High School and Passion Paper Passion Essay

Passion. What is passion? Passion can be described in two words: strong and uncontrollable. We can’t control how we feel about the people, activities, and ideas in our lives. Passion isn’t always a good thing; too much of it can render a person incompetent. Everyone has a passion of their own and they pursue it in a different way. My passion is the game of lacrosse. I love every aspect of the game: playing, coaching, and officiating. I started playing lacrosse when I was eight years old and I have loved it every since. I was one of those kids that played every sport up until seventh grade, which was when I had a decision to make: what sport am I going to take seriously. I no longer had time for everything that I wanted to do. I knew right away that lacrosse was going to be the major sport in my life. I played volleyball in the fall and lacrosse year round. I quit dance, basketball, snowboarding, and running and I devoted myself to lacrosse. I played up for my high school while I was still in middle school and I played for a travel team  that competed at tournaments in front of college coaches. I decided freshman year that I wanted to play in college; and so my search began looking for the perfect school and program. During this process, I became more and more involved with the sport. I became a certified official and I began assistant coaching. I can honestly say that I love my job. I have the opportunity to pass down the skills I have accumulated over the years to new playing of the game. Being part of a team means having a big family. Lacrosse controls every aspect of my life. It’s what I write about in school. It’s what my mind is focused on 95% of the time. Some people say I am too invested in the game, but it’s what makes me a better player. I know the game and I can read the field. I’m a smart player and I have become this way because lacrosse controls me; but I let it control me in a healthy way. It keeps me active and in shape and gives me skills that are needed in the real world: teamwork, common goals, and never giving up. Lacrosse is my passion and I never want to give it up.

