Experience Gaining Essays - Marching Band, 9, Music,

Experience Gaining An experience that shall never escape me is my first week of marching band camp in ninth grade. Held at my high school of the time, this two-week journey will fill your soul with glorious notes and alert your senses to the feeling of music. Everywhere you place yourself for those two weeks at camp, no matter where, you cannot get away from the essence of song and rhythm. Whether you're sitting in the heated band room with humidity that resembles walking through an ocean or on break for fifthteen minutes smoking harsh cigarettes fast enough to also get a refreshing drink of water that cools and moisturizes a heat-smacked throat, the music is everywhere, and everything is in some way associated to the music, even the pitcher's mound of the baseball field as it kicked up sand as we traversed across it during practice. Upon entering the school which reminds one of an ancient Greek temple with it's cracked pillars, but still beautiful structure, the all too familiar scent of wet paint rushes into your nose as you gaze around to look at the dusty floor and bare walls that will become covered in student propaganda like some silly mosaic. As you climb the chipped marble staircase, stray notes begin to stimulate your ears like that first hint in the morning that you mother is cooking breakfast. On the oven-like fourth floor in the band room, there are about seventy-five bustling teens playing instruments, talking, and laughing into a unique whirlpool of music that you can feel vibrating your very soul. Each different point of focus in that room has its own very definite individuality and flavor, and you can see that just by standing in the doorway! Mr. Lutz, the band instructor, is a very eccentric, short, balding man who has that wide spaced rumbling in his voice like a bullfrog. Very serious and to the point, he is also on of the nicest people that one could meet. When the members first get their music, which is always somewhat challenging, there is, at first, a unified look of confusion around the room so much that you can almost taste the uneasiness. When we begin playing, the music sounds almost nothing like it's supposed to. Sort of like everybody's on the right page, but a different part of it. After a while, though, everyone starts to get things and the music starts streaming from many different parts into one fine, melodic line. By the end of the first week, you could almost see the Disney movie "Aladdin" as we played "A Whole New World." Now is the time to take all that you have learned in the band room and drag it kicking and screaming out into the unbearable August heat to learn the field routine. The grass of our lumpy football field / baseball field is always freshly mowed and that sweet smell seems to hang stagnant in the air, along with the clippings on your shoes. On the home side of the field only, there are four rickety bleachers upon which we precariously place our cases and other things that we bring along with us like sun block and mini-coolers of water. Despite all this royal treatment, we still must sum up our courage and infiltrate the battlefield; some veteran mixed in along with the fresh meat. At the start, this consisted of us being placed in spots on the football field and being treated like pawns on an augmented chessboard, pikes (instruments) in hand. Once we got the gist of where we were supposed to move, it was then time to do this while playing. Each step we take represents a beat in the music, so if done right, we has quite the impressive effect of resembling a millipede that breaks apart and reforms at the will of the drum major. Friday of the last week is when we have our first show for our parents and friends. Scared, nervous, tense, anxious, are words that cannot even begin to describe the feeling of your first show in front of a crowd of people. Of course you don't want to perform, but deep down inside you have this burning desire to show everyone what two weeks of sweating hard work can amount to. You really don't realize actually how many people can fill up four bleachers until it's too late. So here we are marching out into the field in single file and on step like cartoon ants. My

