Presentation on the Federal Parent plus Loans- Stanford University

The Federal plus program is a popular financing option for parents of dependant undergraduate students. The loans are borrowed in the parent’s own name. The details involved are: Loan amount: up to the full amount can be borrowed. The costs include tuition, room & board, allowance for books, personal expenses, and transport. Credit qualification: borrowers will need to meet a minimum requirement to be able to apply. For instance, a credit check is conducted. Parents who don’t qualify can borrow additional federal Stafford student loan funds. Interest rate: a fixed interest rate of 8.5% is charged if loans are borrowed after July 1st. Loan fees: 3% original fee and a federal default fee of up to 1% will be deducted from each disbursement of your loan. Disbursements: it will be done in thirds at the beginning of each academic quarter. Funds are disbursed directly to Stanford via Electronic funds Transfer and applied to your student’s University bill. A refund can be given if your disbursement exceeds the balance due. Repayment: done after 60 days of full disbursement. Repayment is 10 years. The plus loans are funded by private lenders like banks and credit unions. The federal government sets the limits on fees, interest rates and minimum deferment options. Lenders however offer more benefits beyond minimum government requirements. When re-applying, the same lender can be used. How to apply The following steps are followed: Go to the link https://www.nela.net/hosted/stan1.aspx to request for the loan. You can specify the amount you want to borrow. The link is easy to use. In 2-4 weeks, an email from Sallie Mae, the Company managing our online process will be received. The email will direct you to the website where you can specify you lender and complete your promissory note which, can be signed by electronic signature. If the email is not received, check for your promissory note on Stanford’s OpenNet page. For inquiries, you can call our loan processing agency, Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA), toll-free at (800) 979-4441. Be sure to identify yourself as a Stanford parent requesting a PLUS loan. REFERENCES Federal Parent PLUS Loans, http://www.stanford.edu/dept/finaid/loanprocessing/plus.html viewed on 3rd April 2008. Â   Â  

Literature Review Global Financial Crisis Regulation

â€Å"Global Financial Crisis: Regulatory Arbitrage and Paradigm Shifts† In early 2008, the economy ground to an almost complete halt. As the stock indexes were overwhelmed by a virtual tsunami of never relenting red digits, it became clear that the financial markets had been hit by a crisis the scope and scale of which had not been witnessed since the Wall Street Crash of the 1930’s. Over time the causes became more clear, and as the dust settled, the world was left with several important questions to answer. First of all, there was the question of whether or not the global financial crisis was actually caused by flawed regulations and financial institutions or whether it is the fundamental behaviour of the financial market that is flawed, as caused by behavioural issues such as moral hazard and principle agent problems. As an extension of this, the second question involves whether or not financial regulation will be sufficient in realizing a stable and sustainable financial system or if a true paradigmal and behavioural shift is required. Finally and more practically, the third question is how such a change may be brought about in practice, and which exact aspects of the financial paradigm should be altered in order to realize sustainable financial markets. As we look more closely at the following questions and the appropriate literature, one can discern several issues, which may form the basis for further academic inquiry. First of all, it is clear that despite far reaching efforts of scholars, governments and other institutions to develop and introduce financial regulation in response to the financial crisis, recent evidence suggests that these measures fail to recognize fundamental flaws in the paradigms and values Freewriting exercise – Skills 3: Academic Writing S. N. Geesing – 342570 2010-2011 underlying actions of main financial institutions and firms, which need to be addressed in order to realise a sustainable financial process in the long term. From this main statement, we can now look into several direct causes of the crisis that can be related to the incentives that underlie these markets. One of these causes, as it appears, is the fact that Wall Street managed to lure the brightest minds in economics and mathematics with promises of wealth and fame, thus managing to consistently outsmart governmental institutions. By exploiting loop holes in regulatory frameworks, often done by developing complex financial derivates, the bulge bracket firms that set the tone in investment banking gained access to nearly limitless profits, foregoing issues of ethics and risk minimization in favour of short term and often personal gain. After recognizing this pattern, one may conclude that simply increasing bank reserves or bailing out mortgages (as many governments have done so far) will not allow for long term sustainability within financial markets. Other measures, such as increased transparency, caps on bonuses and reinvented incentive reward systems are more effective, but have proven difficult to practically implement. Introducing new regulation is always troublesome and this type of regulations has been met by heavy resistance, especially in the US, the place where new regulation is especially necessary. For this reason and more, a more indirect way of changing values and paradigms must be sought. Scholars have suggested that such measures are most likely to be found in economic theory and, more specifically, in forms of game theoretical applications, in which the government and the financial institutions act as â€Å"players† in a game that can be described as the general economy and financial markets.

Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins Essay

Book Review: Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins Dr. David Traverzo Christian Ethics Gregory A. Keels 02/13/2012 Doing Christian Ethics from the margins is all about helping people explore the ethical issues of the marginalized. This book reveals as to how people who live in the margins of society deal with ethics. Also this book reveals how the same marginalized people worldview is different from the dominate culture who is not apart of the marginalized. This book is divided into four sessions, the first section dealing with theory while the last three gives specific case studies to the theory. The first session titled Ethical Theory deals with how Christian ethical systems are formed. The author Miguel A. De la Torre gives his understanding of ethical theory. The first main and important statement he makes in this section is when he talks about ethics being done in a particular social location. When he stated that it proved that ethics and social welfare comes together. A person’s upbringing and social surroundings affects his or her ethics. Also in this section the author talks about how white males generally dominated the academic ethics. This domination has many pitfalls. Some of these pitfalls include spiritual concerns that are excluded from social concerns, individualism, grace in favor of works, thinking more of heaven instead of the here and now, and failure to come up with a transformation praxis. These pitfalls reinforce ideologies of power that are connected to unjust social structures that include racism, classism, and sexism. The author puts up a challenge to every single reader to come up with a code of ethics that will identify with the example of Christ of standing against the ppressed. In the other three parts of the book the author gives case studies and show how his own hermeneutic circle applied to different ethical situations such as relationships, business, and global relationships. in each section there are four chapters. the first chapter explains the topics and the other three explains the topic with case studies. The hermeneutic circle is made up of five steps. In each of those five steps a per son’s worldview ethics is challenged and encourages the person to be more engaged in social transformation. The steps include observing, reflecting, praying, acting, and releasing. This pattern is a continuous circle repeating itself over and over. The significance of this book to the church is great significance. This model the author has presented could be used greatly in the church. When I was looking at this model I felt this is what the church should be doing. The church is only effective if it is active in the community. The church should be able to see what the need of the community, pray on it, act on it and then move onto the next need. Part of Christian ethics is doing the right thing when the problem is presented. Two of the case studies that I felt can greatly impact the church was the case studies on global and national poverty. the church has always played a major role in helping the poverty both globally and nationally. However I believe that the church need to realize that poverty is more then just not having any food or being homeless. Poverty is connected to social class. It is connected to those who can afford an education and those who can not. Poverty is also connected to those who can get hired for the high paying jobs and those who can only get the jobs that pay minimum salary and is not enough to raise a family. The church can do a better job in helping in that area. The main part of a Christian’s ethics is helping those who are in need. This is our primary responsibility. So in order to fulfill that responsibility we must understand the whole issue of poverty. The significance this book has on the society can be great. However I believe the church and society must be connected together. This helps those who read it understand the problems of the marginalized and how it can be addressed. It would be really helpful if those who were from the groups who hold the most power read this book for a better understanding of how the actions they do affect those who are marginalized. Just like I stated with the church and its response to poverty the society has to have the same response. However since the society is not the church the ethical response would be different. Those who are in high powerful positions have the ethical obligation to assist those who are in the marginalized. However what we see is those people exploiting the marginalized. When it comes to ethics as a whole this book as revealed to me no matter what position you are connected to rather it is Christian ethics, business ethics, or society ethics you have an obligation to help those who do not have the power to help themselves. It is not just about poverty either. There is an ethical obligation to help the marginalized when it comes to things like affirmative action, war, the environment etc. A strength I found in this is how the author used real life examples in his case studies that included people who were marginalized. By using real life stories it brought a whole new experience than from a typical text book. This help take the readers from a spectator view to an up close and personal view of what it is like to be in the marginalized. Another strength I felt the author had was the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. These discussion questions help the reader reflect and understand more about the marginalized. Also these discussion questions help the reader form a more solid ethic for the marginalized. The main weakness I saw in this book is how the author did not really go through the whole hermeneutic cycle. In each case study the first three cycles were used. It would have been better if the author used the whole cycle so that the reader could get a full example of how the cycle is used and the outcome of the cycle. Also it would have been helpful if the author had given some examples where this cycle has not worked. Perhaps it would even be helpful if the author had limited to just once case study in each section and go more in depth as to how the cycle worked in the case study. Overall I strongly recommend this book to those who have a desire to get an action plan that will have an impact on dealing with the marginalized. De La Torre makes a great case in challenging those who are in the dominate culture to give up the heavy power and special privilege they have so that those who are in the marginalized can live a better life. With making this challenge the author has given great tools for those who are committed to seeing the transformation of the marginalized. While this seem like a no brainer to some it might be still difficult for those in the dominate culture to accept. Some people might just not see how the dominate culture affects the marginalized while others feel they are doing just enough. Also you might get those who will say they will embrace De La Torre’s model but will fail to actually attempt to do it. It is going to take a lot of work and sacrifice to see true change. Who is willing to actually do that hard work? Who is going feel it is actually worth it? Regardless of where you fit in the spectrum we all have to do our part. If we all do not step in and say we are willing to make the sacrifices need to see a transformational change then regardless of what one group does it will not work. this has to be a group effort. I believe this is the point De La Torre was trying to bring across.