Local Development Planning in the Philippines

at the Local Level A  report  by: Sheryl  I. Fernando â€Å"Local governments do not have the luxury d of time to delay the development of their de own capabilities whic will allow them to ch achieve their cherishe objectives. ed They should help them mselves and not stagnate while the rest of the world go by. st Local governments he elping themselves is the essence of the home ru It is also the ule. cornerstone of democr ratic and just institutions. â€Å" LOGODEF,  1993 Local governments in the Philippines have th roots in the colonial administration of Spain, heir which lasted in the Philippines for some 32 years. These three centuries under Spanish 27 government were characterized by a highly ce entralized regime. The Spanish Governor General in Manila actually governed the provinces and cities in the whole country. After Spain, the US d came in the early 1900s and Filippinized local government administration. The last 50 years of the present century saw several develo pments towards decentralization. The Local Autonomy Act of 1959, the passage of the Barrio Charter and the Decentralization Act o of 1967 were all incremental national legisla ations in response to the clamour for a self? rule concept. The Philippine Constitutions of 1972 and 1987 also significantly influenced the movement for political devolution.The most significant constitutional provisions (Article 10 on Local Government) are the following: s The Congress shall enact a local government code which shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of s decentralization with effective mechanisms of recall, initiative n and referendum allocate among the different local government m, units their powers, responsibilities and resources and provide for the qualificati ions, election, appointment, removal, terms, salaries, power functions and duties of local officials and all rs, other matters relating to the organization and opera tion of the r local units†. The legislative initiative promoting local auto onomy was strongly supported by academics and public servants who spearheaded the nec cessary reforms in changing the structure and organization of local governments and includ new functions to enable local governments to ded address a changing environment. The strugg for decentralization that lasted more than 50 gle years culminated in the passage of the Loca Government Code in October 1991.The Local al Government Code is a most comprehensiv document on local government touching on ve structures, functions and powers, including tax xation and intergovernmental relations. † unescap. org According  to  Panadero (2008)  the  dece entralization  of  governance  was  influenced   by  local  Ã‚  and  international  events  (see  Figure e  1). He  also  added  that  at  the  International Internat tional  Events POSITIVE ? Technological Advances ? Globaliz ation crisis ? Trade/Investment liberalization ? Poverty focus flu) Political †¢ 3  changes  in   administration †¢ EDSA  II  &  III †¢ Increase  Insurgency †¢ Terrorism †¢ Charter  Change †¢ Political  Uncertainty NEGATIVE ?Episodes of world economic Slowdown & economic ? Rising oil prices ? Terrorism ? Heath problems (e. g. SARS, Eco onomic †¢ Boom  bu ust  economic   growth/cr rises †¢ Liberaliza ation/   Deregular rization   Policies †¢ Rising  Ur rbanization †¢ OFW  Deployment †¢ Fiscal  &  d debt  problems DECENT TRALIZATION Social †¢ Persistent  poverty †¢ Lower  budget   allocation For  social  services †¢ Rising  inequality †¢ Disasters Figure  1. Economic,  Social  &  Political  Environme ent  in  the  Last  Years  of  Decentralization level, globalization has the most pervasive influence on the decentralization, which was haste ned by trade and investment liberalization and technological advances.On the Social Sector, there was a focus on the reduction of poverty; on the Economic Sector, the new international issues such as terrorism had positive and negative impacts at the local level, while the economic scenario at the national level significantly shaped local development. The national government in the 1990 sought to upgrade local government by 0s delegating some limited powers to local su ubdivisions and by encouraging people to participate in community affairs. Local auto onomy was balanced, however, against the need to ensure effective political and admin nistrative control from Manila, especially in those areas where communist or Muslim ins surgents were active. During Marcos's authoritarian years (1 1972? 86), a Ministry of Local Government was instituted to invigorate provincial, mu unicipal, and barangay governments.But, Marcos's real purpose was to establish lin of authority that bypassed provin cial nes governments and ran straight to Malacanang. All local officials were beholden to Marcos, who could appoint or remove any provincial governor or town mayor. Those administrators who delivered the votes Marcos asked for were rewarded with community development funds to spend any way they liked. y After the People's Power Revolution, the new Aquino government decided to replace all the local officials who had served Marcos. Corazon Aquino delegated this task to her political ally, Aquilino Pimentel. Pimentel named officers in charge of local governments all across the nation. They served until the first local elections were held under the new constitution on January 18, 1988.Local officials elected in 1988 were to serve until June 1992, under the transitory clauses of the new constitution. Thereafter, terms of office were to be three years, with a three? term limit. Local government units (LGUs) are territo orial political subdivisions of the Philippines that include provinces , cities, municipalities and barangays (the smallest political unit in the country). Because local government officials ar voted into power by the people, their primary re role is people's welfare. Their offices are the major institutions responsible for the e coordination, overseeing and monitoring of dev velopment projects at the local level.The devolution of significant powers and functions formerly held by national line agencies mmunity development and poverty alleviation in to LGUs made them powerful conduits for com the countryside. Among the responsibilities tr ransferred to the LGUs were agriculture, health, social services, environment and natural resources, maintenance of local infrastructure facilities (such as farm? to? market roads, bridges and irri igation) and others. Local legislative powers such as decision? making, resource allocation, rule? m making and enforcement of laws related to these powers were also delegated to LGUs. Governor  Lilia  G. Pineda  meets   with  barangay  officials  of  flooded? municipalities  in  the  province  as  she  instructs  them  to  further   intensify  their  efforts  in  ensuring  the  welfare  and  safety  of  their  r respective  constituents. Board  Member  Cris Garbo,  Provincial   Social  Welfare  and  Development  Officer  (PSWDO)  Elizabeth  Bayb bayan and  Agriculture  Consultant  Roy  Imperial  join  the  meeting  of   the  local  officials. (Photo  by  Jun  Jaso,Pampanga PIO) The planning process in starts at the barangay level. Plans are prepared by the Barangay Council, and then adopted by the Barangay Development Council, composed of barangay y officials elected by the people (Figure 2). Gene erally, barangay officials have completed only the elementary levels of schooling, and have little or no training in development? related activities.Hence, barangay development plans usually consist o nly of lists of projects that focus mainly c on the infrastructure facilities that are the most obvious and easiest to identify. Some communities do have better planning processe but these are rare. es, Level National Planning  Institutions National  Economic  Development   Authority  (NEDA),  Central  Office Regional NEDA,  Ã‚  Regional  Office Provincial Provincial  Planning  and   Development  Office  (PPDO) Municipal Municipal  Planning  and   Development  Office  (MPDO) Barangay Figure  2. Planning  process  and  institutions  in  the  Philippines Barangay  Council/ Sangguniag Barangay Barangay development plans are submit tted to the Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO), which comes under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Mayor.The MPDO is in charge of planning activities at the municipa level. Generally, the MPDO consolidates the al â€Å"shopping lists† of projects and prioritizes them in accordance with the plans of the municipality. Before this consolidated plan bec comes the official Municipal Development Plan, it must first be adopted by the Municipal Develo opment Council. From the municipal level, plans are forwarded to the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) where they are again D consolidated and prioritized on the basis of the province's own particular plans. e The provincial development plans are also reviewed by the Provincial Development Councils before adoption.They are then sub bmitted to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Office, which cons solidates all the provincial plans and prioritizes them, based on regional importance. The plans should also be reviewed by the Regional p Development Councils before adoption. The plans are then forwarded to the NEDA Central Office Inter? Cabinet Coordinating Committee for consideration, together with the priorities of f the various government line agencies. Based on the national thrust s and priorities, the projects o that are selected are then consolidated and included in the National Medium? Term Development Plan. The Local Government Code (LGC) man ndates the LGUs with significant local planning functions.In particular, Section 106 of the Code provides that â€Å"each LGU shall have e comprehensive multi? sectoral development pla to be initiated by its development council and an approved by its Sanggunian. The institutional responsibilities for plan formulation, e financing and implementation are likewise clearly g, prescribe by the Code: ed ? The Loc Development Plan (LDP) shall be prepared by the cal Local Development Council (LDC); P ? The LDP will be approved by the Sanggunian; ? Funds for the development plan shall be allocated by the Local Fin nance Committee (LCF); and ? The Loc Chief Executive (LCE), together with the executive cal departm ments, will implement the development plan. This case study highlights the experience of undertaking a Priority e Implementation Partnership on incorporating disaster risk impact assessments into the construction of new roads in the Philippines, implemented by the National Disa aster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with support from Asian Disaster Preparedness Cent (ADPC), UN International Strategy ter for Disaster Reduction (UN/I ISDR) and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). † Towards Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into the Planning Process of Road Construction Safer Roads A Priority Implementation Partnership between the National Disaster Coordinating Council and the Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippines Under the Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC) Program on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development in Asia Road Sector a priority for mainstreaming disaster risk reductionBACKGROUND The Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) on Disaster Management under its program on Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development (MDRD) have identified Roads and Infrastructure, Agriculture, Education, Health, Housing and Financial Services as priority sectors to initiate mainstreaming disaster risk reduction . With the massive infrastructure development in Asia underpinned by the investment in highways, roads and bridges, prioritizing the Road Sector is certainly a necessity. In the RCC which comprises of heads of the National Disaster Management Offices of 26 Asian Countries, members had submitted expression of interest (EoI) to mainstream of disaster risk reduction into particular sectors depending on the development priorities of their country.The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) of the Philippines which is a member of the RCC expressed interest in taking-up MDRD into road sector in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the agency responsible for national road construction in the country. Accordin gly in the first quarter of 2006, the Priority Implementation Partnership for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into the planning process of road construction in the Philippines was started by NDCC and DPWH. The partnership was technically supported by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) with financial support from UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) through Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). ource: Mapping Philippine Vulnerability to Environmental Disasters – Manila Observatory/Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Floods and earthquakes make the road system in the Philippines prone to landslides, road slips, embankment scouring and other sediment related disasters. Roads are often closed for several days when hit by such disasters causing disruption in transportation services that affects the access of passengers, goods and services. The impact of flooding and typhoons in creating havoc to the c ountry’s economy as well as to damage to property is recognized in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan of 2001-2004 and accordingly the DPWH has also aligned its policies and strategies.Priority Implementation Partnership (PIP) – a Process towards mainstreaming disaster risk reduction Similar to other countries, the Road sector in the Philippines also works in close collaboration with various government departments like Planning, Finance, Environment and Local Government. While the development of national roads (30,000 km of length) is under the jurisdiction of DPWH, the remaining road network (172,000 km of length) falls under the concern of local government units. In addition, road projects are based on area development plans produced by the National Economic Development Agency (NEDA) and the Regional Development Councils (RDC). Similarly the feasibility reports prepared for each road project undergoes an environmental and a social impact assessment led by th e Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).In order to mainstream disaster risk reduction, further collaboration is required with NDCC and technical agencies responsible for producing hazard information related to natural disasters like the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Philippines Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). A MULTI-AGENCY TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP TAKES THE LEAD With this understanding, the PIP formed a technical working group of the NDCC at the beginning with multi-agency membership to steer the process of implementation of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into the planning process of road construction. procedure of road planning and identifying the windows of opportunity to introduce disaster risk reduction.Accordingly the scope of activities was detailed as follows: †¢ Documentation of existing procedure for development of road projects with respect to hazards; Documentation of contents of pre feasibility/ feasibility report of road projects in the country over the past 20 years; Analysis of past damage to road infrastructure; Identification of specific steps that can be taken for incorporating hazard considerations in project development and approval process; List of future priority projects for construction of roads in the Philippines. †¢ PIP Technical Working Group comprises: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Chairperson; Planning service, DPWH Co-chairperson; Planning division, NDCC Members Bureau of research and standard, DPWH Bureau of design and bridge division, DPWH Philippines Institute of Civil Engineer Department of Environment and Natural Resources Philippines Institute of Volcanology and SeismologyPhilippines Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Asian Disaster Preparedness Center †¢ †¢ †¢ The technical working group met frequently over the PIP implementat ion period to look at the mentioned activities above and developed the final report which details recommendations for integrating DRR into the planning process of new road construction in the Philippines. BROADER CONSULTATION PIP LOOKED INTO The technical working group engaged in consultation and decided on the following activities for initiating mainstreaming. Since it was realized that the ultimate aim of mainstreaming could only be achieved by bringing change in the entire system, which road projects are developed, designed, constructed and maintained.Hence this particular partnership would emphasize on understanding the existing The findings of the PIP were shared during a national workshopheld in February 2007, in which a wide range of stakeholders particpated including the Government, technical agencies, UN agencies and the Asian Development Bank. The recommendations were discussed in detail and future steps were identified. The Project Development of a typical infrastructure project in DPWH follows a cyclic process consisting of four phases: Project identification, Project preparation, Project implementation and Project operation and evaluation. consolidated form, with limited access to detailed report on damages and their corresponding costs. Also of equal importance is to benchmark hazard intensities with their Return periods/Damages.This is particularly difficult due to: lack of updated topographic maps at 1:5,000 or higher resolution, a sparse network of hazard monitoring stations (seismic and flood) as well as short monitoring period and limited processed data on hazards. The following key documents were collected during the project to conduct the analysis: †¢ Standard Terms of Reference for Strategic Environment Assessment for Plans and Programmes Standard Report Format for Strategic Environment Assessment for Plans and Programmes Sample of Damage Report DPWH District Office Sample of Consolidated Damage Report by NDCC Sample of Bridge condit ion Inspection Form Sample of Pre- Feasibility and Feasibility Reports of Road projects starting 1984 List of future projects of DPWHAfter the projects are identified, feasibility studies are conducted which includes investigations and analysis to determine the extent and degree of desirability of a project against technical, economic, social, environmental, financial and operational aspects. As part of this project, sample feasibility reports over last 20 years were analysed in terms of content and it was realized that the structure of the report largely depends on the source of funding of the project. Typically due to lack of funding for construction of national road projects, DPWH administers a basic feasibility study, but for foreign-assisted projects the assessment process is more in-depth and extensive.However, it was noted that post 2000, the feasibility reports do tend to include a section on â€Å"Review of hazard specific threats on road sections† though it is prima rily limited to protecting the road segments from geological hazards such as landslides and debris fall. In addition, DPWH feasibility study includes an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The EIA report structure considers the impact of hazards by defining an â€Å"environmentally critical area† of the project site where it is frequently visited by the natural hazards. However, it does not explicitly provide details on how to address natural hazard vulnerability and risks to infrastructure and the consequent impact from its damage or failure.Similarly, Cost-benefit analysis cover only the planned use of the facility and does not factor in other costs (risk based cost) arising from potential damage or possible failure of the structure to function to a certain event. Assessment of damages to roads affected by a natural disaster is carried-out by DPWH at the district level. There is no fixed format followed for collecting information needed for the assessment and the reports are directly sent to NDCC for the preparation of an overall disaster assessment report. Hence, it becomes difficult to trace these records at the regional or central offices of the DPWH. Similarly the damage information of past disasters available from NDCC is in a †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢It is also realized that since mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction involves a broad range of stakeholders, interrelated plans and programs, disaster risk reduction concerns need to be linked with ongoing projects of DPWH such as: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The earthquake rehabilitation program and similar seismic vulnerability assessments DPWH national roads improvement and management program, Phase II DPWH road maintenance investment programs The study on the nationwide flood risk assessment and the flood mitigation plan for the selected areas in the Philippines Technical Assistance for risk assessment and management Benefit monitoring and evaluation of selected r oads, Phase II, ADB Capacity Building Study on risk management for sediment related disaster on selected national highways Similarly close linkage needs to be established with the ongoing project of NDCC in partnership with UNDP on Hazard Mapping and Assessment for effective community-based disaster risk management (READY). †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢KEY FINDINGS †¢ DPWH adopts a basic â€Å"one size fits all† format for feasibility studies of road projects that does not specifically require assessment of disaster risks. During detailed design, disaster risk reduction aspects are incorporated into the project if required. Mostly national budgets do not provide funds for surveys and investigations at the feasibility study stage, and it is therefore unusual for disaster risk reduction measures to be incorporated at early stages of project preparation. Externally funded projects are prepared to higher standards, particularly in relation to environmental assessments (whe re disaster risk aspects are described if required by the particular agency) and resettlement planning.There is uneven application of building codes and design standards between national and local roads. Absence of one fixed format for collecting information on damage to roads and bridges from natural hazards prepared by district-level offices. Hydrological data are available for major river basins in the Philippines but these information have not uniformly been processed to provide flow/stage relationships for different return periods, which could be used for road design. Learning The key to successful integration of disaster risk reduction on road projects lies in the planning phase of the project cycle which includes project identification and preparation of the feasibility study.Assessing the possible impact on the project of natural disasters or other hazards at this stage means that the appropriate risk reduction measures can be included in the scope, layout and arrangement of the project’s major components—and that these measures will be allowed for in the cost estimate. If such measures are not included at the planning phase, their inclusion at the later stages is unlikely, or could be costly and inconvenient (i. e. possibly requiring a supplementary budget). Attempting to include risk reduction measures at the design stage (after major elements of the project have been decided and the budget has been allocated) cannot adequately satisfy the need for disaster risk reduction. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Recommendations DPWH needs to have a standard on project identification and preparation procedures to eliminate quality discrepancies between nationally and externally funded projects and to pave the way for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in road projects. Feasibility reports should include assessments of the impact of potential disasters. An enhanced natural hazard/impact assessment component should be included in the EI A for nationally-funded and foreign-assisted projects The existing system for monitoring road needs to be improved to allow for the recording of damage caused by natural disasters. Standard formats and reporting standards should be introduced for monitoring and for collecting damage data from the impact of natural disasters on roads.Capacity of staff to assess the impact of natural disasters needs to be increased, particularly at the regional and district levels. The key to successful integration of disaster risk reduction on road projects lies in the planning phase†¦ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Next Steps for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into road sector in the Philippines In order to take forward the momentum gained under the PIP, the technical working group has identified the following next steps to realize the recommendations: †¢ Identifying two pipeline road projects in a hazard prone area of the Philippines. The two projects would be at different stages namely a pipeline project without a feasibility study and a pipeline project with a feasibility study completed.Integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) into the planning process of two identified pipeline project. Capacity building of officials from DPWH responsible for conducting feasibility studies on how to integrate DRR. Experience of PIP incorporated in the RCC Guideline on mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into Infrastructure †¢ To share the experience gained during the process of implementation of the PIP with the remaining RCC member countries, the technical working group represented by DPWH and NDCC participated in a regional technical workshop on developing the RCC Guideline on incorporating disaster risk assessments as part of planning process before construction of new roads.The lessons learned from the PIP acted as the guiding approaches for initiating mainstreaming disaster risk reduction. †¢ †¢ Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster M anagement (RCC) The RCC comprises of members who are working in key Government positions in the National Disaster Management Offices of countries of the Asian region. To date, 26 countries are represented by 30 RCC Members from the Asia and Pacific regions, namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.RCC Program on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development Policy, Planning and Implementation in Asia (RCC MDRD) A key priority identified by the RCC is the integration of disaster risk considerations into development planning. To initiate action on this agreed direction, the RCC Program on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development Policy, Planning and Implementation (MDRD) was launched at the 4th RCC meeting in Bangladesh in March 2004. The RC C 5 adopted the Hanoi RCC 5 statement on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development in Asian Countries which prioritizes mainstreaming of DRR to be initiated in National development planning process as well as Sectoral development.It identified six priority sectors namely Agriculture, Education, Health, Housing, Urban Planning and Infrastructure and Financial services for mainstreaming of DRR. The program has five components for implementation: †¢ †¢ Component 1: Developing Guidelines and Tools for MDRD Component 2: Undertaking Priority Implementation Partnerships (PIP) in MDRD in RCC Member Countries Component 3: Showcasing good practice on MDRD and Monitoring Progress Component 4: Advocacy for Building awareness and Political Support to MDRD Component 5: Mobilizing Partnerships for ongoing and sustainable implementation Lay-out and graphic design by: Philipp Danao †¢ †¢ †¢The Hanoi RCC 5 statement identified the following sub themes within the Urban Planning and Infrastructure to initiate mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction: For more information, please contact: †¢ Aloysius Rego, Director and Team Leader Email: [email  protected] net †¢ Arghya Sinha Roy, Project Manager Email: [email  protected] net Disaster Management Systems Team Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) P. O. Box 4 Klong Luang Pathumthani 12120 Thailand Tel: (66 2) 516 5900-10 Fax: (66 2) 524-5350, 5360 Email: [email  protected] net website: www. adpc. net Introducing Disaster Risk Impact Assessments into the construction of new roads and bridges; Promoting the use of hazard risk information in land-use planning and zoning programsThis case study highlights the experience of undertaking a Priority Implementation Partnership on incorporating disaster risk impact assessments into the construction of new roads in the Philippines, implemented by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Department of Public Works and Highwa ys (DPWH) with support from Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ ISDR) and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). References:  Ã‚   ONLINE  :   Guide  to  Comprehensive  Development  Plan   http://www. mongabay. com/reference/country_studies/philippines/GOVERNMENT. html   Accessed:  June  26,  2012 Local  Government  Code. http://www. chanrobles. com/localgov1. htm   Accessed:  June  26,  2012   Local  Government  in  Asia  and  the  Pacific:  A  Comparative  Study. Country  paper:  Philippines   http://www. unescap. org/huset/lgstudy/country/philippines/philippines. tml  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Accessed:  June  26,  2012   Luz  Seno? Ani. Participatory  territorial  planning:  the  farming  systems  development  approach  in   community  planning  in  the  Ph ilippines,  1995–2002. http://www. fao. org/docrep/005/Y8999T/y8999t06. htm      Accessed:  June  26,  2012      Philippines? Government   http://www. mongabay. com/reference/country_studies/philippines/GOVERNMENT. html   Accessed:  June  26,  2012      Rationalizing  the  Local  Planning  System   http://www. dilg. gov. ph/PDF_File/reports/DILG? Reports? 2011712? ea7ba5859e. pdf      e? BOOK/BOOK:      Panadero,  Austere  A. (2008). Strategy  to  Further  Decentralization  in  the  Philippines. LOGODEF   Journal  on  Ã‚  Local  Governance.Towards  Mainstreaming  Disaster  Risk  Reduction  into  the  Planning  Process  of  Road  Construction         PHOTOS:   Gov. meets  with  brgy  officials:   http://pampangacapitol. ph/2011/10/06/gov? meets? with? barangay? officials/      cory  caricature from  the  Filipino  mind:  Bobby  Tuazon   http://thefili pinomind. blogspot. com/2009/08/cora? aquino? how? politics? of? reform? lost. html      Cover  photo  by  Sheryl  Fernando,  documentor,  Executive  management  course  for  Ã‚  PSWDOs  and   MSWDOs  in  Mindanao A  report  submitted  in  partial  fulfillment  of  the  requirements  in   Development  Management  in n  Development  Organizations Submit tted  to: Dr. Jedida  L. Aquino Profe essor Submitted  by: Sheryl  I. F Fernando MD DM

