the Necklace By guy de maupassant Essays - Emotions, The Necklace

Desire and jealousy are among the best of sins and have been the ruin of many. Maupassant's The Necklace is the narrative of a lady who is overwhelmed with desire and jealousy. Mathilde Loisel feels she has been cheated by life from the entirety of the awesome things it brings to the table. The peruser figures out how these characteristics in Mme. Loisel cause issues down the road for her for a long time as the story unfurls with an unexpected completion. Mathilde Loisel, as the primary character of the story, is really conceivable. She is portrayed as one of those pretty and beguiling young ladies who are some of the time, naturally introduced to a group of clerks(900). The creator depicts how she experiences her way of life of being white collar class. There is a cliché rich man, poor man quality as Mme. Loisel aches for the material things that her old classmate Mme. Forester has. The physical appearance of the characters just as their activities, thought, and feelings are extremely point by point all through the story. The principle character's life, just as her husband's, takes a sensational turn and the creator portrays the physical and enthusiastic changes in incredible detail. The story's title doesn't mean the topic in any case, the subject of the story is repeated all through the story. She had no dresses, no gems, nothing. What's more, she didn't adore anything yet that; she felt made for that. She would so have gotten a kick out of the chance to if it's not too much trouble to be begrudged, to be beguiling, to be looked for after(900). Mme. Loisel was desirous of her companion and any other person who had more than what she had. She felt that she merited these things.

Free Essays on Histroy Of Gospel Music

permitted the individuals who couldn't peruse the chance to take an interest in venerate. Good news of that time created no composed music, no attractive characteristics like a show. To acquaint this music with a crowd of people was to transform it, conceivably out of all acknowledgment. The development of Gospel was a period of remarkable Christian recovery. â€Å"While enthusiastic lessons were being lectured immense gatherings in the prospering new urban areas of North America, the Pentecostal dark networks increased. Close by the broadly composed organizations, the dark ghettos sustained free churches.† (Petrie) Here the African-American admirers delighted in the since a long time ago settled customs of act of spontaneity in lesson and music, the persistent discourse among minister and gathering formalized in melodic examples of call-and-reaction, and sooner or later the yell actuating music and danc... Free Essays on Histroy Of Gospel Music Free Essays on Histroy Of Gospel Music The Origin of Gospel Music Gospel music is a subordinate of Negro spirituals. Gospel music is considered to have started in the United States, in some cases in the nineteenth century, first showing up in print in 1874 with the distribution of â€Å"Gospel Songs† by Philip Bliss. The word Gospel is gotten from of â€Å"God† and â€Å"spell.† The importance of Gospel is â€Å"good news.† Gospel music is sacrosanct music. The class is recognized basically by suddenness and casualness. It is society music which proposes that it and its common partners are extraordinarily affected by one another. The same amount of the contemporary gospel music of today seems like R and B and Hip-Hop, so did the vast majority of the early gospel music sound like the Blues. So as to contact the most stretched out conceivable crowd, there are no style limitations on gospel music; just the topical substance stays consistent. Coming out of an oral convention, gospel music regularly uses a lot of reiteration. This is a remainder from when many post-Reconstruction blacks couldn't peruse. The reiteration of the words permitted the individuals who couldn't peruse the chance to take an interest in love. Good news of that time delivered no composed music, no attractive characteristics like a show. To acquaint this music with a group of people was to transform it, possibly out of all acknowledgment. The development of Gospel was a period of uncommon Christian restoration. â€Å"While ardent messages were being lectured tremendous gatherings in the thriving new urban communities of North America, the Pentecostal dark networks increased. Close by the broadly sorted out organizations, the dark ghettos sustained autonomous churches.† (Petrie) Here the African-American admirers appreciated the since quite a while ago settled conventions of act of spontaneity in message and music, the constant discourse among minister and gathering formalized in melodic examples of call-and-reaction, and eventually the yell instigating music and danc...

Happy Birthday, Dylan Thomas!

Happy Birthday, Dylan Thomas! I always think it better to celebrate a birth than a death. So, in honour of the great, late Dylan Thomas’s birthday â€" 27 October 1914 â€" I thought I’d talk about a visit I made a few years back to Laugharne (pronounced somewhere between ‘lawn’ and ‘larn’) in South Wales. Dylan lived in Laugharne for stretches of his adult life, most notably moving to the Boathouse overlooking the Taf estuary in 1949. This move brought a sense of stability and renewed creativity for Thomas in an often tumultuous life. “And I rose/ In a rainy autumn/ And walked abroad in shower of all my days” True to its reputation, Wales rained on us. It started as soon as we crossed the Severn and didn’t let up for the rest of the journey. I don’t think I’ve ever driven through such intense rain, it struck the already slick ground and lashed upwards strangling  the headlights. The windshield was a lonely porthole into a submerged world, as we navigated increasingly narrow, rolling, winding country roads. We arrived late, barely looking around us as we dashed from the car to our cabin. It supposedly had views of the bay, but by then the night and rain had closed in like a hood. “A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it.” The next morning, we gingerly emerged to be greeted by glorious sunshine and the most stunning view. This great sweep of sand and water below us, calm and still, a pitted mirror reflecting earth and heaven. It was beautiful. It is unsurprising that Thomas came here to seek inspiration, describing it as ‘this place I love and where I want to live and where I can work’. His famous writing shed â€" a replica of which recently went on tour! â€" is situated further up the slope from the Boathouse and faces out over the bay. The first poem he wrote from this vantage point was Over Sir John’s Hill. It is both a description of the birds living and hunting over the estuary and a meditation on life and death: Where the elegiac fisherbird stabs and paddles In the pebbly dab-filled Shallow and sedge, and dilly dilly, calls the loft hawk, Come and be killed, I open the leaves of the water at a passage Of psalms and shadows among the pincered sandcrabs prancing And read, in a shell, Death clear as a buoy’s bell; The poem is a wonderful piece of nature writing. It captures the melancholy air the area can take on, particularly when the clouds gather and dress the water in dappled grey. It’s a changeable landscape, seemingly tailor-made for critics’ ideas of pathetic fallacy. Having read Thomas’s poem while overlooking the bay â€" and re-read it many times since â€" it has become intertwined with my sense of the place. I don’t know if I remember or imagine the hawk that glides across the sky. “Somebodys boring me. I think its me.” My knowledge of Dylan Thomas was limited before our trip. Like most people, I was mainly familiar with him through his poem Do not go gentle into that good night, an emotive cry against the inevitability of dying and a plea to hold onto the vestiges of life: And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. From the two poems featured, you might imagine him a serious or even dour man, but he had a quick wit and was known as a raconteur, not liable to take himself too seriously â€" as you might be able to tell from the quote that heads this section. You can get a real sense of this when reading Thomass stories and humorous essays. “An alcoholic is someone you dont like, who drinks as much as you do.” I’d recommend a visit to Laugharne for both its natural beauty and literary significance. The Boathouse has been converted into a museum where you can read and watch videos about Thomas and his family. You can stop by Thomass writing shed and see his desk strewn with papers and curled pictures pinned to the walls, visit the local pubs that were his haunts and walk down to the sea â€" being careful not to get caught out by the tide. Dylan Thomass Writing Shed His was an often troubled life, particularly surrounding his personal relationships. He struggled with alcoholism, which contributed to his death at the age of just 39. One oft-repeated anecdote talks of how Caitlan, his wife, would lock him in his shed to ensure he worked on his poetry, before letting him out in the evening when he would head to the local pub. But rather than focus on that, let’s celebrate his life and works. On the 27 October, join me in reading Poem in October, written by Thomas on his own 30th birthday: My birthday began with the water- Birds and the birds of the winged trees flying my name Above the farms and the white horses And I rose In a rainy autumn And walked abroad in shower of all my days If you find yourself in Laugharne, you can even go on the  Dylan Birthday walk, inspired by the poem and the paths he took as  he meandered through the area. Happy Birthday Dylan Thomas!

A New York Times Op Ed Article - 1443 Words

Introduction: A New York Times op-ed article on May 14, 2013 revealed that Angelina Jolie underwent a double mastectomy (Jolie). She did not have cancer. What would prompt a healthy individual to perform such drastic and disfiguring surgery if her life were not in danger? It turns out that she carries a breast cancer gene mutation, BRCA1, which increases the chances of developing breast and ovarian cancer. The availability of genetic testing has caused prophylactic double mastectomy rates to increase dramatically. Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Sharon Osborne and Christina Applegate have had double mastectomy due to their genetic predisposition for developing the disease. What is the BRCA gene mutation, what are the risks, and who is†¦show more content†¦Therefore, mutations lead to an increased risk of developing breast cancer among other malignancies in one’s lifetime (Hardy, Tarasewicz, Jeruss, 2013, p. 49). Women with a BRCA gene mutation have a considerable risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime compared to those who do not carry the gene mutation. In the general population, the prevalence of BRCA genes is 1 in 300-500 people. In some populations, the frequency of carriers is much higher. Most notably, Ashkenazi Jewish descendants have a frequency as high as 1 in 40 (Hardy, Tarasewicz, Jeruss, 2013, pp. 49-50). Women who are BRCA carriers have a 76–84% chance of developing breast cancer before the age of 70, compared to 13% of non BRCA gene mutation carriers. Additionally, carriers are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age, and their cancer is of a higher histologic grade. They are also more likely to develop cancer in the contralateral breast (Hardy, Tarasewicz, Jeruss, 2013, p. 50). This increased risk is great cause for concern, and currently genetic testing is available to those who might be gene mutation carriers. Who should get tested? According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), primary care providers should screen women who have family members with breast, ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer, to identify a family history that might be associated with an increased risk for BRCA gene