Human Resources Management in Agricultural Industry Research Proposal

Human Resources Management in Agricultural Industry - Research Proposal Example Actually this name was there in the last century itself. It is used to serve the interest of the employee and the employer. It has become very effective in recent years and both public and private organizations have benefited significantly, to attain greater benefits for the establishment in future. (Massy, 1996). In recent years, increased competition among organizations in different spheres, has led to improvement in the performance of staff and increase in productivity. Career opportunities have also increased considerably. Organizations are doing their best for training staff to increase their performance and productivity. In addition, they have plans to develop a strategy to increase revenues and reduce costs. This task has become the responsibility of the Human Resources Management Division, which has become the pillar of every organization. (Becker& Gerhard, 1996). In this study, I go across to a study of human resources management in a large agricultural company in Saudi Arabia to determine how the application of some strategies of human resources helped to boost performance, increase productivity and reduce expenses. The title of this research is "Training Program in Almarai Agricultural Company." In this paper I will explain the method of training of this company so that the employee makes effort to increase performance and productivity. The Department of Human Resources Management is n... The research accounts for answers to the following: Does the training program satisfy purpose expected of it What is the function of the multi-purpose training program What effect does the Saudi Arabian culture have on the area of work in the company What is the opinion of graduates about the training program in the company What is the opinion of trainers about the training program in the company The research background: The Department of Human Resources Management is not a manufacturing unit and so cannot bring any profit to the organization through its product. But the strategy can bring about higher production and put an end to waste of time, which will help a long way in increasing the production and ultimately bringing in better profit to the organization. The Fundamental objective of human resources is to increase efficiency, performance and productivity (Becker & Gerhart, 1996). One of the most important needs of any organization is to develop and improve employee performance. The organization, on its part, should consider the development of its members, which would have a bearing on the ultimate results of the organization. Some studies have shown that members of the Organization could have negative or positive influence on any organization through the performance and behavior. (Boselie, 2005) Human resources management is of great help to the organization as it can improve performance of the organization and the employee. If the organization can train the staff efficiently to gain exceptionally good performance from them, it can help the organization to compete in the market. The staff member must make every effort to improve in all respects during the training period. The trainer must ensure to

Employment Law in UK Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employment Law in UK - Case Study Example Since, the European law prevails over the domestic law, the domestic courts and tribunals have to apply relevant principles of the European law, which in this context refers to the EC Treaty and directives2. Sometimes, a court or tribunal directly applies the European law and sometimes, where there seems to be a conflict between domestic and European law, the European Court of Justice or the ECJ is asked to decide on the correct interpretation of the law. The ECJ's objective is to ensure the uniform interpretation and effective application of European law. In case of a conflict between domestic legislation and European law, an important consideration is whether the law concerned has direct effect in the UK. Article 141 of the EC Treaty3 has direct effect between private citizens or the horizontal effect and between private citizens and the state or the vertical effect. As per the provisions of the European Communities Act 1972, the European Community law forms part of UK domestic law. ... In respect of appellant claims, Section 2(4) of the 1970 Act is relevant and in order to be admissible in an employment tribunal, these claims have to be filed within the statutory time limit. In such cases the employment tribunal is empowered to grant a successful applicant the right to retrospective access to the scheme, subject to the payment of appropriate contributions, wherever the periods of employment were not earlier than the 8th of April 1976. The significance of this date is that from this date direct effect was given to the judgment of the European Court of Justice in Defrenne v Sabena6 and in this case the court held that article 119 of the EC Treaty7 provided for equal treatment in the right to join an occupational pension scheme. In Alabaster -v- Barclays Bank Plc8 Mrs. Alabaster pleaded that her employer's failure to incorporate her pay rise into her SMP was contrary to the Equal Pay Act 1970 and Article 141 of the EC Treaty. The ECJ ruled in her favour and held that there was a breach of EU law, resulting in the UK Government amending the SMP rules. The Employment Appeal Tribunal or EAT has ruled that the Equal Pay Act 1970 is not infringed by a pay system wherein employees with more service and experience were paid more than those with lesser service and experience even though most of the latter are female and most of the former are male. The argument that the ECJ decision in Nimz v Frie und Hansestadt Hamburg9 is not good law because of Handels- og Kontorfunktionrernes Forbund I Danmark v Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening10, is untenable, because the first case was concerned with part time employees whereas the

Cause and effect on gluten free diet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and effect on gluten free diet - Essay Example One of the main reasons due to which gluten-free diet is being considered is because of an increase in celiac disease and people suffering from this disease appear to be quite insensitive to the consumption of diet that contains gluten. Celiac disease is recognized as an autoimmune disorder that tends to disrupt the smaller intestine and due to this disruption an individual experiences lack of nutrition as well as distress in the intestinal region. If these issues are not countered at an early stages then the chances of an individual developing intestinal carcinoma as well as infertility is quite high. People are moving towards gluten-free diet because in recent years several individuals have been diagnosed with this disease. A study was conducted by Rubio-Tapia in order to identify the prevalence of celiac disease amongst the population of United States and the researchers identified that 35 individuals out of a sample size of 7,798 individuals were experiencing this disease (Rubio- Tapia 1541). Fear of being diagnosed with celiac disease is not the only reason due to which individuals have started moving towards gluten-free diet. Wheat has been found to be the major source of gluten and individuals experiencing allergic reactions caused due to wheat consume less of wheat or they avoid wheat at all times and these individuals even tend to live on a gluten-free diet (Watson 133). Another disease which is regarded as a sign of celiac disease is dermatitis herpetiformis which is categorized as development of burning sensation along with rashes that are red in color and they develop on an individual’s skin (Watson 133). Physicians have proposed that individuals suffering from this disease should even avoid diet that contains gluten. Consuming gluten-free diet can both positively as well as negatively impact an

Military History Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Military History - Research Paper Example Army professional can draw from military history how areas such as casualty evacuation were managed during the Vietnam War as compared to the Civil war. Moreover, military history also enables army professionals to promote the continuity of this history by learning its value. These incentives reinforce why army professional should study military history. Introduction Winning a war requires a combination of factors, and military history is part these forces. Being in the army calls for a rich understanding of military history, which dates back to hundreds of years (Jessup, Robert, & Coakley, 2005). Today, there are few people who see the value of military history. Instead, many people believe that study of military history has no place in the current world, where war is modernized and fought using sophisticated arms. Needless to say, there are many incentives that military professional can gain through the study of military history. The United States has a collection of chronological records detailing the experiences of soldiers, war events and development of arms that add to the rich history of its military history. Overlooking these resources is not welcome, particularly when military professionals do not take time from their busy schedules to glean from these records. While many military professionals remain deployed in various hot spots, taking the time to study military history has the potential of increasing their success in war. Through the study of military history, army professionals can learn how to make appropriate decisions, manage situations in war, engage threats in war, and promote continuity of military history. Value of Military History Managing war The role of military history in teaching army professionals how to manage wars cannot be underestimated. Professional army personnel must be ready to understand how wars are managed in order to achieve defined objectives. The methodology to manage wars is an essential aspect of military history. This is because those studying military histories can see those gains made by other soldiers and reflect on them. Possibly, these army professionals can gain new insights on how war and surrounding situation can be managed to produce outcomes that align with desired objectives. For instance, there are many aspects of management that army professional can learn from history. During the Vietnam War, the United States army made significant gains by making one of the most lauded evacuation programs in military history. Military history books detail that the United States army used helicopters to conduct aeromedical evacuation that helped save the lives of many soldiers in the war. Army professionals taking military history can study this literature in depth and gain a thorough understanding of how these evacuations were possible. When studying this information, military professionals would appreciate that such services were available during the American Civil war where many solider died of their wounds (Britannica Educational Pub, 2010). Certainly, military professionals who study military history will understand the value casualty management and other facets of war. Decision making Studying military history has the potential of improving the ability of army professional to make correct decisions. Decision-making is an art that requires perfection over time. Nonetheless, reading military histo

