Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining Essay Example for Free

Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining Essay Are 2-tier wage systems fair and justified?† Provide supporting data to justify your response. The two tier wage system is usually established by management and sometimes in agreement with a union for three main reasons. The first reason being that the employer wants to pay senior, experienced and productive worker more without increasing overall wage cost. The second reason for the implementation of this system is so that the employer can establish a merit wage scheme that compensates employees without increasing overall costs. The last reason could be that the employer wants to reduce overall cost by hiring new employees at a lower wage than incumbent workers. Unions usually agree to this type of wage system as a tactic that would allow employer to hire future employees at lower wages than senior workers, so as to reduce cost to employers and prevent future layoffs and wage cuts. Unions realize that preserving the jobs, wages and benefits of active union members is first priority. The two tier wage system may be considered fair and justified as in the recession of recent times. This system can be implemented as a strategy to resist the need to lay off workers, and reduce the wages of current workers. Unless there is a recession, the two-tier system is unfair and unjust. During non-recession economic times, employers, especially those in the private sector, may use this system as a way of minimizing cost and maximizing profits, which is unfair to workers. Each worker should be viewed as equal and should be rewarded equally. The two-tier wage system may be viewed as discriminatory, and denies employees the opportunity to thrive and get ahead. Employees who perform the same work should be paid the same the amount. This is the main reason for the labor movement and the reason why people join union. Employees who are being paid more will be constantly in fear of losing their job and be in fear of being replaced by lower-tier employees which will therefore reduce overall morale. Employees who are paid less to do the same work will be in conflict with those who are paid more and this may lead to lower productivity from these workers. In the case that there is a recession it would be beneficial to current employees to agree to a two-tier wage system, so as to preserve their jobs and benefits. The seasoned employee would not have to worry about being paid at the lower level as only new employees are affected. The system should be reversible and should be reversed, once the employer has become profitable again. It would be unfair to keep this system around if the company can afford to revert to the previous system. The United Auto Workers and GM, Ford and Chrysler in 2007, agreed to a two tier wage system, with new employees being paid the lower tier. The CEO of Ford believed that this change in the wage system was necessary to retain jobs. In 2010 under the new wage system Ford hired 1,200 new employees, rather than laying-off workers and closing plants. Two tier wages system can be as strategy for maintaining job security and benefits for current workers during difficult times but should be reversible once the company is again profitable.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Example for Free

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Throughout the entire novel of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, everyone is inquiring or investigating about something. The characters are either meddling in someone else’s business or they become curious about something scientific. Because of this curiosity, different people get in trouble in some way. In the first chapter, Mr. Utterson’s friend Mr. Enfield says, â€Å"You start a question, and it’s like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill; and away the stone goes, starting others; and presently some bland old bird (the last you would have thought of) is knocked on the head in his own back garden and the family have to change their name. No sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask.† (35). This is an important epigraph for the entire novella because when Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Utterson, and Mr. Lanyon become curious, someone gets in trouble. The most important example of someone being inquisitive is in the Case of Dr. Jekyll. He questions whether man can be split in two; one half would be the evil half and the other half would be strictly a good-intentioned gentleman. (79) Dr. Jekyll does this experiment on himself but something goes wrong and he becomes strictly his evil side. This transformation allows him to have a separate persona, a separate life. He thrives of off the power he feels when he becomes Mr. Hyde. (81) This leads to his ultimate downfall. He finds it so hard to keep his old self. This constant changing back and forth leads him to eventually kill himself because he has lost hope. His original curiosity of trying to make him self solely good is what leads to his demise in the end. (93) Mr. Utterson’s curiosity about his close friend, Dr. Jekyll, adds to Jekyll’s final, suicidal decision. His investigation of the mysteriousness around the door and Dr. Jekyll begins when he reads Dr. Jekyll’s will. As a