Charlemagne: Known as Charles The Great

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, became the undisputed ruler of Western Europe, â€Å"By the sword and the cross.† As Western Europe was deteriorating Charlemagne was crowned the privilege of being joint king of the Franks in 768 AD. People of Western Europe, excluding the church followers, had all but forgotten the great gifts of education and arts that they had possessed at one time. Charlemagne solidly defeated barbarians and kings in identical fashion during his reign. Using the re-establishment of education and order, Charlemagne was able to save many political rights and restore culture in Western Europe. Charlemagne was born in 742 AD, to a very famous and well-known family. Charlemagne†s grandfather was Charles Martel, the man who was responsible for the defeat of the Saracens. Charlemagne was also the eldest son of Betrade and Pepin the Short, the first to become king of the Franks. With the almost full extinction of schools in the 8th century, many historians say that Charlemagne received very little education, but did learn the art of reading from Bertrade. In 768 AD, Charlemagne at the age of 26, along with his brother Carloman inherited the kingdom of Franks. However, in 771 AD Carloman died, making Charlemagne the sole ruler of the kingdom. At this time the northern part of Europe was out of order and unruly. In the south, the Roman Catholic Church was asserting itself alongside the Lombard kingdom in Italy. While in Charlemagne†s own kingdom, the people were becoming and acting as barbarians and neglecting education and faith. But Charlemagne was determined to make his kingdom as strong as possible. In 772 AD, Charlemagne put forth a 30-year campaign to conquer and Christianize the Saxons in the north. He charged over the Avars, a large tribe on the Danube. He forced the Bavarians to surrender to him. When possible Charlemagne attempted to settle his conflicts peacefully. However, he was forced to use brute in some situations. For instance, Charlemagne offered to pay Desiderius for the return of lands to the pope, but after Desiderius refused, Charlemagne seized the kingdom of Desiderius and restored the Papal States. By 800 AD Charlemagne was the sole ruler of Western Europe. His immense kingdom included what are now France, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It also covered half of present-day Italy and Germany, part of Austria, and the Spanish March. This Spanish March stretched to the Ebro River. Through his establishment of a single government over the entire Western Europe, Charlemagne re-established much of the old Roman Empire, which paved the way for the progress of present-day Europe. On Christmas Day in 800 while praying in St. Peter†s Cathedral in Rome, Pope Leo III approached Charlemagne with a golden crown and placed it on the head of the king. The crowd in the church shouted concurrently, â€Å"To Charles the Augustus, crowned by God to be the great and peace-giving emperor of the Romans, life and victory!† Doing this angered the Byzantines because Charlemagne†s prestige and power was equal to the Byzantine emperor. Another problem that arose was that the pope thereafter chose the Roman emperor among the European kings. At the time of Charlemagne†s death in 814 AD only one of his three sons, Louis the Pious was alive. Louis had a weak ruling after his father, which brought on many civil wars and rebellions. As king and emperor, he was very religious and it is said that the role of a monk better suited him than that of the Roman emperor. When Louis the Pious passed away, his three sons broke out in civil war for their father†s empire. In 843, the war ended when Lothair, Charles the Bald, and Louis the German signed the Treaty of Verdun. This pact separated the empire into three separate parts for each of Louis the Pious† sons. After the treaty was signed, the kings† power deteriorated and the government became weak. All of Europe was invaded and pirates and barbarians threatened the land. Charlemagne†s empire began to weaken.

Should Ireland legalise marijuana Research Paper

Should Ireland legalise marijuana - Research Paper Example Moreover, comparing the drug use and consumption in both Ireland and Colorado is imperative for further development and understanding of the issue. Regarding the drug consumption and possession, the law forbids the use of marijuana in Portugal. In the country, the illicit use of marijuana increased from 7.8% in a lifetime to 12%. However, when carrying out the study in 2012 (Kilmer, 2013), the use of the drug among teenagers had greatly decreased. It is vital to note that the overall consumption of the drug increased by 4.1% since the year 2001 (Kilmer, 2013). Going through the same issue in Ireland, one recognizes that people in the country are avid users of the substance. A poll carried out in the year 1998 showed that 24% of all the citizens in the country supported the act that sought to legalize the use of marijuana in the country. In contemporary research carried out, 39% of adults in Ireland are for the legalization of marijuana that is a huge increase (Murphy, 2008). With the information, it is important to compare this with the manner through which Colorado discusses the issue of marijuana smoking. According to the United States’ records, there are two different sides to the use marijuana in Colorado, as opposed to Ireland. In Ireland, the government does not seek to identify any  marijuana  legalization be it medicinal or recreational. It has all uses of bhang banned. However, in Colorado, the state government recognizes that there are two types of marijuana in the United States. This is medicinal and recreational. On November of the year 2000, people of Colorado went to the poll to determine the people that were for the legalization of marijuana. In the poll, 54% of these people approved the amendment of section 20 of the state’s constitution (Toney, 2012). However, the legalization of this commodity was only for medicinal purposes. However, with regard to the use of regular or rather recreational marijuana, this was banned

Analysis of the deviation of prices on grocery products before and Essay

Analysis of the deviation of prices on grocery products before and during economic crisis - Essay Example In all recent global downturns, commodity prices declined sharply (see table), suggesting a disconnect between commodity prices and the ongoing slowdown of the global economy. Much of the apparent disconnect reflects the fact that emerging and developing economies, which have been responsible for the bulk of recent commodity demand growth, have so far been less affected by the slowing growth in advanced economies. More recently, the price momentum was reinforced by financial factors" (International Monetary Fund). An article from the IMF says that "In the advanced economies, headline inflation accelerated to around 4 percent in July, driven mainly by oil price rises. However, underlying or core inflation has remained contained and, with commodity prices now in retreat, inflation is expected to moderate quickly, notwithstanding the recent-probably temporary-oil price increase" (Lipsky). Theinflation resurgence has gone much further in emerging and developing economies, although risks have receded recently. Headline inflation climbed to about 9 percent in the aggregate by mid-year, and a wide range of countries are experiencing double-digit inflation. Underlying inflation has increased markedly in these economies, underscoring their less well anchored inflation expectations and the capacity pressures stemming from still-rapid growth. But the balance of risks between inflation and growth is shifting for many emerging economies" (Lipsky). The surge of prices is felt around the world; however it is felt more extremely in the emerging markets. In particular focus to commodity prices, "they have retreated recently, but are expected to remain high and volatile. The prices of major agricultural commodities have moderated, although the pass-through to food prices may be more drawn out than for oil and energy prices. Nevertheless, if the trends in commodities prices are sustained, this would help create new space for countercyclical monetary, and in some cases, budgetary policies" (Lipsky). The prices of commodities are observed to be volatile, meaning they are expected to fluctuate through the course of time. Although volatile, the figure will remain to be high compared to the normal prices. This is observed in the data above, with particular reference to the Russian commodity market. One significant factor in the determination of commodity prices is the prevailing price of oil. "Oil prices have moved off their highs, but uncertainty remains high. Crude oil prices have declined about 25 percent from the mid-July peak, but they are still about 10 percent higher, on average, than at the beginning of 2008 and oil prices have risen in recent days. Increasing signs of weaker global growth, indication of some demand response to

