricks used by mediums. He gave lectures on the topic and often included demonstrations of these tricks during his own performances. He joined a committee organized by Scientific American who analyzed claims for a $2,500 prize for a true psychic phenomena (no one ever received the prize). Houdini also spoke in front of the U.S. House of Representatives, supporting a proposed bill that would ban telling fortunes for pay in Washington D.C. The result was that even though Houdini brought about some skepticism, it seemed to create more interest in Spiritualism. However, many Spiritualists were extremely upset at Houdini and Houdini received a number of death threats. Death of Houdini On October 22, 1926, Houdini was in his dressing room preparing for a show at McGill University in Montreal, when one of the three students he had invited backstage asked if Houdini really could withstand a strong punch to his upper torso. Houdini answered that he could. The student, J. Gordon Whitehead, then asked Houdini if he could punch him. Houdini agreed and started to get up off a couch when Whitehead punched him three times in the abdomen before Houdini had a chance to tense his stomach muscles. Houdini turned visibly pale and the students left. To Houdini, the show must always go on. Suffering from severe pain, Houdini performed the show at McGill University and then went on to do two more the following day. Moving on to Detroit that evening, Houdini grew weak and suffered from stomach pain and fever. Instead of going to the hospital, he once again went on with the show, and collapsed offstage. He was taken to a hospital and it was discovered that not only had his appendix burst, it was showing signs of gangrene. The next afternoon surgeons removed his appendix. The next day his condition worsened; they operated on him again. Houdini told Bess that if he died he would try to contact her from the grave, giving her a secret code - â€Å"Rosabelle, believe.†Houdini died at 1:26 p.m. on Halloween day, October 31, 1926. He was 52-years old. Headlines immediately read â€Å"Was Houdini Murdered?†Did he really have appendicitis? Was he poisoned? Why was there no autopsy? Houdini’s life insurance company investigated his death and ruled out foul play, but for many, uncertainty regarding the cause of Houdini’s death lingers. For years after his death, Bess attempted to contact Houdini through sà ©ances, but Houdini never contacted her from beyond the grave.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
New Jersey vs. Virginia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
New Jersey vs. Virginia - Research Paper Example The population of New Jersey in 2010 is 8,791,894. 14.7% people in New Jersey are 65 or over 65-year-old (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). The unemployment rate in New Jersey was 6.5% by April 2015 (Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 2015).In New Jersey, the female population is more than the male population. 71.7% are over 21 years old. 68.6% white people lives in New Jersey, and 19.4% black people are part of New Jersey. The major source of revenue collection in New Jersey are five agricultural products that include greenhouse and nursery products, horses/mules, blueberries, dairy products, and chicken eggs. VirginiaThe State of Virginia locates on the eastern coast of the USA. West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky states border the State of Virginia. Virginia has 95 counties along with 38 independent cities that are considered county-equivalents for census purposes. Old Dominion is the nickname of Virginia. Richmond is the capital of Virginia. The Abbreviation of Virginia is VA. The largest city in Virginia is Virginia Beach. Total land area of Virginia is 110,785.67-square kilometers. The population of Virginia was 8,001,024 in 2010. 49.1% are males, and 50.9 % females are residents of Virginia. 13.8% peoples of Virginia are 65 years or over 65 years old.Map Observation:New JerseyThe State Capital of New Jersey is Trenton. The largest City in New Jersey is Newark. The State's abbreviation is NJ. New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware states borders New Jersey.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan - Assignment Example . The parable is about a father whose three young sons are inside a house on fire. The sons are too indulged in playing with each other to notice the danger posed by the fire. Rather than drawing their attention toward the fear and inculcating fear in them, the father lures his sons out by promising to each of them that if they come out, they would get the sort of cart desired by each of them individually. The father gives them the same type of cart once they come out of the house. In spite of his deviation in the fulfillment of his promise as he had originally made, his act is considered to be skillful and not deceitful because what he did saved the lives of his sons. The universal motif or theme the parable touches upon is that it is acceptable and not ethically or morally questionable to rationalize or not be entirely truthful about something if it serves a good purpose for the betterment of mankind. Sometimes, an individual has to make the best choice out of a number of unwanted options. In such circumstances, the individual should look for the greater good and accept to proceed with the option that produces minimal inconvenience and maximal good at the same time.