Why You Shouldnt Trust US News College Rankings

Why You Shouldn't Trust US News College Rankings SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips US News is probably the most popular source out there for college rankings. While US News rankings of colleges purport to be highly accurate, they can be misleading in certain important respects. If you make decisions based purely on the US News college rankings, you might end up being miserable. In this article, I’ll go over why you shouldn’t make judgments about colleges solely based on their rankings in US News. What Types of Rankings Does US News Provide? US News divides its college rankings into four different categories.The categories are based on the 2010 Basic Classification system developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.This system has 12 categories of schools, but US News condenses them into four.These include: National Universities These are schools that offer master's and doctoral degrees along with a full range of undergraduate majors.This category contains â€Å"research universities†, where there is a strong emphasis on research and government subsidies are often provided for research endeavors.There are 280 universities that fall into this category, including 173 public schools, 100 private schools, and 7 for-profit schools. National Liberal Arts Colleges These are colleges that emphasize undergraduate education and give out at least half of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines including languages and literature, biology and life sciences, philosophy, cultural studies, and psychology.There are 227 of these colleges, 221 private, 27 public, and one for profit. Regional Universities These colleges are similar to National Universities in that they offer both a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs.However, they offer limited or nonexistent doctoral programs.There are 620 Regional Universities, including 262 public, 346 private, and 12 for profit. Regional Colleges These are colleges that focus on undergraduate education but have less of a liberal arts emphasis (award less than half of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines).There are 364 regional colleges that include 94 public schools, 253 private schools, and 17 for-profit schools. It’s important to consider these categories because they should affect how you view the rankings.US News specifically states that you shouldn’t compare the rankings of two colleges across two different categories; the schools are so different that making a direct comparison is not logical.You can compare the actual statistics (such as admissions rate, student retention, and average class size), but in terms of rank itself, a school that’s ranked 40th in the National Universities category is not objectively â€Å"worse† than a school that’s ranked 32nd in the National Liberal Arts Colleges category. Very liberal art How Does US News Rank Colleges? There is a strong methodology behind the ranking system that US News uses for colleges, and it changes often to adapt to changing conditions in higher education.Many factors are considered, and percentage weights are given to each component of the assessment. A total weight of 30% is given to factors related to student retention and graduation rates (meaning this is the most highly considered single factor in the ranking process) Graduation and retention measures are given a weight of 22.5% A 7.5% weight is devoted to a measure of whether a school is over or underperforming based on the number of students that graduate (comparing the expected vs. actual graduation rate) US News gives a 22.5% percentage weight to a school’s academic reputation scores For National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges, this is based on a peer survey of academics (weighted 15%) and a survey of high school counselors (weighted 7.5%) For Regional Universities and Regional Colleges, it is based solely on a survey of the academic peer group for the full 22.5% The remaining weight of 47.5% is devoted to hard statistics about the school including measures of academic quality such as selectivity, faculty information, financial resources, and alumni giving. To create school scores, US News gathers statistics in 16 areas related to the academic quality of the school. Each is assigned a percentage based on US News’ â€Å"judgments about which measures of quality matter most†. US News publishes the numerical rank of the top 75% of schools in each of the four categories. Remaining schools are placed in the â€Å"second tier† of rankings where specific numerical ranking is not listed (they’re just put in alphabetical order). The gold star that US News gives to colleges in the second tier. What’s Not to Trust? When I say you shouldn’t trust the rankings, I don’t mean that US News is deliberately misleading students.What I mean is that you shouldn’t put ALL your trust in these rankings and disregard your other preferences about college.You should also be aware of some shortcomings that may cause the rankings to exclude certain schools or rank colleges lower than they would be ranked on a list of â€Å"Best Colleges for You, Student Reading This Article†.Here are some things you should know before consulting the US News rankings in your college search: Some schools won’t be ranked if they don't meet the criteria In fact, there are 148 colleges that are â€Å"unranked† within the four categories listed above.These schools may be unranked for a variety of reasons - these include: Lack of regional accreditation Fewer than 200 students enrolled Do not use the SAT or ACT in admissions decisions Not enough responses on the US News peer assessment survey US News lists unranked schools, but they are put in alphabetical order at the end of each college category without any value judgment.This means that if you’re interested in very small colleges or colleges that don’t use the SAT or ACT in admissions decisions, the rankings may not help you much. The most common reason for a school to be unranked is that it doesn’t use standardized tests.US News argues that there isn’t enough data to compare the school to other institutions in the category without test scores, so it has to remain unranked.This may be a valid point, but it means that schools that may otherwise have solid academics are excluded from rankings, leaving you with a slightly less complete picture of the college landscape. There is an emphasis on ultimate results and academic rigor over quality of student life On the website for US News, it states, â€Å"over time, the ranking model has put less emphasis on input measures of quality – which look at characteristics of the students, faculty and other resources going into the educational process – and more emphasis on output measures, which look at the results of the educational process, such as graduation and freshman retention rates.†There is no doubt that graduation rates are important, and they do say a lot about the quality of a college.However, they will tell you very little about whether a school is a nice place to spend four years, especially if the school is very academically rigorous and prestigious. Most students will graduate because they’re very driven, but that doesn't tell you whether or not they enjoyed their time there. The US News rankings are based on hard statistics and information gleaned from academic peer reviews about the quality of the school.While this is very useful in determining how favorably the school is viewed from the heights of the academic Ivory Tower, it isn’t always the best metric for conducting your search process.Even though focusing on outcome does make sense to a certain degree, it also fails to fully evaluate the quality of the student experience.This can contribute to a somewhat harmful â€Å"ends justify the means† mindset that leads students to spend years in places where they are outwardly successful but inwardly unhappy. The official motto of both US News and your one friend who won't shut up about CrossFit Prestige plays an important role For many students, prestige remains an important factor in deciding whether to attend a college.It’s hard to resist the allure of a school that will impress other people and potentially get you good jobs down the road based on its name recognition. This is the reason why prestige is considered so strongly by US News in its rankings (in the form of ratings from academic peer groups and guidance counselors).Of course, prestige correlates with selectivity in admissions and respect from the higher education community at large, so it does indicate