Fixing the Future Essay - 683 Words

As the dawn started breaking the next day, the peculiar group inside Smith was preparing for anything. They had even loaded themselves with a variation of handguns in case they needed more firepower than Smith had to offer at the moment. Seemed silly, as the enemy had had plenty time to wait and scout the area they were hiding in and, also, to get very cross with them. But being in the situation that they were, they had to be prepared to do all they could to at least make their capture as hard on the enemy as possible. When they were finished with the preparations, Mu, Gamma and Beta seated themselves at the control table. Grave silence filled the corridors as to contrast the merriness of them from the night before. â€Å"All set?† Gamma†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Didn’t I tell you to stop that the last time I was here?† â€Å"You did indeed, sir.† â€Å"Enough chitchat!† Gamma commanded as Mu switched the main engine on when the wing engines had reached an equal temperature. â€Å"Engines on. Checking the guns.† Mu announced as he went through a list on a screen above him, switching all available guns to be at ready when needed. Of course they were more than low of ammunition, but maybe they could get creative; that’s why Mu was behind the guns. They didn’t want to repeat the fire-everything –incidence that had gotten Gamma into this mess. â€Å"Alright then. Ladies, get ready for a take off.† Gamma exclaimed through the JPCs as he headed up, trying not to cause a forest fire. Not even a minute after they had taken off, the first of the neudroids arrived to their scanner. â€Å"Ready to fire. Cam, activate the lazers. We’re not in risk of unattended combustion anymore. A, make sure our energy feed is balanced, we don’t want any nasty surprises.† â€Å"Got it,† Anette replied, and Beta couldn’t help but snicker when he heard her voice for the first time. He got a curious look from Gamma, who wasn’t certain what he thought was funny in a situation where Neudroids were nearing them, their plasma canisters full while they had barely any left. â€Å"When were you planning to tell us you knew a master thief?† Beta asked after making sure that his comm link was closed, trying to keep his humor under control. â€Å"You peeked,† Gamma yelped at him, accusingly.Show MoreRelatedFixing the Future1094 Words   |  4 Pages†Smith, is there a wormhole that would take us to Red Restina anywhere near? I wouldn’t want to try our luck with the engine, and we don’t have resources to keep this up with a fully stored neudroid ship.† Gamma asked, after he had given the females of their group an all-clear and they had gone off to get rid of the piles of guns they had on them and change their clothes. â€Å"Unfortunately the closest I can find is in the Saturn rings and too soon for us to make it there in time.† â€Å"How long is itRead MoreHISTORY OF MATCH FIXING IN INDIA The start to the new millennium was not very auspicious for the900 Words   |  4 PagesHISTORY OF MATCH FIXING IN INDIA The start to the new millennium was not very auspicious for the Cricket world, as were engulfed in a series of match fixing scandals that has left the world socked and bewildered. The first trace of cheating in cricket was found in 1994-95, Shane Warne and Mark Waugh - two of the greatest names in the history of Australian cricket were guilty of supplying information about team selection, weather and pitch to an Indian bookmaker in 1994. They were let off easilyRead MoreEnergy Joint Genome Institute ( Mpi ) For Terrestrial Microbiology1046 Words   |  5 PagesMarburg, Germany, by tapping the DNA synthesis expertise of the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), has reverse engineered a biosynthetic pathway for more effective carbon fixation. This novel pathway is based on a new CO2-fixing enzyme that is nearly 20 times faster than the most prevalent enzyme in nature responsible for capturing CO2 in plants by using sunlight as energy. The study was published in the November 18, 2016 issue of Science. We had seen how efforts to directlyRead MoreNotes On Galaxy Sivtek Pvt Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pagesmaking the circular frame out off st raight sheet metal, fixing the nut at the center of the sieve frame, layout problem etc. All of the above mentioned problems were there in the company out of which layout problem and nut fixing problem were main problem. Due to the layout problem time consumption for manufacturing one machine is very more and also material handling and transporting becomes very hard. Also due to manual fixing of nut at the centre of the sieve frame by measuring withRead MoreFord Pinto Case For A Defective Fuel System903 Words   |  4 Pageswould be the most ethical decision for the business. But later in 1978 media paid more attention to the Pinto gas tank stories, which resulted in accidents and many people lost their lives. Ford faced pressure from the media, the government, loss of future sales, loss of image, court cases, and had to recall 1.5 million Pintos. One wrong decision of the Pinto Ford representatives cost them more than what they assumed. In this case the argument and results would be different according to ones ethicalRead MoreRepair Anything Is A Management Software That Helps User1470 Words   |  6 PagesRepair Anything is a management software that helps user control a large amount of customers, and it also creates a solid connection between customers and user. After a long time of frustration fixing a computer, people could come to Repair Anything store and get help from an assistant or they could fix it by themselves with all available tools. To keep up with the DIY culture, Repair Anything software is created to help a store manage all the customer data automatically. The software is a combinationRead MoreEssay on Nature of customer demand within a company1454 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Part One A) The general nature of the funeral business is to some degree incredibly uncertain. There is no guaranteed way of forecasting future work as there is no guarantee that death rates in the area will remain the same year on year due to various factors e.g. general health in the area, local disasters, poverty rates etc. For the purpose of this report the focus will not be on the funeral business as a whole but on one area of sales – monumental masonry. The nature of customerRead MoreCase Study : Anti Competition Project1497 Words   |  6 Pagesresearch a case concerning price fixing in a market. †¢ Describe the situation and the product. What was the impact on prices, quantities, consumers, etc.? Response: General Electric and Westinghouse were the leaders in a price-fixing cartel based around selling heavy equipment during the 1950s. The prices were set identical for a large group of companies on big ticket items. This price-fixing scandal drove up prices for many consumers (Trex). †¢ Describe how the price-fixing arrangement was made-i.e.Read MoreAnalysis Of Leadership Bs Fixing Workplaces And Careers One Truth At A Time1596 Words   |  7 Pages Analysis of Leadership BS Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time Rafael A Guzman Garmendia Webster University MNGT 5670 Dr. John D. Theodore 12/16/2015 â€Æ' Abstract This paper condense an summary of the learning acquired from the book Leadership BS Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time, written by Jeffrey Pfeffer, contrasting approach with the book Leadership written by Andrew DuBrin, showing the remarkable differences between authors line. â€Æ' Introduction One of theRead MoreBroken Family Essay1428 Words   |  6 Pageslater in life (WF—Lawyers np). Divorce can occur for many reasons, such as lack of commitment, constant arguments, and early marriage (WF—Lawyers np). These problems take a role in the majority of divorces, however, solving these major issues through fixing broken relationships has its benefits. Society, unfortunately, shows us that we must replace broken items rather than fix them. Maintaining healthy households and strong family values through the mending of relationships is important. Since the 1980s

Common Law and Equity Free Essays

The Development of Common Law and Equity Common Law has been functioning in England since the 1250’s, two centuries after William the Conqueror defeated Earl Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and became King. It was then in 1066 that Law began to be standardised. There were, however, problems with the Common Law system and people were becoming dissatisfied with the remedies distributed by the Court. We will write a custom essay sample on Common Law and Equity or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a result, the Court of Chancery was established and could provide whatever remedy best suited the case. This type of justice became known as equity. When William the Conqueror gained the English throne in 1066, he constituted the Curia Regis, an instrument he used to govern the country and a court for deciding disputes. Representatives from the Regis were sent out to the different localities of the country to check local administration and were ordered to make judgement of the effectiveness of the custom laws functioning in their designated locality and report back to the King in Westminster. When the representatives were summoned back, they were able to discuss the various customs of each locality and were able to form, through rejecting unreasonable laws and accepting those that appeared to be rational, a consistent body of rules. During the process of sifting, the principle of ‘stare decisis’ was created, which translates to ‘let the decision stand’. Whenever a new problem of law was to be decided, the decision formed a rule and it was mandatory that the rule was followed in all similar cases. By 1250, a common law had been established, that ruled the whole country. However problems soon arose regarding the remedies distributed by the Common Law Court and people soon became dissatisfied with the system. One of the first complaints was concerned with the writ system. In the common law courts, civil actions had to be started by a writ. Early on, new writs were created to suit new circumstances, however this stopped in the thirteenth century. Litigants had to fit their circumstances to one of the available types of writ. If the case did not fall into the existing writ, the case could not be taken to court. Many people found their cases to be rejected for the reason that there was no writ to satisfy their case and so they were not given justice. A second complaint was related to the remedy of damages. What the court did not realise was that money was not always an adequate solution to every problem. A final problem that arose with the system was that it was inflexible. The principle of ‘stare decisis’ meant that when a decision was given in a case of a certain kind, the same legal principle had to be followed in subsequent cases, no matter what the situation of the claimant. As a result, people started to petition the king who was thought of as the ‘fountain of justice’. After a while, the king passed on these petitions to the Chancellor who was usually a member of the clergy and was thought of as ‘the keeper of the king’s conscience’. Before long, litigants began to petition the Chancellor himself and by 1474 the Chancellor had begun to make decisions on the cases on his own authority rather than as a substitute for the king. This was the beginning of the court of Chancery. In the court of Chancery, litigants appeared before the Chancellor and he would deliver a verdict on the presented case based on his own moral view of the situation. Unlike the Common Law court, the court of Chancery could provide whatever remedy best suited the case and this type of justice became known as equity. Before equitable rules could be applied, equity devised maxims, developed to certify that the verdicts made were morally fair, which had to be contemplated prior to a final court decision. One of these maxims, â€Å"He who comes to equity must come with clean hands†, states that claimants who have in some way been in the wrong in the past will not be granted an equitable remedy. An example illustrating this maxim would be the D+C Builders v Rees (1966) case, were the Rees was denied an equitable estoppel as they had taken unfair advantage of the builder’s financial difficulties and therefore had not â€Å"come with clean hands†. A second maxim, â€Å"He who seeks equity, must do equity†, articulates that anyone who seeks equitable relief must be prepared to act fairly towards their opponent. In the Chappel v Times Newspapers ltd (1975) case, newspaper employees applied for an injunction to prevent their employers from carrying out the threat of sacking them unless they stopped their strike action. The court said that in order for them to be awarded the remedy, the strikers should withdraw their strike action if the injunction was granted. The employees refused and so the injunction was not granted. Another maxim is â€Å"Delay defeats equity†. This maxim states that where a claimant takes an unreasonably long time to bring an action, equitable remedies will not be available. This is exemplified in the Leaf v International Galleries (1950) case where the claimant, Leaf, had bought a painting for a considerable amount of money however he found, five years later, that it was not the genuine constable he thought it was. When he claimed the equitable remedy of rescission, it was refused as the delay had been too long. In response to the complaints regarding the remedies offered by the common law courts, equity increased the number of remedies available to the wronged party. Instead of just being given then remedy of damages, claimants could now be granted an injunction, which is an order given to defendants to do or not do something, specific performance, which compels a part to fulfil a previous agreement, a rescission, which restores parties of a contract to the position they were in before the contract was signed and rectification, which is an order that alters the words of a document which does not express the true intentions of the parties to it. These remedies offered by the court of chancery are discretionary. A claimant who wins a common law court case is given the remedy of damages as of right, however the courts may choose whether or not to award an equitable remedy. Equitable remedies are therefore not given as of right. Due to the improvements made by equity regarding remedies, the court of chancery became very popular and caused some resentment amongst the common law courts. The lawyers of the common law courts argued that the quality of the decisions made in the court of chancery varied with the length of the chancellor’s foot, meaning that the outcome of each case depended on the qualities of the individual chancellor. The tension between the two courts grew to an all-time high in the Earl of Oxford’s case (1615), where a judgment of Chief Justice Coke was allegedly obtained by fraud. The Lord Chancellor issued a common injunction of the Chancery prohibiting the enforcement of the common law order. The two courts became locked in a stalemate, and the matter was eventually referred to the Attorney General. The Attorney General upheld the use of the common injunction and concluded that in the event of any conflict between the common law and equity, equity would prevail. Equity’s primacy in England was later enshrined in the Judicature Acts (1873-75), which provided that equity and common law could both be operated in the same court and there would no longer be different procedures for requesting remedies from equity and the common law. To conclude, it was William the Conqueror who came up with the initial idea of establishing a common law and after two centuries of sifting through the custom laws of the numerous localities of the country, a common law had been established that ruled the whole of the country. However problems in the common law system soon arose regarding the writ system, the inflexibility of the system, and the remedy of damages. The court of chancery was established and it is here that equity functioned. Equity brought in new equitable remedies such as injunctions, specific performance, rescissions, and rectifications however before these remedies could be granted, the case being presented had to conform to the equitable maxims which were developed to certify that the verdicts made were morally fair. The court of chancery became very popular and caused some resentment amongst the common law courts, whose lawyers argued that the quality of the decisions made in the court of chancery varied with the length of the Chancellors foot. As a result of the Earl of Oxford case, whenever there is conflict between the common law courts and equity, equity will prevail, which allows for the further development of equity today. The Judicature Acts of the 1870’s provided that equity and common law could both be operated in the same court and there would no longer be different procedures for requesting remedies from equity and the common law. In short terms, if it was not for common law and the faults found in its system, equity would cease to exist. How to cite Common Law and Equity, Essay examples

Hand Washing Way free essay sample

Research has shown the single most effective practice that prevents the spread of germs in the child-care setting is good hand washing by caregivers and children. †¢ Rubbing hands together under running water is the most important part of washing away infectious germs. Deficiencies in hand washing, including sharing basins of water, have contributed to many outbreaks of diarrhea among children and caregivers in child-care centers. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends these hand washing steps: †¢ Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap Rub your hands together to make lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. †¢ Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds (tip: hum the â€Å"Happy Birthday† song twice. †¢ Rinse your hands well under running water. †¢ Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry. †¢ Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet. We will write a custom essay sample on Hand Washing Way or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page †¢ The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers does not substitute for hand washing in the group care setting. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are flammable and toxic if ingested by children. Communicable diseases are spread from person-to-person in four basic ways: 1. Airborne or the respiratory route These germs are spread when infected droplets from the nose, mouth, sinuses, throat, lungs or contaminated tissues or fabric are inhaled when we breathe. Examples of the Airborne Route of infection are: TB, Colds, Chicken pox 2. Direct contact route This type of germ contact occurs by directly touching an infected area or body fluid such as saliva, mucus, eye discharge, pus or spit. Examples of Direct Contact route are: Conjunctivitis, impetigo, lice, poison ivy, chicken pox 3. Fecal-oral route These germs enter the body from hands, food, mouthed toys, toilet, diapers, etc. , that have been unintentionally infected with germs from stool. Examples of Fecal-Oral communicable route are: hand, foot, and mouth disease, Hepatitis A, rotavirus 4. Blood contact route Meaning that an individual must come into contact with the infected blood or infected body fluids or another in order to â€Å"catch† the disease. Examples of Blood Contact route are: HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C Expected Responses: Wearing gloves, washing hands, using bleach or other approved disinfecting solutions, using available resuscitation masks (CPR).