Compare and contrast the OSHA noise standard and the ACGIH noise Essay
Compare and contrast the OSHA noise standard and the ACGIH noise exposure recommendations - Essay Example That is why every year they developed new research and study to protect the workers towards its environment. Recently, one of the standards that they have developed was the noise standard. OSHA releases the reasons why they believe that workers should be protected from noise. According to them, noise creates a fatal effect to people. Those who are exposed to too much noise results to common hearing impairedness, which is more often ignored because the symptoms occurred in the later stage of the illness. What is distinct about the OSHA noise standard was that it aims to protect the workers from the noise pollution. They provided guidelines on the required â€Å"safe†maximum exposure of a person in a noisy environment. Also, they mentioned that workers should wear ear protective devices that fits the ear perfectly as to no sound shall go in (plain cotton is not advisable). Also, they proposed that industries should provide safety measures on controlling the noise they create especially to industries that are heavy on construction and production. On the other hand, ACGIH proposed the same principle. They also aim to secure and protect the citizens (not only the workers and employees) on controlling the noise pollution that is created everyday. Like OSHA, they also require to regulate noise and encourage the industries to take charge in protecting the ears of their employees. For instance, they require (as noise exposure limit): So technically, both organization aids the sole purpose of noise standard. The difference now lies on how each organization provides a more in-depth assistance in noise safety and health hazard towards the employers. ACGIH have the entire Part 7 for these purpose, entitled, â€Å"Noise, Vibration, Radiation and Temperature†. In this part, it enumerated a concrete provision on noise standards. It included exemption of noise control for workers, also with engineering noise control. They provided a hearing protection and warning signs
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Impact Evaluation and Accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Impact Evaluation and Accountability - Essay Example Can a government arbitrarily treat social concerns as its private reserve Better still, will the prime minister, president or monarch willingly abdicate his or her duties to look after the vulnerable section of society Social issues and problems are too deep, intricate and vexatious for even the government to handle single handedly. Traditionally, the social issues of poverty and unemployment were invariably touched upon by religious and/or civic conscious citizens under the patronage of the government and the wealthy. The system did not need regular improvising until the need became known and the means were available. Today, social work is a specialized domain. The issues are more complex and it is not only poverty and unemployment, but also a host of other disturbances like child labor and stress management seeking attention. It has become necessary for social factors to be studied, statistically and scientifically observed, understood and concluded upon by qualified and experienced experts. (Performance Measurement and Evaluation) Accountability is a combination of procedure and responsibility. There are eon procedures and methods, but it is left to the wisdom and discretion of the accountant to evolve a system best suited for the purpose of the organization. The accountant uses not only his academic skills and experience, but also his creative faculties to carry out the daily activities and evolve new methods when and where necessary with the resources available to him. The accountant is also responsible to the management and the statutory authorities like the chartered accountants. He is under the supervisory gaze of these authorities and his actions and decisions are subject to their approvals, corrective suggestions and instructions, and sometimes even censure in fraudulent cases. Other than the accountant, the social organization must be allocated the necessary funds and allowed to operate on its own to fulfill its goals and obligations. Social organizations have the necessary personnel and wherewithal to define social problems and the means to find solutions. (Healthcare & Social Services) Government and Accountability The traditional way of working has given way to the current trends of working. In the current scenario, the system is simple although hi-tech. It is highly adept to policy, procedure and systems loyalties. But it needs the tender and efficacious touch of an expert operator. As the highest authority of the land, the government has enough powers and means to oversee, control and legislate not only the social sector but the entire gamut of departmental ministries. The government itself has to operate within its budgetary and functional constraints. Its ministers and staff have their duties to perform and they cannot overstretch their limits. There are thousands of social trusts, social organizations, social volunteers and social problems. It is practically impossible for the government to keep tabs on all of them. They
RCM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
RCM - Essay Example RCM covers both the risk of physical and operational failure and considers events that could reasonably cause an asset to cease performing any of its desired functions (Mutual Consultants Ltd 2009). Proper maintenance of assets while important for both households and businesses is fundamental to the operating efficiency of businesses. The failure of a critical asset can have devastating consequences for a business if it cannot be repaired or replaced quickly. In order to ensure that adequate maintenance takes place a maintenance program needs to be implemented for all equipment in use. This program should be capable of predicting the degradation or failure of an equipment before it happens. An RCM program can lead to increased operating performance, reduced maintenance costs and reduced energy bills (Chimack et al n.d.). 2.0 Operating context ‘RCM is a maintenance perspective in an operational context’ and so understanding the goals and needs of the organisation is funda mental in the development of a maintenance strategy to optimise business outcomes in the context of the goals of the business (August 1999). The asset that is being analysed is a Daiken split air conditioning system which is located in an office of 54 square metres. It provides cool air at a temperature differential (TD) of between 8 and 11oC and as a secondary function helps to eliminate or reduce unwanted particulate or gaseous substances from the air being supplied to the office. The office operates six (6) days per week at an average of seven (7) hours per day providing customer service to internet users and students doing research. On average about five to seven customers are being served at any one time and approximately 36 in any one day. The air conditioner is switched on and off using a remote control when the temperature gets too cold. The room temperature normally gets cold when only one or two customers are in the office. However, it is normally set at a temperature gaug e of 26oC. It is flushed once every three (3) months and the air filter is also cleaned by the office staff. The air conditioner is only serviced by a trained technician in reaction to a fault that causes it to malfunction. In addition to its primary function of providing cool air at low noise levels it also removes dust and other particles from the air. 2.1 Working principle Airconditioning-and-heating.com (n.d.), the air conditioning system circulates a compressed gas refrigerant in a closed â€Å"split†system to cool and condition inside air in order to make its occupants comfortable. This refrigerant has to be re-cooled and condensed, and the air outside is generally the medium that is used to facilitate this process. Split airconditioning.com (n.d.) also states that the air conditioning system also controls the purity of the air by reducing or eliminating unwanted particul
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