Sociology, Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sociology, - Annotated Bibliography Example 2. Gozdziak, E.M., (2004) Training Refugee Mental Health Providers: Ethnography as a bridge to multicultural practice- Human Organization. Journal of the society for applied anthropology, vol. 63 (2) 203-210. 2004. Gozdziak in this paper discusses a psychological problem of refugees which is becoming serious. With the passage of time the number of refuges in the world is increasing, and this is resulting in increased mental complexities of these refuges. This article focuses on the importance of training programs to train psychologists to deal with the diverse pool of refugees for providing them mental support. Anthropology is also discussed in the article as a contributing factor n this regard. Menjivar has paid attention towards social networks with all their complexities amongst the Salvadoran immigrants. The book talks about scarcity of resources and the importance and need of sharing those with family and friends. Immigration is never easy, and this is what Menjivar is trying to establish here. From sociological analysis point of view the book is really good. It is highly informative. 4. Menjivar, C. (2006). Family reorganization in a context of legal uncertainty: Guatemalan and Salvadoran Immigrants in the United States.International Journal of Sociology of the Family vol 32(20) 223-245. Menjivar has discussed the issues of Immigrants in the Uni... Due importance has been given to the painstaking breaking and remaking of family ties and reorganizations. Legal issues faced by the immigrants, how the law can come between family members and how socially problematic lives immigrants may lead afterwards is the focus of this book. 5. Menjivar, C. (2004). Teen Life in El Salvador. Edited by Tompkins, C. and Sternberg, K. Westford, Conn: Greenwood Publishing Group Co. Pp. 155-171 With her extensive research and writing experience in the field of psychological issues and sociology, Menjivar has brought forward the true picture of life as a teenager in El Salvador. The issues of teens are highlighted in the book. Relationship between teen unresolved issues and crime rate is mentioned while the issues and their solutions are also discussed. 6. Menjvar, C. and Marsiglia, F. F. 2004. Nicaraguan and Salvadoran Children and Families. Edited by Fong, R. New York: Guilford Publications. Pp. 253-273 Menjvar and Marsiglia discuss the social issues faced by Nicaraguans as well as Salvadoran Families and Children. As immigrants these people face a lot of problem which sometimes creates very complex situations. To avoid those situations, the practices with these families should be acceptable for them culturally. This is the focus of this book. 7. Menjvar, C. and Rodrguez, N. 2005. New Responses to State Terror. Austin: University of Texas Press. Pp. 335-346 Menjvar and Rodrguez talk about the carelessness of states due to the loopholes in welfare policies or legal issues. The book focuses on the responsibility of the states as a supporter and provider and it criticizes the loose rules which sometimes practically kill families, social life or psychologically normal behavior. 8. Menjvar, C. 2006. Global

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Change Management - Essay Example The consumer software products for the company include safari web browser, iTunes, iLife etc. This paper identifies three major areas that the company needs to improve on, in order to increase its market share, as well as profitability. The three major areas that the company needs to improve on, includes quality, cycle time and cost. It is important to denote that despite weaknesses in these areas, Apples is still one of the most successful companies in the world (Schuh, 2014). Cycle time refers to the period or time that a company takes before it completes the production of a particular product. Schuh (2014) explains that since the launch of mini iPad in 2012, Apples has not managed to introduce any new product into the market. This makes the organization to be competitively disadvantaged from its major competitors such as Samsung, which on a yearly basis, the company introduces new products. However, in a message that emanated from the company, the company is planning to introduce a new range of products by the end of 2014 (Schuh, 2014). The products under consideration have been under manufacture as from the year 2012, and they aim at improving the manner in which Apples is able to compete with its competitors. Looking at this time cycle, it takes Apples approximately 2 years before introducing a new object into the market. This is very dangerous in the competitive electronic markets, which is always characterized by new innovations on a yearly basis. I n fact one of the major factors that saw the decline of Nokia is the inability of the company to roll out new and innovative products into the market. This is an aspect the Apples need to change and this is by constantly investing in research and development. Furthermore, Apples has to liaise with other software techno logical firms such as Oracles, for purposes of coming up with new techno logical innovations for their

Responding to Pop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Responding to Pop Culture - Essay Example he average Joe themes that illustrate contestants in very pertinent terms to audience lifestyle and then appropriating excitement to make positive emotional connection to human behavior related to needs for excitement and enrichment that most of the target audience shares psychologically. What makes â€Å"Wheel of Fortune† a practical example of effective pop culture is in the show’s ability to turn audience dreams into practical reality by illustrating the notion that fantasies of materialism and pleasure are achievable for the average Joe consumer lifestyle, thus making a positive collective connection to everyday life. After the contestants have offered their rather humdrum, typical lifestyle attributes and family connections, the audience establishes a bond with the players related to their lifestyle similarities and builds an immediate sense of empathy built on common bonds which is a strength of this particular medium of pop culture. The show concept also illustrates a sense of adventure through the provision of glamorous prize packages that fit with most audience psychological profiles related to exploration and lifestyle diversity. However, where the show is weak as a pop culture icon is in lack of diversity of show concept, thus creating opportunities for audience boredom or perceptions of monotony. Despite these structural weaknesses in presentation, the show is popular as it presents greed and wealth as potential for instantaneous opportunity while the viewing audience is forced to labor to achieve similar self-indulgence. This makes it appealing to the middle-class audience as it can prom ote a perception that life does not have to always be lackluster. Psychological theory defines salience as the relevance or importance of a particular sign, a symbol that stands out from others in an unambiguous way (Heath, Ho & Berger, 2006). â€Å"Wheel of Fortune† provides salience as an exciting medium for instant wealth accumulation and rapid lifestyle

British Airways Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

British Airways - Essay Example The company also improves its efficiency by lessening the day its pays off its suppliers and collects from its customers. An investor is most likely be attracted by the escalating share price of British Airways but be put off by the 0 dividend yield. Profitability ratios measure the ability of the company to generate income from its investments less the costs incurred. The computed operating profit margin, which is the ratio of operating income to sales measures as a percentage of sales, the excess revenue from sales over cost of normal operation excluding financing. Net profit margin, on the other hand, is the ratio of net income to sales. Return on common equity (ROCE) is a variant of return on investment. The return on common equity assesses the rate of return on the investments of common stockholders in the company (Analyzing Company Reports 2005). Another ratio is the turnover ratio which shows to what the extent the company uses its assets to produce revenue. Logically, higher profitability ratios indicate a healthier financial condition. Table 1 shows the computed profitability ratios of British Airways in 2006. In order to fully asses the profitability of British Airways in 2006, the company's profitability ratios for 2005 are also included. ... During 2006, the airline is able to turn 8.3% of its revenue in operating profit and 5.5% into net income from the 7.20% and 5.0% recorded in the previous year, respectively. It should be noted that operation in the airline industry requires incurring huge operating costs which could justify the relatively low percentages. However, compared to its competitors like Ryaniar Ltd and Thomsonfly Ltd, British Airways lags far behind. In term of asset turnover and return on equity, British Airways is in a downslide. It can be recalled that the main goal of a business organisation is the maximization of stockholder value which is reflected on its return on equity. British Airways declining ROCE indicates its deviation from this goal. From the point of view of investors, British Airways appears to be mediocre investment relative to its competitors. This is also true for creditors who look at the profitability of a business organisation to assess its paying capacity. For managers, this can signal the company to check its management of cost and other disbursements. Financial Leverage Ratios Financial leverage ratios provide an indication of the long-term solvency of the firm. They indicate the extent of non-owner claims on the firm's profits as well as the firm's operating capability to meet its obligation. Gearing is the long-term debt to equity ratio which assesses the balance between liabilities and equity in the firm's long term resource structure. Another is the interest coverage ratio which measures the extent to which earnings cover the interest obligation of the company (Thomson 2002, p. C-6). Table 2 Table 2 shows the financial leverage ratios which reveal the capital structure of British Airways. The debt-to-assets and debt-to-equity ratios

Animal adaption report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Animal adaption report - Essay Example For instance, a sunflower’s ecological niche is absorption of water, lights, and nutrients. Offering food to some organisms and releasing oxygen in the atmosphere (Daily, 2014). A structural adaptation is defined as the physical characteristics that an organism develops in order to survive in a particular environment. The video shows a type of reptile that has developed sharp teeth to grasp slippery seaweed. The developed teeth is an example of adaptation that gives the reptile better likelihood of obtaining food thus surviving in the particular habitat. They have also developed a flat snout that helps them graze. Physiological adaptations accounts for the way an organism adjusts or regulates bodily functions in response to a situation or its environment. An example from the video is the oxygen carrying capacity that the iguana reptile has developed to enable it dive for up an hour to get seaweed. The ability to dive deep enables the iguana reptile to dive deeper thus finding food. An example of behavioral adaptation from the video is the migration of birds (albatross). Albatross migrate in response to their mating instincts. The behavioral adaptation that albatross has developed for mating allows their population to gather in one place and at a specific time and ensures their ongoing reproduction. In the former times, cheetahs were prevalent and common in various regions of the pre medieval world. However, nowadays, they are sported in specific parts of the world mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, emote and secluded North African regions, as well as Iranian and Pakistani enclaves. The largest Cheetah population’s concentration is in Namibia, Southwest Africa. This place is therefore famous as "the land of cheetahs." The cheetah’s diet includes mammals ranging from small to medium size, which are lighter than 40kg. Some of these are impala, gazelles, and wildebeest calves. Other prey

Take home assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Take home - Assignment Example The population of both plants and animals evolved in accordance to the doctrines and dictations of natural selection. The first account on natural selection was steered by Charles Darwin, where he proposed that the continuation of a species is based on its flexibility in responding to the changes in stimuli. The crop plant has undergone this form of selection, since the crops selected for cultivation have been identified in accordance to the necessities of the human cultivators. Response to Question 2 Crop Top producer country (2010) Total worldwide production (2010) Wheat Russia 651 million tones Rice China 821 million tones Soyabeans Thailand 635 million tones Peanuts China 624million tones Corn USA 718 million tones Respond to Question 4 The disease burdens of humans after the Neolithic Revolution (the origins of agriculture) are considered by Spencer Wells to be trans-generational effects. The trans-generational effects including disease burdens he considered and discuss how thes e various burdens have changed over time since agriculture began. Response to Question 5 Human culture is centered on the possible models of sustenance that a population adopts to meet their daily survival. These models are frequently affected by the changes in the climate. Various adjustments are deployed upon the occurrence of adjustments in the climatic patterns reflect similar adjustment in the adopted models of sustenance. This eventuates in an adjustment in the cultural practices attributed to a given community. Response to Question 6 Spencer Wells identifies speech coherence as a chief contributory factor in the success of the Homo sapiens, as compared to the Neanderthals. His argument is based on the activities of the two stages of human development. The Neanderthals are described to have engaged on sustenance models that did not involve communal efforts. Hunting and gathering was among the central models identified. On the other hand, Response to 8 Plato’s Glaucon id entified morality as the compromise between the desire to commit injustice and the knowledge that one might be the recipient of such injustice. How well does Wells’ proposal for achieving consilience concerning the origins of agriculture, greed, materialism, the rise of family values and fundamentalism identify with hunting and gathering people’s mythos? Response to Question 8 1. Researchers have identified a compound in cilantro, a key component of Mexican and other dishes that kills harmful Salmonella bacteria. It shows promise as a safe, natural additive that could help prevent foodborne illnessA foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any illness resulting from the consumption of food. Although foodborne illness is commonly called food poisoning, this is often a misnomer. .....Click the link for more information.. Although previous studies by scientists showed that salsa has antibacterial antibacterial  /an ·ti ·bac ·te ·ri ·al/ (-bak-ter?e-al) de stroying or suppressing growth or reproduction of bacteria; also, an agent that does this. an ·ti ·bac ·te ·ri ·al adj.activity, this is the first time that the researchers isolated any of the antibacterial compounds from it. The compound--dodecenal--was isolated from the fresh leaves of cilantro, or coriandercoriander  (kor'ean`d?r), strong-smelling Old World annual herb (Coriandrum sativum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), cultivated for its fruits. .....Click the l