Code of Professional Conduct Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Code of Professional Conduct - Case Study Example These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An Audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. The company recorded land purchased at $100,000 at appraiser's value of $700,000 in violation of generally accepted accounting principles that such land should be recorded at historical cost of $100,000 only. In our opinion, except for the violation of the generally accepted accounting principles on proper recording of land, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material aspects, the financial position of Graham Company as of December 31, 20XY, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. W... January 10, 20XY ADVERSE OPINION AUDITOR'S REPORT Scope Section We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Graham Company as of December 31, 20XY, and the related statements of income, retained earnings, and cash flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An Audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Middle Section The company recorded land purchased at $100,000 at appraiser's value of $700,000 in violation of generally accepted accounting principles that such land should be recorded at historical cost of $100,000 only.Opinion sectionIn our opinion, because of the material effects of the violation of generally accepted accounting principles in the recording of land, the financial statements referred to above do not present fairly the financial position of Graham Company as of December 31, 20XY, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended. Los Angeles, California

The problem of intrusive UI hints Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The problem of intrusive UI hints - Essay Example cated does not mean that the changes should be something that comes to appear in the eyes of the ordinary user as a change that has moved from good to bad or bad to worse. Rather, the changes should be one that can be seen as one that has moved from bad to good or good to better. The first rhetorical question that would be asked in validating the concerns and claims of the writers is; â€Å"where users of any kind considered in their advocacy for change?† A critical look at the articles presented by the writers would confirm that the writers gave very little concern to new and novice users of various computer software. Miller (2011) for instance would prefer that technical usability changes to aesthetic changes stating that â€Å"perhaps without the limitations of a finite number of colors and pixels to force simplicity, UI designers just dont know what to do with themselves. Id argue they do too much.† Meanwhile, there is no denying the fact that computer software gets new users everyday who cannot really much up with complicated mode of operating user interfaces. As far as new users are concerned to, new users are people who would be attracted by sight. For this reason, it is important to improve on aesthetic quality whiles maintaining the co mplexities in operations very minimal. Having noted this, it is not a point to suggest that there is no room being made for mature users of various software and that as the user interface hints keeps getting simple, they will be bored with the process. It is in the light of this that Siracusa (2011) uses the example of a car that explains all its gadgets and uses everyday to the driver for five year. According to the writer, the driver would feel bored of this. However, something that the writers did not consider is needed amendment for user interface hints. So as much as it would be admitted that when the operations are so simple, mature users will be bored, the alternative will be for system designers to add up options of

Conflict styles profile paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Conflict styles profile paper - Essay Example And I am not unfamiliar with it†¦ Still fresh in my memory is one conflict that I have been through prior to my coming to college. When everybody was busy and frantic about what they were going to do right after their secondary education, I was already certain that I would be pursuing college. In fact, I was really resolute in pursuing a degree. Fortunately for me, my parents and I were basically in agreement regarding this matter. However, that was where we only meet. As I look into my future and try to imagine what I would someday become I have realize that what I want is to be in the field of sciences and to be more particular in the field of Physics. Or if not Physics then I would love to do Philosophy. Although, to be honest, I really do not know what I would be doing right after finishing Physics or Philosophy but still I have set my heart on it. Unfortunately, my mother has a different plan. She wants me to enter in Hotel and Restaurant Management or Nursing because that is the trend and those two fields are in demand. Deep in my heart I know that she is correct. And that what she is trying to do is that she is opening to me other possibilities or channels that I may not be seeing or taking notice of. But you see I cannot just throw away the things that really catches my fancy, the stuffs that I love to do, the things that I would like to learn. Besides, being young, I am still being idealistic. I have this notion that in college the rudime nts of textbooks should no longer burden one. But one rather should already see the beauty of knowledge itself. So, I often tell myself in college, I will be pursuing my interests. But you see reality checks. I found myself in a situation wherein my self-interests conflict with that of my mother. Though I see it as a kind of conflict that will lead to a positive solution but still I know at the same time that I

Urbanization, Population and the Environment Essay

Urbanization, Population and the Environment - Essay Example This increase as well as migration of the world population will have an effect on the natural environmental resources owing to the increased consumption of food, energy, water and land. It has increased the air, water and noise pollution levels and other phenomena such as global warming which is adversely affecting the health of the population (Torrey; Ichimura). In addition, urbanization has also resulted in extensive exploitation of the natural resources thus leaving irreversible ecological footprints that have long-term effects on the population (Ichimura). Thus both the quality of life and environmental degradation are the major effects of urbanization and as the population in the urban areas is poised to increase in the future suitable strategies need to be implemented in order to maintain agricultural yield, energy and utilization of other natural resources such as water to sustain life. Urbanization is defined as the â€Å"process by which rural areas become urbanized as a result of economic development and industrialization† (Peng, Xiangming and Cheng). However, urbanization is also defined in demographic terms as the redistribution of the population from the rural to the urban areas over a period of time (Ichimura; Peng, Xiangming and Cheng). Urban settlements are larger and denser and the population is a heterogeneous group of people coexisting in the area while rural regions are smaller and less differentiated (Peng, Xiangming and Cheng). According to estimates only about 2 percent of the world population lived in urban settlements during the 1800’s, however, within a span of 200 years it has rose to 50 percent with the development of 18 megacities as of 2000.

Good Communication Drives Superior Financial Performance Essay Example for Free

Good Communication Drives Superior Financial Performance Essay According to Watson Wyatt’s 2009-2010 Communication ROI Study, businesses that communicate with courage, innovation and discipline, particularly in tough economic times, are more successful at engaging employees and achieving desired business results. â€Å"Effective internal communication can keep employees engaged in the business and help companies retain key talent, provide consistent value to customers, and deliver superior financial performance to shareholders,† said the study, which included 328 organizations across the world. Watson Wyatt’s newest communications study, like its other ones, found that businesses that communicate effectively with their employees are also the top financial performers. A key finding of the study was that companies that are highly effective communicators had 47 percent higher total return to shareholders over the last five years, compared to firms that are the least-effective communicators. According to the study, the best companies invest in helping leaders and managers communicate with their employees. While the study points out that only three out of 10 organizations are training managers to deal openly with resistance to change, highly effective communicators are more than three times as likely to do this compared to the least-effective communicators. A survey developed by Accountemps ®, a Robert Half Company, points out another reason why good communication equals good business. The survey found that better and more frequent communication with staff members is perhaps the best way to raise employee morale. The survey was conducted by an independent research firm in 2008 and is based on interviews with 150 senior executives from the nation’s 1,000 largest companies. Nearly half of executives who participated in the survey said better communication is the best remedy for low morale. According to the survey, the absence of open and honest communication with staff tops the list of management missteps that can wear down employee morale.