Hitler and Stalin Essay Example

Hitler and Stalin Essay One of the most famous men for using his power for evil is Doll Hitler. Everyone today knows all of the hatred and diversions he brought to the world. Hitler had a dream and this dream was to have one race with blue eyes and blonde hair. Of course not everyone in the world had those features so his big plan was to annihilate everyone who was different or stood in the way of him conquering his dream. Hitters rise to power did not take long. Hitler was very charismatic and had many followers. Like today how actors and stars sometimes act out Just to get noticed Hitler started any protests and little up-roars In streets when he began to get Involved In parties and groups and thats how Hitler came to be noticed. Just Like Joseph Stalin, Hitler came Into power at a time of high Instability In their countries and they both took advantage of It to gain political support for their totalitarian causes. Hitler was Intrigued by Marxism while Stalin was fascinated with Fascism. Hitler Like Stalin made use of an elite body guard named The Joseph Stalin and Hitler both sought to blame other people for the problems that were playing In their countries at the time. For Hitler it was the Jews and for Stalin he saw capitalism as a great enemy. Like Hitler, Stalin ruled with an iron fist and used terrorism to enforce his will on people. Hitler and Stalin were both skillful in many areas but their best was propaganda. We will write a custom essay sample on Hitler and Stalin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Hitler and Stalin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Hitler and Stalin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They could twist their words and manipulate people into believing what they had to say. Hitler made many speeches, but the one that proved he used propaganda was his final speech he gave before his treason. Stalin on the other hand was able to hide his manipulative skills better but in his speech to the Fifteenth Congress in 1927 it had any lies within it. The success of these two men was mostly attributed to their politics and new ideas. N conclusion, Joseph Stalin and Doll Hitler had many similarities in their rise to power. To me the things that stood out the most studying them were their exceptional ways to brain wash people, being unethical in almost all there ways yet through it all what they both wanted the most was to rule over their country making it better and stronger while getting rid of anything or anyone who stood in their way. Studying Hitler and Stalin I think they did accomplish those things.

Catholic - I Believe In God Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Catholic - I Believe In God Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Catholic - I Believe In God Christy Sanchez STILL CATHOLIC AFTER ALL THESE YEARS I believe in God, Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten son, Our Lord, who was born of the Holy Ghost and of Mary, the Virgin, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and buried; on the third day He rose from the dead ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead; and in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Church; the remission of sins; and the resurrection of the dead. (Apostles Creed) I am Catholic, and this prayer that is said at church every Sunday encompasses my beliefs as a Catholic. Before I get into what I believe in as a Catholic, I would like to give some background on the religion itself, because this has also shaped my beliefs. Catholicism comes from Christianity. Of all the religions, Christianity is the most widespread and has the largest number of members. (Smith, p.317) Christianity is based on actual history, and they have historical facts to back up a lot of the ideas. The word Catholic is generally taken to mean universal, although the Greek roots of the word mean according to (kata) the whole (holos). In the ancient Church, it was used to refer to a single, visible communion, separate from others, bonded together through faith in Jesus Christ (web). As far back as the ninth century, St. Cyril of Jerusalem stated: The Church is called Catholic, because it teaches universally and infallibly each and every doctrined which must come to the knowledge of men, concerning things visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly, because it brings every race of men into subjection to holiness, because it universally treats and heals every class of sins, and because it possesses within itself every conceivable form of virtue, in deeds and in words and in the spiritual gifts of every description. Catholics are followers of Jesus. Our journey begins at baptism, and we continue on that journey towards eternal happiness. There are two main ideas that separate Catholicism from Christianity. The first is that Catholics believe in the Church as its teacher. This means that just as you might need a math teacher to explain your textbook in a way that you understand, we need the leaders of the Church (Pope, bishops, and priests) to interpret the Bible. We shouldn't take everything the Bible says literally, and these leaders help us to apply its teachings to our lives. The second main idea is that there are seven Sacraments (baptism, confession, communion, confirmation, marriage, annointing of the sick, Holy Orders) that we need to incorporate into our lives so that we may live the teachings of the Church. It is one thing to hear how we should live our lives, but it is another to do. That is where the Sacraments help. The Church has laws governing the reception of all the sacraments. Members are expected to try and understand the meaning of the Church's rituals and to develop a full sacramental lifestyle. ( web) Catholicism has other teachings that are integral to the religion. Followers are expected to live according to the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, and the laws and moral teachings of the Church. The Church is officially against any racial or national criteria for membership. It is a universal church, and everyone is welcome. (web) There is also no age requirement to become Catholic, although there are age restrictions on some of the Sacraments. Members of the Catholic Church are expected to offer Christian services within the Church and the community, and to be especially generous with both time and money to the poor. Church members are expected to support their church. However, no one is excluded based on his or her lack of financial contributions. Baptism is required for membership. The Catholic Church requires its members to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, and to participate in prayer services and celebration of the sacraments . Those are the core beliefs that date back to it's earliest teachings. Some of the beliefs that are heard about in more recent times, are

Forest Laboratories. Pharmaceutical Business Ethics Research Paper

Forest Laboratories. Pharmaceutical Business Ethics - Research Paper Example Food and Drug Administration. They even presented imprecise information and obstructed an FDA inspection regarding the presented data. Forest Lab also unethically encouraged the use of Celexa and Lexapro for pediatric use through off-label promotion, although the medicines were approved for adults only. Discussion The business ethics concerned with the Pharmaceutical Industry is based on the organizational ethics. Business ethics includes the ideology, principles and values that direct and conduct actions and manners in the business world. Every company should build up its own corporate values, implement code of ethics which it will always stand by and endeavor to prevent delinquency both in the individual as well as organizational level (Ferrell, O.C. â€Å"Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases†) The pharmaceutical industry deals with the health and welfare of human beings and hence is a much regulated industry. Every organization in the industry should abide by the standards of business practices and ethics. The functioning of a business should be honest and fair, should maintain quality and safety of the products, and be responsible towards surroundings, health and wellbeing. It should be compliant towards regulatory regulations and make certain that high ethical standards are endorsed, and infringement of law is avoided. It is expected to preserve the utmost level of professionalism and ethical conduct in terms of the communications and transactions with others. Organizations should comply austerely with all measures concerning the handling and stocking up of forbidden and restricted substances (Ferrell, O.C. â€Å"Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases†; Salek.S & Edgar.A. â€Å"Pharmaceutical Ethics†). Clearly, an organization should put up with the legislative obligations existing within the countries where it operates its business. The deeds and conduct of both individual employees and the organization as a whole should always be consistent with the regulations existing in the country within which it operates, and be ethical at all times. There have been considerable pains to offer ethical regulation for pharmaceutical industry but there is no collectively established principle for daily resolutions in pharmaceuticals industry practices. There is a requirement for such a worldwide principle which focuses on an organization’s personal ethics versus that of compliance (Vandenbroucke, P. â€Å"Ethics in Pharmaceutical Business Practice.†). Forest Laboratories paid $313 million as a penalty for the three charges imposed against them. Last year, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department's Office of Inspector General were evaluating if they should bar Forest Lab’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Howard Solomon, from taking part in central healthcare plans (Krauskopf, L. â€Å"Analysis: After 34 years, Forest's CEO takes stand†). The U.S. agency brought into play an administrative policy under the Social Security Act; which permits the agency officials to exclude corporate managers from health-industry organizations performing trade with the government, if the pharmaceutical organization was found accountable of illegal delinquency (Jones. A. â€Å"Does Forest Labs Case Signal New Era in White-Collar Prosecution?†). The management of Forest Lab stood firmly beside their CEO, claiming that barring him from the industry would be unfair as there were no allegations against him. The government had not succeeded to establish a straight legal or authoritarian infringement against Howard Solomon other than his association with Forest Lab (Forest Laboratories, â€Å"

Marketing Strategy and Implementation Plan Essay

Marketing Strategy and Implementation Plan - Essay Example This essay describes the Absorb Rite Tissues and Towels, Inc. company, that is a successful manufacturer of dairy paper products, enjoying for many years the loyalty of its customers. Competing in the private labels industry for many years, the company is currently facing a down-ward slope in its sales and overall profits due to the shift in customer (retailers) demands. The emergence and development of grocery and super store chains have ultimately pushed prices down; a fact that has caused a lot of pressure to Absorb Rite as it merely produces ‘on the line’ of breaking even. In addition to that, a loss of some of the major clients has considerably further reduced the profits gained. The company has been focusing on manufacturing an innovative product that has a dual utility; the products have already gone through the R&D department and have been tested to sample markets with positive feedback and reviews. The overall strategy of Absorb Rite Tissues and Towels, Inc. sho uld be directed towards marketing and promoting the innovative new products that have already been designed in the R&D department and researched in test markets. To this extend, Absorb Rite needs to redirect its strategy and objectives towards promoting this new line and eventually penetrating the market while capturing largest portions of the market. This marketing plan effectively offers a complete action plan for the necessary activities that need to be implemented towards restoring the position of the firm and increasing total sales.