some measure of academic quality. However, measuring schools based on prestige can have the unfortunate consequence of discounting some up and coming colleges or colleges that may have a unique focus and be less well-known.Make sure youuse other resources to research schools that have the criteria you’re looking for - even if they’re not ranked especially high, they may be a much better fit for your goals. Private schools always rank higher In the US News rankings, private schools are always more highly ranked than public schools.This can be misleading, and shouldn’t dissuade you from attending a public school!The reason this happens is because the ranking model US News uses is naturally kinder to private schools: they usually score higher on measures of selectivity, student retention rates, and small class sizes.Since public schools tend to be larger and less selective, they end up with lower rankings, but that means very little for high achieving students who choose to attend public schools. Though the statistics are often less impressive than those of private schools, the public college experience may allow many students to thrive.For students who are willing to seek out resources, public schools are often good choices because of the amount of different programs and high-level research facilities they offer.Rankings also don’t consider the diversity of social life at schools and the opportunities in the form ofextracurricular activities. Hi! I'm Chase, your new roommate. I like sailing and refusing to look at the world from anyone else's perspective. The rankings won’t help you to find an affordable school If you’re trying to avoid debt in college, you’ll need to look at other lists to figure out which schools are the most affordable.Rankings in US News have nothing to do with the cost of schools, so they won’t give you the perspective you’re looking for if cost is a major issue. I Feel So Adrift in the Sea of Colleges without My US News Ranking Water Wings - What Do I Do? You don’t have to ignore the US News rankings just because they’re not totally well-rounded in terms of their assessment metrics and inclusivity.What you should do is make sure that you are aware of what they can and can’t tell you about a college.It’s important that you supplement your views on schools with other resources that will give you a more complete picture of what student life is like and how you might fare at the college. To their credit, US News fully acknowledges this fact:â€Å"the editors of U.S. News believe rankings are only one of many criteria students should consider in choosing a college. Simply because a school is top in its category does not mean it is the top choice for everyone. The rankings should not be used as the sole basis to choose one school over another.†Academics are very important, but your life at college will be so much more than just the quality of your classes and how impressive your degree looks in a frame.You should make sure that you like the location of the school, the housing options, the food, the campus life, and the price tag before you make a decision. And in case you don't like the food, bring a bottle of sriracha. You could put sriracha on woodchips and I would probably eat them. Use the rankings as a rough guide to the quality of schools. The top five schools are the most reputable, then the next set of ten, then the next set of ten, and so on. A school that's in the top 20 is going to provide a more intellectual community and more opportunities in general than a school that's ranked in the 40s. However, within each group of ten there won't be much variability in terms of academic quality and reputation.This might help you to make a decision about where to apply after doing some outside research. However, even if you're trying to decide between two schools that are ranked very differently, you shouldn't just go by rankings. If the lower ranked school is a great fit for you, and the higher ranked school is a poor fit, you should choose the better fit regardless of ranking! As US News also says on its website: â€Å"A prospective student's academic and professional ambitions, personal preferences, financial resources and scholastic record, as well as a school's size, cost, programs, atmosphere and location, should play major roles in determining a college choice.†Once you’ve considered the other factors the are most important to you, you can move on to potentially comparing schools based on the academic rankings presented in US News. What's Next? When you apply to college, it's important to have both reach and safety schools so that you don't sell yourself short or end up without any options. Learn more about how to choose reach schools and safety schools. If you're planning on consulting the US News rankings, you should figure out whether you're more interested in public or private colleges first. Find out the differences between the two. Size and location are also very important factors to consider before looking at rankings. These articles will tell you about the pros and cons of going to college close to home and the main differences between large and small colleges. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The management report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The management report - Essay Example They must have the greatest leverage on both time and costs and for the case study; the report explores the manner in which Zara appreciates both of these to their success. The report explores the ways in which Zara utilizes these three pillars of its operations to a resounding success; (Tolga 2010, p.63, Peters 2011, p.8) posit that short lead time, lower quantities and a greater variety. The short lead time philosophy adopted by the company has aided the firm to churn out more fashionable clothes. Lower quantities of production often leads to more supply while greater variety of styles leads to more choice and more frequency of determining customer needs. The report will finally consider company A, an apparels company which does not manufacture, but operating in the high end of the city’s prime located district. The report will offer the management of the store a variety of recommendations which are in tandem with the reports results from the analysis of Zara Company. Zaraâ €™s Critical Success factors According to Barnes and Lea-greenwood (2006) flexibility in both design and production ultimately determines the success of a company especially in the fast paced fashion world. This report has identified and explored critical success factors relating to the organizational, technological and managerial impetus that have contributed to the effectiveness and success of the firm within the confines of the case study given. The company employed a number of strategies that catapulted it to success, enabling it to overtake other firms to be the leading apparels maker in the world, although under the banner of the parent company. Organizational Factors Zara operates on strategic organization; the company has enhanced communication flow from production to retail. The designers receive feedback from those operating the stores regarding customer tastes and preferences regarding clothes, the colors and etc. Zara focuses in its internal market having control in nearly every stages of the product flow, management theorist refer to such behaviour as internalization theory. When they expanded into foreign market, Zara still maintain its internal aspect and does not follow the typical trend of other competitors. Zara’s in-house business model enables overcoming the market imperfection better (Vrijhoef 2011, p.196).   Zara protects all know-how within the firm from design to ready item since it keeps all production in-house. From the case study one can gather that the business structure adopted by Zara tends to be more closely controlled, and that the firm pays keen attention by having the various business elements in close proximity to each other, around its head quarters in La Coruna, Spain. Unlike the competitors, Zara does not outsource for production from overseas countries that offer cheap labor, where majority of its competitors have pitched camp to take advantage of the low costs. The company closely controls most of its operat ions from the head office in Spain, including production and retail. For example, Zara procures most of its dyes from one of the subsidiaries of the parent company. This is a vertically integrated business s structure; through town his structure, the company has been able to offer their customers products at affordable prices and control