Nosocomial Infections: Literature Review

Nosocomial Infections: Literature Review Nosocomial infections are infections that are a result of treatment in a hospital or a healthcare unit. These infections are identified at least forty-eight to seventy-two hours following admission, so infections incubating, but not clinically apparent, at admission are excluded. It may also be within 30 days after discharge. With recent changes in health care delivery, the concept of nosocomial infections has sometimes been expanded to include other health care associated infections (Weinstein, 1991). These infections are also called hospital-acquired infection. Studies in the passed have reported that during hospitalization, at lest five percent of patients become infected. Similarly, a study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States estimates that roughly 1.7 million hospital-associated infections, from all types of bacteria combined, cause or contribute to 99,000 deaths each year. In Europe the deaths estimated are 25000 each year. However , the case is more seen in the category of Gram-negative infections, which accounts for an estimated two thirds of the total cases reported. Nosocomial infections are commonly transmitted as a result of negligence of hygiene by some hospital personnel. Medical officials move from one patient to another. Thus in a situation where they do not maintain high hygiene standards, the officials themselves serve as means for spreading dangerous pathogens. Moreover, bodys natural protective barriers of the patients are bypassed by some medical procedures such as surgeries and injections. Hence with such hygienic negligence in our hospitals and other healthcare units, nosocomial infections become the order of the day and my cause severe cases of pneumonia and infections of the urinary tract, bloodstream or other parts of the body. Causes of nosocomial infections Nosocomial infections are caused by various factors. Some of the common ones include improper hygiene. Patients can get infections of diseases such methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respiratory illnesses and pneumonia from hospital staff and their visitors (Webster, 1998). Also doctors and nurses who do not practice basic hygienic measures such as washing hands before attending to patients may spread MRSA among them. Other infections are due to injections. There are cases where some hospital staffs do not give injections properly. Infections like HIV and hepatitis B can be as a result of contaminated blood due to sharing syringes and needles between patients when injecting medication into their intravenous lines. Nosocomial infections may also be as a result of torn or improperly bandaged incisions during surgeries. These incisions get contaminated with bacteria from the skin or the surrounding environment. Similarly, bacteria can be introduced into the patients bod y by contaminated surgical equipment. Also breathing machines such as ventilators can spread infections like pneumonia among patients using them. Staffs that do not use the proper infection control measures tend to contaminate these machines with germs. There are also cases where people on breathing machines are unable to cough and expel germs from their lungs. This can be another cause. In addition, urinary track infections can be due to faulty removal of urine from patients who are not able to use the toilet. In most cases catheters are the common cause for such cases. These catheters cause these infections when they become contaminated with bacteria by medical staff during insertion or are not properly maintained while in use (Webster, 1998). Another cause of nosocomial infections is the organ transplant. Illnesses such hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis can be spread through bone and tissue grafts that may result from blood transfusions, skin and organ transplants. Howev er such cases have become less common today due to factors such as improved technology. Many protective measures have been put in place to cut on these risks. Prevention of nosocomial infections Several measures can be put in place to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections. The most important measure to reduce the risk of transmitting skin microorganisms from one patient to another is hand washing. Medical staff washing hands as thoroughly and promptly as possible after attending to one patient where they may have come into contact with body fluids, excretions and blood, or equipment with these fluids, is a very important measure of nosocomial infection control. Even though it appears as a simple process, it is mostly overlooked or done incorrectly (Hiramatsu, Aritaka, Hanaki, Kawasaki, Hosoda Hori, 1997). As a result practitioners and visitors should be continuously reminded on the advantages of proper washing of hands. This can be achieved through use of signals on responsible hand washing. In addition to hand washing, gloves are very important since they prevent gross contamination of the hands when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and mucous mem branes. They offer a protective barrier, in cases of exposure to blood borne pathogens. Similarly there is emphasis on surface sanitation. In health care environments, this is a critical component of breaking the cycle of infections. In cases concerning influenza, gastro enteritis and MRSA modern methods such as NAV-CO2 have been effective. Alcohol has been shown to be ineffective in endospore-forming bacteria such as Clostridium difficile and thus hydrogen peroxide is appropriate in this case. In addition, use of hydrogen peroxide vapor reduces infection rates and risks of acquisition. Some causes of infections are agent and host factors that are hard to control. In such cases isolation precautions can be designed to prevent transmission in common routes in health centers. For example a patient suffering from an air borne disease can be put in a separate room so as to control the spread of the disease. Another prevention measure is putting on protective clothing. An apron reduces t he risk of infection as it covers most parts of the body. However with all this said, strategically implementing QA/QC measures in health care sectors and evidence-based management are the most effective technique of controlling nosocomial infections. For example, in cases of diseases such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia, the management of the health center should pay more emphasis on the control and monitoring of the quality of the hospitals indoor air (Hiramatsu, Aritaka, Hanaki, Kawasaki, Hosoda, Hori, 1997). A Review of the Literature Robert A Weinstein (Cook County Hospital Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, USA) In his research paper Robert Weinstein begins by a comparison of the cases of nosocomial infections now and in the past. Even though he agrees that there has been a reduction in number of cases, he goes a head to state that the numbers of death are still high. According to him, a study carried out in the United States estimated that in 1995, nosocomial infections cost $4.5 billion and contributed to more than 88,000 deaths (one death in every six minutes). I concur with these findings. Poor hygiene standards in most health centers have contributed to these high figures. There have been cases of medical practitioners who overlook basic hygienic measures such as a proper hand washing when attending to patients. There are cases where some medical services like injections are not administered in a proper manner. This is due to unqualified medical expertise especially in small health care centers. I think the researchs large numbers of deaths from nosocomial infections is due to such fact ors. I also agree with Weinstein that there is an approximately one third reduction in rate of infections in hospitals with the four basic infection control components (one infection control practitioner for every 250 beds, an effective hospital epidemiologist, ongoing control efforts and an active surveillance mechanism). As a result I think these infections can be controlled to a higher percentage if all hospitals and health centers could employ these basic components. Robert A Weinstein also states that there has been an increase in viral infections. Most nosocomial infections in Semmelweiss era were due to group A streptococci. In 1990 to 1996, 34% of nosocomial infections were due to the three most common gram-positive pathogens-S. aureus, enterococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci while the four most common gram-negative pathogens-Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp., and Klebsiella pneumoniae, accounted for 32%. With this trend I agree with Weinstein report. There has also been an increase in the blood transmitted infections hence increase in the cases of herpes viruses HIV-infections. On the other hand Weinsteins reveals that there is a higher rate of infection among the intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This is evident in our hospitals today. I think the increasingly aggressive medical and therapeutic interventions, including modern medical advancements like organ transplantations, implanted foreign bodies and xenotransplantations, have created a cohort of particularly vulnerable persons (Fridkin, Welbel Weinstein, 1997). In most cases, patients affected by nosocomial infections are those immunocompromised by underlying diseases, age or medical/surgical treatments. More cases of bloodstream infections coagulase-negative staphylococci occur in the ICU because it is in these areas that patients with invasive vascular catheters and monitoring devices could come into contact with these bloodstream infections. Due to these factors, I concur with Weinsteins research findings that infection rates in adult and pediatric ICUs are approximately three times higher than e lsewhere in hospitals. In conclusion, Robert A Weinsteins research paper portrays a comprehensive research. It addresses changes in the medical fraternity that have affected nosocomial infections in one way or another. It also shows the significant impact of advancement in technology in medical and health care in relation to nosocomial infections. Jessica Lietz Jessica Lietz presents her research on nosocomial infections putting more emphasis on the causes and prevention measures of the infections. She introduces her research stating that there are higher rates of infections in public hospitals as compared to private health centers. I concur with her findings on the basis of the difference in management in the two setups. Private centers tend to be managed in a better manner than public centers. This is because private hospitals are business oriented and the management is always doing all it can to better the institution so as to cope with the high market competition. As a result of this emphasis on good management, medical staff tends to adhere to rules and regulations. Hence the hygiene standards of these institutions are always high. Similarly there is close supervision of staff, another factor that advantages private hospitals over public ones. For the public medical institutions, the case is not the same. In most centers hygiene is not to standard. This may be due to several reasons. There is no close supervision of staff and same take this advantage of lack of a questioning authority to bypass basic hygiene measures. Similarly, public setups are prone to the effects of political differences between the staffs. Cases of corruption tend to take root in such centers and as a result, unqualified medical personnel find themselves in these institutions. In her take on the causes of nosocomial infections, she states lack of adequate public education on the infections as a key factor in their spread. I think the point holds water since there are same cases of transmission of these infections due to ignorance. For instance one may visit a patient suffering from an air borne disease and contact the disease without knowing. Similarly patients may share personal items such as towels, not knowing that they are subjecting themselves to harmful infections. I think enlightening the public in general on the dangers of these infections and the basic control measures like maintaining a high personal hygiene can go a greater mile in trying to control these infections. It is therefore important to create a society that empresses these basic measures. This can be achieved through airing nosocomial infection related articles in the media, organized open air lessons in villages and also be taught in learning institutions. Jessica Lietz on the other hand, argues out that just as hand washing is important as a measure of control; more emphasis should also be put on wearing of gloves. She states that gloves can also be used in the same context as hand washing as long as one glove is used on only one patient. I seem to disagree with this since there are challenges that come with it. Even though gloves offer a protective barrier, there are cases where these gloves tear. Moreover in instances where the gloves are not properly worn both the expertise and the patient may be a risk of infections. I strongly believe that a high standard of hygiene is the most appropriate way of fighting infections. As such, a basic, prompt and thorough hand wash is always the better option due its advantages. However, this does not rule out the use of gloves as they are equally important. In conclusion, this research article gives a general view of nosocomial infections. It does not reflect a deep research into the subject. Jessica gives more emphasis on general arguments. There are some issues concerning these infections that have not been covered or have been covered shallowly. Jessica does not explain in length how nosocomial infections have been affected by technology. Advancement in technology has revolutionalized the medical fraternity and has come with its own advantages and disadvantage. Therefore one can not make a general decision from this article as it is shallow and needs further research. National Center for Infectious Diseases This is an article on the research carried out on the nosocomial infections by the National Center for Infectious Diseases in the United States. It points out young children, the elderly and persons with compromised immune systems as people who are more prone to these infections. Long hospital stays, failure of healthcare workers to wash hands, use of indwelling catheters and overuse of antibiotics have also been highlighted to cause some cases of the infection (Fridkin, Welbel, Weinstein, 1997). Moreover the research acknowledges the effects of the diversification of technology on the spread and control of the infections highlighting organ transplant, catheters, xenotransplantations among others, as examples. Invasive procedures expose patient to the possibility of infection. The research highlights the percentages below. Causes of Urinary Tract Infections in Hospital Patients: Escherichia coli: 40% Proteus mirabilis: 11% Other Gram-negative bacteria: 25% Coagulase-negative staphylococci: 3% Other Gram-positive bacteria: 16% Candida albicans: 5% Causes of Urinary Tract Infections that are Community-acquired: Escherichia coli: 80% Coagulase-negative staphylococci: 7% Proteus mirabilis: 6% Other Gram-negative bacteria: 4% Other Gram-positive bacteria: 3% This is a comprehensive research that has covered nosocomial infections at length. It discusses key components of the infections giving considerations to both past and today world. Moreover, it compares the rate of the infections both in the urban and rural setting. Hence it is an article that tries to solve nosocomial infection dilemma. Toni Rizzo Toni Rizzo presents his research on the common types of infections in our hospital. He highlights respiratory procedures, intravenous (IV) procedures, surgery and wound and urinary bladder catheterization as the common types of infections. He states that most hospital-acquired UTIs happen after urinary catheterization. A healthy urinary bladder does not have bacteria or microorganisms (it is sterile). A catheter picks up bacteria that may be in or around the urethra and take them up into the bladder hence infecting it. This is a standard research as it touches on almost key issues in the subject matter. I agree with the findings. Fungus infections from Candida are prone to affect patients who are taking antibiotics or that have a poorly functioning immune system. Hence bacteria from the intestinal track are the most types of UTIs. Similarly respiratory procedures done in our hospitals today are the common causes of bacteria getting into the throat. Pneumonia thus becomes another common type of hospital-acquired infections. Once the throat is colonized, it is easy for a patient to inhale the microorganisms into the lungs. Moreover, patients who are unable to cough or gag very well are most likely to inhale colonized bacteria and microorganisms into their lungs. In general Toni Rizzo tries to address affects in medicine today. Infections due to modern advancements like organ transplant among others have been effectively discussed. Thus this is a comprehensive research. Emmanuelle Girou and Francois Stephan (Case-control Study of ICU Patients) This is an article on a study done in the ICU patients. Generally ICU patients are at a high risk of acquiring nosocomial infections and in same cases some die from these infections. There is a need for therapy whether infections in the ICU occur or not. The objectives of the study was to define the interrelationships between underlying disease, severity of illness, therapeutic activity and nosocomial infections in ICU patients, and their influence on these patients out come. The study was conducted in a 10-bed medical ICU. Initial severity of illness was matched, with daily monitoring of severity of illness and therapeutic activity scores, and with analysis of the contribution of nosocomial infections to patients outcomes. The study ran for one year and data carefully taken. Result Global incidence rate of 14.6 infections per 100 admissions was estimated as forty one out of the 281 studied patients developed at least one nosocomial infection. During their ICU stay, the 41 case-patients developed 98 nosocomial infections (2.4 episodes per patient): 15 pneumonias, 35 bacteremias, 33 urinary-tract infections, 12 central-venous-catheter-related infections, two sinusitides, and one surgical wound infection. Of the 35 episodes of bacteremia, only four were primary; the other 31 complicated the following nosocomial infections: 14 urinary tract infections, eight catheter-related infections, eight instances of pneumonia, and one surgical-site infected. The characteristics of patients in both groups were compared through use of the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test for continuous variables and the chi-square test for categorical variables. Wilcoxons test was used to compare two continuous variables within one group. To identify risk factors independently associated with no socomial infection, variables found to be significantly different between cases and controls in the univariate analysis were entered into a forward stepwise logistic-regression model (Statistica 4.5; Statsoft, Inc., Tulsa, OK). When patients developed multiple nosocomial infections during their hospitalization, only the first episode was used in the risk factor analysis. A value of p This is a very detailed and comprehensive case study. It clearly explains why the rate of infection is high in the ICU. This high rate is attributed to various factors. The immune system of most patients in the ICU is always low. Similarly these patients are subjected to taking more antibiotics. Long hospital stays is also another factor. Also it is in the ICU that most medical procedures like organ transplant, catheter, xenotransplantations among others, take place. The research also accounts for the effects of technology and other factors that affect these infections. It accounts for the findings given reasons based on concrete facts. As result, its a dependable research that can be used to study nosocomial infections especially in the ICU. In conclusion, all the articles above points out improved hygiene especially hand washing and immunization have resulted to the overall advances in control of infectious diseases. Negligence of hygiene is also portrayed as a major challenge to the efforts of control of nosocomial infections. I think for us to significantly control the infections, we must join forces and work together with medical personnel on implementation of existing infection control technologies. We should empress positive changes towards the control of nosocomial infection and observe high standards of hygiene so that we do not rely solely on technologic advances.