Crimes and Misdemeanors Essay Example for Free

Crimes and Misdemeanors Essay Crimes and Misdemeanors Woody Allens, Crimes and Misdemeanors, film paints a realistic picture of the real world in which we all live. His film brilliantly portrays the lives of how a large amount of people across this globe live their own life and does not attempt to sugarcoat any event that occurs in the movie; he merely tells it how it is and provides information for what people should expect in todays world. Allen takes on the issue of the human races true beliefs of morality and what actually happens in he real world, in contrast to what typically takes place in movies. Allen transpires different events throughout his movie that create a lingering question for his audience on the thoughts of morality in a godless community. Adultery, lies, and murder were only a small sum of the crimes that were committed in Allens movie. However, the question becomes how the characters reacted to their own acts of immorality. The most in depth storyline in this movie was that of Judah Rosenthal, who comes to the conclusion that in a world devoid of godly resence, all acts are permissible, even adultery and murder. Once a person erases their belief on certain morals and values, it is much easier for them to erase crimes or immoral acts they have committed from their mind as being immoral. Judah does an extraordinary Job at showing this in the movie when he finds out that someone else was arrested for the murder of Dolores; he automatically knew he was off the hook and made himself believe he did no wrong. By doing this he was capable of going on and living his life. Another main character in Allens movie, was one layed by him himself. Throughout the movie Cliff embarked on new ideas and experiences because they were his passion and what he believed, however at the end of the movie we watch as Cliff loses everything he believed in from his love, his career, and his family. Many may question why Cliff would lose everything if he had so many good strong beliefs and how Judah can move on with his life even after being involved in a murder. However, the answer according to this movie is simple. We as the human race, define ourselves by our choices, with the absence of god. In he issue concerning Cliff losing everything he believed in, it wasnt necessarily a punishment, but in all actuality shows how it can be relevant to real life. Not all times, does a person with good morals get what they want. In addition, Judah was going to move on with his life no matter if he had a religious background or not. Judah saw the world as, once God is gone all things are permissible, which shows his true morals and values as a person. His character depicts the life of one who has done wrong and escaped punishment in their life at some point, which again can be pplied to the real world on a daily basis. Regarding the different situations that occur all across this movie, it is shown that there can be a sense of morality in our world without the belief of a certain religion. This movie portrays many types of religious beliefs within the characters and then goes on to show that even people who do not necessarily believe in God, still have morals they might Just value certain areas more than others. God is essentially a the absence of god, anything anyone wants to make permissible to their own self can be made permissible.

Standing order by the chief mate

Standing order by the chief mate GENERAL: Handing over / Taking over of watches and conduct during watches in port to be in strict compliance with relevant Checklist. The duty officer is to ensure that the vessel is complying with International and Port regulations and company guidelines as laid down in the SMS Manuals and Circulars.Should the duty officer have any doubts regarding any aspect, he is to bring same to the notice of Chief Officer/ Master immediately. Duty officers should note drafts fwd, aft and midships along with density of dock water prior commencement of loading or discharging,and same to be reflected in the port and deck log book and brought to the notice of the relieving officer. Frequent draft checks to be made also during loading / discharging to cross check loading / discharging sequence and final trimming prior sailing. Hand lead soundings around the ship to be taken as soon as practicable after berthing, if deemed necessary due to low UKC expected during any stage of loading / discharging.The duty officer to be aware of the air draft limitations and available and minimum required UKC at all times. In case of berths where vessels pass by causing the vessel to surge forward and aft, the duty officer and the duty AB to be standby at moorings and gangway, and if required ask for additional help.Further moorings to be ensured tight at all times. Method of contacting shore authorities for emergency / assistance, such as telephone numbers, VHF channels on which continuous watch maintained is to be obtained from Agents/Stevedores and posted in Deck Office. VHF should always be on low power when loading /discharging. The weather report to be read from the Sat-C, and any adverse weather predictions for the Port area to be brought to the notice of Master/Chief Officer immdediately. Extra Moorings to be put out as deemed necessary. Weather readings to be logged at two hourly intervals during adverse weather. The Sat-C and SAT B to be checked/monitored regularly for incoming messages. Any messages received to be brought to the notice of Master/Chief Officer immediately. SECURITY / GANGWAY AND MOORINGS : Gangway to be rigged in compliance with SSP, international and port regulations, with safety net , well illuminated and watch present at all times. A lifebuoy with SI light shall at all times be placed near the gangway. Moorings to be tight and correctly attended to ensure that vessel lies securely alongside at all times.Any difficulty experienced in same to be brought to the notice of Chief Officer/Master immediately.Check if winches on auto-tension. Rat guards to be in place, one for every mooring rope and fulfilling the purpose that they are meant for. Access to accomodation to be controlled through one door only acc. to SSP, namely Main deck door on the side the vessel is alongside.All other doors to be locked from inside including wheelhouse/chartroom and full anti-theft and stowaway precautions in force, as required at the particular berth. Whenever appropriate and under instructions from Master/Chief Officer, extensive Drug and Stowaway search to be carried as per relevant Checklist prior departure. CARGO OPERATION : Full details of cargo operations to be onpassed by the officer being relieved, including any special requirements, any hazardous cargo to be loaded / discharged or any other limitations. Loading/ discharging plan should be strictly adhered to , instruction on loading/discharging plan to be followed. Chief Officer/Master to be notified immediately in event of any stoppage in cargo work due any reason. In event of stoppage due to failure of shipboard equipment, rectification of situation to be initiated immediately. Loading master or person in charge of cargo operations during every shift to be identified. BALLAST: Ballasting programme discussed and passed by relieved officer.Full details of ballasting/deballasting operations and status of bilges to be passed on by relieved officer including any special instructions from the Chief Officer. At no occasion the ballast should be allowed to overflow due to strict port regulations at several places. Considering the fact that there are no readout gauges in the CCR constant monitoring of the soundings during ballasting deballasting to be carried out and same to be logged in the port log book. POLLUTION : In the event oil/oily sheen is sighted around vessel, make checks to ensure same not from own vessel and bring same to the notice of Chief Officer/Master immediately. Duty officer to ensure that Garbage drums on poop deck are properly covered. Garbage is not to be landed ashore without prior approval from Chief Officer/Master. LOG BOOKS: Port and Deck Log Book entries to be made from time to time during watch and completed in every respect at end of watch. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM MASTER: 50% crew to be on board at all times the vessel is in port. Record of crew members going ashore should be maintained in the gangway log and the duty officer shall remain informed of the same. Any discrepancy in the matter shall be brought to the notice of the chief officer immediately. Gangway shall be manned at all times when the vessel is in port. If the gangway is placed close to the manifold and both can scrutinized at the same time then one crew member is sufficient, but if the gangway is placed far apart then both to be manned separately and if same cannot be carried out due to shortage of manpower due to increase in operations then same to be brought to the notice of Master immediately. Port watchkeeping timings shall be adhered to at all times. Watchkeepers shall be sufficiently rested prior taking over watch. As a standing instruction shore leave expires 3 hours before completion of cargo operations . The following timings shall be relaxed if the vessel is scheduled to be alongside even after completion of cargo operations to meet tide/daylight sailing restrictions . Ships staff to be accounted for at the time of expiry of shore leave and same shall be brought to the notice of the master if any member is found having not returned . Shore leave shall be restricted in view of any impending surveys, inspections , receiving of stores or any other special operations. Duty officers and the deck hands on duty shall strictly adhere to the companys alcohol policy. Gangway/Visitors log shall be signed by the officer on watch at the end of his watch. Relieving officer shall take rounds on deck prior taking over watch. He shall personally check gangway/moorings and make sure that only one door to the accommodation is open at all times. Any difficulty in dealing with shore personnel,loading master,surveyor,agent or shore security personnel shall be brought to the notice of master immedtaely. Any letter of protest from terminal, port, surveyor or the agent shall be only signed by the master after making the necessary remarks. Shore leave passes/any remaining telephone cards with money shall be collected and kept ready when signing cargo documents to be given to the agent/immigration authorities.