lawyer, he should not question the motives behind Jekyll’s peculiar will but instead he tries to pry into his friend’s life to ensure that nothing ‘sketchy’ is going on. This is a question that should not be asked because it is not any of his business but he still tries to figure it out. (37) This leads to another curiosity for Utterson. He feels as though he needs to see Hyde’s face. He waits at the door simply to see his face, to be able to place his finger on why people are so disturbed by him. This is not a necessary question to be asked and it causes more skepticism about the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde. (40) The unclearness of the relationship puts pressure on Jekyll, leading to his breakdown. Finally, Lanyon’s curiosity-downfall spiral is the most obvious. Jekyll goes to Lanyon first, asking him to retrieve a drawer from his laboratory and give it to Hyde. When Hyde asks if he wants to see the transformation, Lanyon being nosy says yes. (55) His starting of a question ‘starts the stone’ and it leads to his death. He is so shocked about seeing his friend transform that he eventually dies. This never would have happened if did not agree to seeing Jekyll and Hyde. (57) Overall, the characters in this book show a lot of curiousity about Jekyll and Hyde. As the quote says, â€Å"You start a question, and it’s like starting a stone.† (35). The characters start a questions and â€Å"presently some bland old bird is knocked on the head in his own back garden and the family have to change their name.† These questions have been about Jekyll and Hyde and so ultimately someone ends up getting hurt of getting in trouble. This is a theme throughout the whole novel which is why this quote serves as a good epigraph for the novella.

Role of therapeutic relationship within mental health nursing

Role of therapeutic relationship within mental health nursing Research is a significant component of the educational process and is essential for current and future professional nursing practice (Tingen, 2009). To describe what nursing research is, Tingen (2009) uses a definition by Polit and Beck (2006, p4) who describe it as a: Systematic inquiry designed to develop knowledge about issues of importance to nurses, including nursing practice, nursing education and nursing administration. Without research, nurses would not be able to practice evidence based care, the importance of which is stated within the Code of Conduct (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2008). According to Haynes and Haines (1998) evidence based practice aims to integrate current best evidence from research with clinical policy and practice. It is important to critically evaluate any research study to establish the significance and worth of each individual publication (Hek, 1996). For the purpose of this assignment I will use a universal critical appraisal tool that can be used to evaluate any type of research, which can be located in Appendix 1. It has been adapted and devised using appraisal tools from Hawker et al (2002) and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) (Public Health Resource Unit, 2007). Background I have chosen to review the topic of therapeutic relationships within the field of mental health nursing. I feel this is a vital component in the nursing role, and something every mental health nurse should be skilled in. Literature states that the therapeutic relationship is a central element of care through which many aspects of mental health nursing is carried out (Priebe and McCabe, 2006). Search strategy My question is what role does the therapeutic relationship have within mental health nursing? I carried out my literature search using the Cinahl database. Although there are a variety of database choices, Cinahl produced ample results so other database searches were not required. Table 1 summarises my literature search results. Table 1: literature search strategy database name key words/phrases used database headings used search limits (inclusions/exclusions) no. results Cinahl (Search was conducted on 1st April 2011) therapeutic relationship and mental health None Primary research English language Peer reviewed 64 Therapeutic relationship and psychiatric None Primary research English language Peer reviewed 68 I searched the terms mental health and psychiatric separately but in conjunction with the words therapeutic relationship to ensure a more in-depth search as both terms are used interchangeably within literature. The three papers I have selected to review are Johansson and Eklund (2003), Scanlon (2006) and Forchuk et al. (2005). They were chosen so that both qualitative and quantitative research is included and that differing perspectives on the therapeutic relationship were researched. A summary of the relevant information from each article can be found in a critical appraisal grid in Appendix 2. Elements of the summary will be referred to in the following discussion. Critical Review: Research aims Any research paper should make clear the purpose of the study being reported so that the reader can establish whether or not it is relevant to them (Couchman and Dawson, 1990). It is suggested that an abstract or summary is a good way to give a brief overview of the content of the paper (Couchman and Dawson, 1990). Greenhalgh (2010) recommends that the introductory sentence