Part Gender Discrimination Plays In Career Development Sociology Essay

Part Gender Discrimination Plays In Career Development Sociology Essay As defined by Ambassador, F. J, Gender is a concept that refers to a system of roles and relationships between women and men that are determined, not by biology but by the social, political and economic context. The socially determined differences between men and women are referred to as gender, whilst the biologically determined characteristics are referred to as sex. An important distinction between gender and sex is all that women and men do, and all that is expected of them, apart from their distinct sexual function (child bearing and breast feeding, provision of sperm, impregnation) which changes with time and varied social and cultural factors (Ambassador F. J. B, 2007). As defined by Wikipedia on the other hand, Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken towards or against a person of a certain group in consideration based solely on class or category. It refers to the actual behaviour portrayed by an individual, group of individuals or society towards another. And basically involves the denial of one group from opportunities and rights that are available to other groups. There are varied forms of discrimination, but any form of discrimination involves the exclusion of one group from the other Wikipedia, The free encyclopaedia, (http;//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination). Determined patterns of behaviour such as rights, obligations, and prerogatives assigned to females and males in society are referred to as gender roles. They differ with time, place and from one society to another. Gender roles are constructed on the stereotype such as; Men are better than women; Men are cleverer than women; Mens works are more valuable than womens work; Women are weak and dependent; Men are strong and independent; Furthermore, as culture is dynamic and socioeconomic situation change over time, so gender patterns change with them. What women and men do can radically changed as a result of war, famine or disaster. Gender does not address people but issues, issues such as relationships, roles, characteristics, differences and social expectations (Ambassador F. J. B, 2007, Abram, S. 2002). According to Ambassador F. J. B, (2007) , Gender issues in development concerns division of labour, inequality in access to resources, inputs and benefits. The questions to be asked are: Is there parity? Is access open to all? Is it close to some? Gender inequality is a development problem which refers to relations of power (between rich and poor, between women and men) that prevents equitable development and the participation of all. As a result, development moves at a slow pace, conflict, lack of interest, disunity, poor participation, opinion sharing becomes limited and there is a setback in society. The main concern about gender issues in development is the actions required to correct the imbalance between men and women. Gender issues are therefore not about womens participation or womens development per se. In the broader sense, they are about addressing imbalance in society. It is an important planning tool. The gender analysis of who does what or who controls what can assist p lanners in closing the gender gap since in planning the issue at stake is that of power relationship or power sharing (Ambassador F. J. B, 2007, Abram, S. 2002) . According to Ambassador F. J. B, (2007), a gender perspective looks not at women alone but at the relationship between women and men and how societies are structure along gender lines. It is concerned with: Womens involvement concerns, needs and aspirations as well as those for men; The impact of policies, plans and projects on women, men and children; Assessing to who the benefits accrue and in what ways, Financial and other qualitative and quantitative benefits may be assessed; The whole process of gender planning. According to Stuart Malkin, gender discrimination as the name implies, is a form of bias that is hurtful and to a great extent, it is as destructive as any other form of bias. In his Ezine article, Stuart Malkin stated that women and men are not created equal; they each have their God given strengths, focused on their responsibilities for procreation and family viability . These differences according to him are difficult to dismiss but are certainly not the cause for gender discrimination in the workplace in particular and society in general (http;//enzinearticle.com/?Gende-Bias-GenderDiscrimination-Gender-Equalityid=14755). Discrimination on the other is defined by Wikipedia as a term generally used by sociologists to refer to the treatment taken towards or against a person of a certain group in consideration based solely on class or category. It refers to a behaviour pattern portrayed by one group which involves excluding or restricting other group members from opportunities available them. There are various forms of discrimination, but all forms a virtually speaking the same language of rejection or exclusion (Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia (http;//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination) 1.2 Statement of the problem. Women form the largest single sector of the population in the United Kingdom but yet form the minority group in the attainment of leadership roles in the labour force. For decades, women across the board have been battling against inequality between men in a bid to bridge the labour force gap, and yet face some form of gender discrimination in the workplace that limit their challenge to attain higher level management roles. The perception about womens recognition were based on stereotypical assumptions and prejudice such as; womens achievement was to a great extent attributed to luck or effort rather than the ability to perform, men are cleaver than women; Men are strong and independent; Women are weak and dependent; and a vast majority of people had the notion that child bearing and house maintenance are predominantly a womans social roles and responsibilities. Such perceived assumptions resulted to the vast majority of competent women that have excellence potential to stagnate in j ob assignments that lack challenge. Moreover, unlike men, women over the years have limited legal, political and economic rights which largely increased their dependency on men for financial and other means of support (Lyness and Thomson, 1997). However, with the advent of equal employment opportunity legislations and the formation of the Gender and career Development-UK, and the Equal Opportunity Commissions to enforce and implement these legislations in practice and promote equal opportunity, womens rights are now protected by law against any form of discrimination in the work place that tend to limit or restrict their aspirations and career advancement opportunities as well as enabling them to overcome prejudice. Even though women to a certain extent have experienced a positive change in their social status due to employment equality legislations and law enforcement, there is certainty among women as well as the ethnic minority that discrimination and inequality still exist in some form. A good number of women and ethnic minority group face artificial barriers in establishments that deter them from making the best use of their knowledge, skills and abilities to ascend the career lather. Unlike men, there is considerable number of occupations or positions that appeared impossible for women to attain. Therefore, the vast majority of women in the UK labour force are represented in middle and low managerial positions with less decision making, whilst senior level management and important decision making positions are held by men. It is because of this gender gap and imbalance in society that has brought the idea to investigate about the eminent barriers that prevent women from career advancement. 1.3 The Purpose of the Study This research study is an attempt to examine the part gender discrimination play in career development; a case study of maternity returners in the UK legal Profession. Therefore in this research study, career development in maternity returners is being evaluated and compared with the career development in men. From the aspect of career development in maternity returners in the UK legal profession especially in the area of promotion, the present literature suggests an incomplete attempt to identify and resolve the barriers women face in career development in the workplace. Therefore, this research study is an attempt to bridge those gaps in the present literature regarding the obstacles (barriers) women especially maternity returners experience within the UK legal profession. Successful identification and examination of these barriers will form a unique benchmark for recommendation in order to create a viable society that is discrimination free and thus create a frame work for career development of maternity returners in the UK legal profession. Research studies conducted by Killham et al (2005) concluded that present day organisations recognise the importance of developing women leaders for the twenty first century (Killhan, Hookah, and McCarty, 2005). ONeill (2005) highlighted that for any organisation to thrive and succeed in the future depends largely on their success in helping women leaders succeed. Although there appeared to be an increase in the proportion of women in the labour force according to Killham et al, 2005, an attempt to hire and retain this accelerating pool of talent requires the ability of organisations to identify and mitigate the potential threats women face in these establishments, and the ability of these establishments to meet the developmental needs of the said talent pool. A greater dexterity is achieved in every particular staff in establishments that target and successfully develop this increasing pool of talent, and hence achieve a comparative advantage over other establishments in attracting and retaining highly skilled and talented staff (killham, Hookhah, and McCarty, 2005). Recent research with regards to the glass ceiling suggested that Gender discrimination in career development have negative implications in the development of society in general and organisations in particular (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling). Although issues surrounding gender discrimination has been a part of the UK government and organisational policies and are tackled with unique legislations within the frame work of developing future leaders, research targeting the barriers to career development of maternity returners in the UK legal profession are yet to be examined and addressed. The findings from the investigation of the barriers to career development of maternity returners in the UK legal profession will serve to mitigate the rising problems of women stagnating in lower managerial positions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling). The gap in the research related to across gender relationships, which is typical of an organisation such as the UK legal profession where the vast majority of the senior positions are held by males, prompted the need to examine the specific limitations that deter women (maternity returners) from attaining senior positions as their male counterpart. The study seeks to fill some of the major gaps in the present literature by providing a frame work that addresses the barriers to career development in women, especially maternity returners. 1.4 Significance of the study The significance of this research study can be viewed based on the following reasons; There is a minute fraction of women in leadership positions that can be looked upon as role models. The conduct of this research study is to assist the UK legal profession in achieving better organisational performance through the reduction or otherwise elimination of gender discrimination barriers in order to enable women attain their desired objectives. Women to a great extent are playing a vital and diverse role within the UK legal profession. 1.5 Objectives of the study The ultimate objective of the present study is to investigate the likelihood of women to gain promotion on return from maternity. The immediate objectives are as follows; To examine the frequency of promotion; To examine potential barriers to development; To examine the utility of gender based initiatives; To examine justice perception. To evaluate the quality of work ; To examine the skills and qualifications acquired; To examine the length of service; To examine employee development and gender discrimination; 1.6 Justification of the Study 1.6.1 Lost Productivity: In an establishment where gender discrimination is prevalent, there is every tendency for competent employees with excellent potential to remain in-situ in non-challenging job positions. This to a great extent can lead to lost productivity and will result to the employee seeking for another job elsewhere. This to a great extent can lead to lost productivity and will result to the employee seeking for another job elsewhere. In most cases, the most competent employees are denied of adequate training, not considered for promotions and are denied of raises based on gender. The employees that face this type of discrimination often become dissatisfied and hence in most cases result in lost productivity. On a daily bases, employees who feel they are less appreciated or inadequately compensated will not give their best to the job but may rather spend paid work time on unrelated job activities like gossiping with co-workers about labour practices that seem unfair or j ob hunting, to name but a few. When employees feel they are been discriminated against at work, and are unable to find an immediate positive remedy, can increase their anxiety, increase dependence or result to substance abuse and cause depression. Company sick leave increase as a result, and can cause work to be limited and hence result to lost productivity (Julia, F, 2010). 1.6.2 Trained Personnel Leave: If trained and competent personnel do not see growth opportunities, they will eventually leave the company, thereby creating a void or gap that needs to be filled. Though employees are replaceable, it requires time and money to train one. Moreover, it requires a great deal of time to enable a new employee to develop a level of efficiency or productivity that is equal to that held by a previous experienced employee. By having to spend this additional time and money to train and develop new employees means lost production and increased work hours, and hence the profit potential of the company is reduced (Julia, F, 2010). 1.6.3 Decreased Profits: Lawsuits, public chiding and sanctions may arise as a result of discrimination at workplace. Dealing with issues surrounding these lawsuits and sanctions may lead to a considerable drain in company resources. These drained resources are sometimes more than just monetary. Attending hearing sessions and working on negotiations may require experienced personnel which tend to take expertise away from the company leaving the gap either void or less qualified personnel may need to tentatively fill the gap and hence production is at stake. The company can lose customer confidence if lawsuits become public knowledge. There is every tendency that customers may result to taking their business elsewhere and highly qualified personnel may seek for jobs elsewhere. This will ultimately cause the company to lose potential profits (Julia, F, 2010). 