Religion College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion College - Essay Example process or act of making divine knowledge understood, often through direct ontological realization which transcends the human state and reaches into the divine intellect. Revelation in a religious sense can originate from God, a deity, or agents such as angels, and discloses a willed outcome, principles, behaviors, laws and doctrines. For example, most religions have religious texts viewed as sacred and revealed by the Divine, the monotheistic religions viewing them as the so-called Word of God. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelation) There are two distinct dimensions to revelation: outer words and deeds, and subjective human experience. Miracles in the Old Testament are a prime example of the former type of revelation. Take, for example, the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus, to allow the Hebrews to pass safely through while the pursuing Egyptian army was drowned. This direct revelation of the Divine Will obviously had both positive and negative aspects since it favored the Hebrews as the Chosen People over the Egyptians who had enslaved them. Another instance of negative revelation would be the Ten Plagues which preceded the Exodus, as the Egyptian enslavers were subjected to harsher and harsher punishments for the Pharaoh ´s refusal to free the Hebrews as their leader, Moses, demanded.

Desperately Seeking susan by Susan Seidelman Movie Review

Desperately Seeking susan by Susan Seidelman - Movie Review Example The film, â€Å"Desperately Seeking Susan† might captivate many socio-cultural themes, but at the outset it is a full length comedy drama set to entertain audiences watching the film. The film does not contain any serious material apparently then a general inquisition occurs as to what actually is captivated within the short running span of 104 minutes drama that has allured, enchanted and glued the audiences to their seats while watching the film. The romance of the film is definitely inherent within its fanciful plot, extreme comedic actions of the characters, costumes and settings. However, no one can undermine the presence of the two powerful divas on the screen chasing and running after each other and last but not the least chasing madly behind recovering their pair of Egyptian ear ring which they think has been stolen. Director Susan Seidelman employs many devices that were improvised from the Elizabethan comedies in a Shakespearean hue, the devices of mistaken identity, amnesia and farce are employed to build the plot of the comedy â€Å"Desperately Seeking Susan† which make the film totally laughter generating. It has been truly observed and remarked that once you get to watch the film, â€Å"Desperately Seeking Susan† an individual has no option but to unleash his/her intellectual faculty, stop exercising their grey matters and gobble the jewellery clad divas Rosanna Arquette and Madonna. The film stars Robert Joy, Laurie Metcalf and Aidan Quinn as well. As regards to the plot of the film, it happens to be the weakest part. A bored housewife played by Rosanna sees the classified ad where she views that a place and time has been sought by Susan who wants to fix a rendezvous with a person who is interested to meet her. Getting highly attracted by the ad, Rosanna fixes a meeting with Susan played by Madonna and gets so seriously involved into this meeting and the act of seeking people by Susan that she becomes Susan for a while. The plot of the film is genuinely unpredictable and its ending is the most unprecedented one. Thus, such kind of unprecedented occurrence creates a sense of perplexity amid the viewing audience which in turn can create disengagement. However, there are much more strong appeals and facets of the film which make it worth watching. The film captivates the audience with varied enchanting scenarios presented within the plot which act as a glue for the audience. The in and around of New York city as captivated by the camera of Seidelman is the remarkable thing to watch in the film. The film has moments and those moments are created by a volley of good actors like Aidan Quinn and Robert Joy. Thus, there is no wonder that the appeal of the two ladies Rosanna and Madonna, their exuberant and loud costumes along with voluptuous presence make the film more alluring. A true mark of entertaining cinema is imbibed within the screenplay of â€Å"Desperately Seeking Susan† manifested by the screenplay of Leora Barish. When I look towards the phenomena involving the true success of the film, â€Å"Desperately Seeking Susan†, it really feels great to acknowledge the use of all the actors even the supporting actors within the film so elaborately that it provides the film a different dimension altogether. The small roles

Study of recruitment process outsourcing

Study of recruitment process outsourcing Is the process where an employer outsources or transfers all or part of its recruitment activities to expert services of a third party (generally professional consultants). The Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association defines RPO as follows: when a provider acts as a companys internal recruitment function for a portion or all of its jobs. RPO providers manage the entire recruitment/hiring process from job profiling through the  on-boarding  of the new hire, including staff, technology, method and reporting. RPO and other types of occasional recruitment support, contingency and executive search services differ majorly in the  Process. The service provider assumes ownership of the process in RPO, while in other types of staffing services the service provider is only a part of the process controlled by the organization buying their services. History of RPO Temporary, contingency and executive search firms have provided staffing services for many decades, but the concept of an employer outsourcing the management and ownership of part or whole of the recruitment process was first realized during the 1970s in the highly competitive high tech labour market of Silicon Valley. Being hard-pressed to find and hire technical specialists these companies had to pay large fees to specialized external recruiters for staffing their projects. In order to reduce the growing expenses of recruitment fees these companies began examining the various stages in the recruitment process that could be outsourced. The initial RPO programs typically consisted of purchasing lists of potential candidates from RPO vendors. Over the years, the concept of outsourcing was accepted by businesses more and more. RPO too gained favour among Human Resource management. RPO reduced overhead costs from their budgets and also helped improve the companys competitive advantage in the labour market. With labour markets becoming more and more competitive, RPO became more of an acceptable option. In the early 2000s more companies began considering the outsourcing of recruitment for major portions of their recruiting need. The fundamental changes in the World labour market have reinforced the use of RPO. The labour market today is highly dynamic: workers are changing employers more often than in the previous generations. De-regulation of labour markets has created a shift towards contract and part-time labour and shorter work tenures. These trends have increased the recruitment activity and encouraged the use of RPO. Even in slower economic times or higher unemployment, RPO is considered by companies to assist in an increasing need to screen through a larger pool of candidates Benefits Recruitment  is seen as a cost incurring process in an organization.  RPO  has helped the HR professionals of an organisation to concentrate on the strategic functions and processes of human resource management instead of wasting their efforts, time and money on the routine work. Outsourcing of the  recruitment process helps cut the recruitment costs to around 20 % and provides economies of scale to a large sized organization. Outsourcing  has become beneficial for both the corporate organisations that use outsourcing services as well as the consultancies that provide the service. Apart from increasing their revenues,  outsourcing Process  also provides business opportunities to the service providers, enhances the skill set of the service providers and exposure to different corporate experiences thereby increasing their expertise. Time/Speed: Hiring of a recruitment company to do the recruitment process for a new project saves precious time. The recruitment agency already has the database of prospects classified according to their skills, knowledge and experience. Once the requirements are provided by the organisation and the service provider provides the organisation with a list of candidates that would be ready to be interviewed. Money/Costs: In traditional recruitment process the HR professionals have to stop their current work and concentrate on the recruitment process. This is a problem for the small and middle sized companies, the big corporations have their own recruitment departments. By outsourcing the whole of the recruitment process these companies save costs incurred in the recruitment process. The HR professionals can focus on their current work without worrying about recruitment process. These days even the big companies are outsourcing their recruitment processes to reduce costs. Quality: It is considered that the recruitment needs of a company are better realised by the owner or someone working for it. But while recruiting new personnel for a specific job or project this can be very challenging. Specialised recruitment agencies have an extensive database of resumes and the networking to source the right type of candidate. Risks Though RPO has benefits, it has its own sets of limitations/risks. RPO will be successful in the context of a well-defined corporate and staffing strategy. A company must manage its RPO activities, providing initial direction and continued monitoring to get the desired results. Loose Definition of RPO: As RPO is a commercial concept rather than a specific definition, there is little regulation to RPO providers. As such, a recruitment agency can brand their services as RPO without actually structuring them in a way that will provide the most benefit to their clients. Cost: Though RPO engagement is considered as cost saving method, the  cost  of engaging an RPO provider can be more than the cost of the internal recruitment department, as an RPO provider is likely to have higher  business overheads. Effectiveness: If an RPO provider does not understand or seek to understand the recruitment solution that they will be providing, it will lead to an improperly implemented RPO. This would reduce the effectiveness of recruitment. Failure to Deliver: When finding candidates in industry sectors where there are staff shortages, RPO service providers may fail to provide the quality or volume of staff required by their clients. Pre-Existing Issues: If the companys existing recruitment processes are not effective or if the service provider lacks appropriate recruitment processes/procedures to work with the client the RPO solution may not work. In such a situation, it is better for the company to undergo a recruitment  optimisation programme. Engagement: Many RPO organisations perform their staffing functions and service  offsite  or  offshore. This disconnects the provider from the client companys growth and recruiting strategy. Though this effect can be mitigated by strong relationship management, some of the momentum and energy associated with the rapid up scaling of a workforce through recruitment may dissipate. Social Media/Networking in Recruitment Social media recruitment is the next big thing on the cards. A lot of companies have started using Web 2.0 application for recruitment purposes. Web 2.0 is the second generation Internet-based services which is different from the first generation static Web sites with little interaction. Popular Web 2.0 applications include the social media/networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, LinkedIn, MySpace), blogs, podcasts (Podcast Alley, iTunes), video sharing sites (YouTube, FlickR), mobile apps, etc. Today LinkedIn and Facebook has become a powerful tool in recruitment. LinkedIn is a social networking website meant specifically for networking amongst working professionals. Social media recruitment widens reach and helps segmentation, targeting and positioning of potential jobseekers. They also increase the accuracy of profile searches.  Instead of simply recruiting the person with the best-looking CV, social media can ensure that that person is also the best fit for the company. Companies like Accenture, Cognizant, Mindtree, HP-Mphasis and Wipro are planning to hire workers from social networking sites such as LinkedIn. Linkedln is becoming a hot spot  for Companies looking out to hire workers. Recruitment done through the social networking site Linkedln comes with references and are cost effective as they are free. Companies go through the relevant profiles, and can take a look at the recommendations provided by acquaintances of potential candidates before hiring workers. Mphasis used Facebook along with LinkedIn to recruit new workers by creating a page on Facebook. Benefits Recruitment through Social media/networking websites has its own benefits which are not available in other methods of recruitment. Higher accuracy: As social media/networking websites have no physical boundaries job candidates can be searched geographically and found with higher accuracy than before, narrowing the number of candidates and adding to recruiting effectiveness. Fast: As more and more people today use these websites, the available jobs can get filled quicker, lowering vacancy rates because of social medias high usage rate and immediate response time. This helps in a companys ability to attract talent versus competitors. Cost: Social media recruitment has a low cost with high ROI. In most of the cases it is almost free as most websites are free to register and use. Attracting fresh talent: A large number of social media users are college students, and they are fresh talent for entry level positions. Using social media an organization can easily attract this talent pool. Brand visibility: Using social media/networking for recruitment Increases the employers brand visibility online and establishes a leading-edge image for the brand. Risks Social media/networking offers benefits vis-a-vis other methods of recruitment, but it also has its own share of risks. Effectiveness yet to be proven: While social networks are undoubtedly here to stay, whether they become a more central part to the hiring process or not is yet to proved. The amount of recruitment done through this mode is still very low as it is in initial stages. Demographics of representation: Social media as the labour pool does not fully represent the demographics of the general public. There could be more race and age claims over the coming years due to sourcing through social networking sites. Discrimination: There could be discrimination in recruitment due to a persons country of origin, religious preference, disability, age or sexual orientation etc. Lack of clear recruitment standards and process: Recruitment through social media does not involve clear standards of recruitment. Hence any rejections based on softer criteria can lead to discrimination lawsuits being filed by the rejected candidates.