of a research paper should state the background to the research. All three highlighted papers clearly set out their aims and give background information as to the importance of their study and why it has been chosen. The Forchuk et al. (2005) study aims to replicate a successful pilot study conducted several years earlier, but seemingly on a larger scale. Research approach/design When assessing the methodological quality and approach of a paper Greenhalgh (2010) proposes five key questions. They are; was the study original, whom was it about, was it well designed, was systematic bias avoided and was it large enough and continued for long enough to make the results credible (Greenhalgh, 2010). Johansson and Eklund (2003) give good rationale for the research design using literature as evidence. Both authors are experienced in the field of psychiatry, but the first author conducted all interviews, which helped to maintain consistency and credibility. Scanlon (2006) appears to have spent time designing her study, using established literature as well as her own experience to develop an interview guide which was piloted to ensure its suitability. The Forchuk et al. (2005) study describes a clear and concise research design using cluster randomisation. The study had a control group to compare to a group receiving the model used in the aforementioned pilot study. Ethical issues Any research involving human participants and animal materials or specimens is subject to ethical review, whether it is clinical, biomedical or social research, including the secondary use (Sheffield Hallam University, 2011). Literature regarding ethical considerations varies in the areas they discuss but in general, there are four main areas of ethical concern where the rights and dignity of the participant must be preserved, namely ensuring consent; prevention of harm; protecting confidentiality (Behi and Nolan, 1995; Marion, 2004); and that the research process provides more benefit than harm (Behi and Nolan, 1995). The study by Johansson and Eklund (2003) was initiated by the ethics committee of the county council, so it is assumed they were recruited to complete the study, although no information is given other than the authors had no collaboration with either of the two settings used to recruit participants. Although written consent was sought it is not stated as to whether the participants understood the aims of the study. Both Scanlon (2006) and Forchuk et al. (2005) provide little information other than ethical principles being followed. Sampling For any study to take place, the subjects must be selected, and this is called sampling. The process used to select a group of people, events, behaviours or situations must ensure that the subjects are representative of the population being studied (Burns and Grove, 2007), or the research will not be credible. The population being studied will guide what process will be used to complete the sampling process (Burns and Grove, 2007). Johansson and Eklund (2003) give in-depth and referenced reasoning for their chosen sampling process. However their attempts at ensuring maximum variation can be argued to have failed with only 9 participants recruited. In contrast, little information is given by Scanlon (2006) as to her sampling process, but there is a clear inclusion criterion for the sample of six participants. The sampling process used by Forchuk et al. (2005) appears to be in-depth with attempts to reduce any potential limitations or barriers. A large sample size of 390 participants partook in the study, which was a year long. A dropout rate of 36% resulted in 249 completing the study. Data collection Burns and Grove (2007) define data collection as the precise, systematic gathering of information relevant to the research purpose or the specific objectives, questions, or hypotheses of a study. The choice of data collecting technique used will be determined by the type and purpose of the study being conducted (Burns and Grove, 2007). The data collection method utilised in the Johansson and Eklund (2003) study was an open-ended in-depth interview with a clear focus. The interview was hand written during discussion with no other recording equipment used. They themselves admit that this can introduce bias and the potential for data to be missed using this process. To maintain consistency the interviewer was the same person for all interviews, but the person transcribing is not stated. Other than developing a piloted interview guide, Scanlon (2006) does not give detail about the data collection technique, other than semi-structured interviews being conducted. The interview guide is attached as an appendix. Data collection methods in the Forchuk et al. (2005) study would appear to be very thorough involving 5 tools, 3 of which were designed solely for this research. Data analysis After the data is collated, the research will be of no use to anyone if it is not analysed as it will have no meaning or explanation (McMichael, 2007). Analysis transforms the data collected into new knowledge (Thorne, 2000) and with its primary purpose being to impose some order to data so that conclusions can be made and communicated (Massey, 1995). The analysis process in the Johansson and Eklund (2003) study would appear to be very thorough. However the interviewer was one of the researchers categorising, so