Caffeine Coffee Stimulant

Caffeine Coffee Stimulant Caffeine Consumption Miranda Opolka Abstract Caffeine is the most commonly consumed ‘drug in the world that is said to have been discovered in the Paleolithic Period. It is found in basically everything that people consume including all types of food, soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee, tea, and chocolate. The purpose of caffeine is to help strengthen attentiveness and diminish exhaustion. Taking too much or abusing the use of caffeine, can cause side effects, but can all be avoided if taken in reasonable amounts. So many beneficial effects come with consuming this drug from helping people in sports, to losing weight, to increasing alertness, and repelling things such as snails and slugs. Testing is done often to find more ways that caffeine is useful in individuals lives. In the authors opinion it is believed that caffeine has many more positive effects that overcome the negative effects. Caffeine Consumption INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY Caffeine has been around for many years and is having an impact on more and more people everyday. A great deal of evidence denotes that the consumption of caffeine goes all the way back to the Paleolithic Period (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Some may think that caffeine is bad for the body and does no good, however many Americans consume caffeine everyday in their diet. Although caffeine has both positive and negative effects, there are much more positive effects if taken responsibly. Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system, which causes high alertness. Taking too much of any drug is going to lead to the chances of having side effects. The side effects can be prevented by decreasing the amount of caffeine that is taken into the body. Thus, from increasing alertness, mood, psychomotor performance, to helping as a dietary aid and extending exercise in people suffering from heart failure, to being used as a repellent for mollusks, caffeine is used in many ways and has many positive effects that go along with it. People need to have a better understanding of caffeine before making judgments. CONSUMPTION The main source of caffeine consumption comes from soft drinks. Caffeine is an additive used in such drinks to sweeten the taste. It can show no flavor depending on the amount taken, but the positive effects that come with it are an increased attention rate and better mood. Because of these effects, more people thrive off caffeinated drinks. Looking around, there are soft drink machines everywhere giving more people access to this stimulant. Yet, many people believe that they should not be in schools or places where it is efficient for kids because they say it is so unhealthy for them (Keast Riddell, 2006). Others will argue this in saying that caffeine is good for the body as long as its not abused. This is a true statement, and as a result educating more people on the effects of caffeine would be very helpful to everyone. Besides soda and other soft drinks, caffeine is also found in coffee. Coffee has many positive effects to it, such that coffee stimulates the brain and increases energy and mood, and can help in preventing diseases such as skin, liver, and colon cancer, and some others. Both the combination of daily exercise and a cup of coffee are said by scientists to help in the prevention of skin cancer. This has been tested and proven on hairless mice, which have extremely sensitive skin to the sun. Stated from The Times of India, one group was given caffeinated water to drink, another group exercised on a running wheel at its own convenience, while the third group both drank caffeine and exercised on the wheel, and the control group neither drank nor exercised. All of the mice were exposed to ultraviolet radiation, which the results in comparing all the groups to the control group showed that the caffeine drinkers showed an increase of 95% in ultraviolet radiation stimulating apoptosis. Apoptos is is the process where cells with damaged DNA are destroyed against illness. The second group showed a 120% increase, while the mice that both consumed caffeine and exercised showed close to a 400% increase (â€Å"Coffee May Prevent Skin Cancer,† 2007). A study was also developed to research the effects of caffeine on liver cancer. More than 90,000 Japanese were used in a study and it was found that people that drank coffee daily or close to every day had reduced the risk of liver cancer by nearly half compared to those who never drank coffee. â€Å"The American Cancer Society estimates that 18,920 cases of liver cancer were diagnosed in the United States last year and some 14,270 people died of the illness† (â€Å"Coffee May Help Prevent Liver Cancer,† 2008). As a result, it is well stated that caffeine can reduce the chances of liver cancer. According to many scientists, there is a highly antioxidant compound that is found in coffee that reduces the chances of colon cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. This compound found in coffee is called methylpyridinium, however is not found in raw coffee beans but is created during the roasting process. Tests were brought out to scrutinize this compound even more, so specially equipped extracts of the coffee were exposed to certain lab situations of human intestinal cells for three days and were compared to cells that were not exposed to coffee. In the experiment, coffee extracts were found to have increased the activity levels of phase II enzymes. Then, to determine whether it had the same effect in living systems, a group of twenty-four rats was evenly divided into three groups. Each group was fed different diets, either a normal diet, a diet mixed with coffee extract, or a normal diet containing pure methylpyridinium. The tests showed t hat rats that were fed the coffee extract had a 24-40% increase in phase II enzymes and the group with the pure methylpyridinium showed an increase in the enzyme activity levels (â€Å"Highly Active Compound Found in Coffee May Prevent Colon Cancer,† 2003). Results show that coffee is proven to fight cancer in living systems. Caffeine can help in such diseases as cancer in which caffeine and another substance called theophylline are found in many products like coffee, chocolate, and many soft drinks. It is said that they can block enzymes that are crucial for cell growth, which means that one day it could be used to stop cell growth all together and avoid blood clots that can cause heart attacks and strokes (â€Å"Caffeine Boost in Cancer Battle,† 2002). It is not just coffee that prevents cancer, it is the caffeine in coffee that is preventing this disease. As most know, there is no cure for cancer, although the tests above show the many ways in which caffeine can help prevent one of the leading causes of deaths. Despite the positive effects of consuming coffee, here in the United States, drinking coffee is consumed most by adults. However, in Guatemala, it is very common among children. It is one of the first liquids given to babies after milk in Guatemala, even though it may affect the cognitive function by damaging iron levels. It is also known to hinder with the iron absorption and iron status of pregnant women and their babies, which is why it is said that pregnant woman should give up coffee during the term of pregnancy because it could cause miscarriages (Engle et al., 1999). Nonetheless, not consuming coffee while pregnant and not giving coffee to such young children can avoid these negative effects. SPORTS AND DIET Caffeine is known as one of the most widely used pick-me-ups in sports because of its ability to increase alertness and mood. Many athletes depend on this stimulant to help them carry on with their game if they are feeling a little drowsy or incapable to perform in an expected manner. Using caffeine is often used to improve physical and mental performance. It improves physical performance by causing alertness and giving the athlete energy to perform and improves mental performance by stimulating the central nervous system. This helps the athletes have higher levels of concentration (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Using caffeine instead of other types of steroids and drugs is much cheaper and has less health effects. It also has less ineligibility cases compared to many other drugs. Being cut from a team is not the only consequence if caught using steroids or drugs, but it is also considered a felony. Therefore, many athletes should take caffeine over steroids to increase energy (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Unless caffeine is taken in substantial amounts, some side effects may occur. Taking in massive quantities of caffeine may trigger dehydration that could affect functioning. It may also cause gastrointestinal pain and other side effects, such that caffeine is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and spread throughout the tissues of the body. Athletes that are abusing the use of caffeine may notice an occurrence in nervousness or an increase in heart rate and may even lead up to seizures or a coma. Caffeine has to be taken with some caution, because of the possible negative side effects that could take place, but remembering to take in only what is needed will help bring out only the positive effects (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Since caffeine is found in so many foods and over the counter medications, it is becoming to show an increase in all diets around the world. Many people that are trying to lose weight take caffeine pills or eat a diet that is high in caffeine for the energy, similar to those as athletes that use it to enhance performance. Though caffeine pills should not be taken everyday and should be taken early in the day to reduce the chances of losing sleep at night. They help in increasing energy levels and suppressing hunger. This is very helpful for people who do not have the energy to get up and exercise. Some people may need that extra boost to get them started (Striegel-Moore et al., 2006). On the other hand, it is not a fundamental nutrient, nor good for the health if taken too often. Too much can become addictive and cause problems like eating disorders, which is very common among young adults. Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia are found more common among girls than in boys. Many girls in their teens have more pressure on themselves and feel the need to lose extra weight. Consuming large amounts of caffeine will enhance their energy and suppress the need for food, or hunger. Even though they may already be thin, they will continue starving themselves because they believe they are fat. Its a constant battle that never ends and it is a very difficult disease to fight (Striegel-Moore et al., 2006). EFFECTS ON SLEEP When caffeine is consumed in reasonable amounts, everyday consumption of it can be helpful and have many beneficial effects on human behavior and sleep showing more people with enhanced mental functioning. Imagine truck drivers who drive such long distances day and night, consuming caffeine can help stay alert and focused on the road. Many accidents occur in a year because of people falling asleep at the wheel. Taking caffeine for better functioning reasons while driving or other reasons can be very beneficial (Smith, 2002). Regardless of the positive effects of reducing fatigue and better functioning, there are the downfalls of consuming too much caffeine. Too much caffeine has a big effect on a persons sleeping ability. Sleep disorders are becoming more and more known to many children and adults because of the amount of caffeine they are taking in. Large amounts of caffeine taken at night will make it much harder to fall asleep. People face more problems like feeling tired when they wake up or waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep. Although, the majority of people are very good at the amount of caffeine they take in to get the most out of the positive effects (Orbeta et al., 2005). EFFECTS ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR Rather than better mental functioning purposes and an increase in alertness, caffeine is also shown to improve many effects on human behavior. For instance, psychomotor performance is enhanced with caffeine intake. A psychomotor skill deals with being able to make movements that are essential to complete a task, however they are skills that are performed often without even thinking how they are done. Handwriting is an example of a very difficult psychomotor skill where as people have their own unique way of writing, some using the wrist more, or maybe the elbow, or moving the whole arm as they write. Caffeine consumption can improve handwriting and reveal a much larger improvement in handwriting skills if taken in moderate quantities (Tucha et al., 2006). When caffeine is consumed in so many different amounts in many types of foods, it will improve peoples talent to perform certain responsibilities requiring a lot of attention. Also, when dispensed in the same amount, caffeine increases alertness and reduces fatigue. The opposing effects take place when caffeine is consumed in unbearable amounts or by people who are overly sensitive to the drug (Smith, 2002). As a result, caffeine is very helpful in which it can improve vigilance tasks and help people become more focused, so multitasking can be done. USE AS A REPELLENT Caffeine is also used a repellent in which many people probably didnt know. Many products for the use of mollusk control include metaldehyde or methiocarb for the main ingredients. However, both of these ingredients are highly poisonous by inhalation and to all animals. Caffeine is an all-natural product that is categorized as a generally recognized as safe (GRAF) product by the United States FDA. There have been many tests to support that caffeine is a well-proven repellent as well (Hollingsworth, Armstrong, Campbell, 2002). According to Hollingsworth, Armstrong, and Campbell (2002) spray applications containing one to two percent of caffeine have been reported to kill slugs during a test that experienced caffeine as a toxicant against frog pests. Another test (Figure 1) took action upon orchid snails where as they were put into Petri dishes with caffeine while the heart rates were taken under a microscope. Snails with caffeine concentrations of .1% or more had vulnerable and uneven heartbeats after a 24-hour period. The snails with higher caffeine concentrations were dead after 96 hours, or four days. As a result, caffeine has been proven to kill off mollusks and would be a much safer alternative for food crops. Figure 1: Shows the effects of caffeine on orchid snails (Hollingsworth, Armstrong, Campbell, 2002). WITHDRAWAL Taking caffeine on an everyday basis will cause the body to become addicted to the substance and cause withdrawals if missing a day. Withdrawals may include headaches or may cause a change in mood. When the amount of caffeine that is taken in is reduced, the body will become very responsive to adenosine. The responsiveness will cause blood pressure to drop, causing an overload of blood to rush to the head, which leads to a headache. Headaches can last between one to five days and aside from such painful headaches, restlessness, irritability, and constant fatigue may occur (Smith, 2002). All of the negative effects come from consuming too much caffeine. For that reason, if caffeine were used correctly and more sensibly, the negative effects would not take place. Negative effects on any drug can be avoided by following simple directions of not overdosing and if sensitive to the drug, dont take at all. There are so many people that abuse it and take it for all of the wrong reasons. If they took caffeine for the right reasons, they would begin to see positive effects. CONCLUSION In conclusion, researchers are constantly exploring the many ways that caffeine is beneficial and has proven these effects in many cases. The main source of caffeine comes from soft drinks, in which it is an additive used to sweeten the taste. It is also very popular in coffee where it helps prevent against some diseases and has the effect of an increased attention rate and better mood. In sports, athletes thrive off caffeine to enhance performance because it is much cheaper and has less health effects than any other drug or steroid. Becoming an increase in all foods, caffeine is also used in many diets to help increase energy. The biggest factor in using caffeine is sleep. Sleep is unwanted in many situations such as driving and other vigilance tasks. Taking caffeine helps sleep by increasing alertness and mental functioning, while reducing fatigue. Other than increasing alertness and mental functioning, so many other effects take place in the behavior of individuals. Effects on hum an behavior include improving multitasking and developing psychomotor performance, such as improving handwriting skills. Another assured effect that caffeine takes part in is repelling things such as snails and slugs. It is proven much safer than other products and has been tested in many different experiments. Caffeine has much more positive effects that overcome the negative effects. The negative effects of caffeine all come from being abused or taken in too large of quantities, meaning that more people need to understand all of the effects. From athletes trying to enhance performance, people dieting, better functioning, an increase in alertness, to repelling things such as snails and slugs. Caffeine has many effects on the body to help improve behavior. Looking back at all of the beneficial ways in which caffeine helps, provides all the more reasons why it is used so often. References Caffeine boost in cancer battle. (2002, August 22). CNN News. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/08/21/cancer.research/ Coffee may help prevent liver cancer. (2005, February 15). USA Today. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-02-15-coffee-liver_x.htm Coffee may prevent skin cancer. (2007, July 31). The Times of India. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Coffee_may_prevent_skin_cancer_ /articleshow/2246470.cms Engle, P.L., et al. (1999). Effects of discontinuing coffee intake on iron deficient Guatemalan toddlers cognitive development and sleep. Early Human Development, 53, 251-269. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Highly Active Compound Found in Coffee May Prevent Colon Cancer. (2003, October 15). Science Daily. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases /2003 /10/031015031251.htm Hollingsworth, R.G., Armstrong, J.W., Campbell, E. (2002). Caffeine as a repellent for slugs and snails. Nature, 417, 915. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from EBSCOhost database. Keast, R.S.J., Riddell, L.J. (2007). Caffeine as a flavor additive in soft-drinks. Appetite, 49, 255-259. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Magkos, F., Kavouras, S.T. (2005). Caffeine use in sports, pharmacokinetics in man, and cellular mechanisms of action. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 45, 535-562. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from EBSCOhost database. Orbeta, R.L., et al. (2005). High caffeine intake in adolescents: associations with difficult sleeping and feeling tired in the morning. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38, 451-453. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Smith, A. (2002). Effects of caffeine on human behavior. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40, 1243-1255. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Striegel-Moore, R.H., et al. (2006). Caffeine Intake in Eating Disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 39:2, 162-165. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from Wiley InterScience database. Tucha, O., et al. (2006). The effect of caffeine on handwriting movements in skilled writers. Human Movement Science, 25, 523-535. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database.