Have You Ever Acted as a Change Agent? :: MBA College Admissions Essays

Have You Ever Acted as a Change Agent? Â   My company is a family owned organization run by conventional management techniques, which include visiting the plant everyday and solving problems as they occur. As the technical director, my responsibility, among others, is to maintain product quality. However, I noticed the company had no communication with its customers and could not identify the desired quality of yarns and fabrics in the local market. With management ignoring dealers' complaints, I and my colleagues in the technical department decided to establish a system to gather customer feedback. Our plan ultimately changed our attitude towards quality. Â   To communicate with our customers, we placed address information forms in every 50kg carton of finished goods and asked the customers to fill out and return them for company calendars and diaries. We collected 267 forms within the first three months and to my surprise found that those 267 processing mills serve 95% of our customers. A number of complaints required as little effort as shifting a lever in the winding machine from one position to another to give a desired winding pattern. We also followed up on the widespread suggestion to replace the paper board carton for packing with jute bags which could be used for other purposes; since jute bags were less expensive, we were happy to follow this advice. Most importantly, we established a mechanism whereby we could immediately and costlessly discover problems with our products. Â   Management initially regarded my idea as 'western' and ineffective in China where customers are perceived as being too concerned with money to answer the questionnaires. While lobbying constantly, I had to wait a month to get the printing and stationary bills cleared. Now, our success is obvious as the attitude towards quality has changed.