the transcripts were known and analysis may have been affected. Scanlons (2006) research provides a good example of thorough data analysis, using a recognised coding procedure comprising of three sets of coding. In contrast Forchuk et al. (2005) give little information regarding their data analysis providing only one small paragraph explaining how t-tests were used to test hypothesis. Findings The findings or results of any study should be presented in a way that advises the reader of any significant outcomes (Burns and Grove, 2007). It is suggested that tables and discussion are separate to as to avoid confusion (Couchman and Dawson, 1990). Johansson and Eklund (2003) give a good example of separating the ways in which the data is presented, with an in-depth discussion about each category. Sub categories were created to provide further clarity and quotes from interview are used to emphasise points. However the table gives little information other than the headings for each category and brings little value to the report. Scanlon (2006) uses an in-depth discussion to relay her findings, with quotes from participants supporting literature on the topic area. The studys aims have clearly been achieved. Considering the extent of data collected, the findings are surprisingly sparse in the Forchuk et al. (2005) paper. Baseline data is presented in a table, but little information is available as the findings did not support the hypothesis. Generalisability/transferability Generalisability refers to the extent to which research findings are valid and relevant to other settings (Pibouleau, 2009) and how useful they are (Altman and Bland, 1998). Pibouleau (2009) explains how poor reporting of generalisability can be a barrier to research findings being introduced to clinical practice. If findings are not generalisable then they will not be suitable to be implemented into clinical practice. The small scale of the study by Johansson and Eklund (2003) indicates that it is weak and that its generalisability is limited. They attempt to argue that due to having no contrasting findings that it gives rise to a certain degree of representativeness, but their conclusion contradicts this by stating there was some variation, the culprit being a patient with psychosis. Scanlon (2006) reports her study to not be generalisable due to its small scale. However, it does discuss how therapeutic relationships fit in with the role of psychiatric nursing, so the study can be argued to be transferable to the wider population. The Forchuk et al. (2005) study failed to meet its aims, so is not generalisable in any way. This is despite it being based on a successful pilot study conducted some years previously. Implications for practice The research by Johansson and Eklund (2003) offers very little implication for practice other than to offer issues that should be addressed in future similar studies. The study is flawed, and has limitations and contradictions within the discussion. Both authors have previous experience in research in the topic area which is evident in the referencing of their own work, so it raises concerns that these issues have not been addressed in previous work. In contrast Scanlon (2006) recognises all flaws in her study, and gives several recommendations for future research. The fact that the interview guide is included and the findings discussed in such depth allows the study to be replicated. Very little can be gained from the Forchuk et al. (2005) research with regards to enhancing practice, but recommendations are made for future study, almost as a token gesture. However, the paper does highlight factors to consider when planning the discharge process to ensure success, so cannot be comple tely dismissed. Discussion Considering the significance of therapeutic relationships within the field of mental health and the importance it plays within the role of the nurse, the analysis of the highlighted papers is disappointing. The Johansson and Eklund (2003) paper is flawed offering nothing significant for clinical practice. The Forchuk et al. (2005) study failed to meet its aims and as a result provided very little information other than the importance of providing support in the transition from hospital to community. Although very valid, this is does not compensate for the complete failure of the research which was based on a successful pilot. It can be argued that the only paper critiqued that can offer anything to clinical practice is that published by Scanlon (2006), but then her conclusions infer the opposite. Despite the fact that her study can easily be replicated and recommendations for future research are offered, she casts doubt by having a negative focus on her findings. Conclusion This critical review has little to offer to address my question, but the background research and literature reviews within the reviewed papers does offer a rich source of secondary information. Despite that none of the studies have generalisability; they do highlight issues that future researchers should be aware of. From this review it seems that a qualitative approach is best suited to a study in this topic area. It is recommended that the flaws and limitations highlighted in the above research designs are used to establish an effective method for evaluating the role of the therapeutic relationship in mental health nursing. References ALTMAN, D.G. and BLAND, J.M. (1998). Generalisation and extrapolation. [online]. British Medical Journal, 317 (7155), 409-410. Article from British Medical Journal last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://www.bmj.