Creative Writing: All Around the Corner

Mornings would normally be a 7 o'clock rise, day beginning at 8:30, released at 3:20. Today, being the holidays, I can drag myself away from all this for a blissful lie in. A bliss broken by the ‘bring'ing of the phone. â€Å"Yeah right† I thought to myself. â€Å"Answer, don't answer? Give up my wings, stay in heaven?† The choice being obvious, I returned to my daydreaming. However, the rarity of a phone call for me rather than anyone else in the house made me answer the second time round. What a mistake. It was Katie, the definition of moron, ringing for a ‘chat'. I gave up my warm bed to hear her wining voice wine in my ear. â€Å"Yeah† I said. I could have been agreeing to a heart transplant for all I knew but I thought I'd better show I was still on the other end of the line Unfortunately yes was the wrong answer. It then took me a while of bluffing to find out I'd agreed to go for a drink. Catch up. I no longer felt worthy of my blankets. Sasha was my remedy. The friendship Sasha and I shared could not be described as ‘life long', simply because I only met her 6 months ago when she moved here. However, I don't see how time can predict how good a friends you are. We click, and we have fun, We're there for each other, and we give each other space when needed. Sounds like a great friendship to me. A best friend always knows what you need. In my case, my best knows my great need of the retail variety. All life's troubles can be thrown aside in a good few hours at the shops. â€Å"Wait! How superb.† The frock Sasha was admiring could only be described as a Sasha dress. Only she could pull off such extravagant styles and colours and yet still appear so modest and respectable. It makes you wonder who else buys these things. Maybe there's a bigger population of Sashas out there than first thought. And so we hit the shops. The trick is, not to let them know you have absolutely no money whatsoever. Give the illusion that you have it, you just see no need to spend it. However, the small amount of cash we do posess usually goes on the much-needed hourly revival break. We took the seats unoccupied, partially shared with two mid-thirties women. The gossip they didn't mind sharing with the world was amazing. Law suits, affairs, bribery, all coming from one woman's life. Of course this left the other woman to demonstrate listening techniques far too challenging for an average human being. By the look on her face, she seemed to be thinking of something soothing. Chocolate perhaps. It was hard to have our own conversation while still listening to this woman's life story, and so drank silently, occasionally attempting short conversations to cover the fact that, lets face it, the world is a nosy place. A nudge on my leg from Sasha made my leg really sore, but also made me realise who it was standing behind me. I arrived with Sasha for support. I knew that if Katie showed her real mutant self then I'd need back up. Sasha had said she didn't mind, so if she was lying she should learn to tell the truth. I turned round to Katie. She sat down, taking the place of the really good listener who had now left with her friend. Katie's mouth opened, and my ears shut, if they could do such a thing. Its not even as if my concentration span is normally this small. I began to think, â€Å"which do I really prefer. Galaxy or Cadburys?† â€Å"So how are you all?† Katie's manner can be described as nothing but ‘chirpy'. This was a pointless question from the start. We're obviously still living or else we'd have given drinks a miss. â€Å"Not really been up to much have we Sasha.† Usually the case. Boredom seeps round every corner. What is there to do when you're this age? Your either too old to do what you used to, or too young to move on. Never any money, allowance doesn't go anywhere near far enough. â€Å"Family's been doing my head in at the moment. Acting like I still need the potty training.† Sasha always uses these chats to get her family problems off her chest. â€Å"They just give me no respect. The other day I began to tell them of the trip we may plan. Do you have any idea how tormenting they can be. Yeah, perhaps they do ‘have my best interests at heart' but come on, I can look after myself.† With this I have to agree. I've met Sasha's family, and the independence they give her, though very loving, is invisible, simply because it doesn't exist. It was hard not to notice how Katie, even with her chirpy attitude, had managed to dampen our spirits so much. â€Å"Got the energy for another shop Sash?† I personally didn't have the energy to lift my feet, but I wanted to move on from this subject. I didn't feel the same way about my family. Only last month I became a great grandma. It isn't all bad.

Communicating change Essay

When an organization is undergoing changes, the management must communicate to employees to ensure they support the decision. Changes in an organization may cause conflicts especially when all stakeholders are not aware the new aspects to be adopted. To communicate to employees about the changes when an organization is relocating to another state requires the managers to provide the strategies being adopted to safeguard the interests of employees. The management should consider the welfare of the employees by maintaining the employees while the organization is undergoing change. When an organization relocates its operations from one region to another, the management should support the employees to understand the new systems. Management strategies should be changed to match the current needs of the employees (Burke, 2002). When changes are communicated to employees, they may react to support or reject the new policies. When employees accept change, the management should change its management style by adding more opportunities to improve their morale. When employees reject change, the management should adopt a persuasive strategy where they will influence them to adopt the new policies. Some changes may be compulsory for the management to implement and in such cases, there is no option but to influence employees accept the new strategies. Managers should interact with employees to determine their needs so as to implement acceptable strategies. Teams within the organization should be created to create synergies among the employees during the change process. Team leaders should be elected to support other employees. All members of the organization should hold a general staff meeting to discuss about the new systems to be adopted. The organization should be prepared to provide resources to employees to relocate to the new offices. For example, the costs of carrying out the entire process can be covered by the management (Burke, 2002). Reference Burke, W. W. (2002). Organization change: theory and practice. ISBN 0761914838, Sage.