Personeel Management chapter

Working Individually or in groups, Identify the factors for a successful Incentive plan. For an Incentive plan to succeed, employees must have some desire for the plan. This desire can be influenced in part by how successful management is in introducing plan and convincing employees of its benefits. Encouraging employees to participate In developing and administering the plan is likely to increase their willingness accept It.Compensation specialists also note the following as heartsickness of a successful incentive plan: Financial incentives are linked to valued behavior, the incentive program seems fair to employees, productivity/quality standards are challenging but achievable, and payout formulas are simple and understandable. 2; Contrast the differences between straight piecework, differential piece rate, and standard hour plans. Explain where each plan might best be used. Straight Piecework: One of the oldest incentive plans is based on piecework.Under straight piecework, employ ees receive a certain rate for each unit produced. Their insemination is determined by the number of units they produce during a pay period. At Staircase, an office furniture maker, employees can earn more than their base pay, often as much as 35 percent more, through piecework for each slab of metal they cut or chair they upholster. Under a differential piece rate, employees whose production exceeds the standard output receive a higher rate for all of their work than the rate paid to those who do not exceed the standard.Computing price rate: Although time standards establish the time required to perform a given amount f work, they do not by themselves determine what the incentive rate should be. The incentive rates must be based on hourly wage rates that would otherwise be paid for the type of work being performed. (standard time per unit) (Hourly rate) (units per hour) (Minutes per hour) = units per hour = per unit Standard hour plan: Another common incentive technique is the stan dard hour plan, which sets incentive rates on the basis of a predetermined â€Å"standard time† for completing a Job.If employees finish the work In less than the expected time, their pay Is still based on the standard time for the Job multiplied by their hourly rate. For example, if the standard time to install an engine in a half-ton truck is five hours and 1 OFF mechanic's hourly rate times five hours. Standard hour plans are particularly suited to long-cycle operations or Jobs or tasks that are non-repetitive and require a variety of skills. 3; A frequently heard complaint about merit raises is that they do little to increase employee effort.What are the causes of this belief? Suggest ways in which the motivating value of merit raises may be increased. No easy solutions to these problems, organizations using a true merit pay plan often base the percentage pay ease on merit guidelines tied to performance appraisals. For example, Highlights in HARM 3 illustrates a guideline chart for awarding merit raises. The percentages may change each year, depending on various internal or external concerns such as profit levels or national economic conditions as indicated by changes in the consumer price index.Under the illustrated merit plan, to prevent all employees from being rated outstanding or above average, managers may be required to distribute the performance rating according to some pre-established formula (such as only 10 percent can be rated outstanding). Additionally, when setting merit percentage guidelines, organizations should consider individual performance along with such factors as training, experience, and current earnings. 4; what are the reasons behind the different payment methods for sales employees?The reason behind different payment methods for sales employees is that not every company shares exactly the same standards of measuring sales performance. From my point of view, the best method would be the combined salary and commission plan a nd it will be also the most useful. As its name says, it is made by two different plans, combined salary and omission plan, this obviously represents an advantage. It also offers some flexibility, allowing to the employees to receive bonuses and commission to certain sales periods. With this extra compensation, employees will keep their work up in order to get bonuses and incentives. ; Because of competitive forces within your industry, you have decided to implement a profit-sharing plan for your employees. Discuss the advantages of profit sharing and identify specific characteristics that will assure success for your plan. Profit-sharing plans differ in the proportion of profits shared with employees and in the distribution and form of payment. The amount shared with employees may range from 5 to 50 percent of the net profit. In most plans, however, about 20 to 25 percent of the net profit is shared.Profit distributions may be made to all employees on an equal basis, or they may be based on regular salaries or some formula that takes into account seniority and/or merit. The payments may be disbursed in cash, deferred, or made on the basis of combining the two forms of payments. 7; what are some of the reasons for the rapid growth of Seeps? Cite some of the potential problems concerning their use. The first advantage is that Seeps increase inconsiderable tax benefits and tax incentives; it also helps a lot in the retirement benefits for the workers avoiding taxation cuts.