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/content/317/7155/409.full.pdf BEHI, R. and NOLAN, M. (1995). Ethical issues in research. British Journal of Nursing, 4 (12), 712-716. BURNS, N. and GROVE, S.K. (2007). Understanding Nursing Research: Building an evidence-based practice. 4th ed., China, Saunders Elsevier. COUCHMAN, W. and DAWSON, J. (1990). Nursing and health-care research. London, Scutari Press. FORCHUK, C. et al. (2005). Therapeutic relationships: from psychiatric hospital to community. [online]. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 12 (5), 556-564. Article from Ebscohost last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://web.ebscohost.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f3dd7acd-4bbe-4931-88aa-e5fbf505b948%40sessionmgr14vid=2hid=10 GREENHALGH, T. (2010). How to read a paper: The basics of evidence-based medicine. 4th ed., West Sussex, Wiley-Blackwell. HAWKER, S. et al. (2002). Appraising the Evidence: Reviewing Disparate Data Systematically. [online]. Qualitative Health Research, 12 (9), 1284-1299. Article from Sage last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://qhr.sagepub.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/content/12/9/1284.full.pdf+html HAYNES, B. and HAINES, A. (1998). Barriers and bridges to evidence based clinical practice. British Medical Journal, 317 (7153), 273-276. HEK, G. (1996). Guidelines of conducting critical research evaluation. Nursing Standard, 11 (6), 40-43. JOHANSSON, H. and EKLUND, M. (2003). Patients opinion on what constitutes good psychiatric care. [online]. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 17 (4), 339-346. Article from Ebscohost last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://web.ebscohost.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c7e46787-eb49-4138-85ac-a8a551792d91%40sessionmgr11vid=2hid=10 MARION, R. (2004). Ethics in research. [online] Last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://www.sahs.utmb.edu/pellinore/intro_to_research/wad/ethics.htm MASSEY, V.H. (1995). Nursing research. Pennsylvania, Springhouse Corporation. MCMICHAEL, C. (2007). Qualitative data analysis. [online]. Last accessed 2 April 2011 at: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/publichealth/Units/phe6/phe6hrb/Week%206%202007%20Analysis.pdf NURSING and MIDWIFERY COUNCIL (2008). The Code in Full. [online]. Last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/The-code/The-code-in-full/#standard PIBOULEAU, L. (2009). Applicability and generalisability of published results of randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies evaluating four orthopaedic procedures: methodological systematic review. [online]. British Medical Journal, 339 (b4538), 1-8. Article from British Medical Journal last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://www.bmj.com/content/339/bmj.b4538.full POLIT, D.F. and BECK, C.T. (2006). Essentials of nursing research: Methods, appraisal, and utilization. 6th ed., Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. PRIEBE, S. and MCCABE, R. (2006). The therapeutic relationship in psychiatric settings. [online]. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 113 (s429), 69-72. Article from Wiley last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2005.00721.x/pdf PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCE UNIT (2007). Appraisal Tools. [Online]. Last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://www.phru.nhs.uk/Pages/PHD/resources.htm SCANLON, A. (2006). Psychiatric nurses perceptions of the constituents of the therapeutic relationship: a grounded theory study. [online]. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 13 (3), 319-329. Article from Ebscohost last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://web.ebscohost.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=476f44a1-8cff-4a3c-a40f-c96bc336d3c3%40sessionmgr14vid=2hid=10 SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY (2011). Research ethics: 1. Research involving human participants. [online]. Last accessed 1 April 2011 at: http://students.shu.ac.uk/rightsrules/resethics1.html THORNE, S. (2000). Data analysis in qualitative research. Evidence Based Nursing, 3 (3), 68-70. TINGEN, M.S. et al. (2009). The importance of nursing research. Journal of Nursing Education, 48 (3) 167-170. Appendix 1 A Universal Critical Appraisal Tool Adapted from HAWKER, Sheila et al (2002) Appraising the Evidence: Reviewing Disparate Data Systematically. Qualitative Health Research, 12 (9), 1284-1299 and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) appraisal tools: http://www.phru.nhs.uk/Pages/PHD/CASP.htm 1: Research aims and research question: Is there a clear statement of aims and a research question? Consider: Is the goal of the research clearly stated? Are reasons given for why the research is relevant or important? 2: Research approach/design: Is the approach appropriate and clearly explained? Consider: Is the research approach/design justified? Is an explanation offered as to why it was chosen? 