1.6.4 Lack of Team Work: Gender discrimination can cause employees to have a different perception about the job and hence working together as a team becomes ineffective in the workplace. This is more so when an employee realises that there are differences (parity) in compensation with his co-employee who has less responsibility, and yet received a better compensation because of gender. When asked to work together on a team project, the employee being discriminated against may not give his or her best. As a result, the individuals expertise and abilities are lost (Julia, F, 2010). 1.7 Research Questions. 3. LITERATURE REVIEW The focus of this research study is an attempt to examine what part does gender discrimination play in career development? A case study of maternity returners in the United Kingdom legal profession. The literature in this research is focused entirely on two broad categories; viz-a-viz gender discrimination and career development; and how gender discrimination affect potential career attainment of employees in establishments in particular and society in general. Women across the board are been discriminated at various fronts. Even though a lot has been done to bridge the gap on gender discrimination through Government legislation and organisational policies, there is yet more to be investigated and resolved in order to achieve the desired impact in development. Gender Discrimination in career development and attainment of leadership roles is a major concern facing women in organisations in the United Kingdom; and is the principal factor that causes women over the years to lag behind in the advancement to higher levels in most organizations ( ). A lot of research has been done on gender discrimination and the effect it has on the development of society. These include a comparative study conducted by the gender and career development-UK 2005/6, and the glass ceiling effect that examined the issue of gender and carer development and examine the continuing restrictions or limitations to achieving equality of opportunity in career development in the United Kingdom. This was a labour force survey conducted by the National Office for statistics (Labour force Survey Table 19 http://www.statistics.gov.uk). This is reflected on the data illustrated in table 1. The data suggests that female employees are less likely to gain managerial positions due to reasons yet undiscovered which this case study is attempting to investigate. The data (on segregation and mobility) below is taken from the Labour Force Survey published by the National Office for Statistics. Table 1. All in employment by socio-economic classification (%) Total Higher Managerial Lower Managerial Intermediate Small employer and own business Lower supervisory Semi-routine Routine All 28,812 14.4 28.5 12.3 9.9 10.7 14.3 10 Male 15,524 18.8 24.7 6.2 13.6 14.2 10.5 12.2 Female 13,288 9.3 32.9 19.4 5.5 6.7 18.8 7.4 Source: Labour Force Survey Table 19 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ (Extracted, Table 2. Part time and temporary workers by socio-economic classification. Total Higher Managerial % Lower Managerial % Intermediate % Small employer and own business % Lower supervisory % Semi-routine % Routine % All 7,324 5.9 21.9 17.3 9.1 6.1 26.7 13 Male 1,996 10 19.3 7.1 19 6.1 21.2 17.3 Female 5,655 4.9 22.5 19.7 6.7 6.1 28.1 12 Source: NOS Table 21 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ The Gender and career development -UK is working with employers and professional institutes to tackle the structured barriers that tend to deter women from working in certain SET profession. The focus of recent research has been on the glass ceiling effect that impedes the career development of women in the attainment of leadership roles. The situation is referred to as ceiling as there is a limitation blocking upward advancement, and glass (transparent) because the limitation is not immediately apparent and is normally an unwritten and an unofficial policy. The current research study is an attempt to examine the part that gender discrimination play in career development; a case study of maternity returners in the legal profession (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling). However, a comprehensive research conducted by Kathrine et al (1979) discovered that in principle there appeared a clear path of promotion, but in reality women seem to face impeding factors that limit or retard their career development path. Most women in the labour force cultivated this concept of career development limiting factors, and refused to penetrate and progress beyond these limits. Some authors refer to this situation as the glass ceilin. It is called Ceiling because there appeared to be a limitation or barrier blocking career advancement, and glass (transparent) because the barrier is not immediately apparent and is normally and unwritten and unofficial policy. To a greater extent, this apparent barrier continues to exist in an invisible nature; and is mainly targeted at women in a bid to prevent them from acquiring jobs at the top level. Since it is unlawful to discriminate by any means such as this, organisations tend to avoid outlining job specifications based on gend er discrimination on job adverts as Equal Employment Opportunity laws deter organisations from discriminating as thus. However, establishments exercise career development discriminatory barriers in a form invisible to the target group and would not accept responsibility if suspected of such act of discrimination. In many cases, establishments tend to use indirect form of gender discriminations to justify their actions. This limiting barrier of glass ceiling deters a considerable number of women from reaching and securing potentially lucrative and prestigious jobs in the labour force. This apparent and invisible barrier to a greater extent instills the concept of women feeling inferior, unworthy and lacks the confidence to aspire and secure positions of high ranks. The author further noted that this invisible barrier gives women the feeling that their bosses do not take them seriously by all means or do not see them as potential candidates for jobs of greater responsibility (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling). However, Carly Fiorina proclaimed that there is nothing that appears like a glass ceiling that prevents women from reaching the top upon becoming Chief Executive Officer and chairwoman of the board of HP. Upon completion of her tenure in office, she called her earlier statement a dumb thing to say. In an article written by Rebecca Traister (The truth about Carly, 2009), gave the idea behind Carlys statement (dumb thing to say) meaning that women shouldnt fixate on an invisible barrier thats going to get their way, they should focus on possibilities. (http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2006/10/19/carly_fiorina). As the name implies, glass ceiling is a term that many schools of thought used to describe the perceived barrier to career development (advancement) in most employment establishments and government parastatals due to gender or sex discrimination. The Glass Ceiling Commission in the United States, a government-funded group, provided significant findings regarding the persistence in gender discrimination in the industrial sector and service company employment. The commission presented a statistical analysis in the above mentioned sector employment status. As cited by the commission Over half of all Masters degrees are now awarded to women, yet 95% of senior-level managers, of the top fortune 1000 industrial and 500 service companies are men. In that light the commission recommended a reverse discrimination in a bid to end this form of discrimination. The recommendations strictly reflect hiring and promotional decisions and must not be based on gender perspectives but rather on qualification and experience of employees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling). In another development, the United Nations presented a comprehensive literature in 2006 on account of women and the glass ceiling. Significant findings from the said research study suggested that the rate at which women around the Globe attain leadership and decision making position remains far too slow, and the fortunate ones underwent a deal of struggle to penetrate and break through the glass ceiling. As cited by Rachel Mayanja (Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues), The past ten years have seen the fastest growth in the number of women in parliaments, yet even at this rate, parity between women and men in parliaments will not be reached until 2040. (http://www.un.org/women.watch/daw/csw/50sess.htm), (http://www.un.org/women.watch/feature/iwd/2006/press releaseIWD8march.pdf). Ruderman et al provided an insight on how existing promotional norms can be investigated and challenged within organisations. His findings presented a comprehensive case analysis of decisions regarding promotion in an organisation.  This research study depicted cases where there  were some variations in the pattern of promotions of men and women.  As cited by Ruderman et al, one key difference was when decision makers spoke about promotions of men they often (75% of cases) mentioned a high level of comfort with the candidate.   For women the key issue was continuity where the person promoted should already have an intimate knowledge of part of the new job.   According to Ruderman et al, managers seem to have some amount of hesitation in promoting women as they require them to demonstrate personal strength, and being able to prove themselves extensively before a promotion is made.   Men on the other hand are less likely to have their promotion accounted for in terms of fam iliarity with job responsibilities. Conger, S. (2002) provided a justifiable argument for the formation of a career development culture as a means (among others) of addressing disproportionate numbers of women and other target groups at lower levels. The development of an organisation depends greatly on its career development culture as it helps in addressing the key organisational aspects of productivity, competitiveness, affirmative action, and succession planning. It gives employees the ability to redefine their talents to realize the full potential of their jobs. This can be achieved by supervision and appraisal, and organizing a system of mentorship. A managed career development culture can be rewardfull to the employee in particular and the establishment in general. Moreover, Congers argument offers the means to accomplish the reasons why both management and workers want a career development culture.  In another development, Conger developed five strategies which employees need to recognise, create and follow a s career opportunities which are beyond the scope of this research (Conger, S. 2002). According to Eagly et al (2007), there are a host of limiting factors that stop or prevent women from advancing to or aspiring for senior level positions which include domestic obligations and child caring, disparity in pay and resistance to womens leadership, and suggestions were offered to organisations on account of career development in women (advancing women into higher-level roles). Establishments that handle and manage work and work related (employee family) issues well, and do not discriminate against pregnant or potentially pregnant employees, have a greater tendency to attract and retain the talented staff and at the same time enabling them especially the female staff to reach their full potential and hence greater dexterity in every particular employee is attained. As a result, a high degree of return to work rate for women after maternity leave is expected. According to McMaster, F (2005), the rate of returns (benefits) from developing women returners into leadership roles is significant. This was an approach taken by IBM Asia Pacific in relation to workplace flexibility. A statistical analysis drawn by the Australian Bureau of statistics, suggested that an estimated number of 118 Australians return to paid work when their child is aged 6 months or even younger. In a bid to work in accordance with National Health and Medical Research Council recommendations of exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and World Health Organisation recommendations for ongoing breastfeeding to two years and beyond, workplace support is crucial (http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/mfwp.html). As cited by Creagh et al (1998), three case studies were drawn from Sweden, Italy and the UK regarding flexible work practices. In their research, they were able to explore the advantages and disadvantages for both employers and employees. The research analysis suggested that flexible work practices can yield positive outcome if the required basic steps are followed. According to Sheridan et al (2000), a Human Resource Management model was developed and intended to be used to bridge the gap between employer and employee needs with regards to workplace flexibility. The model is intended to develop a process of change that reflects flexible work arrangements that is of mutual benefits to both employers and employees. Long term benefits can be achieved by the organisation when the full potential of the employees is realised. Kottke et al presented a paper that highlighted four key underlying processes for intervention to overcome the barriers women face in career development. These include;  Social cognitions, threat potential, justice perceptions, and how to utilise gender based initiatives.This findings suggest that an understanding of how social cognitions, perceptions of fairness, threat, and utility can individually and collectively impact the success or failure of programs to advance women, organizational leaders can develop and implement informed practices that are embraced by all members of the organization and which, consequently, further the advancement of all organizational members.These processes must be considered, followed and managed as part of the development, implementation and evaluation of initiatives targeting womens career development in a bid to achieve the desired goal.  Ã‚   Francis et al (2002) developed a paper in the construction industry that highlighted issues surrounding workers families that is equally relevant and applicable to other works of life. The paper outlined the need for the use of non-traditional management methods to cater for the increased number of women in the work force. Legal requirements and organisational performance were the reasons presented to justify why organisations should care about workers families. A number of initiatives that organisations in general can adopt and implement are then identified and described. According to Davey et al (1994), a research study was conducted that involved in depth interview of 16 women as well as completed and analysed questionnaires of a further 160 women who had taken maternity leave from one institution over an 8 year period.  The results obtained from analysis, offered an insight into who returns to work, what provisions and opportunities that encourage women to return and the benefits to the organization in providing these provisions. According to a research study conducted in Australia regarding circumstances surrounding pregnancy discrimination at work and progress to formal redress, 318 cases were explored of alleged workplace pregnancy discrimination which were reported to a community advocacy organisation