Training is widely used as a learning process - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 27 Words: 8141 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Abstract Training is widely used as a learning process whereby employees acquire new skills, knowledge and competence. In this fast changing world, training can be both an anchor and a lifeline. An anchor if it has a clear, focused objective, and a lifeline if it enables employees to keep up with the pace of change and allows companies to survive or even succeed. However, investment in training appears to be under-utilized. Many companies do not evaluate the impact of training programs. Many Human Resources Department (HRD) believe that they have fulfilled their duty of care after organizing training courses for employees. After an extensive literature search, it was found that many companies do not have a system of evaluation or follow-ups to ensure that trainees put into practice the knowledge and skills acquired during training programs. Human Resource (HR) managers believe that it is the responsibility of the trainer and the Head of department to ensure that employees put the learning into practice. But both of them deny this responsibility and hold the HRD accountable. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Training is widely used as a learning process" essay for you Create order It is in this context that the aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of training at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC). This study uses exploratory as well as descriptive research designs. Survey research was conducted by way of a questionnaire among a sample number of employees who followed training courses and a face-to-face interview with the Recruitment and Development manager. The interview was audio taped, and the data obtained from the questionnaire was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. The study reveals that while the employees including the Recruitment and Development manager acknowledge the importance of training, unfortunately there is not a specific evaluation system and follow-ups ensuring that the learning is transferred back into the workplace. It is also discovered that while HSBC is planning to use more e-learning as a method of training, most employees prefer classroom-based, raising serious concerns over training effectiveness at HSBC. Focusing only on this study, it can be concluded that training at HSBC is not completely effective. However more in-depth research could be conducted to compare the effectiveness of different training methods available at HSBC 1.0 Introduction A hundred years ago, change was slow, like the steady flow of an untroubled river. The world is now a much different place to what it was even ten years ago. Most of the time the changes are unpredictable. The current global financial crisis is a vivid proof that the world does not stand still. With approximately eighteen banks currently operating in Mauritius, the banking sector is exposed to increasing levels of international and domestic competition. To innovate and become competitive, its human resources have to innovate in everything they do, be it their minds, their thinking, their skills and competence. While in the manufacturing sector, employee performance failures end up in the reject pile, in the service sector such as the banking sector; employee performance failures are external failures. Those mistakes are visible to the customer and thus every failure has a direct impact on customer satisfaction. Therefore, investing in people through training is a prerequisite. Employees who have the necessary skills can create powerful business advantages that can be very difficult for competitors to duplicate. Countries like Japan are trying to substitute human beings with robots. Indeed, human beings are non substitutable because they possess intelligence and potential that can never be equaled and their inventions proved it. The Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids, the Great Wall and now the computer are all the creation and invention of humans. In Mauritius, government wants to make the Knowledge Hub another pillar of the economy. However, Mauritius is currently suffering from a massive brain drain. Many who are emigrating are highly skilled, such as Doctors, Accountants and IT Developers. School leavers who go abroad for further education rarely come back. As such, the best and brightest are lost to their home country, resulting to a lack of young and skilled people to drive the expanding market place. Therefore, the Human Resources Development Council is offering training grants where employers can recover up to 75% of training costs to encourage companies to provide training to a maximum number of employees. However, it is still debatable whether the training grant is being used effectively since measuring training effectiveness has often been neglected. But simply having all employees attend a training event does not necessarily translate into an improved workplace. The main challenge for any training program is to ensure that the learning is transferred back into the workplace. 1.1 Structure of Dissertation This study is structured as follows: Chapter 1 provides a small overview of HSBC. Chapter 2 offers a theoretical and critical background of the literature review. Chapter 3 summarizes the research approach to conduct the study. Chapter 4 provides a thorough analysis of the data obtained from the survey. Chapter 5 consists of recommendations and provides concluding comments. 1.2 Benefits of the Research The findings of this study are of major importance to HSBC as well as other companies as they assist them in adding value to their company by improving their position as an employer of choice through the delivery of effective training. The findings may also prove useful to lecturers, university students and anyone else with an interest in effectiveness of training programs. 2.0 Company Background 2.1 The HSBC Group HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers from around 9,500 offices in the main regions of the world such as Europe, Asia-Pacific, America, Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,527 billion at 31 December 2008, HSBC is one of the worlds largest banking and financial services organizations. In 2002, HSBC launched a campaign to differentiate its brand from those of its competitors, with that pithy phrase: The worlds local bank. In July 2009, HSBC was named Best Global Bank by Euromoney magazine. In addition, HSBC was awarded the Best Global Debt House and the Best Global Transaction Banking House. 2.2 HSBC in Mauritius In Mauritius, HSBC operates 11 full-service branches and an offshore unit, which for many years has played a leading role in facilitating cross-border investment activity. It offers a wide range of products and services to diverse domestic and cross border customer base, from accounts services to credit cards, savings, investments, loans and custodian services. Through its locally incorporated subsidiary, the HSBC Bank (Mauritius) Ltd (HBMU), the bank is able to offer many of its global customers more sophisticated financial products and structures that benefit from the extensive range of international double taxation avoidance treaties that Mauritius has negotiated. In addition, HSBC Mauritius is a leading provider of financial services to local companies across the whole spectrum from SMEs to local Top 100 companies as well as locally listed conglomerates. For three consecutive years, 2005-2007, HSBC has been bank of the year. It is also the second largest credit card issuer in Mauritius. As HSBC Mauritius continues to expand, it has decided to bring together all its non-retail operations under one site in the fast growing Ebene Cybercity in 2008. In May 2009, HSBC Mauritius has launched two Islamic banking products. It becomes the first bank in Mauritius to offer Syariah-compliant banking services. HSBC vision: To be a key value creator by identifying, developing, designing and delivering learning and employee development solutions for business success. HSBC mission: Partnering with our business lines to create value for our shareholders and our external customers. Maintaining a learning culture that energizes and motivates employees to maximize their full potential. Aligning training and employee development support with HSBC strategic imperatives. Core business principles: Outstanding customer service Effective and efficient operations Strong capital and liquidity Prudent lending policy Strict expense discipline HSBC Values: Perceptive Progressive Responsive Respectful Fair 3.0 Literature Review 3.1 Definition of training Training has been defined many times over the years. The Manpower Services Commission (1981 cited by Armstrong 1999) defined training as a planned process to modify attitude, knowledge or skills to achieve effective performance. Similarly, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) defined training as an instructor-led and content-based intervention leading to desired changes in behaviour. For Armstrong (2003, p.549), training is the use of systematic and planned instruction and development activities to promote learning. Moore (2005) found the importance of retaining staff through training by defining training as not only a way to achieve a specified standard of staff competence, but also about investing in employees to retain them. Similarly, Cartwright (2003) viewed training as an investment in people. 3.2 Definition of effectiveness Being effective implies producing powerful effects. According to Bartol et al. (1997), effectiveness is the ability to choose appropriate goals and to achieve them. Similarly, Fraser (1994) defined effectiveness as a measure of the match between stated goals and their achievement. Often, there is confusion between effectiveness and efficiency because there is a degree of inter-relationship. This relationship can best be understood by considering effectiveness as doing the right thing and efficiency as doing things the right way. According to Hunter (2005), efficiency and effectiveness are often mutually exclusive. The latter viewed efficiency as a measure of speed and cost and effectiveness as a measure of quality. For Hearn Wendy, effectiveness comes from taking the time to stop and evaluate, rather than running faster and faster. According to her, people should work smarter not harder. Similarly Ferriss (2007) believed that what people do is more important than how they do things. He also saw efficiency as useless if it is not applied to the right things. 3.3 Objectives of training Business Environment Changes and Challenges Learning Implementation Business Excellence The main aim of training is to bring about suitable changes in employees to equip them with the skills required to do their work properly. According to Armstrong (2003) the main objective of training is to achieve companies human resource development strategies by ensuring that the employees have the skills, knowledge and competence to meet present and future needs. 3.4 Importance of training Training is crucial to a companys success. It plays a large part in determining the effectiveness and efficiency of the establishment (Sharma 1997). The latter agreed that training is a must and that management has no choice between training and no training. According to him, the only choice is to select a suitable training method. Similarly, Truelove (1997) believed that workplace skills have to be refreshed from time to time just as professional soldiers and top sports people train regularly to maintain their skills. Bird (1993) also saw training as important to give employees the necessary knowledge to bring about quality improvement across the company. Batten (1992 cited by Vermeulen and Crous 2000, p.61) described the importance of training by the following words: Train, Train, Train! If people are to do things better, they must have the skills and knowledge to do so. If employees cannot do their jobs because they have not been trained, that will reflect in the departments performance. This is supported by Miller et al. (1998 cited by Moore 2005, p.200): When good training is lacking there is likely to be an atmosphere of tension, crisis and conflict all the time, because nobody is quite sure how the various jobs are supposed to be done and who is responsible for what. Similarly, Smith et al. (2003) viewed training as an essential ingredient for the success and longevity of teams. Eder (1990) wrote about the successful opening of the Mirage mega-casino in Las Vegas due to the training imparted to employees months before the opening of the casino. Clegg (2000) believed that developing staff to their full potential is important and is doubly required during hard times. According to an article published in the journal of Development and Learning in Organizations in 2004, it is exactly when times are tough and businesses are sailing through rough seas that companies need to update employees skills since to do otherwise is like throwing the lifeboats overboard to save on weight. Yet, despite a higher profile for training, there is still little evidence showing that a large number of employers accept the importance of training to organisational success. According to Clegg (2000, p.2), employees are unlikely to mention training as the most important department of the company. The author observed that: Many training departments have a bad image. Many companies will say that training is among their top priorities but almost always they change their mind when money is short. Too much training that is currently undertaken has very little impact on what the trainees do when they return to the workplace at the end of the course. Too much training is uninspiring. As rightly said by Hallier and Butts (2000, p.397), in many companies Training is perceived to be a less varied sphere of activity and not necessarily essential to the running of the organization. Indeed, in any economic environment, it makes no sense to throw money at training because training is still regarded as an unnecessary function. 3.5 Benefits of training Even though training costs money, in most cases the benefits outweigh the costs. Sloman (2005) believed that investing in staff through training bring long-term benefits. Sharma (1997) inferred that training provides the following benefits: Increase in productivity Improve individual and business performance thus obtaining a competitive edge. Improve morale of employees. Reduce supervision Reduce dissatisfactions, complaints, absenteeism and turnover Less accidents and wastage Enable employees to obtain job satisfaction and to progress within the organisation, thus helping the organisation to retain its workforce. Increase in organisational stability and flexibility. Avoid human obsolescence 3.6 Training: an investment or a cost? Sutherland (1999) stipulated that the most important of all capital is that invested in human beings. Law (1998), Vermeulen and Crous (2000) and Sloman (2005) took a position very similar to Sutherland (1999) by stating that people are indeed the most valuable asset of any enterprise. Sharma (1997, p.244) rightly stated: There is no greater organizational asset than the trained motivated personnel. Buzan and Keene (1996) in their book The Age Heresy argued that humans could appreciate in value whilst machinery depreciate in value fast and become redundant. Simarly, Law (1998) commented that human capital is more valuable than property or fixed assets. In contrast to many authors opinion about employees being the most important asset, many companies still consider the development of people as a discretionary cost rather than a necessary investment. For many economists, the worth of something is not determined by its purpose but to its price. Prahalad (1972, p.169) rightly stated: To most line-managers, training has been by far an optional extra, to be indulged in when profits are good and to be dispensed with during lean periods. He further added that traditional accounting practices considers all intangibles such as organizational capability and worth of human resources as expenses but all tangibles such as investment in plant and equipment as investment. Cunningham (2002, p.90) commented that for many organisations training is nice to have, but not an essential. The training budget is the easier option when a company has to reduce costs. As such, companies tend to cut corners which render the training ineffective (Clements and Josiam, 1995). This is an oxymoron. On the one hand, we have companies stating that employees are the most important assets but on the other hand, the same companies contradict themselves by viewing training as a cost rather than a worthwhile investment. All companies talk a lot about people development. But the moment things get tough; companies reduce training budgets, which may be a very short-sighted policy. If companies really believed about employees development, this is the one thing they would ring fence (Clegg 2000). Managers often complain about giving them a better class of workers and their problems will go away. Brown (1992) argued that employers are already equipped with a pretty good class of workers since after all they chose them. Indeed it is managers responsibility to help employees improve. The contributions of employees are often taken for granted though employees contribute a lot. Managers tend to believe in things that are visible to them but those whose contributions they cannot see tend to be neglected by them. Cartwright (2003,p.6) rightly stipulated: Consider what Mickey Mouse is worth to Disney or what a gifted program writer is worth to Microsoft. The value may be impossible to calculate in absolute terms, but it is likely to be many times the conventional worth of either asset. Barrows and Power (1999 cited by Moore 2005, p.200) believed that the alternative to training, that is not to train may even be more expensive because this lead to poor customer service. A lost customer may never return. As such, the lost revenue from poor service exceeds the costs of training a worker properly. 