Nutritional Deficiency’s with Vegetarian Diets Essay

To understand vegetarian food and the problems that might come nutritionally from them, you first you must understand the diets. Pescatarian Diet Abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. In addition to fish and/or shellfish, a pescetarian diet typically includes all vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains beans, and also permits eggs and dairy They believe that eating fish and fish oils is essential for optimal health because of the Omega 3 fatty acids Vegan Diet This diet excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and any other foods that are processed using animal fat such as refined white sugar and some wines. A healthy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Macrobiotic Revered by some for its healthy and healing qualities, includes unprocessed vegan foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and allows the occasional consumption of fish. Sugar and refined oils are avoided. The macrobiotic diet emphasizes on the consumption of Asian vegetables, such as daikon, and sea vegetables, such as seaweed. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian Refers to individuals who consume dairy produce and eggs but who exclude all meat, fish and poultry. Ovo-vegetarian Refers to individuals who eat plant food and eggs but exclude dairy products Lacto-vegetarian This diet excludes animal meats and eggs but does includes dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, and kefir, but excludes eggs. Lacto-vegetarians also abstain from cheeses that include animal rennet and yogurts that contain gelatin. Common signs of nutrient deficiencies that Vegetarians encounter are fatigue, dry skin, dry hair, brittle nails, anemia, hypoglycemia, frequent infections, osteoporosis and poor immune function. Protein deficiency You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy. Good sources of protein are Legumes and beans, Soy and tofu products, Nuts and seeds, Whole grains, Algae and seaweed and Most plant foods contain protein Common signs of protein deficiencies are Edema, weight loss, thinning or brittle hair, hair loss, and ridges or deep lines in finger and toe nails. The skin becomes very light and can burn easily in the sun, skin rashes, dryness, flakiness, general weakness and lethargy, muscle soreness and weakness, cramps, slowness in healing wounds, cuts, scrapes, and bruises, bedsores and skin ulcers, difficulty sleeping, headache, nausea and stomach pain and fainting Vitamin B12 deficiency This vitamin is produced by bacteria in soil and in animals. Since it is found in animal foods, it is not generally considered a concern for those vegetarians who have eggs and dairy products in their diets. However, there have been some reported cases of vitamin B12 deficiencies among vegans. To be on the safe side, people on such diets should add vitamin B12-fortified cereals or soy milk, or a vegetarian vitamin B12 supplement to their diets, or have a tablespoon of nutritional yeast about once a month. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause pernicious anemia or debilitating nervous system dysfunction. The most common vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms include tiredness, being irritable, finding it hard to concentrate, difficulty remembering things, and in extreme cases, psychosis or depression. Many believe that B12 helps normalize the body’s internal sleep timers, so if you find yourself sleeping often and waking up tired, a vitamin B12 deficiency may be the cause. Iron deficiency Our diet is highly dependent on red meat for iron. Absorption of iron is dependent on stomach acid. The vegetarian form of iron requires vitamin C so the body can use it. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin C. Sources of iron vegetarians can use are tofu, black strap molasses, lentils, lima beans, potato, wheat germ, pinto beans, kidney beans, dandelion greens, kale, pumpkin seeds, black beans, spinach, broccoli, almonds, pumpkin, beet greens, figs, raisins, prunes, green beans, whole wheat, parsley, corn, peanuts, cashew butter, almond butter, blueberries, bananas and raspberries. Do not consume tea or coffee with meals as these can interfere with iron absorption Enhance iron absorption by including vitamin C in the same meal like taking a small glass of orange juice with your meal. Cooking in cast iron cookware every so often rather than stainless steel because iron cookware can leach absorbable iron into simmering food. Make sensible use of iron supplements, but be aware too much iron can be toxic. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, delay normal infant motor function or mental function, during pregnancy can increase risk for small or preterm babies, can cause fatigue and may also affect memory or other mental function in teens Mild iron deficiency anemia may not cause noticeable symptoms. Anemia symptoms may include weakness, fatigue, or lack of stamina., shortness of breath and muscle pain during exercise, Headache, Trouble concentrating, Irritability, Dizziness, Pale skin, Craving substances that are not food (pica), and a craving for ice can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Zinc deficiency Is really important for the immune system, as well as for skin, and neurological health. If you tend to get frequent infections you should definitely add more zinc rich foods in to your diet to optimize your immune system. Foods that can be supplemented are wheat germ toasted, swiss chard, baked potato, oats, mustard greens, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, rice, kidney beans, ginger root, wild rice, peas, leeks, lentils, cashews, sunflower seeds, and lima beans. Zinc deficiencies can cause growth retardation, loss of appetite, impaired immune function, hair loss, diarrhea, delayed sexual maturation, impotence, hypogonadism in males, and eye and skin lesions, weight loss, delayed healing of wounds, taste abnormalities, and mental lethargy. Calcium deficiency Because they do not eat or drink animal products a calcium deficiency could occur. Calcium is required for building strong bones and teeth, clotting blood, vascular contraction and vasodilation, muscle function, nerve transmission, intracellular signaling and hormonal secretion. Good sources of calcium are cooked turnip greens, torula yeast, collard greens, cooked rhubarb, spinach, oatmeal, tofu, broccoli, dandelion greens, swiss chard, blackstrap molasses, soy flour, mustard greens, almonds, baked beans, filberts, oranges, cooked kale, fresh spinach, tahini, and garbanzo beans. Calcium deficiencies can lead to Osteoporosis. Some symptoms of calcium deficiencies in baby’s are bones and teeth not developing correctly. Teenage girls may enter puberty late and may have irregular menstrual cycles with excessive bleeding and cramps. In adults, early tooth decay and frequent bone fractures. Eat at least three servings of dairy foods a day for ex: milk in cereal, yoghurt, cheese in a sandwich, if you are growing, pregnant or breast feeding you should increase to 4-5 portions per day. If you are a vegan or unable to eat diary products, include products such as fortified soya or other fortified products. Omega-3 Fatty Acids deficiency Vegetarian diets can be deficient in these fats that are necessary for a healthy nervous system as well as fighting inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive and behavioral function The best vegetarian source is freshly ground flax seeds and raw walnuts. Fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other seafood including algae and krill, some plants, and nut oils. Some signs of Omega 3 fatty acids deficiencies are learning disabilities, depression, arthritis, eczema, obesity and heart disease Your doctor may order blood work to find out if you have a deficiency in any of the above nutrients. Vegetarians should be sure to watch for theses signs and symptoms and increase intake of alternative sources of these nutrients to maintain optimal health. Resources Text book of Basic Nursing http://osteoporosis.emedtv.com/calcium-deficiency/calcium-deficiency.html http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12_deficiency http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition http://vegetarian.about.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pescetarianism http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/vegan.htm http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/Vegan.htm http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-common-vegetarian-nutrition-deficiencies.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarian_nutrition