Henry Thoreau and Science :: Literature Poems Ecology Papers

Henry Thoreau and Science Though best known as a literary figure, Henry Thoreau showed a lasting interest in science. He read widely in the scientific literature of his day and published one the first scholarly discussions on forest succession. In fact, some historians rate Thoreau as one of the founders of the modern science of ecology. At the same time, Thoreau often lamented science’s tendency to kill poetry. Scientific writings coupled with his own careful observations often revealed life to him, but in other ways rendered nature lifeless. Modern-day Thoreauvians are also aware that science has largely become a tool for control and increased consumption, rather than for the appreciation and protection of wild nature. This paper explores some of Thoreau’s reflections on science and "system," and presents his view of the proper role of science in our lives. As will become clear, Thoreau’s worries are occasioned by his own scientific endeavors. His responses to science’s insuffici encies are reformist, suggesting ways to improve and supplement science rather than discard it. Why do precisely these objects which we behold make a world? Why has man just these species of animals for his neighbors; as if nothing but a mouse could have filled this crevice? — Walden (1) Introduction Henry Thoreau, like Goethe before him, showed a lasting interest in science. (2) He belonged to the Boston Natural History Society from 1850 onwards, and read widely in the current scientific literature. Beyond this, Thoreau was intensely interested in the scientific puzzles suggested by his own rambles around Concord, Massachusetts. In the years following Walden’s publication he observed more systematically and tested his hypotheses more rigorously, and published one of the first scholarly discussions on forest succession. Some historians rate Thoreau as one of the founders of the modern science of ecology. (3) At the same time Thoreau often lamented science’s tendency to kill poetry. The scientific writings of others and his own careful observations often revealed life to him, but at other times rendered nature lifeless. (4) Modern-day Thoreauvians are also aware of science’s role in the imperialistic conquest of nature. We love the wild, yet science has largely become a tool for control, commodification and increased consumption, rather than for the appreciation and protection of nature. (5) The proper role of science in human society and in our own lives is thus an important issue. This paper explores some of Thoreau’s reflections on science and "system.