3.7 Effective Training Porter and Parker (1993,p.19) identified four features for successful training: Training must be viewed as a continuous process. Training must be focused so that people receive appropriate courses at the appropriate level of their needs. Training must be planned for the future to include the development of total quality skills and techniques. Training materials must be made customized to suit the particular organization. Organizations tend to believe that training delivered en masse will mean that they have fulfilled their duty of care (Shuttleworth 2004,p.62). The symptoms of ineffective and poor training are many. The most self- evident are dissatisfied customers, haphazard work, performance and quality standards not met, untidy work, low productivity, high production costs, excessive waste, employee dissatisfaction, poor discipline and high labour turnover. In fact, the most effective way to develop people is quite different to conventional skills training, which let us face it most employees regard as a pain in the neck. Clegg (2000) argued that it is no longer good to rely on the way things have always been done and the only way to make training more effective is to be creative. Sloman (2005) suggested that if an effective training program is in place, it could help employees realize their potential and thus benefit both the employees and the organization. According to Vermeulen and Crous (2000), for training to be effective, it must not only be planned in a systematic and objective manner but it must also be continuous to meet changes in technology, changes involving the environment in which an organisation operates, its structure and most important of all, the employees who work there. However, Harris (1995) concluded that managers tend to select training programmes according to budgets and time available, but not according to the needs of employees. Conversely, Cunnigham (2002) argued that if training remains focused on the needs of employees, important changes in developing the performance of the organization might be missed out. As such, it can be inferred that creating effective training programs require balancing the needs of the learner and the needs of the organization. In addition, Sloman (2005, p.349) commented: Training is not about constructing courses based on identified training needs. It is about making a whole series of interventions that encourage a climate in which committed learners are willing and able to acquire relevant knowledge and skills. If employees take part in training half-heartedly, it may prove costly for the organization. Even the best-planned training sessions may prove ineffective if employees are unwilling to participate. Similarly, Barrett and OConnell (2001) observed that a company can provide training to its employees, but the extent to which the training courses are then applied at work depends on the extent to which employees devote effort to learning and apply the new skills. The values projects model of learning also emphasized the importance of motivation, where the employees are willing to implement their learning. I do (Action) I will (Motivation) I Can (Skills) I Know (Knowledge) 3.8 Training Cycle For training to be effective, companies must complete the full training cycle. But as Beardwell and Claydon (2007) rightly said, the popularity of the training cycle is more evident in the rhetoric of the literature than in organizational reality. Stage 1 Identification of Training needs Stage 4 Evaluation of training Stage 2 Plan of training required Stage 3 Implementation of training 3.8.1 Identification of training needs Arthur et al. (2003, p.236) stated that it is important to carry a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) before providing training because it provides a mechanism whereby the questions central to successful training programs can be answered. Prior to training, companies must have a clear idea of what it wants to achieve (Shuttleworth 2004) and whether the organisations needs, objectives and problems can be addressed by training (Arthur et al. 2003). Matens (HRfocus 2005b, p.11) suggested that companies should ask these key questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? How do we get there? How can we get commitment from key individuals? McGehee Thayer (1961) recommended a three-tier approach to determine training needs. Arthur et al. (2003) three-step process for assessing training needs is similar to McGehee Thayer (1961). They are as follows: Organisational analysis: Where training should be emphasized within the organization and which organizational goals and problems can be achieved and solved through training. Operational analysis or Task analysis: The skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for employees to perform their jobs at the desired level. Man analysis: How well the employees are performing their tasks, who needs to be trained and for what. In the process of TNA, managers have to identify relevant training needs through the use of annual performance appraisal procedure to examine the individuals aspirations, how their jobs may change and what training is required (Hallier and Butts 2000). According to HRfocus (2005b), companies should get input about what employees want to be trained in. Although TNA is time-consuming and expensive, it provides greater financial, organizational and individual benefits. Also, training must be top-down, starting with the top team and cascading down the organization to show management commitment and to create an effective, healthy and versatile workforce. While in some organisations, training is considered to be for managers only, in other organisations managers think training is only relevant to workers, but not for them. Indeed, both these attitudes are wrong because training is for everybody (Reynolds, 1994). Similarly, Matens (HRfocus, 2005b) agreed that commitment and support from top management is vital. According to him, management has to show up for classes too. 3.8.1.1 The skills gap It is important for managers to identify skills gap, which is the difference between the skills needed to perform the required task and the skills employees already possess. The Skills Gap Skills needed Skills already acquired 3.8.2 Plan of training required Using a variety of training methods, the skills gap can be filled. In fact, Barrett OConnell (2001) observed that different training methods could encourage or discourage employees to participate in training programs. Similarly, The Learning and Skills Council (2004 cited by Beardwell Claydon 2007, p.317) commented that companies tend to choose inappropriate training methods which are costly, time consuming, have a deleterious effect on employees perceptions of the value of training and ultimately do not lead to increase skills levels in organizations. 3.8.2.1 Matching skills or tasks and training delivery methods Skills and tasks can be classified into three broad categories (Farina and Wheaton 1973; Fleishman and Quaintance 1984; Gold-stein and Ford 2002; cited by Arthur et al. 2003, p.236): Cognitive This relates to the thinking, idea generation, understanding, problem solving, or the knowledge requirements of the job. Interpersonal This relates to interacting with others in a workgroup or with clients and customers, which entails a variety of skills including leadership, communication, conflict management and team-building. Psychomotor This relates to physical or manual activities involving a range of movement from very fine to gross motor coordination. For a specific skill or task, a given training method may be more effective than others. This relationship has been backed by studies from Wexley and Latham (2002) who emphasized on the need to consider skills and task characteristics required to determine the most effective training method. 3.8.2.2 Training techniques On-the-job It is the most popular training method because it is job-specific, relevant, immediate and flexible. A 2006 study by CIPD conveyed that 56% of learning and development professionals agree that on-the-job training is the most effective way for people to learn in organizations (Beardwell and Claydon 2007,p.308). Conversely, Smith et al. (2003) commented that training delivered internally by employees who carry other duties apart from their responsibilities of training might lead to ineffective training because they have not received much training in how to train. On-the-job training includes the following: Demonstration It involves telling or showing trainees how to do a job and then allowing them to get on with it. It is the most commonly used training method (Armstrong 2003) because it is immediate and accessible to most employees. This method is effective if the person giving the demonstration clearly defines what results have been achieved and how they can be improved. However this method can result in the passing of bad or even dangerous working practices. Also, it does not provide a structured learning system where trainees understand the sequence of the training they are following. Job rotation The aim is to increase employees experience by moving them from job to job or department to department. It can be an inefficient and frustrating method of acquiring additional knowledge and skills if it is not carefully planned and controlled (Armstrong 2003). For this method to be effective, a program has to be designed stating what trainees are expected to learn in each department or job. Also, there must be a suitable person to assess whether the trainees are given the right experience and the opportunity to learn. Coaching It is a person-to-person technique to develop individual skills, knowledge and attitudes (Armstrong 2003). It can be very effective if it takes place informally as part of the normal process of management. Coaching consists of providing guidance on how to carry out specific tasks to help individuals learn rather than force-feeding them with instructions on what to do and how to do it. Mentoring It is the process of using specially selected and trained individuals to provide guidance and advice to develop the careers of the employees (Armstrong 2003). The aim is to complement learning on the job. The mentor provides personal support and should not be an immediate superior to enable the employees to talk openly about problems and discuss any concerns frankly. Secondment or attachment It involves the employees widening their skills or learning other skills by visiting other departments. It can also be used to increase awareness and understanding of other departments roles and concerns. Off the job It usually takes place in training areas or centres, away from the employees immediate work positions. It includes lectures, case study, seminars and role-playing amongst others. This method is mainly theoretical. As rightly criticised by Beardwell and Claydon (2007, p.322) this method is frequently pigeon-holed as the old way of doing things and typified as teacher centred, classroom based, process-focused and providing learning that is difficult to transfer on the workplace. It is often criticised as wasteful of time and money, taking the employees away from the practical context. E-learning This is concerned with training delivered by electronic technology through the use of Internet, the World Wide Web and intranet within the organisation. It requires the trainees to take the responsibility for their own learning. The cost-efficiencies of e- learning are more apparent today (HRfocus, 2003). It is also more flexible and adaptable to individual circumstances (Beardwell and Claydon, 2007). However, the need for human contact is important in the training process. The technology cannot replace the need for an explanation from human beings (Cartwright 2003). Implementation of training Research shows that trainers deal with three personality types (HRfocus 2001, p.6) Learners These people are eager to get as much as they can from the program. Vacationers These people consider training, offsite in particular, an opportunity to have as much fun and free time as possible. Prisoners These people attend training only because they feel forced to, not because they want to. The relationship between trainees and trainers is the heart of effective training (Clegg 2000). The latter viewed the trainers flexibility, responsiveness to the trainees need and ability to generate a human relationship with the trainees as essential. In an interview with McNerney (1995), William Bridges argued that the role of the trainer is to guide the trainees toward upgrading their competencies rather than merely teaching a skill. Hale (2003a) recommended trainers to stop worrying about having a box of tricks, icebreakers and gimmicks to impress trainees. Clegg (2000) observed that training courses often consists of too long sessions, which totally drains the enthusiasm of trainers. In fact, trainers must also consider the learning levels of employees owing to differences in educational and experiential backgrounds. Scott Ambler commented in an interview with Wickman (2008) that some people are more visual thinkers and need to see diagrams; some just want to go right into the details and some need to see the bigger picture and need to be walked through all the implications. Brown (1992) recommended a three-part formula for good training courses: Uncover Create a need for the material within the mind of the trainees. Closed minds cannot relate to a personal need for the material. Discover If the trainer effectively uncovers the trainees minds, teaching the knowledge necessary to perform skills will turn into a discovery. Also, people learn faster when presented with an explanation and demonstration. Recover According to Brown (1992), most trainers fail here. Recovery is intended to provide trainees with hands-on experience, which can include role-play and case studies. 3.8.4 Evaluation of training Bedingham (1997) observed that even companies that are committed to training viewed its evaluation as difficult and time-consuming. This is supported by Sloman (2005) who observed that measuring training effectiveness is often neglected. When companies have to put a value on training, many of them do not, are unable, or are unwilling to do so. But evaluation and follow-ups are crucial to the success of training (HRfocus, 2005a) Indeed it is much easy to assess the effectiveness of operational activities through the use of management accounting systems but it is less easy to establish the contribution of training. But how can top management decide on the amount to be invested in training if there is no measurement? As Prahalad (1972, p.169) rightly said: Measurement provides a framework for developing a pattern of resource allocation for the organisation. Beardwell and Claydon (2007) commented that measurements have to go beyond post-course evaluation to measuring wastage, error rates, customer satisfaction, motivation and link specific outcomes to the training delivered. According to HRfocus (2005a, p.5), effectiveness of training can be measured by: How many training participants successfully apply what they have learnt during training programs in their job. How long they continue to apply that learning. How quickly the company will realise the benefits of training for the entire target audience. The main challenge for any training program is to ensure that the learning is transferred back to the workplace. Real-world experience must follow the training course because without application, skills can be easily forgotten. As a Chinese Proverb rightly said: I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Similarly, Armstrong (2003,p.563) rightly stated: Transfer of learning is what counts; behaviour on the job is what matters. While some researchers estimate that approximately 25% of skills taught are in use six months after training courses and about 15% after one year, others put the figures as low as 10% (Allan 2008). Unfortunately, training is seen as a collective shrug when it comes to evaluate its impact because it is difficult to evaluate where the learning has been put into action. Evaluation of training is rarely carried out in a useful way either because companies are unsure how to do it or they do not know what to do with the results. It is also viewed as time-consuming. Swanson (2001 cited Beardwell Claydon 2007, p.323) observed: Six out of ten HR and financial directors have little or no idea what return they get on their companys investment in training and many in the HRD profession do not have a predisposition toward measurement and evaluation. But evaluation is important because if the contribution of training cannot be demonstrated, it is likely to be a target for cost-reduction. Often, trainees are asked to fill a feedback form after training sessions. But nothing seems to be done with these responses. As Clegg (2000, p.139) rightly said, its as if the action of taking feedback was a talisman that achieved success in its own right. Similarly, Allan (2008) commented that many trainers measure trainees reactions to a program but stop short there. Feedback is essential for people to know how they are progressing. To learn, employees must feel comfortable to express their thoughts. They should not fear being belittled or marginalized when they disagree with peers or authority figures, ask naive questions, or present a minority viewpoint (Garvin et al, 2008). Unfortunately, negative feedback is considered a criticism to be avoided rather than a desirable thing to make the courses even better (Clegg 2000). 