Sociology of Crime and Punishment

Sociology of Crime and Punishment Figuring out why people commit crime has always been the underlying question in criminology. Over the years, a lot of sociologists have developed theories has to why people may commit crimes. Does society have anything to do with why someone commits a crime? Does having a mental diseases has any factor as to why people commit crime? Or could it just simply be because they wanted to? All of the questions run through a sociologists mind when trying to come to one concise answer. Unfortunately, there isnt just one answer to this question, rather there are multiple factors that weigh into why someone may commit a crime. Elijah Anderson, Robert Merton and Walter Reckless, have all developed theories from their own personal research as to why people commit crime. In this paper I will talk about their theory and whether I agree or disagree with their theory. In Elijah Anderson, Code of the Street theory, code referring to a set of informal rules that influences someones public behavior, he categorizes people who live in the street and the decent families, to formulate a sense of inner-city life. The decent families are hard working, has mainstream values and instill them into their children, unlike the street families that are dysfunctional, and seems to have no interest in the childs life. Decent families, seems to be more civil, whereas the street families are angry and are aggressive with their children. These are the children that often use the term come up hard when referring to their childhood. This then leads to the point that people who grew up in a street family home are more likely to commit crimes simply because their parents were not involved in their life. They are also usually the child that hang out on the streets and stay out late. Whereas with decent families, children are taught to stay out of trouble and has a curfew. Many of the children that grew up in street families, value respect and loyalty from others within the streets, and if they were to ever be tested they will retaliate with violence. Robert Mertons strain theory, believes that society place a big part in a person becoming deviant. His theory stated that society places a big emphasis on the American Dream and that we all have to attain it. This then places pressure on an individual in society to conform. Some people choose whether to work hard to achieve those goals or become deviant in order to achieve those goals. Merton felt as though equal opportunity within society to achieve the American Dream was nonexistent, so resolve those strains, people adapt, or in other words Modes of Adaptation. According to Merton there are five modes of adaptation, conformity, innovation, ritualism, and rebellion. Lastly, Walter Recklesss theory believed that there were forces that propel people to commit deviant activities. Such forces are pushes and pulls. Pushes would be psychological or social conditions and pulls are following fellow delinquents. These would be considered two types of containment, outer and inner. Inner refers to self control, a sense of right or wrong and moral or religious beliefs. Outer refers to influential individuals, such as teachers and families as well as authorities. This then leads to the point of, the more likely someone is to conform to societys norms, the less likely they are to participate in deviant behaviors. Out of these three theories, the two main theories that were interesting were Elijah Andersons code of the street theory andÂÂ   Robert Mertons strain theory. In Andersons theory, he mentions that there are two types of families, which I agree with, but what I disagree with is that I dont believe that just because someone grew up in a street family home that they are more likely to commit crimes. For instance, I have heard of stories where the parents are well grounded and are well involved in their childs life, but yet the child becomes a criminal. Other factors such as the child wanting to fit in with a specific crowd that they may consider cool, can have an influence on whether the child develop deviant behaviors to fit in within that group. And on the other hand, I have heard stories of children that grew up into a street family home and they chose a different path in life. They were motivated by their struggling situations, to work hard and pull themselves up by their boot straps, so that they can achieve greater things and become positive forces in society. Now Mertons theory, I seem to agree with completely. Societys emphasis on the American Dream and wealth, can become very strenuous on an individual. Especially because not all individuals can obtain it. People try so hard to conform to societys norms, that they sometimes dont rationalize that their way of conforming may be right or wrong, especially for the poor. This is why many of them resort to stealing and selling drugs. As like many other research, they can sometimes be biases. For example, both Merton and Anderson only looked at children or juvenile delinquents. Like I mentioned before, children are easily persuaded, they often do things to fit in. My question now is, if they were to take all other factors that children have to go through would their theory remain the same?

The Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Essays -- traumatic, neurogenic

There is a variety of different types of shock and each type can be caused by many different things. â€Å"Shock is classified as cardiogenic (caused by heart failure); neurogenic or vasogenic (caused by alterations in vascular smooth muscle tone); anaphylactic (caused by hypersensitivity); septic (caused by infection); or hypovolemic (caused by insufficient intravascular fluid volume)† (Huether, McCance, 2010, pp.1696-1697). There is also traumatic shock which is similar to hypovolemic shock and septic shock. Each case of shock is important and needs to be monitored carefully. One type of shock to consider is neurogenic shock. Neurogenic shock is often referred to as vasogenic shock. This type of shock generally occurs from an imbalance of stimulation of vascular smooth muscle. â€Å"Neurogenic shock can be caused by any factor that stimulates parasympathetic activity or inhibits sympathetic activity of vascular smooth muscle† (Huether, McCance, 2010, pp. 1702). One of the factors that can cause neurogenic shock is trauma to the spinal cord. For example, a man named John Jackson suffered a spinal cord injury after being involved in a motorcycle accident; he will likely suffer from neurogenic shock as well. While he is in neurogenic shock however, he has not lost any fluid from vasculature. This is possible because when the spinal cord is injured there can also be injury to the nerve that controls the blood vessels width (Shock, 2013). This leads to a drop in blood pressure because the blood vessels relax and expand, thus leading to a lack of loss of fluid from vasculature. Even though the individu al is in neurogenic shock, the type of injury that is causing the shock can alter what the patient is experiencing. A patient that has a diff... ...6, January). From Inflammation to MODS: Stopping Sepsis in its Tracks. In Lippincott's Nursing Center. Retrieved December 11, 2013, from http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/static?pageid=733523 Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2010). Pathophysiology- The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children (sixth ed., pp. 1696-1727). Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Marshall, J. C. (2001). The Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome. In NCBI. Retrieved December 11, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK6868/ Sheridan, R. L. (2013, June 10). Initial Evaluation and Management of the Burn Patient. In Medscape. Retrieved December 11, 2013, from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/435402-overview#showall Shock. (2013, February). In Better Health Channel. Retrieved December 11, 2013, from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Shock

Achilles :: essays research papers

Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus and the Nereid Thetis. He was the mightiest of the Greeks who fought in the Trojan War, and was the hero of Homer's Iliad. Thetis attempted unsuccessfully to make her son immortal. There are two versions of the story. In the earlier version, Thetis anointed the infant with ambrosia and then placed him upon a fire to burn away his mortal portions; she was interrupted by Peleus, whereupon she abandoned both father and son in a rage. Peleus placed the child in the care of the Centaur Chiron, who raised and educated the boy. In the later version, she held the young Achilles by the heel and dipped him in the river Styx; everything the sacred waters touched became invulnerable, but the heel remained dry and therefore unprotected. When Achilles was a boy, the seer Calchas prophesied that the city of Troy could not be taken without his help. Thetis knew that, if her son went to Troy, he would die an early death, so she sent him to the court of Lycomedes, in Scyros; there he was hidden, disguised as a young girl. During his stay he had an affair with Lycomedes' daughter, Deidameia, and she had a son, Pyrrhus (or Neoptolemus), by him. Achilles' disguise was finally penetrated by Odysseus, who placed arms and armor amidst a display of women's finery and seized upon Achilles when he was the only "maiden" to be fascinated by the swords and shields. Achilles then went willingly with Odysseus to Troy, leading a host of his father's Myrmidons and accompanied by his tutor Phoenix and his close friend Patroclus. At Troy, Achilles distinguished himself as an undefeatable warrior. Among his other exploits, he captured twenty-three towns in Trojan territory, including the town of Lyrnessos, where he took the woman Briseis as a war-prize. Later on Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks, was forced by an oracle of Apollo to give up his own war-prize, the woman Chryseis, and took Briseis away from Achilles as compensation for his loss. This action sparked the central plot of the Iliad, for Achilles became enraged and refused to fight for the Greeks any further. The war went badly, and the Greeks offered handsome reparations to their greatest warrior; Achilles still refused to fight in person, but he agreed to allow his friend Patroclus to fight in his place, wearing his armor.