3: Ethics: have ethical issues been addressed and was necessary ethical approval obtained? Consider: Are issues of confidentiality, sensitivity and consent addressed? Are research governance processes clearly described? 4: Sampling: Is the sampling strategy appropriate to address the research aims? Consider: Is how the participants were recruited, selected or allocated explained? Are details provided (e.g. race, gender, age, context) of who was studied? Is the sample size for the study justified? 5: Data collection: Are the methods of data collection appropriate and clearly explained? Consider: Is it clear how the data were collected and are the methods chosen justified? 6: Data analysis: Is the description of the data analysis sufficiently rigorous? Consider: Is there a clear description of how analysis was done Qualitative Is there a description of how themes or concepts were derived? Quantitative Are reasons for the statistical tests selected described and statistical significance discussed? 7: Findings: Is there a clear description of the findings? Consider: Are findings explicit, easy to understand and in logical progression? Are tables, if present, explained in the text? Do results relate directly to the aims? Are sufficient data presented to support the findings? 8: Transferability or generalisability: Are the findings of this study transferable, or generalisable to a wider population? Consider: Are the context and setting of the study described sufficiently to allow comparison with other contexts and settings? Is there sufficient detail provided about the sample (as in section 4)? 9: Implications and usefulness: How important are these findings to policy and/or practice? Consider: Do the findings contribute something new and/or different in terms of understanding, insight or perspective? Are ideas for further research suggested? Are implications for policy and/or practice suggested?

philosophy 101 :: essays research papers

A professor stood before his Philosophy 101 class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous - - yes. The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - - your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions - - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full." "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - - the small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18.

Functions Of Management Essay -- Business Management

There may be many ways for an organization to become successful but the key to success is not the system of the firm but the character and skills of the individual manager (Maister, 2002). Maister further stated that the character and skill of individual managers who "practice what they preach" and recognize the manager's role in training employees are what's really significant. Management is necessary for a business to function, yet when exploring the role of the manager, it becomes rather complex. Managers must be resourceful; they are individuals who wear many hats. The job of every manager involves what is known as the functions of management. Richard Daft definition of management is "the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through the employment of the four management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling organizational resources" (2005). Daft adds that these functions are goal-directed, interrelated and interdependent. The first of these functions, planning, involves creating a systematic process for achieving the goals of the firm. It prepares the organization for the future. Planning can take many forms and a variety of methods may be employed. Creativity and communication becomes very important in the function of planning. For example, during my employment with a tax service, in planning a marketing campaign several people had to be contacted. Communication was initiated in different forms such as e-mail, telephone, written memorandums and creative jingles. Today managers make use of planning through software and technological items such as blackberries in order to be well prepared during the planning process. Planning can also be seen as a way of control. ... ... needed (2005). Managers also play an important role is advancing these goals. Rather than just manipulating things and people to achieve goals, managers must advance overall organizational goals through the use of information systems. Technology is one element that is helping managers take control. The use of the internet and other technology has enabled them to keep tabs on performance without maintaining daily authoritarian control over employees (Daft, 2005). In Maister's book, "Practice What You Preach", he list nine statements as the most important truths for employees and profitability. The performance from company to company, despite the country, the size of the practice and the line of business, the four functions of management I found to be equally significant in his nine truths. Works Cited Maister, D.H. (2001), "Practice What You Preach"