Management and Leadership Paper

Management and Leadership Paper Free Online Research Papers Strong organizations have strong leaders and managers. The utilization of organizational functions to meet business needs does not change between organizations; however, the way each function is carried out differs depending on the size and services of the establishment. In this paper, the differences between management and leaders, as well as the roles and responsibilities of leaders in the workplace are discussed. Definition There are many differences between managers and leaders. For example, leaders cope with change, while managers cope with difficult situations. Successful managers must posses many assets, one of which is leadership. The main purpose of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. In order to achieve this, managers must undertake the four functions of management: organization, planning, directing and controlling. One important part of directing is leadership. A manager must be more than a leader; he needs to have formal authority in order to be effective. â€Å"For any quality initiative to take hold, senior management must be involved and act as a role model.† (Predpall, 1994) It is true that in some situations, single leadership is not necessary. Self-motivated groups may find leaders dominating rather than a single leader. During my last class at the University of Phoenix, there were three members, including myself in my learning team. While creating the team charter, we decided not to have any one person take on the role of the designated leader for the group. Other learning teams had rotating leadership roles where each member took turns being leader for the week. Although this could have merits, many teams faced the problem of having poor leadership some weeks, which resulted in members waiting for direction or miscommunication. This is because leadership is an asset, not a requirement. In my learning team, each member honestly voiced what he/she could do to contribute to the task at hand. We were fortunate not to run into any problems. I had great team members, each possessing different strengths and weaknesses. I realize that in a differen t situation, this may not always prove positive; however, for my learning team, the lack of single leadership proved to encourage and motivate each member to do a little more. According to Richard Pascale, â€Å"Managers do things right, while leaders do the right thing.† In other words, managers do things according to established ways, while leaders follow their instinct, which may prove to benefit their organization. Leaders are more emotional than managers. Leaders have the power to motivate people, while managers control and problem-solve. Managers have the ability to bring order and stability in the workplace. They have the authority to make things happen by using rewards and punishments, or by pulling rank. Leaders, on the other hand, influence people. Influence stems from trust. In simpler terms, people have no choice but to follow managers; however, people choose to follow leaders. Roles and Responsibilities There are several roles and responsibilities a leader has in creating a healthy organizational culture. One is to be proficient in the job. A leader needs to be able to combine the competencies of him/herself with the competencies of the other people to make a smooth functioning team. Leaders should start working earlier, stay later and work harder than the rest of the team. This is because a leader is completely responsible for the achievements and failures of the overall goal. Good leaders are able to put themselves out in front and support their people in all situations. Leaders lead continuously. Although I have no personal experience in the managerial aspect of work, my definition of management is getting the task at hand completed in an efficient and effect manner not only through, but also with other people. I believe managers should have a developed science for each aspect of an individual’s work, and should be capable of selecting training and developing members of his team. This does not mean that management is an autocracy. Managers need to be able to cooperate with and understand his/her staff. Communication is also key in management. Without effective communication skills, managers are not able to convey ideas and key points. Miscommunication can lead to stress and frustration. In my personal experience, I have seen many times where bad communication lead not only to workplace stress, but to people leaving the organization. It is unfortunate that many managers lack leadership qualities. Conclusion Some people have the potential of being great managers, but lack being a strong leader. Leadership and management are techniques of organizing people. While a manager uses a more formal and established method, a leader uses charisma and passion to stir emotions. Research Papers on Management and Leadership PaperThe Project Managment Office SystemBringing Democracy to AfricaResearch Process Part OneQuebec and CanadaOpen Architechture a white paperAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Definition of Export QuotasThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Managing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing strategy - Essay Example However, the ever evolving industry of tourism in Europe has meant that there were several factors in the external environment that were impacting the tour operators. This report will analyze those factors using the PESTEL model and Porter’s Five Forces. PESTEL Analysis Political The major political problem that struck the European tour operator industry was the September 11 attacks in the United States of America. The debacle was not just detrimental for Europe but for everywhere around the world. One of the industries that suffered most was the tourism industry. The sense of fear among people grew and that brought a big halt to the number of travelers around the world. The countries had implemented strict policies on visas and entry of foreigners in their lands. Among countries, there was increased scrutiny as the after effects of the attack on the US. There was lack of trust because of the security troubles. Every foreigner was scrutinized. Policies were made strict and thi s was one major reason why tourism industry took a big hit after the attack (United States, 2006). Economical The attacks did not just affect the political landscape of the world but it also had a direct impact on the economies of several regions. Businesses came to a halt and export and import was severely affected. This meant that businesses were not making as much money as they would in normal times. Because of this, there was a severe lack of profit which led to businesses running out of capital (Beaver, 2002). There were a lot of jobs lost and unemployment was on the rise. The overall spending power of the common man went low because of which the expenditures on luxuries such as traveling was also cut down. This had a direct impact on the European tourism industry because people started become more concerned about their well being rather than spending heavy and travel and leisure. An enormous decline was seen in the amount of money being spent in tourism (Hall & Lew, 2009). Mat ters were also made worse when the global economic crisis hit the region in the last 2000s. The world became rife of liquid money and economies were collapsing. This meant that the overall economic situation was not healthy. Companies were suffering as well with many big names being forced into shutting down their businesses. All in all, it was a tough environment to operate in for the European tourism industry. Social The positive aspect in the external environment for the European tourism industry, however, was that the people of Europe generally liked traveling. It was taken seriously and people considered it as their passion. This meant that when political and economic conditions in the region improved, people went back to investing in their travels and this was something that immensely benefited the tourism industry in Europe (Davidson, 1998). Technological Technology had a big part to play in the European tourism industry. For tour operators especially, technology was proving to be a menace. This was because their direct competitors, who would be the hotels and airlines themselves, started selling their products and services through the internet. During the last 2000s, sales through internet surpassed all other mediums. Technology provided a more convenient and easy access to people who wished to book flights and tours. Airlines as well as hotels both were now providing packaged tours for their customers, something the tour operators in

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection - Essay Example As the paper hghlights the reporter found meaning in herlife with her children and her total being, without him by her side. Today, her children and she is very happy living together and she is proud to say that she feels accomplished and complete without her husband. The early phase of her married life falls on Erikson’s psychosocial stage 6 which covers her early adulthood. This is the stage when she was longing for intimacy; thus, marrying her husband even if she had to go against the will of herv family. This is the time when she wanted to have a close personal relationship rather than be isolated. The reporter wanted to have a satisfying relationship and develop a family of her own. The later part of her married life is a perfect example of Erikson’s â€Å"penultimate† stage or the middle adulthood stage. When she separated from her husband, that was the time when her focus shifted from herself to her immediate surroundings which are her children. Had she fo cused on herself, she could have just wallowed in depression and not strive to work hard for her children. The reporter   focused on integrity and not despair. She focused on the positive rather than on the negative. She had to do something for the good of my children. Her strength was her children, which is what Erickson terms as â€Å"generativity†. She feared of becoming meaningless or inactive. She knew she had to find new meaning and purpose in life because she did not want to be self-absorbed and stagnate. Her going back to school and finding a job was instrumental in helping her get through this stage. The population that the reporter most want to â€Å"give forward† to are the separated wives who feel so depressed and useless. She wants to share with them my experience. From this paper it is clear that she wants to show them how she was able to rise up again from the pain of being left by a husband. She want to prove to them that they do not need a husband to take care of their children. She will show them how to find meaning in their lives and view the separation as a challenge to improve oneself and be useful to society. The reporter will point out to them that the options that they face are â€Å"generativity† or â€Å"stagnation†. It is her objective that they make the better choice of moving forward and care for the â€Å"next generation†, meaning their children. The reporter will prove to them through her experience that choosing â€Å"generativity† will lead them to the path of â€Å"integrity†, which is the positive result of the eighth stage in Erikson’s stages of development. On the other hand, if they choose â€Å"stagnation†, it will only bring them towards â€Å"despair†, the oppos ite side of the eighth stage. Her   ideal legacy for her family is to be able to give a college education to her children. Hopefully, if they are well-educated, they can become successful individuals both with their careers and their family lives. She may not be able to leave them with wealth but she hopes through their education they can pursue whatever it is they dream for in their lives.