How the organization should select, recruit, train Essay

SUMMARY The following report consists of a guide on how the organization should select, recruit, train and make the most out of the new HR mangers. In addition, it is composed of an introductory program welcoming the graduating managers, takes into account the training needs and methods and the monitoring of employee performance to judge whether or not employees are satisfied and know the goals of the organisation. Furthermore, the career development allows for the opportunity for managers to revaluate their self-confidence, as well as career paths for an improved future for employees. Finally, we will talk about strategic management and the methods of consistency for employee development and the techniques managers need to know. By utilizing these procedures the company will facilitate the training of the new managers. INTRODUCTION In a growing number of organisations human resources are now viewed as a source of competitive advantage. Even the public sector has gradually moved from rules and regulations based HRM approach to a more values-based approach, which understandably has resulted in increased focus on accountability. There is greater recognition that distinctive competencies are obtained through highly developed employee skills, distinctive organisational cultures, management processes and systems. This is in contrast to the traditional emphasis on transferable resources such as equipment. Human Resource Management (HRM) is concerned with the acquisition, development, utilisation and accommodation of human resources by organisations. Increasingly it is being recognised that competitive advantage can be obtained with a high quality workforce that enables organisations to compete on the basis of market responsiveness, product and service quality, differentiated products and technological innovation. The new HR managerial positions aim to complete these needs and achieve high consistency of the HR practices that are vital for the organization. 1. HRM-AN IMPORTANT ASPECT Firstly, it has to be buried in mind that HRM is a very important function within the organization. An effective implementation of HR procedures means a good investment in both the employees and the managers, line and senior ones. Human Resources is a key element for the organization and through the effective implementation of the procedures that will be carried out through a certain strategy, the organization actually achieves its objectives and becomes more devoted to quality and improvement. By following these procedures the organization can gain more loyalty, dedication and flexibility, and in the same time employees, due to this commitment, can broaden their learning horizons and feel more need for improvement. HRM is the key to the future, when effective and continuously improving people will have been considered as an organization’s main competitive advantage. It is the group of procedures and activities that bring the right person in the right place. The new HR managers have to be selected and trained in the best way possible. Their decisions and actions in the future will play a big role in the company’s future development. 2. SELECTION- RECRUITMENT TECHNIQUES Making the new managers more HR consistent implies that the managers have the proper skills for this job and can achieve the organization’s objectives. A whole new selection technique should be carried away and adjusted to the HR needs of the company. This means that the factors affecting which of the candidates will be selected and recruited, will consist of the vital HR procedures and activities The new candidates should be aware of all the skills that are required, but also should know every detail of what the job of the HR manager involves. 2.1 Job profile Through an effective job analysis the organization could avoid extra costs for re- advertising the positions, re-training costs and could reduce labor turnover. The job description should include all the skills, the abilities and the knowledge that are required for the managerial positions. It has to be made clear that the new vacancies that the company offers include clearly HR procedures and the knowledge of HRM theory and extended aspects of HRM is crucial. The new vacancies aim to give solutions to problems related to the staff of the company. This implies that the skills involved in the new vacancies include team working and development. To obtain a reliable job description, the company could ask some HR experts, which are members of the organization, to create a job analysis that will include all the above elements. The job description should include the title HRM manager and as said before, it should also include the main HR tasks. 2.2 Person specifications Labor turnover could be reduced in low levels with a clear person specification. The job advertisement should consist of demanding HRM skills and more specifically skills that are related to team working, socialization, influence over others; intellectual capacity and smart way of talking. It should also include information about the company, its environment, its culture and some compare with competitors. The vacancy should be advertised through means such as newspapers and agents, but more importantly the organization should approach universities and colleges and advertise the vacancy there. The new managers should have a high level of education and be specialized in HRM. Obtaining references for the new managers could be limited to university sources. The course plan that the graduates have followed should be parallel to the job demands. The application form is an element that should be carefully designed for the specific demands of the new HRM vacancies. It is the first step in identifying who your most suitable candidates are and what skills each one holds. It should contain fields about education qualifications, with specific reference to modules that the graduates have attended. Some questions about physical condition in comparison to some tests for drugs and health condition will be desirable. 2.3 Interview plan When the selection process has been completed and it is clear which of the candidates qualify the basic demands, the next important step is the interview. The whole process should be designed very carefully and in a way that will make it more reliable. The interview is the organization’s first approach to the candidate. This interpersonal exchange of information allows not only the candidate become more familiar with the organization and its objectives, but also the organization itself with the candidate. The flow of information from both sides has as a result a precise evaluation of both parties. The steps that follow comprise the essential structure of the interview. Step 1 Get prepared for the interview. Find the right place and make sure it is comfortable and friendly, so that the interviewed will be feeling relaxed and outgoing. Distinguish who the interviewees will be and provide them with information regarding the interview plan and a description of how the process should be completed. A panel interview is suggested as the most reliable one. The interviewing team can consist of up to 10 people, but the process should be approached carefully or else the candidate may feel uncomfortably when being bombarded by questions from 10 people one after another. There may be also a clerk to take notes and an equal opportunities adviser to ensure that all procedures are followed. The interview team can be separated and complete 2 interviews per candidate, to ensure that there is absolute agreement between the interviewers. Before the interview begins all the relevant documents, especially the application form of the candidate should be read carefully and some bullet points can be made for each candidate. This way when the candidate will be interviewed the interviewee can bring in mind some skills of the first and can make additional questions. The nature of the measurement of the candidate should be agreed before the interview. This can be carried out by a points system based on how closely the candidate meets the skills that were stated in the job description. Step 2 After the preparation the interview can be opened. Opening is a very important part. It sets the tone of the interview process. Before the interviewee starts with the questions, a short introduction of the staff and the company should be made for the ice to brake and the candidate to feel more comfortable. A very important element of the interview is listening. Apart from the introduction and the questions, the candidate is doing most of the talking. The interviewees should let the candidate talk as much as possible so that they can draw a better picture of them. It is crucial that the candidates are asked for HRM skills. Moreover some key questions relating to HRM theory could be a good aspect of evaluation. An example of question would be how the candidate perceives the concept of HRM. Another one would be on how they believe that staff can be improved and leaded effectively. There are some key points that should be carefully treated during the interview. First, the interview should be structured and it has to be made clear what it is trying to elicit. The organization needs 10 new graduates for managerial positions in HR functions. This has to be buried in the mind of the interviewees and should make them evaluate the candidates according to their HR skills. The questions should be agreed before the opening of the interview and they should be prompted and followed-up through a controlled procedure. Finally, it has to be examined that all the measures of the Equal Opportunities Act have been addressed. It is crucial for the organization not to neglect the law. Equal opportunities should be given to all candidates irrelevant to ethnic group, sex or religion. The new managers can be trained only by people who respect laws and do not make discriminations. Both the Race relations Act of 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 should be taken into account. Step 3 The final stage of the interview plan involves the summation of the data and the closing of the whole process. The organization should give the opportunity to the candidate to ask some questions. This way it can be made clear if the candidate is really interested for the vacancy and in combination with the recorded data a clear and precise evaluation can be made. A lot of attention should be given in the recording of the data. The important issues discussed should be taken down into paper and some notes about the behavior of the candidate during the interview, can be complementarily made. Above it is mentioned that there will be 2 different groups of interviewees that will question the candidate. The first group will be the one to ask the candidates about their skills and questions related to the application form. The second group will test the candidate in a workplace simulation. During this procedure the candidates will have a brief group meeting, where they will be tested in a case study situation. The candidates will be assessed The organization should follow these steps in selecting the appropriate candidates. As mentioned again right people in the right place is the key function of HRM. Introduction is a crucial point in the selection and recruitment process. If this process is effective and the evaluation is 100% reliable there will be no need for staff turnovers and moreover the organization will have found the most suitable people for the new managerial positions. 3. INDUCTION PROGRAMME After the selection procedure is finished and the new managers have been selected, a series of training and development techniques should be implemented so that the organization will meet the demands of HR which are characterized by lack of consistency. The induction programme is a key aspect of the Human Resource Department. Primarily, it is the first time the new manager and the organisation come in contact after the relationship of employer and employee is established. Before the actual training program, the induction process should ease the arrival of the new manager by being supportive of their needs, well structure and last but not least co-ordinated. The aim of the induction process is to familiarise the inexperienced manager with the organisation and its surroundings. Therefore, their anxiety of entering the new organisation is dispelled as fast as possible. Likewise, this process assists in inducing the organisation culture. This principal operation is not only critical for managers working for the first time but also for employees with prior experience. In addition, after this process has been successfully completed, it will help the managers in associating them with their colleagues and superiors. All personnel want to feel acceptance by the colleagues. Additionally our induction programme will be consequential in bringing about sufficient teamwork. Consequently, a system of communication exists in the environment. In order for the company to obtain less disruption amongst its new managers and the existing employees, they should be fully and functionally integrated in the company and their own department. It also makes the manager comfortable at another level. By touring the premises, the prospecting managers are facilitated by knowing about various departments and their location. It will state to them the do’s and don’ts of the organisation. It will show them where the canteen is and where the cloak is. It is at this stage of the welcoming process that training specialists come in hand. Their responsibility is to plan, organise, and direct a wide range of training activities. Trainers conduct orientation sessions and arrange on-the-job training for new employees. Planning and program development is an important part of the training specialist’s job. In order to identify and assess training needs within the firm, trainers may confer with managers and supervisors or conduct surveys. They also periodically evaluate training effectiveness. A brief outline of the company’s history should be included as a supplementary guide in directing them to the set of values and mission statement of the company. They inform them about the range of products and their functions (including a demonstration) as well as a brief summary of the organisation’s main suppliers and target customers. By introducing the new managers to the firm’s handbook, they will learn about the benefits, plans concerning holidays and sickness and the company’s rules, disciplinary procedures and the payment of wages. During the course of the induction programme, emphasis should be placed on both individual and group training. Each new manager should be aware of how of how to handle circumstances that require problem solving. They should be proficient in either acting alone or as part of a group. Another component of the induction programme should be that the aspiring managers are well equipped with a computer program, which the organisation will provide immediate feedback to any problems that may arise, so as to generate communication for managers both with their employees and superior managers. They should possess both simple skills (the application of spreadsheets) and complex skills (functioning of pilot simulations). In conclusion, they should also occupy the skills for electronic learning. This may involve interactive Internet-based training, multimedia programs, distance learning, satellite training, videos and other computer-aided instructional technologies, simulators, conferences, and workshops. 4. TRAINING Having successfully accomplished the induction programme the determined managers should head to the training program. Training is fundamental to the selection process in judging whether or not your managers are capable in their positions. Training and development managers as well as specialists should conduct and supervise training and development programs for all its incoming employees. Increasingly, our management should recognise that training offers a way of developing skills, enhancing productivity and quality of work, and building loyalty to the firm. Training is widely accepted as a method of improving employee morale, but this is only one of the reasons for its growing importance. Other factors include the complexity of the work environment, the rapid pace of organisational and technological change, and the growing number of jobs in fields that constantly generate new knowledge. In addition, advances in learning theory have provided insights into how adults learn, and how training can be organised most effectively for them. Each and every one of the ten managerial graduates should appreciate the fact that training helps rank-and-file workers, by discovering which individual is most specialised for each job and division. Furthermore, training simplifies this process by placing all trainees in every single job to analyse which individual is most suited for each job. What is more, it maintains and improves their job skills (they may set up individualised training plans to strengthen an employee’s existing skills or even teach new ones) and possibly prepares them for jobs requiring greater skills. Training methods include on-the-job training (such as the program for the current training method). Schools, in which shop, conditions are duplicated for trainees prior to putting them on the shop floor, hence providing for them enhanced situations. Taking that into consideration, the managers will also recognise that superior quality, swift productivity and the minimisation of labour costs due to the fact that the specialised person for any job will produce output at a faster rate and therefore more will have been produced at a lower cost. Some companies have set up leadership or executive development programs among employees in lower level positions. These programs are designed to develop potential and current executives to replace those retiring. Trainers also lead programs to assist employees with transitions due to mergers and acquisitions, as well as technological changes. Managers should be taught how to be more open-minded and should be social and friendlier towards their employees. So that in turn, the employees will feel closer towards the company and especially their managers. This way, employees will be able to express their problems in a clear manner to their managers. In addition, managers should offer their help and advice to employees so that they will equally feel more satisfied and more importantly feel equal to their managers and all other staff. By helping one another the employees will feel as though they play a fundamental role in achieving the company’s objectives. Moreover, they will feel more content and thus more focused on performing their best. Therefore, maximum output by each employee will be achieved. The training process that should be carried out for your new managers is that upon selecting them they should be placed in a room to watch a specified videotape presenting them with the Human Resource basics. Moving along, they should attend lectures and take an active part in seminars. Both of these steps will need an inspired speaker in order to keep them concentrated and focused on their roles. An improved technique in communicating with the managers in these lectures and seminars are visual aids such as videotapes and slides. However, for the process to be complete and moreover essential, the company should encourage their inexperienced managers to ask questions so that they can fully comprehend the information represented to them and feel adjusted in the company. Then they should be taken inside the corporation and to put their recently acquired to practice by observing real working procedures and more significantly take part in talking to the employees themselves and sharing the wealth of experience and knowledge they have. On a final note, they can also help them with obstacles they may have in their duties. From this whole experience, they will learn that the aspects of Human Resource Management are to work effectively as a team and to treat employees fairly. A recommended form of training is role-play where individuals act out a role with others in the group. This process is especially beneficial to the instruction of the managers as they can recognise most of what they have done. More relevantly, it will be highly practical in the course of the training. Another aspect of role-playing is that managers may further develop their inter-personal skills and will associate more with their colleagues and feel more open towards each other. 5. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Performance Management is a systematic and data-oriented approach to managing people at work that relies on positive reinforcement as the major way to maximise performance. Performance management is necessary for the success of any type of corporation due to the fact that it takes into account the talent, knowledge and skills of its managers-and then helps them improve their qualities. It is intended for anyone who manages the performance of others. Whether you are a first-time work leader or an experienced supervisor, manager, program director or department chair, performance management will provide your company with useful information with respect to the managers’ conditions. For performance managers, this changing environment offers many new challenges and opportunities. Performance managers and their employees are increasingly being asked to become generalists who step outside of traditional narrowly defined job descriptions in support of team objectives and goals. These changes are resulting in the development of new approaches to human resource management. The performance management process provides an opportunity for the employee and performance manager to discuss development goals and jointly create a plan for achieving those goals. There are a couple of steps that managers must learn to keep staff orientated and what is more, to stay thriving, be profitable and have linkages to customer engagement. In the first place, you must identify the employee’s individual strengths. You must position that individual to perform a role that capitalises on these strengths. When we refer to â€Å"strengths† we are referring to a person’s ability to provide consistent, near-perfect performance in a given activity. We believe that, when selecting employees, companies have spent far too much time and money focusing on the skills and knowledge of employees and not nearly enough on their talents, which are the basis of strength and success. You must find a way to engage these talented employees. Again, there are many ways to do this for instance by paying them more, provide more generous benefits, but these are low-character solutions. The only way to engage talented employees successfully is to select and develop remarkable managers. Grand managers can select the best people, set accurate expectations for them, motivate them, and develop them. Companies that are unable to create this kind of environment will loose not only in terms unsatisfied employees but equally, sales and their customer base. They will loose more talented people than they keep. They will miscast, over-promote, undervalue, and otherwise misuse those talented employees who do stay. Lacking talented people in the right roles, these companies will have to revert to less robust routes to performance. Pressed by high character competition, these routes will serve these companies poorly. In the end, lacking great managers to keep it on the right path, these companies will loose. So, in order to avoid becoming one of these companies the organisation must rely on managerial excellence in finding talent and the human resource department in selecting the right managers for this part. Apart from those benefits, it also allows for discussion about job performance (the new managers should conduct an annual performance evaluation) with the employee and provides feedback on strengths and improvements needed. Development plans should contribute to organisational goals and the professional growth of the employee. The performance management process begins with analysis and description of the job. The performance manager identifies essential functions in the job description and the strategic mission and goals of the department or organisational unit. Standards of minimum acceptable performance are developed for the position with the employee. Additionally, standards for performance, which exceeds expectations, may be set to encourage the employee to strive for even better results. Performance should be evaluated based on changes over a period of time. The new organisational theory emphasises a focus on decision-making and accountability at the level where the work is done, the graduates should be qualified in making sound decisions and be liable for their own actions. Similarly, the organisation should develop a service culture that rewards team performance, and the integration of its operations should exist so that communication between departments is accelerated. A proposed performance management system helps in monitoring and documenting employee performance and provides opportunities to develop or enhance employee performance. We would like to state that in order to adhere to the firm’s mission statement and its objectives, the new managers should be instructed upon the use of disciple amongst employees. Managers should be aware of the fact that appraisals should be objective, quantitative and outcome-oriented assessments, which will, in sequence, assist the employee to develop and provide mentoring, coaching, and constructive feedback. Most managers like to think that if they are effective, they will not have to discipline employees. Unfortunately, the need to do so does crop up. The primary reason for knowing how to discipline employees is to enable the manager to quickly stop undesirable employee behaviour and guide employee work patterns back within acceptable norms. Discipline is also important for several secondary reasons. One secondary reason for disciplining is that discipline problems do not correct themselves. When discipline problems are ignored they tend to get worse rather than better. Another secondary reason for terminating behaviour problems is that they invariably lead to other problems which are potentially more dangerous to the manager. These other problems include morale problems, performance problems, control problems, and even other discipline problems. On the other hand, an effective manager who solves discipline problems starts a different cycle. The benefits to the manager are in the form of good morale, performance and control, and thus recognition from higher levels for a job well done. This manager will get the next available promotion. In closing, an annual or periodic HRM audit check will allow a firm to proactively identify and correct employment-related problems before they reach a critical stage of paralyzing the firm’s business operations. 6. CAREER DEVELOPMENT When people lose sight of their career goals, they often lose confidence in their own ability and commitment to their manager. In turn, the newly acquired graduates should be competent in dealing with their employees and knowing how to evolve their career prospects and how to comfort them and reassure them that they can actualise their careers according to their individual talents and dreams. It is due to these principles that career development is another mandatory aspect of our departments to teach the new managers. There have been a number of significant changes in the field of management development over the last decade. Organisational structures have become flatter and management development needs have consequently changed. Career development is currently focused on being highly responsive to the changing needs of the organisation, as well as those of the individual. Similarly, the needs of managers in small businesses will be different to those in more mature, hierarchical organisations. The arriving managers should keep in mind that there is less emphasis on formal, structured training programmes and a shift towards more informal and flexible development options. There is now a much greater emphasis on self-development and continuous learning. The professional managers should take advantage of the fact that international assignments are becoming more and more typical parts of a managerial career owing to the ever-increasing pace of globalisation in the world today. As an outcome, cross-cultural leadership competencies are required within international companies, meaning that managers must have concise communication with their employees and be distinguished in preparing reports for their superiors. The culture of an organisation can be positive and supportive, or threatening and destructive. Our career development culture should help address the momentous issues of productivity, competitiveness, affirmative action, and succession planning. It will additionally support people in redefining their talents and realising the full potential of their jobs. Managers should play a key role in creating a career development culture. Managers seldom do performance appraisals properly because they are afraid of their workers and the workers are virtually paranoid about the slightest negative note on their files. In order for our company to have the cutting edge, our new managers must be honest with the employees. A better way is to organise a system of mentor ship, in which, managers ease any tensions that may exist between the employees and the employer. A managed career development culture can pay great rewards to an organisation and the people working in it. Employee development is important to the success of the individual as well as to the company as a whole. Through our performance-feedback process, employees are able to create an Individual Development Plan to help them focus their efforts on areas that need the most development so they can improve and enhance their performance. The plan includes goal statements describing what skill, knowledge or experience will be developed, the rationale for why it’s important to develop these areas and a list of activities that will be done to achieve these goals. Managers should moreover create an Employee Handbook, describing to them their position and value to the corporation. This will be a ‘living’ document that will be updated and added to as needed and as you grow your company. Coach the new graduates in dealing with performance issues or work habit problems and in parallel demonstrating the ability to conduct employee counselling. Last but not least, it should assist in complying with requirements for governmental reporting. An Employee Handbook will be a ‘living’ document that will be updated and added to as needed and as you grow your company. While completing and implementing a Career Development Plan can never guarantee success or promotion, increased skills and expertise will improve marketability, both inside and outside of the corporation. The performance feedback process provides the structure and resources for assessing current skills, understanding the company’s skill needs, establishing individual goals, and developing an action plan to meet goals and improve abilities. A postal survey of managers in career service organisations showed that, while technical infrastructures for knowledge management are present, managers do not fully recognise the capabilities of the infrastructures that they have. This may be due to poor career development managers. Knowledge management infrastructures are examined in the context of prevailing organisational cultures. In conclusion, one can say that career management’s central focus is on guiding its new managers to performing more clearly when they have to aid their employees on problems such as: Where is my career going? What are my contributions to the company? It is increasingly about the need to face and manage change successfully. About securing the future well being of the business and recognising that this may require fundamental change. Management development is also, then, the key to organisational renewal and certainly, it has been used as a lever for change in sectors such as finance, telecommunications and healthcare. 7. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT’S FUNCTIONS As we are in the dawn of the 21st Century, our campus requires a dramatically different approach to the personnel function, to support the strategic plan’s implementation, and to help our employees effectively manage the consequences of unprecedented change. As a result, the transition from past practices to new ones will require a very different vision for the personnel function. The Human Resources function must serve as an active, strategic partner in the University community by providing services and a competitive compensation/benefits program to help attract, retain, and motivate a highly-talented, committed, and diverse workforce. The HR staff must exhibit sensitivity, judgement, and appropriate flexibility, as well as promote fair and equitable treatment of all employees. Furthermore, amongst other functions of human resource management should incorporate promoting a campus culture that respects and values all employees. Additional functions include: * Communicating honestly and clearly with the campus and its employees. * Focus on people, eliminating bureaucratic â€Å"red-tape† going on for decades now. * Utilising the full potential of the human resources to the firm’s advantage. * Maximise resources by utilising technology to its fullest extent to improve efficiency, effectiveness, transaction processing and overall service. * Offer competitive, market-based compensation and a comprehensive benefits package to our employees. * Recognise and reward performance and accomplishments utilising the Performance Review and Development (PRD) process. * Promote a learning environment with professional development, training, mentoring, and continuing education. * Embrace and promote the principles of continuous quality improvement (CQI). * Collaborate across cross-functional lines (compensation, employment, benefits, and employee relations & training). 8. STRATEGIC HRM & CONSISTENCY IN HRM PRACTICES Strategic human resource management has been defined as ‘ the linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organisational culture that foster innovation and flexibility ‘. Strategic Human Resources means accepting the human resource function as a strategic partner in the formulation of the company’s strategies as well as in the implementation of those strategies through human resource activities such as recruiting, selecting, training and rewarding personnel. Whereas strategic human resource recognises human resource’s partnership role in the strategizing process, the term HR Strategies refers to specific human resource courses of action the company plans to pursue to achieve its aims. By design the perspective demands that human resource managers become strategic partners in business operations playing prospective roles rather than being passive administrators reacting to the requirements of other business functions. Strategic human resource managers need a change in their perspective from seeing themselves as relationship managers to resource managers knowing how to utilise the full potential of their human resources. It has to be taken into account that the lack of consistency in human resource practices and procedures which has resulted in complaints, is due to, the inadequacy of a current, well-written employee handbook. Therefore, employees are unclear about substantial policies and practices. Employees question their decision to join your firm, they are unsure of basic company information (organisation, history, culture, etc) and they are unclear of their role within the organisation. What we must do in order to ensure that they execute a continuous flow of HRM procedures is realise that they require more supervisory and human resource time to answer questions and concerns. Other methods could insist on the correct conducting of effective and consistent performance appraisals are by the application of standardised performance appraisal forms. A form ensures consistency and completeness of the appraisal. The purpose of a performance appraisal is not merely to comment on past behaviour. Rather, it should be designed and conducted to influence or change on future performance and behaviour and to guarantee that the incoming managers, on a continuous level, regulate the degree of consistency in HRM practices. 9. CONCLUSION The above manual comprises a strategic approach to the organization’s HR functions. The suggested steps that are outlined in this report aim to make the organization familiar with how an effective and consistent HR department can work. An effective implementation of the suggested strategy could help the organizations meet its key objectives easier. The new HR managers are expected to bring improvement and quality culture to the organization. The new culture will establish new standards and more commitment from all the members of the company. Learning is a vital factor and its procedures should never stop being updated. The future of the organization depends on the development of its members. Therefore the selection of capable and skilful employees is vital and should never be neglected.    REFERNCE/BIBLIOGRAPHY * Armstrong, M and Baron, A (1998). â€Å"Performance Management- the new realities†. * John Stredwick, (2000). â€Å"Human Resource Management†, Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd. * Foot, M. and Hook, C. (1999). â€Å"Introducing Human Resource Management.† Longman. * Munro-Fraser, J. (1954). â€Å"A handbook of employment Interviewing†. Mcdonald and Evans. * Taylor, S. (1998). â€Å"Employee Resourcing†. * Mullen, J. (1997). Starring Roles. â€Å"People Management† 29 May, pp.28-30 * Holbech, L. (1998) â€Å"Motivating People in Learn Organizations† Butterworth-Heinemann INTERNET SITES * http://www.smartbiz.com/sbs/cats/perf.htm * http://www.amtekhr.com/services.html * http://www.otis.com/hr/subcatg/1,2244,CLI1_HRC4_RES1_SCM33,00.html * http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos021.htm * http://humanresources.about.com/