Comparing The Chrysalids and The Day of the Triffids :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Chrysalids and The Day of the Triffids    _____John Wyndham's science fiction novels, The Chrysalids and The Day of the Triffids, do not focus on incredible and unbelievable developments in technology, as do novels of many of the stereotypical science fiction writers, yet instead focus on how the people; particularly the protagonist, deal with the many uncomfortable situations they are faced in the frightening world of the future.    _____The Day of the Triffids is perhaps Wyndham's best known novel, and tells of explosions in space blinding a large proportion of the population, at the same time as an agricultural experiment goes horribly wrong, and millions of triffids, carnivorous plants, populate every corner of the globe, threatening mankind's very existence. In The Day of the Triffids, Wyndham speculates on many things. He contemplates how the people would deal with wide-spread blindness, and how they would accept the danger of carnivorous plants on the loose - not a contemporary invention, simply basic biology working against us. In his writings he considers how the remaining people of the world would deal with such a situation, that changing situations do require new ways, and what new ways would gain acceptance.    _____Speculation about how people would react widespread blindness is an integral part of The Day of the Triffids. Wyndham considered what the consequences would be; that most of the population would die of starvation because of their inability to carry out normal daily tasks such as buying the groceries and preparing meals without the assistance of a person with twenty-twenty vision, not to mention the overhanging danger of the triffids.    'My dear,' I said. 'I don't like this anymore than you do. I've put the alternative badly before you. Do we help those who have survived the catastrophe to rebuild some kind of life?' (p 103)    Wyndham uses quotes such as that above to allow the reader to consider what the consequences would be, and also to work on the conscience of the receiving character. Wyndham considers how the people of the world would cope in such a disastrous situation with an overwhelming majority of the population being blind, where the small proportion still sighted are relied on by numbers of one thousand to one for the survival of the human race. He focuses on the devotion and responsibility it would take, to in effect, save civilization as we now know it.

Arguments for and Against Genetically Modified Food Essay

â€Å"Biotechnology involves any technique that uses living organisms or parts there of to make or modify products, to improve plants or animals or to develop micro organisms for specific uses† (Dr Sriwatanapongse, www. afic. org) In the past century we’ve have been lucky enough to stumble upon one of the basic building blocks of organisms, DNA. In recent years scientists have been able to develop ways in which they can manipulate, alter, and transfer DNA in forms that can help improve our lives. One way in which DNA research has been used to improve our lifestyle, is by engineering the deoxyribonucleic acid into ways which can alter food supplies to make them bigger, taste better, resistant to pests and even make them have a greater concentration of nutrients. Of course this is great news to the human population, in terms of economic and life-saving values for third world countries, yet there are still disadvantages. With all the good news that comes from these altered crops, concerns are still among people. These concerns include; whether or not these alterations will affect humans in a negative way, or how they will impact the environment. Genetically engineering crops might play a significant role in increasing crop yield therefore allowing the world to feed more people while using less land. A recent study on bioengineered crops concluded that these crops are safe and can improve production dramatically. â€Å"To date, total acres of biotech crops harvested exceed more than 1 billion with a proven 10-year history of safe use. Over the next decade, expanded adoption combined with current research on 57 crops in 63 countries will broaden the advantages of genetically modified foods for growers, consumers and the environment. † (www. monsanto. com) Those opposing the genetically altered crops state that â€Å"One major detriment to genetically engineered food is that there has been no adequate testing to ensure that extracting genes from useful functions will yield the same results in different applications and species† (www. govhs. org). Predictions of future are that, consumers are able to get foods that last longer, taste better and are more nutritious than the current foods. There will also an even greater variety of foods all year round. These products will be made possible through genetic engineering, and some of them are already available. For centuries, farmers grew plants to produce special foods with unique characteristics: better taste, higher yield or greater resistance to drought or frosts. History shows, that five thousand years ago in Peru, potatoes were grown selectively. Plants, which produced potatoes with attractive characteristics, such as higher yields, were used to produce future plants. More than two thousand years ago, tree grafting was used by the Greeks to Gain a more fruit in orchards. Now, we have genetically engineered food that has been discovered and now offers a faster and more reliable method of establishing new traits in plants to provide foods that are better tasting, more nutritious or more in amount. Although all of this may seem futuristic, such crops do already exist. Not only have these crops been in