Lord Of The Flies :: essays research papers

The adventure novel, The Lord of the Flies, was an epic tale that depicted the different facets of the human spirit. It was written by William Golding in the 1950’s and recieved many awards. Idt was declared the â€Å"Outstanding Novel of the Year† by E.M. Forrester. The author did in no wat mean for this story to be biographical, but Mr. Golding depicted well the many different aspect of human nature. The book has been described as â€Å"provacative, vivid and enthralling,† but Time and Tide said it best when they wrote, â€Å"It is not only a first-rate adventure story but a parable of our times.† The novel took place on an island probably somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. This can be inferred because of the fact that the boys are British and that they arrived on the island by way of a plane cradsh. The story also occurred during wartime. The story begins when a group of British boys crash on an uninhabited island. In the beginning they area all unruly and unmorginized. Finally, a boy by the nakme of Ralph decides to take charge and call a meeting. The boys declare him â€Å"chief† and then begin to follow his lead. Ralph is also assisted by another lad by the name of Piggy. The group of boys were getting along fine until Jack Merridew, a boy who wanted to be â€Å"chief† instead, decided to go his own way. He disobeyed Ralph and did things his own way. He was to preoccupied witdh his own whims to do the act that was most important on the island, which was to keep the signal going so they could be rescued. Finally, Jack went against Ralph and declared that if any of the other boys wanted to have â€Å"fun,† which meant acting like savages, that they should follow him. The boys splot up into two groups and then havoc insued. Jacks group went around hunting and being barbaric while the others tried to get rescued. In the end Jack had gotten all the boys except Ralph to run around loke wild animals. Then when Jack got tired of dealing with Ralph, he convinced wveryone to try and kill him. By then however, a navy ship had come an they could never get around to the nasty deed. There was more than one antagonist in the story, The Lord of the Flies.

The Effect of an Illinois Wesleyan Education on Political Ideology :: Politics Education Essays

The Effect of an Illinois Wesleyan Education on Political Ideology Political commentators often label American students not as liberals or conservatives, but simply as apathetic citizens unconcerned with political issues. The number of students venturing to the polls continues to be depressing to any advocate of a democratic form of government. Outside of political science classrooms, few students seem to be knowledgeable of simple political events and personalities. Has this apathy always plagued universities in the United States? There existed in the 1960s a movement in American students that awakened a generation of political activists. The rise of the student movement in opposition to the Vietnam War gained national attention as teach-ins and other forms of protest became a daily occurrence on campuses. The beginning of the student-based civil rights movement only fueled this activism. As the media looked on, the students of America gained a reputation as a radical, left-wing population. The nation has seen a rebirth of many of the Vietnam-era values in today’s students. Protests, mostly in opposition to the war in Iraq, have become frequent events on college campuses. Student organizations advocating equal rights for women, racial minorities and the gay community have made their voice heard in state and federal legislatures. Perhaps there is some truth to the view that college students are a very liberal group that tends to become more liberal as they approach graduation. Many scholars feel that the university environment nurtures this liberalization in the student body. There seems to be a general acceptance of social and economic liberal ideas both in and out of the classroom. Some feel that professors have a large effect on students’ political development. Others speculate that the material studied by students awakens new views that tend to push them to the left. Still others believe that it is the effect of peers and the general college environment that has the biggest impact. Whatever the source, it seems as if college students tend to cross the graduation platform more liberal than they arrive. This research will look at the political views of students at

High employee performance

Question: â€Å" Making people satisfied in and with their occupations generates high employee public presentation. † Discus This essay argues whether high employee public presentation is a consequence of doing people happy in and with their occupations. It will sketch the points in favor and against the statement whilst mentioning to the different occupation satisfaction and public presentation theories that have been examined by Human Resource Management ( HRM ) theoreticians. The different points and theories on the occupation satisfaction occupation public presentation theoretical accounts will besides be highlighted to back up the statement. Job public presentation is officially defined as the value of the set of employee behaviours that contribute, either positively or negatively to organizational end achievement ( Colquit, Lepine, Wesson pg. 37 ) . Job satisfaction on the other is defined as a enjoyable emotional province ensuing from the assessment of 1s occupation or occupation experiences ( Colquit, Lepine, Wesson pg. 104 ) . In other words, it represents how you feel about your occupation and what you think about your occupation. There are different factors that contribute to employee satisfaction in the workplace runing from inducements such as periphery benefits to wagess such as higher wage. One cardinal factor that affects employee satisfaction is motive. Motivation has been describe as the cognitive determination devising procedure through which end directed behavior is initiated, energized, directed and maintained. ( Andrzej, Huzynski, Buchanan ) . This merely means that motive is what drives an person to bring forth an result. There is a valid nexus between these two descriptions and research has shown that occupation satisfaction most times leads to high employee public presentation. Take for e.g. theoretical account 1 developed by†¦ shows a clear nexus between occupation satisfaction and public presentation as G Strauss ( 1968 ) commented that â€Å" early human relationists viewed the morale-productivity relationship rather merely: higher morale would take to improved productiveness. This provides a valid relationship between morale and productiveness e.g. a telesales agent who is extremely motivated and is happy with their occupation is more likely to execute better than one who is non. On the other manus anticipation theories of motive by and large stipulate that satisfaction follows from the wagess produced by public presentation ( Naylor, Pritchard, Illgen 1980 ) ( Vroom 1964 ) . Lawler and Porter ( 1967 ) anticipation theorists themselves argued that public presentation would take to occupati on satisfaction through the proviso of intrinsic and extrinsic wagess. In contrast to this there are different values each employee is more normally associated with. Some employees value money as a chief aim to be satisfied by their occupation while others value friendly relationship as a step of occupation satisfaction, as Locke ( 1970 ) hypothesised that value attainment would chair the performance- satisfaction relationship, such that public presentation is fulfilling to the extent that It leads to of import work values. Therefore, a strong pay-performance eventuality would do those who value wage satisfied because public presentation leads to valued wagess. Although this is the instance these theories differ depending iupon what type of profession or occupation you are looking at. E.g intrinsic wagess would use more to physicians and engeeners as they are more satisfied by value of their occupations and†¦ wheras person working on a local shop may be more satisfied by how much money thay make par twenty-four hours. So if the statement that doing people satisfied with their occupations generates high employee public presentation is entirely used in a concern environment and other factors are non included such as the 1s above this would non turn out practical as grounds shows that there are other factors that influence this. Personality besides affects occupation satisfaction and public presentation. Therefore it is really of import to separate between the different personality traits each person has in order to use the right theoretical accounts to increase their occupation satisfaction and public presentation. A meta analysis conducted by, Organ and Ryan ( 1995 ) proposed that employee personality traits such as conscientiousness indirectly influence Organisational Citizenship Behaviour ( OCB ) through employee affect. Job satisfaction would be one index of this affect. In certain occupation prspects such as marketing employees who score higher points on extroversion traits Mccrae and costa ‘s ( 1987 ) would have more attending from people in authorization as those are some of the chief qualities that leaders look for in selling industry ensuing in more contact and attending from leaders. This is supported by ( Graen, 2003 ; Graen & A ; Uhl-Bien, 1995 ; Lapierre, Hackett, & A ; Taggar, 2006 ) ‘s, statetement that those in higher quality Leader Member Exchange ( LMX ) relationships typically receive discriminatory intervention, such as more discretion and liberty at work, every bit good as more ambitious and of import duties ensuing in increased occupation satisfaction ( Schriesheim, Castro, Zhou, & A ; Yammarino, 2001 ) . Clearly one can see that when employees are making good in their occupation and are acquiring the recognition and incentives they deserve they will be satisfied with their work hence taking them to execute better in undertakings allocated to them and with their overall occupation. However It can be argued that overall occupation satisfaction may non ever be measured accurately as being satisfied with one facet of work such as friendly relationship s at work might non intend one is satisfied with their whole occupation as they may non be satisfied with wage. Employees may be probably to execute better with undertakings that relate to a portion of the occupation they are satisfied with and make strictly with undertakings related to things they are non satisfied with in their occupations. Besides lazy workers although satisfied may non better on their public presentation which supports the McCrae and Costa ‘s ( 1987 ) unfastened model on personality.