3.8.4.1 Return On Investment (ROI)- Estimating the worth of training ROI indicates the worth and merit of a particular training programme. According to Campbell (1995), ROI is the most appealing to higher management. He defined ROI as the rate at which training returns what was invested. However, ROI assessment of training is a debatable issue due to many aspects to be taken into account, some of which are very difficult to quantify. As Armstrong (2003, p.550) rightly observed: Ideally ROI should be calculated, but in practice it can be difficult to produce realistic figures. What value can a company place on improved morale, reduced stress levels, better-qualified staff and improved time management? All of these can be returns on training investment. But attaching a value and relating this to a single cause, that is training is often impossible. Indeed, ROI is far from being a workable model in practice. A survey carried out in USA revealed that only 7% of the organizations surveyed evaluated ROI in training. While in UK, 57% admitted that evaluation was becoming more important. However, only 27% are actually using action plans after training (Hale, 2003a). 3.8.4.2 Models of Training Evaluation Donald Kirkpatricks four-level model (1959 cited Arthur et al. 2003) is the most popular and consist of: Reaction criteria- what the trainees thought and felt about the training. Learning criteria- the resulting increase in knowledge or capability. Behaviour criteria- extent of applied learning back on the job. Results criteria- the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainees performance. Previous research in corporate training showed that in practice it is difficult to measure the last two criteria because they are influenced by a number of factors (Van der Klink and Streumer, 2002). Hale (2003a) argued that it is time to shatter the myths that have emerged due to the reliance on the Kirkpatrick model. He identified the following myths: Myth 1: Learning is the responsibility of the trainer Companies often expect the trainer to fix all problems. When businesses cannot prove the value of training, they tend to put the blame on the trainer, not the learner. Myth 2: Courses prove learning Training departments prepare reports showing, for example, the number of training days, the duration of the training and the number of courses run to prove that they have been doing their job and how the budget has been spent. But these provide little or no indication about the effectiveness of training. Myth 3: Good course evaluation mean learning Kirkpatrick level 1 is the easiest to carry out and thus most organisations are evaluating in this way. However, happiness does not necessarily imply learning. Often, people learn the hard way through difficult and painful experiences. When trainers are aware that they are being assessed at the end of the training, they can use applied psychology to make the trainees in a state of pleasure before completing the evaluation forms (Hale 2003a, p.30). Bedingham (1997) supported Hale (2003a) by arguing that the apparently best courses could simply be those where the trainer has been able to develop a good rapport with the trainees. In his second article, Hale (2003b) presented a fourth myth: Myth 4: Real learning takes place in the classroom Kirkpatrick level 2 assesses the extent to which the trainee recalls the learning after the training. In a survey carried out by Hale (2003b) among 3,000 managers about the most significant learning experiences in their lives, none of them quoted training courses or classroom based training but job experiences. In fact, since the publication of Kirkpatrick model, there have been dramatic changes in organisational structures, cultures, technologies and training methods. Yet the HR, training and development community continues to rely predominantly on the old Kirkpatrick model in discussing the evaluation of training (Hale, 2003a). Many companies do not go beyond measuring the first two Kirkpatrick levels. As per CIPD Survey (2006 cited Beardwell Calydon 2007, p.326), 98% of those surveyed measure Kirkpatricks level 1 outcomes, 75% measure level 2, 62% level 3 and only 36% go as far as level 4; which is the most important. Missing from Kirkpatricks model is the ultimate level, which has been added by Hamblin (1974 cited Beardwell and Claydon 2007,p.326) that is the extent to which the training has affected the ultimate profitability and survival of the organisation. 4.0 Research Methodology 4.1 Research Process 4.1.1 Problem definition and research objectives It is widely acknowledged that a well-defined problem may be considered to be half-solved. 4.1.1.1 Research Problem In many organisations, training is considered to be a low status activity and not an integral part of the business plan. Research states that many HRD never really examine how training can effectively promote organizational objectives, or how training activities should be altered in the light of business plans. It is also often believed that the responsibility of the HRD is to organise training courses, trainers have to train, managers manage work place performance and thus trainees alone are responsible for applying into their workplace what they have learnt in training courses. Through an extensive literature search, it was noted that training should be viewed as a continuous process. Prior to training, a TNA must first be carried out and after training; evaluation and follow-ups must be conducted. But to what extent are these being applied in companies remain a big question. Therefore, HSBC, one of the leading banks in Mauritius has been chosen as the company in which the effectiveness of training will be analyzed. 4.1.1.2 Research objectives Once the problem had been located and defined, the research objectives were set since these would help to identify what information were needed to solve the problem. Therefore the objectives for this study are to: Analyze the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of training Examine the training process at HSBC Investigate the extent to which training at HSBC is effective Determine if a training plan is in place at HSBC. Investigate whether a system of evaluation and follow-ups are in place at HSBC 4.1.2 Research design This acts as a plan or framework which guides the collection and analysis of data. For this research, exploratory and descriptive designs were used. 4.1.2.1 Exploratory Research Exploratory research is far more flexible and dynamic. It was used to gain a deeper understanding of training and the factors that contribute to its effectiveness. A search of the literature was conducted to gather preliminary information. A face-to-face interview with the Recruitment and Development manager of HSBC was also conducted to gain a better insight of training at HSBC. Exploratory research was also used to develop hypotheses. Developing hypothesis Hypothesis 1: Relationship between frequency of training and how employees viewed their effectiveness at work after delivery of training courses. Hypothesis 2: Relationship between preference for training method and age. Hypothesis 3: Relationship between frequency of training and current position of employees. Hypothesis 4: Relationship between whether training will make a difference in the way employees do their work and their current position. These hypotheses were tested based on data obtained from the questionnaire. 4.1.2.2 Descriptive Research Although descriptive research is more rigid and formal, it was used to provide an accurate description of the characteristics of training at HSBC. Therefore, a survey by way of a questionnaire was distributed to the sample of employees who went on training and an interview with the Recruitment and Development manager was conducted. In addition, the following issues were considered when designing the research plan: Style of research activities Types of data Research instrument 4.1.2.3 Style of research activities For this study both quantitative and qualitative research were used. For quantitative research, a questionnaire was given to a sample of employees who received training. The data obtained were represented on pie charts, histograms and bar charts to show the frequency of occurrence. With the data inputted on SPSS, statistical analysis was also carried out. For qualitative research, an unstructured interview was conducted with the Recruitment and Development manager to obtain a detailed description of training at HSBC. 4.1.2.3 Types of data There are two types of data: secondary and primary. For this study, a combination of both was used. 4.1.2.3.1 Secondary data These are data collected for some other purpose rather than for the immediate study at hand. Sources of secondary data for this study consisted of online databases such as Emerald Library, journal articles from the university library, internet, newspapers, books and website of HSBC. Although secondary data are economical and quicker to obtain, they proved insufficient for the present study and thus primary data were generated. 4.1.2.3.2 Primary data Through a survey research, primary data were collected for the purpose of the investigation at hand. A questionnaire was distributed among a sample number of employees who received training and an unstructured interview with the Recruitment and Development manager was conducted. 4.1.2.4 Research instrument For the purpose of this study, an unstructured personal interview and a questionnaire were considered to be a suitable means of collecting data about peoples opinions, attitudes, preferences, knowledge and satisfaction. 4.1.2.4.1 Unstructured personal interview The face-to-face meeting took place with the Recruitment and Development manager at her office. The interviewees responses were audio taped. The main advantage with this method is that ambiguous questions could be clarified. 4.1.2.4.2 Questionnaire A self-administered questionnaire with a formalised set of questions was designed to ensure that each person answers the same questions in a predetermined order. This provides an efficient way of collecting responses from a large sample. When designing the questionnaire, care had been taken to ensure reliability and validity of the data to be collected. Issues such as clear layout, question content, response format, question wording, question sequence were taken into consideration to ensure that the questionnaire collect the precise data needed to achieve the objectives of the study. In an attempt to maximise the response rate, a cover letter was attached with each questionnaire. The letter explained the purpose of the survey, the time taken to fill in the questionnaire and assured confidentiality. (See Appendix.) In addition, to facilitate analysis of data, numerical codes were already assigned to answers before administering the questionnaire. 4.1.2.4.2.1 Types of questions The questionnaire consisted of the following types of questions: (See Appendix.) Open-ended The respondents were required to answer in their own words in as great depth as they wished. For these types of questions, the respondents answers were categorized and unitized. Closed- ended The respondents were provided with a number of alternative answers from which they were required to choose. Four types of closed-ended questions were used: Dichotomous The respondents were required to choose between two categories. But for questions where the proportion of neutral response was perceived to be high, a neutral alternative was included. Multiple choice The respondents were required to choose from a list of possible answers. For questions where all the list of possible alternatives could not be included, other category accompanied by please specify was used. Scaled Through the use of likert scale, the respondents were asked to select their level of agreement or disagreement from an odd number of categories (5-category). Ranking There was only one ranking question where respondents were asked to rank their preferences from a list of training experiences. 4.1.2.4.3 Pretest A pilot test of seven questionnaires was conducted: one executive, two officers and four clerks. The Recruitment and Development manager also went through the questionnaire. The purpose of the pretest was to check the layout, question sequence, word meaning, question difficulty, branching instructions and the time taken to complete the questionnaire. Minor corrections were made to the original proposal. 4.1.3 Sampling plan Once the problem had been clearly specified, the research objectives set, appropriate research design and data collection instrument developed, the next step was to select those elements from which the information would be collected. For this study, it would be unrealistic, costly and very time-consuming to target the whole population of HSBC. Sampling saves time, an important consideration for this study, given that there is a tight deadline. 4.1.3.1 Population A population represents the full set of items or people under investigation. HSBC has a population of 391 employees. It must be noted that non-clerical level has been excluded from this population because they are not eligible for training. Different Levels Number of employees Executive Level 69 Officer Level 99 Clerical Level 223 Total 391 Table 1: Population of HSBC 4.1.3.2 Sample frame It is the list from which employees names were drawn. The HRD of HSBC keeps a database of all employees who went on training. 4.1.3.3 Sampling unit It is an individual element of the population to be sampled. For this study, the sampling unit consisted of employees who went on training programs. 4.1.3.4 Sampling method This can be divided into two types: Probability or random sampling Here, each member of the population has a known and equal chance of being selected. Non-probability or non-random sampling Here, each member of the population does not have an equal or known chance of being selected because the selection of sample depends on judgment. For this study probability sampling was used. More precisely, stratified random sampling. It was found to be more appropriate because the sample frame had to be divided into three strata: executive, officer and clerical. Then, a random sample of executives, officers and clerks who went on training sessions were selected from each stratum. 4.1.3.5 Sampling size Different Levels Number of employees Sample size Executive Level 69 24 Officer Level 99 35 Clerical Level 223 81 Total 391 140 A sample size of 140 employees over 391 was randomly selected. Each stratum was proportionally represented. This can be illustrated as follows: Table 2: Sample size 4.1.3.6 Select sample Since the identity of those participating in the survey had to be kept anonymous, access to the database containing the list of employees who went on training was denied. Therefore, it was the Recruitment and Development manager who executed the stratified random sampling after being informed about the sampling size. 4.1.4 Contact methods Once the sampling plan was laid out, the next thing was to determine how to contact the respondents to administer the questionnaire. First of all, a contact was made with the Recruitment and Development manager through email who then scheduled a meeting at her office to conduct the personal interview. With her permission, the interview was audiotaped. Concerning the questionnaires to be filled by employees, it was agreed that she would distribute the questionnaires not only because she knew who went on training but also for confidentiality reasons. 4.1.5 Data gathering Data was collected during the months of June. The employees were given two weeks to fill in the questionnaire. 4.2 Limitations and problems encountered This study could not cover a numerical analysis to assess the cost effectiveness of training such as ROI, cost-benefit ratio and bottom line evaluation to determine the contribution of training on trainees productivity and the total value added to the organization. This was due to confidentiality of internal information. According to Roscoes table for determining sample size from a given population (see Appendix), a sample size of 196 should have been used for a population of around 391. But given that the Recruitment and Development manager were willing to distribute only 140 questionnaires, a sample size of 140 was thus selected. Deadline for submitting the questionnaires had to be extended to increase the response rate. When carrying a questionnaire, there is a limit to the number of questions that can be asked. With personal interviews, detailed beliefs and feelings can be obtained from respondents. But given the large sample size, it was impossible to carry a personal interview with each employee. 4.3 Ethical Considerations This research was conducted in a way that ensures its academic integrity and scientific validity. No attempt was made to intentionally falsify or invent any information or citation. By following The University of Mauritius Guide to the Harvard System of Referencing, all materials written or produced by others and mentioned in this study, were given their due recognition. A true description of the different research processes involved in this study was also reported. In addition, participation in this study was completely voluntary. Respondents were given sufficient information on the cover letter (see Appendix.) for them to decide about participation or nonparticipation. Similarly, the identity of those who participated in the questionnaire as well as their responses and opinions remained confidential. The results obtained were reported honestly. No attempt was made to falsify any information. It must be noted that this study does not attempt to cause harm to anyone, especially HSBC. Actually, this study aims at helping HSBC to improve the effectiveness of its training programs.