laboratories for decades, but they have been in the market for years. Humans have only just begun to realize the benefits of these genetically altered foods. Genetically altered foods allow a wide selection of things to improve upon. Some altered abilities already exists in our fruits and vegetables, these include: pest, disease and herbicide. By using genetic engineering, plants that resist disease, pests or insects can be developed. This means that less chemicals, such as pesticides, are required. In the near future scientists hopefully will be able to â€Å"improve the drought resistance of most crop species and could have major implications for crops grown in dry areas† (www.abc. net. au/news). Weather resistance Plants could and can be developed to better withstand extreme weather conditions such as drought or frosts. Genetically engineering foods make crops easier to maintain and lower the cost in maintenance. One benefit of altered foods which is often overlooked is the Improved processing characteristics of these foods, leading to reduced waste and lower food costs to the consumer. Foods are being developed to contain more vitamins, minerals, protein and less saturated fat. For example, fruits and vegetables with higher levels of antioxidant vitamins â€Å"may reduce cardiovascular disease risk and help reduce the risk of certain cancers† (www. americanheart. org). The world population is expected to double to more than 10 billion people by the year 2050. Food biotechnology can help meet the increasing demand for food. â€Å"By increasing a crop’s ability to withstand environmental factors, growers will be able to farm in parts of the world currently unsuitable for crop production. Along with additional food, this could also provide economies of developing nations with much-needed jobs and greater productivity. Genetically engineered foods seem to have solved all the problems farmers and growers have had for years. Unfortunately all the positive effects of altered foods seem to mask the reality behind these perfect crops. Some of the disadvantages of altered crops include the possibility of mutations. â€Å"Plant breeders have induced mutations in selected plants by treating them with chemicals or radiation; however this is costly and unpredictable† (Microorganisms, biotechnology and Disease). Genetic engineering changes the nature of the food eaten. It can cause unexpected mutations in an organism, which can create new and higher levels of toxins in foods. Genetic engineering can produce unknown allergens in foods. Some foods may be implanted with the ability to produce antibiotics. This may help the plant, but if these plants that are infected with bacteria emerge new strands of bacteria that may become resistant to the most advanced antibiotics, there will be a problem. With herbicide-resistant crops, weeds may evolve to also become herbicide resistant. The spread of diseases across specific species may also become a factor because of a loss of ? bio-diversity’ in crops. When crops are altered for specific abilities, they are then mass produced. They are the only type of species grown in field of thousands. Because of this, the species will only be able to pass on to all generations the same DNA. Once started, they may not be easily controlled or contained. It makes the crops hard to calculate. Unfortunately the biggest problem raised from new modified foods is the fact that the public is unaware of how it works and the results behind the genetically modified food. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic code in living organisms. About twenty five years ago, scientists began to understand how DNA worked. From this ways for speeding up breeding processes were understood to a degree. Agricultural scientists today can identify the genes that carry specific traits they want, such as ? disease resistance’ or ? nutrient content’ and transfer those genes to a plant, therefore creating a transgenic organism. Genetic engineering is the process of artificially modifying these ? blueprints’. By cutting and splicing DNA, engineers can transfer genes specific to one type of organism into any other organism. Some organisms have been enhanced through biotechnology such as; tomatoes, that go ? soft’ more slowly and so remain on the vine for longer. This gives them more colour and flavour. Also, virus resistant papyrus and squash, that make the crop more dependable. Genetically modified food seems to have already changed the world today. Many countries are already considering making more of their crops with genetically engineered properties. Scientists have gained a vast knowledge of genetic engineering and are now able to make many possibilities. Genetically engineered food has brought a lot of commercial benefits; increased crops quality, harvesting quantity, pest resistance, herbicide resistance, nutrient supplementation and more. Not only have the crops improved, but more crops are produced in less space. Although the benefits of bioengineering seem fantastic, there are still many mysteries left to understand in such a vast field of understanding. Genetic engineering might cause serious consequences to our future life as well next generations to come. Deeper insight into genetic engineering may be all that is needed for us to gain truly unlimited advantage from such a vast scientific field.